Masonic Banquet At The Mansion House,

man Sir J . Whittaker Ellis , Bart ., M . P ., and others—who would agree with him . ( Cheers . ) Bro . MCINTYRE , P . G . M ., felt that he had been entrusted with the toast of the evening . They had been invited to the festive board of the foremost citizens of the foremost city in the world , and right royally had he entertained them . It was a great pleasure to them to know that notwithstanding

the high position which his lordship had attained in the City , and he might also say in the United Kingdom , he had not forgotten his old friends , the Masons . They had his lordship amid the great labours of his high office attending his Masonic duties , and attaining a high position in the Craft . His career was an apt illustration of what a good man could do and the great advantage which could be derived from Masonry . Those who knew him most

esteemed him greatly , and he had in every way proved himself a great and good citizen , and a worthy and distinguished Mason . In proposing his lordship's health , he could only express the further hope that in times to come other Lord Mayors would emulate the greatness and kindness of the Lord Mayor of the present day , and that they might see many other distinguished Masons filling his chair . ( Cheers . )

Bro . the LORD MAYOR , who was loudly cheered , said he felt honoured in having so many distinguished men whom he was able to call brothers around him that evening . This was the last occasion on which he should assemble his friends in that hall , and he should ever look back to the event with the greatest satisfaction . As Masons they had all the same object in view , they met one another as old friends , and he trusted that the gathering

might be the means of cementing that good feeling which had existed , and which ought to continue to exist . He hoped that they would all look back to the gathering with the same satisfaction that he should , particularly when they remembered that the last occasion that their brother , the Lord Mayor of 1886 , had of meeting his friends at the Mansion House was that on which he had the honour of receivins ? them .

The brethren then adjourned to the Saloon , where tea and coffee were served . Messrs . Ring and Brymer catered and gave great satisfaction . Sibold's band played a selection of music during the evening .

Banquet To Prince Albert Victor At The Aldershot Military Mark Lodge, No. 54, Aldershot.

BANQUET TO PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR AT THE ALDERSHOT MILITARY MARK LODGE , No . 54 , ALDERSHOT .

The presence of H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor with his regiment at Aldershot was made the occasion ot a Masonic gathering of a very interesting character on Wednesday last , when the Military Mark Lodge entertained his Royal Highness at a banquet at the Imperial Hotel . Although this was the main object of the meeting lodge work was not ignored , for Mark Masonry is so flourishing in this district that occasion was taken to call a lodge of emergency to advance several candidates .

The lodge was opened by . the W . M ., Bro . Harrison , who was supported by the following members of the lodge and visitors : —Bros . A . M . Broadley , P . D . G . M . Mediterranean ; F . Binckes , Grand Secretary ; H . Hacker , P . G . O . ; Richard Eve , P . G . O . ; S . Kirchofler , P . M ., P . G . O . ; H . Stone , P . M ., Grand Steward ; VV . Lake , P . P . G . Reg . Cornwall ; Rev . Norman Lee , Rev . Riley , Augustus Harris , Barker , Rowbotham , Hitchings , Taylor , Solomon , Sumner , Knight , Foster , Col . Meade . Reynolds , Blarney , Thompson , Veitch , Fenn , Brinston , Hayhoe , Palmer , Rex , and others .

The R . W . P . G . M ., Bro . Canon Porta ) , H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor , and the Grand Officers were received and saluted . The business of the lodge was then proceeded with , and the following brethren were introduced and advanced : Bros . T . H . Gowers , G . Richardson , C . Standing , T . Godfrey , S . Frost , J . Frost , W . Phillips , and H . Sumner . The ceremony was ably performed by Bro . Harrison , assisted by Bro . Stone , P . M ., G . Stwd .

Prince Albert Victor was then proposed as a joining member by Bro . STONE , seconded by the W . M . The lodge was then closed , and the brethren retired to the banqueting hall , the chair being taken by Bro . Portal , who was supported on the right by Prince Albert Victor , Bros . Captain Greville ( Equerry ) , A . M . Broadley , F . Binckes , Augustus Harris , Rev . Norman Lee , W . Lake , and others ; and on the left by the W . M . and the Past Masters of the lodge .

The CHAIRMAN proposed "Success to Mark Masonry and " Ihe Health of her Majesty the Queen , " observing that he was sure there was no assembly in England that owed more to her Majesty than the honoured Society of Freemasons , because she had done so much in the direction of one ol their main objects , Charity . The toast was most loyally received .

Next the CHAIRMAN proposed "The Health of the Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , and the Royal Family . " In doing so , he observed that he must be allowed to say even in the presence of Prince Albert Victor that there was no single person in England to whom Masonry owed so much as to the Prince of Wales . ( Cheers . ) It would be remembered how the Prince came forward

in a serious crisis to take the throne of their great Order when , by ihe loss of Lord Ripon , the Craft found itself in a most unpleasant and awkward position , and if the Prince of Wales had not been equal to the occasion and placed his services at the disposal of the Order , they would have doubtless suffered much . Thus they would see that the Prince of Wales deserved their hearty good will for the course he took during that

most awkward period . They would also remember that the late Prince Leopold was the first member of the Royal family who ever became a Mark Mason , and for this and other reasons they had to thank the Royal family . They therefore welcomed most heartily the present illustrious prince who sat on his right hand —( loud cheers)—and the best wish they could give him was that he would follow in the steps of his illustrious father . The toast was loyally received .

Prince ALBERT VICTOR , in responding , said he must thank them most sincerely , for his own part , for the very kind way in which his health had been drunk , and for the equally kind way in which the toast had been proposed by the Provincial Grand Master . It gave him great pleasure to be present that evening to witness such an exceedingly interesting ceremony ,

and see so many candidates being initiated , and , as he was made a Mark Mason some time ago , he had still greater pleasure in being present that night , because it was the second Mark Lodge of which he had been made a member . ( Cheers . ) He might also say that the Grand Master of England would be very grateful for the kind way in which the toast of his health

Banquet To Prince Albert Victor At The Aldershot Military Mark Lodge, No. 54, Aldershot.

had been received that night , and which , he believed , was always received in the . same way throughout that august Order . ( Cheers . ) He should certainly acquaint him of the fact , because he always took such an active interest in Masonry . One thing he ( the speaker ) had noticed was that the more interest one took in Masonry the more interesting it became . ( Cheers . ) He thanked them on behalf of his father for the manner in which the toast was received .

Bro . EVE , P . G . O ., gave the next toast which was " The Health of the Past and Pro Grand Masters , and the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " The G . M . had so many duties to perform that it was necessary in the interests of Masonry that he should be assisted in that high office by brethren of distinction and ability , and his task was a pleasant one of proposing that the health of those brethren be honoured in a bumper . Their worthy Pro

Grand Master was a great acquisition to the Craft , while , in raferring to Bro . Portal , he said he had come down from the throne of Freemasonry to preside over their province . He spoke of him then as one of the Past Grand Masters of Mark Masonry in England , and he ( the speaker ) was sure there was no one who displayed more zeal , more interest , and more ability , and none who had done more for their great Order than Canon

Portal , whom they were so pleased to see present that day . ( Applause . ) There were other men of distinction in the Craft to whom he should like to allude , but the bare enumeration of their names would take up too much time . Still he was sure they would all join with him in drinking the health of those brethren to whom he alluded , brethren who had brought their ability to bear on the furthering of the interests of their Society . As regards

Bro . Binckes , the speaker said he often felt that if the Grand Mark Lodge was out of England and Bro . Binckes alorie was in it , he would be enough to represent it —( laughter and applause)—with his great power , energy , and ability .- He had a great regard for Bro . Binckes as well as for Bro . Broadley , who would respond for that toast , and was a brother who had

made his presence felt not only in England but abroad ; and more than that , had made Freemasonry popular amongst all with whom he came in contact . ( Applause . ) No one could go to Malta without hearing his praises sung . He had done much for Masonry and could and would do more . ( Applause . ) The toast was receeived with great cordiality .

Bro . BROADLEY , in responding , alluded to the eloquent but flattering terms in which Bro . Eve had spoken of himself and other brethren , and said it gave him great pleasure to be there that night to see the ceremonies worked in the impressive and excellent manner they had been . Four years ago he was taking part in Mark Masonry under very different circumstances —that was in Egypt—and Bro . Eve was also taking part in the same work .

( Loud applause . ) It was pleasant to him to think of the establishment of that interesting Mark Lodge under the shadow of the Pyramids , and which to-day was in such a flourishing condition . He would not refer to the work of the Masonic lodges of the Mediterranean , interested as he was in them , but he would hasten to tell them how pleased he was with the conduct of their own lodge—how admirable was the manner in which the Deacons discharged their duties . He could assure them when he saw them

performing those duties tb . at there was something in their style which told of military discipline , and' there was a great amount of dramatic power also put into it which rendered it very impressive . It was in these points that lay the great beauty and symbolism of that Degree , which was one of the most beautiful in the Craft . It had had an enormous effect upon them in the Mediterranean . ( Applause . ) He congratulated the W . M . upon the way in which the lodge was ordered , and he was sure H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor was pleased with what he had seen that night . ( Applause . )

Bro . BINCKES said , as senior Past Master ol the Aldershot ( Military Mark Lodge , a duty devolved upon him , which he undertook with a . great amount of pleasure , but at the same time with a great amount of diffidence , because he did not feel qualified to do justice to the toast . He thought he could have got through it if it had not been for the crushing eulogy ot Bro Eve , who had mentioned his name in terms of exaggerated lriendship ,

which were embarrassing when he came to speak himself . However , he was well fortified , inasmuch as the subject of the toast would be sufficient to insure from them their hearty approval and enthusiastic response . It was the toast of their excellent , able , genial , and zealous brother , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master of that province . ( Loud applause . ) He thought he could safely say that it was the first time he had had the opportunity of

proposing that toast , although for so many years in the province in which Bro . Portal presided . He would ask Bro . Portal to call to mind the condition of Mark Masonry some time ago when he worked in association with the speaker , one as Grand Registrar and the other as Grand Secretary . He was asking him to bear in mind the position of Mark Masonry at that day , and he thought he would say that ancient as they were they little contemplated living to

see Mark Masonry reach the flourishing position which it had at the present moment . ( Applause . ) In all Masonic history they would fail to find any Masonic organisation that in 30 years ever achieved the position which the Mark Grand Lodge had established for itself by the hard work of those who had borne the responsible offices . No one had done more for them than the distinguished brother who now sat in the chair as their Prov . Grand Master . ( Applause . ) He was one who in an eminent degree united within himself those essential features of the Brotherhood— " suaviter in modo" and

" fortiter in re "—always kind when the opportunity offered and when the necessity arose—not only able but ready and willing to rule . In conclusion , he hoped H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor would not regret his visit there that evening , when he had the opportunity of doing the honour which was so legitimately due to their Prov . Grand Master , Canon Portal . ( Applause . ) Bro . PORTAL , in response , said he could not sufficiently thank them for

the very kind way in which that toast had been proposed by Bro . Binckes , and received by them . It was a great pleasure to him to be there that night in the capacity of P . G . M ., and he was very glad to see the excellent work done in the lodge because he thought it did them great credit . In the course of his remarks he alluded to the difficulty experienced in Oxford , of

which he could speak , from the fleeting population , which had a severe effect upon the Craft , and he supposed that in Aldershot too , as at Oxford , three years was a long life in office . When he took these things into consideration he must admit that there was evidence of good and honest work in their lodge . ( Applause . )

The other toasts proposed were "The Deputy Provincial Grand Master and Officers , " "The W . M ., " "The Visitors , " responded to by Bro , Augustus Harris , and " The Mark Benevolent Fund . " We must not omit to notice the very fraternal care exercised by the members lor the comfort of the visitors—notably by Bros . Hacker , Eve , and Stone , and the latter brother is also to be warmly congratulated on the result of his efforts to provide an entertainment worthy of the occasion .