Mark Masonry.

Mark Masonry .

FOREST OF DEAN . —Royal Forest of Dean Lodge ( No . 340 ) . —A meeting was held on Wednesday , the 28 th ult ., at the Speech House , when there were present Bros . W . C . Heane , P . G . S . W . Gloucestershire , W . M . ; W . Lynes , P . G . C , S . W . ; J . S . Carleton , P . G . R ., J . W . ; J . S . Bradstock , J . O . ; S . W . Hadingham , Treas . ; F . A Carter , Sec ; S . J . Thomas , S . D . ; job Webb , Tyler ; Wm . Forth , D . P . G . M . M . Gloucestershire , P . M . ; Baron de

Ferrieres , M . P ., P . G . M . O . England , P . M . ; W . M . Lowick , P . G . S . W . Gloucestershire , P . M . ; G . Norman , J . J . James , R . Macartney , John Stephens , T . Cadle , and " W . G . Washbourn . Visitor : Bro . John Balcomb , P . M . The lodge was opened , and Bro . Rev . VV . Lynes , S . VV ., P . G . C , was presented , and duly installed by Bro . Wm . Forth , D . P . G . M . M . Gloucestershire , assisted by Bros . Baron de Ferrieres , M . P ., P . M ., P . G . M . O . England , and John Balcomb , P . M ., P . P . G . R . The W . M . then invested

his officers as follows : Bros . W . C . Heane , LP . M . ; ] . S . Carleton , S . W . ; H . Clark , J . W . ; M . F . Carter , M . O . ; J . S . Bradstock , S . O . ; S . J . Thomas , J . O . ; S . W . Hadingham , Treas . ; F . Asgil ) Carter , Sec . ; H . Curwen , S . D . ; J . J . James , J . D . ; R . Macartney , I . G . ; and J . Webb , Tyler . A Past Master ' s jewel was presented to Bro . W . C . Heane , I . P . M ., in testimony of his services to the lodge . An adjournment was made to the banqueting room , where a most enjoyable evening- was spent .

Celebration Of The Centenary Of The Lodge Of Unions, No. 256.

CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENARY OF THE LODGE OF UNIONS , No . 256 .

The brethren of the Lodge of Unions , No . 256 , on Monday evening celebrated the centenary of the lodge ' s existence by a grand festival at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Henry Greene , P . M . and W . M ., presided . AU the officers for the year were Past Masters of the lodge . The full particulars of the meeting will be seen in the address by Bro .

the Rev . R . J . Simpson , the historical sketch of the lodge by Bro . Reuben R . Davis , P . M ., and the speeches of thebrethren at the banquet at Freemasons' Tavern . The brethren who attended were Bros . H . G . Buss , P . G . A . Sec . ; Marquis of Hertford , G . S . W . ; Alf . Meadows , P . G . D . ; R . C . Driver , G . J . D . ; Dr . Paul , Dep . G . D . C . j Robt . Grey ,

P . G . D . ; A . L . Ervine , Thos . Fenn , Pres . Bd . G . Purps . ; F . A Philbrick , G . Reg . ; Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec ; Sir Albert Woods , P . G . W ., G . D . of C . ; Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W . ; C . A . Murton , P . G . D . j Jas . Terry , F . Binckes , F . R . VV . Hedges , Capt . George Lambert , P . G . S . B . ; Edgar Bowyer , P . G . Std . Br . ; Rev . R . J .

Simpson , P . G . Chap . ; F . Adlard , W . H . Farnfield , H . Massey , W . A . Dawson , A . A . Richards , R . C . Sudlow , P . G . Stwd . ; VV . Grogan , F . H . Humphries , J . A . Farnfield , C W . Mapleton , C . J . Wildy , Jas . Amos , George Heming , F . W . Farnfield , R . W . Flemming , James Hutt , Hy . Greene , T . A . Greene , W . H . Mulley , R . R . Davis ,

P . M . ; Thomas Johnson , P . M ., J . W . ; J . VV . Figg , P . M ., S . W . ; R . H . Blades , R . P . Notley , John Phillips , Charles Fountain , John Ryan , G . Titus Barham , H . J . Bertram , and C . Wallington . After the formal opening of the lodge , Mr . J . C . Wilbee was initiated by the W . M ., and then , at the request of the

W . M ., Bro . Reuben R . Davis read the following sketch of tbe lodge's history , which was made short as he was restricted to five minutes for the reading : "A few facts connected with the history of the Lodge of Unions , No . 256 , extracted from the minutes by Bro . R . R . Davis , P . M . 256 , P . Z . No . 7 .

" W . Master , Bro . Visitors , and Brethren of the Lodge of Unions—As it is intended shortly to place in the hands of all of you a printed sketch of the history of the lodge , I do not propose , on the present occasion , to trespass upon you more than for a very few minutes in briefly stating some of the more prominent facts in connexion with the

past century . " I may , perhaps , say that we are fortunate enough to possess our minute books perfectly complete , and in a good state of preservation , from the day of consecration to the present time . "The only record we have of the consecration is very

concise . It is simply"' That on Monday , 31 st October , 1785 , the R . W . M . Lowe , of the Crown and Cushion Lodge , Parker ' s-lane , by virtue of a dispensation of the Grand Master , the Duke of Cumberland , summoned the brethren to the " Fox , " Castlestreet , Southwark , and opened the lodge in due form , and

constituted Bro . Morton R . W . M ., who appointed Bro . Stevens , S . W . ; Bro . Wright , J . W . ; Bro . Crump , Treas . ; and Bro . Tatham , Sec ' " For five years the lodge was held at the ' Fox , ' and I ¦ nay mention that I have visited that house , and have been shown a club-room , in which the consecration probably

took place ; and also a high-backed Windsor chair , which was most likely used on the occasion . " For two years the meetings were held at the ' Red Lion , 'Borough ; and in 1792 1 ( 10 lodge , was removed to 'he 'Spread Eagle , ' Pratt-street , Lambeth , where it continued to assemble for exactly a quarter of a century .

"During these 32 years very little of importance occurred , excepting that , in the early life of the lodge , it t s * 1 arc ' struf * fg ' for existence—it was in a chronic state ° f financial difficulty—and the Grand Secretary had occasion to reprimand the brethren for non-payment of duesand that the W . M . appeared before Grand Lodge to make I's apolog ies in this respect .

Celebration Of The Centenary Of The Lodge Of Unions, No. 256.

" From 1 S 17 to 1 S 51 the lodge continually migrated from one tavern to another . I need not detain you by recapitulating them . From 1 S 51 to 1 S 65 it met at Freemasons' Tavern , and from 1 S 65 to the present date at Freemasons' Hall . "Among the chief events of importance , I may mention the following : " In 1 S 22 , Bro . Peter Gilkes was elected a member . He

did not , however , remain one till his death , which took place in Dec , 1833 ; and , as most of you are aware , there s a tablet to his memory in the parish church of St . James ' s , Piccadilly . " In August , 1 S 25 , the late Bro . Wm . Farnfield , P . A . G . S . ( father of the present Secretary of the lodge ) was initiated ; and , later in the same year , appointed Secretary of the lodge—an office he continued to hold until his death ,

upwards of half a century afterwards . " From 1831 to the present time , the ' Emulation Lodge of Improvement' has worked under the sanction of this lodge . " In 1 S 34 , Bro . Zachariah Watkins ( a P . M . of the Bank of England Lodge ) was admitted a joining member . He served as VV . M . in 1 S 3 G , and although , unhappily , his state of health has long prevented his being among us , yet he is

still on our roll as an honorary member . "On 19 th March , 1 S 3 C , our present VV . M ., Bro . Henry Greene , was initiated . He served as Master in 1856 , a position to which he would have attained long before , but for his absence in one of our Colonies . For the last 15 years he has discharged the important duties of Treasurer , and we have thought it an appropriate compliment to him , as well as an advantage to the lodge , to ask him ( as the

' Father ' ) again to preside over us in this , our centenary year . " In 1 S 45 , the late Grand Secretary , Bro , John Hervey ( who had been initiated the previous year in the Royal York Lodge of Perseverance , No . 7 ) , became a joining member , and was three times elected to the chair . On the last occasion the installation took place on the ist January , 1 SC 6 , when he said he should like to make the lodge a New Year ' s gift , and presented the set of ebony and ivory gavels which arc now in use .

" In 1852 , Bro . Figg ( who has twice passed through the chair ) was initiated , and as the second member in point of seniority he this year holds the office of S . W . " In 1 S 53 , Bro . J . Newton Tomkins resigned , and on doing so presented £ 5 5 s ., which was used to form the nucleus of a Charity Fund . ' " Upon the death of Bro . John Hervey , this lodge , in conjunction with the 'Royal York , ' set on foot the 'John

Hervey Memorial Fund , ' and we were fortunate enough to secure the hearty co-operation of Bro . Sir John Monckton as Chairman . " As to the work which has been done in the lodge , 45 G candidates have been initiated , passed , and raised ; 167 brethren have been admitted as joining members . The sum of £ 319 is . 6 d . has been voted from lodge funds for charitable purposes , of which /' 2 S 0 has been given during

the last 30 years , while the contributions of individual members tothe three Masonic Charities may betaken as having been for many years £ 100 per annum . " I have now only to thank you , W . M . and brethren , for the attention you have given " to this imperfect sketch . " Bro . the Rev . R . J . SIJIPSON , P . G . C , in delivering the oration , said he felt really honoured by the request to give a charge on this very important occasion . He purposed to

make it brief because the brethren had already heard from Bro . Davis , in that admirable address which he had given on the history of the lodge , the facts which he was sure would make their mark in life on every one present . But he thought it was their duty , and he was sure the brethren would join him in that duty , to feel that it was a cause of deep thankfulness to the G . A . O . T . U . that so many brethren were present who had been many years ago initiated in the

lodge to meet together to rejoice at the centenary meeting , and to render the thanks ot their hearts to Him lor all His goodness . No one could have listened to the words of Bro . Davis without being struck with the interest shown in the lodge , when they looked at the duration of the lodge , to the care with which the minutes had been made , its many migrations , and even its many financial difficulties , its numerous members who had become distinguished Masons ,

the Masonic movements with which it had been connected , the generosity which it had shown to the noble Charities of the Order . On all these grounds he was sure the brethren felt a deep interest in the extracts given by Bro . Davis . He had spoken of the migrations of the lodge . He was sure that during the many works of Masonry in the past , there were none that more truly marked progress than the manner in which lodges were now able to meet in comfort and

convenience . The Lodge of Unions had gone from place to place , and now , after many years and a long march , it found itself in a haven of rest , and had all the advantages of Freemasons' Hall . At a great banquet at which Lord Zetland presided , he said how happy he was to find that in the Province of Durham , where there had been four or five lodges , in three or four different towns they met not in public houses , but in a hall of their own . He thought this was a

feature which was well marked in the past century . He need scarcely say that it was a dignity and an honour to this lodge that it had sanctioned and been connected with the movement known as the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . No one who had attended that lodge and seen its working but must have been deeply moved by the accuracy and eloquence with which the work was rendered , and for himself , as an old Mason , he could say that every time he

heard that work he felt instructed and improved by the noble and beautiful rendering of the ritual . It was therefore an especial honour to this Lodge of Unions that they had been associated with the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , and he was very glad indeed to find that several members of that lodge were present that evening , and lie might in justice refer to Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . D ., President of the Board of

General Purposes , who was an ornament to that lodge . They could also never fail to remember the countenance and the happy Masonic feeling of their old Bro . W . H . Farnfield , and he was also sure that there were many old Masons present who rejoiced to find that his name was still perpetuated in thc Lodge of Unions by the Secretaryship ,

which was held by Bro . J . A . Farnfield , his son . The late Bro . John Hervey , as they knew , was also connected with it , and among the names of the honoured in the past history of the lodge this name might be mentioned , not only for his very constant attendance , but for taking great interest in it on all occasions ; and this lodge , out of regard

Celebration Of The Centenary Of The Lodge Of Unions, No. 256.

and respect to his name , led the van in the memorial which had been alluded to , to his work . He trusted that Bro . Hervey's quiet dignity , his true Masonic feeling , and his sense of duty would ever remain in the minds of the brethren . The brethren knew far better than he ( Bro . Simpson ) in what esteem and respect Bro . Zachariah Watkins , Bro . Greene , and Bro . Figg were held by the lodge , and he was sure they would not consider it a bad compliment to

say they were looked up to as the old landmarks of the lodge . All who were present could not avoid one reflection—that as none of them were present when the lodge was founded , so . in the decrees of the G . A . O . T . U . none of them could be present when the next centenary of the lodge would be held-In the future , long before that , they would each have had hiscall , he trusted , to the Grand Lodge above . But meanwhile might they live well . God grant this . Though

noneof those now present would be present then , he hoped their Masonic posterity might rejoice on that day as the present brethren did now . He hoped they might hand down to their posterity unsullied the glorious principles which had been handed down to us . Let them hand down that true godliness , loyalty , and Charity , which constituted the greatest characteristics of the noble Order ; let them have this good old lodge still built up in wisdom , strength , and

beauty . And what was that wisdom ? It was well told in the Volume of the Sacred Law , and they might well at this present day accept it— " Where is wisdom to be found ? and where is theplace of understanding ? " The fear of the Lord , that is wisdom , and to depart from evil , this is understanding . In strength , too , might they hold fast those glorious principles to which he had alluded , whicb . would not only dignify them as men , but make them

honoured and respected . And , then , with regard to Charity ,, let them carry out the ritual of the Order , and dispense its . sweet Charity with ungrudging hand . Thus should wisdom , strength , and beauty be found in the future ennoblingthis lodge . Let him conclude with one idea . It was usual ,, as they read in Holy Writ , that on the year of jubilee theheralds , with the silver trumpets , came up on the top sf the : mountains of Israel to watch for the first dawn of ? ilvi

risinpsun , when the trumpets were sounded , and the thousand :: ; of Israel rejoiced before the Lord . Though they might notbe present at the next centenary , yet there was a jubilee at : which they might rejoice with those who had gone before : thein ; there was a lodge and a morning when the trumpet : should sound , and should rise to the summons , and ; meet in another Lodge of Unions , not made with hands ,, eternal in the heavens , where pleasures unalloyed should .

await the faithful companions of our former trial , as well as : ourselves , and where we should find those pleasures linked indissolubly in perpetuity and peace . On the motion of the WORSHIPFUL MASTER , seconded by Bro . J . A . FARNFIELD , votes of thanks were accorded to Bros . Davis and Simpson lor their addresses ; and Bros . SIMPSON and DAVIS briefly acknowledged the compliment .

Bro . FARNFIELD announced that he had received letters of regret of absence from several brethren . Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to a * , superb banquet at Freemasons' Tavern . At the conclusion of the banquet the toasts were proposed . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER in proposing " The Queen and the Craft , " said it was unnecessary for him to dilate on the excellences of the Queen , as she was the daughter ,

niece , and mother of Masons , and she always took untiring interest in the Order . In giving "The M . W . G . M ., " the WORSHIPFUL MASTER said the Prince of Wales was dear to Masons in whatever light they looked upon him , whether as Grand Master , as Prince or heir to the throne , fulfilling all the wonderful duties of Prince of Wales , mixing among the people in their own homes , carrying the name of England

everywhere to other countries . He was was at once a Prince , a cavalier and a gentleman . Masons had him , among them as their Grand Master who took the most untiring interest in the Craft , and was most ready to preside on all occasions when it was necessary . Consequently Masons had reason to speak of him in the highest terms . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER in proposing "The Pro G . M ., & c , " said there was an unusually pleasant feature

in the evening's proceedings in the fact that a very large number of Grand Officers had honoured the lodge that evening with their presence . Those who had had an opportunity of witnessing the presence of the Grand Officers in the lodge would feel that they had paid a very graceful compliment to the Lodge of Unions . It might be invidious to mention names but he could not help alluding to the eloquent address of the Past G . C . The Pro G . M . and the D . G . M .

were held in the very highest estimation among the members of the Craft . Those who had had the honour of attending Grand Lodge would not have failed to notice that when those brethren occupied their positions there was a great Masonic treat . The proceedings were admirably conducted and the parliament of Freemasonry was one of the very highest character . The duties of the Pro G . M . and the D . G . M ., and the other Grand Oflicers lay in preserving

the lines of Freemasonry and they desired to maintain the dignity of Grand Lodge . VVhen they were assembled there they gave an amount of dignity to the meeting that could not be excelled , and they were found there as the safeguards of Masonry , watching in every particular the interests of the Craft . Those were the especial characteristics of the Grand Officers Present and Past . To-day was a red letter day in the annals of the Lodge of Unions , and

the members had had a glorious opportunity presented to them . Many of them who were not members of Grand Lodge had not had the pleasure of seeing such a display . He could not help mentioning that the Lodge of Unions had during its time had . many distinguished members of Grand Lodge . Bro . Hervey , whose name was only to be mentioned to strike a chord that would reverberate

throughout the lodge . There was also thc late Bro . Farnfield , who was Secretary of the lodge for something like 50 years , and Assistant Grand Secretary . The lodge was proud lo have had these brethren associated with it . It was some time since they had passed away , and the lodge had not yet been honoured with the distinction which might some day be accorded to it .

Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , G . Reg ., replying , said he discharged the duty of returning thanks with great pleasure as it was a most interesting occasion . With reference to the Pro G . M ., whenever that nobleman ' s name was mentioned among Masons it invariably commanded esteem and respect . Now that he was in the neighbouring isle discharging as the strict representative of the Sovereign the duties of Viceroy , Masons , who recognised no politics but their com-