Annual Festival Of The Woking Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

i £ 66 . After that distinguished brother followed Bros . Fenn , Murton , and Richards , and it is to those grand exponents of Masonry that I am indebted for what knowledge of the working I possess . The ritual taught in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement at the present day by Bros . Sudlow , Rushton , and Ke-tish is the same as was taught in the Lodge of Reconciliation more than 70 years ago , and that working has been taught

by me here in this lodge ever since 1 s formation . I take this opportunity of thanking the Stewards for their efforts in making this festival a success , and our Secretary for all the arduous work he has had in connection with it . I hope the day may be far distant when these festivals shall become a tt-ing of the past and when our meetings are not graced by the presence of Grand Lodge Officers .

Bro . C . F . PASSMORE , the Secretary , then read a summary of the work which had been performed in the lodge during the past year . There were 15 meetings . The number of members was 45 . and the average attendance 14 . The First Degree had been rehearsed on eight occasions , the second on . " ¦ even , and the third on nine . The ceremony of installation , and the various Lectures , had also been worked , and the tracing boards explained .

Other toasts followed , and " The Weyside Lodge , No . 1395 , under whose wing the proceedings of the lodge of instruction are conducted , was \ trv pleasantly acknowledged by Bro . W . E . ROHINSON , its W . M . ; Bros . J . C . PARTRIDGE , R I . BAYNE , J . M . ROGAN , and Bro C . D'OYLEY MEARS replied for "The Visitors , " the last-named of whom said he was most agreeably surprised to find such excellent woiking of the Sections .

He had heard good reports , and was pleased to have the opportunity of congratulating the Preceptor , Bro . Black , upon the extraordinaryprecision and remarkable ability displayed by the members of the Lodge of Improvement that evening , and which testified in a most remarkable manner to the value of the teaching conducted by Bro . Black . The Sections were worked most capably by each member entrusted with the task , and the expectations of

the Preceptor and others were amply justified by the results , especially so , as he understood that in one or two cases , the workers were those of very few months ' experience in Masonry . He was present as the invited guest of Bro . Clamp , and he expected to see good working , but it had far excelled his expectations . No doubt he , like other visitors , came with the idea of being a little critical and if he might be allowed to make a suggestion , with all due respect to the opinion c f others , it would be that the speed with which one Section followed

another was tco great . No sooner was one Section finished than within a few seconds ihe Worshipful Master ' s gavel was heard , and another was commer ced even before members had time to turn round , reflect , criticise , or congratulate . He submitted that an interval of a few minutes between the Sections would be desirable . It would enable listeners to grasp the subject of each Section better , and keep the whole clearer in their minds than could be expected when gone through so rapidly . He must also commer d the Wardens and the I . G . for the excellent and clear manner in which

they earned out their respective duties . Not a single fault or hitch could be det- cled , proving the good effects of the training they have been under at their meetings . He had pleasure in thus testifying his thanks as a visitor in having witnessed such excellent Masonic work , and he thought such should be emulated in other lodges . It would be a source of pleasure and gratification to all . He thanked them for coupling his name with the toast of " The Visitors . "

The next toast was "The Section Workers , " to which they all replied , with the exception of Bro . Higlett , who had been compelled to leave by an early train . "The Worshipful Masters of the Woking Lodges" next followed , and ¦ w as most ably responded to by Bro . LITTLEBOY , W . M . 2317 . The Tyler ' s toast brought the proceedings to a close , and after a most enjoyable evening the brethren separated for their various homes .

Centenary Celebration Of The Prince George Lodge, No. 308, At Eastwood.

CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF THE PRINCE GEORGE LODGE , No . 308 , AT EASTWOOD .

During the last two or three years several lodges in the Province of West Yorkshire have had the good fortune to receive centenary warrants from his Royal Highness the M . W . G . Master , and have celebrated the auspicious event with all possible Mat . In 1893 it was the Huddersfield Lodge , No . 290 , meeting in the town of the same name , and the Royal Brunswick Lodge , No . 296 ,

Sheffield ; in 1894 , the Lodge of Hope , No . 302 , and the Philanthropic , No . 304 , meeting in Bradford and Leeds respectively ; and last year the Alfred Lodge , No . 306 , of Leeds ; while during the present year , out of the five lodges still on the roll of United Grand Lodge which were constituted by the Grand Lodge " Moderns" in 1796 , two belong to West Yorkshire , namely , the Prince Frederick Lodge , No . 307 , Hebden Bridge , and the Prince George Lodge , No . 308 , Eastwo d . But none of these fortunate lodges has been more successful in the

celebration of its centenary or better deserved success by reason of its past records and present energy than the lodge at Eastwood , which , having been able to prove to the authorities of Grand Lodge the continuity of its working during a full century of years , has recently had conferred upon it the honour of a centenary wanant . The lodge , as has already been stdted , was warranted in February , 179 6 , the day on which it was constituted being the 2 nd March following , and it was on the 2 nd March , 1896 , that the brethren resolved on holding a special

meeting in order that they might receive their new warrant with that pomp and circumstance which is proper on such mementous occasions . Accordingly there were gathered together on the day appointed a large attendance of mrmbers and visitors , to the number of 120 , who met under the presidency of Bro . Edward Roper Dickenson , W . M ., the officers and members being for the most part in their places , while among the visiting members were Bros , the Ri ght Hon . W . Lawies Jackson , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of West Yorkshire ; Henry Smith , P . G . D .

England , Dep . P . G . M . ; W . F . Smithson , P . G . D . England ; C . Letch Mason , 304 , Prov . S . G . W . ; W . Harrop , 290 , Past Prov . G . W . ; the Rev . W . Wilkinson , 1214 , Prov . G . Chap . ; John Elswen , 308 , P . Prov . G . Reg . ; George Bolton , 152 , Prov . G . Treas . ; H . G . E . Green , 1019 , Prov . G . Sec . ; W . C . Lupton , 974 , P . Prov . G . D . ; Thos . U . ' tley , 307 , P . Prov . G . D . C ; Sidney T . Steele , 380 , P . D . Prov . G . D . C . ; J . W . Monckman , 1028 , D . P . G . D . C . ; Joseph Matthewman , 1019 , Asst . Prov . G . Sec ; W . Cockcroft , 307 , P . Prov . G . Purst . ; F . W . Turner , 408 , P . Prov . G . Purst . ; and W . Haigh , 1283 , P . Prov , G . Std . Br .

Lodge having been opened , and the summons convening the meeting read , the Grand and Prov . Grand Officers were received and saluted in due form . A portion of scripture was then read by the PROV . Gi < AM ) CiiAi'i . AiN , afterwhichashort , but highly interesting sketch of the career of the lodge , which had been compiled for the occasion by Bro . J E . CRAVEN , P . M ., was read by that brother , the brethren following him with the closest attention , and varmly applauding him at the close .

Centenary Celebration Of The Prince George Lodge, No. 308, At Eastwood.

Bro . the Right Hon . W . L . J ACKSON , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master , addressing the Worshipful Master and brethren , said it was his privilege to present to them Ihe centenary warrant of the lodge and the centenary jewel which accompanied it Before doing so , he might be allowed to say a few words on that interesting occasion . They had listened with great advantage and , he was sure , with great pleasure , to the very lucid and clear and connected sUtement of Bro . Craven with reference to the history of Prince George Lodge—a lodge , which they had heard

had a most interesting historical record . The original warrant was dated February 1796 , and the first meeting was apparently held on Monday , 2 nd March—that was " just 100 years ago that very day . Of course , they were reminded that the lod ge originally met at Howarth , a district rendered famous and sacred by its associations with the Bronte family , and that it was subsequently removed into this im . portant district—a district which had been described as the Masonic Mecca , fro m the number of Degrees it was capable of conferring , and from the general

excellence it had achieved as shown by Bro . Craven ' s report . Again , the love of musi ; was not absent , for had they not been told that a brass band was attached to the lodge in those days , as well as the long pipes , and ale , and punch . They , however , had gone a step much beyond that , and had kept pice with the progress of the nation and with the progress of that education which Bro . Craven told them in those days was not very good ; and he had no doubt there had been some difficulty in deciphering the minute books of those by-gone days , The Order ,

however , was in several respects a reflex of the history of the nation , both educationall y and as regarded all its other progress . He was very much interested to learn that the number of members of the lodge was 49 , and that of the Past Masters now living , 21 were subscribing members to their lodge . That showed distinctl y—if any evidence were wanting—that the principles which they valued in connection with the Order had left their impression on the minds of those men who had passed through the ledge , that they retained all their old affection for it , and that

they were imbued with a desire to do all they could to increase its efficiency . He thought Bro . Craven had done well to emphasise the fact that we valued something more highly even than numbers—that we recognised that the principal value was not in the mere collection of a large number of men together , but rather to be found in the fact , that wherever lodges werp held , there they would also find loyalty , harmony , and brotherly affection . He as P . G . M . re-echoed the sentiments which had been expressed towards him as ( he head , for the time being , of that

great province , and assured the brethren that there was nothing that could be so gratifying to the P . G . M . of such an important Province as West Yorkshire as to know that the fundamental principles of loyalty , harmony , and brotherly affection prevailed throughout the province . He need say nothing more on that point , as Bro . Craven had told them that jealousy was absent , and that loyalty to their officers prevailed in that lodge . The minute books , showing the continuity of the lodge from its earliest day . were there present with them on the W . M . ' s pedestal ,

and Vie was sure there was great cause to rejoice in the memory ot the past of Prince George Lodge . He desired to make one or two brief remarks somewhat in the nature of an apology . It was to him a great disappointment that he was unable to be present at the centenary of 307 ( Prince Frederick , Hebden Bridge ) . It was not , however , very easy , as he was sure they would appreciate , in connection with a province covering so wide an area and having such a large number of lodges as West Yorks , to make visits so frequent as one would desire , and it was , he would assure the

brethren of that lodge , a great disappointment to him that such an interesting occasion should pass without his having the opportunity ot being present . He fully recognised the value , and he would say the importance of frequent visits being paid by P . G . Officers to every lodge in the province , and he would be wanting in his duty if he did not acknowledge the willingness which the D . P . G . M . had always shown to do everything which it was possible for him to do in order to keep in touch with the different lodges in the province . He ( the

P . G . M . ) recognised that this was necessary and that it not only stimulated activity and loyalty , but that it did much to keep the working of the different lodges on some uniform method and plan , in addition to which it made all the lodges in the province feel that they were all bound together in the Province of West Yorks . Nobody appreciated that more than he did and no one would desire more to give effect to that view . He hoped , therefore , that although they might not be able to visit the different lodges as often as they would

wish , still they would do all that lay in their power to promote that good-fellowship , and , above all , that they would be bound together in affection and demonstrate the three great principles of the Order . That was their centenary , and on an occasion of that kind they were naturally led to think of the lessons which such occasions tended to enforce . He thought he might say that one of the lessons which it tended to enforce was that of respect and gratitude towards those who had gone before . Those who had borne the burden and

upheld the faith in previous times , and had handed down the great traditions of the Order unsullied had taught them a noble lesson ; but they might not only learn a lesson from their work ; even from their failures they might learn the lesson of perseverance in endeavours to do their duty . They were all liable to fail , but they knew that a determination to try and do their best would sooner or later meet with success . They were stimulated by the example of those who had gone before . The growth of the nation and its progress should be exemplified by the

growth and progress of the Order . They should try to live up to the principles of the Order , bearing in mind that the effect was not limited to the particular district in which the lodge might be placed , but that those principles were bping carried by brethren , not only into the outlying districts , of this country , but into every district in the world . They knew what great progress had been made in every part of the world , and how rea ' l and true it was that M isons always showed towards brother Masons a help and assistance beyond that which could be shown by men

towards each other who were not Masons . I hey knew also , perfectly well , now me uninitiated might sometimes jeer at their Order . They were , however , aware that the principles of the Order were founded upon truth , and that they tended to promote brotherly love among the members of the Order , Again , Masonry was spread throughout all the world , and embraced all classes of people , from the Prince to the peasant . At the same time , there was always recognised between two Masons a degree of equality , which it was impossible to find in any other Order . He was quite sure , from what they had heard from Bro . Craven , that , so

far as that lodge was concerned , the members would strive to live up to the principles of the Order , and it had been to him personally a matter of great slt ^' h c " tion to have taken part in that ceremony that day , and to have the honour and the privilege of presenting to the lodge the centenary warrant and the jewel to the W . M . He was quite sure that they would recognise that in the acceptance of the warrant there was carried with it the responsibility that none of the traditions ot the Order should be allowed to lapse ; that nothing should be done to tarnish it , and that the lodge would do all that was necessary to preserve intact the ritual 0 the Order , and hand down to their successors the centeniry warrant of that lodg ,

with all its beauty , and all its lustre untainted and untarnished . The Prov . Gran Master then said : It isinow my privilege to present to you , as W . M . of the loog' 1 the centenary warrant which is hung behind you ; to give it into your care ; charge you with the responsibility of its care , and also , as far as in you lies , preserve it in accordance with th ? traditions of the Order . I may also be pe mitted to attach the centenary jewel , which marks the occasion , and I ""*"• ' , great sincerity , that the Great Architect of the Universe may grant you health a

strength and long life to remain a member of this lodge . Bro . E . R . DICKENSON , W . M ., on rising , said : Prov . Grand Mtstjr , Da ?' ^ Prov . Grand Master , Prov . Grand Officer ! , and Brethren , —In accepting 1 warrant on behalf of the lodge , allow me to express the great satisfaction ot n /