The Brett Testimonial Dinner.

Brethren , I now finish talking , and it is quite time I should do so . When I commenced , I suggested that I might be found a great bore , and then , with a sort of perverse ingenuity I set myself to work to prove myself one . ( Laughter , and cries of " No , no . " ) Well , I have done , I now proceed to what is really the business of the evening . I hold in my

hand , a very elegant gold purse , which , as you have heard , has been graciously and kindly contributed by Bro . Kenning , in addition to his subscription . ( Cheers ) . In it is the sum of one hundred guineas , contributed by a number of our brethren , to be presented to Bro . Brett , as a tangible expression of the admiration and esteem in

which he is held by them . ( Then , turning to Bro . Brett , he said , ) Bro . Brett , I have indescribable pleasure in handing to you this expression of the esteem and honour in which you are hera by your Masonic brethren , and although it takes the somewhat vulgar form of money , I cannot but think that the committee has exercised a wise discretion

in preferring that to any articles which would , perhaps , have been of no real utility , and only have served , by being occasionally looked at , to recall the pleasurable emotions of which I doubt not you are now the subject . ( Cheers ) . It may be , and I am glad to be able to think that it is of no great value to you for the purpose of

immediate expenditure , but it will serve to add to what I have no doubt you , as a prudent man , a good husband , and a kind father , are endeavouring to accumulate , so that when the Great Architect of the Universe shall mercifully make known to you the solemn fact of the termination of your earthly career , you may have the

gratification of knowing that those loved ones you leave behind you will be ensured against all want and anxiety . ( Great cheering ) . Bro . Little will now present our brother with the very handsomely written and emblazoned testimonial , which is to be added to the purse I have presented to him . ( Renewed cheers ) .

Bro . LITTLE : Brethren , after the very eloquent speech you have heard from our Chairman , I am sure that no poor words of mine are needed to express the esteem , the respect , and the affection which 1 personally entertain for our Bro . Brett , and which I am sure are equally entertained for him by every brother around this board . I shall

not , therefore , brethren , detain you for any length of time by endeavouring to enlist your sympathies on his behalf , because I know that in the breast of each of us this feeling already exists ; and I shall consequently merely call your attention to this testimonial , which is presented with our unanimous approval .- —¦

"This Testimonial , together with a purse of 100 guineas , was presented to the Worshipful Brother James Brett , Assistant Grand Pursuivant , and Past Masler 177 , Past Z . 177 and 975 , by his Masonic friends , as a sliyht recognition of the eminent services he has rendered * Freemasonry as a Preceptor in the Craft and Royal Arch Degrees , and _ likcivi . se as a token of regard for those personal qualities which will ever endear his name to the hearts of his brother Masons .

Signed on behalf of the committee and the subscribers , the 7 th day of February , 1 S 70 , W . R . WOODMAN . II . G . Buss , P . M . 27 , P . G . Treas ., Middlesex . R . WENTWORTH LITTLE , I'M . 97 ; , P . G . Sec , Middlesex . R TANNER , P . M . 177 . D . R . STII . I ., J . D . 1203 . "

This is the testimonial , brethren , which in your name and on behalf of this meeting I present to our Bro . Brett , wishing him the enjoyment of long life and health that he may pursue the honourable course in which he has so much distinguished himself , particularly among his brethren in Masonry . ( Great applause ) .

Bro . J AMES BRETT : Bro . Carpenter and brethren , in rising to return you my most sincere and heartfelt thanks for the very splendid and substantial testimonial that you have presented to me , for the gratifying fact of standing here and seeing myself as I do , surrounded hy such a large number of my sinccrest friends , many of whom have

come many miles to-night to honor me , for the very pleasing and kind manner in which our Bro . Carpenter has spoken of me , and for the soul-stirring and hearty way you have been pleased to respond , accept my warmest thanks . Although it places me in a position which is a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure , I feel , brethren , that if ever there

was a time that I was called upon—I will not say to make a speech—but to find language to express my thoughts and my feelings , that time is now . I also feel , brethren , and I regret to say it , that if ever there was a time that I felt myself more wandering in thought—after all that I htwe heard

from our Bro . Carpenter , and the kind reception I have had from you this is the time . I feel that under the most favourable circumstances , I am not the man to express my thoughts as 1 would wish ; and then , again , I feci that not anything I have 4

The Brett Testimonial Dinner.

tion . ( ' Yes . " ) Therefore , any remarks , any observations of mine can convey to you only a slight idea of what my feelings are on this occasion . But , brethren , as I also feel that your presence tonight at this table , and this splendid testimonial , are the spontaneous desire you have to honour one

whom you have long known , and , I am vain enough tohope , respected —( hear )—removesmuchofthat embarrassment , and substitutes for it pleasure and gratification . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I can never forget the night I was initiated into Freemasonry ; and if there is no other reason for me to be joyful

over that occasion , the one I now mention to youthat on that evening I had the honour of making the acquaintance and the friendship of my Bro . Carpenter—that in itself is to me sufficient . I can never forget the emotions he raised in my breast , when I sat and listened to him in his position as

Past Master , returning thanks . I felt that none but the good , the just , and the honourable could express such sentiments , and speak as he spoke . I need hardly tell you , after the many years I have had the honour of his acquaintance , after the many opportunities I have had of

proving it to myself , that the opinion I then formed was the correct one . Brethren , I would like to say much with respect to those brethren who have worked so earnestly and so zealously on this testimonial committee on my behalf , but , I fear that where there are so many who

have done so much , I should tread on such tender ground , that in fact I approach with trembling . But , if I may not speak of them , I can never forget the very deep debt of gratitude I owe ; and however much I desire to discharge that debt , I can never think of it but with pleasure and satisfaction . You

will pardon me , therefore , for taking the liberty of making a few observations with respect to the form in which you have been pleased to present this testimonial . No doubt there are many , and especially the ladies , who would think that the presentation of plate would bc a very handsome testimonial . I

think , and I feel certain that Mrs . Brett will think with me , that to expend such a sum on such a purpose for one in my position , would be not the most proper expenditure of the sum subscribed . And , brethren , I may here inform you that my wife , who is already a shareholder in a building

society , is desirous of purchasing a house as a residence , and probably it will bc no secret to many of you when I say that of many hours and many evenings of my life she has been deprived , and that too when I have been enjoying your society . Therefore , brethren , with your permission , it will be

my greatest pleasure to present to her this splendid purse , that she may place the amount to her building fund , so that when I am gone she will have something to call her own . ( Applause . ) Brethren , when I look upon that splendid vellum , I need hardly tell you , that it will presently occupy the most

prominent position in the best room ofmy house ; but my earnest hope is , that my eldest boy when I am gone will value it , and prize it , as I do —( hear , hear , )—as he ought ; and if he docs , his feelings must be the feelings only of pleasure ; and his thoughts must bc that his father was respected by his brethren in

Masonry . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , there is only one alloy to my pleasure , and that is , I do not feel that I have the ability lo thank you in the manner I would wish . Had I for one half hour the abilities of my Bro . Carpenter that I might so express myself , I assure you , that half hour would bc the

happiest of my life . But , brethren , as that is not to be , I maybe pardoned for reminding you , that some of my happiest hours have been spent in your society . It is my sincere wish , and it shall bc my most earnest endeavour , lo continue to enjoy your good opinion and your friendship . Brethren , believe me , that the ample reward for anything that I

have done is to receive from you , as 1 have to-night , such a substantial proof of your appreciation of my efforts ; and in again thanking you , I beg to assure you that my past endeavours shall be but an earnest of the future . ( Cheers . ) [ The remainder of . the speeches , and the list of brethren present will be given in our next . ]

To CONSUMPTIVES . —A grateful father is desirous of sending by mail , free of charge to all who wish it , a copy of the prescription by which his daughter was restored to perfect health from confirmed Consumption , after having been given up by her physicians and despaired of by her father , a well-known physician , who has now discontinued practice . Sent to any person free . —Address

O . P . Hroivn , Secretary , 2 , King-street , Covcnt-garden , London . —[ Advt . ] EPILEPSY OU FITS . —A sure cure for this distressing complainl ; is now made known in a Treatise ( of 4 S octavo pages ) on Foreign and native Herbal Preparations , published by Prof . O . Pmu . rs BROWS . The prescription was discovered by him in such . 1 providential make it

manner that he cannot conscientiously refuse to known , as it has cured everybody who has used it for Fits , never having failed in a single case . The ingredi cnls may be obtained from any chemist . —Persons desiring a copy may address Prof . O . PIIELI'S BROWN , NO . 2 , King-street , Covent Garden , London , enclosing stamp ; six copies , three stamps . —[ Advt . ]

Ancient And Modern Mysteries.

ANCIENT AND MODERN MYSTERIES .

BY BRO . ROBERT WENTWORTH LITTLE , Provincial Grand Secretary , Middlesex ; President of the London Literary Union ; Editor of " The Rosicrucian , " &* c . ( Continued front fiagc 37 . ) I cannot resist the temptation of concluding what may be termed the Masonic portion of my

subject , with the No . 2 of Dr . Mackey s remarks in the Philadelphia Keystone , upon " The Roman Colleges of Architects and the Freemasons . " I do so with less hesitation , because in the first place it is probable that few of your readers would otherwise have the opportunity of

perusing them , and secondly and chiefly because they express clearly and'distinctly certain ideas respecting the ' origin of the Masonic Institution which are still shared by many brethren . After this extract , I shall avail myself of the labours of

Charles Knight , who in his "Secret Societies of the Middle Ages , " has exhausted the histories of three noted associations , namely "The Assassins , the Templars , and the Fetim Gerichte , or Secret Tribunals of Westphalia . " I have also materials at hand for a succinct

account of the Rosicrucians and Carbonari , which may prove interesting , especially as both are alleged by the enemies of Freemasonry , to be offshoots from the Masonic stem . Of this your readers can judge by the proofs submitted . " In accordance with the plan indicated in the

previous number . of this sketch , I now proceed to inquire into the progress ofthe Roman Colleges of Artificers , in the latter days of the Empire , and to trace them as they were merged into other Associations , out of which was , in all probability , derived the form , if not the substance of the present

Masonic Lodges . Wc shall then be prepared to investigate with understanding the theory of Krause , and to determine whether the lodges arc indebted to the Colleges for their form alone , or for both form and substance . "Wc have already seen that in the time of

Numa , the Roman Colleges amounted to only nine . In the subsequent years of the Republic the number was gradually augmented , so that almost every trade or profession had its peculiar College . With the advance of the Empire , their numbers were still further increased and their privileges greatly

extended , so that they became an important element in the body politic . Leaving untouched the other Colleges , 1 shall confine myself to the Collegia Artificum , " the Colleges of Architects , " as the only one whose condition and history are relevant to the subject under consideration .

" The Romans were early distinguished for a spirit of colonization . Their victorious arms had scarcely subdued a people , before a portion of the army was deputed to form a colony . Here the barbarism and ignorance of the native population was replaced by the civilization and the refinement

of their Roman conquerors . "The Colleges of Architects occupied in the construction of secular and religious edifices , spread from the great city to municipalities and the provinces . Whenever a new city , a temple or a palace was to be built , the members of these corporations

were convoked by the Emperor from the most distant points , that with a community of labour they might engage in the construction . Labourers might bc employed , like the " bearer of burdens " of the Jewish Temple , in the humbler and coarser tasks , but the conduct and the direction of the

works was entrusted only to the " accepted members" —the eooptati— of the Colleges . " The colonizations of the Roman Empire , were conducted through the legionary soldiers of the arm ) -. Now to each legion , there was attached a college or corporation of artificers which were

organized with the legion at Rome , and passed with it through all its campaigns , encamped with it where it encamped , marched with it where it marched , and when it colonized remained in the colony to plant the seeds of Roman civilization , and to teach the principles of Roman art . The

members of the College erected fortifications for the legion in times of war , and in times of peace or when the legion became stationary , constructed temples and dwelling houses . " When England was subdued by the Roman arms , the legions which went there to secure and to extend the conquest , carried with them , of course ,

their Colleges of Architects . __ One of these legions , for instance , under Julius Ca ; sar , advancing into the northern limits of the country , established a colony , which under the name of Eboracum , gave birth to the city of York , afterwards so celebrated in the history of Masonry . Existing inscriptions and architectural remains attest how much was

done in the island of Britain by these association ;; of builders . ( To be continued ) .