Craft Masonry

The lodge was then closed , and a surerb banquet followed . _ i The W . M . gave the usual loyal and Masonic toasts in brief terms , which were duly *"" ° BrP Walter Martin , Asst . G . P ., whose name was associated with the toast of " The r J officers , Present and Past , " stated that they had an excjllent programme and t „»« sure they did not want long speeches , but h ? felt he must refer to his very old , Vn % Bros . W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas ., and W . A . Scurrah , P . G . Std . Br ., whose Urand utncers

reat = eivices to the Craft were honoured and appreciated . All tne ere not mere ornaments as some thought they were , but many of them were excellent WOf Bio . J- Pralt - - ' proposed "The Worshipful Master , Bro . Geo . Thompson , " ard said ' that their new W . M . had carried out his duties that evening to the satisfaction of ail , and he had no doubt that he would be able to do everything asked of him and keep their good old lodge well to the front . The toast was drunk with acclamation , and

Bro . George Thompscn , W . M ., on using to respond , was received with much warmth . He ( hanked Bro . Pratt for his kind woids and the brethren for the hearty reception they had given him . The toast deserved a good speech in reply , but his heart was too full to adequately express in words what he then felt , but he was honoured to have been installed Master of that , his mother , lodge . In giving " The Installing Master and Past Masters , " the W . M . stated that he wished he could say something fresh about the Installing Master , Bro . W . M . Stiles , o n Treas .. but it was difficult , as he was so well known in the north , east , south , and

west , as a good friend , a true Mason , and one of the best workers in the ritual . He well remembered that when he was a candidate for the purple he stated that if elected he would still be the same W . M . Stiles as of old , and that was so . The next on _ the list was the I . P . M ., Bro . J . Pratt , who had had a happy year of office , and his services were appreciated by the members . Then there was Bro . VV . A . Scurrah , G . S . B ., one _ r 11 = hpct . Then came Bro . Maior Knirrhtlev . P . M .. who took him ( the W . M . I by

, the hand as an initiate and gave him his first collar in the lodge , which he should never forget , nor could he thank him too much for what he had done for him , and to the comfort of all that evening . The W . M . also made special Reference to the ' other Past Masters , mentioning each by name , and , in conclusion , coupled with the toast the names of Bros . W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas . ; J . Pratt , I . P . M . ; W . A . Scurrah , P . G . S . B . ; and Maj . Knightley , P . M . In response , Bro . W . M . Stiles , Past G . Treas ., said that it afforded him much

please to have been of some use that day as Installing Master , but they all owed an allegiance to the old Royal Savoy Lodge , and he had only done his duty as a P . M . of Bro . J . Pratt , I . P . M ., acknowledged the toast in a very humorous speech , which elicited roars of laughter . Bro . W . A . Scurrah , P . G . S . B ., said the previous speakers had taken the wind out of his sails , but he was delighted to be a P . M . of the Royal Savoy , which was his mother lodge , and that was the happiest meeting they had ever had .

Bro . Maj . Knightley , P . M ., also responded , remarking that he was delighted to see Bro . Thompson in the chair , and it would be a pleasure to him to assist in every way during bis year of office . At the request of the W . M ., Bro . W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas ., submitted the toast of " The Visitors . " He said they were honoured with the attendance of 42 visitors , and the members were always pleased and proud to have a large number of guests . They did their best for them

both in the lodge and at the banqueting table , and he hoped that those who were present would keep on coming as long as they had the opportunity . He would like all to respond , but time would not permit , and he would have to be content by joining with the toast the names of Bros . P . Cronin , W . M . 1512 ; J . Wheatley , W . M . 1423 ; J . French , W . M . 1 G 42 ; J . Irvine , P . M . SG 2 ; J . Loader , P . M . 1622 ; and W . Hillier ,

P . M . In response , Bro . P . Cronin thanked them for the hearty welcome they had given the visitors , and said that was his first visit , and as he came without Bro . John Bishop , who invited him , and who was detained on a mission of charity , he felt somewhat nervous on entering the lodge room , but when he saw Bro . J . Pratt , whom he had known upwaids of 20 years , and after him their esteemed member , Bro . W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas ., whom he had also known for a great many years , he felt quite at home .

With reference to Bro . John Bishop , he thought it was only right that the members should know why he was not in attendance at the opening of the lodge . It was because he had that morning been endeavouring to obtain admission for a poor homeless young woman , who had met with an accident , and that afternoon he had succeeded in getting her admitted into the West London Hospital . Bro . J . Wheatley , W . M . 1423 , observed that after the eloquent remarks of the previous speaker , there was nothing left for him to say except to bear testimony to the

good working of the lodge , which was very instructive to him , and he predicted tor the VV . M . a splendid year of office . Bro . j . French , W . M . 1 G 42 . also acknowledged the toast , remarking that he had never seen better working than that of the Installing Master , B .-o . Stiles , P . G . Treas . Bro . James Irvine , P . M . S 62 , said that he had been a visitor there for many years . If he intended to compliment the Installing Master , Bro . Stiles , P . G . Treas ., it would be like painting the lily , as he always did his work in the ritual in a most exemplary manner , and might he say as an old Mason of long standing , that it was gratifying to have had the privilege of being present at such a pleasant meeting .

Bro . J . Loader , P . M . - 1622 , stated that he must add his tribute to the excellent working . He congratulated the W . M ., Bro . George Thompson , on the exalted position he had attained , as there was , he felt , no one more desirable or esteemed as a Mason in the West and South of London . He was an honoured member in the Rose Lodge , and he had no doubt would give the members every satisfaction during his year of office . Bro . W . Hillier , P . M ., who was accorded a very hearty reception , also responded . He said he was delighted to be there to meet the W . M ., who had a happy knack of well

conducting the business at the banqueting table . Bro . Stiles ' , P . G . T ., working was mperb , and could not be excelled , and the officers had carried out their duties in an able manner . He was proud to be the Preceptor of the lodge of instruction connected with the lodge , and he invited all to join . „ , ' . repeated calls , Bro . W . Dawson , W . M . 1 G 22 , also acknowledged the toast of The Visitors , " He said that he was sorry he had been called upon , as he had been very "I , and he did not feel able to respond to the toast in an adequate manner . He claimed to be the oldest friend present of the W . M ., as he knew him long before he was a Mason , and he was delighted to see him installed W . M .

In giving "The Treasurer and Secretary , " the W . M . stated that he was greatly lf ° i | "" ° a *' " ' Grand Officer as Treasurer , and he and all the members were delighted to have the continued service of Major Knightley as Secretary , and it would be impossible to find a better one . ., ^ - W . M . Stiles , P . G . T ., Treas ., responded , and said that all the compliments that were passed upon him were due to Ihe Secretary , Mjjor Knightley , who did all the work , and he was one of the best of fellows . He was clad to see Bro . Thompson in

'ne chair , and he would support him to the utmost of his ability . ™ o . Major Knightley , P . M ., Sec , on rising to respond was received with much enthusiasm . He said the lodge was in a flourishing condition , and it had been backed up by the Past Masters and the I . P . M ., Bro . Pratt . He had no doubt that the W . M . would do everything to further the interests of the lodge . . lne ' ° ast of " The Officers " was next given and heartily received , and was replied KGS B * D r rmS by Br ° S' A' B' F ° X ' S'W '; A' Geor ^ e ' J * W *; and W'A > Scurrah ' „ .. ¦ 3 ' ' ?' oasf brought the very successful and happy gathering to an end , the

loyment 0 l which had been greatly enhanced by some good songs from Bros . Wills age-who received a well-deserved encore-W . E . Watson , W . H . Webb , and Wilfred Th ' Wilfred Davies was an able accompanist . Anrll , W . M ., Bro . George Thompson , was initiated in the Royal Savoy Lodge in wU ... 1 . V- J ° ' . 1 ed ( he Kose Lod '" e » No - ' ° - > ' ' n April , 1891 , in which he is S . D . ; He w « into Royal Arch in the Metropolitan Chapter in 1 S 91 , of which he is ist A . S . andhp !« ? -r ^ founde - sot the Rose Chapter , No . 1 G 22 , ot which he is nov S . B ., •" mwinir B r - " - " - or of the t 1 " re '! Institutions . We have had the pleasure of have n « £ . ' ' V . eorBe Thompson , who is an enthusiastic Mason , for many years , and we Ihe PPr „ i , . . that "" der his reign , with the assistance of Bro . Major C . J . Knightley , we berr Tn v " J" tl . gab , e Secretary , the Royal Savoy Lodge will still go forward , and hol ds in the lid ° ty con & ratulations to Bro . Thompson on the high position he

Craft Masonry

Drury Lane Lodge , No . 2127 . The installation meeting of this professional lodge was held on Tuesday afternoon at Mark Masons' Hall , by dispensation , Drury Lane Theatre being engaged for a matimJe of the Christmas production . Bro . Henry Neville , W . M . for the second vear , presided . Amongst other brethren present were Bros . James Fernandsz , P . M . ; Fred . Mead , P . G . S . B . ; Oscar Barrett , P . M . ; C . F . Matier , P . G . Std . Br . ; Richard Clowes , P . G . Std . Br . ; Dr . Clement Godson , P . G . D . ; A . Cooper , P . G . D . ; Viscount

Mountmorris ; Chas . Martin , P . A . G . D . C . ; Charles Belton , P . D . G . D . C ; Edward Terry , P . G . Treas . ; Sir Reginald Macdonald , K . C . B .. K . C . G . T . ; Sir Albert Altman ; H . Sadler , G . Tyler ; Lionel Rignold ; Imre Kiralfy ; Colonel F . Egerton-Bennett ; Harry Nicholls , P . M . ; Lionel Brough ; H . Passmore Edwards ; H . J . Treadwell , P . M . gi , P . G . Stwd . ; W . J . Fisher , P . M . 2190 ; Harold Burke , W . M . 2190 ; Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . O . ; Charles Garthorne ; J . H . Barnes , J . D . ; Guy Renton : G . R . Dunloo . P . G . S . ; Walter Ramsey ; Prior , P . M . go ; Dr . Tatham

Armitage , P . P . G . Std . Br . N . and E . Yorks ; J . S . Fleming ; and others . The W . M . initiated in splendid style Sir Bryan Leighton , Messrs . Lewis Walker , Frank Atherley , and Alfred Armitage , and afterwards faultlessly installed Bro . Gerald Maxwell as W . M . for the year ensuing . Bro . Neville was invested as I . P . M . The other brethren invested were Bros . Guv Repton , S . W . ; Lionel Rignold , J . W . ; Rev . C . I . Martyn , P . G . C , Chap .,- J . S . Fleming , Treas . ; Harry Nicholls , P . M ., Sec . ;

Col . F . Egerton Bennett , S . D . ; J . H . Barnes , J . D . ; Luigi Lablache , D . of C . ; E . Cotterill , I . G . j Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . Org ., Org . ; John Crook , T . H . Bolton , and A . G . Nevill , Stewards -, and Goddard , P . M ., Tyler . After some other business had been conducted , the lodge was closed , and the brethren adjourned to Freemasons' Tavern to a choice banquet . The usual toasts followed .

The entertainment provided between the speeches consisted of performances by Bros . John Le Hay , Avon Saxon ^ Laurence Kellie , Lionel Brough , Templer Saxe , Charles Towley , and Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . Org ., Organist , who played some beautiful symphonies . Bro . Edward Terry , P . G . T ., responded to the toast of "The M . W . Pro G . Master , Dep . G . Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . "

Bro . Henry Neville , I . P . M ., in proposing the toast of "The W . M ., " said the toast appealed to the brethren in every sympathetic way ; it was a toast which was most worthy , not only on account of the worthy man , but on account of that worthy man ' s worthy work . He knew that Bro . Maxwell was an acceptable W . M . and that he had justified all the hopes of tbe brethren . He remembered when he ( Bro . Neville ) was in the chair , Bro . Harry Nicholls once said to him , any compliments , any honour , or any consideration that is shown to a nominee of his in Masonry he feels as deeply as any

honour or consideration that could possibly be shown to himself , if even a little more . He said that of his own generous nature , and he ( Bro . Neville ) shared that noble sentiment j he felt the same pride Bro . Nicholls felt in coming forward to the proud position of their W . M . that day . He had watched Bro . Maxwell from the very beginning of his career and he had never known him to fail . The brethren of the lodge knew perfectly well what the man was and what his worth was ; and it was for that that he was loved among the brethren of the lodge . He might tell the Grand Officers and the visitors

that Bro . Maxwell had never missed a lodge meeting in the whole time j he had always fulfilled a duty ; he had never disappointed a single promise that he had made in Masonry . That was the highest record—the very highest record that any Master could acquire , and that was the one that belonged to their W . M . of to-day . Bro . Gerald Maxwell , W . M ., in reply , said : Brethren , the great honour you have done me in installing me in this chair to-night is greatly enhanced by the very cordial way in which you have all welcomed the far too flattering remarks of our Bro . Past

Master Neville , and it is an added pleasure to me to be installed in this exalted chair by a man and a brother whom I admire as long as it has been in me to admire what is great and good in men and in brother Masons . I am sorry to say , because there is always something sad in the flight of time , however short that flight may be—that my earliest recollections of the drama are bound up with my memory of our Brother , Henry Neville . It was his knightly figure first burst upon me and showed me my ideal cavalier ; he was my cavalier sans peur et si its reproche , the Bayard of my boyhood ; and in these days ,

when so many books are made from various quarters on the stage , I think , without egotism , that the humble banner-bearer of the stage may claim something for the victories of the world ; although they are only after-dinner victories they are still victories of priests in the realms ot art . It is mine , like our Brother Henry Neville ' s , to show the heroes of the greater stage of life how to live , and sometimes how to die ; and if he will permit me , I should like to instance the exquisite creation of his in a drami which cannot be too highly praised — I allude to "Cheer , Boys , Cheer , "

because it embodies the spirit and the grit of our little great Ination . ( Cheers . ) He then showed us the ideal English gentleman , the sildier ready to face any odds at a moment's notice , to face death calmly , and to make those around him face it calmly , and in our last little difficulty , out of which we have not yet got , the difficulty on the north-west frontier of India , which I am told by visitors , is a considerable territory inhabited by hordes of tribesmen whom we have trained in the use of that highly-prized weapon , the Lee-Metford , there seems to have

been among the officers who commanded the force ot Dargai Heights and the troops that would not desert their comrades—there seemed to have been the spirit of the trus Drury Lane drama—they seemed to have borrowed their light and their lines of action from the magnificent example of our I . P . M . ( Loud applause . ) I need not say that although I technically replace our P . M . in this chair , it is quite impossible to replace him anywhere on the stage . ( Cheers . ) In our lodge happily it is not necessary to replace him , for he not only adorns the stage but he adorns the lodge , and I am certain

whoever deserts us he will never do so ; he will always remain among us a tower of manly strength and manly dignity . ( Hear , hear . ) Some years ago—not many years—when my dear old friend , Lionel Brough , offered kindly to propose me for this lodge , and my dear friend , Harry Nicholls , seconded me , I hid a misgiving as to whether I should not ask them to withdraw my name ; and it was a proud moment in my life when I heard the brethren had unanimously elected me to be one of their members ; but if I really ever aspired to occupy this chair , I certainly did not dare to lift my eyes to that exalted

position . Still , I suppose , in a manner I must have looked upwards , tor Alpine climbers have told me it is fatal , even if you never reach the summit , to look down . Well , brethren , owing to the great kindness and good nature of all our brethren , an J especially of our Bro . Catling , P . M ., who , 1 am sorry to say , is not present , who made me I . G ., after having proved myself most inefficiently his deputy , I have arrived in a short time at the goal of my Masonic ambition , and I appreciate fully the honour you have done me . ( Hear , hear . ) I am not an old man—I hardly like to say yjung—but I am a

respectably aged Mason—more than 15 years . I entered a small lodge at Cambridge , dedicated to the memory of Isaac Newton , that great master who initiated the science of motion , and for a time I tried to emulate his example ; but I { latter myself I have conquered the problem he tried to solve by dynamics by showing t ' ae motion of a heavy body through space to an exalted position and in a short space of ti ne —( laughter ) —but I do not claim the slightest credit to myself for thi ? , because it has been due to the efforts of the brethren who by using that force which tends to motion have drivenmealong

their good will to theexalted . ' position which I now occupy . , ( Cheers . ) I am sure you must be quite tired of my voice . ( No , no . ) I have raised it on several occasions already j I am conscious that it has none of the melodious qualities of that of our P . M ., who is a Past Master in the art of elocution , as he is a Past Master of all the arts ; I feel like the historical beggar on horseback ( and you all know where he rides to ) , but I trust that I may curb my steed and make him suit his pace to the proportions of tie ridir and to

the community generally , and of this I am sure I shall be ably supported by our Secretary , because ii our Pegasus showed signs of shying as well as rearing he would be checked immediately . The ambition of our Secretary is boundless as r : gards the Drury Lane Lodge . To alter Shakespeare ' s words slightly , 1 shall say , " Beggar on horseback although 1 am , I am poorer in thanks , but I thank you . " ( App'ause ) . After the initiates had responded to the toast which was drunk in their honour ,

Bro . Maxwell , W . M ., gave "The Visitors , " to which Bro . Viscount Mountmorris replied . Bro . Gerald Maxwell , W . M ., next proposed "The Past Misters , " aid said the toast needed no words of his to recommend it to the brethren . The Past Masters were those of necessity of the lodge who had adorn-. d it mist , and it . was to tiem the lodge was most indebted . Brevity , they had heard , wis the soul of wit : he hid n ) pretence to be witty ; still , hc would claim that on his behalf , merely on that ground and coupling this with the name of the I . P . M ., Bro . Neville , to whom he had hoped to have the privilege of giving a memorial jewel on his second year of orli ; e—for the brethren must remember Bro . Neville had not only consented to be Master one year , but in their necessity he had come forward and held that chair again—still they were none