Centenary Meeting Of The Lodge Of Stability, No. 217.

hold a Lodge of free and accepted Masons at the ' Crown , ' near St . Dunstan s Passage , Fleet St ., London , and which Lodge was registered in the books of Grand Lodge as No . 300 . But in consequence of the union of the two Grand Lodges and the formation of the United Grand Lodge on the 27 th Decpmber , 1813 , it became No . 381 . Since which , owing to the general alterations in the Nos . in 1832 and 1863 , it has become and now stands on the register as No . 217 , meeting at Anderton's Hotel , Fleet Street , London , under the Title and Denomination of

" Lodge of Stability , and whereas the Brethren comprising the said Lodge are desirous when it has completed the centenary of its existence on the ist March , 18 97 , to be permitted to wear a jewel commemorative of such event , and have prayed our sanction for that purpose . " Now know ye That we having taken the subject into our consideration have acceeded to their request , and in virtue of our prerogative , Do hereby give

and grant to all and each of the actual subscribing members of the said Lodge being Master Masons , permission to wear in all Masonic Meetings , suspended to the left breast by a sky-blue ribbon not exceeding an inch and a half in breadth , a jewel or medal of the pattern or device that we have already approved of as a centenary jewel . But such jewel is to be worn only by those brethren who are bona-fide subscribing members of the said lodge , and for so long only as each

thall pay his regular stipulated subscription to the funds thereof , and be duly returned as such to the Grand Lodge of England . " Given in London this 5 th February , A . . 5897 , A . D . 1897 . " By command of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , " His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., & c , & c . ( Signed ) " E . LETCHWORTH , " Grand Secretary . "

A dispensation was also read from the M . W . G . M . granting the wearing of Masonic clothing . The business of the lodge ended , it was closed , and a reception- was held by the W . M ., Bro . J . H . Edwards , and Mrs . Edwards . The following members and guests attended : Bro . Geo . Say and Mrs . Say ; Bro . J . R . Ayris and Mrs . Ayris ; Bro . J . Nixon , Mrs . Nixon , and friend ; Bro . H . Marfleet , Miss Marfleet , Mr . Marfleet , jun ., and Mrs . Marfleet and friend ; Bro . P .

H . Garner , Mrs . Garner , and friends ; Bro . Vim . Eckersall and Mrs . Eckersall ; Bro . R . Elgar and Mrs . Elgar ; Bro . Horley and Mrs . Horley j Bro . C . H . Stone and Mrs . Stone ; Bro . Jas . Addington and Mrs . Addington ; Mr . Addington and friend ; Bro . Wm . Cowley and Mrs . Cowley ; Bro . W . R . Smith and Mrs . Smith ; Bro . J . T . Wright and Mrs . Wright ; Bro . Wm . Gorrie and Mrs . Gorrie ; Bro . F . C . Woolmer and friend ; Bro . J . Finch and friends ; Bro . J . Owen ; Bro . J . F . Jones and friends ; Bro . H . B . Handcock and Mrs . Handcock ; Bro . E . F . Giraud

and Mrs . Giraud ; Bros . H . Hardman , Rev . R . Finlay , David Rose ; Bro . G . Tennant and friends ; Bro . S . P . Fisher , Mrs . and Miss Fisher ; Bro . J . Itter and Miss Itter ; Bro . W . H . Smith , Mrs . Smith and friend ; Bro . W . H . Edwards and Mrs . Edwards ; "Bro . J . E . Cosham and Mrs . Cosham ; Bro . B . Grant and Mrs . Grant ; Bro . Anderson and Mrs . Anderson ; Bro . H . Walter , Mrs . Walter and friends ; Bro . J . M . Hodder and Mrs . Hodder ; Bro . L . Vague and Mrs . Vague ; Bro . W . 1 . Wratten and friend ; Bro . S . Maier and friend ; T . H . Carleton and

friends ; Bro . F . D . Landeker and friends ; Bro . S . C . Phillips and Mrs . Phillips ; Bro . F . H . Bence ; Bro . E . T . Baker and Friend ; Bro . H . Ellis and friend ; Bro . T . Lavenbein and friend ; Bro . S . Leaman and friends ; Bro . H . C . Cuttriss and friends ; Bro . J . Lightfoot ; Bro . A . Bradshaw and friend ; Bro . H . Ellis and friend ; Bro . F . Becker and friend ; Bro . J . Uncle ; Bro . T . Hinks and friend ; Bro . A . E . Taperell and friend ; Bro . W . D . Thomas and

friend ; Bro . A . T . Tuvnell and friend ; Bro . G . Kirk and friend ; Bro . F . V Goddard and friend ; Bro . A . Taylor and friends ; Bro . A . Botterill and friend ; Bro . C . E . Dodwell and friends ; Bro . W . F . Mountjoy and friend ; Bro . R . W . Palmer and friend ; Bro . T . Foster and friend ; Bro . J . VV . Elain and friends ; Bro . R . Fisher and friend ; and Bro . Thos . Bowler ( who acted as toastmaster . ) In all 155 were present .

The reception concluded , the company adjourned to the banquet room , where an excellent dinner was provided under the superintendence ot the proprietor , Bro . Clemow . The cloth removed , the guests assembled in the large hall , where a capital arrangement of music had been provided under the able management of Bro . S . Leaman , Organist of the lodge , ably assisted by Miss lsabelle Wallace , Miss E . F .

Fisher , G . S . M . ( who was warmly applauded ) , Bro . F . Russell , ventriloquial , ( rapturously encored ) , Bros . A . Taylor and Harry Greene . Bro . Leaman ably presided at the piano . Bro . J . EDWARDS , W . M ., presented the toast of " Her Gracious Majesty the Queen , " remarking wherever an English gathering met , it was always a duty to testify its loyalty to our Sovereign and none more so than the body of Freemasons who were among the first to recognise that duty .

The toast of " H . R . H ., the M . W . G . M ., " the W . M . stated was in himself a tower of strength and under his sway Freemasonry had flourished all over the world . He was a most ardent Mason and always ready and attentive to do his multifarious duties . The toast was most cordially received . The W . M . gave the toast of "The Pro Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Oflicers , Present and Past , " in terms of high eulogium , stating the able assistance they gave to the M . W . G . M .

Bro . W . MASON STII . ES , P . G . Treas ., in reply , said it was a very high honour to respond at so interesting a function , viz ., the centenary of so valuable a lodge , whose working was known and appreciated throughout the land , It was indeed a great pleasure to visit the lodge , and see the ladies present only once in a hundred years . On behalf of the Grand Ofiicers , he most heartily thanked the W . M . for his kind remarks of them , and the hearty manner it had been received by the brethren .

In proposing the next toast— " The Lodge of Stability , " the toast of the evening—Bro . W . R . SMITH said it was indeed a very great honour at such an eventful period , and one he did with readiness and cheerfulness . He should like to state he was highly honoured in being chosen to propose such an important toast , especially on the celebration of its centenary . He was sure all would be delighted to drink to it with enthusiasm , because all were Masonic , either by profession or by the close and dear ties of affection . The lodge whose centenary all

had assembled to honour was started in a humble way by only eight founders in March , 1797 , at the Crown Tavern , near St . Dunstan ' s Church close by . It was now held about a stone ' s cast further east , and had met in 23 different habitations , and had borne four different numbers , viz ., 300 , 381 , 264 , and 217 . There had been 99 Worshipful Masters who had presided over its business , and every one of whom , he was certain , had devoted himself to the welfare of the lodge with zeal

and assiduity . He felt constrained to mention two , viz ., Bro . Philip Broadfoot , W . M . in four years , viz ., 1812 , 1817 , 1820 , and 1821 , as well as Secretary from 182710 1835 . He was a grand old Mason , the tounder of Stability Lodge of Instruction , and one whom the Craft delighted to honour . Secondly , Bro . Geo . Augustus Taylor , W . M . in 1859 and 1868 , and Secretary 12 years . He had been a faithful servant of the lodge for 40 years , and had it not been for his exertions , he ( Bro . Smith ) felt sure the brethren would not then be

Centenary Meeting Of The Lodge Of Stability, No. 217.

celebrating the centenary of Stability Lodge . Of Secretaries in thelodge there was none more steady , attentive , and beloved , and more useful than the present courteous and genial Bro . Nixon , P . M ., who had quietly borne the brunt of the lodge work for 18 years that day . Time would fail the speaker to tell of all the workers who had assisted in building up the grand old lodge , 217 . Concerning them he would" commend the words of inspiration— " These all died in faith not having received the promises , but were persuaded of them " —viz ., the success

and continuance of the Stability Lodge . How astonished the brethren of 50 years ago would have been to see the present splendid gathering . Fancy the long churchwarden pipe and the glass of grog , with the small talk they had afterwards on ordinary nights , or the plain 2 s . 6 d . cold suppers they had on installation nights only , and then fasted Masonically for 12 months , or the humble kind of summer festival in 186 9 , at the Bell , at Edmonton , where John Gilpin wished to dine , but his horse prevented him , or the summer banquets at Bro . Bro die's Inn ,

"The Widow ' s Son , " at Bromley , E . All those failed before the magnificence attendant on Masonic meetings at the present time . Go back further and think of the eight founders , Bros . Jacob Sarratt , the first W . M . ; John McArthur , S . W . ; James Hays , J . W . ; John Kendall , Wm . Ott , Thos . Birkin , John Hulme , and Robert Baynton . Fancy them , without electric light or gas , or petroleum lamps , only having candles and the necessary snuffers , in a low-ceiled room , with time-stained beams , clothed in breeches , very high collared coats , bouble-breasted

waistcoats , with wide frilled shirts , and the indispensable bunch of seals j fancy them feasting on bread and cheese , and home-brewed ale ; fancy the vast difference of the custom that divided them from Masons of the present day . Think of that little band , averaging 10 for the first 10 years , meeting twice monthly all the year round as the charter said , and one must feel certain that only high hopes joined with brive hearts kept the lodge together during those earlier years . Those founders and early brethren of the lodge deserved the gratitude of all the brethren present who were the rich harvest sprung from their humble sowing . Of the 548 members

who had joined the lodge during the century , a complete list of whom had been compiled and printed in the book giving the history of the lodge . What a catalogue of character ! of appearance ! of profession I of worth I There had been but four years when no members had joined , viz . 1800 , 1817 , 1833 , and 1864 . Nearly 600 !! a veritable Masonic Light Brigade . When duty calls us miy we be ready and willing to go even into the jaws of death , " for our God , our country , and our laws . " May this lodge ever flourish " like a tree planted by the waterside that bringeth forth its fruit in due season . " May brotherly love , relief , and truth

THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER . ever shine in this lodge with undimmed and undiminished lustre till time shall be no more . And W . M ., as the head of the lodge , he trusted that his year of office would , if possible , eclipse each of thc previous 100 , and be a blessing to himself and the lodge , and as he , the W . M ., was the visible embodiment of the lodge , its

mouthpiece andruler , he would couple his ( the W . M . ' s name ) with the toast , and ask him kindly to respond on behalf of that ancient and honourable lodge in centenary form assembled . He called upon all ladies , gentlemen , and brethren , to be upstanding and drink with enthusiasm " Success to Stability Lodge , " coupled with the name of the W . M .

Three cheers were given to the Stability Lodge as well as the W . M . and Mrs Edwards .

In reply , the W . M ., who received quite an ovation , thanked Bro . Smith . P . M ., for so kindly alluding to him and coupling his name with such an honoured toast . The Lodge of Stability certainly had made great advancement , and stood high in the cause of Freemasonry . During his Mastership it would be his aim to uphold the prestige of the lodge , and when he vacated the chair his desire was that the

lodge should be in a more flourishing condition , if it were possible , than when he acceded to it . Before resuming his seat , on behalf of the brethren , he tendered most hearty thanks to Bro . Smith , P . M ., for his great trouble taken in preparing the history of the lodge and the highly intellectual manner he had entertained all present .

In proposing the toast of The Ladies , " Bro . MARFLEET , P . M ., said he should most certainly do his best , but it might have been placed in more able hands ; he was the oldest member of the lodge , and therefore very modest . It was indeed a most pleasing duty , and he was highly gratified with their company —in fact , the brethren were honoured . Bro . Smith , P . M ., had entertained the company so highly that hs almost felt unable to do the toast justice . The Committee for bringing about that auspicious meeting had done its best and had

catered for the comfort of the ladies , especially Bro . Nixon , P . M ., who had been most indefatigable . The W . M . and Mrs . Edwards had been most kind , too , for allowing the Committee to meet at their residence , and had done their utmost that the gathering should be a thorough success . He hoped that the ladies had enjoyed themselves and that their reply would be that they had treated them well , and that they would never forget the centenary meeting of the Stability Lodge . Bro . NIXON , P . M ., replied in a very neat speech on behalf of the ladies , who , he said , had been at last aijmittecj into the lodge after the space of 1013