The Grand Lodge Of Mark Masters For England, Wales, And The Colonies , And Dependencies Of The British Crown.

and otherwise promote the prosperity of the degree . Having thus traced in some measure , the progress of Mark Masonry iu England , we must now sketch the orig in ofthe Festival which took p lace under such favorable auspices on Tuesday .

It was found imperatively necessary , that in a large body like the Mark Masters of England , provision should be made for the succour and relief of distressed brethren , and a Benevolent Fund was therefore established with that object . At the meeting of the Grand Lodge in June , it -was resolved that a Festival , should be held in

order to awaken interest in the project , and form the nucleus ofthe Fund . To this Festival it was also decided that ladies should be admitted .

Notwithstanding the short notice , and the lateness of the season ,- the Stewards vigorously set to work , and arranged that the Festival should be held at the Mitre Hotel , Hampton Court , on Tuesday , the IOth August .

FESTIVAL . A goodly number of brethren , with their ladies , left Waterloo Station for Hampton Court early in the day , and thus had au opportunity of enjoying a walk in the fine gardens attached lo the Palace , or elsewhere in the immediate neighbourhood . There is hardly a finer and more attrative ride out

of town than the fifteen miles by rail to Hampton Court , and the weather was all that could be desired . At half-past six o ' clock the company assembled for dinner , when the chair was taken by the Alost

Worshipful Bro . the Bev . George R . Portal , Grand Master , who was supported by the B . W ., Bro . Sir Edmund E . H . Lechmere , Bart ., Deputy Grand Master ; J . II . Heame , T . Davidson , J . Udall and T . Meggy , Past Grand Wardens ; F . Binckes , -Grand Secretary ; Rev . D . Shaboe , P . G . Chaplain ;

H . C . Levander , G . D . C . ; T . J . Sabine , A . G . D . C ., W . AI ., 22 ; T . Wescombe , G S . B . ; W . Smith , C . E . P . G . O . ; J . H . Wynne , P . G . P . ; S . Rosenthal , P . G . D . ; R . Wentworth Little , P . M ., No . 1 ;

E . Spencer , P . G . S . ; W . Paas , P . G . O . ; H . Massey , W . M .-elect , 22 ; B . P . Todd , No . 1 ; W . Stanford , 75 ; S . Earnian , 22 ; W . Hudson , 25 ; W . Henley , and a few other brethren whose names we were unable to ascertain . The

greater number of the brethren present were accompanied by their ladies , and the actual number at the festival was fifty-three . Grace being said , the company sat down to a most recherche banquet

comprising every delicacy , and after the cloth was cleared , the AI . W . CHAIHJIAN proposed in felicitous language , the health of "Her Alost Gracious Alajesty the Queen , " which was of course enthusiastically received .

" God Save the Queen , " was then sung . Sir Edmund Lechmere , D . G . AI ., then introduced the next toast , " The AI . W . Grand Alaster . " He said all the brethren present knew bow admirably the Rev . Bro . Portal fulfilled the duties of his high position , aud how zealously he had striven for the

good of the Order . ( Cheers . ) It was therefore with great pleasure he proposed the toast . ( The AI . W . Brother ' s name was received with unbounded applause , and one cheer more was added for Airs . Portal , who was present ) Song : "The Faithful Echo , " bv Madame Thaddeus Wells .

The GRAND MASTER responded briefly for the honour which had been done to lis name in the hearty reception ofthe toast , and assured the brethren that his interest in Alark Alasonry remained as strong as ever . ( Bro . Portal is one of the veterans of the Grand Lodge , and has supported the degree with

unswerving fidelity . ) He further expressed his delight at the progress which had been made , and « oncluded by proposing in eulogistic terms the health ofthe " Deputy Graud Alaster . " A French song , which elicited great applause , was then sung by Herr Dec ! :.

Sir li . il LECHMEUE , Bart ., returned thanks . The health of the "Grand Officers" was then proposed by the Grand Alaster , who alluded to their services , and to the great assistance which they had rendered to the degree . The toast wai mostcordially drunk .

Bros . HEARNE and J . UDALL , responded . Bro . Henley then sang a charming ditty . The M . W . G . AI . then announced the toast of the evening , " Success to the Alark Grand Lodge Benevolent Kund ; " aud gave an explanation of its origin and objects . He very justly associated with the toast

the name of Bro . Meggy , J . G . W ., to whose unparalleled ^ exertions so much of the Festival ' s success was clearly due . A well-deserved reception was accorded to Bro . Meggy ' s name , and Bro . Binckes , G . S ., then proceeded to read the list of donations , amongst which wenoticed that It . W . Bro . F . Martin Williams , M . P .,

The Grand Lodge Of Mark Masters For England, Wales, And The Colonies , And Dependencies Of The British Crown.

Prov . G . M . for Cornwall , who is always foremost in every good work , beading the list with fifteen guineas . The G . Alaster and D . G . Alaster contributed five guineas each , and Lords Carnarvon and Percy were also amongst the donors . The Stewards , whose lists were read , were Bros . Binckes ( , £ 52 10 s . ) , T . Meggy

T . Wescombe , T . J . Sabine and S . Rosenthal , and the total announced was upwards of £ 80 . Bro . AIEGGY then expressed his acknowledgments for the manner in which bis name had been received . Song , "Thady O'Flynn , " by Aladame Wells . _ The " Health ofthe Ladies" was then given in an

appropriate speech by the G . M ., and Bro . HENLEY returned thanks on their behalf for the way in which it was responded to . A duet was then rendered by Herr and Aladame Deck . The health of the Stewards was the last toast ,

which elicited a telling speech from Bro . BINCKES , R . W . G . AI . who said : Ladies and brethren , I rise to return thanks on behalf of a very small body of brethren , who have greatly contributed to a gigantic failure . ( No , no . ) Of course , sir , you will not take my words literally , I am

just quoting what was said would be the case if a few sanguine Mark Alasons banded themselves together for thepurpose of inaugurating a festival for their Benevolent Fund , and the question was asked , how would it answer ? I for myself never had any doubts as to its success . Friends , so called , chose to

questionthepossibilityofthatsuccess . Nowinrisingto respond in behalf of a failure—I am speaking no w in a Pickwickian sense—I must say that if ever a success was achieved under a first experiment , that success has been achieved by us to-night . I take no credit for Bro . AIeggy ; I ask no credit for those

few brethren who are . stewards this evening , but we felt , a very few of us , that in the Alark Degree there was au essential vitality ; that if we held ourselves out to inaugurate a festival of this kind , we would make the festival a success . Well , sir , success has an abstract notion attached to it , and a

relative comparison .. If we compare the number this evening with the number attending at our charity festivals , and the results achieved there , it will be said by some that this is afailure . The AfarkDegree comprises within itself a certain number of sincere , honest , able , earnest Alasons , who are imbued , I

believe , most honestly and sincerely , with a thorough appreciation of tbe value of the degree with which they are associated , aud who are determined , with honesty , and without rivalry of any other degree , to make the merits of the Mark Degree known throughout the world . We have found that there

is one thing wanting—we have no Benevolent Fund . We have applied to our lodges ; we asked our lodges to consent to have their members—I do not like to use the word " taxed " —but to have their members consent to a small sum per cent , put aside for the purpose of founding a fund , out of which a

Alark Mason in distress , his widow or his children could be properly relieved . So large a minority objected to that , that Grand Lodge in its discretion —and I think perhaps wisely , takiiig into consideration the magnitude of that minority—did not persist in that rule . We then made an attempt to

get assistance ( without intending to make any reference to politics I may say ) , by trying the volunrary system , and the Graud Lodge , out of its very great kindness , voted a sum of £ b 0 . That sum of _ t' 50 was the sole nucleus we had for our fund , and

by the demands made by little and little , it has been nearly exhausted . You remember , sir , occupying the distinguished position you do , the observations I made in Grand Lodge , at our last nieetinsr . Those observations were not without

their effect . This festival was the first organised , to see what the voluntary principle would do . And now , sir , I dare say many may ask why could not i . ' 8 l ) have been added to the fund of the Grand Lodge of the Alark Masons of England , for the purpose of relieving our brethren

in distress , without assembling at a festival like this i And this recalls to my mind , connected as I am with many of our great charities , an observation made by the late Duke of Newcastle , when I had an interview with him about taking the chair at one oV them ; " How is it , Bro . Binckes , that these large

amounts of subscription , more especially connected with Freemasonry , cannot be obtained unless a certain number of brethren , with a certain number of ladies , are brought together to consume a large amount of bad wine , and eat a very bad dinner V " Well , " I said , " your grace , it is this I suppose , the

genius Anghcanus , if I may use the term , runs in the direction of festivity . " Now , lam satisfied of this , that we having made an attempt to organise this fund by a special appeal to our lodges , that having been refused , we have succeeded when we have lallen back on the voluntary principle , aud

enlisted private contributions . Wo then found our great delight—and when I say " our , " I mean , ladies and gentlemen , to include the gentleman who occupies the distinguished position of our Alost Worshipful Grand Alaster , and who has made the first attempt to assist our Benevolent Fund—that we

The Grand Lodge Of Mark Masters For England, Wales, And The Colonies , And Dependencies Of The British Crown.

having come here to-night , some 53 of both sexes , to my intense delight and intense satisfaction , and I am sure with the delight and satisfaction of my Bros . AIeggy , and Udall , and Rosenthal , who have also aided us—that we have , by an expenditure of fifty guineas , added £ 80 to our Benevolent Fund .

Has our evening been expended in vain ? ( No , no . ) We have done this , we have brought together a large number of distinguished Masons , with those of the softer sex attached to them by the nearest and dearest associations ; we have proved , I think , to the outer world , that we can enjoy ourselves in a

legitimate manner , as none but Masons probably can do , and we have banded ourselves together for a holy object ; charity is that holy bond that has brought us together this evening . Have we failed in our scheme ? ( No , no . ) Now , M . W . G . M ., I appeal to you if this was not made an experimental

meeting ; this was to be the test as to the sincerity of Alark Alasonry , whether we could support a festival of this kind and make it a successful festival . Now sir , on behalf of the Board of Stewardsand this is why I hope you will fancy my observations not altogether inappropriate—I would

say in the first place , you have met in a room not altogether fit for so large a company ; in the second , I do not believe that our brethren of the Board of G . Stewards ever thought we should have numbered forty , and if we did , we thought we should have achieved a success . The question was ,

whether we should meet forty-five . We have met to-night fifty-three . Had we known it , we would have provided for the larger number elsewhere . We had not faith enough—even Bro . AIeggy himselfin the Alark Mason * and their ladies to assist in increasing their charity fund ; but I believe most sincerely this , we ought to take a hint from it ; it is

a lesson we shall profit by , and distinctly understand this , that if we had known the numbers were likely to be so large , we should not have met at the Mitre Hotel to-night . We shall never meet again here , for the simple reason that the host has not the accommodation we shall require . I see now that this is established as an annual success .

( Hear , hear . ) I say this first meeting is a great success . I appeal to you whether you have not enjoyed yourselves . We have combined the pleasures of the table with the society of the ladies , aud wc think we may mutually congratulate ourselves , as in addition to enjoying ourselves we have been

adding a larger amount of money to our fund than we can possibly spend in the next twelve mouths ; and then , I look forward to the time with pleasure when we shall meet in largely increased numbers , and this will always be a red-letter day in Alark Alasonry . ( Hear , hear . ) But on behalf of the

Stewards , let me ask your kind indulgence and consideration for any short-comings you have noticed . We thought that forty would have collected here . Nearly sixty sat down at this table . I therefore beg that you will not accuse us of collecting you under false pretences , in any shape or way . You have

given us your support , your kind encouragement ; ou behalf of our Board of Stewards , our sincere trust is that you will have seen enough to give us cause to congratulate ourselves this evening that everyone here will make a point of coming , uot here but in another place , next year , where larger

accommodation is provided , and bringing more friends than you have brought this evening , and so contribute to a still larger success than we have achieved to-night . ( Cheers . ) The W . AI ., Bro . PORTAL then quitted the chair , and after partaking of coffee , the company returned _ - __ - _ tftWII llir ..-ill «_ nil nl / tni ,.., ! ... SfV . tl ... _ .., t / ii *_ -n 1 .. maul * w ^ j 1 U 1 wi 1 wii / ii vile ciiMittiutu \

ww _ .,. .. _ ...-, n IJWWCU . _ _ uu and results of the day . We cannot omit expressing our thanks to the vice-chairmen , Bros . Binckes and AIeggy , for their great attention aud courtesy , and we are certain all who attended the Festival must feel equally grateful to them , aud to the other Stewards , for their

exertions to promote the comfort of the guests . The musical arrangements were entrusted to Bro . S . Rosenthal . The vocalists were Herr B . Deck , Aladame Deck , and Aladamo Taddeus Wells , who iu the kindest maimer , gave ' their services gratuitously

and the proceedings were completely successful , Madame Deck presided at the piauo-lbrte . [ In consequence of the length of the historical sketch iu this report , wc have licen reluctantly compelled to abbreviate most of the speeches . —ED . F . ~ ] J

HOLLOWAY ' OINTMEST AND PILLS . — Useful Sympathy . — Let all who sympathise with the alllicted . whom by their kind attentions bestowed in a mild and gentle manner tliey seek to soothe , and if possibl ' , to save , remember that 1 ' rofessor Holloway has enabled their good deeds to pro . vail beyond their hopeful words . With his remedies , many have restored vigour to the failing memory , cheerfulness to tho

exhausted mind , and licatlh to the wan check . Kvcry visitor of tlie sick may without fear sadly and eflectivcty use Holloway ' s wurld-renowned Ointment and Pills . Appropriate instructions envelop every pot and box . Under Holloway ' s benign treatment , condolence is not long desirable , for convalescence comes on apace , and soon gives place to joyous hia ) tli . —Anvr .