Banquet To Bros. Betram And Roberts.

every expense ; and this I know to be only one of the many acts of beneficence which they have performed . Their liberality has not been confined to Masonry , The bounty our Bro . Bertram has bsen shown towards very many other deserving Institutions ; you , as brethren , know well by

the jewel which now adorns his breast . How nobly have our brothers exemplified the Worshipful Master ' s assertion made at their initiation , that charity was the distinguishing characteristic of a Freemason ' s heart ! Although they are about to remove from their present sphere of action , I

am sure the )* will carry with them the hearty good feelings and wishes of the brethren of the Crystal Palace Lodge —( hear , hear , )—and I trust we shall often have their aid and assistance at our lodge meetings . Brethren , 1 wish you to remember that they were both initiated in the Crystal Palace Lodge ; therefore , we claim

them as belong to us . This is their parent lodge . We shall be most happy to see them at our meetings and at our banquet table , for their presence will always be , as it always has been , a delight to us . Brethren , I ask you now to drink with me , " The Health of Bros . Bertram and Roberts . " The toast havintr been drunk most

enthusiastically , Bro . George Perren , as a constant frequenter of the Crystal Palace , who had innumerable opportunities of testing the quality of the creature

comforts which Bros . Bertram and Roberts supplied , wished to add his own testimony to the unexceptional way in which they were provided . After this he sang the charming ballad " The Thorn . "

Bro . Bertram , who was greeted with a perfect storm of applause when he rose to respond , said , when it had subsided -. Worshipful Master , Brother Past Masters , Brother Wardens , and

Berthren , I cannot attempt on behalf of myself to follow our W . M . in the speech he has made with regard to myself and my esteemed Bro . Roberts , neither can I follow him with regard to our Bro . Perren . When our W . M . and Bro . Perren

had finished their speeches , 1 felt I had something to say ; but after listening to Bro . Perren ' s song I find I have nothing to say , for when I listened to it , it carried me away and made me forget what I intended to tell you . If therefore 1 err in my language 1 trust , you will

not think 1 have erred in my feelings . For your kindness in inviting us here , this evening I can only say I sincerel y thank you . 1 have now been connected with the Crystal J'a lace for I 7 years . 1 feel that it is a long time , as I am now getting grev , for I do not use the lead comb . I was one

ol the first initiates in this lodge : I think 1 was the second initiate , as Bro . Watson will remember . I have had the pleasure , and I may say the honour of passing through every degree and every office in the Crystal Palace Lodge , until 1 became at length its W . M ., and after that , Master

ol the New Concord . With regard to the connection of my Bro . Roberts and myself with the Crystal Palace , we are , 1 may say , to a certain extent sorry to leave , on account of the refreshment contract going from us ; but still , men nf business , ¦¦ - -for it comes back to that after all—can only

remain 111 a certain place so long as it pays them . If 1 were to tell you , brethren , that Bertram and Roberts were philanthropic people , who come here lor the purpose of catering without getting anything out . of it , you would not believe it . Therefore , 1 saw so long as we could tret

anything out of the Crystal Palace we stopped—mind you , I will give you the proviso that we have satisfied the public , ( hear , hear ) , that the public have-acknowledged that satisfaction . ( i I ear , hear . ) I will go even closer than that to our own establishment , —that the Directors in the last report

which they published , said that the proprietors of the Palace and the public had every reason to be satisfied with the way in which Messrs . lie ' . train and Roberts had carried out their engagements , (( 'beers . ) I laving done that , brethren , we are very much obliged to the public . I am now going to tell you we are obliged ( o you . I

cannot express to you the feelings 1 have in my heart with regard to the manner the W . M ., Bro . Thompson , and Bro . Acton have organised this banquet , and interested so many friends in it . When I see so many kind friends around me I feel more than I can express . All I can say , brethren , is , wherever we may go , whatever the

Banquet To Bros. Betram And Roberts.

world may think , we have not made a fortune at the . Crystal Palace ; though we have paid its shareholders £ 20 , 000 a year , there is not an adequate amount left out of it for ' ourselves . The Company are getting the best of it , and still they are going to get the best of it . f wish our successors

were going to give £ 6000 less than wc have been paying ; they mig ht then retire in a few years . If you think you are going to pay our rent and make a fortune , you are mistaken . I have had 17 years' experience . I has answered our purpose , I will say , ( hear , hear ) , but it does not answer

our purpose to pay sL 6 ooo a year more for it . Therefore as men of business I say we cannot take it at that price . We say we are very much obliged to you gentlemen , but we must leave it at that price ; but I trust wherever we hoist our flag ( we are not going out of business ) you will rally round us . I am quite sure , I need not say

that for this expression of your feeling to night we are much obliged to you . If I were to attempt to speak for the next half hour , I could not say more than I say in the next few words I wish to leave something for my partner to say 1 sincerly thank you from my heart . ( Cheers ) . Bro . Roberts : I must first tell you I am in a

regular fix . If I had an order this evening to prepare for 80 , 000 persons to-morrow , I could execute it more easily than I can express to you my sincere thanks for the handsome style in which you have entertained us this evening . We have always felt great pleasure in meeting

members of the Crystal Palace Lodge . I have been here fourteen years . Bro . Acton and I were made on the same day . I have not had time to go into office , but I am very glad to-night to find 1 have passed the chair . ( Laughter . ) [ Bro . Roberts was sitting on the left of the W . M . ] I

am quite sure , brethren , Irom what I have heard you all express , you are satisfied with the way we have supplied your banquets . I know we have had many banquets down here through the recommendation of the brethren of the Crystal Palace Lodge ; and I am happy to say , that with

not one exception , the brethren who have partaken of them have expressed themselves satisfied . I hope , as Bro . Bertram says , you will rall y round us , as we are not going out of business , and that it will not be very long before you see us flourishing again . Though this is the last

time we shall have the pleasure of supplying the banquet for you , I trust we shall be for many years able to come down and enjoy your society . I thank you all , brethren , for the very kind manner in which you have entertained us this evening . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Bertram : It will not be the last time we

shall be down with you . The business of the place has often prevented us dining with you when we should have done . Now , however , if we do not dine with you it will be ' our own fault .

The W . M . then proposed " The Health of the Visitors . " Bro . Kane in reply , said , he was a shareholder in the Crystal Palace Company , and therefore had a wonderful interest in the successor of Messrs .

Bertram and Roberts who was to spend some thousands a-year more than they did . He ( Bro Kane ) had seen Messrs . Bertram and Roberts in a variety of capacities , and he esteemed them in all ; lir .-t as brother Masons ; and secondly as purveyors of a most splendid banquet , whenever

he had had the pleasure to dine with them , lie lelt that they would leave a blank not easily to be lilled up when they quitted the place . He had the fortune or mi-fortune , to be an idle man , and went to the Crystal Palace two , three , or four days a week ; and he knew he should miss them

lor however well their department might be supplied by their successor , he was quite sure it would not be the same thing . The W . M . proposed "The Masonic Charities . " Bro . F . Binckes -replied , and after apologising for the absence of Bros . Farnfield and Patten through ill-hcahh , ( who were well represented however

by Bros . Terry and Lane ) , thanked the brethren of the Crystal Palace Lodge for the support they had given to the Masonic Institutions at various times . Those Institutions were deserving of all the support which brethren might feel disposed to give , inasmuch as they respectively provided for the aged and infirm , to the number of about 232 , and boarded , clothed , and educated , between

Banquet To Bros. Betram And Roberts.

two and three hundred of the youth of both sexes . To Messrs . Bertram and Roberts the Boys' and Girls' Schools were much indebted . They had been warm cncotiragers of those Institutions ; they had provided entertainments for them free of all expense ; and he doubted not that they would still continue to remember them .

"The Worshipful Master , " "The Past Masters , " and " The Lodge Officers , " having been severall y honoured , The " Ty ler ' s Toast " brought the proceedings to a close , and the brethren separated at a late hour , and returned to town .

The evening ' s entertainment was a great success , and the company expressed themselves hi ghly delighted with the hospitality which was extended to them . The W . M . was most happy anel courteous , and -won all hearts by the warmth and frankness of his reception . The officers also

exerted themselves praiseworthilyto render everyone comfortable , and Bro . Thompson , the Secretary , with his customary geniality , afforded whatever information was required . The ease and grace with which everything was conducted convinced the visitors that the Crystal Palace

Lodge is no novice at entertaining guests . Ihe quietness and readiness observed by the attendants added greatly to the general comfort . Intermingled with the toasts were numerous songs , which were charmingl y executed by Bros . George Perren and Seymour Smith . Bro . Seymour Smith presided at the pianoforte .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

MASONIC BALLS .

( To the Editor nf the Freemason . ) DI :. \ R SIR AXD BROTHER , — 1 am glad to offer a further reply to your correspondent , W . L . A . 30 . 1 st . I certainl y cannot affirm what may be the special view of the Prov . G . M . for Somerset , as I

have had no communication " with that distinguished and most worthy brother ; but I think it is clear , as a Masonic law , that when a P . G . M . give's his lodges permission to hold a Masonic Ball it is within his power to stipulate that it shall be carried out as a daft Ball , pure and

simple—this is a dill ' erent position to that of /> rohiFttiug the decorations of members of the high grades . 2 nd . The P . G . M . for Somerset , I rejoice to say is doubtless a member of the Supreme Grand

Council 33 ° ; but it is well-known that the present head of the high grades is our kindly-hearted and illustrious brother , C . J . Vigne ; from him any prohibitions , or other formal edicts must , naturally , emanate .

3 rd . W . L . A . 30 has slightly mistaken me here ; 1 said no permission was required for wearing the decorations of the high degrees , or of the Temple , anywhere or at any time , /' / ' //¦<¦¦/ were lint dejected la ( or to this effect ) .

They are niastmiralli / illegal in a Craft lodge , because they are o / jeeted to and forbidden by the Book of Constitutions . And I would parenthetically remark , as I have done before , that this clause of the Constitutions requires a complete interpretation ; especially after the publication of

paragraph 4 of the report of the Board 01 General Purposes , ( p . Jj . J of your last issue ) . Does it mean all Masonic Orders or Degrees not recognised as part of pure " Ancient Masonry ? " Or does it include in the prohibition all orders and decorations of a public and non-masonic description ?

4 th . Probably 1 am not able to speak of the , the views of the S . C . p , - f with the same wei ght of authority as your correspondent , but I can safel y say that I know of no statute , regulation , or order , by which the use of the decorations of the High Grades is in any way restricted . I am

sure that the S . G . C . desires to be as circumspect as possible in making additions to the roll of those grades , and very properly wishes to receive members whose discretion may be trusted ; consequently I cannot think it probahle that the Council is likely to narrow the basis upon which the constitution of these degrees was established , by enacting a prohibitory regula . ion of this de «