Told By The Lodge Register.

The most prominent among the brethren who werc admitted into the lodge in 1871 undoubtedly was Bro . Fred . A . Philbrick , Q . C , who joined from Old Dundee Lodge , No . 18 , and of whose ability as a Alason we are almost daily receiving fresh evidence . In 1873 hc was apjiointcd Junior Grand Deacon of England . For many years jiast , both under the late Provincial Grand AIaster ( Lord Tenterden )

and now under his successor , Lord Brooke , ALP ., he has held the important post of Dep . Prov . Grand Alaster of Essex . In 1883 he was appointed Grand Superintendent of Royal Arch Alasonry in the same jirovincc , and the year following , on the retirement of the late Bro . JVJ . J . Alclntyre , Q . C , from thc office of Grand Registrar , Bro . Philbrick was ajijiointed—and by common consent was regarded as the

most jirojier brother to hold thc office—as the successor of that learned Alason He was also , and is still , for many years an active member of the Board of General Purjioses , and as such , of necessity , took a jirincijial jiart in the latest edition of our Book of Constitutions . Lastly , he has been throughout a staunch sujiportcr of all onr Charitable Institutions . In 1872 he served on the House Committee of the Boys' School , and quite lately on the same Committee of the

sister Institution at AA ' andsworth ; and when , in 1888 , owing to the clamour raised against the governing authorities of the Boys' School , it was deemed necessary that a Committee of Inquiry should be appointed to investigate thc various comjilaints as to mismanagement and extravagant exjienditure , it was to Bro . Philbrick that was entrusted the task of forming such a Committee and conducting the inquiry .

In 1875 the late Prince Leopold , who had been initiated in the Apollo Universit y Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , the year previous , and was at its time Senior AVarden , joined from that lodge , and in time became AA' . AL Later in the year he was ajipoiiited Provincial Grand AIaster of Oxfordshire , and in February , 1876 , was installed in office both as AV . AL of thc Ajiollo and Provincial Grand AIaster . In

1877 , when Junior Grand AVarden of England , his Royal Highness undertook to jireside as Chairman at the Anniversary Festival of the Benevolent Institution ; but illness at the very hist moment ]> revented him fulfilling the engagement , aud the late Bro . tho Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot occupied his jilace . In 1880 he jiresidcd as Chairman at the Girls' School Festival , and at the time of his death ,

in the sjiring ol 1884 , was engaged to jireside m a like capacity for the Boys' School . In 1881 he was ajqiointed Grand Sujieriutcndent of Oxfordshire , and was the first member of the Royal Famil y who was advanced to fhe Degree of a Alark AIaster Alason , being subsequently installed as a Past Grand AIaster of its Grand Lodge . He died , as 1 have said , quite unexjieclcdl y in the sjiring of 1884 , his loss being the more deeply and generally regretted among the

Freemasons , because an idea jirevailcd that whenever the Grand Alastershiji of his elder brother , the Prince of AA ' ales , terminated , his Royal Highness might he induced to undertake the vacant office , an office for which he was eminently fitted , and in which it was anticipated he would jirove a second Duke of Sussex , whose tastes for science and art and literature , and for Freemasonry likewise , he had in great measure inherited .

In 1877 , Bro . Henry—now Sir Henry—J . Burford-Hancock , who is the jiresent District Grand Alaster and Grand Sujierintendent of Gibraltar , was enrolled a member , and the year following , Bro . Edward Letchworth , from the Jerusalem Lodge , No . 107 . The latter was appointed a J . G . D . in 1884 , has served on the Board of General

Purjioses , and is at the jiresent time a member of the Committee of Grand Chajitcr . He , too , takes a dec ]) interest in the welfare of our Institutions , and has rendered coiisjiicuous services to ( hc Girls ' School as a member for some ycars jiast of its House Committee . In 1879 , Bro . Charles S . Jekyll joined from the Asaph Lodge , No . 1319 ,

Told By The Lodge Register.

and the year following had the honour of being appointed Grand Organist , a jiost he filled with great credit to himself for two years . Bro . AV . Harry Ry lands , who devotes much of his time to archaeological studies , and has done much to elucidate the earl y history of English Freemasonry in Warrington and Chester , joined from the Lodge of Faith and Unanimity-, No . 417 , Dorchester , in 1881 , and

has since represented the lodge on thc Board of Grand Stewards . Two years later , a brother who has made for himself a name in Alasonry—not in one field of labour only , but in many—was elected from Lodge No . 1460—the Thames Valley , ofHalliford , Aliddlesex . I allude to Bro . Col . Peters , who was Grand Sword Bearer in 1883 , and has done so much to jiromotc the welfare of our Charities

but more particularl y of the Girls' School , of which he is a Trustee , having previously served with credit on its House Committee , In 1885 Bro . Thomas Sutherland , ALP ., Chairman of the Peninsular and Oriental Comjiany , became a member , while one of the two who joined last year is Bro . C . E . Keyser , an influential member of the

Craft in Hertfordshire . Bro . Keyser is a Past Alaster of the AVatford , P . P . S . G . AV . Herts , founder and first AV . AL Bushey Hall Lodge , whicii was consecrated a few weeks since , and has won similar distinction in Royal Arch and Alark Alasonry . He has served many times as a Steward at our Charity Festivals , but the work in

connection with Alasonry , with which he has been most prominently associated during these latter years , is probably the restoration of St . Alban ' s Abbey . Hc was Honorary- Secretary of the Alasonic Committee whicii assisted in this important work , and it was in great measure through his unflagging energy that a sum of £ 700 was raised , and after due consultation with the Abbey authorities , was

expended on the erection of a handsome puljn ' t . In 1883 this pulpit was formally presented to thc Abbey by Bro . T . F . Halsey , ALP ., Provincial Grand AIaster of Hertfordshire , on behalf of the AIasonic fraternity , and at the close of the ceremony , when Provincial Grand Lodge had been resumed , a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Bro . Keyser for the leading and successful part he had taken in organising the Committee and raising the necessary funds .

I have now run through the list so far as it goes , and , though it is highly probable I have jiasscd over the names of many able brethren , 1 think I have said enough to justif y many times over the high ojiinionin which Antiquity has always , but more especially since Bro . Preston ' s accession to its ranks in 1774 , been held . It is not , as I have said before , by any means as strong in respect of members as it

was in the days of the Union , but it is fortunate in having on its roll such well-known Alasons as Bros . Philbrick , Letchworth , Rylands , Col . Peters , and Keyser in its ranks , brethren who have alreadywon distinction , and 1 trust may have still before them many years in which to add to the laurels they have already gained . It is to be regretted that at the Union some arrangement was not thought of for

jilacing Antiquity and its sister Time Immemorial lodge—thc Royal Somerset House and Inverness , No . 4—at the head of the roll of United Grand Lodge , as there could be no doubt whatever as to their jiriority of constitution . 11 is too late now , however , to think of such a change , aud , after all , the exact jilace of sucli a lodge , and having such a record , is not of the first imjwrtanco . A rose would smell as sweet by any other name , and Antiquity will remain Antiquity , whether it

ranks as No . 2 or No . 20 , 000 . No advance in place will enlarge the distinction which surrounds it , nor would a removal lower detract from it . Wherever and under whatever conditions it may continue lo exist , it will always be looked up to as the senior of thc " Four Old Lodges" lo whicii Ave arc indebted for the establishment of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 . Alay it flourish always , while there is a Craft in England to do it lionour ! G . BLIZARD ABBOTT .

"Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part; Happy To Meet Again."

"Happy to Meet , Sorry to Part ; Happy to Meet Again . "

Hajqiy to meet on the checkcr'd floor , And around our altar holy , At which in the unforgotfen jiast Knelt we suppliant and lowly—Vowing to Javeh those solemn vows That bind us closely for all time '

Each unto each and unto the Grade Which teaches love and faith sublime :

AVbose bar ]) of union rcsjionsive rings , AVhen touched by concords tuneful wing—Each unto each , to thc Grade and Him " Who sitleth between thc cherubim . "

Sorry fo jiart ; yes , sorry fo leave The Alyslic Chamber , where with awe AVe beheld the symbol of Tut ; O . ML AVho is ( he source of life and law . Yea , sorry to leave the AIason ' s home , AAlierc hand-grnsji meeteth hand-grasjifond

"Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part; Happy To Meet Again."

AAMiere eyes fraternal turn on us Glances suggestive of the bond AVbose equal , constant , firm control Directs the thought of thc willing soul , Giving it power to heed and know The occult meaning of the Cable-Tow .

Thrice hapjiy to meet again ? Ab , yes ; And for a time fo cast aside

Th' obtrusive cares and strifes and shams By which , without , we ' re sorely tried . Ever hajqiy from the husks to turn , And like the jirodigal of yore , Eagerly hasten the iilace to seek

AVhere welcomes kind for us in store Environ us in an atmosphere Serenel y jmre and replete wilh cheer , AVhich calms in us the sin-curse leaven , And yields us here foretaste of Heaven .

And so , upon fhe checkcr'd floor The world forgetting , we renew Our strength to fight life ' s battles o ' er , Our resolution to be true To Alason vow and Duty ' s creed ;

For onl y he thus right in heart , AVith home , with altar , and with friend—AVho puts his faith into his deed , And jiatient waitcth for his meed ; AVho bravely doth his burthens bear ,

And sternly fronts this world of care , Can with the understanding read , Duly jionder and comprehend , Joys not elusive as a dream , But pleasures really what they

seemlliose jilcasurcs outlin'd in my theme , AVhich came from an old Alasonic pen ; —Hiipjiy to meet—sorry to part—Always hajipy to meet again . Voice of Masonry .