Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Moira Lodge , No . 92 . INSTALLATION OF BRO . SIR NORMAN ROBERT PRINGLE , BART . The anniversary festival of this lodge was held at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgatestreet , E . G ., on Thursday , the 6 th instant , when there were present Bros . Charles E . Russell , W . M . ; John Webb , I . P . M . j Sir Norman R . Pringle , Bart ., S . W . ; J . Norman Noakes , J . W . ; T . L . Wilkinson , P . M ., P . D . G . R ., Treas . ; R . F . Gould , P . M . P . G . D ., Sec ; C . A . Elgood , I . G . j Maurice A . Tweedie , P . M . ; G . Greiner ,

, P . M . ; E . Greiner , P . M . ; W . S . Horlock , W . S . Greves , Allan B . Walters , Arthur \ V . Smith , and Russell Ardagh . Visitors : Bros . Henrv Times , P . M . 165 ; G . W , Speth , P . A . G . D . C . j J . Peeke Richards , P . M . 15 S 4 ; W . B . Bohns , 2047 ; JamesC . Hayes , P . M . 619 ; F . Hallows , P . M . 19 S 2 ; H . Whitney , P . M . S 61 ; Louis Katz ; Montagu S . Robinson , 174 . ( N . S . W . ); Joseph Murray , 4 ( N . Z . ); Rev . J . Henry Smith , P . P . G . C Leicestershire and Rutland ; H . O . Yeatman , P . M . 1159 ; C W . Skinner , 2000 ; E . Beaumont , D . G . R . ; J . C Nicholson , P . M . 12 ; W . H . iBourke ,

P . M . 15 62 ; Luke Hansard , P . M . 1506 ; C . W . Kingzett , 1691 j Colonel S . C Pratt , P . M . 207 6 ; W . Slark , 2095 ; and William Candy , 10 . The minutes of the preceding meeting having been duly confirmed , the Iodge was opened in the Second Degree , and Bro . W . S . Greves was duly passed by the I . P . M . to the Degree of a Fellow Craft . The W . M . elect , Bro . Sir Norman Robert Pringle ,

Bart ., S . W ., was then presented by Bro . T . L . Wilkinson , P . M ., and : installed in the chair of King Solomon by Bio . R . F . Gould , P . M . The following are the officers for the year ; Bros . J . Norman Noakes , S . W . ; Stuart B . Noakes , J . W . ; Rev . R . I . Woodhouse , P . M ., Chap . ; T . L . Wilkinson , P . M ., Treas . ; R . F . Gould , P . M ., Sec . ; F . A . Donnison , S . D . ; C A . Elgood , J . D . ; A . B . Walters , l . Gr-, Wickham Noakes , P . M ., Stwd . ; and G . Couchman , Tyler .

Letters expressing regret at inability to attend were read from Bros . Sir Henry Harben , Rev . R . I . Woodhouse , and Sir Alfred Dent , Past Masters of the Iodge ; also from the following invited guests : Bros . Lieut .-Gen . Sir Charles Warren , P . Dist . G . M . Straits Settlement ; Vice-Admiral A . H . Markham , P . Dist . G . M . Malta ; John Strachan , G . Reg . ; W . J . Hughan , P . G . D . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D . ; W . M . Bvwater , P . G . S . B . ; W . H . Rylands , P . A . G . D . C ,- Dr . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D . ; Rev . E . Parr , P . G . C ; William Officer , P . G . D . ( S . C . ); G . Cowell , P . G . D . ; T . H .

Gardiner , P . A . G . D . C . ; and T . B . Whytehead , P . G . S . B . The lodge was then closed . At the banquet which followed , the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given with effect by the W . M ., and duly honoured . In giving " The Queen and Craft , " the W . M . said : This toast needs from me , I am sure , little to mak ? it either more acceptable or to ensure it a more enthusiastic reception than it usually receives at the hands of British Freemasons . Our I . P . M . has had his year of office marked in the outside world by most stirring events—by a most lamentable and costly war , the end and the result of which I think we can all rejoice in ,

namely , " Queen Victoria victorious —also , and to mymind , and surely in the eyes of the whole world , one of the most wonderful and significant events in the history of this country . I allude to that wonderful and spontaneous feeling which , springing up in the hearts of our far distant colonies , led to that magnificent and priceless gift—the gift of men ' s lives to a common cause , that the maintenance of the might of the arms of their mother country might be upheld , and the authority of their Queen . This war , now , happilya thing of the past , what more fitting sentiment can I express , or you , my

, brethren , join with me in , than that of wishing that this new year we are about to enter upon may mark a year of peace—a year of peace both for her Majesty and for the Craft in general ; for you may be sure that in that great army which has fought so well and gloriously in South Africa there are hundreds , I might say thousands , who are entitled to be called by us " brothers in Freemasonry . " Brethren , I beg to give you the toast of the health ot her Majesty the Queen and the Craft in general . The W . M ., in proceeding with the next toast , said s I can only tell you what ,

indeed , you already know , that amid the engrossing cares which devolve upon , a person who fills the exalted position of heir to the throne , his Royal Highness still finds time to most worthily preside over the destinies of the Freemasons of England ; and it must be apparent to all what advantage accrues to our Order from its being adorned in the person of our Grand Master by such a gentleman as the Prince of Wales . Brethren , I give you the toast of ' * H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , the First Gentleman of Europe , and the M . W . the Grand Master of England . "

** The M . W . the Pro G . Master , the Earl Amherst ; the R . W . the Dep . G . Master , the Earl of Warwick ; and the rest of the G . Officers , Present and Past , " was then given from the chair in the following terms : Such , brethren , is the text of this toast , and it jffords me the opportunity of pointing out that the beneficent rule of the Grand Master nowhere , I think , receives a better illustration than is afforded by his annual choice of Grand Officers . The Pro G . Master , Lord Amherst , has occupied for no less than 40 vears the position ot Prov . G . Master for Kent , and his works in the cause of the

good of Freemasonry are known far and wide . The Dep . G . Mastcr , Lord Warwick , has occupied for 18 years the office of Prov . G . Master for Essex . This nobleman , about three weeks ago , headed a deputation from the Grand Lodge of England which was nominated by his Royal Highness to _ attend the inauguration ceremony of a new Freemasons' Hall in Berlin . This deputation consisted of himself as Deputy Grand Master , Bro . the Hon . Alan Egerton , P . G . W .. and also of a brother whom I had hoped to see here to-nicrht ,

Colonel John Davis , A . D . C . to the Queen , and Prov . Grand Mastcr for Surrey , and other brethren . Upon the good work always performed by the Grand Officers I need not dwell ; you had an example to-night in the way som j of the offices were filled at the installation , and in so far asthe Aloira Lodge is concerned let us remember we have two Grand Officers always with us in the persons of our Treasurer and Secretary , whom I am sure are as much esteemed by the Crafi in general as they are by ourselves . _ .... .

__ __ Bros . Edward Beaumont , D . G . R ., and G . W . Speth , P . P . G . D . C , having replied for " The Grand Officers , " Then followed the toast of the evening , " The Memory of Earl Moira , the Patron of the Lodge , " which was given by the Treasurer , Bro . T . L . Wilkinson , with his customary eloquence , and made a deep impression on all who had enjoyed the privilege of being present and listening to the oration .

"lhe health of the W . M . " was then proposed by the I . P . M ., and acknowledged in the following terms : 1 return you my very sincere thanks for the kind and cordial reception accorded to this toast . To all men there comes one , if no more moments in their lives , the present taste of which is very pleisint , and which m ly agiin live in a fond and happy memory . For one such moment I , my brethren , am indebted , to you to-night , and 1 can only express the hope that my tenure of office in the chair may so rreet with your approval that the memory of this night shall in my case be ever a

pleasant one . To the records of a family of some little antiquity , and which in nearly every generation has given of its sons to the public service of the Army and Navy , I had wished to add my quota ; but though debarred and disappointed in this , there are ether records which , oy being a Mason , 1 can add to—and to start with my father , it gives me much pleasure to fill thc chair of the lodge in which hc was both an initiate and a Past Mastcr . But in this I am but following in the footsteps of another direct but far more distant ancestor , for it is recorded in the lodge records of Ivslso , in

Scotland , that Sir John Pringle was in succession to one John l < aa , King of the Gipsy Tribe , deceased , elected Mastcr in 1702 . This was many years even before lodge records in South Britain . But Sir John Pringle was not the first Mison of his family , nnd here I wish to diverge for a moment by observing , as na doubt many of you have noticed , that Field-Marshal Lord Roberts is also a brother Mason , and that he accepted a few days ago the honorary membership of a very old , nay , of the oldest lodge in Great

Britain—No . 1 , Edinburgh—and , brethren , it was in this lodge that an uncle of the Sir John Pringle , 1 have already mentioned , one Walter Pringle , advocate , was passed to the F . C . Degree on the 24 W June , 1 ( 170 . Two hundred and thirty years is a long way to seek one ' s Masonic ancestor , and 1 hope that I may hive inherited the zeal of my Mascnic forbears , and that my years may bc spared to devote my Masonic energy for the good of the Moira Lodge .

In introducing the toast of "The Visitors , " the W . M . said since pining the Moira Lodge , at which , I may add , I received my first introduction to Freemasonry in England , the hospitality of a lodge or of an individual memb ; r of a lod ^ e was not one of the most pleasing characteristics that strurk me . My initiation to Freemisonry was in a lodge where , alas , the call from labour to refreshment was heard by me but once in three years and where the nearest visiting lodge was about 200 miles away , so that 1 feel

Craft Masonry.

I have a good deal of Masonic hospitality to make up . Personally , I have been unfortunate to-night ( one of my guests was too busy , another had to go recruiting for the Army , and yet another had to go recruiting from the Army , at least , from the effects of an Ashanti bullet ) , but I am glad to see that the lodge generally has been more fortunate . A good attendance of visitors is always most pleasant , for if our hospitality venture to that it is also

be largely given and largely accepted , I hope I may suggest largely appreciated . I will now ask the Secretary to kindly read the names of our visaing brethren , which having been done , the W . M . coupled with the toast the names of Bros . John C Nicholson , P . M . 12 ; Colonel Pratt , P . M . 2076 ; j . C . Hayes , P . M . 619 ; and Montagu J . Robinson , 174 , Grand Lodge of New South Wales . All these brethren having suitably responded ,

The W . M . gave "The Past Masters" as follows : I do not know whether the everyday expression , " So-and-so is a Past Master in the art of , & = „ " has any reference to this toast , but if it has , I certainly think it is a very nice compliment to Past Masters , as I interpret that expression to mean that " So-and-so " is someone to be revered and looked up to as an authority , and , therefore , I approach this toast with all diffidence and humility . Bro . Past Master Gould has unearthed from the cellars of his knowledge several interesting items relative to our Past Masters , whose roll call I now propose

reading you , commencing with the names of the honoured dead . Jacob Sarratt was one of the nine brethren selected by the Duke of Sussex from among the 640 lodges under his jurisdiction to serve on the Lodge of Reconcilation at the Union of the two Grand Lodges of England in 1 S 13 . Another Past Mister , Isaac Walton , wis the founder of the Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund , which has now merged into the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemisons . A third Past Master was Bro . G . W . K . Potter . Of our living Past Masters I should like to say

a great deal ; but as time passes , I will only refer to one of them—Bro . Cornelius Thorne , P . Dist . G . M . of North China , the father of this lodge , who was an initiate of it so far back as 1852 , a ' nd who , we all hope , will return from China within the ensuing year and a half , so as to be present with us when the perioi arrives for celebrating his Masonic jubilee , which will be early in 1902 . The I . P . M . having responded in a few well-chosen words , The toast of " The Treasurer and Secretary" followed . The W . M . said :

Brethren , no excess of enthusiasm or cordiality can , I think , possibly be infused into this toast when one considers the onerous and resoonsible duties performed by these two officers . In these officers we members of the Moira Lodge can well congratulate ourselves . Bro . Wilkinson , P . M ., whose oratory in the toist of the memory of the Earl of Moira , has again to-night , as on previous occasions , so pleased us , has consented to fill the office of Treasurer again . We are also to enjoy the advantage of the performmce

of the office of Secretary by Bro . Gould , P . M ., and in this we are in no small degree indebted to him , to him whose name is to Freemasonry whit Grain ' s is to the History of England , and though again busy on the work so dear to his heart , has willingly given of his time to preserve to us , in his excellent manner , the records of our lodge . The toast having been suitably acknowledged ,

"The W . M . next gave "The Officers , " which he introduced in the following words : It seems to me that there are three channels , so to speak , down which a Master can , on his installation , guide or direct his speech on his officers . He can dwell in a laudatory manner on the excellence of the work of the past , or he can make promise for the excellence of the work of the future , or he can , by holding up the excellence of the work of the past as a guide and an example for the work of the future , express the

hope that the issue of the ensuing year shall by no means be eclipsed by , or fall short of , the work of the past . This is the channel I prefer to trust myself down , and I am sure , supported as I am by such excellent officers generally , and more especially by two such officers as the Senior Warden and Junior Deacon , with whose names I beg to couple this toast , that I can look forward with equanimity and pleasure to the forthcoming year .

After an eloquent response from the S . W ., the Tyler ' s toast brought a most agreeable evening to a close . An excellent musical programme was carried out ; Bro . T . Merton Clark presided at the pianoforte . The vocalists were Madame Alice Lovenez , Miss Edith Blanchard , Mr . Walter Clyde , Mr . Broughton Black , and Bro . McCall Chambers , together with Miss Fanny Woolf ( solo violin ) .

Enfield Lodge , No . 1236 . INSTALLATION OF BRO . W . HIBBERD 1 NE . The installation meeting was held at the George Hotel , Enfield , on Monday , the ioth inst . Among those present were Bros . J . M . Dexter , W . M . ; W . Hibberdine , P . M ., Sec . 2470 , S . W ., W . M . elect ; G . Gange , J . W . ; H . V . Clements , P . M ., Treas . ; A . G . Fidler , P . M ., Sec ; H . E . Brown , S . D . ; I . Marshall , l . D . ; C W . Offord , D .

ofC ; F . G . Lacey , Steward ; H . B . May , P . M . ; G . C . H . Jennings , P . M . ; A Monk , P . M . ; W . Humphrey , P . M . ; Dr . C . H . Penny , P . M . ; H . W . Dexter , B W . Binstead , J . H . M . Meyers , and E . W . Mackney , P . M . Among the visitors were Bros . T . A . Bullock , P . G . S . B . ; J . VV . Graham , P . G . D . C . Essex ; J . W . Tacon , P . M , 1196 ; G . Richards , P . M . 1707 ; Gilbee Scott , P . M . 1579 ; and many other brethren .

Bro . VV . Hibberdine , the W . M . elect , having been duly presented , the ceremony of installation was performed by the W . M ., Bro . J . M . Dexter , in a most impressive manner . The following officers for the ensuing year were invested by the new W . M . in such a manner as to give an excellent foretaste of the way in which the duties of the chair will be performed during his term of office : Bros . J . M . Dexter , I . P . M . ; G .

Gange , S . W . ; H . E . Brown , J . W . ; H . V . Clements , P . M ., Treas . ; A . G . Fidler , P . M ., Sec ; J . Marshall , S . D . ; C W . Offord , J . D . ; F . G . Lacey , I . G . ; H . Woodley , P . M ., D . C ; H . W . Dexter , Org . ; H . M . Meyers , Stwd . ; and A . Bryant , P . M ., Tyler . The business of the lodge being ended , the brethren sat down to an excellent banquet , provided by Bro . Marner , after which the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given .

The toasts of "The Grand Officers" and " The Prov . Grand Officers" wero responded to by Bros . Bullock and Jennings respectively . Bro . Hibberdine , in response to the toast of " The W . M ., " thanked the brethien for the honour they had conferred upon him in electing him to the chair of the lodge in which he was initiated nearly 10 years ago , and in which he had made many friends .

He had always eadeavoured to perform his duty honestly and to the best of his ability in every office he had filled , and trusted he should not be found wanting in that respect while he occupied the chair . He had , from unavoidable circumstances , been occasionally absent ; but the brethren , knowing the cause of his absence , had always generously borne with it .

The W . M . then said he hid to propose "The Heilth of the I . P . M . " and to perform a most pleasing duty , which was to present him , on behalf of the lodge , with a Past Master ' s jewel as a small recognition of his valuable service ; and he felt sure the lodge would agree with him in the opinion that from the excellent minner in which he had performed every duty connected with the Mister ' s chair during his year of officehe

, was richly deserving of that honour , and he trusted he might be spared rainy years to wear it . He had , since his initiation , been a constant atteniint at a lodje of instruction , and shown the greatest zeal in everything appertaining to Freemisonry . In fict , their I . P . M . mi ght be held up as a pattern for all those who were desirous of becoming really good Masons .

The I . P . M ., Bro . Dexter , thanked the W . M . for the eulogistic terms in which he had spoken of him , and the brethren for the hearty manner in which they hid responded to the toast of his health . The lodge would not meet again during the present century , and he feared he could hold out no hope that any of the brethren then present would be present at the last meeting of the next century , but he hoped the lodge would continue to flourish when they were all gone . The Enfield Lodge wis consecrated in December , 186 S , by the ever-youthful Bro . James Terry , Secretary to the Bsnevolent Institution . Of the 12 founders four were still living ; 101 brethren hid been initiated ,

and 42 had joined ; many of these had since died , resigned , or b _ . en excluded , but they still had a goodly number of members , 21 of whom were Past Misters , a larger number thin any lodge in the province . The first initiate wis Bro . Thompson , ths list his own son , whom he had the pleasure of initiating that yeir . Tne distinguishing character of a Freemason ' s heart—Charity , had not been forgotten , for since ths consecration of the Iodge upwards of £ G 5 o had been devoted to charitable purposes , and , as they all knew , there was a large sum in reserve for thesime purpos ; . Hs trusted the lodge would continue to flourish . In proposing "The Health of the Past Masters , " the W . M . [ referred to the large