Reception Of Bro. Lord Carrington At Kimberley.

RECEPTION OF BRO . LORD CARRINGTON AT KIMBERLEY .

The brethren of the several lodges on the Diamond Fields taking advantage of Bro . Lord Carrington ' s visit to Kimberley , wished him to be present at a lodge of emergency at the Cosmopolitan Lodge , on Saturday , the 22 nd ult ., and also to a banquet in the Masonic Temple in the evening .

Accordingly between 60 and 70 brethren , representing all the lodges of Griqualand West , assembled in the Temple at 3 . 30 , 18 W . M . ' s and P . M . 's being present on the dais . The illustrious visitor was announced and duly received by the brethren vvith the accustomed honours due to his rank as P . G . W . of the Grand Lodge

of England , and Prov . Grand Master for Bucks , and Past G . M . of New South Wales . The ceremony of raising a candidate to the rank of M . M . was then proceeded with . Before the brethren separated , the W . M . formally introduced Bro . Lord Carrington to the brethren , the

announcement being accompanied by the usual honours , a compliment which his LORDSH 1 p briefly acknowledged , and the proceedings closed . The banquet was held in the Temple , and was attended by over 100 brethren . Bro . A . Scheurich presided , having on his right the distinguished guest ,

and at the head of the table there were present the following brethren , who formed the Reception Committee : Bros . A . F . C . Alport , Chairman ; S . T . Soloman , O . D . Wrig ht , T . } . May , W . B . Coburn , G . Smyth , j . Childs , ] . Hampton , A . W . Gumming , D . McKellar , J . Thomson , J . Montgomery , A . A . Noel , T .

A . Cunningham , and W . F . Cranswick , Sec . The tables were very tastefully laid out , and a most recherche repast was provided by those excellent caterers , Messrs . Lanz and Co ., under the supervision of Bros . S . T . Soloman , J . Hampton , and W . B . Coburn , who formed the Banquet Committee .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER gave the toast of " The Queen and Craft . " The next toast was that of " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . of England . " The WORSHIPFUL MASTER then gave "The M . W . G . Masters of Sister Constitutions . *'

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next proposed "The Grand Lodge of England" as represented by their illustrious guest that evening—the Right Hon . Lord Carrington—and in doing so said he knew that he was only expressing the feeling of all the brethren present when he said that they were very happy to receive so

distinguished a brother , who was not only a Past Grand Senior Warden of the Grand Lodge of England , but who had been elected Prov . Grand Master of Buckinghamshire , and who had worthily held the office of Grand Master of New South Wales . His lordship , as they were aware , had filled the office of Governor of

that Colony , and it was a clear proof that he had the interests of Masonry at heart when he found time to spare from his onerous official duties to accept the hig h rank of Grand Master of the Masons of that Colony . As they had much to get through that evening he would not detain them any longer , except to

remark that as a young Mason he should regard it as a great event in his Masonic life that he had been privileged to receive on behalf of the Cosmopolitan Lodge such a distinguished member of the Fraternity . The toast was received with the accustomed honours , led by Bro . Cranswick .

Bro . Lord CARRINGTON , on rising , was received with several rounds of applause , and as soon as silence was restored , he said that he did not exactly know how it was , but somehow his thoughts went back that evening to six years ago when he landed in Sydney and when before he had landed

48 hours he was invited by the Mayor of that city to receive the hospitality of the citizens , which hospitality was not confined to any particular class , and when he found himself face to face , as he now did in South Africa , with a large number of gentlemen he had never before seen in his life . He thought they would agree

with him that on an occasion like the present he found himself in the position of thinking not so much about what he had to say . He quite remembered that on the occasion he referred to in Sydney he had very carefully prepared some notes from which he read whilst addressing his audience , and which he afterwards handed to

his private Secretary , and as soon as he sat down he was much amused by one of the gentlemen of the press giving a grunt of satisfaction , and in a voice which was heard all over the room saying " Thank the Lord he can ' t speak . " However , in the first place he could assure them that no words of his could express

to the brethren present the gratitude he felt on receiving such a hearty and fraternal welcome from the Freemasons of Griqualand West , and he felt the more deeply grateful because it was such an unexpected one , clearly proving as it did to him the kindly feelings which Colonial Masons extended to the

Old Country from which so many of them sprang . And he felt the greater difficulty in addressing so distinguished an audience because he was a stranger , although it might be true that some people might think that he as a stranger vvas capable of knowing more about South Africa than those who have spent the

greater portion of their lives there , on the same principle that there were those who thought that when a man had been three days in a new country , he was full y able to make a speech and write a book on it . But he could hardly say that after a residence of 13 or 14 days in the Colony he felt competent to dictate to their Premier what should be done with regard to its future govern-

Reception Of Bro. Lord Carrington At Kimberley.

ment , neither did he , although he had been down the mine , feel that he was in a position to know more about the management of the De Beers Company than Mr . Gardner Williams . And he regretted to say , after reading the remarks which had been made by the spirited proprietor of the morning paper , and

notwithstanding the closed doors , that he could not give the brethren the benefit of his experience . At the same time he mig ht be permitted to say that he was glad to see that the hospitality extended to him was not confined to the brethren working under one Constitution ,

but under all the Constitutions working in South Africa , and it occurred to him that in this country , having such a great future before it , that it was a gratifying fact that English , Scotch , and Dutch Masons were working so harmoniously together . He felt that he mi ght be permitted before so many distinguished

Masons to say a word or two on the subject of Masonry in Australia , where the Institution was in a most flourishing condition , and where it was so p leasant to see the union of the different lodges working under different Constitutions . When he first went there things did not look at all rosy , and knowing that , H . R . H . the

Prince of Wales—whose toast he was g lad to see so heartily received that evening—asked him to investigate the unhappy differences which unfortunately existed there , and to see what could be done to bring about a better state of things . On arriving there he was forcibly reminded of the position of Freemasonry , which they

learnt by history existed in England from the time of King Athelstan in the year 925 , up to the year 1815 , when , under the Grand Mastership of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , all the lodges were united under the one Constitution of the Grand Lodge of England , and the Masons of England became a united family .

Although he looked upon it as a happy omen and augury that his Roya ] Highness should endeavour to weld together the English and Scotch Masons of Australia , still , when he arrived there he found himself in a difficult position , because he found himself amongst a number of loyal Masons extending to him a warm

welcome , whilst he could only receive them as brethren . When he used the word " loyalty" he could assure them that it had the same significance in New South Wales as he was pleased to see it had in South Africa , representing as it did deep affection and devotion towards one of the finest women on earth . For such

a sovereign the term "loyalty" had a wider significance than in its ordinary sense , and when they rose to the grand old National Anthem , they all felt that loyalty was not confined to the illustrious person on the throne , but represented their love of order , of liberty , and ofiustice . Theyfeltwhentheyweredrinkingthe "loyal "

toast they were dnnkingtothe judges , the Ministry , the Parliament , the representatives and elect of the people , they drank to friendship with the princes and tribes of India , they drank success to the great Colonies of South Africa , the success and goodwill of the independent States of this country , wishing them such

success as they had themselves , and they drank to the great commonwealth of Australia , and to those hardy pioneers who were doing their duty under the flag of liberty which floated to the furthermost corners of the globe . Referring back to his Masonic mission to New South Wales , he found many difficulties to contend

with , and on the occasion of a Queen's birthday he ventured to throw out some hints which he hoped would result in bringing about the union which all so much desired , and which would lead to the English and Scotch Masons of New South Wales joining themselves under the Constitution of allnited Grand Lodge .

In contending with those difficulties he had the advantage of the assistance and advice of an illustrious brother , now gone to his rest , whose name was a household word amongst Freemasons . He alluded to the late Lord Carnarvon . He never knew a Mason so well acquainted vvith the constitutional laws of the Craft .

Well , they were left to manage to effect the union and to form themselves into a United Grand Lodge , and when it was accomplished the Masons of New South Wales saw the advantage of being allowed to govern themselves on the same principle that the Australian Colonies were politically self-governing colonies vvith

a cordial love and devotion to the Grand Lodge of the Mother Country . The union having been effected the Freemasons did him the great honour of electing him the first Grand Master , and at his installation 300 Masons of the united lodges , and amongst them Masons of the highest rank , were assembled . New

South Wales having taken the lead the Colonies of Victoria and South Australia followed suit , and later on Tasmania . All those self-governing lodges were now recognised by the Constitutions of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and work together harmoniously vvith the Mother Country . He would not trespass any longeron

their patience as he saw he was entrusted with the duty of proposing the health of the W . M . of the Cosmopolitan Lodge , but he would take that opportunity of remarking that of the many lodges he had attended he had never seen the Third Degree given more successfull y and more reverentially than he had witnessed that

afternoon . He could sincerely say he had never seen a Masonic function conducted in a better style . As they were aware , the working of the Third Degree required great ability and a great effort of memory , and he was sure that all Masons would back him up

when he said that no Mason in the world could have performed his duties better than the W . M . had done that afternoon . He vvas worthy of the lodge and the lodge was worthy of him . He must also be allowed to thank the brethren of the sister Constitutions who had attended that day , and he hoped that the day was not

Reception Of Bro. Lord Carrington At Kimberley.

far distant when the brethren working under different Constitutions in Griqualand West would be working under a united self-governing Provincial Grand Lodge of their own , and that they would do so in a truly charitable spirit . Again thanking them for permitting

him to witness the beautiful and impressive ceremony of the day , he would now propose " The Health of the W . M . of the Cosmopolitan Lodge . " Then followed the toasts of " The Officers of the Lodge " and " The Sister Lodges working under other Constitutions . "

Bro . COBURN , P . M ., in proposing the toast of "The Masonic Charities , " took occasion to refer to the work which he was now engaged in in the Charles Warren Lodge , that of endowing a chair with a Life Governorship for the Girls' School , and also referred to the good work which was being done by the various lodges in

the Eastern Province , where 30 children were being educated by a fund set apart for that purpose . Bro . HAMPTON , P . M ., gave " Our Sisters , coupled with the name of Lady Carrington , " and in doing so showed how in many various ways the Craft was

indebted to the kindness and sympathy of the ladies . The toast was drunk vvith great enthusiasm , and was briefly responded to b y Bro . ATKINSON . The Tyler ' s toast and the National Anthem brought the proceedings to a close .

Grand Lodge Of South Australia.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA .

The Quarterl y Communication of the Grand Lodge of South Australia was held at the Freemasons ' s Hall , Flinders-street , on Wednesday evening , July 15 th . The report of the Board of General Purposes , which was adopted , stated •" In consequence of the election of Bro . the Hon . A . M . Simpson to the office of Deputy

Grand Master , and Bro . F . Olifent to the office of Junior Grand Warden , and thereb y becoming ex-officio members of the Board , it is necessary that their places as elective members should be filled at this meeting . The term of office for which Bro . Simpson was elected would expire April , 1802 , and that for which Bro .

Olifent was elected , April , 18 94 . The Board recommends that of the two candidates elected the one obtaining the hi ghest number of votes should be declared elected for the longest term , that is in place of Bro . Olifent ; the other for the shorter term in place of Bro . Simpson . The Grand Stewards are , with the

approval of the M . W . the Grand Master and the Board , making the necessary arrangements for the holding of the anniversary Grand Festival in August next , i'he Grand Inspector of Lodges , with other Grand Officers , has during the past quarter made a number of official visits to lodges , and will make his report to Grand

Lodge at the end of the year . Commissions for Grand Representatives have been received from the Grand Lodges of Liberia , Victoria , and Alabama , appointing Bros . A . Kemp , H . D . Gell , and G . L Young . The Board regret to report that the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales have not as yet shown any

desire to arrive at an understanding in reference to the question of the seniority of the respective Grand Lodges . The Board , having urged the necessity of the settlement of the dispute , trust shortly to be able to report a satisfactory arrangement . The Board recommend to the favourable consideration of the Grand

Lodge the notice of motion for the alteration of Clause 139 of Constitutions , and for the conferring of honorary membershi p upon Bro . H . C . Mais , proposed by the Grand Secretary , Bro . Cunningham . During the quarter the Board had relieved 14 petitioners to the extent of ^ 72 ios . The Board desire to particularly

call the attention of Masters of lod ges to the necessity of strictly observing the provisions of Clause 106 of the Constitutions . The Grand Lod ge of Tasmania suggested the name of Bro . Frederick Henry Wise , P . D . G . M ., as a suitable representative of this Grand Lodge . The Board recommend that he be elected . The Grand Lodge of Manitoba having requested this

Grand Lodge to suggest the name of some brother to be commissioned as their representative in place of Bro . E . Saint , who is not now a member of this Grand Lodge , suggest that the name of Bro . J . M . Symons , G . S . B ., be recommended . A communication has been received from Bro . George Gordon accepting Past Grand rank conferred upon him , and expressing his thanks for the honour . "

A motion by the Grand Secretary , Bro . J . H . CUNNINGHAM , "That Clause 139 of Constitutions be amended b y striking out the words ' Master and ' from the sixth line , page 59 , " was lost by a large majority . Bro . H . C . Mais was elected an honorary member of Grand Lodge for valuable and distinguished services rendered to the Craft . Bro . Wise was elected a

representative of the Grand Lodge near the Grand Lodgeof Tasmania . Bro . Symons was elected as the representative of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba near this Grand Lodge .

The Grand Master , the Earl of Kintore , presented commissions to the Grand Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alabama , Victoria , and Liberia . Bro . Philip Sansom and Bro . A . Kemp were elected to fill the vacancies in the Board of General Purposes .

A brass tablet in memory of the late Field-Marshal Lord Napier of Majfdala , Constable of the Tower , was placed in position in the Church of St . Petrus-ad-Vincula in the Tower on Saturday last . The tablet has been placed over the Constable ' s pew , opposite the memorial to the late Lord de Ros , who was Lieutenant of the Tower .