"Send-Off" Dinner To Brother Will E. Chapman.

me ; I have received for it the hig hest honours that could have been conferred upon me . I have received , in the first place , from the head of the Craft a Grand Officer ' s collar ; the Grand Oliicers are my confreres and colleagues ; I have received the great distinction of being admitted as one of their number ; and more than that even—much more than that—1 believe honestly this—that I have been

admitted to a place in their hearts of which I shall ever be proud . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) I hope you will accept these few halting words ; believe me they are from my heart . ( Hear , hear . ) I say lo you to-night , if I never see you again , what 1 feel in every nerve in my body- I love you . You are very dear to me all ; you have been very dear to me ; and I shall never forget the happy , happy hours we have spent together . ( Loud and long-continued applause . )

Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec , in proposing "The Chairman , " said : Fortunately for me , and still more fortunately for you , the toast which I have the privilege of proposing is one that requires but few words from me to secure for it that reception which I know you will accord it . I will ask you , brethren , to join me in drinking the health of our chairman ( cheers ) , who with such ability and cordiality has discharged the important duties imposed upon him this evening .

In addressing the members of the Craft , it is needless for me to remind them of the great services rendered to it during a long time by Sir Joseph Dimsdale . We know he has already filled the highest positions of our Order , how ready he is at all times and on all occasions to identify himself with everything calculated to promote the interests of the Craft . ( Applause . ) I ask you to join me , drinking with all possible enthusiasm " The Health of the Chairman . "

Bro . Sir J OSEPH DIMSDALE-. Brethren , I thank you sincerely for your hearty acceptance of the kind words spoken of me by Bro . Letchworth . I have esteemed this a very great honour you have conferred upon me by placing me in the chair . But I see around me so many Grand Officers , and my friends and brethren , that I feel conscious of the inability I have shown to do justice to the post you . have conferred upon me . However , we came to this meeting with one object alone , and that is to pay honour to our guest to-night , and although the few words I have

said were inadequate to the ocsasion I cannot express what my heart feels—they come from the heart . But I am equally aware that a banquet of this kind requires a great deal of organisation and of careful consideration , and although it may add one more toast to our list I feel I am bound to do it , and that it is your desire and wish to drink a toast to " The Dinner Committee . " Our Dinner Committee consists of brethren from different lodges of which Bro . Chapman is a member ; they have all worked with the greatest energy ; they had but a few days to do the

work ; but I think we have all enjoyed a happy social gathering , and we have endeavoured to show our friend and brother our appreciation of him . Brethren , we have to give our thanks not to ourselves , but to those brethren to whom the success of the evening is due , and while I see four Masters of different lodges and one S . W . I begin to think how I am to discriminate , and I think it is the best to leave the whole matter in the hands of our Bro . Langton . We express our thanks to him and his colleagues for making this banquet so successful .

Bro . J . D . LANGTON , in reply , said that he had had the kind co-operation of the W . M . and the officers of the Savage Club Lodge , the Empress Lodge , and the Eccentric Lodge in carrying out what he hoped had been a successful gathering . Certainly all the members of the Committee had had but . one object , to make it a success for Bro . Chapman . He hoped that Bro . Chapman and all the brethren around the board had appreciated the work the Committee had done . Bro . Sir J OSEPH DIMSDALE said he had one more duty to perform , and it was

equally pleasurable as his other duties ; it was to present to Bro . Chapman the following resolution : " We , the undersigned being present at the Send-off Banquet given to you at the Hotel Cecil , London , on Friday , 18 th December , 1896 , while wishing you an affectionate farewell and a prosperous voyage , express the hope that we may on a near occasion welcome you home . " That required no words . Appended to the document were the signatures of everyone present . ( He then handed the resolution to Bro . Chapman . )

Bro . IMRE KIKALFV , W . M . 2581 , next said : Bro . Chapman , on behalf of the Empress Lodge , I feel great pleasure in presenting to you a Past Master ' s jewel , which has been voted to you unanimously by the members of the Empress Lodge . ( Applause . ) We hope that you may live in good health for many years to wear it as a small token of esteem . May God bless you . I also present you with a dressing-bag . We hope you will return from South Africa very soon—the sooner the better .

Bro . CHAPMAN : I need not say how proud I am of this additional token of your esteem and regard . 1 have been in close working connection with you , Bro . Kiralfy , for the last two years . I have had the honour of knowing you 35 years . I have found you a kind friend , and the most honest and devoted , and the kindest and best thief under whom I have ever worked . Of Bro . Kiralfy ' s public work the brethren all know . You have seen the grand things he has placed before London in years past ; but you do not know

the many acts of kindness he has done—the many acts that have endeared him to me , which I , as one of his subordinates , have known among those many eventful years ; and I say how I thank him before my friends who know him , and I respect and esteem him . Bro . Kiralfy has been a true and loyal friend to me under very many trying and difficult circumstances . To the members of the Empress Lodge generally , and the I . P . M ., I can only say— " Thanks , and thanks

again . " It will always be a pleasurable memory to me , this year in the Empress Lodge . It is only a little over a year ago that the lodge was consecrated ; but during that time , by the kindness of our I . P . M ., it has been my pleasure to initiate 20 members of the Empress Lodge . It will be a pleasure to me , when far away , to remember that all of those when they come to Masonic lodges and see the cf itmcnifs performed will remember that Bro . Chapman , who is away from them , is the member who initiated them . ( Cheers ) . The brethren then speht the remainder of the evening in enjoying a capital concert .

Craft Masonry.

Craft Masonry .

Britannia Lodge , No . 139 . Considering the antiquity of Sheffield and its intimate association with some very distinguished noble families—families , repiesentatives of which have played prominent parts in the history of this country , we are not surprised that Freemasonry should have taken root in its midst at a very early date . Of those families , the most conspicuous were the Lovelots , the Kurnivals , the Talbots , the Nevilles , the Howards , and the Wentworths . When the lirst kd ^ e of Freemasons arose in Sheffield it is now ,

unfortunately , impossible to determine . Britannia , the oldest existing lodge , was founded in 1705 , but evidences are not wanting to show that pievious to that date one or more communities of Freemasons had sprung up in the cutlery town . The elucidation of difficulties in relation to our Craft settlements in Sheffield , we must leave to local effort , and , on this occasion at any rate , confine ourselves to some account oi the Britannia Lodge . Of the existing lodges on the West Yorkshire roll , L'idge No . 130 stands second in age only to Probity , No . ui , Halifax . I hough it duly celebrated its centenary

in 1 S 65 , there does not seem to have been any record of its history published at the time . From some brief extracts taken from the minute books and kindly put at our disposal by an old and highly esteemed Past Master , we find that on the occasion of the centenary celebration , the Deputy I ' rov . G . Mailer , Uro . Bentley Shaw , was present and delivered an address , and that a brother named White read a paper on the history of the lodge . These were followed by a dinner , which too ' t place , we are informed , at the Black Swan Hotel , on Snig Hill—and virtually that is all . Reticence is doubtless a valuable quality and is preferable to extreme verbosity , but the records of Masonic

Craft Masonry.

lodges present instances which are , to say the least , exasperating to the intelligent inquirer . Upon the whole , it may be said that the Britannia has been a prosperous and successful lodge , and that throughout its long career it has maintained a very high standard of excellence . During the past few years , however , as may be gleaned from the words of the speakers , which we reproduce later , the affairs of Lodge No . 130 have not been characterised by the same Masonic harmony and good feeling for which the lodge had so long been conspicuous . What the explanation of this condition of things

may be it is not for us to ask , neither do we wish to probe the wound from which this grand old lodge is suffering ; we are content to express the hope that Yorkshire common sense , fair play , and-forbearance will eventuallyassertthem selves andputaspeedy end to what can only be described as a lamentable state of things . Once , perhaps the leading lodgejn West Yorkshire , it must be painful for Britannia to be compelled to hide its diminished head and especially to contrast its own inaction with the vigour and energy shown so eminently by the other and younger lodges of the town . The splendid

Masonic spirit and the great Masonic enterprise which , especially of late years , Sheffield has shown , we have frequently and favourably commented upon , and we will dismiss the unpleasant subject by saying that from our knowledge of the brethren constituting the lodge , we anticipate , under the genial rule of the new Worshipful Master , Bro . John Stokes , that Britannia in the near future will rid itself of the reproach under which it labours and once more take the place amongst the Sheffield lodges to which its antiquity and its long career of usefulness fully entitle it .

The installation festival took place at the Masonic Hill , Surrey-street , on the ioth inst ., and , notwithstanding the circumstances referred to , was a highly successful function . In the unavoidable absence of the W . M ., Bro . W . Middleton , who some short time ago had the misfortune to break his leg , the lodge was opened by Bro . H . j . Garnett , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . The members of the lodge present compris : d Bros . E , Dickinson , I . P . M . ; Simeon Haves , P . M ., P . P . G . W . ; Joseph Binney , P . M ., P . P . G . Reg . ; G . W . Hawkesley , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of W . ; John Shaw , P . M ., P . P . G . S . of

Works ; John Hunt , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., Treas . ; Joseph Jackman , P . M . ; G . Fordham , P . M . ; John Stokes , S . W . ; Rev . Vaniah Odom , P . M ., P . P . G . C ., Chap . ; Wm . Gunstone , W . M . 2491 , Sec ; A . R . Fox , S . D .: L . H . Osbaldistone , J . D . ; H . Arnold , I . G . ; T . Leighton , Tyler ; C . Wood , Asst . Tyler ; A . H . Boultbee , G . Robinson , S . A . Swann , G . Turner , J . Corvell , C . A . Hahn , J . Dixon , W . G . Skelton , and others . Amongst the visitors were Bros . Col . Bingham , P . M . 296 , P . P . G . W , ; Ensor Drury , P . M . icfi , P . P . G . W . ; H . Allen , P . M . 1779 , P . S . G . W . ; H . G . E . Green , P . M . 1019 , P . G . Sec ; J . Matthewman , P . M . 1019 , P . A . G . Sec . ; G . B .

Wood , W . M . 296 ; T . Rowbotham , W . M . 1239 ; R . O . Wever , W . M . 1779 ; A . F . Watson , W . M . 220 . 3 ; W . Gunstone , W . M . 2491 ; G . Hutchinson , W . M . 255 S ; A , B . Gunstone , I . G . 2491 ; A . Deakin , 296 ; T . W . Hanforth , 2491 , P . G . Org . ; F . Cartwright , 2491 ; W . C . Fox , P . M . 2263 ; J . Barton , D . of C . 1779 ; W . H . Peasegood , Org . 2491 ; S . Thorpe , 249 1 ; J . Nodder . S . W . 1309 ; W . b ' earnehough , 1239 ; W . Farrar , 2491 ; A . Turner , J . D . 2491 ; W . W . Skelton , 2491 ; Rev . G . Ford , S . W . 1239 ; C . Stokes , P . M . 1239 ; A . W . Roberts , 2491 ; J . de Solla , 254 . ; T . Firth , S . W . 1239 ; R . E . Wright , J . D . 2263 ; C . A . Wright , S . D . 2491 ; Costello , J . D . 250 ; E . Howarth , 2263 ; E . Hall , 1779 ; G . Wish , 2491 ; W . Hartley , 296 ; C . F . Brindley , P . M . 2491 ; T . Ward , 1239 ; C . Robinson , 2558 ; J . Needham , 139 ; A . E . Kirkham , P . M . 1239 ; and E . Beck , 1239 .

It is not usual for a lodge to go outside its own members for an Installing Master . In this instance , however , Britannia Lodge made a new departure . It paid Bro . Charles Stokes the very high compliment of inviting him to perform the ceremony . The explanation is simple . Bro . Charles Stokes , P . M . 1239 and I . P . M ., and founder of the Furnival , 2558 , is the elder brother of Dr . John Stokes , now W . M . of Britannia and J . W . of the White Rose of York Lodge , 2491 . The brothers Stokes are both enthusiastic Masons and highly respected citizens of Sheffield , and the brethren of Britannia

, wishful to show consideration for both , graciously availed themselves of this opportunity . It is needless to say that Bro . Charles Stokes eagerly and gratefully accepted the invitation and italso goes without saying that he performed the duties of Installing Master admirably . It was a pleasing sight and was witnessed with the greatest interest and pleasure by the large gathering of brethren assembled . The working tools were presented in the respective Degrees by Bros . H . J . Garnett , P . M ., Williams , P . M ., and E . Dickinson , P . M . Bro . John Stokes invested his officers as follows , giving instruction

and counsel in each instance : Bros . W . Gunstone , VV . M . 2491 , S . W . ; A . R . Fox , J . W . ; Rev . P . Odom , Chap . ; John Hunt , Treas . ; L . H . Osbaldistone , Sec . ; W . G . Skelton , S . D . ; G . Robinson , J . D . ; H . J . Garnett , P . M ., D . C ; C . Hahn , I . G . ; H . Arnold , Org . ; H . J . Garnett , and Joseph Binney , Stewards ; and T . Leighton , Tyler . Bro . Joseph Binney , P . M ., was again elected to represent Lodge 139 on the Charity Committee of West Yorkshire . Other routine business followed after which , hiving received " Hearty good wishes " all round , the Worshipful Master closed the lodge .

The usual dinner succeeded , and after the toast of " The Queen " had been suitably honoured , The Worshipful Master proposed "The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ; the M . W . Pro Grand Master , and the Officers of Grand Lodge , Present and Past . " In doing so Bro . J . Stokes pointed out how Freemasonry had advanced recently by leaps and bounds , new lodges constantly being formed both in England and the Colonies , and this , he thought , was largely due to the great interest the M . W . G . Master had taken in

the Order . He fervently hoped that the Prince might long be preserved and that when in the course of nature he succeeded his illustrious mother his son might take up the purple and assume the government of the Craft at present so ably and so wisely conducted by the Grand Master . "God bless the Prince of Wales" was then sung , Bro . John Hunt taking the solo . As there was no Grand Officer present to reply , the Worshipful Master proceeded to No . 3 on the card , that of " The R . W . Prov . G . Master of West Yorks , Bro . W . L . Jackson , M . P . ; the W . Deputy and the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , Present

and Past . '' In giving that toast Bro . Stokes emphasised the fact that in the matter of the Masonic Charities , the province was pissing through what might not unfairly be called a crisis , but that confident in the wisdom and foresight of their rulers they felt perfectly safe . He was quite sure that their interests and the interests of the Charities might be left in the hands of their Prov . Grand Mister and thos ; whom he hid invited

to share with him the responsibility of looking after the well-being of the province . In his ( the W . M . 's ) experience the Prov . G . Officers were an exceedingly nice body to deal with , pleasant and comfortable to get on with , and anxious , as was shown not by their attendance at the meetings of Provincial Grand Lodge only , but by their frequent visits to private lodges , to keep in touch with the brethren and do everything possible to further the good cause of Freemasonry in West Yorkshire .

Here followed the Tyler ' s toast . By an unwritten la * in S ' icffi : Id smokin . is not permitted until " the poor and distressed " have beer hoioured , hence its early introduction . Wedonot know whether the late William Morris belonged to our Brotherhood , but whether he did or not , he could not have written more beautiful or appropriate words than those which , by the happy inspiration of the W . M ., appeared on the list in

connection with this toast . Quotations are often smart , not always relevant and seldom entirely appropriate ; this was in all respects suitable and therefore we give it . • Yet there were some men there Who drank in silence to the memory Of those who failed on earth , great men to be , Though better than the men who won the crown .

Bro . Harry Allen , S . G . W ., replied for the province . He congratulated Bra . Stokes upon attaining the position of W . M . of the oldest lodge in Sheffield . The affairs of Britannia Lodge might not be in the entirely satisfactory condition they would all wish , yet , in spite ot that , it was a matter of pride to any min to be elected by his brethren to so important and responsible a post . As to Provincial Grand Lodge , having had to reply to that toast three times during the past five days , they would , he was sure , see the difficulty he had of saying anything original . Bro . Allen , referring to the business

at the last meetingof the province at Morley , went into particulars as to th : resolution to form a Local Charitable Institution which was th ; n come to , and also allu led to the protest of West Yorkshire in the matter of the liiys' School , moved by th ; Charity member of Britannia Lodge . It was true it wis lite , the mischi : f wis apparently done , but he for one was not going to admit that it wis not discorteous on the pirt of the Board to proceed to so important a step without consulting the brethren who were subscribers . He heartily thanked them in the nam ; of the Prov . Grand O . ficers for their reception of the toist .

Here let us note , far p-trenlhese , that nothing more distinctively mirks the excellent arrangements which the Sheffield brethren make , not on theoccasion of installation meetings only , but at ordinary lodges , than the character and excellence of the mu sic . Speeches we have with us always ; it would be impossible we suppose to attend the " social bjard " without ; we get them usi / ne ai nauseam . Now giod music never palls . We do not , of course , refer to the music hall ditties—to these , even , the prosiestspeech is preferable—we