Grand Festival.

Rrc H . L . Florence ... ... G . Supt . of Works . Sir Albert W . Woods { Garter ) , K . C . B ., } G D { c K . C . M . G . ... ... ... 3 / J . C . Fitzroy Tower ... ... ... Dep . G . D . C .

y „ J . hn Smithtrs ... ... . ••} / „ T . P . Dorrean ... ... ... ^ Asst . G . D . C . ' " Harry Bevir ... ... ... J " I ieut .-CoI . G . E . Blunt ... ... G . S . B . " Major R . H . Murdoch , M . A . ... ... Dep . G . S . B .

W . J . Mason ... ... ... 7 G Sld _ BrS g , Tames Weaver ... ... ... ) W . H . Thomas ... ... ... G . Oig . " W . Lake ... ... ... ... Asst . G . Sec . " C . Kupferschnrdt ... ... ... A . G . Sec . Ger . Cor .

„ Felix Kite ... ... ... ... G . Purst . / W . S . Whitaker ... ... ... Asst . G . Purst . " Henry Sadler ... ... ... G . Tyler .

Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., was appointed to take the rank and wear the clothing of Grand Director of Ceremonies during the year , at every time when Bro . Sir Albert Woods was absent . To commemorate the completion of 25 years of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ' s Grand Mastership , his Royal Highness conferred " Past rank " on 2 c brethren , as folio vs : ' Past Grand Wardens . —Bros . Major-Gen . Sir K . M . L . Rundle and

Major-Gen . Sir F . R . Wingate . Past Grand Chaplain . —Bro . the Rev . Canon Garry . Past Deputy Grand Registrar . —Bro . W . R . McConnell , Q . C . Past Grand Deacons . —Bros . Sir Alfred Newton- ( Lord Mayor of London ) , the Rev . A . W . Oxford , the Rev . H . A . Hebb ( Head Master of the Royal Masonic Boys' School ) , Major G . C . Davie , T . Y . Strachan , Claries Belton , and F . " Mr ad .

Past Grand Superintendent of Works . —B-o . H . F . Gordon . Past Deputy Grand Directors of Ceremonies . —Bros . J . H . Davidson , F . G . Ivey , and Abraham v . oodiwiss . Past Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies . —Bros . Pierrepont Harris , Walter Wellsman , Col . A . Knight Prescott , R . A ., and T . H . Nesbitt . Past Grand Sword Bearers . —Bros . Major H . Wright and S . J . Notley . Past Deputy Grand Sword B . arer . —Bro . A . W . Duret . Past Grand Standard Beareis . —Bros . Henry Carman , W . B . Fendick ,

and R . J . Voisey . Bro . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec ., next read the following list of Grand Stewards for the ensuing year , the nominations of whom had been approved by the Most Worshipful Grand Master : Bros . Col . Edward Pryce-Jones , M . P ., 1 ; Frederick E . Bristowe , 2 ; Robert Llewellyn Devonshire , 4 ; Col . John Copley Wray , 5 ; Henry W . Henderson , 6 ; Percy Sloper , S ;

Ernest Allred Walker , 14 ; Richard Stafford Charles , at ; Joseph Husbands , 23 ; Col . Henry Trafford-Riwson , 26 ; James R . Eastwood , 29 ; Charles Spencer Palmer , 46 ; Harry Risch Miller , 38 ; Walter Ford , 6 >; William James Styles 91 ; Spencer William Morris , 93 ; Harry Passmore Edwards , 197 ; and Robert Palgrave Page , 289 .

Gtand Lodge was then closed in ample form . The brethren were afterwards entertained by the Grand Stewards at a Grand banquet at Freemasons' Tavern , the Eail Amherst presiding . The usual toasts followed . Earl AMHERST said : Brethren , without any preface I give you the first time-honoured toast "The Queen and the Craft . " The toast having been drunk , was followed by the singing of " God Save the Oueen . "

Earl AMHERST , in giving the toast of "The M . W . G . M ., " said the brethren had that day testified in Grand Lodge the feeliegs they had with regard to the Prince of Wales ' s providential escape . L ° t them now drink his health with double that cordiality , if they could , lhat they did on the last otcasion of his installation , hoping it might be a long day before they had to drink the health of another Grand Master . ( Cheers ) .

Bro . GEORGE RICHARDS , Dist , G . Master Transvaal , proposed " The M . W . Pro Grand Master , Earl Amhetst . " He slid " It is a true saying , and worthy of all acceptation , " that if you refrain from praising a Mason to his face you will receive his benediction ; and lhat being the case I think without further ' preface I will give you the toast entrusted to my hands , "The Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , Earl Amherst . " ( Hear , hear ) . 1 tan only say that those who know him and his well-known business c apacity ,

and his tact , will say that these qualities have endeared him to every member of the Craft . As we show love and loyalty to the Grand Master , wt show love and loyalty to his Royal Highness ' s representative . ( Cheers ) . Eail AMHERST : Brethren , I am very much obliged to you for the kind way you have received mi ntion of my name , and to the District Grand Master of the Transvaal for his remaiks . Our body is now large and there is a certain amount of work to be djne . The reward for that work is

the approbation of the brethren and Grand Lodge . I hope my name will never be 1 cceived less cordially among you than it has been this evening . ( Cheers . ) Bro . his Honour Judge Pmr . nRicK , Q . C , P . G . W ., proposed "The Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and said that having served under the Earl of Warwick as his Deputy in Essex for 16 or 17 years , he could say that his lordship was

personally known to his brethren there ; that he was beloved , respected , and esteemed , and that in the Craft generally his name was held in rtvetence . They had witnessed an accession of no inconsiderable number of brethren that day to the ranks of the Grand Officers . These breihren were welcomed by their confreres , who congratulated them on the promotion they had received . Those who had preceded them were sure they would not look in vain for worthy descendants of those who had inherited the

traditions of a great Craft . On behalf of their predecessors he expressed lheir feivent wishes and assured hopes that the inteicts of Masoury would continue to flourish , even , if possible , increase , in the new Grand Officers ' hands in the future as they had in the past . Viscount TEMPLETOWN , S . G . W ., in returning lhanks , said he should be well content to lollow the example which had been set him that evening

and confine himself to a very few words ; but there was one tiling they would allow him to say that if he saw no Grand Officer present who represented Grand Lodgeof Ireland he would say for them how pleased they were to have among them her Majesty the Queen . He ought perhaps to say that he was in a peculiar position ; he Keld the offices of Senior Grand Warden of England , and Senior Grand Warden of Ireland , He returned thfinks for the Grand Officers ,

Grand Festival.

Bro . the Rev . H . R . COOPER SMITH , D . D ., P . G . Chap ., proposed " The Provincial and District Grand Masters , " on whom Misonry much depended for the woik that was done . Bro . Richards had done good work in the Transvaal , and the other Grand Masters had also done good work . Bro . Lieut .-General LAURIE replied . The Grand Masters visited the lodges in their jurisdiction , and learned how the work was done . It was absolutely necessary in the interest of the Craft that they should do so . From his own experience he could say the work was well done .

Bro . Rev . C . J . MARTYN , P . G . C , proposed "The Masonic Charities . " The word Charity touched a chord in the heart of every brother . What were Masons worth if they did not support the Charities 1 It was a most creditat le thing to do . The first stone of the new School for Boys would shortly be laid by the Duke of Connaught , and it was the earnest hope of every brother that the School should be a blessing to the Craft .

Bro . HEDGES replied . Never did the Masonic Charities better deserve support than now , and never had they been betler supported . The Duke of Connaught would take the chair ot the Boys' Festival at Brighton , and of the success of that Festival he ( Bro . Hedges ) had no doubt . The Benevolent Institution ' s Festival realised ^ 20 , 000 ; that sum had since been increased to £ 22 , 000 . He trusted that he would be able to announce at the Girls ' Festival on May 16 th a somewhat similar sum .

Earl AMHERST proposed " The Grand Stewards , " to whom the brethren were indebted for the entertainment .

Bro . EDMUND DE OUINCEY QUINCEY , President of the Board of Stewards , acknowledged the compliment . The Stewards' aims had been to give satisfaction , and from the cordiality with which the toast had been received they were led to believe their efforts had not been in vain . The toast of " The Ladies " was proposed by Bro . Turner , G . Chap ., After which the brethren adjourned to Freemasons' Hall where a grand

concert was given , in which the following artistes performed : Madame Ruth Lamb , Miss Edith Clegg , Miss Louise Lamonby ( daughter of Bro . W . Farquharson Lamonby , P . A . G . D . C ) , Mr . Lloyd Chandos , Mr . Henry Coiner , and the Guildhall Glee Singers ( Messrs . Sydney Hart , Cyril Flamsteed , Gilbert Lockyer , and Pelham Wilkes ) . On the violin Mons . Johannes Wolff performed , and on the piano , Herr Liebling . The accompanist was Miss K . Augusta Davies .

The Grand Officers.

THE GRAND OFFICERS .

THE GRAND WARDENS . The Right Hon . Viscount TEMPLETOWN is a Mason of 20 years' standing having been initiated in Lodge Himalayan Brotherhood , No . 459 , Simla , in 1878 , or 1879 . Since then he has become a joining member of Lodges No . 352 , CastI eblayney , and No . 10 , Belfast , under the Irish Constitution , and of the Lodge of the Nine Muses , No . 235 , of which he was W . Master in 1892 , having been installed in thechairin February of that year . In 18 94 , he had the honour of being

appointed J . G . Warden of Ireland and Prov . G . Master of Armagh , and in 1896 , was promoted to be Senior Grand Warden , and this office he still continues to hold . He has served as Steward for the Girls' and Boys' Schools , and is a Lite Subscriber of the former and a Life Governor of the latter . He is also a Mark and R . Arch Mason , having taken the former Degree in R . A . Chapter , No . 10 , Belfast . Now that he has been appointed S . G . Warden of England , his lordship has the unique distinction , as far as we know , of holding that office concurrently in the Grand Lodges of England and Ireland .

The Right Hon . Lord GLENESK was initiated in the Friends-in-Council Lodge , No . 1383 , on the 5 th September , 1882 , and , in 1896 , was elected a joining member of the Gallery Lodge , No . 1928 . He is also a Mark Mason and the present S . G . Warden of its Grand Lodge , and is also a Life Governor of the Boys' School , and a Life and Annual Subscriber of the Girls' School .

GRAND CHAPLAINS . Bro . the Rev . F . M . BURTON , LL . D ., B . A ., F . S . A . of Trinity Hall , Cambridge , Vicar tf South Banbury , Oxon ., was initiated in the Albany Lodge , No . 151 , Newport , Isle of Wight , on the ioth December , 188 S . In this lodge he subsequently held the office of Chaplain , and in 1889 , was appointed Prov . Grand Chaplain of Hants and the Isle of Wight . He joined the Holmesdale Lodge ,

No . 874 , Tunbridge Wells , and the Cherwell Lodge , No . 599 . Banbury , and in February last was installed its W . M . He is now Prov . Grand Chaplain of Oxfordshire . He was exalted a Royal Arch Mason in the Albany Chapter , No , 151 , on the 31 st March , 1890 , and having subsequently joined and held office in the Cherwell Chapter , No . 599 , was appointed Prov . Grand Std . Br . Oxon ., in 1898 .

Bro . the Rev . HERBERT W . TURNER , M . A ., Rector of Sutton , Surrey , was initiated in the Lome Lodge , No . 1347 , Sutton , on the 9 th March , 18 79 , and havingfilled sundry of the minor offices was installed W . Master in 1888 , having in the interim been appointed Prov . Grand Chaplain of Surrey . He is also the

present Chaplain and Treasurer of his lodge and its representative on the Charity Committee of the province . He was exalted in the Lome Chapter , No . 1347 , and on the 24 th ult ., was installed in the chair of First Principal . He has made himself a Life Governor of the three Institutions , and has also served the office of Steward once for each of the three .

GRAND TREASURER . Bro . HARRY MANFIELD , the unsuccessful candidate for the Grand Treasurer , ship of 1899 , who was , however , elected to that office without opposition at the March Communication , was initiated in the Eleanor Cross Lodge , No . 1764 , Northampton , in 1882 , and in 1894 had the honour of being installed in the chair as W . M . But , in addition , he has taken a very active part in Masonry in the

Province of Noithants and Hunts , as a joining member of the Pomfret Lodge , No . 360 , Northampton , and of the De La Pre Lodge , No . 1911 , of which he was elected and installed W . M . in 1896 . He was also a founder of the Kingsley Lodge , No . 2431 , Northampton , in 1892 , of the Aldermaston Lodge , No . 2760 , in the Province of Berkshire , and of the Richard Eve Lodge , No . 2772 , which meets at Freemasons' Hall , and is connected with the Boys' School , and of which he is

the first S . VV . For these services to his Province Bro . Manfield has been twice honoured with the purple of Prov . G . Lodge , having been appointed , in the first instance , Prov . G . D ., and last year Prov . S . G . W . In Royal Arch Masonry , to which he was exalted in the Northampton Chapter , No . 360 , in 188 3 , he is a P . Z . of that chapter , and P . P . G . Asst . Soj . of his Province ; while in the Mark he is P . M , of the Simon de St , Liz Lodge , No . 245 , Northampton , and P . P . G , Reg . of