Banquet To The Grand Officers And No. I Lodge At The Mansion House.

BANQUET TO THE GRAND OFFICERS AND No . I LODGE AT THE MANSION HOUSE .

For the second time within the last two years , the Lord Mayor for the time being has extended the hospitalities of the Mansion House to the Officers of Grand Lodge and the lodge over which it was his good fortune to preside during his mayoralty . In 1880 , Bro . Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , tbe Grand Junior Warden , and W . Master of Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 , issued invitations to a banquet in * the Egyptian Hall to the Grand Master the Prince of Wales , the Grand Officers , and the officers

and members of his lodge , and the necessary dispensation having been ¦ ranted , the banquet was held , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales and some 300 brethren honouring it with their presence . The gathering was one of the most brilliant and successful in the annals of the Craft , and proved a fitting close for the mayoralty of Sir Francis Truscott . On Friday last Bro . Sir J . Whittaker Ellis , Bart ., who , by a singular coincidence is , like his Masonic predecessor , both Grand Junior Warden and W . M . of Grand Masters' Lodge , No . 1 , entertained the officers of

Grand Lodge and the officers and members of his own Lodge , and with an almost equal amount of success . True , the Grand Master ' s numerous engagements did not permit of His Royal Hi ghness gracing the festive board on this occasion , but the brethren present were in every respect a body worth y to represent the grand old Craft of England . Lord Carrington , G . S . W ., occupied the place of honour on his lordship ' s right ; while among those seated at the hi gh table were gathered in great force Provincial and District Grand Masters , Present and Past , Grand Officers , & c . And as a few days hence the present occupant of the civic chair will have made way for his successor , we mi ght congratulate Bro . Sir J . Ellis on this last display of Masonry in the City . The following is a list of those who accepted the invitation :

Bro . The Rt . Hon . Lord Carrington , Senior Grand Waiden , „ Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Prov . Grand Master Middlesex . „ Col . Stevenson , Past Grand Master Canada . „ Hon . Mr . Justice Prinsep , District Grand Master Bengal . „ Lieut . - Col . Lyne , Frov . Grand

Master Monmouthshire . „ Sir George Elliott , Bt ., M . P ., Prov . GrandMaster South Wales , E . D . „ Gen Hon . Somerset-Calthorpe , C . B . P . G . W . „ H . D . Sandeman , P . D . G . M . Bengal . „ Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , P . G . J . Warden . „ Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) , G . Dir . of Cer . „ S . Rawson , P . D . G . M . China . „ Rev . T . Cochrane , G . Chap . „ Rev . T . Robinson , G . Chap .

„ Lieut .-Col . Creaton , G . Treas . „ M . J . Mclntyre , Q . C . M . P ., G . Reg . „ Sir John B , Monckton , F . S . A ., Pres . Board Gen . Pur . „ Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec . „ Major Penrice , G . S . D . „ G . W . Harrison , Q . C , G . S . D . „ Dr . Wendt , G . Sec , German Correspondence . „ Rev . A . W . Hall , P . G . Chap . , , R . C . Else , G . D ., D . G . M . Somerset . „ Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D . „ T . Fenn , P . G . D .

„ F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , P . G . D . „ P . de L . Long , P . G . D . ,, F . Richardson , P . G . D . „ J . M . Case , P . G . D . „ R . H . Giraud , P . G . D . „ C Hutton-Gregory , P . G . D ., C . M . G . „ H . Grissell , P . G . D . „ Brackstone Baker , P . G . D . „ Robert Grey , P . G . D . „ 1 . A . Rucker , P . G . D . „ It . F . Gould , P . G . D . „ J . Messent , G . S . B . „ I . Nunn , P . G . S . B . „ * W . G . Cusins , G . O . .. Horace lonesP . R . I . B . A .. P . G . S . Wk .

„ S . Mullens , P . G . D . „ j . Le \ vis-Thoma-, F . S . A ., P . G . A . D . C . „ H . S . Allpass , G . Std . Br . „ H . G . Buss , Asst . G . Sec . „ L . F . Littell , Asst . G . Purs . „ Dr . R . T . Pigott . „ W . R . Wood , P . G . Stwd . ,. F . Bennoch , P . G . Stwd .

„ R . B . Lumley , P . G . Stwd . „ Dr . Gooding , P . G . Stwd . „ W . Bristow , P . G . Stwd . „ E . Letchworth , P . G . Stwd . „ Ed-rar Bowyer , W . M . 1964 , P . G . W . Herts > , George Kenning , P . M . 192 , 1657 ,

P . G . D . Middx . ,, A . Brnokman , W . M . 1657 . - ., Aid . Hadley . ,, W . Dawe .-.. „ Col . K . S . Simonds . » L . C . Lumley . . , J . H . Fitch . J , C Atkins .

1 , Hopkinson . » Garrard . ¦ ¦ Abbott . » Uimviddy . » Rev . Dr . Conder . » W . L . Baker . *> F . \ . Hartridg-e . » F . Sharp . » W . Srhloesser . j >¦ R . Creed . ' •> R . M . Bishop . j » H . Bishop . \ » Tomes .

Bro . W . Stevens . _ „ George Martin . „ F . W . Spiers . „ Griffiths Smith . „ J . Holah . „ Gerard Ford . „ C R . Rivington . „ Wildey Wright . „ Rev . G . W . Weldon . „ C . C . Cheston . „ Capt . Ormsby . „ W . Muggeridge .

„ Urogono . „ Cooper Smith . „ Ralph Glutton . „ Venn . „ 1 . Wbichcord . „ Beaumont . „ Alderman Waterlow . „ Hunt . „ Frank Green . ,, Humphrey . „ I . A . Wild .

„ D . Nicols . „ W . S . Gover . „ J . C . Strong . ,, Edwin Fox . „ E . H . Wolton . „ Col . Croll , J . P . „ G . R . Steel . ,, Bradshaw Brown . „ Capt . D'Albiac . ,, Dr . Ramsay . „ R . C Belt . „ Stantrer .

„ Alderman Staples . ,, J . R . Jones . „ Alfred Cooper . „ Borroughs . „ Dr . Meadows . „ W . A . Colls . „ Sandilands Ward . „ Montagu Williams . „ L Langton .

„ W . H . Wilkin . „ ' J . D . Langton . „ Sir John Bennett . „ H . H . Crawford , „ T . P . Griffin . „ J . C Dimsdale . „ Watson Thomas . „ H . C . Casley . „ E . H . Sharp . „ Dep . Edmeston . „ F . Walker . „ T . D . Bolton . ,, 1 . Scott . „ Massey .

„ Minstrell . „ George Payne . „ E . Leveson . „ A . C . Veley . „ Rev . W . Thompson . „ T . Tayler Smith . „ T . Gresham . „ J . Crawford , J . P . „ " W . C Watson . „ F . Gordon Brown . „ G . N . Johnson . „ Hemmerde . „ Dr . A . G . Medwin . „ A . P . Youle . „ H . Wilkinson .

„ E . M . Morris . „ G . H . Salisbury . „ J . Rock . „ Alderman C G . Nottage . „ W . Smallpeice . „ T . B . Muggeridge . „ E . W . Stiilwell . „ A . B . Frend . „ G . M . Chambers . „ A . Halford . „ T . Flight Smith . „ W . H . Tattershall . „ W . Lake , P . P . G . R . ( Freemason . ) 1

Banquet To The Grand Officers And No. I Lodge At The Mansion House.

After the dinner the Lord Mayor cordially greeted his guests by passing around the time-honoured loving cup . The LORD MAYOR proposed , amidst great enthusiasm , "The Queen and the Craft , " and " The Health of the Prince of Wales , as Grand Master ,

and the other principal Grand Officers , " remarking in giving the former that the way in which her Majesty was pleased to receive the address of congratulation voted by the Grand Lod ge upon her escape from assassination would never be forgotten by those brethren who were privileged to be present .

In giving the toast "The Provincial and District Grand Officers , " Bro . the Lord Mayor remarked upon the very heavy duties those gentlemen performed . Their duties , too , were of a very responsible character , and they were discharged in a manner that gave the greatest satisfaction to the Craft generally , lt was with the greatest possible regret that they heard of the death oi Bro . Lord Fenterden , Provincial Grand Master of Essex . All who had had the opportunity of seeing him recognized the fact that he was a true and

hearty Mason . 1 hey deeply regretted his loss—a loss which was felt by the country at large . SIR FRANCIS BURDETT , replying , remarked that they had present the Past Grand Master of Canada , who ruled over a district 400 miles in extent , and the District Grand Master of Bengal , whose power extended over 1200 miles of country . Before such brethren the Provincial Grand Masters of England must feel themselves very small indeed , but nevertheless they successfully rallied around the brethren .

The LORD MAYOR next gave "The Sister Grand Lodges , " remarking upon the great pleasure he experienced in having present such important officers as the Past Grand Master of Canada and the District Grand Master of Bengal . As they all were well aware , the great princi ples of Freemasonry were brotherl y love and loyalty to the State to which each Mason belonged . And in his opinion very much of their loyalty—which , happily , they found existing in this country and throughout our dependencies—was due to Craft

Masonry . It was with extreme pleasure therefore , that they found that at this moment the number of Freemasons was greater than it had ever been at any period in the past , Canada was a country not onl y large in extent , but it possessed great and free institutions , and it was with extreme pleasure that , notwithstanding evil elements , they found it still loyal to the mother country . As in England , so in Canada , he believed that very much of the loyalty was due to Freemasonry . ( Hear , hear ) . He referred in humorous terms to the fact that Bro . Colonel Stevenson , Past Grand Master of Canada , was an alderman of the City of Montreal , where they had twenty-seven aldermen and no Common Councilmen . Bro . Colonel Stevenson had also the proud honour of firing the salute when their Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , visited Canada .

Colonel STEVENSON , in responding , referred to the universality of the Craft , staling that it was reall y the most important body , and had more influence on the government ot the world than perhaps many of the so-called Governments reall y had . It was based on good-will towards all men , and he was proud to say that there were no material differences existing between anv of the Grand Lodo-es . and rpriainlv nr ™* u , v , ;< -K cun „ i , i .. »„ .. 1

, Grand Lodges of Canada . They were striving to build up that territory on the same princi ples as governed that of Great Britain , and were determined to demonstrate , without question of cavil , that even b y the side of one ofthe greatest republics this world had ever seen , how a people could enjoy as much civil and religious liberty under a limited monarchy as existed in a great Republic itself . At present the Government of Canada cost Great Britain

not a single sixpence , but they were pleased to enjoy the great privilege and satisfaction of having at their head a nobleman , the Marquis of Lome , and the Princess Louise . At the same time Canada enjoyed the protection of the British army , and if Great Britain continued as true to Canada as Canada was true to Great Britain , Great Britain would find on the shores of America a nation which would be a source of strength to the British Empire The LORD MAYOR proposed " The Health of the Grand Officers . "

LORD CARRINGTON , Grand Senior Warden , responded to the toast , and said he was happy to say that , though a member of the House of Lords , he was a descendant of a member of a banking house not a hundred yards distant , and was proud to be a citizen of the great City of London . The LORD MAYOR next proposed the toast of " 1 he Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . i , " and coupled with it the name of Bro . Richard Herve Giraud the treasurer of that Lodere for more than fiftv veais . '

lhe Hon . Mr . JUSTICE PRINSEP , District Grand Master of Bengal , proposed "The Health of the Lord Mayor . " As an eminent example of the saying that nothing succeeded like success , he adduced the case of the honourable host of the evening . When in private life , in his civic office , as a brother Mason , or as an Englishman , he had been equally successful , and m all these offices he was recognized as a thorough Englishman . The appreciative audience before him were fully acquainted , fully recognized the hitrh Qualities which had enabled Rrn . thr . I r , rrl M-,., „ .-,,. cii U : „ :- « =. ajyj nil ilia variUUS

__ . U- L . 1 L 1 I , . ... "" •« ... y ee . OITICCS to which he had risen by sheer ability , and Her Majesty had been glad to recognize that ability by conferring upon him an hereditary honour . Thev all hoped that future descendants ol his would recollect that the vear in which the honour was conferred on Bro . the Lord Mayor was the year in which he held high office in Grand Lodge . Although not Masonic , he coupled with the toast " The Health of the Lad y Mayoress . " The LORD MAYOR , in reply , referring to Burns ' s

lines"Oh , wad some power the giftie gie us lo see oursels as ithers see us , " said he wished he could see himself in the same colours as those in which hc had oeen depicted by others , and he should be the happiest man alive . But even when a Chief Justice proposed his health in such glowing terms , he was not so foolish as to believe every thing- he said . His case was a verv < -in-r , l- »

and plain one , in fact nothing could be better than a letter which he received Irom Lord Derb y when he ( the Lord Mayor ) was made a baronet , in which his lordship said that the baronetcy was the reward of labour . He ( the Lord Mayor ) believed that was a true statement at last , and that he deserved no decoration for anything he had done in this world , except for labour . He would , as long as health and strength lasted , go on labouring in several interests , among which would be the interest of Freemasonry , and thc interests of his country and the Citv of Lr-. 11 dr-. 1-. After fi ,-, ; , * ,:, ^ » , „

Mr . Justice Prinsep for including the Lady Mayoress in the toast , his lordship said that no entertainment given b y him in that hall had afforded him greater pleasure than entertaining his Masonic brethren that eveninc 1 he company shortly afterwards separated . During the dinner the Coldstream Guards band , conducted by Mr . C i nomas , played a charming selection of music , and between the toasts Mr . Winn , Mr . Coates , and Mr . Seymour Smith sang several songs , accompanied by Mr . Fountain Meen .