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LONDON , N . W . Hotel , rand G flidland Venetian Rooms now available for Masonic Dinners , etc . Other Midland Railway Hotels at Liverpool , Leeds , Bradford , Derby , Morecombe , and Heysham . Chief Office : W . TOWLE , Midland Grand Hotel , Manager , London , N . W . M . R . Hotels , etc .

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PERRIER = JOUET & Cos . CHAMPAGNES . FINEST VINTAGE RESERVE-CUVEES . THE FAVOURITE MASONIC BRAND . Agent—A . BOURSOT , 9 , Hart Street , Hark Lane , London .

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IfiEftisoiic tia / STEAIED ,

The King And The Craft.

The King and the Craft .

r PHE retirement of His M .-UKSTY THK KING from the office J of Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of England , though fully expected , is none the less keenly regretted by the members , who are to he numbered with the most loyal and devoted of his subjects . There is no precedent in this Country for the Sovereign

being at the same time the Head of the Masonic Craft , and possibly owing to the undesirability of subjecting the KING and EMI'KKOI . to an annual election b y Grand Lodge , it is extremely improbable that such a condition of things would ever be permitted to occur in this Country , unless as in the present case , as a brief interregnum ; when , owing to the

lamented death of our beloved Qn . i . x , KING I . DWAI . D TIII . VII . became the Ruler of this Great Empire at the time be was actually the Grand Master . It is now some thirty-three years since His MAJI . STV THK KING OK SWI . DKX Initiated H . R . H . the PI . IXCK ou WALKS , the

gratifying fact being announced by the late EAI . L OF ZKTI . ANI > ( then Grand Master ) in Grand Lodge on June 2 nd , 186 9 , the year following the auspicious event , and according to ancient usage , notice was given for the conferring of the rank of Past Grand Master on His Royal Highness , which was agreed to at the next Quarterly Communication held on 1 st September .

Twenty-six years ago last September , H . R . H . the PHINCK OK WALKS , became Grand Master pro lent as Past Grand Master , by the resignation ' of the Marquess of Ripon of that high office . At the Grand Lodge held December 2 nd , 18 74 , it was announced that His Royal Highness had been graciously pleased to accept the Grand

Mastership , and he was then duly proclaimed , the Installation taking place in the Royal Albert Hall , on the 28 th April , 1875 , the EARL OF CARNARVON , Pro Grand Master , being in the Chair . From that time the Grand Master ' s connection with the

Craft has been of a most intimate and gratifying character ; the Presidency of the PRINCK haying been a source of strength to the Grand Lodge , and His Royal Highness on his part doing his utmost to prove how much he appreciated the hearty and enthusiastic attachment of the Brotherhood .

On March 24 th , 1874 , our Royal Grand Master , as W . M . of the " Prince of Wales' Lodge , " No . 259 , initiated H . R . H . THK DUKE OK CONNAUGHT . On May the 1 st of the same year , the lamented PKINCK LEOPOLD ( H . R . H THK DUKK OK ALUANY ) was initiated and elected a member of the "Apollo University Lodge , " No . 337 , on the nomination

of THE PRINCE OK WALES , P . M . of the lodge ; and on March 17 th , 188 3 , H . R . H . THE DUKE OF CLARENCE AND AVONDALE was made a Freemason b y his father , the Grand Master , as Master of the ' ¦ Royal Alpha Lodge , " No . 16 , These instances , out of many , will suffice to indicate

how great has been the interest taken in the Society by the Grand Master , and how readily his services and invaluable advice have been placed at the disposal of the Brotherhood on all important occasions . First and foremost of the numerous functions iu which

the Grand Master took the most prominent part must be mentioned the Jubilee Masonic celebration of 188 7 and the Diamond Jubilee of 18 97 in the Royal Albert Hall , and the reception by HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN , on August 2 nd , 1887 , of an Address from the Grand Lodge presented by a Deputation headed by H . R . H . the Grand Master .

Hie Chairmanship of the Grand Master in 1888 of the Centenary Festival of the R . M . I , for Girls , and of the R . M . I . for Boys , in 18 98 , will be still fresh in the memories of a grateful Craft , when nearly £ 200 , 000 were subscribed for these admirable Institutions . The Deputation to HER MAJESTY , in 1882 , at Buckingham

Palace , introduced b y our Royal Grand Master to congratulate the QUEEN " on her recent happy croupe from the hands of an assassin , " was another never-to-be-forgotten function in which the PRINCE took part . On this occasion Masonic clothing was worn both by the Grand Master and the brethren . Of Public Masonic Duties , mention should be

made of the laying of the Foundation-stone of New Docks at Bombay ; the New Market at Gibraltar ; and the New Post Office at Glasgow in 1876 ; as well as the Foundation-stone of Truro Cathedral ; Memorial Stones of the Indian Institute at Oxford ; and the New Institute of Art , Science and

Literature , at York , in 1880 ; the Memorial-stone of the Chapel of the New Schools , Royal Asylum of St . Anne ' s ; Foundation Stones of the New Hospital , Great Yarmouth ;

Jubilee Wing Northampton Infirmary ; Technical Schools , Blackburn ; Sutherland Institute , at Longton , and Christ ' s Hospital , Horsham , 188 4-97 , and the opening of the Centenary Hall and New Wing of the Girls'School in 18 91 , all in his capacity as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England .

The prosperity of the English Fraternity during the eventful period 1868-1900 has grown greater and greater as the years progressed , whether viewed financially , numerically , or generally ; the Lodges have practically doubled in number ; the Charities were never so generousl y

supported , and the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland and those in Canada , Australia , and other portions of Greater Britain have also participated in the widespread and beneficent results / lowing from the direct participation of Hie Heir to . the Throne in all that concerns the welfare of the Craft .