At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar.

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar .

The Annual Festival of Grand Lodge on April 29 th was as usual an imposing and successful function . The Pro Grand Master , Earl Amherst , presided , and was supported by Bro . Hamon le Strange , Provincial Grand Master for Norfolk , as Deputy Grand Master , Lord Methuen , the Earl of Donoughmore , and many other distinguished Craftsmen .

Almost the sole business was the appointment and investment of the Grand Officers of the year , and it was evident from the applause which greeted the advance to the pedestal of each of the brethren who had been selected for preferment , that the choice of the M . W . Grand Master had received the hearty approval of the brethren present .

© « 3 > ®> The appointments were as follows : — Bro . Earl Bathurst , C . M . G S . G . Warden . „ Viscount Cranley ... ... ... J . G . Warden . ,, Rev . D . H . W . Horlock , M . A . ... ) ' „ , . Rev . H . M . Davey , M . A , F . S . A . ... J G ' * P hlms

-„ „ W . S . Penley G . Treasurer . „ John Strachan , K . C . ... ... G . Registrar . „ William Pickford , K . C Dep . G . Registrar . ,, Richard Loveland-Loveland , KC ... Pres . B . Gen . Purp „ Sir Edward Letchworth ... ... G . Secretary .

„ James Henry Matthews ... ... Pres . B . Ben . „ J . Ernest Lane , F . R . C . S - > „ W . Lascelles Southwell , J . P . ... > S . G . Deacons . „ Capt . N . A . Lowry Cony , D . S . O ... J „ E . Ernest Cooper ... \

„ John A . Brown ... ... ... > J . G . Deacons . „ Rev . C . E . Wright , M . A J ,, Henry L . Florence ( re-appointed ) ... G . Supt . of Wks . „ Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . B , K . C . M . G . ( Garter ) G . D . C .

„ Frank Richardson , P . D . G . Reg . ... Acting G . D . C . „ Major R . L . Stowell Badham ... Dep . G . D . C . „ Henry Watson ... ... ... \ „ W . Barlow Morgan „ George S . Elliott , L . C . C ., Mayor ! ASSt " , J-U - ^ S-

of Islington ... ... ... / „ Col . F . W . Frigout G . S . B . „ Major C . L . Woolmer Williams ... Dep . G . S . B . ., T . B . Goulburn ... ... ... 1 „ „ , „ " {„ ,, „ G . Std . Brs . ,, J . Robertson Reep ... ... ... J

„ Henry Davon Wetton , Mus . Bac ... G . Organist . „ William Lake ... ... ... Asst . G . Secretary . „ Gotthelf Greiner A . G . Sec . Ger . Cor .

„ F . Arnold G . Purst . ,, J . Berry Asst . G . Purst . „ Henry Sadler G . Tyler . « s > © O Bro . Justice Bucknill has been appointed by the Most

Worshipful Grand Master to be the Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Surrey . Bro . Sir Thomas Bucknill is a Past Grand Warden , Past Provincial Grand Warden of Surrey , and one of the founders of Ebbisham Lodge , No . 2422 , Epsom , of which he was the first Worshipful

Master . The announcement has been received with the warmest approval by the brethren of Surrey , and it is safe to say that the appointment is one of the most popular in the history of the province . o © < s > The Duke of Abercorn , Grand Master of Ireland , installed

on the 15 th April , his son , the Marquis ot Hamilton , M . P ., as Grand Master of the Province of Londonderry and Donegal , in succession to Bro . W . E . Scott , D . L ., resigned . The

ceremony took place in the Guildhall , Londonderry , in the presence of a representative gathering of ( he Freemasons of Ireland . It is notable that the present Grand Master of Ireland was in turn installed Provincial Grand Master by his father , the late Duke of Abercorn , formerly Grand Master of Ireland . £ & w-

At the last meeting ot the Drury Lane Lodge , held in the saloon of the theatre , Bro . Harry Nicholls was the recipient of a substantial proof of the respect and esteem in which he is held by the members of the lodge , of which he is Secretary . The opportunity was afforded by the occurrence on the 13 th April of the anniversary of Bro . Nicholls' silver

wedding . It consisted of a silver tea and coffee service with centrepiece , and was handed to Bro . Nicholls with the cheers and good wishes of all present . The presentation was made by Bro . Albert Neville , W . M ., who remarked , that looking at Mrs . Nicholls who was present with her daughters , he could

hardly believe that the time - had come to present her husband with a memento of his silver wedding . He thought it should be made ten years later .

<© * < S > Bro . Nicholls who was evidently affected by the expressions of the kind feeling reaching him from all sides , made an exceedingly happy reply . It was one of the most delightful moments of a man ' s life , he said , to learn that his

actions and intentions had been approved by those best qualified to judge them . His domestic life had been one of the purest happiness ; it had been crowned with the utmost affection . On an occasion like this , he said , there was sometimes a feeling of coyness at accepting such a gift , accompanied

by a declaration that it had not been deserved . He was not going to say anything of the kind . He did not mean to say it was merited , and he certainly did not mean to say that it was unmerited , so the subscribers need not be afraid that it would be returned to them . Coining to Freemasonry ,

Bro . Nicholls said the first persons he saw in a lodge room were the late Sir Augustus Harris , his ( Bro . Nicholls's ) brother-in-law , Henry Pettitt , and the only man who had ever issued a county court summons against him . Fortunately , the amount had been paid by him into court , and perhaps

there were faults on both sides . He wished to acknowledge the happiness and friendship extended him in the Drury Lane Lodge ; the tender affection of his children , not one of whom had ever given him a moment ' s uneasiness ; and , above all , the love and devotion of his dear wife . In

conclusion , after again thanking the brethren , Bro . Nicholls said that praise was of little value written on stone , for " a man ' s good name is the best monument . "

& © Bro . Johan Rynholdt Gerhardus Klerck , whose portrait we give , was initiated in 1875 , m Lodge De Goede Hoop , No . 72 ( N . C . ) , the senior lodge in South Africa , dating from 1772 . Leaving shortly after for the Orange Free State , he

joined the Lodge Unie ( N . C . ) , at Bloemfontein , and was its Treasurer for many years . While in that part of South Africa our brother took the Rose Croix Degree in Chapter Peace and Harmony , Beaconslield , under the N . C ., in 1 S 77 , afterwards joining the Rising Star Chapter , No . 66

( E . G . ) . In 1878 he took the Mark and Royal Arch Degrees in the Peace and Harmony Chapter , Beaconslield , No . 173 ( S . C ) . On removing to Worcester , Cape Colony , he joined the Worcester Lodge , No . 1603 ( E . C ) , and on returning to Cape Town he rejoined his mother Lodge De Goede Hoop , and also the Rose Croix Chapter De Goede Hoop , of which latter he became Most Wise Sovereign .

¦ 3 ' « S > « 3 > In those days the Netherlands Constitution did not give the Installed Master ' s Degree to its candidates for the chair , consequently the Deputy could act in every way as Worshipful Master . At this time he joined the British Royal Arch Chapter , No . 334 , 3110 ! the British Mark Lodge , No . 345 . His wanderings were not , however , over , for he removed to Klerksdorp , Transvaal , and established , with others , the