Installation Meeting Of The Willing Lodge, No. 2893.

Installation Meeting of the Willing Lodge , No . 2893 .

THE third installation meeting of this prosperous lodge took place on Thursday , April 7 th , at the Hotel Cecil , when Bro . Willis H . Wilson was installed Wor . Master by V . Wor . Bro . W . S . Penley , the Grand Treasurer . The dignity and impressiveness of the ceremony left nothing to be desired .

THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER . The Wor . Master appointed and invested his officers as follows : —Bros . Albert A . Gilmer , S . W . ; A . H . Maddocks , J . W . ; V . W . Bro . J . Speller , Treasurer ; W . Bro . J . J .

Chapman , Secretary ; Bros . H . Shirreff , S . D . ; H . E . Willing , J . D . ; J . R . Hill , I . G . ; J . O . Schuler , D . C . ; W . D . Willing , Steward ; P . Willing Tibbs , Asst . Steward ; J . W . Harding , Tyler , in a manner which gave evidence of his proficiency in the ritual .

In graceful terms the Wor . Master presented the P M . jewel voted by the lodge to Wor . Bro . T . Vansittart Bowater , the outgoing Wor . Master , and after the usual business the lodge was closed . At the banquet which followed , the usual loyal and Masonic

toasts were duly honoured . Replying for the Grand Officers , V . W . Bro . George Everett said that their Wor . Master was so full of the milk of human kindness that he had enlarged considerably upon the merits of the Grand Officers , but it was a great

satisfaction to them always to find the toast received with such cordiality . The Grand Officers present wished prosperity to the lodge and a pleasant year under the genial sway of their new Master .

The toast of "The Worshipful Master" was proposed by the I . P . M ., Bro . T . Vansittart Bowater , who congratulated the lodge upon having a Master who was such a genuine good fellow . He was confident that he would make one of the best of rulers , and he had the good wishes of them all for a hearty and prosperous year .

The Wor . Master , replying , stated that he wished the speeches that evening to be brief , and he would set an example . He appreciated the proud position they had placed him in , he thanked them sincerely for their kindness , would do his best , he hoped for success , and that he may give satisfaction .

In proposing the toast of " The Visitors , " the Wor . Master extended to them a hearty welcome , and trusted they would come again and witness the work of the lodge ,, and called upon W . Bro . Maj . O . Papworth , P . P . G . W . Cambridgeshire , and W . Bro . W . H . Swain , W . M . of the

Rickinansworth Lodge , to reply . Wor . Bro . Maj . O . Papworth , responding , felt particular pleasure in doing so as the Wor . Master had been a resident in his county . It was a honour to have seen him installed ,, and by such a perfect worker as V . W . Bro . W . S . Penley .

W . Bro . Swain , also responding , stated that he had known and respected the Wor . Master for twenty-five years ,, and knew that he would do credit to the Willing Lodge . The Wor . Master then proposed the toast of " The Installing Master , V . W . Bro . W . S . Penley , and the Past Masters . " He felt confident that the reception the mention of this toast had met with was an evidence that it was one

which appealed to them all . Personally he had been much impressed by the dignity and earnestness of V . W . Bro . W . S . Penley ' s work , and was fortunate at having been installed by so distinguished a Mason . Their I . P . M ., Wor . Bro . T . Vansittart Bowater , was highly popular among them ,, and well deserved the jewel he had pinned upon his breast

that evening . V . W . Bro . W . S . Penley , replying , had experienced great pleasure in being present . He was very fond of Masonry and went thoroughly into it , but he would not speak of himself as the Wor . Master had said so much . He had

received his instruction from the late Bro . John McLean ,, and felt that they all owed much to the old Masons who had gone before them . He thanked them for their appreciation of his services , and knew that the brother whom he had installed had accepted the position for the benefit of the

lodge . The I . P . M ., Wor . Bro . T . Vansittart Bowater , replying , had not yet much experience of a Past Master , but his year of office had been a most pleasurable one , and he thanked them for their kind token , the P . M . jewel .

Wor . Bro . James Willing , junior , was happy that the lodge bearing his name was so prosperous , and he thanked the brethren present for the £ jo they had placed upon his list for the R . M . I , for Boys that evening . The Board of Management were doing their best to make the boys good men and creditable citizens .

The Wor . Master next proposed the toast of " The Officers , " whom he knew would rally around him to make his year of office a successful one . He particularly had to thank the Secretary , Wor . Bro . J . J . Chapman , a capable and zealous officerwho was a great strength to a new Master ,

, and who had already given him valuable assistance . The toast was responded to by the Senior Warden , Bro . Albert A . Gilmer , the Treasurer , V . W . Bro . J . Speller , and the Secretary , W . Bro . J . J . Chapman .

The Tyler ' s toast terminated a very enjoyable evening . The new Wor . Master , Bro . Willis H . Wilson , is an active Mason , having been initiated in the Chiswick Lodge , No . 2012 ; is a member of Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1572 ; founder of Willing Lodge , No . 28 93 ; j . elect , Royal York Chapter , No . 7 ; member of Carnarvon Chapter ,

No . 1572 ; Vice-Patron of Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , Governor of Royal Masonic Institution for Girls and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

Ar01602

We congratulate Bro . Hedges and the Committee of the Girls' School on having secured as Chairman for the 1905 Festival so popular a Provincial Grand Master as Col . Lockwood . Backed as he is certain to be by the loyal support of the Province of Essex , the success of the one hundred and seventeenth anniversary is already assnred .