Consecration Of The Portland Lodge, No. 3159.

W . AI ., and knew that under his guidance and with his careful choice of officers the success of the lodge was assured and they wished him every prosperity combined with health and happiness . The Worshipful Master , Bro . F . Trehawke Davies ,

replying , thanked the brethren for the hearty way they had received the toast . His health had been far from good recently . He had feared that he would not be able to be present ; he had come from a bed of sickness to the consecration , on that account he trusted the brethren would

accept with forbearance any shortcomings . He would do his best to justify the confidence of the brethren , and he thanked the Grand Secretary , Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , for the valuable help he had given him . As Secretary of three loclges he had come into very close contact with the

Grand Secretary . He tendered his thanks to Bro . the Rev . Canon Horsley for his magnificent sjieech and for the kind encouragement he had given him . He then jirojiosed the toast of "The Alasonic Charities , " thanking the lodge for having jilaced ^" io ios . upon his list , and for the £ 15 15 s .

collected at the table . Bro . James Stephens , P . Dep . G . D . C , responding , told the brethren he did not want to give them dry statistics . The Institutions were doing a great and noble work , and Alasons were not unmindful of their duties . The King , when Alost Worshijiful Grand Alaster , said at the Royal Albert Hall that the fundamental truth ot Alasonry was

Charity . They had in the Girls' School three hundred admirably trained , both mentally and physically , to make them good wives . They were domesticated , which was a great consideration when added to a splendid education . The R . AI . I . Boys had the finest school in the kingdom

( covering sixty -acres of ground ) and over four hundred boys . Both of these Institutions were now quite full . They were hoping to evolve a scheme which would meet the increasing demands . He had the honour of being Treasurer for the last four years for the R . M . B . I . during which time he had

, been instrumental in putting on no less than 116 additional annuitants , in the first instance by as close a majority as his own casting vote . It was a grand thing to be able to provide , as they were at the present time , for seven hundred boys and girls and six hundred old Alasons and Alasons '

widows . It proved that the Craft was not unmindful of their duties to the unfortunate . The toast of " The Visitors " followed , and was replied to by Bros . W . Chambers , W . Dennis ( Mayor of St . Alarylebone ) , Gerald Maxwell , P . M . 2127 , and others .

The toast of " The Officers " and the Tyler ' s toast concluded an enjoyable evening . The musical arrangements were under the management of Bro . Herbert Schartau , P . M ., P . Z ., P . P . G . Org . Aliddlx .. assisted by Aliss Carrie Herwin , Bros . Frank Tebbutt , T . Povvley , and C . W . Wreford ; accomjianist , Bro . Wharton Wells .

The Grand Master At The Mansion House.

The Grand Master at the Mansion House .

THE official residence of London's Lord Mayor has for many generations been the scene of more varied and notable assemblages than perhaps any other centre of civic life . Religious , jihilanthropic and learned societies , mercantile and scientific associations , and rejiresentatives of institutions innumerable are from time to time entertained

within its hospitable walls . The jiresent genial and popular occupant , Alderman Vaughan Morgan , worthily continues the traditions of the House ; and as an enthusiastic Alason , it was not to lie doubted that the brethren of the Craft would , during his year of office , receive a more than ordinarilv

agreeable welcome at his hands . This assumed the shape of an invitation of the Duke of Connaught to a banquet , and the extension of the invitation to a large number of Grand Officers , jiresent and jiast , to meet His Royal Highness the Grand Alaster .

The gathering was not without precedent , for in 1880 the Lord Mayor of that year , Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , entertained the King , then Prince of Wales , at a similar function ; but it was unique in this respect , that while the former assembly included many of the rank and file of the Order ,

at the recent gathering the invitations were , of necessity , confined to Grand Officers , the enormous increase in the numbers of the Craft during the quarter of a century rendering such a limitation unavoidable . The presence of representatives from different paits of the country was

a distinct feature , there being no fewer than twenty-one Provincial Grand Masters jiresent , while the wearers of the purple also included men of eminence in the Church , army and navy , science , literature , and art , to say nothing of politicians , who for a brief moment found a haven of rest under ( he banner of universal brotherhood .

After the formal introductions to the Grand Alaster and the host , the brethren proceeded to the Egyptian Hall , where the banquet was served . In proposing the toasts , the Lord Mayor gave first " The King , Protector of the Craft , " and then that of " The Queen and the other members of the Royal Family , " remarking

that they were all looking forward to receive an account from the Prince of Wales as to his visit to India . The Lord Mayor , proposing " The Health of the Grand Master of English Freemasons , the Duke of Connaught , " said they were till delighted to see His Royal Highness back among them . In South Africa His Royal Highness had

discharged most important duties , and he regretted to say that an ungrateful country had ujion his return inflicted upon him an attack of influenza . They till hojied that His Royal Highness would soon rid himself of the attack . The Duke of Connaught , who was evidently suffering

from a severe cold , was loudly cheered , and in reply said he had done his utmost to follow in the footsteps of His Majesty the King , who was so long their Gran : ! Alaster . No Grand Alaster had ever clone more than His Majesty to uphold the high standard of honour , efficiency , and goodwill , and no Grand Alaster had been better sujijiorted or more kindly received than lie had been . He had done his utmost to

supjiort the best interests of the Craft , and all those tenets which , as Freemasons , they held so dear . The Craft was flourishing in a surjirising clegtee . They were never short of numbers anxious to join the fraternity , and they were never deficient in members willing to fill the jiosition of Masters of loclges . Their charities were till nobly sujijiorted ,

a fact of which they were justly jiroud . In South Africa Freemasonry was flourishing in a remarkable degree . He had not been an hour in Capetown before his table was filled with telegrams from all parts of the country congratulating him ujion his arrival . He was not there as a Royal personage ,

but as Inspector-General of His Majesty ' s Forces , and he was not able to do till he should have desired to do in the interests of Freemasonry ; but English , Scotch , Irish , and Dutch Freemasons all united in doing him honour , and he was convinced that there was no more important element in

the promotion of jieace and goodwill between the British and Boer jiopulations in that country than Freemasonry . Both were working together for the good of the Craft and the benefit of the Empire . His Royal Highness heartily thanked the Lord Mayor for the entertainment he had given them

that evening . Earl Amherst , in eulogistic terms , gave "The Health of the Lord Mayor , " who heartily thanked the Grand Officers , jiast and jiresent , for honouring him that evening . His only regret was that he was compelled to limit the number of his invitations .

A choice selection of music was jierformed during the evening by the band of the Coldstream Guards , and the company adjourned to the saloon , where they were welcomed by the Lady Mayoress .