History Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 256.——(Continued).

History of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , No . 256 . ——( Continued ) .

( By Bro . HENRY SADLER , Sub-Librarian to the Grand Lodge of England ) .

IN proposing " The health of her Majesty the Queen , " Bro . Beadon said " that although that illustrious lady Avas the daughter of a Mason she Avas not as yet the mother of one . He hoped and trusted that she might live to see some of her posterity preside over the Grand Lodge of England . "

For the portrait here reproduced Ave are greatly indebted to William Vansittart Beadon , Esq ., son of the late R . W . Bro . W . F . Beadon , and to the W . Bro . Henry Lovegrove , Past Grand SAVord Bearer , Avho kindly interested himself in procuring the portrait for publication in this journal .

AVILLIAM FREDERICK HEAIX ) X , P . O . AVARDEN , Cllilil-IIHIII of I lie Fertictll * in 1 S . J 1 , IS . ' il . lS . ' ili , 1 S 5 S . The subject of this sketch Avas born in 1808 and was initiated in 1828 , in the Scientific Lodge , Cambridge , while at St . John ' s College . In 1832 he joined the Bedford Lodge ,

London , and was a founder of the Beadon Lodge , constituted in 18 ^ 3 , now Xo . 619 ; he also joined several other celebrated London Lodges as Avell as the Apollo University Lodge at Oxford . In 18 4 6 he joined the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , and was for several years a regular attendant

and an assiduous worker thereat . In 18 49 he was appointed Junr . Grand Warden and Principal Grand Sojr ., subsequently lilling the office of G . S . X . for several years . At his death , in 1862 , he held the important position of Senior Magistrate at Marlborough Street Police Court , having previously served

in a similar capacity at Hammersmith and Wandsworth . Bro . Beadon was not only an accomplished craftsman but was an earnest and liberal supporter of our several charities at a period when those institutions were badly in need of all the help that could be given them .

The Festival for 1857 was postponed till January 29 th , 1858 , in order to allow of more time for the completion of the valuable testimonial then being made for presentation to Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson . A brief summary of the proceedings at tin ' s Festival is included in the biographical sketch relating to the distinguished brother just mentioned , which appeared in Xo . 19 of this journal .

The Festival for 18 5 8 was held at the usual time on the last Friday in November , being the only occasion on which IAVO " Emulation Festivals" were held in the same year . John Havers , P . G . D ., presided as W . M . both in the lodge and at the banquet . He was supported by S . B . Wilson , P . G . D ., an unusually large number of the principal Grand Officers ,

and about 200 other members of the Craft . " Three sections of the Second Lecture were worked by Bro . Fenn , S . W . ( his first public appearance as a section worker ) , Bro . Dolman , J . W ., and Bro . Taylor , I . G . " the questions being put by Bro . Wilson , who sat as P . M . The speeches at this meeting ,

such of them as were reported , were of a very superior order and quite out of the usual category of after-dinner oratory , especially those of the presiding officer and the R . W . Thomas H . Hall , Prov . G . Master for Cambridgeshire , who responded for the Grand Oflicers and also proposed the health of the chairman .

That worthy brother , noted for his eloquence and learning , seems to have excelled himself in proposing the toast of the evening— " Success to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement "—in what Avas probably the longest and most eloquent address ever delivered in that lodge , although , judging from the heartiness and frequency of the applause , I

question whether any brother who heard it deemed it too long . I much regret that limited space precludes the reproduction of lengthy speeches in these columns ; but those who may desire to peruse them in their entirety , or as reported , I would refer to the pages of the Freemasons '

Magazine and Masonic Mirror for the ist of December , 18 5 8 . Meanwhile , on the principle that " half a loaf is better than no bread , " I venture to offer a feAV passages from the chairman ' s speech in proposing Ihe toast of the evening , which excerpla may fairly serve as a sample of the Avhole ; although where all is good , selection is somewhat difficult : —

" In proposing the toast of ' Success to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , ' the Chairman said , to tell you that in this Lodge Masonry is taught in all its purity , would be to tell you that which has been repeatedly told you by abler and older Masons than myself . To tell you that this Lodge of Instruction , not only by its labours this evening , but by its

constant labours , and by the admirable manner in which the duties are performed , is entitled not only to the gratitude of every one present , but to the gratitude of every Brother wherever English Masonry is known and taught , would be but to reiterate a thrice told tale . Rather let me , and I trust

I shall not be deemed too bold in the attempt , endeavour to add my mite to the instruction of the evening , and addressing myself chielly to my younger Brethren , but incidentally to all , endeavour to show IIOAV the precepts taught in this Lodge may be carried out in the every day conduct of our Masonic

work . Xo object can be more laudable than the ambition on the part of young Masons to become perfect in the ritual ; it is the stepping stone to Masonic excellence , for Avithout it they are nothing ; but if Ave confine ourselves to that , and that only , ours will be but lip Masonry at best . We have

higher and more important duties to perform towards ourselves , towards the institution , and towards the world in general .

" We owe it to ourselves to endeavour to enforce by example , as Avell as by precept , those glorious principles which are nowhere more clearly inculcated than in our beautiful lectures , and nowhere more forcibly impressed than in the Avorking of our ceremonies ; to surrender each one his individual interests to the welfare of the many ; to labour each one in his peculiar vocation to promote , not his OAVII