Skelmersdale Lodge, No. 1729. —Reception Of The Earl Of Lathom.

Bro . Matthew , in presenting the address , said : —Allow me to tender you , on behalf of the members , a very hearty welcome , on this your lirst visit to the lodge which bears your distinguished name . As acting Worshipful Master I deemed it my duty to call the brethren together , to afford them an opportunity of paying respect and honour to their

patron on such an occasion as the present , which is certainly unique in the history of the lodge . In addition to our own members , we have with us this evening the District Grand Masters and officers of both the English and Scotch Constitutions , as well as the majority of the Masters , past and

present , of the several lodges working in this city , whom we have invited to meet you , and who desire to join with us in extending you a most cordial and fraternal greeting . It is now my pleasing duty to present to you , on behalf of the members of this lodge , with a small token in remembrance

of your visit , in the shape of the address just read by the Secretary . This address is to be embodied in an album of Natal views , but owing to the very limited space of time at our disposal we were unable to obtain anything befitting the occasion , so that we trust your lordship will be graciously pleased to accept the album when forwarded to you at a later date .

THE BAXQUET .

In reply , his lordship thanked the lodge for the presentation just made , and expressed his pleasure at the opportunity afforded him of meeting the members . Had his father been spared he felt sure that in these latter days he would have done his utmost to have visited the lodge . Referring to the question of Charity , he said he was very much touched when

he received a donation from the lodge on the occasion of his recent presidency at the Masonic Girls' School Festival , and in this connection it gave him much pleasure to see among those present that evening his old friend , Bro . Terry , who , as they were all doubtless aware , took a very deep and

abiding interest in all the charitable organisations connected with the Craft . With respect to the allusion in the address to continued patronage from his house , it was his earnest hope that , although his son was only eight years of age , yet when the time should come for him to be summoned to the Grand Lodge above , that that son would be in a position to

accede to the wishes of the lodge . In conclusion , he congratulated the Master on presiding over such a prosperous and united lodge . Subsequently his lordship was entertained to a banquet in the hall attached to the lodge , which had been handsomely decorated for the occasion , and at which about one hundred

brethren of the lodge and their guests sat clown . The toast list was commendably brief , being as follows : — "The King , Protector of the Craft , " "H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , Grand Master of England , " "The District Grand Masters , English and Scottish Constitutions , "

and "The Patron of the Lodge . " The toast of the evening— " The Patron of the Lodge " — was proposed by Bro . Stranack , who , in the course of his remarks , said it was one which he had often had the honour of proposing as foundation Master of the lodge . It had

never been of a formal nature to himself , in consequence of his association with their late foundation patron , but he felt , the toast having been entrusted to him again that evening , the lodge had conferred upon him the highest honour in its power to bestow , that was to propose the toast of their patron in his presence on that , the first occasion of his visit to the city . The history of the Skelmersdale Lodge had almost

passed into oblivion , and it might not be uninteresting to the members of the lodge if he related a few circumstances in connection with its formation . In the year 1877 one or two points were submitted by members of the Fraternity to the Grand Lodge of England , the then appellate court for the District of Natal . One of the points was the formation of a

third lodge in Pietermaritzburg , which was considered as almost a revolutionary step which required careful consideration . It transpired that some of the members interested would have an opportunity of conferring with the Grand Secretary in England , which they were deputed to do . At

that conference it was ascertained that the suggestion of the formation of a new lodge was one which would receive the support of the then Lord Skelmersdale , the Senior Grand Warden and President of the Board of General Purposes . It was the assurance of that fact which led to the formation of the lodge as a practical step . They were favoured with