At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar

The foundation-stone of the building which is to be added to Charing Cross Hospital was laid with Alasonic rites on the 20 th June by the M . W . Grand Alaster , His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught , who was attended by the Grand Officers of the year and several Past Grand Officers who had

been invited by the hospital authorities . The ceremony was honoured by the presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess Louise , Duchess of Argyll , who is this year the President of the hospital . The ritual and ceremonial is of a quaintly interesting character , and in the hands of the Grand

Alaster was most impressively rendered . Coins and papers were deposited in the cavity of the stone by the Grand Treasurer , and the Grand Secretary read and placed on the stone a record engraved on brass of the event . Addresses were delivered by the treasurer of the hospital and by Sir

Joseph Farrar . Loud and hearty cheers were given for the Grand Alaster , followed by a similar ovation to the Princess , and the Royal party departed . The foundation-stone of the main building was laid in 18 3 8 by the then Grand Alaster , the Duke of Sussex .

" & < t' ® Among the many interesting Alasonic functions in connection with the Coronation festivities , the reception and banquet to be given by the Empire Lodge in the Great Hall of the Hotel Cecil stands out as the most important . The

acceptances already number over one hundred , and when it is considered that the invitations have been necessarily limited to visitors of distinction who have come from the ends of the earth to take part in this great national event , it becomes certain that the gathering will be of an exceptionally

representative character . Arrangements have been made for a full report in the August number of "THE AIASONIC ILLUSTRATED , " with numerous illustrations .

«¦ < B » € ? The last meeting of Grand Lodge , on Wednesday , the 4 th June , which may be said to practically mark the close of the Alasonic season , did not depart from precedent , inasmuch as the Alasonic Temple was taxed to its utmost extent for the

accommodation of the large number of brethren present . The June Communication is always well attended , in consequence of the elections for the Board of General Purposes ; but this was exceptionally the case on Wednesday last , by reason of the investment of the new Past Grand Officers .

< 3 » ©> © Aletropolitan Freemasonry has lost an active and prominent supporter , and the Royal Alasonic Benevolent Institution a staunch friend , by the death of Bro . John Albert Fairfield , P . A . G . D . C . Half a century ago his father was the

Assistant Grand Secretary , and he himself from an early age took an active part in the affairs of the Order . In Queen Victoria ' s past Jubilee year he obtained rank in Grand Lodge as Past Assistant Director of Ceremonies , and until his death he acted as Treasurer of the Royal Alasonic Benevolent Institution . "fy < £ > ' ! &

The installation of Bro . Langridge J . Powter as W . AI . of the Gresham Lodge , No . 86 9 , took place at Cheshunt Great House , in Hertfordshire , on June 14 th . It was a most successful meeting , and the capacity of the ancient hall was taxed to its utmost to seat the sixty odd brethren who were present , either as members or visitors . The W . AI ., Bro .

Alfred E . Gooding , performed the ceremony , assisted by Bro . C . A . Gompertz , P . M ., who delivered the address in his usual masterly style .

The W . M . appointed his officers as follows : —Bros . S . H . T . Armitage , M . D ., P . P . S . G . W . North and East Yorks ., Senior Warden ; H . M . Sternberg , junior Warden ; C . A . Gompertz , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br ., Treasurer ; S . AI . Banker , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br ., Secretary ; T . Buhner , Senior Deacon ; W . Haynes Dunn , P . M ., P . P . G . Supt . of Works , Director of

Ceremonies ; W . Cameron , Organist ; W . S . Keep and O . G . Alathias , Stewards ; and B . Mitchell , Tyler . Bros . T . W . Chant , P . M ., and J . B . Robinson , who would have been invested as Junior Deacon and Inner Guard respectively , were unavoidably absent .

ISIiO . liANUlIinUK . 1 . I'OWTKR , W . M .

Before the lodge was closed a hearty vote of thank- ; was passed to Bro . L . V . Walker , P . M ., for his valuable ght to the lodge of a very handsome Alaster ' s collar and jewel , to commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty King

Edward VII ., Protector of the Order . A banquet afterwards took place , and , in course of the speeches , the Worshipful Alaster alluded to the candidature of Bro . C . A . Gompertz , P . M . and Treasurer , for the office of Provincial Grand Treasurer , and the good wishes of all present were expressed for his success .

«¦ & « RAY . Bro . Lord George Hamilton , the esteemed Provincial Grand Alaster for Middlesex , is to be congratulated on the wisdom of his choice of meeting place for the next assembling of his province . It will be remembered that at

the consecration of the St . Clair Lodge , a full report of which appeared in our last issue , his lordship stated that London would be fixed on for the rendezvous in preference to one of the county towns . When it is considered that the majority of Middlesex Masons live in or have business in the Metropolis

and its suburbs , it will be wondered at that the meetings of the Provincial Grand Lodge have not always been held at a convenient house in town .

Bro . H . 1 . lhompson , P . AI ., and one ot the founders of the Crystal Palace Lodge , No . 742 , has compiled an interesting little brochure , in which he narrates the circumstances attending the formation of the lodge in 1858 , on the fourth anniversary of the opening of the Crystal Palace . Bro . Thompson congratulates the W . AI ., Bro . George Paxton , on

his installation into the chair of a lodge meeting in a building designed by and erected under the supervision of his relative , the late Sir Joseph Paxton , to whom the writer acknowledges indebtedness in past years for many acts of personal kindness and friendly consideration .