London Welsh Lodge, No. 2867,

-charged them to the utmost of his ability . Any assistance that he could render his successor would be freely and ungrudgingly given . Although he had been a Mason but eleven years , he had led a strenuous Masonic life , and no part had given him greater satisfaction than that connected with the " London Welsh Lodge . "

Wor . Bro . Sir John Puleston , also replying , said he still felt the great honour which had been conferred upon him of being their lirst Master , and that after a lapse of absence of Masonic duties for twenty years . Their young national lodge had achieved already such success that he was proud

to have his name connected with the " (" . real London Welsh Lodge . " Wor . Bro . Worsnam also replied , and sincerely thanked the W . M . and members , all ol " whom lie now looked upon as personal friends , for the courtesy and kindness he had always

received at their hands . If his services were ever required he still felt the inclination to be active . The toast of " The Officers " was proposed by the Worshipful Master in very eulogistic terms , partly given in English and partly in the vernacular , to which several of the officers replied .

Consecration Of The Empress Preceptory.

Consecration of the Empress Preceptory .

* pHE consecration of the above preceptory took place at J Mark Masons' Hall on the 22 nd October , the M . E . Supreme Grand Master , the Earl of Euston , performing the ceremony with all the imposing and elaborate ceremonial peculiar to this distinguished Order . The Supreme Grand Master was assisted by many distinguished Grand Officers ,

and V . E . Knight Imre Kiralfy , K . C . T ., was installed as First Preceptor . At the subsequent banquet , the E . Preceptor presided , and in giving the toast of ' The King , " referred to the splendid capacity His Majest y had exhibited as a ruler ,

and of his marvellous tact and wisdom in dealing with affairs of state . In proposing the toast of " M . E . and Supreme Grand Master , " the E . Preceptor said it would be presumption on his part to dilate upon the great services rendered to the Order by his Eminence the Grand Master , neither Avas it

necessary ; it was enough to say that they had won for him the loyalty and allegiance of every member of the body of Knights Templar over which he ruled with such conspicuous success . They , as a preceptory , were under a deep debt of gratitude to him for kindnesses shown , and he wished them to show their gratitude by drinking the toast with all warmth and cordiality .

The M . E . Supreme Grand Master , in returning thanks , said he had been only too pleased , and in the position he occupied it was only his duty to do till he could for the advancement and honour of the Degree , and it was equally their duty , in what ever position they held , to do the same , and above everything to be careful whom they admitted into

the Order . The progress of the King Edward Preceptory , from which they had sprung , had been a marvel , and he hoped the "Empress" would follow in their steps . If the small portion of the work he had done that evening had been satisfactory to them he was satisfied , and he would continue

as long as he held the position he did , to do his best to maintain the honour and dignity of the Order . V . E . Knight Imre Kiralfy , in reply , said that he had experienced many pleasures since he became a member of his preceptory , but on no occasion had he been so pleased as

then , when he had to propose the health of their Eminent Preceptor . It was an augury of a great future for them all to have Sir Knt . Sudlow as their E . Preceptor . All those who knew him in the different positions he had so worthil y occupied in Masonry , must know that it was a good thing for

the preceptory to secure such an eminent worker as their head . If he ( Sir Knt . Kiralfy ) had been instrumental in laying the foundation stone of the preceptory , he believed Sir Knt . Sudlow would raise the edifice to a height which had never been equalled in the Degree .

E . Knight R . Clay Sudlow , in thanking them most heartily for the reception they had given to the toast of their new Preceptor , said he would like to thank them still more warmly for the great honour they had conferred upon him in placing him in that position , and Sir Knight Thomas being there , he should like to offer him his personal thanks for taking the chair to which he Sir Knt . Sudlow was elected , but which ,

according to the laws of the Order , he was not privileged to occupy , i . e ., that of 1 st Constable . He had set himself a task , that of maintaining the position to which , by the wonderfully able Preceptorship of V . E . Knight Kiralfy , that preceptory had attained . To the accomplishment of this task he could not bring experiencebecause virtually he was quite a novice ,

, but he did bring to the work ol " the chair a great amount of enthusiasm , and he was hopeful that that enthusiasm would make up to some extent for his kick of experience . So far as he was concerned he could promise , and he thought also for everv officer of the preceptory , to do their utmost to bring

the working to that standard of perfection which was initiated by Bro . Kiralfy . The M . E . and P . Grand Master next proposed the toast of " The Empress Preceptor } ' , " which had been started that evening in connection with the " King Edward VII . "

Preceptory , with every chance of going on and prospering . They had elected as their Preceptor a knight who had thrown himself heart and soul into his work , and who had shown them what Knights Templar working can be made . He coupled with the toast the name of their E . Preceptor , whom

he had the great pleasure to make a Knight Commander of the Order that evening , who he hoped would live long to be an ornament to the Order .

V . E . Knt . Imre Kiralfy , in reply , said that everyone had tried to make it a success , but he would like to express his appreciation of Sir Knight Welsford ' s assistance . A great dealof credit has been given to him ( Sir Kt . Kiralfy ) in reference to those two preceptories , but he desired to tell them that the idea of these two preceptories also came from Knight

Welsford . The hard work he had put in during this last year to ensure its success he was sure every member would appreciate , and to show his appreciation in some way he would like to present Knight Welsford with a small token of his regard for his -acceptance , which he could take home to his family , so that he might remember the great work he had done in connection with these two

preceptories . V . E . Knt . Kiralfy here presented the Knight Welsford with an oak canteen of silver plate , bearing the inscription : — Order of the Temple , presented to the Knight Will . O . Welsford , by the E . Knight Imre Kiralfy , K . C . T ., G . A . D . C , P . E . P ., ; ts a mark of high appreciation of his great services

to Knight Templary , in founding King Edward VII . and Empress Preceptories , 1902 and 1903 . Knight \\ . O . Welsford , in returning thanks , assured Sir Kt . Kiralfy that he thoroughly appreciated the kindness that he had received from him , and from every member of the

preceptory , since its inauguration . He could assure their E . Past Preceptor that the generous gift he had made would be highly valued , and that in years to come it would remind him of a knight for whom he had the very highest regard . The success that had attended their endeavours , and the kindness

he had received , has been in itself his reward . But lie had a higher reward , and that was commendation from one who had the reputation of being the best organiser of spectacular ceremony in the world .