The Worshipful Master.

been destroyed by the architect who designed them after three casts had been taken , so that they could not be copied . It was spacious and lofty , handsomely carpeted , with a dais at the eastern end , ancl an alcove in which was placed the great carved chair of the Worshipful Master . The lodge was opened , the ballot was taken , and Bro . Wroath was proved to be wrong for onceas Dr . Penhaligon was unanimously accepted . Dr .

, Carlyon was unaccountably absent . Some one hinted that he hacl been heard to say that there was already far too many doctors in Gippingswick ; and why that young Pen—something or other , he couldn't for the life of him think of his name—had come to the town he did not know . So it was supposed he was not favourable to the reception of the new initiate . In the ante-room , Penhaligon , having been summoned by Bro . Wroath from

the White Hart Hotel , where he hacl been waiting to know his fate , was introduced to Lord Esme Earsdon , who was being prepared , as Masons know how , to be made a Mason . Penhaligon casually remarked that he ought to know something of Masonry , as his father , when staff officer of pensions at Falmouth , hacl been Master of the lodge there . Lord Esme , who was a very courteous , gentlemanly young fellow , the very type of what a nobleman should be , said he had no relations Masons , but he

thought his great grandfather had been Grand Master of Scotland when the young Pretender held a reception of Knight Templars at Holyrood . The Director of Ceremonies , a white-haired , handsome , pleasant old gentleman , a great speaker on the Masonic charities , conferred with the Tyler who was in attendance , and then approaching his Lordship , said that it was a rule amongst Masons that where a candidate was present who was a Lewis , that is to the son of a Masonhe had precedence of other candidate

say , any , though he were a prince of the blood royal . It would , therefore , be the legitimate right of Dr . Penhaligon to be initiated before his Lordship . The young doctor here interfered , and said he should certainly not have mentioned the fact of his father being a Mason hacl he known of the privilege attached to it , as Lord Esme Earsdon hacl , he understood , been accepted at a previous meeting , ancl therefore had a prior claim for admission ; but the young Lord ,

who had a very gracious , pleasant manner about him , which endeared him to all those with whom he was brought in contact , firmly but courteously refused to be initiated first , and Dr . Penhaligon was prepared , obligated , ancl duly initiated an entered apprentice before the son of the Marquis of Earsdon , one of the oldest titles in England—a family old even at the Conquest , when one of its great heiresses married a follower of William the Norman and secured the Saxon earldom with the Conqueror ' s barony .

The young Lord was afterwards duly initiated , ancl a beautiful anthem , the words by Milton , wedded to one of Mendelssohn's loveliest " lieder ohne Worte , " was sung during the ceremony . Both the young men were very much impressed ; and when the lodge was closed , ancl they all adjourned to the banqueting room , where the long table was covered from end to end with numbers of most exquisite roses , the Gloire tie

Dijon , Marechal Niel , Damask , and all the old English sorts , the gift of some clerical brothers , who were rich and had a taste for floriculture . The two candidates sat near the Master of the lodge , who paid them equal attention . He was himself a barrister , wealthy , but it is to be feared briefless ; and he was supported by old Dr . Benson , a retired Indian judge ( who wore his chain of gold , with a magnificent jewel studded with rose diamonds , as a Past

Provincial Grand Master ) the venerable Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and a multitude of distinguished Masons , several of them wearing the purple and gold embroidered pomegranates of the Grand Lodge of England , the crimson of the Grand Steward ' s Lodge , or the collars of their own Provincial Grand Lodge . In private life they were clergymen , doctors , artists , officers in the army ancl navy or civil service , lawyers and scientists .