Installation Of The Earl Of Carnarvon As W. M. Of The Westminster And Keystone Lodge , No. 10.

those which belonged to Masonry . ( Hear , hear . ) Tho W . M . of the Lodge could not regard the assembly before him with other feelings than those of just pride ; and he was sure he was expressing , not only his own sentiments , but those of all the Prov . G . Ms ., when he cordially congratulated the W . M . on the position he then occupied ( hear , hear ) , and assured him that while he adhered to the principles of Masonry , he would possess the affection and esteem of the Brethren , and enjoy a satisfaction which could not bo exceeded by which his rank and position in society afforded ( Cheers )

any . . The M . W . G . M . ; " Brc . S . W ., Bro . J . W ., Grand Officers , aud Brethren—1 have the permission of tho W . M . to propose the next toast , which it is most gratifying for me to do . You will all anticipate what the toast is which I am about to propose . ( Cheers . ) It would be much easier for me to propose the health of my Brother on my left , were he not present upon this occasion , because in his presence I cannot say all that I really , from my heart , feel with respect to him . Brethrenwhen we meet in Lod we are all an

, ge , upon equality , but I am sure there is no Brother present who will not agree with mo in thinking it a great advantage to the Craft when we have the aristocracy of the land taking so deep an interest in our proceedings . ( Hear , hear . ) I was never more struck with this than when I was invited the other day , by the Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire , to attend the Prov . Grand Lodge of that Province . There I found a number of members of the Apollo Lodge , of whom the majority , I believe , were gentlemen educated at the University of Oxford ( hear );

and it then occurred to me what an advantage it was to Masonry that it should be so cultivated at Oxford , where it not only promoted harmony between ' Town' and ' Gown ; ' but that those highly educated gentlemen will carry their Masonry with them when they leave Oxford and . take up then- abodes in various parts of the country . ( Hear . ) My noble friend on my left is a member of the Apollo Lodge to which I have referred ; aud those who know how highly he has distinguished himself in the senate—how greatlhe is admired b

y y those who have the pleasure of his acquaintance , will unite with me in congratulating the Westminster and Keystone Lodge on having this evening selected him W . M . ( Gheers . ) I augur well—not only for the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , for that has established its reputation—but I augur well for the Craft throughout the country , when I see so many well-known and highly educated noblemen and gentlemen joining this Lodge . ( Cheers . ) ' The health of the Worshipful Master the Earl of Carnarvon . '"

the toast was drunk with great enthusiasm . The W . M ., the Earl of Carnarvon , on rising to return thanks , was received with the heartiest applause , wdiich lasted several minutes . His Lordship said : — " M . W . Sir and Brethren , I am afraid , if flattery can spoil me , yon will have a very bad chance indeed for the prosperity of the Lodge during the year that is to come ( laughter ) ; for I feel deeply the kindness which has characterized every word which has been uttered here this evening respecting me ( hear ) , and I may cheer which has been given ( Cheers ) I that

say every . . am aware at this stage of a Masonic dinner , the health of the chairman is given as a matter of course ; it is formally given , and it is formally received . I am sure , however , of this , that you will not mistake me this evening , if I do venture to interpret the compliment you have paid me in a somewhat different manner . ( Cheers . 1 Most fully , indeed , do I feel what the R . W . Brother said , and said with so much kind feeling , a few minutes since , that this is a meeting at which I feel justlflatteredand which htif anything couldteach

may y , oug , , me the responsibilities of the , year which this evening ushers in . ( Cheers . ) I look upon this meeting as indicative of the bond of union existing between me and those whom I see around me . ( Cheers . ) I look upon this meeting as pointing out alike the advent of new honours , and the assumption of new responsibilities . ( Cheers . ) Brethren of my own Lodge , it is to your countenance , to your support , that I must look for aid in the discharge of those duties . ( Cheers . ) Often have 1 been indebted to you collectively and individuallfor acts of kindness and

y , many consideration ; and now I receive this election as tho greatest token of yourapproval . ( Cheers . ) May I prove myself not unworthy of it ! ( Loud applause . ) Some of the duties fall on me personally—some on you—and some wo share between us . Those duties seem to me to be capable of a threefold division ; they are external—the general duties incumbent upon every Lodge—and then there are special duties which arc attached to particular Lodges . The external duties comprise courtesy and kindness , in and in friendlrelations with nei

hospitality , our y our ghbouring Lodges , and in our deference to tho orders of Grand Lodge ( hear ) , and our obedience to tho laws and constitution of the land in which we live . ( Hear , hear . ) One of our duties is the prudent management of our finances ( hear ) , a point not to be overlooked in the administration of our affairs ; another point is the maintenance of unity and fraternity , and the studied exclusion of every element which can tend to disturb the peace of the Lodge . ( Hear . ) Wo are accused by those who know us not—by the ' outer barbarians '

( laughter)—of thinking of nothing but eating and drinking . ( Laughter . ) That such , however , is not the case , many practical proofs can easily be given . I have always thought that admission into a Lodge should be made a test of a man's character and integrity . Besides these general duties , there are others which are special ; but I am afraid I am tiring you . ( ' No , no ; ' and cheers . ) My duties in the present case I consider to be very difficult , and I will toll you why I consider them difficult . ( Hear , hear . ) At first sight Hioy seemed so ( Cheers and laughter ) But I have received

easy . . this chair with the Lodge in tho highest state of prosperity , and I ought to hand it to my successor in as good position . ( Hear , hear . * It was the boast of an emperor , that he found bis capital brick and he loft it-marble ; but I could not say that of the Westminster and Keystone Lodge ; for in it there are no breaches to heal , no shattered fortunes to be repaired . ( Cheers ) Though our revival dates from no distant day , we have not a few distinguished names in our lists . ( Cheers ) Mduty will bo to endeavour to a continuity of

. y preserve that brightness which has hitherto looked down upon us . ( Cheers . ) To our country Brethren who have come up to see us , many of them from a distance , I must say that we are grateful to them for the honour they have done us . In former days , when two friends parted for some distant country , they exchanged tokens of their friendship ; and as years rolled by and generations passed away , tho sons of those men met each other again , perhaps on some distant shore , and they exchanged the tokens of their parents . ( Cheers . )

Theyacknowledged the old alliance , and from the ashes of that ancient friendship there arose a newer but undying flame . ( Cheers . ) So it is with us . But while those tokens could be mislaid , or broken , or even lost , we carry ours about in our hearts . ( Cheers . ) Many of ns in this room have not seen each other before ; but we do not meet as strangers . ( Cheers . ) Each fresh step I take in the study of our great scienceeach fresh lino I find in the pages of our history—convinces me still further of its incalculable ramificationsand makes me with

, gaze wonder and with awe on the boundless horizon , of its influence . ( Applause . ) And now one word more , and that will be to our London Brethren . Many of us have met before within these walls , even in this room , when engaged in the discussion of duller , and I hope , drier subjects ( laughter and cheers ) , than we have any chance of being engaged upon this evening . ( Hear , hear . ) We have met sometimes to agree , and sometimes , perhaps , to differ ; but let me assure you that whenever we do meetnothing can be more pleasant or more

, congenial than the thought that , when we do differ , it is only from a sense of duty , from the conviction of principle . ( Loud cheering . ) That difference of principle , therefore , need not imply any diminution of the respect and regard which is due from Mason to Mason . " ( Protracted cheering . ) His Lordship concluded by proposing , " The Health of tho Visitors , with winch he coupled the name of " Bro . the Hon . F . D . Dundas .

Bro . Dundas acknowledged the toast , and in so doing paid a high compliment to the " working , " and expressed his gratitude for the truly Masonic reception which the Westminster and Keystone had given to the visitors whom they honoured with an invitation on that occasion . He only hoped that meetings of this kind would become moro frequent . ( Laughter and cheers . ) The Lodges ought to interchange visits more frequently than they did ; tho Westminster and Keystone had set an example , which , if widely followed , would be attended with the happiest results ( Hearhear ) He concluded by

. , . saying , that ho felt he had given but a feeble expression to tho fraternal sentiments which inspired the breasts of every visitor present . ( Loud cheers . ) The W . M . then gave " The Past Masters of the Westminster and Keystone , " with which lie coupled " Tho health of Bro . Wyndham Portal , the immediate Past Master . " The toast having been duly honoured , Bro . Portal returned thanks . He said he only expressed the

sentiments of all the Past Masters , when he asserted that though they were Past Masters in virtue of having served in the chair , the Master of the Lodge would always find them ready to assist him by every means in their power . ( Cheers . ) He then referred to the exertions of his noble friend on his right ( Lord Panmure ) in behalf of the charities , particularly in recently presiding at the Girls' School Festival , when tho unprecedented amount of £ 1 , 900 was subscribed , while Bro . Crew , sanguine as he was , only expected £ 1500 . ( Cheers and laughter . )

The W . M . then proposed " The newly-appointed Officers , and the S . W ., Bro . Benson . " Bro . Benson returned thanks in a telling speech , and said he would do the best he could to justify the confidence which had been reposed in him . "The Charities , and Bro . Bond Cabbell , HP ., " was the next and concluding toast . The Brethren separated a little after eleven o'clock . The musical arrangements were conducted by Bro . Donald King , assisted by Bros . Lawler , Gonge , Kingsbury , and Edney .