Humber Lodge Of Freemasons, Hull.

aatically received . In responding to the toast he felt altogether inadequate to the task of conveying to them in words the pleasure and pride he now experienced . He was deeply gratified with the flattering reception they had accorded to him , and he regarded it as an augury that he should enjoy a happy and prosperous year of office . He knew of nothing more to bo valued than the friendship and

esteem of his fellow citizens , and more especially was this tho case in Masonry , when the endeavour of the brethren was to aid each other to their mutual advantage and encouragement ( hear , hear ) . Ho felt confident they would be indulgent to him in his shortcomings , and overcome his little failings ; and , judging from the very cordial manner in which he had been greeted this evening , he felt satisfied

he should , during his year , be heartily supported , not only by the brethren of his own lodge , but also by those of the sister lodges in tho town ( cheers ) . If there was one thing above all others that he desired to cultivate , it was the interchange of friendliness and interest between the lodges in this town . He considered that in recent years these interchanges had not been so frequent as they

might have been ; but he was certain that if they all mado an effort in that direction very great advantage might result from it . He candidly confessed that in this lodge their duties had been of so arduous a character that they had given their Immediate Past Master but little time to visit the sister lodges . Therefore , however strong might have been Bro . West ' s desire in that direction , ho felt it to be

his paramount duty first to transact the bnsiness that pressed upon his attention before going amongst the brethren elsewhere . He ( tho speaker ) should , however , take tho earliest opportunity of visiting the sister lodges , and shonld induce the members of these lodges , by every means in his power , to return such visits ( applause ) . In a town like Hull he felt great good might be done , amongst tho largo

number of Masons , if they were all united in any cause . And when they considered that cause was Masonry , which meant charity , he felt they had a right to be united . Therefore they must make an effort to set aside an evening now and then to join tho sister lodges and to invite their brethren to come amongst them . He could hardly express his pleasure and gratitude at seoing such an array of Past

Masters and officers of the sister lodges as he saw around him on this occasion ; and he thanked all those who had so generously supported him this evening ( applause ) . He had carefully mapped out his work for the coming year . In a large lodge like this he knew there was much to be done , iu order to maintain its dignity , and if possible to add to its lustre . He felt , moreover , that no Master was justified in

vacating that chair without having done something for the brethren who had conferred so great an honour npon him . His predecessor , Bro . West , had done much ; he had left a fund at his ( the speaker ' s ) command , which ho hoped to augment by a similar amount , to bo applied to the improvement and decoration of tho lodgo and the greater comfort of the brethren . He knew that the first great

principle of Masonry was charity , and that the prosperity of Masonry conld only be obtained by discipline and hard work , neither of which should bo overlooked by him . He did not forget , moreover , that when their work had ceased they had to promote a feeling ' of harmony and concord amongst the brethren . In these matters the Master had a greater amount of dnty devolving npon him than was observant to the general body of the members , and while in his

position he could assure them he should do all that laid in his power to sustain tho dignity of his lodge , to hand down the insignia of his office unsullied as ho received it , and if possible to add fresh lustre to it ( applause ) . He concluded by again thanking the brethren for the hearty reception they had given him . Brothers Toozes and Kidd also responded for the newly-appointed officers , promising their hearty support to tho Worshipful Master , and an assiduous attention to the duties which had been cntrnsted to

them . Bro . Tesseyman P . M ., in proposing " tho Retiring W . Master and his officers , " said they had welcomed the coming , so shonld they speed the parting guests . The lodge had been ruled by the Immediate Past Master in a manner such as had not linen excelled by any of his predecessors . Bro . West had many qualifications which made him

eminently valuable to them as Master of this lodge , and if they looked aronnd them they would find many reasons why they had come to such a satisfactory conclusion ( applause ) . In the first place , he had kept tho lodge in snch good order , and the members altogether so harmoniously , that no less than 35 new members had been admitted during the past year—all , he hoped , good and true mon ( hear , hear ) .

He had so managed the finances of the lodge as to leave them in a satisfactory condition , and they were in possession of a fair round balance , in three figures , for the use of the brethren for decorating their h dge , or any other pnrpose which the Worshipful Master might direct . Thus they were enabled to set their feet on a solid foundation , ai . d go forward with great confidence to meet tho coming year .

Again , he would call their attention to tho ceremonial of the lodge , which , he believed , had been performed as nearly perfect as they might ever hope it to be ( applanse ) . He had kept thoroughly in hand , and had been well supported by his officers , who had all been well up to their work . That reflected upon the good judgment and skill of the Master in selecting such members to assist him in rulin "

the lodge as he had confidence in . In their own spheres of action they had each been equal to their Master in all that was necessary for the fulfilment of their duties in a proper and efficient manner . Pointing to the late S . W ., the high social and public position held b y Bro . Summers was in itself a recommendation , and no doubt the late Master felt assured that a man who had gained so high a position in the town would zealously and efficiently discharge the duties that

might devolve upon him in the lodge . Those duties had been thoroughly well done , and in no instance had the brethren been able to complain of any laxity of duty or efficiency in its S . W . ( cheers ) . Their J . W ., though not such an immense pillar of strength ( laughter ) , had well discharged his duties , and , if anything , the comparison would be in Bro . Thomson ' s favour . A more zealons , painstaking , or industrious warden he had never known ( applanse ) . Ono of the salient features of the year had been the MaEonic ball , the result of which

Humber Lodge Of Freemasons, Hull.

was that they had been able to devote a surplus of £ 45 to the Maaonio charities . He trusted that the result of the forthcoming ball , on tho 26 th of January , would be even still more successful ( cheers ) . Bro . Jonathan West I . P . M . in responding , thanked tho brethren for the compliment they had paid him . When he accepted office ho determined to guard the ancient landmarks of tho Order , and to

promote , to his utmost , unanimity and concord amongst the brethren . In this endeavour , he felt he had been , to a certain extent , snecessf ul ( applause ) . The Lodge funds had increased , and although they had upwards of 300 mombers , yet he questioned whether any other Lodge boasting of only 50 members , could have been more unanimous than had been the Humber Lodge . During the year there had not been a

single discussion which had caused the least pain either to himself or to the officers , aud that was a great achievement so far as unanimity was concerned . He trusted ho should leave that chair with no less friends than he had when he entored it ; and if the members were satisfied with the manner in which ho had fulfilled his duties he waa abundantly rewarded ( cheers . )

Bro . Francis Summers also briefly returned thanks , paying a high tribute of esteem and congratulation to tho retiring Master and the members generally upon tho increasing prosperity of the Humber Lodge ( cheers ) . The ex-Mayor ( Bro . Alderman Wells ) next proposed "The Past Masters and Founders of the Hnmber Lodge . " Amongst these

wero names they all revered , and every Hull Mason must feel a thrill of pleasure pass through him as ho reads the names emblazoned on tho record of tho Past Masters of this old and important Lodge . They were men of not only high position in the Craft , but of the highest social position in tho town . ( Hear , hear . ) He congratulated Bro . Ansell npon the manner in which the Past Masters had rallied round

him in the chair , as they had done his predecessors . It showed their interest in Masonry , and in the wolfare of this Lodge , when so many men of rank and eminence assembled on sach an occasion . ( Cheers . ) The W . Deputy Prov . Grand Master , in responding , said it rarely happened that so many Past Masters were assembled together as ho now saw around him , and it was gratifying that so many of them

had thought fit to rally round Bro . Ansell on the day of his installation . ( Applanse . ) In doing so they evidenced their desire that the Hnmber Lodge should go on and prosper ; and no doubt Bro . Ansell would experience the value of having a P . M . constantly at his lbow in the performance of his official duties . ( Hear , hear . ) He was sure that their Immediato Past Master , from his great zeal in

Masonry , would be often in his place , as he had been in the past . As to the founders , their names woro always received with the utmost reverence and respect ; and the speaker alluded at some length to the worth and merits of such men as Feetam , Stark , Crowe , and others whose portraits hung upon the walls of that room , and who had earned the affection of all who came after them by their zeal and

assiduity in promoting the principles of Masonry . The speaker then went on to speak of the degrees , warning young brethren especially against an over anxiety to practise those which wero not in accordance with the Grand Lodgo of England , but to adhere to the recognised degrees , and to make them as perfect as possible . These were the principles laid down and acted upon by tho founders of this Lodge ,

whose memories were so cherished by all Masons in the present day . In foreign countries politics and other matters wero introduced into Masonic Lodges , indirect contravention of the first great principles of the Order ; but ho trusted no such disturbing elements wonld ever find their way into our Lodges in this country , but that tho universality of Masonry which was one of its chief beauties , would always be strictly maintained . ( Cheers . )

Bro . Dr . Hay P . M . also suitably responded to the toast . Bro . Martin Kemp next gave tho " Sister Lodges , " on whose behalf Bro . John Brooke , W . M . of the Minerva Lodge , and Bro . Oates of the Alexandra Lodge , responded . Bro . H . Voiirht , on behalf of the W . M .

of tho Pelham Pillar Lodge , also express •• I thanks for the cordial welcome extended to the brethren of other Lilvos ; and Bro . Brooke expressed himself in similar terms on behalf of Bro . Hunt , W . M . of the Kingston Lodge , who had been obliged to withdraw from the assembly before the toast was proposed .

Bro . Vivian P . M . then gave the " Masonic Charities , " in whose behalf a most earnest appeal was made by Bro . John Thompson P . M ., the Grand Steward of the Charities for this Province . The Senior Warden then gave the "Visiting Brethren , " on whoso behalf Bro . Adjutant Bell , Bro . C . Nowton , of the Minerva Lodge , and Bro . B . Barnett , of the Alexandra Lodge , severally responded . The Junior Warden gave the last toast on tho list , " The Ladies , " for whom Bro . E . Stone and Bro . R . Toogood returned thanks .

The proceedings of the evening were enlivened by some excellent songs , Bro . J . W . Stephenson rendering most efficient service as aocompanyist .

AN OUNCE OF HELP WORTH A POUND OF Pm\—There waa a great rush to the trap , in which sat a disconsolate mouse looking in blank dismay at the company of cousins clamouriug outside . " How could you be so foolish ? " squeaked one .

" It goes to my very heart to see you , dear , " squeaked another ; while cries of " I wonder yon were not more careful ! " " What a thousand pities you shonld have fallen a sacrifice to your taste for cheese ! " " How glad I shonld be to see you out of your trouble !" etc ., etc ., rose in a chorus from the rest .

" there , if you can t do better than sit there squeaking , be so good as to go , " cried the prisoner , indignantly ; " if you would set to work to gnaw the wires , so as to set me free , I would call you friends , and believe in your sympathy , but your ' noiseand doing nothing'is worse than nseless . Your wisdom , which is aggravating , comes too late , and your pity is as contemptible to me as it is cheap to you I "—Mrs . Prosser ' s Fables in "Leisure Hour . "