Bengal.

BENGAL .

LORD SANDHURST recently visited the District Grand Lodge under the English Constitution , and was entertained as the guest of the evening . In welcoming His Excellency , Sir Henry Prinsep District Grand Master of Bengal said : —Before we commence the

ordinary business of the Grand Lodge this evening , I wish to draw your attention to the fact that we have among us a very distinguished Brother , greater than any Brother who has visited the Grand Lodge for some considerable time . I refer to Lord Sandhurst District Grand Master of all

Scottish Freemasonry in India . In bidding him welcome here I would ask you to recognise also the very great services he has rendered to Freemasonry , not only in Bombay , but throughout India . By his tact , skill , perseverance and forbearance , he has done more for

Freemasonry than any one before him . I speak with feeling on this subject , because when I became District Grand Master some twenty years ago there was a great deal of misunderstanding between English and Scotch Lodges . There was not only ill-feeling , but a spirit of cantankerousness prevalent

which almost approached a scandal among Freemasons . Under the sway of our distinguished Brother there has been none of this ill-feeling , and the Lodges under him have worked smoothly and well . Lord Sandhurst has attended

this meeting at great personal inconvenience this evening , but I need hardly assure you that there is no trouble he would not put himself to in order to advance the interests of Freemasonry . I call upon you to pay to him the honours due to his high office .

Lord Sandhurst , in reply , said : Right Worshipful District Grand Master , Worshipful Brethren , and Brethren all , —I have just come on a visit to the Lodges under the Scottish Constitution in Bengal , of which , as your District Grand Master has informed you , I am the ruling Mason , but

in the present instance I come for a few minutes to accept of your hospitality and kindness , and I can only say , in response to the too generous terms employed by your District Grand Master , that I thank you for the hearty welcome you have given me . In Bombay we work together in harmony , and I

confess I was anxious to see for myself whether the two Constitutions were working satisfactorily in Bengal , and I was indeed deeply gratified to hear the excellent report your District Grand Master has just given on this subject . I am aware that in Bombay some years ago , I will not say how

many , there was a certain amount of ill-feeling between the English and Scottish Constitutions . But I am glad to inform you that nothing of the sort exists in Bombay at the present time . This is an example of what harmony inspired by Freemasonry can bring about . We see , as we all know ,

though we are so accustomed to it that we hardly give it the attention it deserves , men of the West living in their Lodges in the greatest harmony . This , in my opinion , is the great idea of Freemasonry . If anyone happened to be sceptical of the harmony prevalent among Freemasons he had only to visit the Cathedral this morning and listen to the Bishop of

Calcutta . I have never before seen a ceremony of that description , and it will be a long time before I forget it . I am very shortly leaving this country after five years administration , which is the usual period of administration of a Governor of Bombay . We have had baddish times in

Bombay for the past four-and-a-half years , but you will be glad to hear that at all times during this anxious period I have had the cordial support of the Bombay Masonic body . When , during the height of the plague scare , people were

hurrying away to seek a more salubrious atmosphere elsewhere , I know of Masons who remained in the plague-stricken city , did the work of volunteers , and reflected the greatest credit on the Craft .

I am glad to inform you that after persevering endeavours , extending over a period of twenty years , a Masonic Temple has been erected in Bombay worthy of the Craft . This has mainly been accomplished through the generosity of wealthy Brethren , but I have always been at a loss to understand

why such a Temple was not built before . I should have been sorry indeed had my endeavours to erect a suitable Masonic Temple failed . But it is not so remarkable after all that we have succeeded in our designs . As you know , all great buildings in Bombay are erected under the control

of the Public Works Department—one of the departments under my charge—and as the Deputy Provincial District Grand Master was Under-Secretary in the Public Works Department at the time I am speaking of , it would indeed have been remarkable if we had not got the ground on which to erect the building .

Bengal.

And now , Right Worshipful Sir , I do not wish , by speaking at any greater length , to stand between the business you have to transact in the Grand Lodge . I appreciate the cordial welcome you have extended to me . As you are probably aware the duties of the Governor of Bombay are

of a complicated nature , and the Governor is often expected to be in two places at once . Under these circumstances it would have been impossible for me to take up the duties of Freemasonry had it not been for the unfailing assistance I have ever received from the Brethren of both Constitutions .

I have received a great deal of kindness from people in time of difficulties which I have been unable to control , but of all the kindness and consideration I have experienced during my tenure of office in Bombay , nothing has exceeded the kindness of the Freemasons I have been fortunate enough to meet in the Bombay Presidency .

Bro . Imre Kiralfy P . A . G . D . C . will be installed Worshipful Master of the Jubilee Masters Lodge ( of which he was a Founder ) on Friday , 16 th inst ., at the Hotel Cecil . This Lodge was originally founded to commemorate the Queen's

Diamond Jubilee , by Brethren who were Masters of London Lodges in 18 97 ; all Masters of London Lodges are eligible , provided they join during their year of office . The Lodge has now far over one hundred members , and it is expected

that ere long nearly every London Master will belong to it . The meetings are held at the Hotel Cecil , on the third Fridays in March , June , September and December .

The Brethren of Brixham are naturally proud of a letter just received from Lord Roberts , written by himself on the Dunottar Castle , when en route to the Cape , in which he

thanks his Masonic Brethren of Brixham for the vote of condolence passed to him on the death of his son at Colenso . The letter is to be framed and have a place of honour in the Lodge there .

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