Centenary Op The Combermere Lodge.

CENTENARY OP THE COMBERMERE LODGE .

ON Thursday of last week the Freemasons of Macclesfield and Congleton , and other towns in Cheshire , Lancashire and York , shire celebrated the Centenary of the Combermere of Union Lodge , No . 295 . The belts of St . Michael ' s wero rung in honour of the occasion , which was honoured by the presence of the Provincial Grand Master of Cheshire ( Lord Egerton of Tatton ) . The brethren met at two o ' clock

in the Town Hal ) , the spacious Assembly Room of which was converted into the Lodge-room , His Worship the Mayor kindly placing his parlour nt the service of the brethren . The W . M . ( Bro . Thomas Lockitt P . M . P . P . G . S . D . ) presided , and the Prov . G . M . and the Previucial Officera were received in due form . Lord Egerton then took the chair .

An interesting feature of the proceedings was the presentation to Lord Egerton of Tatton by the W . M . of tbe Centenary jewel and his Lordship ' s election as the first honorary member of the Lodge . ^ The W . M . was also presented with a Centenary jewel by Lord Egerton , on behalf of the Lodge , all tho Officers of which in the Centenary yoir have- " passed the ohair , " as follows : —Bros . Thomas

Lockitt P . P . G . S . D . W . M ., George Ibeson I . P . M ., William Whiston P . G . S . W . S . W ., Geo . Jas . Goodwin J . W ., Thomas Lockitt Treasnrer , John H . Brookes P . G . A . Soc . Secretary , James Needham PfP . G . S . D . S . D ., Benj . E . Leech J . D ., Robert Brown P . P . G . S ; D . of C , Thou . Wadswoith Org-., Henry Maydew I . G-., John Stahifdith and John Fred ; May Stewards , Daniel Mason Tyler , Frank Hulme Assistant ¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦

Tyler . : .-- - •'•.. - . •'' " The : Centenary Warrant was presented to the Worshipfnl Master by Lord Egerton , who said it was interesting to look back in the records which had been admirably compiled by Bro . R . Brown P . M ., and to learn that although the Lodge had had various habitations and had passed throngh many vicissitudes it had remained intact daring

100 years , an achievement whioh spoke emphatically for the thorough , ness with which it had maintained and carried ont the principles of the Craft during that period . He trusted that the Centenary Warrant would be an inducement to brethren of the present and future generations to maintain the high character of No . 295 for many years yet to come , and to keep the bright torch of Masonry

burning in tbat part of the Province . Brother Lockitt accepted the .. Warrant , and presented to the Prov . G . M . a commemorative jewel . In return Lord Egerton , on behalf of the brethren , presented to the Worshipful Master a similar memento of the interesting occasion . Bro . Dri , Forshaw , of Bradford , read an ode which bad been composed for the occasion , and whioh eloquently pourtrayed the tenets

of the Craft .. On the motion of the Worshipful Master , seconded by Lord Egerton , Dr . Forshaw wns awarded a special vote of thanks for the time and trouble he had taken in composing the Ode . Many of the Provincial brethren also favourably commented on it , saying that it was far in advance of anything ever heard in Lodge , and speak . ing in the highest terms of tbe able manner in which it was delivered . As it was inserted in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE lust week our

readers will doubtless have formed their own opinion ere this . It will also appear in a book enlifcled "A Hundred Years' Hit tory of Freemasonry in Macclesfield , " which is in the press , the author being Bro . R . Brown P . M . P . P . G . S . Bro . Brown ' s book states that the Lodge was formed in Jane 1793 , the Beneficent Lodge of thnt day being its founder . It met at " The

Duke of Devonshire's Cbilder , Goose Lane "—the Brunswick Street of to-day , its first W . M . being Bro . Thomas Hibel . " The history of Masonry in Macclesfield for the past century is , to a large extent , the history of the town and district , for a careful perusal of the records of the Lodge shows that tbe Craft has ever been conspicuously associated with every great and good work , whether it entailed the

lending of its influence and presence to memorable public functions or exercising the greatest of all gifts , whioh is , and e 'er must be , the crowning excellence of our fraternity—Charity . " The Lodge met at different places in tho lapse of years , including the Hen and Chickens and the Golden Lion , before—many years ago—it settled at its present locale , the Macclesfield Arms Hotel . The Masons took pait

in the laying of the fonndation stones of Hurdsfield Cbnrob , tbe Town Hall , and other public buildings . Bro . Brown makes special reference to the great work in Masonry of Bro . John Smith , of Langley , who was snoh a tower of strength in the Craft , and to whose memory the Brethren have erected a monument in St . James '

Church , Higher Sutton . It will also contain a list of the members of the Lodge in tbe Centenary year , and the records of the local Masonio events , which bring back to memory the names of many old Macclesfield families . It will thus possess au interest outside the Craft .

Before the Lodge rose , on the proposition of the Secretary , the W . M . was re-elected charity representative . Votes of thanks having been passed to His Worship the Mayor for the uso of his parlour , and to the Vicar for the nse of the Old Churob , the Lodge proceedings terminated . After tho Lodge meeting the brethren walked in procession , in

Masonio clothing , to the Old Church , the procession being witnessed by a large concourse of spectators , many of whom attended the service . The musical arrangements were entrusted to Bros . James Stevens and Joseph Townley , the latter presiding at the organ . Bro . the Rev . T . T . Higgins Past Prov . Grand Chaplain , Vicar of Saint Peter ' s , Congletonpreached an appropriate sermon from Luke x . 3—

, " Go thou and do likewise . " The rev . gentleman based his remarks on the three points that a benevolent disposition was in accordance with the best and truest principles of onr nature , thafc the exercise of benevolence proves the truest comfort and joy to the benevolent individual himself j and , lastly , the spirit of benevolence was the

spirit of the Gospel and after the example and practice of Jesus Christ . In concluding an able discourse , the rev . gentleman said he was there to-day to plead on behalf of the charitable institntions amongst them and in connection with their Order , and he had reason fco believe that the good people of Macclesfield were always ready to support a right cause when contributions were solicited from them .

Centenary Op The Combermere Lodge.

When they remembered tho number , the extent , and the efficiency of their charitable institution ? , it rendered pleading with them utterly and entirely unnecessary . Go where they would throughout the length and breadth of tbe land or throughout the length and breadth of the civilised world , and saw the self-sacrificing efforts to relieve the poor and distressed , he thought they might , with pardonable

pride , ask themselves in the words of the Latin poet , Quae regio in tern ' s mostri noil plena luloris ? They were there with proud and grateful hearts to commemorate the Centenary of a Lodge which was still flourishing and useful , and still an ornament of the great order of Freemasons . What might have been the vicissitudes of the Lodge during that time he oonld nob say , bnt the history of the

Combermere Lodge was , it appeared , being compiled by a worthy member of it , and he was sure when they had the pleasure of reading the record that that Brother had preserved for them , not only tha worthy brethren of the Combermere Lodge , but the worthy orethreri throughout the length of this Province and throughont the length and breadth of England would be ready when they have before them this

glorious example , and determined , in the words of the text , to " go acd do likewise . Might God in His mercy an 1 grace give them power to follow the christian example of those who bad gone before them , so that when the hour of their departure bad come they might ba partakers of the blessings and glory reserved in heaven for those

made perfect through the blood of Christ . At the close of the service a collection was made in aid of tha Cheshire Benevolent Masonio Institute , and the" Macclesfield Infirmary . In the evening Lord Egerton presided at the banquet at the Mao * clesfield Arms Hotel . ¦¦ ¦ : ¦ ¦ ; ¦;•¦

The toasts were of the usual character interspersed by songs and recitations . A pleasing part of the proceedings was the introduction to Lord Egerton , by the Director of Ceremonies , of Bro . John James Mason , Who is the oldest brother in the county , having been a member of the Combermere for fifty-eight years . His Lordship congratulated the venerable brother on his presence and long Masonio career , and heartily proposed and drank to his health . The speeches were of a highly interesting character . —Macclesfield Courier , . ' . '•' '

AN ENGLISH RESTAURANT IN PARIS . —English chops and steaks , English cookery and specialities of all kinds , are to be offered to the Parisian pnblio at 26 Boulevard des Capuoines , by the enterprising Messrs . Spiers and Pond . The best French cookery will be supplied also ; and , in fact , it is proposed to start a thoronghly high : class

Restaurant , whioh , while offering the best cuhine ot both countries , will be mainly conducted on English line ? . Messrs . Spiers nnd Pond ' s vast experience in catering should bring to a successful i .- 'sue a scheme whioh will ba watched with interest on both sides of the channel .

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