The Queen And The Craft.

THE QUEEN AND THE CRAFT .

WE are among those who share the opinion lately expressed by a well known brother , to the effect that in matters of Masonic form and ceremony , as well

as in questions concerning the Masonic toasts and other similar matters , frequent repetition and continued familiarity does not breed contempt . No matter how often a brother may be called upon

to take part in one of the ceremonies of Freemasonry there is sure to be something during its progress which causes him especial pleasure , and no matter how frequently his hearers

may have listened to the work before , its repetition is sure to gratify them , and will repay for the time and attention devoted to it . So in the proposition of the Masonic toasts ; it seldom , if ever , happens that a Worshipful Master is wholly at a loss

for something fresh with which to clothe the well known and well worn sentiments of Freemasonry , while it is really astonishing to listen to the original ,

stirring , and really interesting remarks which are associated with one or other of our time honoured toasts .

Who would imagine that anything fresh could occur to the minds of the hundreds of Worshipful Masters throughout the world who have to propose

month after month the toast of the Queen and the Craft , as it has been proposed regularly and frequently for upwards of fifty years ? And yet it is not only

possible to vary the remarks which precede the toast , out that is what actually occurs . Even men who have been associated with the Order far longer than

we have—and our experience m the last fifteen years has been a wide and varied one—are occasionally struck with the originality of the remarks falling from the brother who has to submit this toast . Either

some personal reminiscence or local association is introduced to create a variety , or some fresh topic of the day is cleverly interwoven with the usual

formula , and the remarks appear to be quite as fresh as if it was the first time the toast had been submitted .

No doubt much of this pleasing variety is possible because Her Majesty and the members of her family take such lively and continued interest in the affairs

of the Craft , it seldom happening that any lengthy period is allowed to elapse without some tangible proof being given that their interest is sincere , and

not merely a matter of form . At the present timeif we may believe the rumour that has been pretty widely . circulated—another instance of this personal interest oi tne in tne anairs 01

noyai J . amuy j . reemasonry is about to be supplied ; it being announced that the grandson of Her Majesty , Prince Albert Victor , eldest son of our beloved Grand Master , is to

succeed to the Mastership of the Province of Surrey , just rendered vacant by the lamentable decease of General Brownrigg . We regret we are not yet in a

The Queen And The Craft.

position to give official confirmation to the rumour we refer to , but we have little doubt of its being authentic , although some one has perhaps been

rather premature in making it known to the world . If the eldest son of the Prince of Wales is no . to succeed to the Provincial Grand Mastership of Surrev

we imagine it is but postponing what mnst assuredly come some day ; still we shall be surprised if in this case " Dame Rumour " has played us false .

The news will be welcome tidings to those who occupy the chair of their Lodge , and many will be

the kindly references and good wishes expressed for the welfare of the Prince who is destined to take so important a- part in the affairs of his country as

Prince Albert Victor may be expected to do . The Masons of Surrey , too , will come in for a large share

of the congratulations which will follow so popular an appointment , and we look upon a rapid and substantial increase of the Order as certain to follow in

that district when once it is officially known that the Grand Master has so intimately associated himself

with it . The toast of the Queen and the Craft , including , as it is usually understood to do , the health of the other members of the Roval Family , will have

a special significance m the burrey Lodges , and indeed throughout all Lodges meeting in the domains of the British Crown , when once we are in a position

to include among the Provincial Grand Masters of England the name of the illustrious gentleman who ,

by following so closely in the footsteps of his beloved father , is winning for himself and his family the love and reverence which befit his high and exalted

position . In connection with the announcement that H . R . H . Prince Albert Victor is to be the future Provincial

Grand Master of Surrey it will interest our readers to learn the following particulars of his association with the Mark Degree : —

His Royal Highness was advanced in the Isaac Newton University Lodge , No . 112 , Cambridge , on the 18 th June 1885 , and was appointed Grand

Senior Warden in 1887 . He joined the Aldershot Army and Navy Lodge , No . 349 , on the 17 th November 1886 , and the Aldershot Military Lodge , No . 54 , on the 3 rd of the same month .

Freemasonry Is Brotherhood.

FREEMASONRY IS BROTHERHOOD .

An Address by Bro . Frederic Speed at the Laying of the Corner-stone of the City Hall at Meridian , Mississippi , February 1889 .

FROM the time when "the Lord God snid ifc is nob good that the man should be alone " he ha . looked toward others , existing in his own similitude , possessed of his own nature , his tendencies , hopes and aspirations .

Even in the formative periods of the race , while men were as yefc unwelded even into primitive shapes of social life , the principle of brotherhood predominated . Not self