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English-speaking federation—which was already three times as big as Europe , and which three times exceeded tho United States of North America in bulk , revenue and population—under Queen Victoria und her successors—remain one ; loyal , undivided , and invincible for all time .

The Royal party and Grand Officers then left tho banqueting hall amid loud applause , and shortly afterwards returned io London .

During the banquet the band of the Royal Marines , under the direction of Mr . George Miller , played a most charming selection , while a glee party , from the Royal Chapel at Windsor , rendered several pieces .

At the same time at which the Masonic banquet was being held Messrs . Sutton entertained the Worshipful tho Mayor of Beading and a large number of visitors who wero not Freemasons to a handsome luncheon in the Abbey Lecture Hall , a spacious room also attached to their

establishment . Mr . Martin John Sutton presided , and was supported by the Mayor , Recorder and Town Clerk of Reading , with other local dignitaries . After the repast , in the absence of Mr . M . J . Sutton ( who had been sent for by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales ) , Mr . Herbert

Sutton proposed in very felicitous terms " The Health of her Majesty the Queen " and " The Prince and Princess of Wales and fche rest of the Roynl Family , " which were most loyally received . The Mayor of Windsor followed , and proposed " The Health of Messrs . Sutton , " thanking them

for what they had done . Ho said they were almost jealous of the Freemasons in having the hononr of entertaining the Prince of Wales ; nevertheless , they were exceedingly pleased and honoured to seo his Royal Highness amongsfc them . His Worship concluded by referring to the

hospitality of the Messrs . Sutton , at which they were not at all surprised , though they were very grateful for it . Mr . Arthur Sutton , responded for the toast , and expressed the pleasure it had been to their firm to do what they had done . The company then separated , in order to see the distinguished company leave the Masonic banquet .

A very pleasing finish was given fco the proceedings in the entertainment by the Messrs . Sutton of about 600 of their employes and friends , tbe following evening , in the banqueting room .

When it was decided that fche installation ceremony should take place at Reading , the difficulty presented itself that there waa no public hall sufficiently large for the purpose , but Messrs . Sutton and Sons , with much public spirit , placed at the disposal of the Freemasons a portion

of their splendid premises . Consequently , space was secured to accommodate , if necessary , 1000 guests . It may be interesting here to observe that at the Jubilee of her Majesty , in the room allotted to the Freemnsons , and the soace under ifc . two thousand nersons ¦ na . rf . nnlr nf AlnnM >

With such facilities for arranging the banquet the difficulties which at firsfc presented themselves were quickly and easily overcome .. At the main entrance to the banquet room there were tbe Royal arms , and tho approach was most artistically adorned with palms and evergreen shrubs ,

with a bordering of red and white cyclamen , embanked in moss . The plants and flowers , together with the encaustic tiles and crimson cloth laid upon it , made a most effective and beautiful entrance . Before the banqueting hall was reached there was a considerable length of passages to

traverse , and all of it waa decorated en suite , the lighting being very effective and varied , consisting of electric , gas and oil lamps . The prevailing colours , besides tbe green of tbe foliage , were red and white , there being also introduced crimson tulips , and fche red berry of the solanum

relieved by well bloomed ericas . In the centre of the raised platform in the banqueting room was a canopy , under which the Royal visitors sat . There was a long cross table and fifteen others , accommodating some eight hundred to nine hundred guests . The room , which is usually used for

executing orders for farm seeds , had been most artistically decorated . All around were curtains , and the windows were filled with flowers ; the roof was covered with material in narrow red , white and blue stripes , and innumerable

shields and trophies were arranged in every suitable point . Special lights were introduced , making the scene most striking and brilliant . In the banqueting ball , as in fche entrance , the " leading idea " was red and white , and a

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beautiful effect was produced witb white primulas and red cyclamen . Just in front of the Grand Master was a margin of fern-leaved primulas , not in flower , and an attractive bed of cyclamen and primulas in full bloom ; and similar

p lants were grouped on the various tables . Altogether the decorations , whether floral or by the upholsterer , were extremely successful . The latter were carried out by Messrs . Heelas , Sons and Co ., of Reading . The very tasteful

arrangements of the retiring rooms for the Grand Master are also deserving of notice . No one , on going into them , could have imagined that they were usually used as stores for cabbage seed .

By tbe installation of H . R . H . tbe Dnke of Clarence and Avondale as Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire , the Freemasons of England have once again three members of the Royal Family occupying prominent positions in the ruling of their Order . The Prince of Wales is in the

seventeenth year of his Grand Mastership , and is as popular as ever he was among the members of the mystic brotherhood . His brother , the Duke of Connaught , has been at tbe head of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex since 1886 , and a District Grand Lodge of Bombay since

1887 ; while early in the present month he was elected o the honorary rank of Past Graud Master of England , and on that occasion was spoken of as one of the most enthusiastic Masons of the day . Now tbe Masons have the eldest son of the Prince of Wales as ruler of Berkshire , which

honour he has succeeded to in consequence of the death of the late Sir Daniel Gooch , Bart ., who was tbe ruler of the united districts of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire from 1868 until the time of his death , a few months back . The

young Prince assumes the rule of a most enthusiastic and growing Masonic district , and there is little doubt but that his association with fche Province will give an impetus to the Order there which will result in considerable additions afc an early date .

H . R . H . the Duke of Clarence and Avondale was regularly initiated into Freemasonry on the 17 fch March 1885 , in the Royal Alpha Lodge , No . 16 , London , so that he has been a member of the Order just over 5 ^ years before rising to th » dignity of Provincial Grand Master .

Our Altar.

OUR ALTAR .

An Oration hy Bro . Horace T . De Long , Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Colorado .

when the Supreme Grand Master , who governs the whole world with greater regularity than the sun governs the day or the moon governs the night , calls us from our temporary labors on earth to eternal refreshments in the paradise above , He shall not find that we have been derelict in

( Continued from page 371 . ) IT was at our sacred altar , on bended knees before God and our brethren , that we pledged ourselves to each other faithfully to discharge all the duties thafc the broadest charity can possibly cover . Let us look to it then , thafc

keeping our solemn obligations , or in discharging any of the duties required at our hands . Since this Grand Lodge mefc in Annual Communication , a great and important epoch in Colorado Masonry has been consummated ; ifc being no less than tbe completion and

dedication of this magnificent temple . Heretofore the Lodges of this city have been roving tenants with no permanant abiding place . Their history—in fact , the history of Colorado Masonry—may be briefly summed up as the triumphant march from the cabin to the temple . From

the very first meeting of Auraria Lodge , in the cabin at the foot of Ferry street , throngh all the thirty odd years to the completion and dedication of this temple , the Masonic Fraternity in this jurisdiction has enjoyed the divine blessings in perpetual progress . Whatever may have been

the obstacles to remove , or the difficulties to surmount , the faithful ones who travelled this way before us discharged their various duties with such unfaltering fidelity that the Craffc has now attained an era of prosperity and secured for itself an abiding place which far surpasses the