Pic-Nic Of The Minnehaha Minstrel Lodge, No. 2363.

waters leaped and sported over the rocks with a noise like artillery . The scene was often quite tropical in its boundless loveliness , and the delicious softness and warm languor of a beautiful day , added to the fact that the view of water was often lost in dense foliage and could only be heard , and the sky overhead almost shut in by an impervious screen of leaves and branches , added salience to every changing feature , and induced a feeling that this was real pastoral happiness .

Upon returning to the hotel , tea was partaken of , and afterwards a few toasts were proposed and suitably acknowledged . That which included the name of Bro . T . C Lilly Worshipful Master , was submitted by Bro . W . Rostron S . W ., who , having added a just tribute of praise to him on account of his excellent work in the Lodge , reverted to the pleasant day which they had spent in the neighbourhood , and in the companionship of their lady friends , hoping that nothing would occur to mar it . Bro . Lilly responded , thanking those present for the enthusiastic

manner in which they had receive his name . It also fell to his lot to reply to the toast of the ladies , admirabl -: .. troduced by Bro . Harry G . Walker J . W . The efforts made by the pic-nic committee were mentioned and very favourably commented upon , the reply being undertaken by that doyen of the Lodge , Bro . W . J . Melling P . M . Prov . G . S . B . Secretary , and also the W . M . The latter , as will be seen by our mention of their names , was well supported by his principal Officers . There were also present Bros . W . Goodman I . P . M ., James Hayes P . M ., and J . E . Chapman Treas .

The party left the hotel for tho return to Manchester at an early hour , arriving about 9 p . m . The entertainment on the way was almost exclusively in the hands of the Worshipful Master . Bro . Lilly ' s mirth was boundless and undiminishing : he was the artesian well which could not be pumped dry , and , like the miller ' s mare , ever looking for a white stone to shy at , so he , whose imagination we opine often ran luxuriantly riot in quest of playful wit , launched it forth with an earnest , elaborate , and artistic eloquence which held captive his admiring audience

Presentation At Grimsby.

PRESENTATION AT GRIMSBY .

ON Thursday , Sth inst ., a brilliant presentation banquet took place in the Masonic Hall , Grimsby , when the Freemasons representing the three local Lodges took the opportunity of marking the Jubilee year by presenting the Mayor ( Councillor Jack Sutcliffe ) with a magnificent testimonial of their high esteem for His Worship as a Freemason .

After the banquet grace was sung by the Apollo Glee Singers , and the toasts of the Queen , the Prince of Wales , the Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Family , having been loyally honoured , remarks were made by the chief representatives of the three Grimsby Lodges , Bro . Wm . Hill W . M . Pelham Pillar Lodge , No . 792 ; Bro . Herbert 0 . Scaping W . M . St . Albans Lodge , No . 1294 ; and Bro . E . A . Lewis W . M . Smyth Lodge , No . 2284 .

The testimonal was then handed to the Mayor . It consisted of an address , embellished in most beautiful and artistic manner by Bro . Alfred Wykes , the ornamentation being appropriately composed of symbols of Masonry . The text , which was centered by a portrait of Her Majesty , was as follows :

To the Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of Grimsby ( BKO . JAOK SUTOLDPFE , ESQ ., J . P ., P . P . S . G . W . of Freemasons Lincolnshire ) . The great national event of the Diamond Jubilee , to commemorate the auspicious reign of sixty years of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen and Empress , which will be celebrated this day , 22 nd June 1897 , throughout the whole British Empire , gives the Freemasons of Grimsby an opportunity of which they avail themselves , not only of their devotion to Her Majesty and

loyalty to the Crown , but of expressing their sincere satisfaction at your elevation to the Civic chair , and tendering their brotherly and hearty congratulations to you on the celebration of the Jubilee in this Borough happening in the year of your mayoralty . The services you have rendered and the lasting benefit you have been the means of conferring on the town will be worthy of the great occasion , and place your name on the list of those noble citizens gone before you , who have done honour to the town and their

name . The unselfish and philanthropic acts in carrying out in practice the principles of Masonic Brotherhood , which you and your late father have consistently performed , are so well known and recorded in the annals of Freemasonry in this Province that the name of Sutcliffe will be handed down to symbolize all that is good and great from generation to generation . The undersigned Masters of the three Masonic Lodges in Grimsby represent the

whole of the members of these respective Lodges in the town in this fraternal testimony of their high esteem and regard for you and yours . Praying that T . G . A . O . T . U * . may bless and prosper you in your undertakings , and endow you with all the virtues of long life and happiness . ( Signed ) WM . HILL W . M . Pelham Pillar Lodge , No . 792 . HERBERT C . SCAPING W . M . St . Albans Lodge , No . 1294 . E . A . LEWIS W . M . Smyth Lodge , No . 2284 .

In conjunction with this address the Mayor received a very handsome silver cigar case , with his monogram in gold letters upon the face . Both presentations were made by the Chairman Bro . Anderson Bates P . P . S . G . W ., with felicitous remarks . After the loyal toasts the Chairman , addressing the Mayor , said the

presentation about to be made to His Worship embodied their appreciation of him both as a Mason and as Chief Magistrate of the Borough . The position he held in the Borough , and the position his father had held , made it only right and proper for them to take advantage of the Diamond Jubilee celebration to present him with a testimonial . He would not discount the sentiments expressed in the memorial , but would read the address .

Having read the address , as given above , Bro . Bates said it gave him extreme pleasure and gratification—and he felt it a great compliment that the duty was placed in his hands—to hand to his Worship that magnificent address , which had been prepared very artistically , and was worthy of acceptance . He trusted he might live long to appreciate the feelings of the Brothers in presenting him with the testimonial . The Brethren , he added , also acknowledged Bro . Sutcliffe's feelings in the minute circumstances of life ; they knew he delighted in smoking , and , in addition to the testimonial , had asked him to present a cigar case .

Bro . Wm . Hill W . M . Pelham Pillar Lodge , also addressing Bro . Sutcliffe said it gave him very great pleasure to support their esteemed and worthy Bro . Bates , in presenting that beautiful testimonial , as the representative of the Pelham Pillar Lodge , the oldest in Grimsby . He was speaking the views of all the Brethren of that Lodge when he said they heartily congratulated Bro . Sutcliffe as a townsman and a Brother , and that they could not do much to honour him in the position he already held , not only as a Brother Mason , but in the town of Grimsby . He was sure he spoke tho wish of every Brother

Presentation At Grimsby.

when he said that they heartily wished him long life and happiness ; that he might live long not only to enjoy the good things of this world , but to see that beautiful address which they had just presented to him . They were all proud of him . He had once heard Brother Sutcliffe say , not so very long since , that he did not know why he had been singled out in this particular manner , They knew very well what he had done for Masonry in the past , and also

—though not altogether from their own knowledge , but from what they read —of what his father had done for Masonry , and on that account they were very pleased and proud not only to own him as a Brother , but to have him at the head of their affairs in Grimsby . Might he long live to enjoy the honours he had received , and might he long be at the head of affairs , not only in Masonry , but in outside matters .

Bro . Herbert C Scaping W . M . St . Albans Lodge observed that it gave him great pleasure indeed to support the remarks made by the previous speaker . The Jubilee , and the fact oi Bro . Sutcliffe being Mayor of the Borough , had given them the opportunity of giving him this address and cigar case , and of thus expressing to him the great brotherly feeling they all had

for him . As a member of Bro . Sutcliffe ' s own Lodge he , acting as the mouthpiece of the brethren of that Lodge , could say it gave the members very great pleasure to subscribe to this testimonial . He trusted they might have the recipient long amongst them , and that he would live for many years to enjoy the brotherly love which he held in such a marked degree from the Fraternity in the town .

Bro . E . A . Lewis W . M . Smyth Lodge endorsed the remarks made by his Brother Worshipful Masters , and was glad because they could that night thank Bro . Sutcliffe for being so actively engaged in forming the Smyth Lodge , and in giving it that prestige which they esteemed it to have . It gave them great pleasure to do homage to Bro . Sutcliffe . The whole company then rose and joined lustily in the singing of " He's a jolly good fellow , " following it with three cheers for the Mayor , and one extra for the Mayoress .

The Mayor , who on rising to reply was received with a storm of applause , said he was really at a loss to find words to express the gratitude he felt towards the whole of the brethen present , and to the Masonic body in Grimsby . He did not know why they should compliment him in the extremely handsome manner they had . He felt that he had not earned such distinction . In the first place they had conferred upon him the highest compliment it was possible to confer upon a man . It was quite owing to

the Masonic members of the Town Council that he had been placed in the distinguished position he occupied in the town , and for them to crown that honour with this further distinction , this highly valued address , and the other beautiful token of their esteem , was beyond his apprehension . He did not know that he had done anything beyond what any Brother connected with the Order in Grimsby had done , and it puzzled him to know why he should be singled out to be so blessed by their good feeling and by the

handsome rewards they heaped upon him . As to the important trust they had placed in his hands , he hoped he should be able to conduct himself properly , and to uphold the reputation of Freemasons . The Order was not altogether understood by people not connected with it , but if Masons were judged by their acts they must be highly esteemed by everybody who gave proper though to the principles they followed , and the standard of life they set before themselves , which they endeavoured to live tip to . He had

always had the greatest pleasure in his association with the members of the body . His connection with the Order was the pleasure of his life , and it was exceedingly gratifying to know , and to feel , he had the good opinion of the Brethren , and to receive the hearty greetings he always did at their hands . He assured them . he reciprocated those good feelings , and so far as he could assist in any way to promote good fellowship and brotherly love and harmony , it was his life ' s pleasure to do so . He derived his happiness to a large extent

from the fraternal good feeling which he felt existed between himself and such an important body as was represented thero that night . He was very sorry he was not a prominent worker in the details of the duties in the Lodges , but so tar as his ability allowed him , when he had any duty to perform , he tried to do it well . Latterly he had not taken up the duties in the manner he should have liked to have done , but he hoped to come round again when his time was less fully occupied . Freemasonry , he went on , was the oasis in one ' s general life in this part of the world . If it were not for the

happy and agreeable meetings , and the delightful association they had one amongst , the other , it would be plain living in this north-east corner of Lincolnshire . It was that association which made the days and weeks happy and agreeable . There was always something to look forward to in the meetings they had to attend from time to time . He was himself always happy in his association with Freemasonry . In conclusion , he could only thank them in simple terms for the very high compliment they had conferred upon him . — " Grimsby News . "

PRESENTATION AT DARWEN . ON Tuesday , 13 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Darwen , the headquarters of the Harmony and . Industry Lodge , No . 381 , a strong muster of members assembled for the purpose of presenting Bro . Sam H . Shorrock P . M . P . P . G . Tr . with a purse of gold as a token of esteem on the occasion of his departure from England to take up his abode at Shanghai . Bro . Shorrock

is to leave the town early next month . He was a member of the well-known finn of Messrs . J . and R . Shorrock , ironfounders , but he is going to start business on his own account at Shanghai . He has been a prominent and active figure in Darwen , and by his departure the Conservative party will lose a most ardent and energetic supporter . As a Mason Bro . Shorrock ' s career has been one of great activity . He joined the Graft in 1882 , and in 1896 was elected Treasurer to the Bast Lancashire Province .

Bro . B . Horrocks W . M . presided at the ceremony on Tuesday , while the presentation was made by Councillor Wardley , senior member of the Lodge , on behalf of the members . He spoke of the great regret with which they parted with Bro . Shorrock , and remarked that he was sure he would conduct himself in his new sphere to the credit of himself and the country to which he belonged .

All the members supported Bro . Wardley , after which Bro . Shorrock responded in a neat and appropriate speech , in which he feelingly alluded to the many kindnesses he had received at their hands .

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