Election Days And Election Tactics.

if they meant to succeed , aud success was the consequence . The same might usually be done with London candidates if the Lodges concerned really took an interest in tho-p recommended , bnt it seldom does anything after the necessary signatures have been attached to a petition .

We think we have said enough to convince our readers that this question has no claim to be regarded as a party one . It will have to be considered from many points of view , and when everything is done which it is possible to do , we shall , in all probability , be as far from securing

unanimity as ever . For this reason we again express onr opinion that strong reasons should bo given before any alteration is sanctioned . As the desire seems to be to have all the elections

together , so as to make one journey to London sufficient , we would suggest that the three days following that set apart for the Annual Festival of Grand Lodge be considered , as , if it is desirable to hold three events on

consecutive days , it would appear to be even more beneficial to arrange for four celebrations coming together , especially as many brethren who attend one desire to

take part in all . In conclusion we cordially invite our readers to express their opinions on the subject . Our correspondence columns are open for tho purpose , and we feel sure that the more the matter is discussed the easier it will be for the Committee to form an opinion likely to meet with general approval .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Grand Festival was held on Wednesday , 27 th mst ., at Freemasons' Hall , where there was a numerous attendance , under the Earl of Lathom , Deputy Grand Master , who presided in the unavoidable absence of the Earl of Carnarvon . Bros . Sir John Monckton occupied

the chair of G . S . W ., F . Beilby Ashton G . J . W ., W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master Hants and Isle of Wi ght as D . G . M ., T . W . Tew Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire as Past G . Master . Grand Lodge having been opened , the

Grand Secretary , Bro . Shadwell H . Clerke , read the miuutes of the March Quarterly Communication , so far as they related to the re-election of the M . W . Grand Master , aud Sir Albert Woods ( Garter ) proclaimed H . R . H . the

Prince of Wales duly elected and installed as M . W . Grand Master for the ensuing year . The Grand Secretary having read the list of Grand Stewards for the year , tho Earl of Lathom announced that tho M . W . Grand Master had been

pleased to re-appoint the Earl of Carnarvon as Pro Grand Master , and himself ( Lord Lathom ) as Deputy Grand Master . Prince Albert Victor was appointed Senior Grand

Warden , but was unable to be present that clay , as he was serving with his regiment at Gibraltar . Bro . General Lord Wolseley was then invested Junior Grand Warden . We give the list of the new Grand Officers on page 282 .

At the conclusion of the business the brethren partook of a sumptuous banquet , at the Freemasons' Tavern , the most complete arrangements for which were made by Messrs . Spiers and Pond , under the personal superintendence of

their manager , Bro . Madell . Bro . T . W . Tew , Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire , presided , and in proposiug the toast of the Queen made some happy allusions to Her Majesty ' s Jubilee , with the hope that she might realize to the largest and

fullest extent the loyalty , devotion and happiness of a contented people , rejoicing over her glorious and prosperous reign of fifty years . The next toast was The Princess of Wales and the other Members of the Royal Family , all of

whom had earned the loyalty and devotion of Masons . The health of the M . W . the Grand Master was next drank , in a bumper . Bro . Tew , in proposing the toast reminded the brethren that at a critical moment in the history of the

Order His Royal Highness stepped forward and undertook the government of the Craft . This circumstance alone would entitle him to the loyalty and devotion of Freemasons , but their gratitude was intensified by the fact that one of

his sons had been appointed Senior Grand Warden . Each one present must pray fervently that the Prince of Wales and his son may be endued with the blessing of health , and may long be spared to adorn our ancient and noble Order .

The toast of the Pro Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master was enthusiasticall y received , after which Bro . Hugh Sanderaan , P . D . G . M . Bengal , proposed the

health of the President of the evenng , speaking of Brother Tew as a well known Mason , and especially so in respect of the Masonic Charities . Bro . Tew briefly

United Grand Lodge.

responded , and in the course of his observations expressed tho hope that when tho great Jubilee demonstration in London took place his Province would not be behind others in loyalty to H . R . H . by the manner in which it

supported the Imperial and Colonial Institute . Brother the Rev . Dr . Cartwright responded for the Grand Wardens and other Grand Officers , and in doing so humorousl y remarked that he had been represented to his Bishop as one who ought to be unfrocked for his share iu

Freemasomy ; he had been abused in Bengal as a man who was immoral and seditious , and everything else that was bad . These charges had , however , been productive of no very alarming result . Grand Officers desired to follow

in the wake of their illustrious predecessors , and he hoped the G . A . O . T . U . might continue to bless them so loug as they carried out that glorious principle of Charity which should prevail until prophesy had failed and tongues had ceased .

Bro . Tew next gave the Masonic Charities . With the toast he associated the name of Bro . Terry , Secretary of the Benevolent Institution . Those who were present at the Benevolent Festival in February must have been amazed

at the wonderful energy which Bro . Terry displayed in connection with collecting so large and magnificent a sum for that Charity . He could not but believe that the result of the other Festivals would gratify both Bro . Hedges and

Bro . Binckes by the enormous suras they would produce . The Charities were very dear to each one of them , and all felt a pleasure in supporting them to the best of their ability , and to the utmost of their means . Bro . Terry took

this , the first opportunity since his Festival , to thank Grand Lodge for the £ 1000 it had voted to the Benevolent Institution . He hoped that the Festivals of the Girk' and Boys' Institutions , to be held in May and June , might be as beneficial as the Benevolent . He should now content

himself with saying that while acknowled ging the success which attended his Festival in February last , he hoped both the Schools might have the same support . Bro . Binckes , who was loudly called for , said their excellent Chairman ,

in exercise of the discretion which was undoubtedly his prerogative , coupled the toast of Success to their Masonic Institutions with his good friend Bro . Terry , whose Festival was so successfully celebrated in February last .

There was not one brother in the room who was not prepared to offer all the congratulations which were due to so successful an event ; still he ( Bro . Binckes ) did offer one suggestion—the past had told its own tale , but there

was a future which must be attended to with a certain amount of anxiety . They did not know what the Jubilee celebration might produce ; but , they , especially in the Boys' School , were exceedingly anxious on account of the

very precarious position in which they were placed . He could not help saying that , while congratulating the representatives of the other two Institutions on the extremel y sound and successful financial position they occupied , he

was depressed ancl weighed clown with a sense of responsibility by the imperfect condition in which their Boys ' School was placed . He was prepared to admit that this was not the time , on a festive occasion like this ; nor was it

an appropriate or fitting opportunity ; to weary them with an appeal ou behalf of any charitable body . He could speak with an experience of years gone by that , whether the occasion might be a legitimate one or not , there was no

Mason who attended any gathering in that hall , or elsewhere , who ever forgot the calls , the responsibilities , and the claims of their glorious Institutions , To the brethren present—who were a fairly representative assembly—be all

the glory and the success which had been achieved ; but he did hope that they would all bear in mind , especially the younger members of the Order , that they were inheritors of traditions handed down from a long past antiquity ,

which must be again handed down—the traditions of the example of those who had gone before them—and which must be not only imitated but emulated . For his share in the past , he had nothing but pride and gratification , except

one feeling of intense gratitude to those who had supported him for the last 26 years ; on these he based his hopes that the future would not beless glorious than the past . Bro . A . T . Lavton , J . P ., responded for the Grand Stewards ,

observing that ifc was perhaps somewhat a pity that their career should end just as they began to gain experience ; still they had some hopes that in the coming Festival the

Grand Stewards mig ht have an opportunity of showing their appreciation of the position in which they were placed . He concluded by congratulating them on the great success of the present Festival .