Grand Festival.

to suggest that if the brethren of private lodges who were not able to contribute an amount that would bear to be quoted when those lists were read out in the hall would yet contribute but a small sum each to thc honour of their lodge in general , there would be a more magnificent sum than they were able to speak of on these occasions . In a commercial country like ours ,

subject to ups and downs as they all knew commerce was , it was an enormous satisfaction to a Mason to feel that , should misfortune overtake him , his boys and his girls would be taken charge of by his brethren of thc Cralt , and if he should himself require it he would , in his old age , be supported by those whom in better times he had been proud to join with as brethren .

Bro . HEDGES , in acknowledging the toast , said the Charities owed a deep debt of gratitude to the Craft , and it afforded him sincere pleasure to respond for them . At the commencement of the year tbe Benevolent Institution celebrated a festival second to none in its annals , and now the Girls' and Boys' Schools stood before the brethren hat in hand , waiting for the verdict of the Craft on their behalf . The Girls would hold their rmh

anniversary festival that day fortnight , when the Provincial Grand Master of Sussex would preside , and he hoped the announcement he should then have lo make would be second to none . Up to the present time , however , their prospects were not so good as he could wish , the lists of Stewards were not so long as they might be , but still he hoped they would have an excellent result , and he threw himself entirely on the liberality of the brethren .

Alderman Sir REGINALD HANSON , replying to the toast of "The Grand Stewards , " said the Grand Stewards followed in the wake of many great men in the Craft who had had the honour of serving as Stewards at Grand Festival , as they hoped many brethren would follow them for many years to come . The present Grand Stewards hoped they might vie successfully with

those who had previously managed Grand Festival . If they had come short of their efforts it was not their fault . They hoped they were not making too much of their efforts when they thought they might safely compare their work with that of others , and they hoped that those who followed after them would do more than they had done . They could not try more , though they might do more .

This closed the list of toasts , and the company then proceeded to the Temple , where a charming concert was given under the direction of the Grand Organist , Bro . Edwin M . Lott . The artists were Miss Hilda Coward . Miss Margaret Hoare , the Misses Henrietta and Gertrude Nunn , Miss Minnie Kirton , Bro . Harper Kearton , Bro . John Probert , Bro . Franklin Clive , Bro . T . Tremere , Bro . Wilhelm Kuhe , P . G . O . j Bro . Henry Lazarus , Miss Nellie Hamilton , and Bro . John Jefferys .

The whole of the arrangements of the festival reflected the greatest credit on the Grand Stewards , of whom the following is a list : Bros . Alderman Sir R . Hanson , 259 ( President ); Frederick West , F . R . G . S ., 4 ( Treasurer ); James Ford , 58 ( Secretary ); J . Holah , 1 ; C . O . Tagart , 2 ; J . Hallett , 5 ; A . E . Craven , 6 ; E . W . Rushworth , 8 ; VV . B . Liddiard , 14 ; S . Hill , 2 i ; J . G . Boyd , 23 ; E . C . Stebbing , 26 ; C . C . Black , 29 ; VV . E . Ramsden Wood , M . D ., 46 ; C . E . Soppet , 60 ; T . Lough , 91 j Chester Cheston , 99 ; and B . H . Paul , 197 .

The decorating and furnishing of THE GRAND HALL being now virtually complete , we consider the time opportune , on the occasion of the Grand Festival , to give our readers a description of the work of restoration , and those brethren who attended on Wednesday , must have every reason to be satisfied with the taste exhibited b

y the Committee , and the skill with which its instructions have been carried out . There are no doubt many Masonic halls which , architecturally , ' and as regards their interior arrangement and fittings , are more pretentious than this ; but we venture to say there are few , if any , in which the tone and character of the building more completely harmonise with those of the Society to whose uses it is devoted . The structure itself is substantially built

, and as handsome as it is substantial ; the work of decoration has been well , and even elaborately done * there is no lack of richness and colour , where richness and colour have seemed necessary or desirable ; and yet the idea that strikes one most on entering is that it will be difficult to find another hall which furnishes a better illustration of that most difficult of all combinations—suitability , elegance , and simplicity . It is admirably adapted for the meetings of a deliberative assembly , and will be found commodious

enough for the numbers which ordinarily attend Grand Lodge . The comfort of the brethren has been studied , and , while there has been no wasteful expenditure of money , no pains have been spared in order to make tne building worthy in all respects of our ancient and honourable Fraternity , to nave accomplished this is most creditable , and we" are convinced the Committee who have had in charge ' the work of restoration and embellishm £ will receive from the Craft generally those hearty commendations to which the success of their labours so justly entitles them .

STRUCTURAL IMPROVEMENTS . An elaborate description of the Hall as it was is unnecessary . Its appearance must be so familiar to the majority of our readers that they will have no QHnculty in following us as we note the more prominent points of difference ° etween the old order of things and the new . Speaking broadly , we may state "iat m carrying out his duty the architect has followed closely the lines laid down

"ginall y . The dimensions remain necessarily the same ; but ° si regards the interior a great improvement has been effected by doing non ' ^ * ' 1 the galleryabove the dais and the massive pillars which suponlv ' t- i S Mery facing the dais , which for many years was used y as a lumber room , is now comfortabl y furnished with seats for the commodation of about a hundred brethren ; and , what is of the greatest portance in the event of any accident or alarm of accident occurring , it 051 lts

liehtB ?!* ^ own > opening out on to the upper corridor . It is also excpli ' . P endent | y ; while those occupying it not only have an what * V ' ^ T . ° what is £ ° s on > but can hear easi ' y door * ' S Sai . by thc ' diffei"eht speakers . There are also two andA ° ! l ° " eilher „ side of the Hal 1 ' t 0 the rcar of the dais , CorrM 1 Se ' 1 ? , ' as the main entrance leading to the Grand even nf " V f " made to ° P Awards , the chance of danger in the minim ? d , " pan , C occurring is reduced as nearly as possible to a of the r ; ,. More ? 1 er > every Precaution has been taken against a repetition . " - latalitv which occurred two vrars t ;„« .., ! , „„ . i . „ . 1 1 . :.. . i . „ l ¦ viiiii wuuuwui in inc

avern 1 ,:, u n , r . , . - •« .-.-, .-LIII ; K Work «™ J l n aUght fil ' e and destr ° yed the Hall . There is no wood-° f fire l-A 1 th n % flue paSSes , , . 1 e an £ , e of the wa ! l through a structure been * £ , J" }!) ese ar ? , the chlef structural improvements which have secured , and if we add that the vacant spaces to the rear of the dais

Grand Festival.

on either side of the throne , or rather of the recess behind the throne , have been made the most of , that on the proper left being occupied by the organ —the gift of Grand Chapter—we shall have noticed all the material points of difference as between the original and present buildings . THE Root ' .

As regards the decorative portion of the work , which , as well as the furnishing , is , as we havc already said , virtually if not actually complete , we would point out in the first place that the roof or ceiling , which was so striking a feature in the old Hall , has been as nearly as possible reproduced . We read in Preston ' s " Illustrations of Masonry , " that " the roof of this magnificent hall is , in all probability , the hisrhest-finished niece of

workmanship in Europe , having gained universal applause from all beholders , and raised the character of the architect ( Richard Cox ) beyond expression . In the centre of this roof a most splendid sun is represented in burnished gold , surrounded by the twelve signs of the Zodiac , with their resnectivc characters . " The present roof is equally worthy of praise , on the score both of delicacy and the exquisite finish of the workmanship . It is unfortunate , perhaps , th it so light a shade of blue should have been chosen for the

ground-work of the ceiling . The height is such that a deeper tint would not have been too pronounced for the general harmony of the design , whereas the one adopted is hardly distinguishable from white . However , we have no desire to be called hypercritical . Even as it is , the roof is well nigh unsurpassable , and would certainly have had the effect of raising the character of Richard Cox still further beyond expression , had he been living to design it .

PORTRAITS OF THE GRAND MASTERS . What we have described thus far must be more or less familiar to Grand Lodge , which has been in occupation of its new quarters for a full twelvemonth . Not so , however , the series of portraits of Masonic dignitaries , which were only hung in their appointed places in time for Wednesday's Festival . That the authorities have been able to make good this part of

the loss caused by the fire of two years since will be a subject of general congratulation . The collection was by no means a numerous one , but there is this at least to be said in its favour , that it occupied pretty well the whole of the available wall space , so that had more portraits been forthcoming , the executive must have found room for them in other parts of the building . Moreover , the brethren depicted had all of them in their day exercised a

beneficial influence on the fortunes of the Craft , while the exalted positions they had one and all occupied in Masonry fully justified the presence in our Hall of these memorials of their rule . All the pictures that were destroyed have been replaced by others taken from well-known paintings or engravings of the several personages , while the number has been increased by a threequarter length portrait of our present distinguished Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon , it having fortunately been suggested by the

Committee that a vacant panel to the proper right of the dais afforded the requisite space for a counterfeit presentment of his lordship . This addition , however , to the series has not yet been completed by the artist commissioned to paint it , but as regards the replicas—though the term is not precisely applicable in all cases—taking them in the order of their succession as Grand Masters of the rival or united sections of the English Craft , we obtain the following list r—

GRAND MASTERS— " MODERNS . " 1 . Robert Edward , 9 th Lord Petre , Grand Master 1772-7 . It was during th- ; Grand Mastership of this distinguished brother that the scheme of erecting a Freemasons' Hall was carried into execution , and it was he who laid the foundation-stone of the original Hallon the 1 st May , 1775 , and presided at its formal consecration to the purposes of Masonry on the 23 rd

May , 1776 . The original portrait was painted and presented to Grand Lodge in 1785 , by Bro . Rev . William Peters , subsequently Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire , and thc only brother who has enjoyed the style and title of Grand Portrait Painter . The present picture is by the well-known artist Bro . Sydney Hodges , who is to be congratulated on the success which has attended his efforts .

2 . George , 4 th Duke of Manchester , Grand Master 1777-82 . The original of this also was the work of Bro . Rev . William Peters , the copy being by Bro . Louis Desanges , an artist of well-established repute , whose works are no doubt known to and esteemed by the majority of our readers . 3 . H . R . H . the Duke of Cumberland , a younger brother of George III ., and the first member of the Royal Family who presided over the Grand

Lodge of the Regular Masons . His Royal Highness was unanimously elected G . M . on the ist May , 1782 , and retained the position till his death in 1790 . Two events will always be associated with the reign of this illustrious Prince , the first in order of occurrence being the foundation in 17 S 8 , by Bro . the Chevalier Ruspini , under the immediate patronage of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland and other

members of the Royal Family , of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girlsoriginally known as the Royal Cumberland School for Girls ; and thereunion in 1790 with the Grand Lodge of the old Time Immemorial Lodge of Antiquity—now No . 2—which had seceded some 11 years previously , and set up a Grand Lodge of England south of the Trent , in alliance with the Grand Lodge of All England at York . The original was painted by Peters ; the copy is the work of Bro . Stephen Pearce .

4 . H . R . H . George , Prince of VVales , initiated by his uncle and predecessor in 1787 and Grand Master from 1790 to 1813 . The original was painted by Bro . Peters ; the copy is by Bro . B . S . Marks . 5 . Francis , 2 nd Earl of Moira , subsequently created Marquis of Hastings , for his splendid services as Governor-General of India , who was Acting Grand Master from 1790 to 1813 . Sir Martin A . Shee painted the original , and his pupil , Bro . Stephen Pearce , the copy .

GRAND MASTERS— "ANCIENTS . " 6 . John , 4 th Duke of Atholl , G . M . 1791-1813 , having previously held the same office 1775-81 , and been likewise ^ . G . M . of Scotland during 1878-9 . It was during his Grace ' s second term as G . M . that was established in 1798 what is now the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . The original was painted by Mr . Thomas Phillips , R . A ., in 1814 , and has been restored—though we think an entirely new portrait would have been

preferable—by Bro . Frankel . 7 . H . R . H . Duke of Kent , father of the Queen , who in 1813 presided as G . M . during the brief period that elapsed between the resignation of the Duke of Atholl and the union of the " Modern" and "Ancient " G . Lodges . Sir VV . Beechey , R . A ., painted the original * the new portrait is by Bro . Wm . Hay .

GRAND MASTERS— " UNITED GRAND LODGE . " 8 . H . R . H . Duke of Sussex , who in 1813 succeeded his brother George , Prince of Wales , as G . M . of the "Modern" Grand Lodge , and , " in con *