Grand Lodge And Grand Festival.

toast— " The Provincial and District Grand Masters . " He said in relation to the request that had been made to him to propose that toast he had asked himself a question why he had been requested to propose it . It could not be for his services as a Grand Officer , because , although he was a Past Grand Officer , he was invested only that evening , and it could not be because he was Lord Mayor of London , inasmuch as the Lord Mayor of London claimed no precedence in Grand Lodge

by virtue of his office . But he took it that those who directed the proceedings on that occasion thought it an act of charity to give a man who had so little opportunity of addressing a public body as the Lord Mayor an opportunity of proposing a toast . ( Laughter . ) He could only assure the brethren that he appreciated the Masonic feeding which had prompted the suggestion . Here he was , entrusted with the duty of proposing the health of the R . W . the District Grand Masters and

the Provincial Grand Masters , and he need scarcely tell the brethren that , while they had one square in Freemasonry , they had many circles , and that the points of attraction were the centres of those particular circles , the circles being the provinces and districts that the R . W . the Provincial and District Grand Masters governed . He would ask thebrethren to associate with that toast the name of the R . W . Bro . H . D . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , who had

occupied that distinguished position for no less than thirteen years . By rig ht that toast should have been responded to by Bro . the Earl of Euston but he apprehended that the same Masonic consideration which suggested that he ( the Lord Mayor ) should have the privilege of proposing that toast , suggested to Lord Euston that he should not rise twice , but that he should give a young brother in Masonry the opportunity of making a speech . ( Laughter . ) As an old Mason ,

although a young Grand Officer , he liked to take advantage of an opportunity when it presented itself , and he asked if he might take advantage of that opportunity to express his regret to the members of Grand Lodge generally , and to such of his brethren who were assembled on that occasion to assist him when he was to have presided at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , that he was not able to be present when the Festival was held . Before that Festival

was held he had for some months looked forward with great pleasure to occupying the position of Chairman . He now thanked Lord Euston most heartily for the truly fraternal feeling which he exhibited , when at the shortest possible moment he undertook the duties of Chairman , which would have been much less ably performed by him ( the Lord Mayor ) . The duties of Chairman were performed most ably by Lord Euston , and to the perfect satisfaction of all those who attended the

Festival . He asked Lord Euston to accept on that occasion his heartiest thanks for the kindness with which he performed the duties of Chairman , and he could assure his lordship that if on any occasion he should be temporarily prevented from being in his place , he ( the Lord Mayor ) would , however poorly , be prepared to do for him that which he so kindly and so effectually did for him ( the Lord Mayor ) . To return to the toast he had to propose , he might say that all the brethren were deeply indebted to those brethren who were included in the toast .

Bro . H . D . SANDEMAN , P . D . G . M . Bengal , replying , said although he had been referred to by the Lord Mayor as a young Mason , he was afraid he was now becoming an old Mason . If he was a young Mason he might claim to have some diffidence ; and he felt some kind of diffidence after the admirable terms in which the toast had been proposed by the Chief Magistrate of the City of London . He

would not enter into any details so late in the evening as to the duties which fell upon the Provincial and District Grand Masters , but would simply go upon the old sayingthat they had attempted to do their duties , and hoped that those who came after them would look back upon them with some little kind feeling of affection , and say that they had done their duty to the best of their ability , although their successors must try to exceed them in their performance .

Bro . the Rev . C . J . MARTYN , P . G . C , Dep . Prov . G . M . Suffolk , proposed " The Masonic Charities . " He said that in an assembly like that the toast of the Masonic Charities was emphatically the toast of the evening . All Masons knew that Masonry without the grand profession of Charity would be but a very poor thing , comparatively speaking . It was one of the grand dicta laid down by the Prince of Wales when he was installed for the first time as Grand Master in 18 75 ,

that Loyalty and Charity were the two grand words by which Masons were always to be governed . He would ask the brethren to drink to the Masonic Charities , and would refer them to that which , after all , was one of the greatest things by which they were able to impress on those outside the Order when they came to them from time to time and said , " What is it you Masons profess to follow and believe in ? " They could point them to those magnificent Charities of

Freemasonry and say there , at all events , you could see something of their work . He wished to say one word with respect to the magnificent success which attended the last Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and he would hope also that a similar success might attend the Girls' Festival . Over the Festival of the Girls' School he himself had the honour to preside only last year , and he would also hope that a great Masonic success might attend the Festival of the

Boys' School . They all knew that during the past few months there had been somewhat of a cloud over that Institution , but he hoped and believed that the Masons of England would rally round their grand Charities , and would never allow the Boys' School in any way or shape to suffer because certain occurrences had taken place . The present was neither the time nor the place to say a word about that , and therefore he hoped that every Mason would deem it his duty to

be in his place and not make any difference in his support to the Boys' School . It was always the custom on those occasions to couple with that toast the name of the brother who was Secretary of the Institution the festival of which would take place nearest to that meeting , and therefore he should ask Bro . Hedges , the Secretary of the Girls' School , to respond to that toast . He might inform the brethren that at the last Cambridge examination 18 candidates were sent up from

the Girls' School for the most difficult examination . Every one of those candidates passed that examination . Ten of those candidates passed it with honours , and four were especially commended . He believed that was actually without precedent in any school in England , and he might say that all the brethren ought to be proud of their Charities and wish them success . Not only should they wish them every

success— -they could all do that—but what he wanted them to do was to put their wishes into practice . It was all very well when they saw a man down to say , " Well , my good fellow , I am very sorry to see you in that position ; " but , practically , to show that they were sorry he was in that position they should help as much as they could . Apply that to the Charities of the Order . He would say help those Institutions as much as they could .

Bro . HEDGES , Secretary of the Girls School , responded , and while thanking the brethren for what they had done in the past , trusted that they would not relax in their efforts on he . half of the Masonic Institutions in the future .

Bro . the Rev . Dr . RANDALL , G . Chap ., proposed "The Grand Stewards . " He said that wh y it was reserved for a parson to propose the toast he could hardl y understand , except that in the Craft parsons were supposed to be connected with the loaves and fishes . It had been his good fortune for 46 years to be connected with Masonry and with Stewards in various lodges , and therefore he spoke from a very long experience when he said he thought Grand Lodge of England would be a very flat affair if it were not for the excellent conduct of the Grand Stewards . Most

heartily , therefore , did he propose their health , and he was quite sure the company present had felt the benefit of having Grand Stewards . The company gave evidence of it , and it was so always in their Masonic meetings . With very many outsiders and , he was afraid , with some good ladies , such as those who were now occupying the gallery , Masons were supposed to have nothing whatever to do but to indulge in those festival gatherings in which the Stewards took so large a part . He onl y hoped they had extended their good offices to the ladies in the gallery , and that the ladies when looking on with longing eyes on the good fare of the brethren below

Grand Lodge And Grand Festival.

were not forgotten . He had no doubt the Stewards had taken good care of the ladies . He never feared the taunts that were uttered against Masons with regard to the Fourth Degree . He had never known the Stewards to fail in their duties . He felt deeply grateful to the Stewards , and he felt also deeply grateful for having been admitted to Freemasonry . He had heard a good deal of its advantages from men of different views in politics and different walks in lifeand he

, felt that no man , whether as a statesman or as a professor of relio-ion , could ever express the great benefit that Freemasonry had done to the wortd at large or in our own country . They all owed a debt to the Most Worshi pful Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , who had given a great impetus to Freemasonry by becoming Grand Master of English Freemasons , and extending the influence of the great Order throughout the world . It was his ( Dr . Randall ' s ) privilege to be initiated

in a lodge to which his ( the Grand Master ' s ) Royal father gave his own autograph that they should call it by his name , and he promised that when he became a Mason he would enter it through that lodge . However , he never did become a Mason , but they found that three of his sons had become eminent Masons , and had done not onl y honour to the Craft , but a greater honour to themselves in

becoming Masons . The Grand Stewards had a very arduous duty to perforin , but he felt he need onl y refer to the transactions of that one ni ght in Grand Lodge for the toast to be commended to the most hearty reception of the brethren . He wished to say one word with regard to the Charities . He hoped that on the forthcoming Festival of the Girls' School there would be gathered together a large number of brethren to promote the interests of that noble Institution

Bro . REID TAYLOR , Treasurer of the Board of Stewards , responded , and expressed the regret of the President that he was not able to be present . He added that the great burden ot * the work of the Grand Stewards fell upon the Honorary Secretary , and Bro . Arthur Ball , who had performed the duties of Honorary Secretary , had performed those duties in a most exemplary manner .

The brethren then adjourned to the Temple , where a grand concert took place , under the direction of Bro . Michael Maybrick , Past Grand Organist , the artistes ' being Madame Antoinette Sterling , Miss ' Alice Gomez , Mdlle . Antoinette Trebelli , and Bros . Hodges , Frost , Fryer , Hanson , De Lacy , and Shipley , and Mr . Durward Lely , M . Hollman , and Signor Foli . Bro . Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . O ., presided at the piano .

The New Grand Officers.

THE NEW GRAND OFFICERS .

SENIOR GRAND WARDEN .

Bro . Lord ALCESTER is best known to the public at large as a naval officer of great distinction , who , having rendered signal services afloat in the second Burmese War and on other occasions , was in command of the Mediterranean Fleet when it bombarded Alexandria in 1882 , and otherwise assisted the Khedive in nuttimx down

the revolt of Arabi Pasha . The very fact , however , of his lordshi p having been so frequently engaged in his naval duties has prevented him from distinguishing himself , as otherwise he doubtless would have done , in the quieter sphere of Masonry and we have but little to record of him beyond the fact of his having been initiated in the year 1879 .

JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN . Bro . Lord ALFRED CHURCHILL , a younger brother of the late Bro the Duke of Marlborough and uncle of Bro . Lord Randol ph Churchill , M . P ., both of whom were members of the Apollo Universit y Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , was initiated in No . 37 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , in 1847-8 . He joined the Lodge of Equality , No . 1145 , Accrington , in 1880 , and was elected and installed W . M . in 1882 .

Bro . Alderman Sir H . A . ISAACS , Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London , on whom the M . W . G . Master has been pleased to confer the brevet rank of J . G . Warden of England , was initiated , in 1853 , in the Lod ge of Israel and became Junior Warden in 1855 , and W . M . 1856 . He founded the Benevolent Fund for the lodge , which soon accumulated upwards of £ 1000 . In commemoration of this the lodge commissioned Mr . Solomon , R . A ., to paint his portrait

( Ute-sizejtor the lodge room , where it now is . He served Stewardshi ps for the Boys ' and Girls' Institutions in the same year . He was Lecture Master of the Lodge of Prosperity in 1857 , and was presented with a service of plate and a jewel by its members upon his retirement . He was appointed Prov . Grand Organist Herts 1858 . Subsequently he was elected W . M . of the Lod ge of Tranquillity and '

having served tne various Koyal Arch offices , was elected M . E . Z . in the [ oppa Chapter . Last year he was appointed S . W . and earl y this year was elected WM of the Drury Lane Lodge , the installation ceremony connected with which was by special dispensation of the M . W . G . M ., performed in the Old Ball Room of the Mansion House .

GRAND CHAPLAINS . Bro . the Rev . E . R . CURRIE , Dean of Battle , was initiated in the Union Lodge No . 38 , Chichester , on the 18 th July , 1882 , and later in the same year joined the Abbey Lodge , No . 118 4 , Battle , Sussex , having the good fortune of being elected its W . M . in 1885 . In 188 7 he joined the Earl of Sussex Lodge No 2201 Brighton . He served the office of Provincial Grand Chaplain in the ' vears iSsV

1884 , 1885 , 1888 , and 1889 . He vvas exalted in 188 4 in the Chapter of Emulation No . 40 , Hastings . In the Mark Degree he served as Grand Chaplain of the Mark Grand Lodge in 1884 , and is a member of the Albion Chapter of Rose Croix at St . Leonard ' s , and ranking as No . 54 on the roll of the Ancient and Accepted Rite . Lastly , in 1885 , he served the office of Steward , and qualified as Life-Governor of the Girls' School and Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution

Bro . the Rev . WILLIAM RANDALL , D . D ., is a Mason of very long standinghaving been initiated in Lod ge No . 100 on the roll of Grand Lod ge of Ireland as far back as 18 44 . Thirty years later he joined the Lod ge of Light No 468 Birmingham , and the following year was elected its W . M . In 18 76 he ' joined the St . James ' s , No . 482 , Handsworth , in the Province of Staffordshire and in 188 ^ was for the second time placed in the chair of K . S . He was also in ' 18 76 one of the founders and first

acting P . M . of the Alma Mater Lodge , No . 16 44 Birmingham , so that it is not surprising we should find him appointed Prov G ' Chaohin of Warwickshire in 18 75 , and to the same office in the adjoining Province ' of Staffordshire in 18 79 . At the present time he is the S . G . W . of the latter province He was exalted to the Royal Arch Degree in the Chapter of Fortitude No 4-t ' Birmingham , and was elected and re-elected M . E . Z . in 18 78 and 1883 ' He is also a member of the St James ' s Chapter , No . 482 , Handsworth . and here a ] s „ v ,., *

twice filled the chair of Z ., namely , in 18 78 and 18 79 . In the ' Mark Degree he was Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge in 1882 , and was appointed Deputy Prov . G . M . of Staffordshire in 1885 . In the Ancient and Accepted Rite he is a Past M . W . S . of the Vernon Chapter , Rose Croix , No . 5 , Birmingham As reg-ird ' s our Charitable Institutions , he has been an efficient supporter of the three havinpbeen a Subscriber to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for 15 years ' and having acted as Steward twice for the Girls School , and three times for the Boys ' School , in addition to qualifying as Life-Governor of them both .

GRAND TREASURER . Bro . AUGUSTUS HARRIS , who , as the onl y candidate nominated for election tn the Grand Treasurershi p in December last , was dul y elected ^ tthe Marc h Quarterly