Annual Festival Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

than by the members reposing- their confidence in the Committee , who took so deep an interest in thc lodge . They could have not other object in their constant attendance at and their staunch support of the lodge than its prosperity , its efficiency , and its usefulness . He thanked thc brethren himself for the kind way in which they had responded to his name as Treasurer ef the lodge , and on the part of the Committee for the success which they had so cordially wished thc lodge in which the Committee took so deep an

interest . The Rev . AMBROSE W . HALL , G . Chap ., proposed " The Health of the Working Officers . " Those brethren deserved both the praise and the gratitude of those vvho were present , because every part of the work that they gavp deserved that admiration which it should receive , and every brother vvas grateful because he could not follow the lecture without feeling a better man and Mason . The brethren who worked the lecture handed down

to others what they themselves learned of honoured fathers in Freemasonry . Many of the older brethren would remember the day when in most lodges there was a stock brother , who was ready to do any work of the W . M . Some W . M . 's went into the chair and did not know how to open or close their lodges , or if they knew that , they knew little or nothing more . That time , he was happy to say . had pissed away , and brethren now took their places in the lodge

and did their work . Consequently Masonry had risen to its present position . It might rise still higher , not only in the hearts of those who composed thc Craft , but also in the hearts of the world at large , when they saw those truths carried out into their various positions in lifc . The LORD MAYOR at this point left amidst hearty applause . Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C . ' , look the chair . Bro . Duret , S . W ., responded .

Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , G . S ., proposed " The Health and Prosperity of the . Lodge of Unions , No . 256 . " The Lord Mayor had just told them the intimate connection which existed between the Lodge of Unions nnd the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . It worked under the banner of the Lodge of Unions . The Lodgeof Unions was itself an old and worthy lodge which had worked for many , many yeais with the greatest success ,

and , as in many cases , it was found that parents looked up to their children with a great deal of pride at their success in life , so they must all feel sure the Lodge of Unions looked with the greatest pride and satisfaction at the success and prosperity of its child—the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . Of that success and prosperity there could be no doubt . They had heard many years past of its continued existence , and the progress it had made in the

impressing on their minds all the landmarks of Masonry ; and , therefore , Lodge of Unions must feel a just and proper pride ai being the mother of the Emulation Lodgeof Improvement . As the Master of the Lodgeof Unions wa- not present , he would call on Bro . Davis , P . M ., to return 1 hanks . Bro . R . R . DAVIS , P M . 256 , very much regretted the absence of the W . M . of lhat lodge , on account of illness . On behalf of that worthy brother , however , he expressed his thanks for the loast just so kindly proposed

and honoured . There was nothing in connection with the history of the Lodge of Unions which afforded the brethren of that lodge so much gratification as the association that had existed half a century between it and the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had just said very truly that sometimes children looked up wilh pride to their parents . In this instance the parents looked down with p leasure on then child . The pride telt bv the Lodge of Unions was a ju-tifiablc one , from ihe admirable manner in whicii the work had been done that evenincf .

Bro . H . J . P . DUMAS , P . G . D ., proposed " The Ma-onic Institutions . " He believed all of us werc doomed to die insolvent debtors to our mothers ; but there was no reason why we should be insolvent debtors to our mother lodges . We were bound to support the Charities , in respect of which lodges mainly ani chiefly est-He t . He exhorted the brethren to be as little insolvent to the Chanties as they possibly could . As they had done in the past , so let them do in the future . The Lodge of Emulation had done nobly ; as ihcy had heard lhat evening it had given as' year _ £ 8 o to the Institutions .

Bro . F . BINCKES , P . G . S ., replied . It was very well known that the Festival ot ihe Benevolent Institution would beon the 22 nd February , when no doubt success would attend the Chairmanship of Colonel Lloyd-Phillips . Atthe Festival of the Girls' School . H . R . H . the Dukeof Connaught would preside . To that Royal brother the Boys' School was already indebted some few years ago lor taking the same office . He need hardly say the

best wishes ol the Institution went in furtherance of that success . The Boys ' School was not quite so fortunate , because they had not yet secured the services of a Chairman . He did not know what might be in the womb ol time . He had no doubt that at no distant date he should be in possession of a name that would win support . It was a very satisfactory announcement he had to make , that when the accounts of this year were made up the results

to the Charitable Institutions of Masonry would not be much less , if any less , than in the most . successful year whicii had already gone by . He ventured lo indulge in the very fond anticip ttion that in the coming year they should not be without that support which their great Institution both needed and deserved . He wis struck by the observatalion of thc Treasurer with regard to the changing character of the lodge . As an old member of a quarter

of a century's standing of the lodge , he looked around him , and thegreat majority of the brethren wers almost unknown to him . It must be explained that coming here for instruction , having received the instruction which the lodge could give , they left . But there was one respect in which the lodge had never changed—iis constant , annual , generous , liberal support of those Institutions to which Bro . Fenn , so gracefully alluded . On behalf ol | all ihe

Institutions he tendered the Committee ot this lodge his warmest thanks for the manner in which they took care of the wants of the Institutions . Under the fostering care of Bro . Fenn who vvas one of the noblast supporters , the Institutions had , they would never be forgotten , and he could only indulge the hope that unlike many of the Institutions outside the Order they might never have to sell any of their funded stock . In Masonry it did not seem

to matter what might befall commercial circles , whether trade was good or bad , whether the money market vvas tight or easy , there vvas something that seemed to him so sound in the hearts of Freemasons that they took verygood care that the g eat Ma-onic Institutions did not suffer , and ihcy never did suffer . They never sold funded stock , but fome more and some less were always ready to add something to it . Let them go on in this good course , and do what thev could in this lodge in thc way of perfecting the

ritual and ceremonial of ' the Order , but bear in mind what had been said , that thc keystone of thc Order was charity , and let that not be forgotten by the supporters of ihe great Masonic Institutions , which were at once their pride and their pleasure . Bro . SCOTT , Dep . Prov . G . M . of Sussex , proposed "Thc Stewards . " Bro . W . SMALLPEICE , Secretary , thanked the brethren as he had had the honour of doing for some ycars , for the kind appreciation they had of

Annual Festival Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

the services so feelingly given to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . They were placed this year in such a position that they might have been excused if the meeting had been less successful than it had ; while they could produce thc programme and get the Stewards a month or six weeks before tlie annnal festival , they could not put the name of thc ri ght Hon . the Lord Mayor on the tickets till thc Sth of November when he was sworn in

The number of brethren present that night shewed cither that the Stewards had been more than ordinarily assiduous in their duties , or that thc Committee had been peculiarly fortuatc in thc selection of a W . M . to preside over them that evening . It might be that the brethren of thc Emulation Lodge would like to toll " their children that thev sat at

tlie table at which presided thc Lord Mayor of London . They might have heard that night the song of thc dying swan , but even if the mayoralty of London should cease , he thought thc annual festival of the Emulation Lodge , under the patronage , and with the kind care and thought of the brethren , would not cease . The Tyler ' s toast concluded the proceedings .

Consecration Of The Castle Chapter Of Harmony, No. 26.

CONSECRATION OF THE CASTLE CHAPTER OF HARMONY , No . 26 .

A new chapter , to be attached to the venerable Lodge of Harmony , No . 26 , one of the centenary lodges , and whose warrant is ' dated 1725 , was consecrated on Wednesday even ins , at the . Masonic Hall , Air-street , Regent-street , by Col . Shadwell II . Clerke , G . S . E . Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . P . S ., acting as H . ; the Rev . C . W . Arnold , P . A . G . S ., as J . ; and Comp . Peter de Lande Long , P . G . P . S ., as D . C . Thc complete list of Companions present contained the names

of—Comps . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S . E . ; Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . P . S . ; Rev . C . W . Arnold , P . A . G . S . ; Peter de Lande Long , P . G . P . S . ; W . C . Beaumont ; Dr . George B . Brodie , M . D . ; R . Warner Wheeler ; William Robert Wood ; Marston C . Buszard , O . C , M . P . ; T . S . Sodcn ; General J . S . Brownrigg ; R . W . H . Giddy ; Edward Milner ; John Sampson Peirce , G . A . S . ; Gerald Ford , P . Z . 271 ; Col . Creaton , Grand Treas . ; Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . S . N . ; Walter V . Morgan , 239 ; Joseph I .. Lavies ,

170 G ; George Benson , 170 O ; H . 11 . Shirlev ; Fred . H . Cozens , 907 ; Albeit Hubbard ; Fountain Meen ; J . Bevan , Dist . G . Supt . Westland , New Zealand ; Robt . King , 1159 ; Clement Godson , 259 ; John Smith , 11 S 9 ; J . P . Edkins , S ; H . Sadler ; and H . Mas ev , P . Z . Gig ( Freemason ) . The musical ^ portion of thc ceremony was performed by Comps . Hodges , G . T . Carter , Fountain Meen , and Hubbard , under ihe direction of Comp . F . M . Cozens .

Ihe chapter having been formally opened , ancl the Comps . below the rank of Installed Principals admitted , Comp . SHADWELL H . CLERKE said it vvas , as they were all aware , one of the great objects and ambitions of every Cralt lodge , sooner or bier , to have a Royal Arch chapter attached lo it . ' Some oi the lodge * - attained lo that distinction sooner than others , but in the prc-ent case the ' Castle Lodge

of Harmony , after considering the matter for some years , had not had a chapter for 155 years , but at the end of thc 155 years thc brethren had made up their minds that they would like to have a chapter attached . They therefore petitioned Grand Chapter to accede to their request , and that request had been granted . Accordingly the companions were there that day for the purpose of consecrating the chapter , and installing its First

Principals . Most of tlie campanions prc-ent were well acquainted with thc Castle Lodge of Harmony , and knew thc vcry high and excellent character of the lodge—the name it had borne for many years . Personally he was well acquainted wilh it , and had been so for years , and he ' could testify lhat it was one of the mo-t distinguished lodges in London . It was always renotvned for ihe way in which its work was done , and in every possible way . No doubt the chapter now to be attached to it would be conducted on the

same line-. ; and Iron , what he knew ol thc interest thc companions look in its welfare , he had the greatest pleasure in attending to assist and take part in the ceremonies of the dav . . The Rev . C . W . ARNOLD , J ., in delivering thc oration , said : Most Excellent and Companions , —On similar occasions I have spoken of thc nature and principles of Freemasonry , and the great basis on which it is

founded . I have also spoken of the Temple of God into which every Mison ought to be built as a true and living stone—that temple which is commenced on earth and completed in heaven . I have also pointed out that Freemasonry is an allegorical representation of human life , and that the Royal Arch represents that search after something which is better , holier and more enduring tnan the things on earth , which is planted in the breast of man .

But there have been so many lodges and chapters of late years con-ccratcJ , that the subjects of moral duty and virtue arc well-nigh exhausted The question is frequently asked—What is it that draws so many men into Freemasonry ? Some persons have said lhat it is tlie grcgarioiuness of human nature ; but , however strongly this may be developed , I do not think that it will account for il , because it might easily be

gratified without any Masonry at all . Again , others have said that it is the love of abstract goodness . There is much which is good and pure and noble in our moral character ; but still this is not sufficient to account for the numbers that come into Masonry . Others have said curiosity I should answer no , because , if it were , when curiosity was satisfied Masonry would be abandoned . It is something more than all these ; and yet each of these perhaps

is in some degree blended with it . h is something which represents a craving of human nature . Companions , what is it ? I must say myself that it seems 10 mc that it-is the love of rest . It is this which all mankind are longing for and striving after . Is it not this whicii enables the statesman to pass through days ancl nights of anxious toil , giving up the natural comforts and nrivileees of his hi eh position ? Amidst

his business ventures and his efforts to amass a fortune the merchant look ? forward to resi—he looks forward lo the opportunity of living by his well earned competency . I say , from the highest to the lowest every one is seeking for rest . Companions what is the meaning of the word "Lodge ? " I 3 it not "a resting place . " Operative Masonry has had its day , and has leit behind it many beautiful and enduring records of its art . Now Speculative

Masonry holds sway , and I say that thc great charm of Masonry is rest from thc outer world . We enter a lodge , and as we cross its threshold wc leave the cares of this world behind . The first work in which wc participate calms , and at the same time elevates our mind . Wc mix in social intercourse with men of every shade of opinion ; yet no dissensionss , no quarels ca '

arise , because those two great enemies of peace—politics and religion- " are excluded , thus the best feelings of the heart are aroused ; Brotherly lov and charily are brought into existence and sustained ; and thus 1 s * . >' that the lodge becomes , as it were , an oasis amidst the turmoil of the world ' Anyone who has once felt the charms of Masonry will be drawn still furtli < - r