Masonic Festival In Brussels.

results from periodical meetings , attended , as in Germany , by the Grand Masters . Then should we see our Institution , founded as it is upon a like respect for all religions and systems of philosophy , imposing no particular faith upon its members , and remaining strictly outside all politics , become the most powerful agent of moral and social progress ever invented by man . "

The word was then given to Bro . J OTTRAND , the Grand Chancellor General , who delivered himself of a comprehensive toast , including " The Supreme Council , the Grand Orient , the Chapters and Lodges of Belgium , the Scottish Rite in Holland , the Grand Orient of France , the Supreme Council of England , the Grand Lodge of England , the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , and the Grand Orient of Holland , " coupling with each body the name of one of the distinguished guests present and seated at the High Table .

Bro . VAN OSENBRUGGEN replied for the Scottish Rite in Holland ; Bro . REISSE for the Belg ian Grand Orient ; and Bro . DESMOND , Grand Master of France , for the Orient of that country .

Bro . SANDEMAN ( speaking in fluent French ) replied on behalf of the Supreme Council , 33 ° of England , and thanked the brethren present for the cordial manner in which the toast of English Freemasons had been proposed and received . Being a foreigner , and consequently unaccustomed to deliver speeches in the French tongue , his remarks would be brief ; but his words would not be the less sincere , as they would come from his heart . The aim and the object of Freemasonry was the same

everywhere , viz ., the progress of humanity , help to the indigent , and brotherly love among themselves . Some people supposed that because Freemasonry was open to all it was without relig ion and without politics . He contended that such persons erred . Freemasonry had both its religion and its politics ; the religion of a Freemason was a belief in God ; his politics , a prompt and cheerful obedience to the laws of the country in which he had been born , as well as of that in which he

resided . Bro . Sandeman then gave an account of the three great Masonic Charities of England , stating that an annual festival was held for each ^ at which sums varying from £ 12 , 000 to £ 15 , 000 were ordinarily collected , adding that at a recent festival of the Institution for Girls , which was honoured by the presence of H . R . H . the Piince of Wales as President , and which , being a Centenary Festival , was naturally an exceptional occasion , a collection was announced

amounting to 1 , 350 , 000 francs . ( Applause . ) That was , he submitted , a very large sum . Before concluding , Bro . Sandeman adverted to the hearty manner in which they dedicated the second toast of the evening to her Majesty the Queen of the British Realm . Englishmen , he said , were all proud of their Queen — they loved and respected their Queen—not only as a Queen , but also as an example to all women in the world , whether as a daughter , a wife , or a mother .

( Applause . ) On behalf , therefore , of the English brethren present , he thanked them for their gracious compliment to the English country . Finally , he thanked them heartily and sincerely for the opportunity of being present at a festival given in honour of a brother who had done so much for Freemasonry in Belgium ( Bro . Tempels ) , for their general kindness , their great hospitality , and , above all , _ for the fraternal sentiments which evidently characterised Freemasonry in Belgium as well as it did in all parts of the civilised globe .

Bro . R . F . GOUTD said that the previous speaker , though attired that evening in the regalia of the A . and A . S . R ., 33 ° , held higher rank than himself under the Grand Lodge of England , and therefore he ( Bro . Gould ) considered that it would be unnecessary for him to do more than express his full concurrence in all that had fallen from Bro . Sandeman with respect to the practical working of that bod }' . His further observations would also be of a brief character , as he felt constrained

to address the brethren in his own native tongue , and should leave to his compagnon de voyage , the Secretary of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge , the task of pulling the labouring oar in the enterprise upon which they had jointly embarked . But there were , after all , a number of English brethren present , besides many others to whom the English language was as familiar as their mother tongue , and to each of those classes he would therefore in some measure address himself . Various governing

Masonic bodies were represented that evening at the hospitable board of " Les Amis Philanthropes , " and it might be asked on what grounds were the two representatives of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge—Bro . Speth and himself—bracketted , if he might use the expression , with the distinguished brethren around them , who hailed respectively from Grand Lodges , Grand Orients , and Supreme Councils . To that a two-fold answer might be returned , the first and most important being

that while a due subordination to Masonic authority was undoubtedly one of the first obligations cast upon a member of the Craft ; a proper comprehension of the general scheme of Masonry—of its past history , and of the aims and principles of the existing Society—was equally incumbent upon the Freemason who was imbued with a genuine love of the Institution . The advancement of Masonic knowledge was the mission to which the Quatuor Coronati

Lodge was dedicated , and constituted in fact the raison d ' etre of its existence . How far the lodge had fulfilled its self-appointed mission it was not for him to say , though the few words he had to add would to some extent supply the answer , and at the same time explain more particularly the reason why the Master and Secretary of the lodge were taking part in the festival of that evening . It was the desire of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge to unite by a closer tie than the ordinary bond of

Masonry the wide band of students who were interested in Masonic research . For that purpose an Outer or Correspondence Circle had been instituted , and among the brethren who had joined it was Bro . Tempels , to do honour to whom all present that evening were assembled . The Master and Secretary of the Quatuor Coronati Lodge had therefore attended very willingly at the complimentary banquet given to a member of the literary society attached to that body , and nothing could have

given them greater pleasure than to find from the testimony of all those brethren with whom they had conversed since their arrival in Brussels , that the estimate they had already formed of his great services to Freemasonry was adjudged to be a correct one . There remained , however , one pleasing task , but that he should perform a little later , and with the assistance of Bro . Speth , who would next proceed to address them in a language with which they were more familiar .

Bro . SPETH , speaking in French , said : " My first duty is to express on behalf of my W . M ., Bro . Gould , and myself , our high appreciation of the compliment paid us in associating our names with those of the distinguished brethren and bodies included in this toast , and more especially of the loving kindness and fraternal courtesy extended to us at this board . Apart from the fact that Bro . Tempels and your Supreme Council are members of our literary society or Correspondence

Circle , we came amongst you as strangers , but shall leave you firmly convinced that we are parting from true and trusty friends and brothers . The warmth that pervades our hearts would find poor expression in words , even were I using my mothertongue , but fettered as I am by the use of a language with which I have been unfamiliar for some ten years past , I despair of conveying any adequate idea of the state of our feelings . We have met here this evening to do honour to one of the

foremost Masons in Belgium , a brother who is at the same time in the front rank as a man of letters , law , science , and politics . He is also foremost in another sphere . When 16 months ago we founded our Correspondence Circle , now numbering some 330 members of all nations and kindred , Bro . Tempels was one of the very first to apply for admission . His clear intellect at once grasped the value of the work to which we had dedicated our efforts , and his application for membership arrived *

within a month of the issue of our first circular . Let me here assure him that of all our Circle he is not the last in our regard . If any proof were wanting of his right to our loving consideration , that proof is ready to hand , in a book written by him entitled'Les Francsmacons . ' This work has been translated into German , and one chapter was given in English in our 'Transactions . ' If it be asked why the whole has not been rendered into English , the answer is prompt . With the

Masonic Festival In Brussels.

exception of some unnecessary historical remarks which are open to adve criticism , the whole teaching of the book is in exact accordance W ' rt ! English doctrine and dogma . Its translation was therefore unnecessa ' If you will kindly bear in mind that I am an Englishman , a matter , I presume ^ f no great difficulty— 'for my speech bewra ^ eth me '—you will acknowled ge tht such a statement , deliberately made , involves very high praise . Every word f doctrine of of

, every precept morality , every injunction charity , forbearance anH temperance , every assertion of individual liberty contained in that work ' is complete accordance with our ideas , and merits your own serious stud y . Rumnn reach us from Belgium of Masonic acts which we must brand as un-Masonic ¦ are unable to approve at all times your practice ; but this I will safel y say , if v „ adopt for your theory and standard the exposition of our Bro . Tempels , and strictl conform thereto , then shall we in England be able to concur in all your actions

^» - * rt iim"flnAvir /\/ ll » F flArtt « AiTa vriMii * « TtnTfr « V / % wi a * - * iiir w \ *^* % + l ^ nl- *^\/ % l ^ mi * - 1 A J - _ and unreservedly approve your ways . Some few months back our lod ge resolved to adopt a medal to be worn at will by every member of our Lodge and Corres pondence Circle . The dies for this medal are now complete , but only one med-il has as yet been struck , which medal 1 now bold m my band . Neither the W M nor myself , nor any member of our lodge has yet received a medal , although in a very short time , 1 have no doubt . it will possibly be worn by thousands . The medal

in my hand differs in no respect from that which would be worn by the greatest of Masons were he a member of our Circle , save that it bears the name of Bro . Tempels and the words " from No . 2076 , 23 / 6 / 88 , " on the rim . This medal the first ever completed , the W . M ., Bro . Gould , will now , on behalf of our lodge , present to Bro . Tempels , and long may he preserve health and strength to wear it amongyou . Let it be a token of the tie which binds him , and through him , all Belgian Masons , to the Lodge Quatuor Coronati . "

During the latter part of this speech Bro . Gould left his place , and advancing to Bro . Tempels , whose radiant countenance expressed his pleasure , pinned the jewel to his breast . The whole proceeding , which was , of course , quite unexpected was the cause of evident gratification to the brethren present , and was attended by much cheering . Quiet being at length restored , Bro . LIEFTINK , the Grand Orator of the G . O of the Netherlands , replied for that Body in Dutch ( or Flemish ) , a language almost as universally understood in Belgium as French .

Here it becomes necessary to interrupt our narrative in order to explain one peculiar feature of lodge life in Belgium . It would appear that in Antwerp there are many resident business men of American , Scottish , Irish , and English birth , not a few of whom are Masons . These brethren were naturally desirous of meeting as a lodge , and eventually gained their ends by joining the Lodge " Les Eleves de Themis " at Antwerp , which works in Flemish . Since that date every officer in the

lodge has had an English-speaking Deputy , and the lodge meets under these Deputies at stated intervals , works in English according to the ritual of the Grand Lodge of England , admits English-speaking candidates , and wears English clothing , The appearance of a score of English aprons and collars amongst the regalia of the G . O . of Belgium , which is quite different , was sufficiently striking . We are

informed that these brethren were overjoyed to welcome the British visitors , and Bro . Speth , who on several occasions left his seat to sit amongst them in the body of the hall , each time experienced great difficulty in regaining his place , and is very enthusiastic in his praise of the fraternal feeling shown him . But to proceed with our report ,

Bro . GEO . RICKARD , the Immediate Past Deputy Master of the lodge , next claimed the parole , and addressing Bro . Tempels in English , thanked him for the services he had rendered them , in particular for facilitating the arrangement above alluded to .

Bro . IBIIPELS then proposed " The Health of the Ladies , and especially of the wife of the President . " Handing Bro . De Vergnier one of the huge bouquets which graced the banqueting table , he begged him to give it to her with the fraternal regards of the brethren present . About this period of the evening the proceedings seemed to pass by an easy transition to the final , or conversational , stage , and though speeches still continued

to be delivered , they in no wise interrupted the general How of language , which , in a more subdued key , was taking place in every portion of the Hall . Nor did the obvious fact that their eloquence was falling upon deaf ears in any way discourage a certain number of orators , from whose gesticulations alone could any idea be foimed of the subject matter of their various discourses . Coffee soon after made its appearance , and the Stewards proceeded to divide the remaining bouquets

among the company , handing bunches of roses to each guest seated at the High Table . While this was taking place , a well-known Brussels singer , whose name escaped our correspondents' recollection , was introduced . He was borne into the Hall astride a beer barrel , and deposited on the dais . Attired in a flowing flaxen wig and beard , with shirt open at the chest , and a skin thrown over his shoulders ,

this impersonator of Gambrinus flourished a huge Delft mug in his hand , and intoned some ancient drinking song to a spirited air ; but , as far as the words are concerned , the buzz of conversation was so great , that our correspondents could arrive at no conclusion with regard to the language used by the vocalist , who , for all they knew to the contrary , might have been chanting his ditty in one of the choicest of the Olympian dialects .

On the following day a very pleasant excursion was made by a few of the brethren , including Bros . Tempels , Desmond , Sandeman , Baron Creutz , Van Osenbruggen , Lieftink , Cohen , and others , to Dinant , on the river Meuse , distant some 60 miles from Brussels , where they passed a very pleasant day and evening , returning to Brussels on the Monday . During this outing a great deal of discussion

naturally took place as to the subject of differences in feeling and in working Freemasonry in various countries ; but in everything which passed , a most thorough goodwill and cordiality prevailed , and we have it verbally from Bro . Sandeman who was the only Englishman present at the excursion—Bros . Gould and Speth having been reluctantly compelled to turn their faces homewards on the 24 th ult . —that nothing could possibly exceed the kindness and cordiality which he received

at the hands of the brethren with whom he was associated on that occasion . In conclusion , it may be remarked that the numerical strength of the Belgian lodges is , in most cases , sufficiently large , according to our insular notions , to justify a considerable sub-division of their component atoms .

The two lodges in Brussels , we are informed , each numbers between four and five hundred members . 1 he Rose Croix chapters , thoug h unduly strong , from an English point of view , are less unwieldy than the lodges , ana , curiously enough , in moral sentiment , the two sets of bodies are the veritable

antipodes of each other , the lodges being arrayed on the side of progress —a term in Belgium , as in France , rather implying a descent from liberty to licence , while the chapters suppiy the useful function of a drag , wmci

prevents the brethren of the Degrees" from advancing too tar the direction of either socialism

innovation . _ c The Medal above referred to , of which we annex an engraving , was man tured by Bro . George Kenning .