Banquet To The Lord Mayor By The Alliance Lodge, No. 1827.

Dormer , 357 ; J . Alvers , 1735 ; C . Millington , F . C . Peel , 90 ; John Dicks , 119 G ; R . C . Halse , C . C , 1 S 1 ; D . H . Campbell , j . D ., 21 ; G . j . XV . King , 89 ; E . J . Baylvs , S . W ., 259 ; R J . Ball , 209 ; XV . Lake , P . AI ., 131 , P . P . G . Reg . Cornwall ( Freemason ) . Lodge having been opened in due form , the ballot was opened for electing , as a joining member , the Rev . Joseph Henry SmithP . M . 279 P . P . G . C . Leicestershire and

, , Rutlandshire , who had been proposed by Bro . Major T . Davies Sewell , and seconded by Bro . Sir John B . Alonckton , P . M . The voting was unanimously in favour , and Bro . Smith was elected . Subsequently Bro . Edward Thomas Rodney Wilde was raised to the Sublime Degree of Alaster Alason by the W . AL , assisted by his officers , the ceremony being admirably carried out . About six o ' clock it was announced that the Lord Alayor ,

attended by the Swordbearer , Bro . Alderman Staples , Bro . Sir Reginald Hanson , and many of the Corporate officials , had arrived ; and on entering the lodge-room his lordship took his seat on the dais on the immediate right of the Worshipful Master , after exchanging a hearty greeting . The Lord Mayor was then saluted in due form as Junior Grand Warden of England , and after the transaction of some formal business , lodge was duly closed , and the

company adjourned to the tlirone-room of the hotel , where a " recherche " banquet was served . At the conclusion of the repast the Worshipful Alaster proposed , * ' The Queen and the Craft , " in doing which he observed that Freemasons were amongst the most loyal of her Alaiestys subjects , as had recently been shown in a memorable and very interesting manner . He alluded to the deputation of Grand Officers ,

headed by the Alost Worshipful the Grand Alaster , who waited upon the Queen a short time since to present her with an address , voted unanimously at perhaps one of the greatest gatherings ever assembled at the Alasonic Temple , congratulating Her Alajesty upon her providential escape at the hands of a mad would-be assassin . The toast was enthusiastically received . The toast of "The Alost Worshipful Grand Alaster ,

H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " having been duly honoured . The W . M . gave " The Healths of the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro . Grand Alaster ; the Earl of Lathom , Deputy Grand AIaster ; and the rest of Grand Oflicers , Present and Past . " After expatiating upon the valuable and efficient services rendered to the Craft by these distinguished brethren , he said on looking around the room it afforded him pleasure to observe that nearly all the brethren whose healths he

asked them to drink were present . To those who had come amongst them they tendered a very hearty welcome , as they did their deepest sympathy with those who were absent . They were assembled today especiall y to greet one of the youngest of Grand Officers , the Junior Grand Warden of England . Let him assure the Lord Alayor , on behalf of the lodge , that however welcome his presence would be in any lodge , there could not by any possibility

be any lodge in which he would receive a more sincere , hearty , or cordial welcome than he did in the Alliance lodge . Meeting , as they did , under the very shadow of the Guildhall , and associated as the majority of the members of this lodge were , in one shape or another , with the work of the Corporation , they could but feel it was a suitable act on their part to ask the Lord Alayor to come amongst them that evening , and the very gracious and kindly

manner in which he had responded to their invitation was shown by his lordship ' s presence there . He thanked the other Grand Officers who had also honoured the lodge with their company on the occasion , and asked the brethren to join with him in dlinking heartily to the toast he had proposed , and with which he associated the name of thc name of the junior Grand Warden of England . The Right Hon . the LORD AIAYOR , who was received

with great enthusiasm , said there were many distinguished positions which a man might occupy ; and sometimes when he looked around him , and found with whom he was associated , he felt it somewhat difficult to respond for them . On the present occasion he felt , as Bacon expressed it , he was " young in hours "—( laughter)—and that he was surrounded by a distinguished body of ) officers , who for a length of time had borne the brunt and heat of the

important affairs of this great Institution—the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England . When he looked aroundhe saw near him Sir Albert Woods , who occupied so prominent a position and was so esteemed by the whole of the Brotherhood ; and near him was Sir John B . Alonckton and other members of Grand Lodge , with their excellent Grand Secretary , who was so zealous and ubiquitous—in fact he ( the Lord Mayor' wished he was like him , for he seemed to be

able at any time to be in two places at once . No sooner had he done a good office for one lodge than he was , almost before they could imagine it possible , doing a good office for another . His lordshi p went on to say he felt himself placed in a very distinguished position by the good offices of his friends and by the kindness and condescension of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , the Alost Worshipful Grand Alaster of Grand Lodge . He was also pleased to

think that amongst the brethren who surrounded him , and allowed him to be their mouthpiece on ' this occasion , he could could claim so many gooi' and tried friends in whom , even long before he entered into the happy state of the Brotherhood , were those whom he could look upon and feel he was surrounded by good and tried men . He felt that it would have been well if the names of some of his brother Grand Officers had been associated with this toast , so that they

might have spoken after him , and have d , \ elt with that florid eloquence which they heard in Grand Lodge at the Ouarterly Communications upon those useful and difficult questions which the Grand Registrar so eloquently and so conspicuously rendered to them . But on this occasion he could only say that amengst the many honours he had had poured upon him during the last few months , there were none he valued more highly than that of being appointed

Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of England . " Their Worshipful Alaster had referred to the deputation that recently waited upon Her Alajesty and presented her with an interesting address . He believed that was the first time on which the Freemasons of England had tendered an address in person to Her Alajesty , and it certainly was a very imposing and very instructive sight . Sir Albert

Woods , who had seen more than any one present of the greatest ceremonials that had been exercised in the world , because he had been called upon by Her Majesty to invest the most illustrious of potentates with that much-desired appendage , the Garter , was much struck with the dignity and the imposing character of the event which afforded Her Alajesty such evident satisfaction . In conclusion , his

Banquet To The Lord Mayor By The Alliance Lodge, No. 1827.

lordship again expressed his deep sense of the honour which had been conferred upon him by the brethren of the Alliance Lodge . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing "The Visitors , ' said it must be a matterof great satisfaction to all to recognise the fact that the number of their visitors had so bewildered the Tyler that he was unable to present a complete record of them . Without going through the

wearisome task of enumerating them all , he could not be oblivious to the fact that they were greatly honoured by the presence of so many Grand Officers , especially Bro . Giddy , the D . G . AI . of Griqualand , who had discharged such important duties in Grand Lodge , and indeed in every part of the world in which it was possible for him to perform Alasonic work . He also saw with pleasure the Past Grand Chaplain of England ( Bro . Arnold ) , one of the

present Senior Grand Deacons ( Bro . Harrison ) , and the present Grand Sword Bearer ( Bro . Alessent ) , and—here he felt he was treading on rather delicate ground , because it was almost like sounding one ' s own trumpet , and a very powerful trumpet it was too , when he said they recognised in the person of one of the Grand Officers the presence of Bro . Horace Jones ; and another , than whom none performed more important work in connection with the

Crafthe referred to their excellent Grand Secretary , Bro . Shadwell H . Clerke . Reference was made to several of the Past Grand Officers who were present , and the Worshipful Alaster observed that before sitting down he should ask to respond , not a Grand Officer , but one who had honoured them with his company , Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Hanson . He felt that in doing so the Grand Officers would agree that he was simply doing his duty , because , as he briefly

hinted just now , they were a Corporation lodge , and all the members of it were in some shape or way connected with the Corporation . Therefore he trusted they would deem it suitable if he asked on this occasion their worthy Bro . Hanson to respond . Bro . ALDERMAN AND SHERUT" HANSON , in acknowledging the compliment paid to thc visitors , said it was with some surprise that he felt called upon to respond to this toast ,

but obedience to the Worshipful Master was one of the cardinal points of Freemasonry . He could only say they had amongst the Grand Officers many gentleman of great ability and experience , and it was sometliinglike a question when a regiment was on parade when thc inspecting officer called upon a junior subaltern to go through the drill , instead of selecting the oldest officer , in the expectation that all would be alike efficient . Whatever a man's social

or official position might be , he who did the most practical work was the man called to represent when a representative was wanted . As a comparatively recent Mason , he had pleasure in responding tor the visitors , though he could only repeat a great deal of what the Lord Alayor had said . He hoped , for the benefit of tbe great city in which they were now standing , that they would all in their respective spheres do their duty towards those whom they represented ,

and that this lodge , in which so many of those connected with the Corporation were interested , would continue to flourish . If it was possible for them to feel brotherly sentiment towards one particular lodge more than another , it was towards the Alliance , as it numbered amongst its members so many with whom they were associated in official life . Therefore it was with pleasure he . replied on behalf of the guests , and expressed the hope that this

might not be the last time they would meet under the banner of the Alliance Lodge . BRO . L . F . LITTELL I . P . AL , then proposed "The Health of the Worshipful Alaster , " alluding in felicitous terms to the ability displayed by ltro . Green in the discharge of his arduous duties as ruler of the lodge . The toast was cordially received . 'The W . AI . responded in a lengthy and eloquent speech ,

in the course of which he said he was deeply sensible of the compliment which had been paid to him . He then proposed "The Health of the Past Alasters , " who , though lew in number , were abundant in zeal . 'This lodge would not have r . * et with the recognition it had done but for the good work performed by his predecessors in the chair . The The Junior Grand Warden had been good enough to call his attention to his not having mentioned the President of

the Board of General Purposes , but he made the omission purposely in order that he might have the gratification of proposing Sir J . B . Alonckton ' s health in a separate toast . Sir John was one of the founders of this lodge , and was its first master . The highly important duties he discharged as President of the Board of General Purposes were known throughout the craft , and were performed in the most courteous , urbane , and able manner .

Bro . Sir J . B . AIONCKTON said the circumstances which surrounded him exactly chimed in with his own fancy as to after-dinner speeches—namely , that they should be very brief . The Past Alasters of this lodge were a small body , but they were able , and perhaps not altogether bad looking . They certainly embraced all that could be desired in their zeal for Alasonic work , and the advancement of the interests of the Craft in general , and the Alliance Lodge

in particular . It had been said that he was the venerable pater oi the lodge , but he was not its original founder . Other brethren , who thought it desirable that they should have about the Guildhall a fraternity of this sort , had thought the matter over , and asked him to be the first Master of the lodge , to which he readily assented , and

thus became one of the founders . He thanked them heartily for the cordial way in which the efforts of the two Past Alasters had been appreciated and acknowledged . "The Healths of the Officers of the Lodge" formed the next toast , a suitable reply being made by thc Secretary , Bro . J . E . Turner , the proceedings were concluded with the Tyler's toast .

On Monday last the Committee of the House of Lords ( the Dukeof Leinster , chairman ) passed the piivate Bill promoted by Messrs . Hewett to establish a new riverside fish market at Shadwell . The Committee , however , adopted two important clauses in the interest of thu Corporation of London . One of these clauses empowers the

Corporation within six months after the passing of the Bill to acquire the rights of the promoters with regard to thc new market on paying them their costs of promotion , The other clause provides that , if this option be not exercised , the proprietors of the new market shall compensate the Corporation for any falling-off caused thereby in the tolls at Billingsgate .

Consecration Of The Fidelity And Sincerity Lodge, No. 1966, At Wellington, Somersetshire.

CONSECRATION OF THE FIDELITY AND SINCERITY LODGE , No . 1966 , AT WELLINGTON , SOMERSETSHIRE .

The consecration of this new lodge took place at the Town Hall , on the 13 th inst ., Bro . Else , " G . D . England and D . P . G . AL Somerset , being deputed by the Pro G . M ., the Earl of Carnarvon , to perform the ceremony . The D . P . G . M .

was assisted by the officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge . The brethren assembled at one o ' clock , among them being Bros . Col . Adair , D . P . P . G . M . ; Small , P . P . G . S . WHayman , P . G . S . W . ; Budge , P . P . G . J . D . ; Tompsett " , Past Prov . G . J . D . ; E . 1 . Payne , P . G . T . ; Batten , Past Prov . G . D . C ; Hardwick , P . G . D . C . ; Floyd , P . P ! G . R . ; Anderson , P . G . C ; MoutrieP . P . G . S . W . ; Howe

, P . P . G . A . D . C ; E . VV . Coombes , P . G . S . j J . C . Hunt . P . G . Sec ; Woodforde , P . P . G . S . W . ; Noswortliy , P . P . CO . ; Rev . G . Williams , P . G . C . Devon ; J . Stocker , P . G . T . Devon ; Aleyler , P . P . G . R . ; Williams , P . P . G . D . C ; Ashley , P . P . G . J . W . ; Edwards , P . P . G . J . D . ; Gillard , P . P . G . J . D . ; Dr . Bonn , P . P . G . O . ; Boyd , Harrold ' Bryant , and others .

The ceremony of consecration was preceded by the following oration by the P . G . Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . C . G . ANDERSON , rector of Otterhampton , near Bridgwater , which was extremely well received : Worshipful D . P . G . M . and Brethren—It is with no small degree of anxiety that i enter on the task of addressing such an assemblage as the present , where so many , by eloquence and example , are

qualified to do so far better than I am . As we are about to consecrate a new lodge , it may not be out of place to enquire what manner of man a Free and an Accepted Mason should be . 1 he response of a free man , born of a free woman — " Brother to a king , fellow to a prince or to a beggar if a Alason , and found worthy "—forms a fitting text tor the present occasion . The first part of the answer shows us at

once how ancient our Craft is , for it points back through the long vista of by-gone days to the times of slavery . No man could be a Alason then who was not a free man , born of a free woman , lest he should bring into Alasonry the hideous vices and grovelling spirit of slavery , for what slave dare to have kept intact the secrets committed to his care had they been aeminded from him by a cruel and relentless

master ? I he slave , too , given over as he was to vice of every kind , and encouraged in it to destroy the reasoning power of his mind , which , had it had free scope , would soon have raised him to the level of his master , would most surely sooner or later have contaminated those pure principles on which our Order is founded , and instead ot the eye of the Great Architect of the Universe beholding our

ancient mysteries with pleasure , it would soon have turned from them in wrath . The expression born of a free woman also points back to the very ancient day when Abraham made a grand feast at the weaning of Isaac . Later on , we read that Sarah , Abraham ' s wife , beholding lshmael , the son of the bondswoman , teasing and perplexing , her son , remonstrated with Abraham , and demanded that the

bondswoman and her son be put away because such as they were could not inherit with the free born . She justly feared that the mind of Isaac might be contaminated with the slavish principles of lshmael , it being in those remote ages well acknowledged that the minds of slaves were more debased than those of free born . It is impossible that there could be that freedom of

communication between free men and slaves , which is the essence and spirit of Alasonic life . Again , we are given to understand that at the building of King Solomon's 'lemple thc Alasons who were chosen for tbat purpose were declared free , and exempt from all duties and taxes . Later on in history we find King Cyrus set the people free to rebuild the temple destroved hv Kino- Nehn .

chadnezzar , and from that epoch we bear the honoured name of l * ree and Accepted Alasons . Surely , then , if we can prove so ancient a descent , it is the duty of every one of us to so support our Order as to hand it down to those that shall take our place in the lodge unimpaired in vigour and usefulness . At the present day wc have no need to take the qualification of personal freedom into

consideration , for the times of bodily slavery are over ; but we must see that those who would cast in their lot with us are of good report and free from those vices which enslave the mind . I am perfectly sure that those to whom the rule and authority of this new lodge are entrusted will take ample care that none but Alasons of good report are permitted to enter its door or tread its courts . It is sometimes

urged against our Order that Freemasons , 1 by abolishing human distinctions , would disorganise society and reduce it to primitive elements ; but , biethren , we know far better than that . We who are in possession of its secrets know that no other existing secret institution in this country or any other possess such clearly-defined ranks and degrees , or keeps them more strictly preserved . A

secret society we certainly are , but one with the highest and purest motives for our rules of conduct . My brethren , when we look around the lodge we see the Worshipful Alaster , thc Senior and Junior Wardens , but we know and acknowledge that they are not equal . The one could rule the lodge with despotic power , should he think it safe to do so ; the others are his assistantseach with

, his peculiar duty to perform , beyond which he has no right to interiere . And so with the other officers . Ihe punctual discharge of the office of Deacon become a stepping stone to the grade beyond , while the brethren on the floor are implicitly bound to obey thc commands of the Worshipful Alaster . What is there in this that can , by the remotest possibility , be said with any

truth to tend to the destruction of law and order ? That destruction of law and order which sometimes threaten to come so near will never take its rise from the floor of a Alasons' lodge . Our Queen has no more faithful subjects than the brethren of the Craft . VVe are said , in one ot the . ancient formularies , to meet on the level and part on the square , because all our doings are characterised bv that

brotherly love which smooths away diiliculties and hindrances in the pursuit of our common object . In open lodge brethren as brethren arc equal , whatever may be the diversity of eternal rank and circumstances ; and so each cheerfully bears the burden placed on him by the Worship ful Alaster for the due performance of his Alasonic duties . But

when the lodge is closed , the labour over , the jewels laid aside , the secrets locked in the safe keeping of our hearts , we part on the square , and each returning to his own place in the world , honour is given where honour is due . In open lodge , however , the statesman , the orator , the senator ,