History Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 256.——(Continued).

History of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , No . 256 . ——( Continued ) .

( By Bro . HENRY SADLER , Sub-Librarian to the Grand Lodge of England ) .

ON the 7 th of October a vote of Sympathy and Condolence was passed to the widow and family of the late Bro . Charles A . Murton , P . G . D ., for many years Secretary of the Lodge , who had been called away during the Summer recess . 1899 . The Committee and executive officers were again

re-elected on the 7 th of January . Bro . R . Clay Sudlow presided as W . Master at the Annual Festival on the 24 th of February , having Bro . Rushton as I . P . M ., with Bros . Charles Lewis and Major Badham as Wardens . He was ably assisted in working the First Lecture by the following

members , viz .: — 1 st Section by Bro . J . Collett Smith . 2 nd „ „ D . D . West . 3 rd „ „ J . F . Roberts . 4 th „ „ W . R . Bennett .

5 th ,, „ Charles Lewis . 6 th „ „ G . R . H . Clark . 7 th „ „ T . W . Allsop .

LORD OHKMOnNB ( NOW KARL OF IURTRY ) , I ' . S . G . tV ., Chairman of llic lu- * tiral in 1 S !) I . About 400 brethren attended the meeting , 103 of whom were proposed as joining members . The Earl of Dartmouth ,

Prov . Grand Master for Staffordshire , made an excellent chairman at the banquet , and was loyally supported by his Deputy , Lieut-Col . John A . Bindley , P . G . D ., and many other distinguished members of the Craft . The noble chairman was peculiarly happy in his mode of

dealing with the various toasts that fell to his share , and it is with much regret that we are precluded , by considerations of space , from giving more than a very brief extract from his reply to the toast of his health and his remarks in proposing Success to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement : " I am

aware that from my youthfulness in Freemasonry no doubt many of my friends would be a little surprised to find me occupying the place that I do to-night as President of the

annual gathering of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . Probably many of you may be acquainted with the opera played some years ago of ' The Grand Duchess . ' There was in that opera a character named Fritz , who , having rendered some service to the Grand Duchess , was offered a reward ; but that reward—to the surprise of

everybodywhich he selected was the post of a village schoolmaster . It was pointed out to him that he was unable to read , and he said , ' That is the very reason why I want to be a schoolmaster ; I want to learn . ' Brethren , it is to a certain extent for that reason that I occupy the post I am trying to fill

to-night , and I am bound to own that I have learned a very great deal if I can remember only half of what I have heard . But it seems to me that Freemasons generally when anybody renders some little service are apt to look at those services through very strong binocular glasses ; they try to make

those services look as big as possible ; and if there is a failure the glasses are reversed , and they look through them at the other end and see them as small as possible . That is a comfort to you in going through life , and I can say of Freemasonry that I have always received a kind and

courteous consideration , and that , however undeserved it may be , is at any rate most gratifying to the individual . Before I sit down I have a very pleasant duty to perform , and that is to propose another important toast . I understand , brethren , that there are something over 100 new

members—probationer members—who have sent in their names to-night . I may be allowed to say that I am one of those members , and as I have every hope that the result of the ballot may not be altogether unsatisfactory , I take this opportunity , which will probably be denied me as a member of the Lodge , to propose hearty success to the

Emulation Lodge of Improvement . I have been favoured by Bro . Letchworth with some facts connected with the Lodge , which , though familiar to some of you , may be new to others . In the ritual and work of Freemasonry carried on throughout the country there must be a sort of heada

, Court of Appeal . To be of any value that Court of Appeal must have antiquity ; it must have ability ; and it must have the confidence of the brethren general !} -. I think the Emulation Lodge of Improvement answers those requirements One might think I was in some little

difficulty because I have to call upon some brother to return thanks to this toast , but I feel y ou will agree with me that there is very little difficulty about such a selection , because if there is a man whom the Emulation Lodge would wish to return thanks for them they will agree that Bro . Sudlow is

the right man . I am glad to find that that suggestion is so unanimously endorsed , and I am proud to own that all this evening , beautiful as the work was , I have been forcibly reminded of the lines of the poet"' And still they gaz'd and still the wonder grew

That one small head could carry all he knew . ' " * Bro . R . Clay Sudlow , in responding , said : " R . W . Brother in the Chair and Brethren , —If the continued success of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement depended upon the measure of kindness and goodwill with which this toast was proposed by his lordship , or upon the

heartiness and cordiality with which it was received by this splendid gathering of Masons , then , indeed , that success is already assured . Certain it is that the members of the Committee upon whom the work of the Lodge devolves should feel greatly encouraged in their