Empire Lodge, No. 2108.

Empire Lodge , No . 2108 .

AN emergency meeting of the Empire Lodge , No . 2108 , was held on April nth , mainly for the purpose of initiating His Highness the Sultan of Johore , K . C . M . G . The W . M ., Bro . Orlando Hill , very ably performed the ceremony , and was efficiently supported by his Wardens and other officers . There was a large attendance of Grand

Officers and visitors present including Bros . Rev . Sir Wm . Vincent , Bart ., P . G . Chaplain ; Sir E . Letchworth , G . Sec . ; Sir Arthur Trendall , C . M . G ., P . A . G . D . C . ; Wm . Lake , Asst . G . Sec . ; Dato Abdul Rahman , C . M . G ., etc . After the conferring of the third degree on a candidate ,

the initiation of the Sultan , as well as of Air . Arthur John Barry , took place and the complete ceremony was carried out in such a manner as to elicit the admiration of all present . A banquet followed which was presided- over by the W . M ., Bro . Hill . The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were

duly honoured , and in replying to the toast of the Grand Officers Bro . W . Lake , A . G . Sec , referred to the peculiar pleasure it afforded him to be present that evening . He had attended the consecration of the lodge twenty-one years ago , and many of the important functions which had taken

place since , but none had afforded him more gratification than the present on account of its associations . His son , who was also a member of the Empire Lodge , had for many years been intimately connected , by residence and otherwise , with the State of Johore , and therefore his personal interest

in that day ' s proceedings was more than a passing one . The peculiar mission of the Empire Lodge had been fulfilled again and again , and the present was not the least of the many occasions on which it had rendered important services to the Order .

HIS HIOIINE . S . S THE . Sl'LTAX OK . IOHOKE . In response to the toast of the W . M ., Bro . Orlando Hill asked to be allowed to pass 011 the congratulations and thanks to the Past Masters of the lodge who had so ably supported him that clay . He considered himself extremely

fortunate in being backed up by such efficient aid . It had been a great honour to him to be the Master in admitting their distinguished brother , Ibrahim , Sultan of Johore , to the Order .

The W . M . next gave the toast of " The Newly-Admitted Members , " and went on to say that in His Highness they had a most distinguished personage , one of whom the Empire Lodge and the Craft would be proud . His Highness ,

BRO . THE BATO ABDUL RAHMAN . by reason of his exalted station , would be able to do much for the cause of Freemasonry . By his demeanour in the lodge that afternoon they knew he had been very much impressed . He had taken the subject to heart , and had

evidently looked upon it in the right light , for in a conversation he had had with him his Highness had expressed his intention of furthering the cause of Freemasonry in his own dominions . He also coupled with the toast the name of Bro . A . J . Barry , who that day , had been admitted with his

Highness the Sultan of Johore as a new member . His Highness , who was suffering from a troublesome cough , in responding , said : I am sorry to say I have such a bad cold that really I am unable to speak very much , but I have asked my colleague , Bro . Barry , to speak for me .

Bro . A . J . Barry , in a capital speech , stated that they had been much impressed by the solemnity of the proceedings that afternoon , and felt it a great honour to address as brethren such an august assemblage . He , himself , felt a difficulty in finding adequate expressions of thanks for the very cordial manner in which they had been received .

Personally , he had attained grace somewhat late in life , but he was glad to think that his father had been a prominent Freemason . He assured the brethren that , although but recently initialed , they would do their best to do justice to their reception that clay and credit to the Empire Lodge , and to the confidence which had been placed in them by their

respective proposers and seconders , to whom he would tender their best thanks . Regarding his Highness the Sultan of Johore , he was the ruler of that State in the Malay Peninsula , which had been favoured by Nature more than any other . His Highness and his government had always

shown especial regard to our country . In every way he had worked on a cordial understanding with the British Government , and he felt sure that such good intentions would be well recognised . One of the great wants in the State of Johore was a Masonic lodge , and he believed it would not

be long , if he might claim to know the characteristics of his Highness , before a lodge would be started in the State , to which , most fittingly , his Highness might become first W . M . Tlie toasts of "The Visitors" and " The Officers " concluded the evening's proceedings .