Thomas Railing Lodge, No. 2508.

Thomas Railing Lodge , No . 2508 .

'TPHE installation meeting of this successful Essex lodge , J ^ which bears the name of the popular and energetic Secretary of the province , was held at the Roebuck Hotel , Buckhurst Hill , on Saturday , April 18 th . There was a large gathering of members and visitors , including some distinguished Grand Officers . The outgoing MasterBro .

, Harvey Lohr , installed his successor , Bro . Charles Gough , into the chair in a very dignified and impressive manner , and the new Master invested his officers with equal credit . As this lodge is a stronghold of " Emulation workers , " it would be superfluous for us to comment upon the excellence of the

ceremonies . At the banquet which followed , the usual loyal toasts were given and duly honoured . In proposing the toast of "The Grand Officers , " the Worshipful Master reminded the brethren that they entered the same door in Masonry as

those who held less distinguished positions , but by merit , ability , and zeal , they were elevated to the " purple . " They were conservators of our landmarks , and their duty was to prevent innovation and all that might be detrimental to the best interests of the Craft .

BRO . CHARLES GOUGH , The toast was acknowledged by Bro . Matthew Clark P . G . D . The enormous spread of Masonry , he said , had thrown great work upon Grand Lodge , and the multiplication of lodges presented a difficult question for the authorities to

deal with , and as they went thoroughly into the merits of every application for a warrant for a new lodge , so should every lodge be equally careful in investigating the merits of every candidate before initiating him , and every Mason should emulate the sentiments of the first Master in the land ,

His Majesty King Edward VII ., whom he had heard state twenty-five years ago , that his interest in Masonry commenced with his life and would only end with his death . Bro . Thomas Railing also replied , and said he had recently been reading statistics drawn up by some American

brethren , in which it was stated that there were over 1 5- million of English speaking Masons . If that were so , and they but carried out the teachings of the Craft , what a powerful influence for good they would have in the world . He had great confidence in that influence , and believed that it would be a powerful factor in pacifying South Africa , and

in making our brethren among Boers understand us better , and desire to live in harmony with us . In proposing the toast of "The Provincial Grand Master , Colonel Lockwood , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and the rest of the Provincial Grand Officers , " the Worshipful Master said it was under the reign of the late Provincial

Grand Master , the Earl of Warwick , that not less than thirty lodges had been added to the province , and in Colonel Lockwood , their present Provincial Grand Master , they had a worthy successor . He was a gentleman , a soldier , and deservingly popular in his province .

The new Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Egerton Green , was a zealous and capable Mason , highly esteemed in the Craft . They also had a brother who had rendered excellent service to the province as Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies in the person of Bro . Lucking , and he was exceedingly

grateful to him for having officiated as Director of Ceremonies at his installation . The Provincial Grand Secretary , after whom their lodge was named , had endeared himself to all by his tact and geniality , and the growth and prosperity of Masonry in the province was largely due to him . They had

many Provincial Grand Officers among their own members , and hoped that by their conduct they would continue to deserve such honours .

This toast was responded to by Bro . Tull , P . P . S . G . W ., who stated that the province was proud of the progress made by the Thomas Railing Lodge , and of its present Master , whom he hoped would have a successful year of office . Bro . Percy Griffith , P . G . S ., also replied . The I . P . M ., Bro . Harvey Lohr , proposed the toast of

" The Worshipful Master , " who , he was confident , was fully qualified , and would thoroughly uphold the magnificent traditions of the Thomas Railing Lodge , and preserve its standard of ceremonial excellence for which the lodge was famed .

The Worshipful Master , in responding , said he felt the honour of his position , and the confidence they had reposed in him would not be misplaced . He was sensible of the fact that a Master's duty was not confined to the ceremonies , and he accepted with pleasure the responsibility

they had placed upon him , and would use his utmost skill and ability to carry out every duty of a Master . The Worshipful Master then proposed the toast of " The Immediate Past and Installing Master , Bro . Lohr , " remarking that if every newly installed Master could feel that he had

at his left hand such able support as Bro . Lohr was qualified to give him , he need have no misgivings about any assistance he might require . He had become a member of the lodge the same night as Bro . Lohr , and was proud to follow him who had clone so much to elevate the lodge and who still

placed his services at their disposal . It was with great pleasure he presented him with the Past Master ' s jewel voted by the members .

The I . P . M ., in reply , said it was with mingled feelings of regret and satisfaction that he left the chair . He remembered many years ago when a student at the Royal Academy of Music , a feeling of contempt for a row of busts of dead and gone musicians which were exhibited on a shelf ; after a while , however , he gazed upon them with very different

feelings , realising that they represented all that was noblest and best in the history of music . The same might be applied to the row of Past Masters , who now realise what the Master of a lodge owes to his Past Masters , as they represent what is good and great in the past history of the lodge .

" The Visitors , " responded to by Bros . S . S . Seal , J . . 1261 ; Oliver Notcutt , S . W . 2986 ; and L . Stanley Johnson , S . W . 453 ; and " The Past Masters , " acknowledged by Bro . Charles Lewis , P . P . G . D . Essex , followed by the toast of " The Officers , " brought the proceedings to a close .