History Of The Emulation Lod Ge Of Imp Rovement, No . 256.——(Continued).

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

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

iQ'JPs The Committee was re-elected and also the ¦ ^ ' Treasurer , this being his twenty-ninth election to that office . William Smalljiiece was elected Secretary on the retirement of Bro . Green owing to indifferent health . The thanks of the Lodge and a jewel value Five Guineas were voted to him in ajijireciation of his services as Secretary cluring the jiast three years .

JOHN 31 . HERVEY , GRAND SECRETARY , Ti'enntrer of au- Etltt'ta / iiill Ltiflife i > f linpeofeiitcut , 1 S 17-1 SS 0 .

On the 22 nd of October , " Bro . T . Fenn having announced to the brethren the great loss the Lodge had sustained by the death of the late Secretary , Bro . A . Green , moved the following resolution , which was seconded by Bro . G . E . Eachus , and carried unanimously : ' That a vote of condolence with

the Widow and Family of the late Secretary , Bro . Alfred Green , be communicated to them by the Secretary , assuring them of the deeji sympathy of the Lodge with them in their afiliction and their high ajijireciation of his amiable character and Alasonic acquirements . ' "

Alfred Green was initiated in 1865 in the Lodge of Love and Honour , No . 285 , Shejiton Alallet , and joined the " Emulation" the following year ; he was a constant attendant thereat until his retirement from the Secretaryshiji . In 1868 he joined the Royal York Lodge of Perseverance , No . 7 , and

was elected Alaster in 1873 . Although a young Alason , comparatively sjieaking , he had made his mark in London Alasonry as an accurate and lluent worker of both ceremonies and sections , while his gentle and jileasing demeanour had won the esteem and affection of all who had the jileasure of his acquaintance .

I he jiresent writer will always remember him with feelings of gratitude , as he was mainly jiromjited to join the " Emulation " by hearing Bro . Green ' s , masterly and eloquent rendering of a section or two at another Lodge of Instruction . On the 29 th of October the following resolution was jiassed unanimously : — " That the Five Guineas voted by the

Lodge for a jewel for Bro . A . Green be supjilemented by an additional Five Guineas and applied to the purchase of a Life-Governorship of the Girls' School , and presented by the

Lodge to Airs . Green in affectionate remembrance of the services rendered to the Lodge by her late husband . " As an examjile of the strictness of the " Emulation " leaders at this jieriod , the following may be cited : — " On the 12 th November , the ballot for a brother , who had been jirojiosed at the jirevious meeting , was jiostjioned for want

of jiroof of his having visited the Lodge . " Early in the following year the brother visited the Lodge was again jirojiosed , and duly elected a member . The Annual Festival for 1875 was held on the 26 th of November , Thomas Fenn in the chair , who was assisted in T

working the Second Lecture by Bros . H . T . Wood , H . Bishoji , H . J . P . Dumas , J . A . Rucker , and G . B . Brodie . About 250 brethren were jiresent , forty-live of whom joined the Lodge . Sir John B . Alonckton , President of the Board of General Purposes , presided at the banquet , the proceedings at which

were briefly reported in The Freemason of the nth December , the sjieeches being omitted for want of sjiace . At the meeting on December 3 rd , " The Secretary read a letter from the Treasurer to Airs . Green , the widow of the late Secretary , which , with her rejily , was ordered to be inserted in the

minutes . " This order was obeyed literally by the Secretary , a jiressed cojiy of the Treasurer ' s letter and Airs . Green ' s , reply thereto being inserted in the minute book by the aid of jiaste .

1876 . The Committee and jiermanent officials were continued , and it may be assumed that they were re-elected each succeeding year in their resjiective offices until further notice . On the motion of Bro . T . Fenn on the 20 th October , it was agreed to work the Installation ceremony on the first and third Fridays in the Winter months , instead of on

the first Friday only as had hitherto been customary . The Festival for this year was held on the 24 th November , which date may not inaptly be described as a red letter clay in the history of the Lodge , not alone because of the unprecedented number that attended , but for several

COL . SIR FRANCIS HUllIlETT , HART ., I'ROV . G . JfASTKU , MIDDLKSKX Chtilrmun of Ihe J ' enfirtil ill 187-1 .