The Grand Festival.

THE GRAND FESTIVAL .

LONDON , SATURDAY , MAY 2 , 1863 .

The annual re-installation ( without the ceremony by-the-bye ) , of the Most AVorshipful Grand Master , the Eight lion , the Earl of Zetland , took place ou Wednesday , and never since he first ascended the Masonic Throne was lie more enthusiastically received . It is well known that we do not approve of Grand

Masters for life , but what the Craft wills , Ave—as Ave trust we are good Masons , —are compelled to bow to ;—• and certainly to no man would we do so more willingly than tbe estimable nobleman Avho now occupies tbe proud position of Grand Master . It lias been our

lot ( as it must be tlie lot of all independent men ) , occasionally to differ iu opinion Avith tbe Grand Master , and we have fearlessly , not only in the MAGAZINE , but in Grand Lodge , asserted our right to criticise bis policy ; but we should be Avantinsr in

justice were Ave not to admit that under all circumstances Ave have met Avitb a kind and courteous reception from bis Lordship . AVe have been beaten , and we have retired in good temper—we have won , and Ave trust we have Avorn our guerdeon Avith all becoming modesty .

The appointments of the year must , Ave believe , on the whole , give general satisfaction—indeed , Ave cannot recollect any year in which they appeared to us so good . It is true we fancy that had Ave the prerogative of

Grand Master , we could have made some better selections , and yet there is not one amongst those Avhich have been made to Avhich Ave Avish to take objectionexcepting that Ave would have reserved a few more appointments for the London brethren , whose lodges ,

number one-fourth ofthe whole in England , ancl used our privilege ( that is as Grand Master ) , by the award of honorary rank which he is entitled to bestow .

By-the . bye , his Lordship made the first use of this patronage on AVednesday by creating Bro . Maharajah Dhuleep Singh , a P . G . AV , a position which Ave are sure , the brethren -will acknowledge , his sendees to 3 lasonry fully entitle him , Avhen we inform them that His Highness was , or Avas to be , raised to the degree

° f Master Mason , in the Prince of AVales Loclge , on Tuesday last . Of the management of the festival we can speak > a unqualified praise , and the Stewards may be congratulated upon - the fact that a quieter and more

gentlemanly meeting Avas never held Avithin the hall ; aud if -we are alloAved to particularise Ave must be speciall y excused for alluding to the great exertions 0 i Bro . Brackstone Baker , the Honorary Secretary ° f the Board , and Avhich must have deprived him of

any of the pleasures of the evening , excepting that " the labour we delight in physics pain . " And now we come to a painful part of our taskthat of complaint . Last year we felt it our duty to protest against tlie appointment of Bro . Stimpson as Grand Organist , on the ground that he was only a

three months Mason , whilst men of the standing of Bro .-Vincent AVallaee , Bro . Kingsbury and others , Avere passed over unnoticed ; and Ave have IIOAV to reiterate our protest and to declare that Bro . Stimpson has forfeited all claim to the resjpeet of the brethren —it may be unwittingly but it has been done . It is

well-known that we have ever maintained that the Craft posseses , AA ithin itself , sufficient musical talent , that Ave need not go out of our body to seek for more , —and we are proud to say that the majority of the brethren Avho provide our musical

entertainments have adopted our view—and under our protest Mr . Lockey , now Bro . Lockey , refused to sit down in Masonic assemblies , and took his

dinner in one of the ante-rooms , feeling the force , as a gentleman , of our objections . But what was the case on AVednesday night ; a gentleman , not being a Mason , but whose acquaintance Ave are proud to acknoAvledge , was introduced to sing , and with tlie approval , Ave have a , right to suppose ,

of the Grand Organist , who conducted the music , absolutely appeared wearing the badge of a Mason . AVe are taught , in all strange and mixed companies , to be careful in our behaviour and words not to let slip anything that may betray our secrets to the uninstructed

world . But what is to be thought of Grand Officers introducing to our banquet tables a gentleman clothed in the garb of a Mason , and throwing us off our guard in any conversation that may be going on . The lady singers are in a different position ; they are

withdrawn from the lodge excepting when their services are required , and brethren are thereby put upon their guard , but not so with gentlemen Avho sit down amongst them and wear the distinguishing badge of the order .

As regards Mr . Cummings we haA'e nothing to say . He is a talented singer ; but we protest against any man , however great his talent , singing at our festivals if he is not a Mason ; and , moreover , Ave strongly protest against his assuming the Masonic Apron , not having been initiated , even though it be as Mr .

Cummings informs , he is proposed for initiation next Aveek . AVe do not blame Mr . Cummings so much as as Ave blame Bro . Stevenson , and Ave do not blame Bro . Stevenson so much as we blame the brother whever he may have been , Avho recommended the

Grand Master to appoint to grand office a brother only just raised , and who knew nothing , and is apparently unable to learn anything of his duties as a Mason .