United Grand Lodge.

first personage named in the toasfc , H . R . H . fche Prince of AVales . Although , as I have lately said , we must lament the absence of her Majesty from appearing among us , yet I am sure we must all rejoice and hail wifch satisfaction the advent of the Prince of AA ales into public life . ( Hear , hear . ) Wo see him , no doubt , afc the desire of his royal mother , coming forward , presiding at many charitable and scientific institutions , and all

that is ennobling and useful to his country . AVe see him taking prominentpartin everything that an Englishman likes and wishes success to , aud making himself useful in every possible mannej :. ( Hear , hear . ) AA e had hoped that his Royal Highness might have become a Mason . ( Hoar , hear . ) I wish he was one of us ; but if he is not I will say this , thafc he perforins all the

functions and usefulness that the Craffc prides itself upon performing . Under these circumstances I am sure yon will he rejoiced that , though Her Majesty loves so much her retirement , we have a scion of that noble stock who is likely , and who gives promise to be a true Englishman , and to promote everything than can be useful and dignified in this country .

Brethren , I will say no more than ask you to join with me in drinking most cordially " The Health of His Royal Highness the Prince of AVales , the Princess of AVales , and the rest of the Royal Family . " ( Drunk wifch three times three . ) Bro . T . E . Walker then sang " God Bless tlieJPrince of Wales . " Bro . FAAVCETT , Prov . G . M . of Durham , said , —It most

unexpectedly devolves upon me to propose " The Health of tho M . W . the Grand Master . " ( Vociferous applause , which lasted for some minutes . ) Brethren , I fully anticipated the enthusiastic reception that you have given to that toasfc . ( Hear , hear . ) I , and all of you , must regret the absence of the Deputy Grand Master , who in his visual forcible and felicitous style would have made acceptable to you thafc toasfc . But

brethren , I am consoled by this reflection , that it requires no eloquence or oratory to make acceptable to yon the toasfc of the health of him who , for the twenty-first time , you have elected as your Grand Master . Brethren , twenty years is a long period in one ' s life , and during that period aud under the governance of our M . AV . Grand Master , you have seen the progressive prosperity of the Craft . You have seen now lodges

consecrated , you have seen numerous members initiated into the Craft ; you have seen the unexampled prosperity of our Charities ; and , above all , you have seen that truly Masonic feeling prevails among the members of the Order . All these results have been achieved under the guidance of him whom you now honour , and I call upon you to drink his health—to

thank him for his past services , and to breathe hopes that strength and long life may be accorded to him—that the advantages of his beneficial sway over us may be long continued . The toasfc was drunk with three times three . The G . MASTER said , —Brethren I assure you ifc is most difficult for me to express my feelings on the manner in which

you have been kind enough to receive the toast which has just been proposed . I have been long accustomed to receive great kindness from my brethren , and I havo been well received afc all times by the Craffc in general , and by tho Grand Lodge in particular ; but , brethren , after so long a period of service , I assure you I cannot express to you the feelings which I entertain at

the reception you have given to my health this evening . I have only to request that you will believe the gratitude which I express I feel for your kindness . Brother Fawcett , my excellent friend the Prov . G . M . for Durham , made one slight mistake . He said you had elected me now for the 21 sb time . I cannot allow one year to pass over , for it is my 22 ud time . I have actually served 21 years , and I feel proud to have been elected nowinmy 22 ndyear . Brethren , I feel proud , becauselthink , with- i

out boasting , that since I hove had the honour of presiding ovei you , the Craffc has flourished in every respect . ( Hear , hear . ) Our Charities have flourished , our lodges have increased immenselyour Charities , I should think , are move than doubled . AVe have built a Girls' School—we have built a Boys' School—the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons has been completed . In every way I think the Craffc haveroason to he proud of our whole

performance ; but , brethren , we aro now about to complete a still greater work than any thafc has yet been done . AVe are building a new Temple for Masonry . ( Hear , hear . ) I have this day had the pleasure of going over that part of it which has been completed , or which is in course of completion , and must say that I have experienced not only the greatest pleasure , but I felt admiration for

the work which has been done . ( Hear , hear . ) The Grand Superintendent of AVorks deserves the greatest credit for the taste , the solidity , the airiness , of that which is at present nearly completed , I think that this building will do more than anything that has yet been done to bring tho Craffc into credit and notice all over England .

Brethren , there is one thing that Ido feel anxious about , and which I trust you will bear in mind and carry out . I speak about this magnificent edifice , which I hope will soon be completedthat is in the course of little more than twelve weekssince ifc is this clay twelve months that I laid fche foundation-stone . ' This magnificent Temple will be dedicated to the

use of the Craft only , and that it will for ever be under the entire control of the Grand Lodge , and used for no other purposes than those which the Grand Lodge and the Craffc may permit . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) Ifc does appear to me that when such a building , which will be an ornament to the metropolis , is completed , that the Craft should exercise its sole authority over it and that ifc should be used for the purposes of

Freemasonry only . Brethren , I hope you will agree wifch me in the views I have expressed regarding t his building which has cost a large amount of money , but I believe it will be remunerative fco the Craft , and that although we may pay a little for our accommodation , yet it is so arranged thafc the interest of the money will , in the course of years , amply repay the expenditure upon it . I cannot sit down without again complimenting the

architect and the Superintendent of AVorks , who has performed thus far so ably the duties we have entrusted to him ; and I think , from what I have seen this day , we may rejoice in the progress which has been made , and that this building will prove a success . Brethren , I again thank you for the kindness you have shown to me , and assure you that although-1 am sorry to say I am

getting very old I shall always as a Mason do my duty to you . ( Loud cheers . ) Tho G . MASTER then gave " The Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , " and alluded to the kindly feeling which Avas always maintained between the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland and the Grand Lodge of England . At the last festival

meeting , his Grace the Duke of Leinster , Grand Master of Ireland , was present at the laying of the first stone of the new building ; hut since then , Scotland has lost her Grand Master , and the Grand Lodge of England had lately agreed to an address of condolence upon that melancholy event . In giving the toast , he coupled with it the name of Bro . Hay , of the

Grand Lodge of Scotland . ( Drunk with groat cordiality . ) Bro . HAY very briefly returned thanks . The G . MASTER said the next toasfc ho had to propose was " The Health of tho Right AVorshipful the Grand AVardens , and other Grand Officers of the Year ; " and having very hriefly referred to the selection he had made , coupled with the toast the name of Bro . Sir Michael Hicks Beech , Sari ., M . P ., S . G . W . Bro . Sir M , H . BEECH , S . G . W ., returned thanks .