The Masonic Banquet at the Mansion House
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tho highest and ablest in the land. With such a roll of achievements to point to, his lordshi p mi ght well havo THE MASONIC BANQUET AT THE contented himself with HO admirable a fulfilment of his MANSION HOUSE. many and arduous, though , on occasions, most agreeable THE meeting at the Mansion House on Monday, when duties. But, albeit, in these prosaic days, even a Lord His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, Grand Mayor may be forgiven for not inventing or discovering Master of Masons in England, accompanied by his brother, something new, Sir b1. Trnscott had the good fortune to the Dnke of Connanght, Past Grand Senior Warden , and suggest to himself that tho entertainment by him as Grand Prince John of Glucksburg, was right royally entertained Junior Warden of England , in his official residence as Lord at dinner by the Right Hon. Sir F. Wyatt Trnscott, Grand Mayor of London , of the Prince of Wales as Grand Master Junior Warden for the present year, will be an ever of Masons, would form a glorious climax to his other memorable event in the annals, not only of that Civic achievements. Tho result was the banquet of Monday, hospitality for -which London from the earliest times has of which wo give particulars elsewhere, when, in addition been renowned, but also of English Freemasonry, which to the royal brethren wo havo enumerated , woro present was so munificently honoured on the occasion. We are well nigh all tho most distinguished members of the Masonic not going to be so silly as to affirm that this particular brotherhood. Among thorn wore tho Earl of Lathom, gathering is ever likely to take precedence, in the minds of Deputy Graud Master of England and Prov. Grand Craftsmen, of other grand gatherings. The installation Master of W. Lancashire, Lord Leigh Prov. G. Master of as Grand Master of George Prince of Wales—afterwards Warwick, the Earl of Hardwicko Prov. Grand Master of George IV.—was a grand Masonic display, and evoked Cambridgeshire, Sir E. A. H. Lechmore Bart., M.P., Prov. loud manifestations of joy from the Craft generally. Tho Grand Master of Worcestershire, It. W. Bro. W. W. B. meeting in December 1813, at which the Union of the Beach , M.P., Provincial Grand Master of Hants and the Ancient and Modern Grand Lodges was consummated, Isle of Wight, Lord Suffield Prov. Grand Master of with His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex as Grand Norfolk, the Marquess of Londonderry, K.P., Prov. Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England , was an Master of Durham, together with other brethren, moro or event, the inestimable benefits of which it would be a task less distinguished, to the number of some three hundred. of supreme difficulty to determine, if only we regard it as The Lord Mayor's own Lodge, Grand Master's No. 1, was, terminating a schism which for somo three quarters of of course, strongly represented , while, as regards the a century had split Freemasonry into two rival, or, rather, banquet, tho appointments, and, indeed, the accessories be it said, two hostile camps. The installation of His generally, no effort had been spared to make it what it Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as Grand Master on proved and deserved to be, a most brilliant and unique that brightest of red-letter days, in April 1875, when all success—a success among successes oven in the role of the most distinguished members of the Craft were London hospitalities. Ten days hence, and the present assembled in the Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington, occupant of tho Civic throne will take rank among tho to witness and take part in the glorious ceremony, honoured Past Masters of Civic administration ; but though can never be surpassed, though in the ages to come it sticcessors to him may bo found in every way as worthy may perhaps be equalled in pomp and circumstance aud as himself of being appointed to so high a position, and general feelings of rejoicing. But though we very pro- as well calculated to fulfil these duties with the same perly refrain from giving undue importance to the feelings of loyalty and generosity, we imagine thoy will reception and entertainment on Monday at the Mansion experience somo difficulty in surpassing him. At all House of the Grand Master by his able and popular Grand events, as the repetition of a celebration cannot possibly be Junior Warden, we shall make no secret of our opinion brought within tho category of novelties, with the respected that, of its kind, it is not only one of the most suc- name of Lord Mayor Trnscott, Grand Junior Warden of cessful, but likewise one of the most brilliant gatherings England, will ever be associated the honour of having of the Craft—an d unique withal—it has ever been the good conceived and carried out the idea of entertaining at the fortune of the Masonic journalist or historian to record. Mansion House tho Prince of Wales as Grand Master of There have been ere now Lord Mayors of London who the United Grand Lodge of England. We must now also took a prominent part in Freemasonry— Alderman bring our few remarks to an end, and , in doing so, we Stone is a case in point ; and we believe we are right in most heartily congratulate his lordship on his reception of saying that Monday was not the first occasion on which the Grand Master and his brethren at his official residence Grand Lodge has been entertained by the chief magistrate on the evening of Monday. of the City of London. But having due regard, and giving all due prominence, to Masonic celebrations of a somewhat similar character which have been held in past days, we still hold that that of Monday will ever stand out from them as singular in its way. Lord Mayor Trnscott, GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS. for instance , during his term of office, has shown himself THE regular Quarterly Communication of this Grand to be a worthy representative of our leading Civic mag- Lodge was held at tho Masonic Temple, Boston , on nates. He has not only been the chief guardian of the Wednesday, 8th September, on which occasion tho M.W. rights and privileges of his fellow-citizens,—those rights the Grand Master, Bro. Charles Alfred Welch , occupied the and privileges which have been, so to speak, handed down throne ; he v,-ds supported by a numerous assemblage of from time immemorial, and excited the admiration, as they Grand Officdvs, D.D. Grand Masters, &e., together with have enlisted the warm sympathy ancl support, of all loyal the represent atives of eighty-three ot tho Lodges under his Englishmen. He has also, in a modest yet munificent jurisdiction . After tho formal proceedings as to opening manner, upheld its ancient reputation for hospitality, and the Grand Lodge had been complied with, the Grand has dispensed a hearty welcome to representatives of all Master addressed the brethren in relation to the capitation classes, whether Civic officials , distinguished foreigners, or , tax, congratulating them upon the spirit and zeal of the Lodges and the brethren throughout the jur isdiction, as enjoyed tho privilege—one shared by many now present—of assisting at a Masonio ceremony of high importance to present and future evinced by the number of Lodges which had commuted tho Rene- rations, kindly ancl ably performed by the Duke of Cornwall in Trnro, tax in full for the whole number of their members, aud also my native city ; and this, brethren, is but one of many evidences of by tho number of individual commutations. He read a the true and hearty interest evinced by his Royal Highness in the list of those Lodges which had paid the tax in full , and ancient Craft of which he is in this country the distinguished head . also gave the number of brethren, members of Lodges I propose the health of His Royal Highness the Most Worshipful paid the Grand Master. The Prince of Wales, in reply said : My Lord Mayor which had not commuted, who had individually and Brethren ,—You, my lord, havo conferred a great honour on tho tax. Tho former numbers fifty-one Lodges, which, between Grand Lodge of England in entertaining them at this magnificent them, have paid on 0,505 members a sum of G5,050 dols. banquet this evening, and in their name and my own I beg to return The individual brethren who havo commuted the tax yon ouv thanks for this kindness and hospitality on your part. It is of England and Grand Lod number 980, and they have paid a sum of 9,800 dollars, thirty years since the Grand Master go raised b this havo been entertained here, and it is particularly gratifying to them, so that a total of 74,850 dollars has been y as it is, I assure you, my Lord Mayor, to me, to have been entertained means. The individual brethren who appear on tho list by yon during your mayoralty as a member of the Grand Lodge itself. represent fifty-four Lodges, so that there are very few You have, my lord, been kind enough to allude to the laying the outstanding wherein some at least of the members have foundation stones of Truro Cathedral. I believe I am right ia saying to clear off the that such a ceremony has not before taken place in the annals of not made an effort to raise the funds needed Masonry, viz., the laying of the foundation-stone of a Cathedral with debt of the Grand Lodge in this way.