St. Martin's Lodge, No . 51 0, Liskeard.

St . Martin's Lodge , No . 510 , Liskeard .

r pHE annual festival of St . Martin's Lodge , No . 510 , I Liskeard , was held on the 21 st Dec . under circumstances of exceptional interest . The W . M . elect was Bro . R . A . Courtney , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., who filled the chair as long ago as 1872 , and for the past thirty-two years has been the able and indefatigable secretary of the lodge . To mark

the Diamond [ abilee of the lodge , which was warranted in 18 45 , the brethren unanimously elected Bro . Courtney to once more fill the chair , and to further mark the occasion he appointed Past Masters to fill till the offices under him for the ensuing } ear . There was a large and influential

attendance from all parts of the county . The abridged ceremony of installation was ably performed by Bro . W . H . Stanton , P , M ., P . Prov . J . G . W ., in the presence of a numerous board of installed masters . The W . M . cordially thanked the brethren for the unusual

honour of electing him a second time as Master , and expressed his indebtedness to the Past Masters who had accepted office that day .

iirto . it . A . COU-U'XEV , . jr . Vlioto Cull /* , / ... frf . l / V / . Bro . E . A . P . Broad ( Provincial Charity Representative ) mentioned that at the next festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , a stewardship would be undertaken by Bro . Hammond , of No 5 ro , in the name of his daughter ,

Miss Hammond . On the motion of the W . M ., seconded by Bro . R . Faull , sixty guineas was voted by the lodge to the central charities , through the Cornwall Masonic Charity Association , spread over the next five years . Excellent reports were given of the progress made in the

schools by three boys , sons of deceased brethren of No . 510 , who had received education grants . The customary banquet took place at the Public Hall , the western end of which was screened off for the purpose , and tasteful decorations transformed it into a very comfortable

dining-room . Bro . Courtney again presided over the large company , supported by many distinguished brethren . The subsequent speeches , as might be expected , were of great Masonic interest , and a welcome innovation was made by the introduction of instrumental music between the toasts by the Misses W . and E . Broad ( daughters of Bro . E . A . P . Broad )

and Miss Collard , of Liskeard . These talented young ladies played violin , ' cello , and piano solos with conspicuous taste and skill , and joined in two much-appreciated trios . After

the first toast , " The King and Craft , " Miss Broad sang a verse of "God stive the King , " which was repeated by all present . From the chair was also given the toast of " The Grand Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . and Officers of Grand Lodge , " this being" followed by the trio , " Resignation " ( Batta ) by Miss W . Broad , violin , Miss E . Broad , ' cello ,

and Miss Collard , piano . The W . M . proposed "The Prov . G . Mas'er , the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , and Officers of the P . G . Lodge of Cornwall . " ' Bros . W . W . j Sharpe , Prov . J . G . W ., and W . Rowe , P . P . J . G . W ., responded . The hitter spoke in high

terms of the friendship existing between him and Bro . Courlnev , and congratulated him upon the unique position he occupied . He only knew of one parallel case of an old W . M . being thus re-elected to the chair of that Lodge , and that was in the case of the late Bro . Hugh G . Colvill at Bodmin . But never before had he seen what he had seen

that day , namely , the beautiful idea of filling all the chairs with Past Masters . After a song by Miss Broad , Bro . J . Harris , S . W ., proposed the toast of " The Worshipful Master of St . Martin ' s Lodge , " and gave a number of interesting reminiscence .- , in connection with the lodge .

Bro . Courtney , in replying , mentioned that it was in 18 45 that the lodge was consecrated . The first W . M . was a member of "One and All" Lodge , Bodmin—Bro . Edward Lvne , a solicitor . The Iirst candidate was Mr . Peter Clymo , well known in the Liskeard district as a pioneer of mining . He ( Bro . Courtney ) was proud to have Bro . Nettle , a

nephew of Bro . Clymo , as secretary of the lodge to-day Since its formation , 207 candidates had been initiated , and 54 admitted as joining members . Previously to 18 73 the lodges were held at two licensed houses and at private houses in the town . The consecration took place at the Fountain Inn , and the lodge was afterwards removed to the London

Inn , in a room adjoining the hall in which they were then sealed . In 1 S 68 he was initiated by Bro . Christopher Childs . Bro . Childs also had the unique position of being Master in 18 49 and also in 18 57 . During the latter year Prov . Grand Lodge was held at Liskeard , and very successful it proved . In 186 9 a suggestion was made that it would be

very desirable to remove the lodge from licensed premises . The ide : t receive : ! opposition , but eventually , a site offering itself on the parade , it was secured , and efforts were successfully made to raise funds for building a Masonic Hall . The cost altogether had been £ 1 , 100 , and for the hist ten years they had been free of all debt . Many brethren were curious to know how it was that they were in such a position . The

reasons were these : They were a small lodge , numbering not more than 60 members . When the Masonic Hall was built they had lo pay £ 30 a year as interest on borrowed money , and at first they had to exercise a good deal of care and restraint . During those 30 years the lodge made some grants of money to the trustees and in return the trustees

kept the lodge going and maintained the building . From the time the lodge took possession of the building in December , 1873 , not a penny had been charged 01 the funds for rent , firing , gas , taxes , or -anything else . Many lodges were burdened with a very heavy rental , in some cases

amounting to £ 30 a year , and by the time that was taken out of the income , it made a big hole and prevented that lodge devoting that money to the charities , as it would otherwise have done . St . Martin ' s Lodge was in the position of having no rent ro pay , but , on the other hand , received

rentals from other parts of the building . His sincere hope was that No . 510 would still maintain her position , and that the year 1906 would be as successful as any , and when the officers for 1906 surrendered their collars , he hoped the younger brethren , in resuming their places , would work with

that zeal and harmony which should always characterise Freemasons , Other toasts followed , and at the close all joined in singing the National Anthem , thus terminating the most successful festival held by St . Martin ' s Lodge during the sixty years of its existence .