History Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 256.——(Continued).

oratory throws no new light on the history of the Lodge and , as the proceedings are fully reported in the Alasonic Press of the period , they need not be repeated in these pages . At the weekly meeting on the 13 th of March , " Bro . Sudlow , saying he felt sure he was only giving voice to the sentiments of all the members present in expressing the

heartfelt regret with which they had heard of the severe accident that had befallen their esteemed Secretary , moved ' That the Lodge desires to express its sincere sympathywit h Bro . Russell , and their earnest hope that the G . A . of the Universe would speedily restore him to his wonted

health and strength . ' This was seconded by Bro . F . T . Rushton and unanimously carried . " 1897 . No change was made this year in the Committee and executive of the Lodge . The Annual Festival , held on the 26 th February , was probably the largest gathering of

the kind that had ever been held . According to the printed report , between 500 and 600 brethren were present , but as the minutes of the meeting show a total of 4 6 3 , we prefer the latter estimate . Bro . R . Clay Sudlow presided as W . Alaster , with Bro . F . T . Rushton as I . P . M . and Bros . Charles Lewis and Major R . L . S . Badham as Wardens .

The First Lecture was worked as follows : —1 st Section by Bro . the Rev . C . W . Servante , No . 1768 ; 2 nd by Bro . D . D . West , P . AI . No . 108 ; 3 rd by Bro . G . R . H . Clark , No . 1965 ; 4 th by Bro . Win . R . Bennett , W . AI . No . 1965 ; 5 th by Bro . Chas . Lewis , P . AI . No . 2 ^ 08 ; 6 th by Bro . A . M . Barnard , W . AI . No . 196 4 ; and 7 th by Bro . F . Baden

Fuller , No . 1494 . The R . W . Bro . Lieut .-Gen . John Wimburn Laurie , P . G . W ., Past Grand Alaster of Nova Scotia , Provincial Grand Master for South Wales ( Western Division ) , most efficiently presided at the banquet in the large dining Hall .

In proposing the toast , " Success to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , " the Chairman said , that Lodge was one of the great factors in the progress of English Alasonry , which was seen by the work done , he would not say in the Emulation Lodge of Improvement alone , but which had been done

very largely by the influence of that Lodge . He had had a feeling in the past , that he never wanted to hear word-forword repetition . He had never seen it until that night , but as soon as he had seen the work of that Lodge , he saw there was a great deal in teaching the work word-for-word , because there was no question about it . He would take the eighty

odd Lodges in the jurisdiction he had presided over . There he advised them not to restrict themselves to one single use of words , but to express what they meant . It was all very well ; the Alaster and Wardens first did it correctly , but the next lot took up what they thought their predecessors meantand so on ; others took up the same line , and in

, fifteen years he found it was hard to keep them to the point ; they wandered away from it . There was a great deal in the " Emulation " system , and he thought they were on the right track in being so rigidly particular in the precise use of words as they were . Following out that idea , he only

hoped they would continue to show the same intense interest in the Lodge , in the first place as a pattern Lodge to the whole jurisdiction , and that they would continue to influence the whole of the Lodges as they were largely interested in influencing them that clay . He could not go into the history

of the Lodge , but he knew a good deal , and he tried to educate himself ; he was dealing , not with their history , not with what they had done in the past , but with what they were doing in the present and what they would do in the future , that is to say , that they would prove a still greater factor in the working and prosperity of the Lodges on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England .

Bro . R . Clay Sudlow , in acknowledging the toast , said : R . W . Bro . in the Chair and Brethren , —That my name has been coupled with this toast instead of the name of our Treasurer is clue entirely to his courtsey in desiring that I should enjoy that privilege as the oldest member now on the Committee . It therefore devolves upon me to give expression to our thanks for the cordiality with which you have received the toast of " The Emulation Lodge of Improvement . "

When you remember that in the very nature of things it is impossible for us to bring out of our treasury anything in the way of novelty , that our work alternates year by year between the First and Second Lectures , the question very naturally arises , —Why is it that the interest in these functions is so fully maintained ?

It is true that we always have a very distinguished Alason to preside over us , and we are particularly fortunate in our Chairman this evening . It is also true that we are usually favoured with the presence of a large number of Grand Officers , and very highly we appreciate their

continued encouragement and support . But we must look further for an explanation of these splendid gatherings , and I venture to think that it is found in the fascination that Masonry possesses for those who have given any thought at all to its grand principles and teachings , and in the exceptional

opportunities which these festivals afford of listening to the enunciation of those principles in the beautiful language of our lectures . And , brethren , if our festivals are successful , the same remark certainly applies to our weekly meetings . It is becoming more and more widely recognised , the immense

advantage there is in first of all becoming qualified for the work , then passing through the various offices in this Lodge . I really do not know of anything so useful to a Masonic student who has thoroughly studied the ritual in one or other of the lodges of instruction teaching our system , than to go through a finishing course at the Emulation Lodge of Improvement .

A Alason who has done that successfully may with every confidence undertake the duties of any office which he may be called upon to perforin in his Lodge . Brethren , in my student clays Bro . Fenn invariably occupied the Past Master ' s chair , and it was nothing short of an ordeal to essay any work under the keen eye and ear of that great

Alaster ; and although the pupil has been the Past Alaster for now 14 years , I am not sure that he has altogether lost the feeling of awe inspired by that distinguished brother whom we are so very glad to welcome among us to-night . I am told , brethren , that this ordeal is not less severe in the present

clay , and I am very glad if such be the case , because , on the one hand , the examination , so to speak , would be of no real benefit unless it be a very stiff one , and , on the other hand , if laxity were to creep in , the present Committee would not be worthily fulfilling the very responsible trust that has been

committed to them- —a trust , brethren , that they hope to preserve absolutely intact until the time comes when they must hand that trust over to their successors .

At the weekly meeting on the 18 th of June a vote of congratulation was passed to Bro . W . G . Kentish on the well deserved honour of his appointment to the rank of Past Grand Standard Bearer , which vote was warmly acknowledged by Bro . Kentish in a letter , read to the Lodge at its next meeting , and duly entered in the minutes .

1898 . The Committee and executive officers were all re-elected to their several posts on the 7 th of January . The Annual Festival was held on the 25 th of February , Bro . R . Clay Sucllow presiding as W . Alaster , with Bro . F . T . Rushton as I . P . M . and Bros . Charles Lewis and D . D . West as Wardens .

The Sections of the Second Lecture were worked as follows : — 1 st Section by Bro . A . D . Kennaby , No . 1965 . 2 nd „ „ W . R . Bennett , P . M . No . 1965 . 3 rd ,, „ R . E . F . Lander , W . M . No . 2086 . 4 th C . LewisPMNo 2508

„ „ , .. . . 5 th „ „ T . W . Allsop , P . M . No . 88 . About 340 brethren attended the Lodge in the Grand Hall , nearly all of whom remained to the banquet , under the presidency of the V . W . Bro . R . D . AI . Littler , Q . C ., Past Dep . Grand Registrar . The post-prandial oratory , it need

hardly be said , was of the usual complimentary character , and is fully reported in the Alasonic press . Seventy-live names were handed to the Secretary , including that of the Chairman , as candidates for joining the Lodge . ( To be Continual ) .