The Grand Master In Natal.

The Grand Master in Natal .

PRESENTATION OF MASONIC ADDRESS .

THE Freemasons of Natal have been greatly honoured in being accorded , for the first time in the history of this or any other British colony , the privilege of meeting and making the personal acquaintance of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England . It had been the hope and tlie desire of the Freemasons of the

colon } ' that His Royal Highness would have consented to attend a special Communication of the English District Grand Lodge of Natal , where their loyal and dutiful address of welcome might have been presented with befitting Masonic ceremony , but His Royal Highness had been pleased to

intimate that he could not depart from the practice he had adopted in the other centres of South Africa which . 'he had visited , viz ., that of receiving the Masonic address in conjunction with , and after that of , the municipal address . In accordance with the Grand Master ' s desire the address was

consequently presented in the town Hall , Pietermaritzburg , the capital of the colony , on Monday , 26 th February , immediately at the conclusion of the municipal ceremony . A certain space had been reserved for the Freemasons , among those present being included R . W . Bro . Wesley Francis , P . G . Sword Bearer , England , District Grand Master ; R . W . Bro .

Justice Finnemore ,, Past District Grand Master ; R . W . Bro . J . Fraser , District Grand Master Scottish Constitution ; R . W . Bro . R . Douglas Clark , Past District Grand Master Scottish Constitution ; W . Bro . S . Marriott , Deputy District Grand Master ; W . Bro . C . W . P . Douglas-de-Fenzi , P . G . Deacon ,

England , District Grand Secretary ; W . Bro . A . G . L . Houghting , D . G . S . W . ; W . Bro . Rev . J . Gould-Smith , D . G . Chaplain ; W . Bro . P . K . Francis , P . D . G . W ., Pres . District Board of General Purposes ; W . Bro . D . Sanders , P . D . G . W ., D . G . Registrar ; W . Bro . Sowersby Mason , P . D . G . W ., D . G .

Treasurer ; W . Bro . H . C . Koch , D . G . Director of Ceremonies ; W . Bro . F . C . Loney , D . G . Asst . Secretary ; W . Bro . W . J . O'Brien , P . D . G . W . ; W . Bro . G . H . Edmonds , P . D . G . W . ; W . Bro . W . J . Marriott , P . D . G . W . ; W . Bro . W . H . Harris , P . D . G . D . ; and representatives of nearly all the lodges in the district working under the English , Scottish , and Irish Constitutions .

The address was bound in a quarto volume of thirty-eight pages , padded morocco , with grolier gold clasps and corner pieces , and bearing in the centre a gold shield upon which is embossed the arms of Natal surmounted by the arms of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . On the front page embellishing the address were representations of prudencebrotherly

, love , and truth , symbolised by figures delicately tinted and surrounded by Masonic emblems ! The album contained illustrations , representing the Masonic Temples in various parts of the district of Natal , as well as general scenes and views of places of interest in the Colony . The whole of the

views were re-copied from existing photographs , or in some cases specially taken , so as to harmonise in size , which secured a uniformity throughout the series not obtainable by any other method . Aceompaining the album was a book containing from 600 to 700 signatures of District Grand

Officers , Masters , Past Masters , and Officers , etc ., of the lodges and chapters in Natal , this supplementary volume being bound " en suile , " leather limp , with gold corner pieces , and bearing upon the cover an appropriate Masonic symbol in gold , the frontispiece , which was exquisitely designed and tinted , indicating the contents of the volume .

The District Grand Master in presenting the address thanked His Royal Highness for being graciously pleased to receive the address . He thought it would give pleasure to His Royal Highness to know that the Masons of Xalal were trying to follow to tlie best of their ability the example of charity set by the great Grand Lodge of England . They

were establishing a fund for the relief of the aged and

indigent Masons , and to erect a building in which they might be housed . Pending the need for such a building for Masons it would be at the use of the Municipality . The address read as follows : — To HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT AND

STRATHEARN , K . G ., K . T ., K . P ., & c , & c , & c . Most Worshipful Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . May it please your Royal Highness : "As colonists and citizens we have already been

represented in the addresses of welcome which have been submitted ; and , as Freemasons , we now desire respectfully to-TCTTtler our sincere thanks for your Royal Highness's gracious condescension in affording us an opportunity of personally expressing our loyalty and obedience to your

Royal Highness as Most Worshipful Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free and Accepted Masons of England . " The Freemasons in this part of His Majesty ' s wide dominions unite in according to your Royal Highness , and to

their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Connaught and the Princess Patricia , a sincere and cordial welcome to the colony of Natal .

" We trust that the sojourn of your Royal Highness in South Africa , besides being of signal service to King and country , may also be of the most pleasant description , and that your Royal Highness will carry back to the Homeland the most kindly reminiscences of this sub-continent and its people .

" Freemasonry affords a common ground upon which men of otherwise diverse views and political creeds may come together in unity and brotherly concord ; and we believewith evidences for our belief—that it is constituting , and will constitute , we hope even in a still higher degree in the future ,

an important factor in establishing that spirit of fraternity , and union of heart and hand , which will find its final development in South African confederation in its most ample sense . " We are not forgetful of the action of the United Grand Lodge of England , over which your Royal Highness bears

rule , in its organization of aid and assistance to Freemasons in South Africa during a period of great stress and strain , upon the initiative of your Royal Highness's illustrious predecessor in the office of Grand Master—His Most Gracious Majesty the King , our Protector . We , too , are mindful of

that great principle which Freemasonry inculcates—the lessening of human suffering ; and we are endeavouring in our degree to follow the examples set in the great Masonic Benevolent Institutions of the Mother Country .

" We venture respectfully to request that your Royal Highness may be graciously pleased to convey to His Most Gracious Majesty the King an expression of the loyal and devoted attachment of the Freemasons of Natal to His Royal Person and Throne . "

Signed on behalf of the District Grand Lodge of Natal , at Pietermaritzburg , this 26 th day of February , 1906 . W . FRANCIS , P . G . Swd . B . Eng ., District Grand Master . S . MARRIOTT , Deputy District Grand Master .

C . W . P . DOUGLAS-DE-FENZI , P . G . D . Eng ., District Grand Secretary , Xalal . In reply , the Grand Master , who by the way , was accompanied by Bro . Sir John Maxwell , K . C . B ., said : — " Worshipful District Grand Master and Brethren of the

District Grand Lodge of Natal : I am deeply sensible of the very kindly and very happily worded address which has just been read . It is a great satisfaction to me to have been so