The Nil Sine Labore Lodge, No. 2736.

The Nil Sine Labore Lodge , No . 2736 .

THE Installation meeting of this important lodge , which is connected with and bears in its name the motto of the Army Service Corps , and which has the distinguished honour of having as its Worshipful Master H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn , K . G ., the Most Worshipful Grand Master , took place on Friday , 20 th Aprilat the

, Criterion , Piccadilly , W . The ceremony of installation was performed by V . W . Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary , with that solemnity and dignity for which he is so renowned . There were a large number of visitors present including

R . W . Bro . J . Locke , P . D . G . M . Barbados , W . Bros . Col . G . j . Parkyn , P . G . S . B . ; Ralph Gooding , M . D ., J . P ., D . L ., P . G . D . ; R . Clay Sudlow , P . M ., P . A . G . D . C . ; E . A . P . Broad , P . M ., P . P . G . S . W . Cornwall ; Sgt .-Major R . Ford , P . M ., P . P . G . Swd . B . Essex ; Major Pidcock Henzell , P . M ., P . P . G . S . W .

Hants , and Isle of Wight ; M . Heath , P . M . 2807 ; j . H . West , W . M . 1331 ; H . Furlong , W . M . 2399 ; G . R . Nichols , P . M . 700 ; Dr . F . A . Barton , P . M . 1414 ; W . W . Lee . P . M . 2381 ; G . Whibley , P . M . 871 , etc . The Worshipful Deputy Master appointed and invested

the following officers in a manner which gave promise of perfect ceremonial throughout his year of office . Bros . Major F . S . Atkinson , S . W . ; Captain H . F . Brooke , J . W . ; Rev . J . G . W . Tuckey , M . A ., Chaplain ; Captain W . Lyons , P . M ., P . G . J . D . Hants ., Treasurer ; Lieut .-Qr .-Mr . J . Grapes

, P . M ., Secretary ; Lieut . G . Harlow , S . D . ; Staff-Sergt .-Major T . G . Spain , J . D . ; Staff-Qr .-Mr .-Sergeant J . Baker , I . G . ; Qr .-Mr .-Sergeant J . Jones , P . M ., D . of C . ; Staff-Sergt .-Major G . Morgan , Organist ; Lieut . C . W . Bamford , Steward ; Staff-Sergt .-Major A . Galley , Steward ; Lieut . H . Armstrong ,

Steward ; Staff-Sergt .-Major S . Morris , Steward ; Staff-Sergt . H . Auty , Tyler . At the conclusion of the ceremony of installation the Worshipful Deputy Master presented his predecessor , W . Bro . Major E . E . Carter , C . M . G ., M . V . O ., P . M ., with a very

handsome silver centre-piece and flower vase as a token of esteem and respect from the members of the Lodge , and in well chosen terms complimented him upon the success that had attended his efforts daring his year of mastership .

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Sir Edward Letchworth for his services as Installing Master , and in reply Sir Edward thanked the Lodge for the cordial reception the proposition had received , and he would always be very pleased to be of service to the Lodge should he be required . The Lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to a

well served banquet , during which a selection of music was performed by the String Band of the Army Service Corps , under Bro . H . J . Cook , L . R . A . M ., Bandmaster . The following message was sent to Sir Alfred Egerton , Comptroller to H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught : — " The

Worshipful Deputy Master and Brethren of the Nil Sine Lahore Lodge , at their Annual Installation Meeting , have just drank the health of H . R . H . as their W . M ., and wish him every prosperity . " The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured ,

and the Worshipful Deputy Master in proposing the toast of "The Grand Officers , " said that all present knew how much they were indebted to the Grand Officers who showed themselves ever ready and willing to assist them in their work . This Lodge especially was particularly favoured inasmuch as

they invariably asked a Grand Officer to do its work , which was obviously to the benefit of the Lodge . He then called upon his very old friend Bro . J . Locke , P . D . G . M . Barbados , to respond . Bro . J . Locke , in reply , thanked the brethren in the name of the Grand Officers for the very cordial reception they had given the toast , and expressed his extreme pleasure at being

present to witness the ceremony of installation so impressively rendered . He thanked Bro . Col . Oughterson for his invitation , and assured the brethren he always felt at home in any of the Service lodges . The W . D . M ., in proposing the toast of the " Installing Master , " Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , F . S . A ., G . Secretary ,

reminded the brethren of the kindly interest he always took in the lodge , of which he was honorary member , and the valuable lessons he gave them , which he could assure him were thoroughly appreciated . Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , in reply , said he had hoped

that his friend , Bro . J . Locke ' s response to the toast of the Grand Officers would have relieved him of any that evening , but was fully sensitive of the compliments the W . D . M . had paid him . He could hardly realize the flight

of time , and that it was now seven years since he consecrated the lodge , during which period their success had been continuous . They had now a large number of members , and he hoped that their prosperity would continue , and that the pleasure he had experienced that evening would be repeated . He had been asked to perform a duty which

he undertook with the greatest possible pleasure , and which was the toast of the evening , " The Health of our very distinguished Worshipful Deputy Master , " whom he had had the pleasure of installing into the chair that night . He congratulated the lodge upon choosing him , as lie had

already shown that he knew how the work of a Masonic lodge should be conducted , and he ( Sir Edward ) was sure he was expressing the feelings of all present , and that it was their wish that the present year would be one of the most successful under his Mastership .

The W . D . M . expressed his difficulty in adequately replying to tlie toast so kindly proposed by Sir Edward Letchworth , but he would endeavour to continue the work which had been so well performed by his predecessors in the chair , and to maintain the high standard they had set , and any shortcomings on his part he was sure the brethren

would overlook , as it was many years since he had occupied the chair as W . M ., and he had never anticipated doing so again , but the lodge had called him to the honour and he had considered it his chit } - and his pleasure lo accept . He cordially thanked them for the evident sincerity of their wishes .

In proposing the toast of "The Visitors" the W . D . M . said it was gratifying to the members , whose duties took them to every part of the British Empire , and who therefore visited many lodges , to see so goodly a muster of visitors at their board as they had that evening , and it gave him pleasure to

extend to them a hearty welcome , particularly members from other Service lodges , in which respect they were closely allied to the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight , which had several such lodges upon their roll , and he therefore called upon Bro . Major P . Henzell , P . M ., P . P . G . S . W ., Hants and Isle of Wight to respond .

In response , Bro . Major P . Henzell thanked the W . D . M . and the brethren for the heartiness of the toast and for the kind references which had been made to the sister service lodges , and to the Province of Hants and Isle of Wight , which feeling of fraternal affection and esteem would be thoroughly reciprocated by those lodges and by the Province .

The toast of the " Officers of the Lodge " followed , and was responded to by Bro . Major F . P . S . Taylor , who promised the loyal support of the officers . A capital musical programme , under the direction of Bro . W . H . Brereton , was rendered by Misses Anne Bartle and

Gertrude Snow , Bros . Wilfred Kearton , W . H . Brereton , Tom G . Clare , and Albert Fox ( pianist ) . The Tyler ' s toast brought a very enjoyable evening to a close .