The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-12-15 00:00:00

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND
FREEMASONRY.

-- --
A special Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons
was held on Saturday afternoon in the Large Hall of
the " Freema.on's " Tavern, London, to confer on the
Prince of Wales the rank of Grand Mast A' and Past
Grand Master of the Degree. A resolution to grant
the rank was carried on Tuesday in last week at
the ordinary half-yearly meeting of Grand Mark
Lodge, but as Hs Royal Highness was not able to
attend on that occasion a special grand lodge was
summoned for Saturday. The brethren began to
assemble at two o'clock, and More three, for which
hour :he Lodge was called, some five hundred Mark
Masons were present, a very large number of them
being Past Grand officers. Although the Lodge was
called for three o'clock, it was twenty minutes to four
when it was opened by Lord Henniker, the present
Grand Master of the Order. His Lordship entered
the Lodge with the Doke of Albany, Pat Grand
Master, the Earl of Kintore, Deputy Grad Master
and Grand Master Nominate, the Earl of Limerick,
Part Grand Master, and a procession of about forty
brethren. The 2ntranoe of the Grand Master was
greeted with loud applause. Afrer the formalities of the
opening of the Lodge had been 01-served the Grand
Master and Deputy Grand Master were saluted in form,
and the minutes relating ta the Prince of Wales's elec.
tion to the degree of Grand Master having been confirmed
Lord Henniker directed that a deputation consisting
of the Duke of Albany, the Provincial Grand Masters,
Colonel Shadwell Henry Clerk?, Captain N G.
Phillips, the Grand Wardens, the Grand Treasurer
(Mr. F. Davidson), the Grand Secretary (Mr. Binckes),
the Grand Chaplains, the Grand Deacons, the Grand
Director of Ceremonies (Mr. Berridge), the Assistant
Grand Director of Ceremonies, and the Grand
Steward, should escort the Prince of Wales into
Grand Lodge. This having been done, the Duke of
Albany presented his Royal brother to Lord Henniker
fur inAallation.

Lord Henniker, addressing the Prince of Wales,
said it gave him great pl. asnre, as Grand Mark blaster,
to welcome his R ,yal Highness most heartily and
warmly to Grand Lodge. The Mark brethren con-
gratulated themselves that he had joined their Omer,
'Utley knew what many illustrious members of his
family had done in the past for Freemasonry, and what
he and another member of the Royal house were now
doing. They knew the value of his j iking the Order,
and that in everything he did for the good of his
countrymen, of his brethren in Freemasonry, and for
the good of his country, he did not do it by
halves, but with all his might ; and, therefore,
they thought they might look with confidence for
his aid in promoting the best interests of Mark
Masonry. They had gladly taken this opportunity
of again showing their loyalty to the Crown of England,
and their high respect and great regard for his Royal
Highness. The compliment of making him a Grand
Master, and placing his name at the top of the list of
Past Grand Masters, was no empty compliment, for
those who had occupied the Grand Master's Throne
before hiraself (Lord Henniker) weie amongst the
most distinguished and most earnest Masons of the
present day. It had been very often said that the sun
never set on the British Empire, and the same boast
might be made of Mark Lodges; and it was in the
name of Mark Masons throughout the world that
Grand Mark Lodge had ventured to confer on his
Roy al Highnesa the higheA honour it was in their
power to give. He looked non thla event as the one
he was most proud of during the tree years he had
been Grand Mester, and hp Could ee-sure his Royal
Highness that whenever he came among the Mark
brethien, as they hoped he sometimes would, he would
always receive a hearty and a loyal welcome.
His Royal Highness then
,went through the neces-
sary f.arna, and after being it Ireeted with the gorgeous
apron and collar, and other insignia of his high office,
was PIaCA by Lard Henniker on the throne. Mr.
Berridge, Grand Director of Ceremonies, immediately
proclaimed the Prince of Wales by ad he titles as
duly bytalled Most Worshipful Grand Maik Master
Mon; and the brethren having iyen the Mark
salutes,

The Prince of Wales roze and said,—Brethnn' I
be to return my warmest thanks to cur brother, Lord
Ilennike-, our MoA Worehipful Grand Mater, nod
to you all, for the hi.th honour and privilege you huve
conferred on me in tnakinz tile a Past grand Master of
Mark Master Mason. It t a hill compliment, I
a.bure your, to hay,: received this degree ; it i the last
I have received sine I entered the craft, and I look
uport it as by no means the leatt. The interest
in the (J.-aft, beetbf 7‘hich T hope yot; will give ra,)
credit lir having evinco over since I have been
a member of the craft, will, I assure you, not
diminieh. I only regret thAt through the manifold
duties which in the course of the year it falls to
my lot to perform I have not had FO much time,
unfortunately, as I could wish to devote to the
interests of Freemasonry. But, brethren, you may
be assured that I have your interests at heart, and as
long as I live you may be convinoed that X shall do

all I can to uphold our ancient and honourable Order.
As long, brethren, as Freemasonry remains as it is
now, an order and an institution of charity and useful.
ness, it will flourish—flourish as long as the world
exists. Let us hope that the time will rover come
when we may in any way be biassed by politics.
Above all, brethren, let us remember that we must
as a charitable body be religious. As long as religion
remains engrafted in the hearts of the craft of our
country it is certain to flourish; and be assured of it,
brethren, that when religion in it ceases the craft will
also lose its power and its stability. His Royal High.
ness concluded by again thanking the brethren for
the high compliment raid to him.
Grand Lodge was then formally closed, and the
Prince of Wales' the Duke of Albany, and the rest
of the distinguished members left in procession, amidst
the loud applause of the brethren. A banquet was
afterwards given, which was presided over by Mr. A.
M. Broadley, Past District Grand Master of Tunis
and Malta.