Installation of the Prince of Wales.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1671, 26 June 1875, Page 6 (Supplement)

Installation of the Prince of Wales.

a [From our Special Master Mason.] 1 j,| London, May Ist. ?i!j you want me to tell you all about the lj| siness at the Albert Ball last WednesJ ,do you ? A pretty cool n quest, truly, J I oing from an outsider. Why, Mr. '■! jitor, if I were to tell you all that opened at the Albert Hall I should be llf jraitor to the craft; I should lay myself ii] to the most dreadful penalties; I ; J|| i-e not for my very life, let alone honour, |! j any such thing. You ask the Pope ; :1 1 Cardinal Manning; nay just toddle ;j| Wyndham street and ask them at the or whatever they call it; any of ■iipse long black-coated gentry will tell si] v what would be done to any mason M|io dared to reveal the 'arcana' of the ||| aft. Don't you know what became of fjlje traitor who- did some such thing |!j|| the last century in London? Car-' i Vial Manning will tell you if you Lip fo't. He was, His Eminence believes, fc| jlcified solemnly in the presence, of his g| uge, arid he was afterwards hung in |"! ains. from the roof in the.centre of the |!|3ge room, and then left to wither and I I ;cay. His Eminence is not surp whether U j c lodge ever met for business during I lis interesting process, but if they dil he I is no doubt that the members all wore [ >se compressors and were permitted to \ I rry chloride of lime in their hats. I No! renlly, in view of such terrors I II innot tell you everything. Besides, lam 41 )t sure that it would be quite loyal and •fl spectful towards H.E.F. to describe to ,<j| le outer world the process through which « c was obliged to pass before taking the H -eat chair. But if you will let me tell If dv just what I like and in my own way, it| wiil endeavour to let in as much light II pon yonr darkened mind as I consider Jjj insistent with my sense of < responsi||iilties. Moreover, I think after your Jill erprising conduct in telegraphing speml!P ly to engage me for a report of the affair, &||Hrould never do to let you down to the rffirbund altogether. I'm I may tell you that I was in great luck Wb be present at the ceremony at all. iff'housands upon thousands of brethren liankinof higher in masonry than I do, llpnged in vain for tickets. Indeed up to ||he last week before the 28th I had almost liiven up all hope. At last I hit on an Ipea, and took it to Grand Secretary ■ Kerrey, who is, the finest old fellow you 'Ilould meet in a year's march. He proilrised to consider my application, and in I he meantime business called me away I Qto "Yorkshire —masonic business it was I —nothing else, in fact, than to report the 1 nstallation of Sir Henry Edwards, of Pye I ¥est, in Yorkshire, as Provincial Grand I Master of the West Biding. The cereI i aony took place at Halifax, and there was Ifa great muster of the brethren—-some- ■ phere about 600. who all marched in proI Session to the Parish Church. 'It was a ■ ter7 sim'lar affair *° the installation of the I fEarl of Zetland at York, less than & year llago, concerning whick I think I wrote I fyou. JBut aren't they hospitable fellows in I lYorkshire ! I ran infinite risk of a treI imendous liver attack from the vast quanJ Jtities of ' fat rasnals,' bam and eggs and jYorkshire ale which I was expected ■to g<»t outside of each morning. It I was tfdt, eat, eat, drink, drink, drink, I from morning to night, and when the I ceremony was all over and I wanted I to get back to town, some of the brethren I "would not hear of it, and I had to send lup my ' copy' and remaia down amongst i the •' tykes ' for a couple of days. They I showed me some very pretty coursing and I some uncommonly pretty girls, and I shall I not soon forget my masonic visit to I Halifax. I When I got back to town, I found a I note &i my house from the Grand SecreS tary, asking me to call at .Freemason's I Hall on or before the 26th April, so on I that day I duly made my appearance. I A regular mob of clerks were wiring in at I papers and. attending to brethren who 1 were making enquiries at the counter. I The place was more like the interior of a London bank than anything else. My j card was handed in, and I was ushered into the private office. There was the ' Gr.S., as usual, 'beaming all over with smiles,' and with him was another little man, somewhat resembling him, with . bald head and a sharp active physiognomy After shaking hands with the G.S., the latter said, ' Let me introduce you to Brother Sir Albert Woods. Sir- Albert, this is the brother from New Zealand, whose name I mentioned; I think we arranged for a ticket for him as representing his mother lodge in the colony.' So we chatted about freemasonry in Auckland and so on, and I received my ticket, which was 'more precious than rubies' I can tell you. On the morning of the 28th, it was amusing to spot the brethren as they walked. about the streets, filling up the time until one o'clock, the time at which the doors were to be opened. They were easily recognisable by their white ties and black dress suits with light overcoats, and th«»y were as plentiful as blackberries in Autumn, more especially in the neighbourhood of the Strand and Kegent street, for hereabouts the country brethren were cruising about, looking up bonnets as presents for their wives and daughters, who would require a peace offering, after absence on such a mystic errand. The arrangements at the Albert Hall were entirely under the guidance of Sir Albert Woods, who appointed some three or four hundred stewards from the London lodges and the various provinces, to carry out his arrangements. For days previous there had been all sorts of prognostications of failure.. The knowalls and the growlers among the brethren had made up their minds that the thing would be a mess. It would be quite impossible to be sure of such a mass of people: The hall could not be properly tiled., All sorts of intruders would gain admittance, and so on. As it was, nothing of the kind occurred. At ten o'clock in the morning every man jack of workmen was cleared out of the building, and the stewards took fall possession. Every possible hiding place was searched, and- the tilers and \inner guards were placed at their stations. „" My ticket was for the gallery, the best %cc for a bird's-eye view of the whole 'Iding, and precisely at five minutes >VEB v. onr 4 presented myself at the door V" >ny card. > Passing the tiler'l • clothe, no clothing of any •Uowed to.be worn outside. 7 t , lobby, I came to a turnstile

guarded by two tilers. Here my ticket j and G.L. certificate were examined, ' and so on, and I was passed on to the stewards at the foot of the staircase, and by them " directed to the gallery. Arriving there amongst the ; first, I found a choice of seats and selected ! one right opposite the dais where the G.M. throne was placed,behind which was the great organ. From my seat I could see almost every brother in the Hall, certainly all of distinction, who were all placed in the east. I do not know if you have ever seen the ; Albert Hall. It immediately faces the \ Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, and is an enormous rotunda of red brick with a huge glass dome, hideous as a work of art, but affording in its interior magnificent ac- j commodation. It was beautifully fitted up j forthe occasion with banners and emblems. From the main entrance to the hall in the i west the floor was covered with a beau- \ tiful carpet,made specially for the occasion and presented to Grand Lodge by a brother at Halifax. The dais in the east was reached by a flight of steps, and was fronted and border* d by masses of exotic plants, palms, ferns, &c. The chair was a magnificent affair, gilded and crimson velveted, with the Prince of Wales feathers forming a canopy, supported by two pil lars. The JKegalia of the G.M. and the Grand Officers were arranged on a table behind the chair, and displayed on another table was all the magnificent gold plate and jewelry belonging to Grand Lodge. But all this time the hall is gradually filling up. The sky-blue collar is worn by almost every brother present, and the apron only varies in colour, sometimes denoting the private lodge and sometimes the Provincial Grand Lodge, blue and purple being pleasingly intermixed, whilst here and there a scarlet uniform relieves the sameness of the black ground colour and reveals the whereabouts, of some officers of a military lodge. Presently, brother Coward took his seat at the or^an, played a selection of music from brother Dr. Spark's ' Freemason's Liber Musicus,' which pleasantly beguiled the time. On one side of me 1 found a Past Provincial Grand Chaplain of Norfolk, and on the other a Past Provincial Grand Warden of Suffolk, whilst behind me was the master of a lodge at Bradford.. Everybody was of course in the humour to be pleasant and accommodating, and we were all getting as thick as^ thieves over matters masonic, when the clock announced half-past two. This was the hour at which the doors were to be closed and tiled and no further ingress permitted. This was punctually done, and in another half hour all the stewards were gathered together into the seats reserved for them at the right of the dais. There they sat with wands uplifted, until, at a sign form the Director of Ceremonies, the wands fell and were seen no more. It was as when a sudden gust of wind passes over a patch of raupo and the stalks" bend to the water through its force. The effect was very pretty. Precisely at a quarterpast three, brother Willing struck up a march composed expressly for the occasion, on the organ, and in the midst of this, and preluded by a flourish of silver trumpets, the head of the grand procession streamed slowly in at the west end of j the Hall. The passage through the centre, floored with the masonic arms and the Prince's feather worked into the carpet, was oordered by a double row of the members of the Grand Steward's Lodge, who, with their crimson collars and aprons, formed a bright edging to the surrounding blue. The procession advanced in the following order : The Grand Stewards of the Year.' Grand Pursuivant. Past Grand Organists. Grand Organist. Past Grand Sword-Bearers. Paat Grand Directors of Ceremonies. Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. Grand Director of Ceremonies. Past Grand Superintendents of Works. Grand Superintendent of Works. Paßt Grand Deacons. Grand Secretary far German Correspondence. Grand Secretary. President of the Board of General Purposes. Past Grand .Registrar. Grand Ragistrar Grand Treasurer. Past Grand Chaplains. Grand Chaplains. Past Grand Wardens. Past Provincial Grand Masters. Provincial Grand Masters. Illustrious Visitors. Hig Eoyal Highness the Duke of Connaught. Junior Grand Warden. Senior Grand Warden. Junior Grand Deacons. Representative from the Grand Lodge of Denmark. Deputation from the Grand Lodge of Sweeden. Deputation from the Grand Lodge of Ireland, according to their respective ranks. Deputation from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, according to their respective ranks. Acting-Deputy Grand Master. Grand Sword Bearer. The Most Worshipful Pro-Grand Master. Senior Grand Deacons. Two Grand Stewards. The Duke of Connaught was the youngest Master Mason in England, having'been only raised to the sublime degree on the previous evening. 'It took some time for all these brethren to be properly seated, and as soon as this was done the Earl of Carnarvon opened Grand Lodge. I was much struck with the very large proportion of brethren of vory advanced age who took part in this I procession. Many of them were scarcely 1 able to keep pace with the slow movements 'of the line, so worn, and aged did they appear. But it was exceedingly beautiful and significant to witness the efforts made by these true old souls to do honour to the craft and their Prince. The minutes of the last quarterly communication having been read and confirmed, the Pro-Grand Master ordered deputation to be formed to bring in the Grand Waster Elect. This, Sir Albert Woods, Garter King-at-Arms proceeded to do, the brethren present applauding the various selections. The deputation retired by the western entrance, and presently returned in the following order, the brethren rising and' cheering tumultuously, and the organ pealing forth a processional march: Pour G-rand Stewards of the Year. , The Gloves and Apron of the Grand Master on a cushion borne by the Master of a Lodge. Grand Steward. The Collar and Jewel of the Grand Master on I a cushion borne by the Master of a Lodge. Grand Steward. -~ Grand Director of Ceremonies. . Grand Secretary. \ President of the Board of General Purposes.

Grand Registrar. Grand Treasurer. Grand Chaplains. Six Past Grand Wardens. Six Provincial Gtand Masters. His Eojal Highness the Prince of Wales, Grand Master. Two Grand Stewards. It was a most stirring moment, and the enthusiasm of the brethren knew no bounds. Fifteen thousand pairs of kid gloves were trying all they knew to split one another, and fifteen thousand voices were shouting a welcome to the genial pleasant face and robust figure which came bowing right and left up the aisle. The Prince was conducted to a chair on the left of the Pro-Grand Master, and there bowed repeatedly to the plaudits of the brethren. The Prince then went | through the forms prescribed previou? to his being enthroned. Masons will not i require these to be explained, and to the 1 general reader they would be of no interest; suffice it to say that everything was done that should be done on such | occasions with due solemnity, the breth- i ren standing to order and replying with a sound like the murmur of the sea upon a distant shore. Garter Kins-;it-Arms then proclaimed His Koyal Highness Grand Master in due form, and a flourish from the silver trumpets posted at the left of the organ-loft was followed by a salute in ancient form. Masons will understand the stupendous effect of this when I tell you that it was done as perfectly as if the fifteen thousand brethren had been in training ior a month. The Pro-Grand Master then addressed the newly installed Grand Master according to ancient form, and I shall give you both his address and the Prince's reply because they are great points and worthy of record. The Prince's voice was as clear as a bell and could be heard all over the building. The Earl of Carnarvon said : Yonr .Royal Highness, Most Worshipful Grand Master, — It has been from time immemorial the custom "when any Master of the craft was placed in this chair to remind him of the duties he then undertook, and though it is unnecessary that I should remind yon, Boyal Highness, who is so conversant with all the affairs of the craft, of the whole of those duties, that our time-honoured custom should not absolutely disappear it will be my duty to address to you si few words on this occasion. Your Royal Highness well knows that Freemasonry possesses many titles to respect even in the eyes of the outer world. It is first of great antiquity, ascending into the sphere of immemorial tradition ; secondly, it. is known and practised in every country, in every climate, and in every race of civilised men ; ana lastly inlmcouniry above all, it has associated itself with human sympathies and charitable institutions. Let me say further, that whilst it has changed its character in some respects, it has lost nothing which can claim tho respect of men. Formerly, through the dim periods of the middle ages, it carved its records upon the public buildings, upon the tracery of the mediwval windows, and the ornamentation of places. Now it, is content to devoto itself to works of sytupathy and charity, and in them it finds its highest praise and rewaid. . Let me draw one further distinction. No one will say that it is an invidious one. In some other countries it has been unfortunately the lot of Freastatonry to find itself allied with faction and intrijus, with ( what I may call tho darker u'ula «f politios. In England it haa been signally the r«r«r«». The craft here has allied itself "with social order and the great institution* of tho country, and above all with monarchy—the crowning institution of all. Your Royal Highaess ii not the first by many of our illustrious Royal Family that have tat in that chair. There is no doubt that by the lustra of jour great n*me and position you will reflect honour upon the craft to-dsy. But it is also something to bo at the head of such a body as is represented here. Wo may truly say that never in the whole history of Freemasonry has suoti a Grand Lodge been honoured as that on which my eyes rest at this moment; and there is this further and inner view to bo taken, that far as my eye can carry me over these serried ranks of white and blue, of gold and purple. I recognise^n them men who have solamnly undertaken obligations of worth and morality ; men who have undertaken the duties of citizens, and possets the loyalty of subjects. I am but expressing, though very feebly, the feelings and aspirations of this great assemblage, when I say that I trust the connection of yonr Royal Highness with the craft may be lasting, and that you may never kave reason for one moment's regret or anxiety when you look baok upom tho events of today. At every point in this address there was strong evidence of approval on all sides and at its conclusion there broke forth rounds of cheers. Indeed the breth,ren for the nonce seemed to set aside all rules of masonic order and give themselves up entirely to tho enthusiasm of tho hour. When the Prince of Walas rose to reply, one almost expected the roof to fly off the building -so tremendous wai tho cheering. He said: Brethren, I »nt deeply grateful to the Most Worshipful Pro-Grand Matter for th« excessively kind words which he hat just spoken, and to you, brethren, for the cordial reception which you have given to them. It has been, your unamimous wish, brethren, that 1 theuld occupy tkt chair at your Grand Master 5 and you have this day installed me. It is difficult for me to find words adequate to express my deep thanks for the high, honour that has been bestowed upon me—am honour which hat already been battowed upon teveral members of my family, my pr»decesiors and brethren —and it will always be my most ardent and sincere wish to walk in th.«ir footsteps and by God's help, to fulfil the duties of the high office which I hare been called to fill to-day in the same manner im which those filled the office who preceded rue. The ProGrand Master has told you brethren, and I feel convinced it is so, that tuch an assemblage in Grand Lodge hat never beta known 5 and when I look- round me in this vast and tpaciout hall, and see those who have come from the north and the touth, from the east and the west, it it, I trust, am ontea of goed. The various dntie* I hare to perform i» my position I am afraid will not eiakle as so frequently as I could wisk to attend te my many duties connected with the craft; bat you, brethren, may be sure that whenever I have the time I shall do my utmost to maintain the high position in which the craft now is, and to do my duty by it and my duties to you on every possible •ccasion. It would, brethren, I fee) tare, be uelest for me on such an occasion to recapitulate anything which has been so ably told, yon by the ProGrand Master relative t» Freemasonry Every Englishman knows that the two watckwords, I may say, of tke oraft are ' loyalty' and ' charity.' Those are tk«ir watokwerds, and as long as they never mix themselves up in politics, so long will, I am gar*, this great and ancient order flourish, and maintain the integrity of the Throae and of our great empire. I thank yon once more, brethren, foi yonr coadkl Minptj— «f m te-4*r,

and I thank you for having come such immense distances to welcome me on thi-occ.-.cion. I as&ure you I shall never for^e to-r!ay. Throughout, and particularly toward? the close of his reply His Eoyal Highn.es.seemed deeply moved, indeed he quite filtered in voice in the closing sentence: and there was no wonder if he did feel the situation, for he was well aware that th< best blood and sine.w of England was represented in that vast assembly, and he could not fail to recognise in the broad spirit of manly loyalty and devotion so proudly exhibited, the true riDg of English metal. It was such a demonstration as he had neVer before witnessed, nor is it probable that he will ever look upon its like again. As soon as this was over the * March of the Israelites,' from brother Costa's ' Eli,' was performed with splendid effect and various telegrams and letters of congratulation which had arrived were read. Deputations from foreign lodges, and from Scotland and Ireland were introduced to the Grand Master, who then proceeded to appoint his officers for the year. The Earl of Carnarvon was appointed Pro Grand Master, and after sound of trumpet was proclaimed and saluted according to ancient form. Lord Skelmersdale was then obligated and installed Deputy Grand Master and saluted. When the Lord Mayor of London was made Junior Grand Warden, it was remarkable to notice the tremendous applause which broke from the quarter where the city lodges were placed. They were delighted at the honour done to the great city. Tn the evening a Grand banquet was held at Freemason's Hall in Great Queen street at which the Prince of Wales presided. The Duke of Connaught proposed the health of the Grand Master, saying that now they were brothers^ in two senses of the word. I had no timeto attend this or any other masonic banquet of which there were several held that evening in London, for I had to be in Plymouth that night, but I believe the thing was a great success; The Prince of Wales looked very handsome and well as he sat in his chair under the crossed banners of England and Freemasonry. Of course Freemasonry is now all"the rage and everybody wants to join. All the papers had leaders on the subject and I send you extracts from a few to show you the style of thing. The ' Times,' notoriously a sneerer at Masonry, thus closes its remarks : It is grange that the lesson of such demonstrations should be so obstinately overlooked, not merely by the Roman Catholic Church, but oven by eomo foreign Governments and Legislatures. Of all the enterprises on which legislative and administrutiye time can be wasted, the most useless, except in exceptional emergencies, in that of attacking secret associations. The only way to counterbalance thorn is to open to men in the ordinary institutions of the country the means of obtaining nil the political objects they can reasonably desire, and all minor association.* will then become, like the Freemasons in England, mare organisations for the cultivation of mutual good-feeling and charity It is quite possible that under the repression of past tyranny Freemasonry wm remlly used on tie Continent as a means of revolu tionary agitation. Men were in waat of some organized means of mutual action, and Mir first secret society at hand -was employed f.>r their purposes. In this country thorn has been no occasion f»r any suet agency, and tho result is Been in the coreinony of yesterday. The society agianst which the Pope fulminates all the terrors of this world and the next for its supposed hostility to everything loyal and sacred meets'jn innocuous splendour in a great music hall, welcomes with enthusiasm the heir to the throne, and makes solemn proteitation of its loyal, religious, and charitable principles. Does not such an example say more for tolerance than for excommunication ? The 'Daily Telegraph' observes that tho Prinoe of Wales, in assuming the leadership of ,the Freemasons to-day, is in his proper place. ' Cynics may sneer at the speotaclt of a secret meeting in the Albert Hall, may talk blithely of signs and pass-words, and laugh at collar, apron, and staff ef office They may even assert that the whole business is a del union and a snare, an organisation of diaimg and drinking, am association whose hijkeet ambitio* is tkat of a close club or eerporatiom. Bat the world judge* by results ; and if a society can bo fowad which, while steadily pursuing the eves tenor of its way, relieves the sick, helps the poor, substitutes, amity for katred and goodwill for unkindh>ogs, it will hail the Association of Freemasons as an institution of undoubted worth, and will value its progress. It may be that the means by which it works are se cret; tkat it« influence for the most part is confined to those who acknowledge its Government. Yet the good it doe* is fairly weighed, its influence estimated, and its example appreciated. Amd tke Association over whick the Prinoe of Wales rules frosu te-day will be regarded with esteem so lomj as its mission is that which it now professes—to heal the difference* amd the - brotherhood of mank iad.' The ' Daily Newa' and ' Standard' write in a pleasant though aerious rein. The latter says : What, then, ia this society which has preserved ite secret witk sack marvellous saooess throagk m»a»y ages, amd ia what light are its claims npon mamkiael to be regarded? Wkem we speak of claims, imdeed, we may be open to eorreetioa. Tke Freemasons make mo claims upon tkose without the Craft. Tk«y hare merer sought far aay privilege but to be left aloise. They profew »ekhiag fc»ut principles of mniveraal acceptamoe. 'Brotherly Love, Belief, aad Truth.' is the com-mon-place formula in which they embody their raison d'dtre. They who seek to know more, of tkeir mysteries will probably be disappointed. Perhaps their secret is that they have ue secrets, but. innocent ones which any man can learn wko is accepted as a participator in them. To suppose tkat they practice rites which in any way offend the most sensitive Blind is to mourish am absurd superstition. Nor earn tke fact of their secrecy be takem te militate against a Masaelese and i unefn.l existence. Im all age* mem have been ; prome to secret societies, ami their machinery i and ceremonial, however amtiquatei, will ever have an attraction for men met necesi sarily conspirators against society or government. The idea that free masonry is in any 'way connected with designs against the State or against religion is in fact too monstrous for any to hold, except those who, being leagued with a secret and infallible power are naturally jealous of any otker mysteries but those they practice themselves. In short, a geod muon cannot! be otherwise than a good eitiaen—a formula which does mot imrolvo tho eomverse position, that Troemasoary is essential to good oitisxenship. There need be no other dafsnee for an institution which, presents omly too easy a mark for the soeptic and the scoffer. And if there ia anythimg useful in such an institution— iadood, « it ia bnmlj hwmlon, and e«V »

means to conviviality and good fellowship, we | nust admit that even though it may not

nen"t the Prince of Walt-s to become the

• rand Master of the Eng ish Freemasons, it will be no slight; advantage to English Freemasonry to be represented and presided over >y the Prince of Wales. I might qi-ote from numerous other papers but you will see from what I have uiven you what the general feeling is in reeard to the craft. It is an event never to be forgotten, and I am glad to say that a grand picture is to be painted and engraved of the interior of the hall on the occasion. As a mason I may say that I would, not have missed the spectacle for fifty pounds. There ! I hope you are satisfied. I have tried to give you a fair idea of the performance, and I don't think I have let out any secrets. If you are satisfied, I am. Square and Compasses.