MASONIC BANQUET.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 617, 30 December 1869, Page 2

MASONIC BANQUET.

On Monday evening, in honor of St. John's Day, the brethren of the Greymouth Lodge assembled in the hall, Giliner's buildings, to celebrate, as is usual on the occasion, this event by a banquet. The table was laid for 50 members/but several- vacanoies were obsor-vtible, owing to a number of members finding it inconvenient, in consequence of business avrangements, to attend. The dinner was indeed one of the best ever put on a table in Greymouth, there bein? everything that the season could provide, and neither trouble nor expense was spared by Bro. Gilmer to make . the banquet meet the taste and admiration of every -one .present. Justice having been done to the good tilings provided, The Worshipful Master, G. W ; Moss, proposed the following toasts, which were warmly responded to by the brethren : — "The Queen and the Craft ;" "The Grand Master of England, the Earl of Zetland;" " The Prince of Wales, Past Grand Master of England;" " The Grand Masters of Scotland and Ireland," &c. The W.M., in -proposing "The health of the District Grand Master of Canterbury," said that every facility had been afforded them on every occasion, which had a tendency to promote the prosperity of the Greymouth Lodge. No doubt it would be much more convenient for them had they a Grand Master in Westland, still he appreciated — and he was sure the brethren appreciated—the attention and courtesy they had at all times received from the District Grand Master of Canterbury. (The toast was drank with all the honors.) Bro. Pa3t Master AscaEa proposed the health of the Worshipful Master of the Greymouth Lodge, speaking in high praise of his ability to fill that important and honorable office, and assured him that he had the esteem and confidence of the brethren. (The toast was drank with all the honors.) The Worshipful Master briefly replied, thanking the brethren for the hearty and happy manner in which they had responded to the toast. Bro. Payne rose and said he had been intrusted with a toast which it afforded h m much pleasure to introduce. It was — "The Officers of the Greymouth Lodge." And when he mentioned this, he knew that he evoked the warmest sympathies of friendship from all present to these worthy brethren. He, from his previous experience, knew how much the working of a lodge depended upon the zeal, knowledge, and care that these officers must possess ; and in his opinion the officers of t this lodge had in a most marked degree displayed it. The efficiency of so many young members was the best test of that, and he felt bound to state that the Greymouth Lodge compared favorably indeed with almost any lodge which it had been his privilege to enter. Bro. Taylor, S.W., in rising to reply, said ho fully expected his worthy and respected Bro. Junior Warden would respond to the toast. However, he felt much pleasure in returning thanks on behalf of his brother officers and himself for the very flattering terms in which I3ro. Payne had spoken of them. He assured the brethren that he had always taken a great interest in the Grty nouth Lodge. He had held office under Bnx Anchor, P:M., and Bro. Moss, W.M., and had done everything in his powe;- to forward the interest of the Lodge. They had always worked harmoniously together. The Lodge had at all times been strictly ruled, and he believed it was better it should be so. He might very soon be leaving Greymouth, but whether absent or present he would always wish the Greymouth Lodge to prosper, and so long as men like Bros. Moss and Ancher guided and directed it, he would have no fears of its success. , The Worshipful Master proposed the health of Bro. Ancher, P.M. , and said that he (Bro. A.) had given his best services to the Lodge ever since it was established. It was mainly through his unwearied zeal that the Lodge occupied the. position it did. He had served as first Master of tiie Greymouth Lodge honestly and faithfully, and'had succeeded in making it a success. As a proof of the high esteem in which he was held by his brethren he had the honor and the pleasure to., present him with a handsome Past Master's jewel, bearing tbe f < )llo wing inscription :— " Presen ted to Edward, Ancher, P.M., by the Worshipful Master and brethren of the Greymouth Lodge, 1233, as a tribute of their esteem. Greymouth, 27th Nov. , 1869. !I After the W.M, had placed the n.edal on the breast of Bro. Ancher, he. called on the brethren to give three cheers for him (Bic. Ancher), and one cheer for Mrs Ancher. Bro. Anc^er rose and said he thanked the brethren sincerely for this act of their kind regard and esteem in presenting him with such a splendid jewel, and begged to assure them that he was sensibly alive to the groat honor they had conferred upon him. He regretted his abilities had not been such as he could have wished to discharge the duties of Worshipful Master while he held that important office during the tiv&t twelve months of th** Greymouth Lodgis ; but, however imperfectly he mi^iri have performed his duties as WorslKpiul Master, he could safely say that no liinw., • .nld boast of a heart more truly d.j ,>n,a than his to the interests of Freemaaouvy. It was his sincere wish to render himself worthy and serviceable to masonry, and to obtain that object ho spent the gr.ea.ter part of his leisure hours studying

its principles and doctrines, and. to be able to impart instruction to his younger brethren. He found the more he pressed forward in attaining masonic information the more pleased he became with the work. He took the opportunity of impressing upon the minds of the brethren their duty to persevere in the pursuit of masonic knowledge, as they would be well rewarded for their researches, reminding them that the first and indispensable requisite for becoming a good mason was a regular attendance to the duties of the Lodge, which would open to the view like the gradual approach of light on the morning, of. . n, summer day, an increasing development of the bright rays of science till the splendour of truth irradiated the mind, After a few other remarks, Bro. Ancher again thanked the brethren for the handsome token of their esteem, ! .-muring: them that he would remember that night while memory remained. Bro. Geo. Taylor, S. W. , in a few appropriate remarks, next proposed the With of the. <' Visiting Brethren," coupled with the name of Bro, Hardy. Bro. Hardy replied. Bro. Allardycb, J.W., proposed prosperity to the Sister Lodges of Hokitika, Ross, Westport and Charleston. Bro. Payne replied,. ' • Bro. Ancher, P.M., in a few remarks, proposed the health of tho?e who had lately been initiated, coupled with the name of Bro, R. J. ; .Johnston, Bro. Johnston replied on behalf of himself and those who had been. initiated with him. The Worshipful Master then rose to propose the last toast of the evening— "The health of Poor and Distressed Brethren," expressing a desire that they might soon find relief and » speedy return to their native country. Bro, Fox craved the indulgence of the W.M. to allow him to propose " Prosperity to our Mother Irfxlge," which was warmly responded to. Bros. Shaw, Deare, May, Fox, and other brethren added much to the harmony (if the evening by singing a number of songs.