Albany Lodge Centenary.

time arrived , formed in procession to proceed to St . Thomas ' s Lnurch for Divine Service . The Provincial Grand Officers came last with the officiating clergy , conspicuous among the

latter being the special preacher of the day , the Rev . F . M . Burton , LL . D ., Past Grand Chaplain of England , who wore the brilliant scarlet rooe and cap and the ermine cape of his degree of Doctor of Laws of Cambridge University .

Founding an impressive address on the text " And now abideth faith , hope , and charity , these three ; but the greatest of these is charity , " the Rev . Dr . Burton , addressing those before him as "Worshipful Masters and well-beloved Brethren , " said it gave him the greatest possible pleasure to

stand in that place , to which he was accustomed for about eight of the best years of his life , and to face them upon that great and auspicuous occasion . It was a great occasion in the annals of Freemasonry , and particularly in the annals of

the Albany Lodge , about which he had intended to say something , but which he would be verv brief about , because they would be able to . read for themselves in the admirably prepared pamphlet which he had seen , the history of the Albany Lodge .

It was a very old Lodge indeed , and it came from Salisbury , in Wiltshire , its Charter bearing the date of the gth of July 1777 , anQ l therefore it went back further than a century . It was quite one of the ancient Lodges . They would prooably recollect that in 1799 an Act of Parliament

was passed for the suppression of secret societies , and the Freemasons evaded , should he say , that Act by determining to create no new Lodges in the sense of granting new Charters , but applied for the old Charters of Lodges which for one cause or another became defunct and used them

for other Lodges , and so the Charter of the Albany Lodge was the old Charter of the Salisbury Lodge . They were dealing with the history of 100 years , of the nineteenth century , and to those who might be detractors of Freemasonry —and there were many—he would say " Be careful what you do or say . "

If they believed , and if they were Christian men they did believe , that the Almighty ruled all things , did they suppose for one solitary second that the Almighty , who was all powerful , would have permitted to continue and flourish in the midst of that mighty Empire to which Fie had entrusted

so much of the surface of the globe and so much of the civilisation of the world , an organisation which was iniquitous and wrong ? Oh , no ! They must remember they had to deal with one , " Di hou ta panta , Kai di ou ta panta , " on whose account and by whose means all thinp-s exist , and Fie

had blessed that organisation of Freemasonry . Their presence in that church that day was a direct proof of it . So he would say to the detractors of Freemasonry outside the walls of the church : ' Let them beware . This thing is of God , or else how is it it has not fallen long ago !"

What a glorious thing it was to be a Mason . Masonry was not religion , nor was it a substitute for religion ; but it was , or should be , a handmaid to religion , to lead them on step by step to higher things , upward and onward . Excelsior should be their motto . Plad the Albany Lodge , No . 151 , done any

good work in the past ? Right heartily and gladly they said " Yes . " Then let " Excelsior " be their motto still . Let it go on—that Lodge at Newport , which he knew had done so much good—let it flourish and abound more and more . Masons , of all men , should best understand that God seeth not as men

see . God looketh at the heart , and did all Masons thus know God and act accordingly ? Did they ever so far forget themselves as to take God ' s holy name in vain ? Did they always

remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy ? That was true Masonry . Did they ever act like those who said " Tush , how doth God know ? " Well , he ventured to leave those questions with them .

It was a fearful thing to be celebrating that Centenary unless that true Masonry , that true building and edifying , was going on in that and every Lodge , from the Grand Lodge , which he represented , down to the humblest little Lodge now starting . An unworthy Mason , was a man devoid of principle .

The tongue of good report was demanded on behalf of the humblest of their Brothers , or how would it be with them when they . stood before the Great Architect of the Universe and demanded admission into the Grand Lodge above ? Faith , hope , and charity—that was true Masonry . The Masons of England , they were proud to know , had done much which

Albany Lodge Centenary.

might meet the eye of the outside world , in building and restoring the Houses of the Great Architect of the Universe . He need only mention that in connection with the reredos of Gloucester Cathedral and that great work done upon that

national monument of beauty and antiquity , Tewkesbury Abbey . Then there were the large contributions made for the relief of the suffering in connection with the Indian Famine and the contribution to the National Lifeboat

Institution in 1875 as a thank-offering , for the safe return from his Indian tour of their Gracious King and Patron , whom might God long preserve and protect . The excellencies of Freemasonry they knew better than he did , and he hoped practiced them more . Theirs

was one of the most evangelical societies he knew , and guided by the Volume of Sacred Laws , the Bible , it inculcated duty towards God and their neighbour . It also came close home to the man and reminded him he was not a true Mason unless he did his duty to himself by doing all he

could to preserve his faculties , his mind , body , and soul in the most efficient condition to serve God always and his neighbour as himself . To the citizen it said " Flonour all men , love the brotherhood , fear God , honour the King , " and the individual it helped to practice every domestic virtue

as well as public virtue—to be a good father , good brother , good son , and also to practice such virtues as prudence , temperance , fortitude , justice , and fidelity in ways some of which he could not mention ; but others were public and patent in the lives of his Brethren before him . It taught obedience . Disobedience was the root sin of

all" . . . man's first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree , whose mortal taste Brought death into the world and all our woe , With loss of Eden , till one greater Man Restore us and 'regain the blissful seat . "

Freemasonry practiced Charity , which had the approbation of Heaven above and , like its sister Mercy , blessed him who gave as well as him who received . For instance , at the Boys Centenary in 1898 , under the presidency of their most noble and august Grand Master the Prince of Wales ,

£ 141 , 000 was * brought together for educating the youth of this country . They were a great savings bank , so to speak , and they helped the nation to educate the youth of the nation and to care for it and train it . Fie believed that taking the

average , when there was no Centenary and no unusual event , £ 50 , 000 a year was raised and spent in education and what might be called old-age pensions by that mighty body of which they were membters . In conclusion he exhorted them to remember that

More things are wrought by prayer Than this world dreams of . Wherefore , let thy voice Rise like a fountain for me night and day . For what are men better than sheep or goats That nourish a blind life within the brain ,

If , knowing God , they lift not hands of prayer Both for themselves and those who call them friend . For so the whole round earth is every way Bound by gold chains about the feet of God . " A collection taken in church by Past Masters of the Albany Lodge on behalf of the Masonic Charities amounted tO £ lO c 3 .

As the accommodation was insufficient at the Masonic Hall for the numbers attending , permission was obtained for the holding of the Lodge in the large room at the Star Flotel , where the Brethren assembled on their return from church , the Provincial Officers entering in procession , and being received in due form .

The opening business having been disposed of , the W . M . again expressed the pleasure the members of Albany Lodge felt at the presence and support that day of so many visiting Brethren . They had felt that the most appropriate thing they could do themselves in celebration of the

Centenary was to raise a special fund for the reduction of the debt remaining on their Lodge building , and he had much pleasure in announcing that £ 205 had already been raised in this way . This amount was likely to be considerably increased , as several had not yet decided how much they

would give . Flaving thanked the members for their liberality , the W . M . called upon Bro . Frank King to read a brief historical sketch of the Lodge , which that Brother had compiled from the records . A copy of this interesting historical sketch , reference to which . appears elsewhere , was presented to each Brother in attendance ,