Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar01200
Grant , Lord , all we , who here to-day , Rejoicing , this foundation lay , May bo in very deed Thine own , Built on a lasting corner stono . Endne Thy creatures with Thy grace , That shall adorn Thy dwelling place ; Tho boanty of tho oak and pine , The gold and silver , make them Thine .
To Thee , they all pertain ; to Thoo The treasures of the earth and soa , And when we bring them to Thy throne , We but present Thee with Thine own . Tho heads that guide endue with skill , The hands that work preserve from ill , That we who this foundation lay , May raise the cope-stone in its day .
Bro . Harvey G-. D . M . then addressed the assemblage as follows : — Ladies , gentlemen , and brethren , who are assembled hero to-day to inspect this ceremony , know all of you that we aro lawful Masons , true to our Queen and to onr country , and who profess to fear God , who is the Great Architect of the Universe , to confer benefits on onr brethren , and to practise benevolence . From timo immemorial it has
been the universal custom amongst civilised nations to level the foundation-stone of every building of importance or great public utility with certain ceremonies which by the courtesy of tho architect and builders are almost always placed under the guidance and supervision of the Masonic fraternity , whom we have tho honour to represent here to-day . The ceremony in which we have now taken
part has been conducted by ns and completed in dne form , and I now declare this stone well and trnly laid , and in accordance with the ancient cnstom . I have peculiar pleasnre in having been permitted to take part in this interesting ceremony , inasmuch as I hold , as it were , a dual capacity—namely , as the head of the Scottish Freemasons in this island of New Zealand ,
and as an officer whose duty and privilege it will be to administer justice within tho walls of the intended structure . Permit me here to draw your attention to tho object for which this building is being erected—namely , the administration of justice—which , I venture to assert , to be one of the most important—if not the most important—object which can possibly engage the attention
of any . community . As an element in the attainment of a high degree of civilisation , the strict and impartial administration of justice stands second to none ; and I do not hesitate to say that where tho administration of justice is corrupt , religion will be entirely disregarded , and civilisation will become an impossibility . It is the spirit of indomitable energy and perseverance in the attainment of
this paramount object which has distinguished the Anglo-Saxon race , and which has placed them foremost amongst nations in that position of freedom and liberty which they so proudly occupy to-day . This spirit has not been of a mushroom growth—it was not implanted in our breasts yesterday—but has been bequeathed to ns by our ancestors from long before the time of the Saxon Heptarchy . The
stern barons of old , who wrested Magna Charta from King John at Runnymede obtained from him no new thing . They said to him" This is the common law of England . This is so ; and we will that it shall remain so in future for ever . " No free man ( and let me here remark that all men at that time in England were not free , although freedom followed as a necessary conseqnence of their action)—no
free man shall be condemned in property , person , or life , except in accordance with the law of the land , and by the judgment of his peers . Justice shall nofc be sold , neither shall it be denied to any one . These are tho principles which we , as Englishmen , have always contended for ; wo have shed our blood in their defence , and wo are ready to sacrifice everything to maintain
and transmit them pure and unsullied to future generations . The enacting of wise and just laws , and the appointing of wise , just , and incorruptible judges to administer them is the first duty of every Government , and I think I may safely say that the Government of this colony has recognised these duties to their fullest extent . And although those laws may not afc all times havo turned out quite so
advantageous as they were expected to do , and although unfortunate selections of judges may have been occasionally made , yet we may rest assured that our rulers have been actuated by the most sincere and earnest desire to do all things for the welfare of the people , and that if failure has at any time ensued we mnst attribute it to those imperfections to which human nature is at all times liable . In conclusion ,
friends and brethren , let us implore the Great Architect of tho Universe , of His divine goodness and mercy , to fill onr legislators with all wisdom and judgment to do everything in obedience to His divine will , and to guide and direct all thoso who may be entrusted with the duty of presiding within these walls , so that justice may never bo prostituted or perverted therein . Let us implore Him to watch
over and protect tho workmen employed in the erection of this building , so thafc when the cope-stone shall be placed it may be crowned with success . Bro . Macrorio , in addressing the District Grand Master , said he had been asked to say something , not only as a Mason and citizen , but in the name of tho district generally . Why he had been asked he was utterly at a loss to explain , but he supposed
it was owing to his position in the Conncil , and in the absence of the bead of the Corporation , he had to ask the D . G . M . Bro . Harvey to accept the thanks , nofc only of the citizens , whom he had the honour to represent on tho occasion , but the thanks of the Freemasons also , for performing the very impressive ceremony they had just witnessed . When he looked back and saw tho discomfort tho public at largo had
been subjected to through want of proper accommodation—when he thought of the never-ceasing presentments of grand juries on the subject—when he pictured to himself the discomfort tho judges themselves must havo experienced , the inconveniences the legal profession and tho public , the witnesses , and jurymen had been pnt to—when io remembered that at least one death had resulted from tho total
Ar01201
want of accommodation that existed , for ifc was a fact thafc ono cold day a strong Southland farmer who was called as a witness in a case , canght cold while hanging about waiting for tho case to come on , and died from the effects of thafc cold ; when ho considered all this , need ho say that ho hailed with great satisfaction tho ceremony that had beon performed that day , and which was practically the forerunner
of court accommodation , of which Invercargill and fche district generally might well bo proud . After a few humorous remarks regarding Southland weather , tho speaker wont on to say that the superstructure which was to bo erected on that sito would afford accommodation for all parties concerned in Court work , whilo its proximity to the police barracks was a desirable factor . He was glad to seo Judge Harvey
in the position he occupied that day . Ho had known him now for something like twenty years , during which time ho had been an ornament not only to his profession and to the high judicial position ho filled , bat to Freemasonry . In tho name of the residents of Southland he thanked him for the part he had taken in tho proceedings of that day , and trusted that the superstructure thafc was to be raised on thoso foundations wonld soon be completed , and would bo perfect .
in all its parts , and a credit to the builder . A final hymn havingbeen sung by the choir , the procession was re-formed , and headed by the volunteers and band , proceeded through Tay and Deo streets : to tho Theatre , where they parted company , the members entering ? their temporary Lodge-room , and closing tho Lodge in form . Tho Volunteers proceeded to the drill-shed , whero they wore dismissed . i This terminated the proceedings . —Southland , Times .
Old Warrants.
Old Warrants .
No , 295 , " Anoients ; " No . 375 afc tho Union A . D . 1813 ; No . 259 A . D . 1832 , and 214 from A . D . 1863 . ft . s ., ATTACHED" ! ¦ L rnr RIBBON . - ATHOLL , Grand Master . JOHN BUNN S . G . W . W M - DICKEY D . G . M . ROBERT GIDL J . G . W .
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN . WE THE GRAND LODOE of the mosfc Ancient and Honourable Fra--ternifcy of Freo and Accepted Masons ( according to the old Constitutions granted by His Royal Highness Princo EDWI . V at York , Anno-Domini Nine hundred twenty ancl six , and in the year of Masonry
Four thousand nino hundred and twenty-six , ) in ample form assembled , viz . The RIGHT WORSHIPFUL The Most Noble and Puissant Prince John , Diike , Marquis and Earl of Atholl , Marquis and Earl of Tallibardine , Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle , Viscount Balquider , Qlenalmond and Glenlyon ,, Lord Murray , Belveny and Gask , Heritable
Constable of the Castle of Kinclaven , Lord of Man and the Isles , Earl Strange and Baron Murray of Stanley in the County of Gloucester , fyc . Grand Master of Masons , The Right Worshipfnl WILL " - DICKEY ESQUIRE Depnty Grand Master , The Eight Worshipfnl JOHN BUNN ESQUIRE Senior Grand Warden , and the Right Worshipful ROBERT GILL
ESQUIRE Junior Grand Warden ( with tho Approbation and Consent of the Warranted Lodges held within the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster ) do hereby authorise and impower our Trusty and Well-beloved Brethren , viz ., The Worshipfnl THOMAS SOWELLS ono of our Master Masons , The Worshipful
No . 295 , The ROBERT RAMSAY his Senior Warden , ancl tho Wor-Lodge of Hope shipfnl WILLIAM MASTERS his Junior Warden , to form and Unity , and hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , aforesaid , at the Ship , in Bridge Yard , Tooley Street , Southwark , or elsewhere , in the Cities of London or Westminster , upon the 2 nd and 4 th Tuesday in every Calendar month , and upon
on all seasonable Times and all lawfnl occasions . And in tho said Lodgo ( when duly congregated ) to admit and mako Free Masons according to the Mosfc Ancient and Honourable cnstom of tho Royal Craft in all ages , and nations throughout tho known world . And wo do hereby further authorise and impower onr said
trusty and well-beloved brethren , THOMAS SOWELLS , ROBERT RAMSAY , and WILLIAM MASTERS ( with the consent of the members of their Lodge ) to nominate , chuse , and install their successors , to whom they shall deliver this warrant , and invest them with their Powers and ; Dignities as Free Masons , & c . And their successors shall in
likemanner nominate , chuse , and install their snecessors , & c . & c . & c-. Snch Installations to be upon ( or near ) every St . John ' s Day daring the continuance of this Lodge for ever . Providing the above named Brethren and all their successors always pay duo respect to this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge , otherwise this Warrant to bo of no
Force nor Virtne . Given , under our Hands and tho Seal of our Grand Lodge , in London , this third day of November , in the year of our Lord Ono thousand seven hundred and , ninety-five , and in the year of Masonry ; Five thousand seven hundred ninety and five .
Ron - LESLIE , Grand Secretary . NOTE . —This warrant is registered in the Grand Lodge , Vol . 9 ,. Letter I . Tlio present title , No ., & a , are—The Lodge of Hope and Unity ,. No . 214 , Brentwood .
Memo . —Bro . J . C . Earle , of No . 214 , kindly fnrnished mo with above transcript , which enabled mo to show the exact date of the ' Warrant in my recently published work , " The Atholl Lodges . " In Ahiman Ilczon 1813 , the Lodgo is wrongly placed at No . 296 . Tho " Hope and Unity " was ono of the numerous Lodges in which '
the famous Masonic Instructor Bro . Peter Gilkes served the Office of Master . In the "Register of G . L . Bros . Sowells , llamsay , and Masters aredescribed as Mason , Carpenter , and Shipwright respectively . R . F . GOULD .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar01200
Grant , Lord , all we , who here to-day , Rejoicing , this foundation lay , May bo in very deed Thine own , Built on a lasting corner stono . Endne Thy creatures with Thy grace , That shall adorn Thy dwelling place ; Tho boanty of tho oak and pine , The gold and silver , make them Thine .
To Thee , they all pertain ; to Thoo The treasures of the earth and soa , And when we bring them to Thy throne , We but present Thee with Thine own . Tho heads that guide endue with skill , The hands that work preserve from ill , That we who this foundation lay , May raise the cope-stone in its day .
Bro . Harvey G-. D . M . then addressed the assemblage as follows : — Ladies , gentlemen , and brethren , who are assembled hero to-day to inspect this ceremony , know all of you that we aro lawful Masons , true to our Queen and to onr country , and who profess to fear God , who is the Great Architect of the Universe , to confer benefits on onr brethren , and to practise benevolence . From timo immemorial it has
been the universal custom amongst civilised nations to level the foundation-stone of every building of importance or great public utility with certain ceremonies which by the courtesy of tho architect and builders are almost always placed under the guidance and supervision of the Masonic fraternity , whom we have tho honour to represent here to-day . The ceremony in which we have now taken
part has been conducted by ns and completed in dne form , and I now declare this stone well and trnly laid , and in accordance with the ancient cnstom . I have peculiar pleasnre in having been permitted to take part in this interesting ceremony , inasmuch as I hold , as it were , a dual capacity—namely , as the head of the Scottish Freemasons in this island of New Zealand ,
and as an officer whose duty and privilege it will be to administer justice within tho walls of the intended structure . Permit me here to draw your attention to tho object for which this building is being erected—namely , the administration of justice—which , I venture to assert , to be one of the most important—if not the most important—object which can possibly engage the attention
of any . community . As an element in the attainment of a high degree of civilisation , the strict and impartial administration of justice stands second to none ; and I do not hesitate to say that where tho administration of justice is corrupt , religion will be entirely disregarded , and civilisation will become an impossibility . It is the spirit of indomitable energy and perseverance in the attainment of
this paramount object which has distinguished the Anglo-Saxon race , and which has placed them foremost amongst nations in that position of freedom and liberty which they so proudly occupy to-day . This spirit has not been of a mushroom growth—it was not implanted in our breasts yesterday—but has been bequeathed to ns by our ancestors from long before the time of the Saxon Heptarchy . The
stern barons of old , who wrested Magna Charta from King John at Runnymede obtained from him no new thing . They said to him" This is the common law of England . This is so ; and we will that it shall remain so in future for ever . " No free man ( and let me here remark that all men at that time in England were not free , although freedom followed as a necessary conseqnence of their action)—no
free man shall be condemned in property , person , or life , except in accordance with the law of the land , and by the judgment of his peers . Justice shall nofc be sold , neither shall it be denied to any one . These are tho principles which we , as Englishmen , have always contended for ; wo have shed our blood in their defence , and wo are ready to sacrifice everything to maintain
and transmit them pure and unsullied to future generations . The enacting of wise and just laws , and the appointing of wise , just , and incorruptible judges to administer them is the first duty of every Government , and I think I may safely say that the Government of this colony has recognised these duties to their fullest extent . And although those laws may not afc all times havo turned out quite so
advantageous as they were expected to do , and although unfortunate selections of judges may have been occasionally made , yet we may rest assured that our rulers have been actuated by the most sincere and earnest desire to do all things for the welfare of the people , and that if failure has at any time ensued we mnst attribute it to those imperfections to which human nature is at all times liable . In conclusion ,
friends and brethren , let us implore the Great Architect of tho Universe , of His divine goodness and mercy , to fill onr legislators with all wisdom and judgment to do everything in obedience to His divine will , and to guide and direct all thoso who may be entrusted with the duty of presiding within these walls , so that justice may never bo prostituted or perverted therein . Let us implore Him to watch
over and protect tho workmen employed in the erection of this building , so thafc when the cope-stone shall be placed it may be crowned with success . Bro . Macrorio , in addressing the District Grand Master , said he had been asked to say something , not only as a Mason and citizen , but in the name of tho district generally . Why he had been asked he was utterly at a loss to explain , but he supposed
it was owing to his position in the Conncil , and in the absence of the bead of the Corporation , he had to ask the D . G . M . Bro . Harvey to accept the thanks , nofc only of the citizens , whom he had the honour to represent on tho occasion , but the thanks of the Freemasons also , for performing the very impressive ceremony they had just witnessed . When he looked back and saw tho discomfort tho public at largo had
been subjected to through want of proper accommodation—when he thought of the never-ceasing presentments of grand juries on the subject—when he pictured to himself the discomfort tho judges themselves must havo experienced , the inconveniences the legal profession and tho public , the witnesses , and jurymen had been pnt to—when io remembered that at least one death had resulted from tho total
Ar01201
want of accommodation that existed , for ifc was a fact thafc ono cold day a strong Southland farmer who was called as a witness in a case , canght cold while hanging about waiting for tho case to come on , and died from the effects of thafc cold ; when ho considered all this , need ho say that ho hailed with great satisfaction tho ceremony that had beon performed that day , and which was practically the forerunner
of court accommodation , of which Invercargill and fche district generally might well bo proud . After a few humorous remarks regarding Southland weather , tho speaker wont on to say that the superstructure which was to bo erected on that sito would afford accommodation for all parties concerned in Court work , whilo its proximity to the police barracks was a desirable factor . He was glad to seo Judge Harvey
in the position he occupied that day . Ho had known him now for something like twenty years , during which time ho had been an ornament not only to his profession and to the high judicial position ho filled , bat to Freemasonry . In tho name of the residents of Southland he thanked him for the part he had taken in tho proceedings of that day , and trusted that the superstructure thafc was to be raised on thoso foundations wonld soon be completed , and would bo perfect .
in all its parts , and a credit to the builder . A final hymn havingbeen sung by the choir , the procession was re-formed , and headed by the volunteers and band , proceeded through Tay and Deo streets : to tho Theatre , where they parted company , the members entering ? their temporary Lodge-room , and closing tho Lodge in form . Tho Volunteers proceeded to the drill-shed , whero they wore dismissed . i This terminated the proceedings . —Southland , Times .
Old Warrants.
Old Warrants .
No , 295 , " Anoients ; " No . 375 afc tho Union A . D . 1813 ; No . 259 A . D . 1832 , and 214 from A . D . 1863 . ft . s ., ATTACHED" ! ¦ L rnr RIBBON . - ATHOLL , Grand Master . JOHN BUNN S . G . W . W M - DICKEY D . G . M . ROBERT GIDL J . G . W .
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN . WE THE GRAND LODOE of the mosfc Ancient and Honourable Fra--ternifcy of Freo and Accepted Masons ( according to the old Constitutions granted by His Royal Highness Princo EDWI . V at York , Anno-Domini Nine hundred twenty ancl six , and in the year of Masonry
Four thousand nino hundred and twenty-six , ) in ample form assembled , viz . The RIGHT WORSHIPFUL The Most Noble and Puissant Prince John , Diike , Marquis and Earl of Atholl , Marquis and Earl of Tallibardine , Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle , Viscount Balquider , Qlenalmond and Glenlyon ,, Lord Murray , Belveny and Gask , Heritable
Constable of the Castle of Kinclaven , Lord of Man and the Isles , Earl Strange and Baron Murray of Stanley in the County of Gloucester , fyc . Grand Master of Masons , The Right Worshipfnl WILL " - DICKEY ESQUIRE Depnty Grand Master , The Eight Worshipfnl JOHN BUNN ESQUIRE Senior Grand Warden , and the Right Worshipful ROBERT GILL
ESQUIRE Junior Grand Warden ( with tho Approbation and Consent of the Warranted Lodges held within the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster ) do hereby authorise and impower our Trusty and Well-beloved Brethren , viz ., The Worshipfnl THOMAS SOWELLS ono of our Master Masons , The Worshipful
No . 295 , The ROBERT RAMSAY his Senior Warden , ancl tho Wor-Lodge of Hope shipfnl WILLIAM MASTERS his Junior Warden , to form and Unity , and hold a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , aforesaid , at the Ship , in Bridge Yard , Tooley Street , Southwark , or elsewhere , in the Cities of London or Westminster , upon the 2 nd and 4 th Tuesday in every Calendar month , and upon
on all seasonable Times and all lawfnl occasions . And in tho said Lodgo ( when duly congregated ) to admit and mako Free Masons according to the Mosfc Ancient and Honourable cnstom of tho Royal Craft in all ages , and nations throughout tho known world . And wo do hereby further authorise and impower onr said
trusty and well-beloved brethren , THOMAS SOWELLS , ROBERT RAMSAY , and WILLIAM MASTERS ( with the consent of the members of their Lodge ) to nominate , chuse , and install their successors , to whom they shall deliver this warrant , and invest them with their Powers and ; Dignities as Free Masons , & c . And their successors shall in
likemanner nominate , chuse , and install their snecessors , & c . & c . & c-. Snch Installations to be upon ( or near ) every St . John ' s Day daring the continuance of this Lodge for ever . Providing the above named Brethren and all their successors always pay duo respect to this Right Worshipful Grand Lodge , otherwise this Warrant to bo of no
Force nor Virtne . Given , under our Hands and tho Seal of our Grand Lodge , in London , this third day of November , in the year of our Lord Ono thousand seven hundred and , ninety-five , and in the year of Masonry ; Five thousand seven hundred ninety and five .
Ron - LESLIE , Grand Secretary . NOTE . —This warrant is registered in the Grand Lodge , Vol . 9 ,. Letter I . Tlio present title , No ., & a , are—The Lodge of Hope and Unity ,. No . 214 , Brentwood .
Memo . —Bro . J . C . Earle , of No . 214 , kindly fnrnished mo with above transcript , which enabled mo to show the exact date of the ' Warrant in my recently published work , " The Atholl Lodges . " In Ahiman Ilczon 1813 , the Lodgo is wrongly placed at No . 296 . Tho " Hope and Unity " was ono of the numerous Lodges in which '
the famous Masonic Instructor Bro . Peter Gilkes served the Office of Master . In the "Register of G . L . Bros . Sowells , llamsay , and Masters aredescribed as Mason , Carpenter , and Shipwright respectively . R . F . GOULD .