Consecration.

CONSECRATION .

ASHBURY CHAPTER .

HPHIS Chapter was consecrated on Thursday , 23 rd ult ., J _ by Companion Captain Clement R . N . Beswicke-Royds Provincial G . H . acting as Grand Superintendent ( vice Comp . Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie ) . The ceremony , which was wituessed by nearly sixty members of the Order

was a very imposing one , and took place in the Union Schools , West Gorton , several prominent Freemasons having important parts assigned to them , viz ., Companions Arthur H . J efferis P . M . W . S . 30 actingas Prov . G . H ., Buckley Carr Provincial GJ . 18 , Dr . Thomas D . Foreman P . G . S . N ., C . H . Arnold P . G . D . C , and James Newton P . G . S . E .

All the anthems , together with the effective incidental music , were admirably rendered b y a choir consisting of Companions Nelson Stokes , Nathaniel Dumville , Ridsdale Bowley , and Wm . Booth , the whole being under the conductorship of Comp . L . H . Keay P . P . GiO .

After the due constitution of the Chapter Companion Carr installed the Principals , Comps . Wm . Bee M . E . Z ., Walter Newton P . P . G . D . C . H ., and Dr . T . D . Foreman J . A subsequent election of Officers resulted in the following appointments and investitures : —

Comps . James White 268 as I . P . Z ., Geo . Wenham Davies 268 D . C , Jno . Townley Trotter 204 S . E ., Thos . C . Lord 325 Org ., Matthew Goth 581 P . Sojourner , Chas . Hy . Griffiths 268 S . N ., James Cooper 325 and Harry G .

Walker 581 Assistant Sojourners , Jas . Bromley P . Prov . G . A . D . C . 210 Treasurer , Thomas Hughes 152 Janitor . These Officers , together with the Principals , constitute the Founders of the Chapter .

During the afternoon the Acting Grand Superintendent called upon Comp . Dr . Foreman Prov . G . S . N . to deliver an Oration , which we reproduce in extenso , as follows : M . E . Acting Prov . G . Supt . and Companions : We hear a great deal in these latter days of trade unions , of labour congresses ,

and of other organisations among the trading and working communities of the world . But these organisations are not of modern growth ; there have existed from time immemorial fraternities or brotherhoods , representing trades and callings of almost every description , and it is a noticeable fact that

membership with these fraternities has not always been exclusively confined to those whose occupation is found in the particular trade that may be represented . Thus Princes , Nobles , Statesmen , and men of high degree have been enrolled as goldsmiths , silversmiths , cutlers , drapers , and so forth ,

and we have known men , somewhat low on the spoke of fortune ' s wheel , sit down at a Merchant Tailors' banquet in company with the Archbishops of Canterbury and York , as well as with some of England ' s most distinguished nobility . Now what was it that induced the outsiders ( if I might so

call them ) thus to identify themselves with trades and callings apparently so far beneath their own social status ? The answer to this question may be expressed in one word"Philanthropy . " When these brotherhoods are found to exist for the welfare of mankind , and when institutions

connected with them ( industrial , educational , and charitable ) are found heaping blessings on the old and the young—on the widow and the orphan—identification with them is ever deemed an honour and a privilege , such as the highest in the land may be justly proud of . Now , of far more ancient date

than any of the fraternities alread y named is the brotherhood numerously and influentially represented in this room to-day . We have to go back to prehistoric times to discover the origin , and to find out the intention of the world wide ( the

universal ) brotherhood of Masons—a brotherhood which has been > aptly and truly defined as " a beautiful system of morality , founded on allegory , and illustrated by suggestive symbols and emblems . "

Both legend and tradition unite in the story that when K . S . had completed his famous temple at Jerusalem , and having meditated long on the grand result effected by the combination of wood and , stone and costly minerals , each taken piece by piece from its native forest , rock or mine

each separately shaped and polished and refined , each transported and fitted into its own special and appointed place , and each contributing to the formation of that grand and perfect whole—meditating thus , I say , a still grander

conception occurred to his mind , viz ., that of collecting the rude and scattered members of the human family , and of constructing out of them a great moral temple , which should continually resound with songs of praise to the Great

Consecration.

Architect of the Universe ; and with this noble thought in view , the tradition is , the King instituted the Craft which took the appropriate name of Masonry . This idea , by whomsoever first conceived , is a truly scriptural one . Freemasonry does not pretend , does not presume , to take the place or to

supersede any of the religions founded and established upon the earth . Were the principles of the Sacred Law universally professed , or its precepts universally practiced , the whole human family would be one great universal brotherhood , united together by the strong ties of mutual love and chanty ,

and in such a case there would be no need of those many collateral ' aids which now exist for the purpose of "Making man mild and tolerant of his fellow man . " But , unhappily , mankind is not , as yet , a united brotherhood . The intention of religion is that it should be so , and we believe that

intention shall yet be realised , but not yet do we behold that happy consummation ; Kingdom still rises against Kingdom , and nation against nation . The countless religions which prevail upon the earth are often incentives to strife and discord , rather than to harmony and peace . At home we have

divisions and rivalries , oppositions and contentions ; abroad we have bitter persecutions and cruel martyrdoms . Seeing this is so , is it not well that we can find a common platform somewhere , whereon man may meet and greet his fellow

man , and where , forgetting for the moment all religious , political , or personal discords , each man may say to his neighbour " Let there be no strife between me and thee , for we are Brethren . "

Now , in Freemasonry we find some approach to this much needed universal peace and unity of nations , on which so much has been said and written during the past few months at Peace Society meetings , and in the public press . Here is an institution which attracts all sorts and

conditions of men . In every region of the habitable globe it has found a resting place , and wherever it is found , art , science , and religion are found as its accompaniments . Emperors and Kings , Princes and Nobles , great men and rich men , and also the hardy sons of industry and toil , all

find admission and a welcome into this great temple of universal Charity . The first and earliest Grand Lodge of England ( that of York ) dates from the reign of Athelstah ,

grandson of Alfred the Great , A . D . 926 . Athelstan ' s brother Edwin was the first Grand Master of England . From that Grand Lodge all existing Lodges of England , Scotland , Ireland and America , derive their existence and authority .

There are said to be considerably over 10 , 000 Masonic Lodges in the world , of which the greater part are found in America . But ( as already said ) Masonry is found in all lands . Travel where you will , through France , Germany , Italy , Persia , Turkey , India , China , Japan—in all lands , I say , a

Mason may recognise a friend and a Brother through means of this wonderful bond . Masonry , it has been truly said , has no foreign language , its silent speech , the same in every land , is everywhere comprehended . It has been recognised by opponents on the field of battle ; it has been whispered

amid the carnage of war and amidst the crash of shipwreck . Is a Brother Mason in need ? Masonry offers him relief . Is a Brother a stranger ? Masonry throws open to him the door of hospitality . Is a Brother in danger ? Masonry has a way of discovering it , and endeavours to provide protection .

Does -a Brother die ? Masonry pays a due tribute of respect over that Brother ' s grave , and , more than this , it expresses its sympathy in deeds , as well as in words , with the widow and the orphan . In a word , Masonry never fails to . comply with the command , " thou shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother , to thy poor and to thy needy . "

Having thus briefly touched on the subject of Masonry as to its antiquity , its design , and its world wide extent , let me add a few words illustrative of its moral and religious teaching . The definition of Masonry ( as already quoted ) you may remember was this— " A beautiful system of morality ,

founded on allegory , and illustrated by suggestive symbols and emblems . " The symbols of Masonry may be openly seen on Masonic Buildings , in Masonic publications , and on Masonic documents . These symbols are all " suggestive " of something good and useful , and they are each intended to

teach important moral lessons . Among the most common , and possibly the most important of these symbols are , the rough stone , the polished stone ( or perfect Ashlar ) , the tracing board , the square , compass , triangle , level , plumb , and the

ladder . Had time allowed I should have been pleased to give a concise description of each . However , I shall very briefly refer to two of them , the Tracing Board and the Ladder . The Masonic Tracing Board symbolises an open Bible , which is found in every Masonic Lodge and Chapter ,