Hampshire And Isle Of Wight.

HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT .

rpHE Provincial Grand Chapter was held at the Masonic Hall , I Woolston , on Monday of last week , under the presidency of Comp . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., P . G . Superintendent , who was supported by Companions Le Feuvre H ., Atkins acting J ., Goble S . G . J . Tilling Treas ., and a large general attendance of

, Companions , the roll of each Chapter being responded to with only two or three exceptions . The accounts of the P . G . Treasurer showed a balance in

hand of £ 55 . Comp . Tilling , who was complimented by the Grand Superintendent , resigned the Office of Treasurer , which he has held for the past six years , and Comp . E . Boughton-Smith was unanimously chosen for the Office .

On the motion of Comp . J . E . Le Feuvre the sum of ten guineas was voted to the Hampshire Masonic Benevolent Association , and twenty guineas to the Eoyal Masonic Institution

for Boys . The Provincial Grand Superintendent invested the following as Officers for the ensuing year :

Bro . J . E . Le Feuvre H . " G . J . Tilling 1461 J . ' E . Goble 309 - - - - Scribe E . A . R . Holbrook 309 - - - Scribe N . J . Boughton-Smith 394 - - - Treasurer Col . A . Boyd 1331 - - - Registrar E . M . Preston 195 - - Principal Sojourner G . H . Swansborough 2016 - - 1 st Assistant Sojourner

J . Leftwich 175 - 2 nd Assistant Sojourner E . T . Wise 1461 ... - Sword Bearer A . Saville 723 - - - - » H . P . Arthur 394 ... I Standard Bearers T . G . Dacombe 130 - - - J G . C . V . Inkpen 1776 - - - Director of Ceremonies G . Williams 2058 - - - ) E . Boorman 2074 - - r Assist . Dirs . of Ceremonies J . T . Slade 804 - - - - 1 A . Howell 2074 - - - - Organist G . F , Lancaster 903 - - - Assistant Secretary Exell ..... Janitor .

The Grand Superintendent referred to the growth of Royal Arch Freemasonry . The large attendance that day indicated that many were impelled with a desire to promote this Degree , and he hoped that it would continue to flourish in the Province . Comp . Atkins , on behalf of the Hengist Chapter , tendered an invitation to the Grand Superintendent to hold the next P . G . Chapter at Bournemouth .

Consecration: St. Andrew's Lodge.

CONSECRATION : ST . ANDREW'S LODGE .

WE briefly reported the remarks of the Provincial Grand Chaplain ( Rev . G . Linton Thorp ) , at the Consecration of this Lodge , in * our last issue and now extract the following fuller account from the " Cheltenham Examiner . " " They were told ( he said ) , in the Volume of the Sacred

Law , how , without axe or hammer , the gorgeous fabric of King Solomon ' s temple rose in silence on the heights of Zion ; how stones , cut , hewn and shaped in distant quarries , were brought to the work , with great stores of timber , of gold and brass and iron . The Great Architect of the Universe had drawn the plan ,

and all the workmen ' s tools , which now symbolise so much to the Craft , played each its part in the erection of the building . But when the work was finished , and those who beheld it exclaimed with one accord at its magnificence , it needed something more to make it a joy to the whole earth . It needed that

solemn dedication , with prayer and praise , sacrifice and incense , that consecration to the service of the Most High , ere the cloud overshadowed it and the glory of the Lord filled the great house . And as the Temple at Jerusalem was consecrated , so each individual Freemason ' s Lodge was also solemnly consecrated ,

and there was , moreover , a personal consecration and dedication of _ every Mason when he was admitted to the mysteries and privileges of the Order . The successive steps of his progress were designed to keep alive his sense of duty to his God , to himself , and to his neighbour . Thus the body of Masonry was

built up a living Temple . Its allegory was nothing unless they applied their hearts and minds to the understanding of its hidden lessons ; its symbols were vain unless they strove to fashion their lives on the great and eternal truths they were meant to illustrate . Masonry , according to the general

acceptation ^ of the term , was an Art iounded on the unerring principles of geometry and directed to the service of mankind , but Freemasonry , embracing a wider range and having a nobler object in view , the cultivation of the human mind , might with more propriety be called a Science .

It was said by some to have originated in the Middle Ages , with the great fraternities of operative masons who covered the face of Europe with the noblest and grandest of its edifices , and to have borrowed its Symbols and Embleais from those great building corporations , as a means of imparting to its members great moral truths . Speculative Masonry embraced all things

Consecration: St. Andrew's Lodge.

fitted to build up a man , to make him a better citizen , a better husband and father , a truer friend , more loyal to his God , his country , his brother and himself ; its object was not only to

reform the minds of its followers , but to better their hearts by enforcing the grand precepts of morality ; to unite men of every nation , religion and condition of life for good and noble purposes .

He urged the members of the St . Andrew ' s Lodge to ever bear the great principles of their Order in their minds , to be careful in the selection of candidates for admission amongst them , lest by their unworthiness the whole body should suffer ,

and to remember that Freemasonry would be judged in that neighbourhood by the light which emanated from their Lodge . Let them strive to keep that light undimned , by maintaining the reputation of the Lodge , and of each member of it , pure and unsullied before men .

present applying to the Grand Master for a Warrant for a , Masonic Lodge to be held at Buluwayo . Bro . Hermann Klein was installed Worshipful Master , in the presence of Brothers Philbrick , Q . C ., Sir Augustus Harris , J . C . Parkinson , E . Letchworth Grand Secretary , Sir George D . Harris , Lennox Browne , and many others .

The Empire Lodge , specially established as a connecting link between the Mother Country and her Colonies , says the " Daily Telegraph , " held its annual installation meeting at the Criterion , on the 22 nd ult ., and unanimously elected as an honorary member the Right Hon . Cecil Rhodes , who is at

o o o Freemasonry in England at the present time is largely concerned in feasting and philanthropy . Both objects are excellent , and indirectly conduce to the Brotherhood of man ; but , to admit a plain fact , there is no longer the grim earnestness

about the modern British Craftsmen that once distinguished them , and which still marks the practice of Masonry in certain places abroad . Much sunshine of Royal patronage has perhaps somewhat enervated its constitution . Be that as it may , loyal tenacity of mutual service among members of the Brotherhood is

perhaps more efficiently maintained in stormy periods than in the piping times of peace . British Freemasonry would be none the worse if there were less and simpler dining , and more determined Brotherhood and friendship among members of the Craft . — " Sunday Times . "

Ad00503

PANTOMIMESEASON. THEGAIETYRESTAURANT Adjoins THE GAIETY THEATRE , and is quite close to THE LYCEUM , DRURY LANE , COVENT GARDEN , THE GLOBE , THE OPERA COMIQUE , THE STRAND , THE ADELPHI , THE VAUDEVILLE , TERRY ' , TOOLE ' , & C , & C . FOR MATINEES — BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE . Hot Luncheons at popular prices in the RESTAURANT ( 1 st floor ) . Chops , Steaks , Kidneys and all Grills in the GRILL ROOM . AFTER THE PERFORMANCE . Dinners 3 / 6 , 5 / -, and a la Carte in the RESTAURANT ( with band ) . Grills and Special Dishes in the GRILL ROOM . AFTERNOON TEAS IN THE RESTAURANT . FOR EVENINGS . — BEFORE THE PERFORMANCE . Dinners 3 / 6 , 5 / -, and a la Carte in the RESTAURANT ( with Band ) . Grills and Special Dishes in the GRILL ROOM . AFTER THE PERFORMANCE . Grills and Special Dishes in the GRILL ROOM until 12 * 30 . THE BAND PLAYS . IN THE RESTAURANT FROM 6 TILL 8 P . M . PBIVATE DIKING ROOMS fOR LARGE AUD SMALL PASTIES . Proprietors , SPIERS k POND , LIMITED .