Prov. Grand Chapter Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

Grand First Principal of Grand Chapter . It waa not , however , until 20 th April 1858 that a Grand Chapter was formed in the Province , nnder the authority of Earl Howe , Grand Superintendent , over whioh , as his Lordship ' s Deputy , I had the hononr to preside , as I have since done , either in that capacity or as Grand Snperintendent , at

every Convocation . Although the Grand Chapter had amongst ifcs leaders many noble and some Royal members of the Grand Lodge of England , " ifc was never recognized by the Grand Lodge until the Union in 1813 ; and in like manner the Grand Chapter of Scotland is not recognised by the Grand Lodge of thafc country down to

the present day . By this Grand Chapter was granted , nnder the number 102 , the first Charter for a Royal Aroh Chapter in this Province—that of the Chapter of Fortitude , attached to St . John's Lodge , which thus came into existence as early as 1796 , being six years after St . John ' s Lodge was founded . The early minute book of

this Chapter is unfortunately lost , but a number of particulars derived from old papers among the records of St . John ' s Lodge are printed in my little " History of Freemasonry in Leicestershire . " We find that John Abbey was exalted in 1796—that " the expenses of a Royal Arch Chapter , held 6 th April 1802 , were defrayed out of the

Craft Fund "—and that after the Union , of 1813 , under date 4 th of December 1817 , the designation was ( for a time ) changed to " United Chapters 102 and 114 , George Inn ; " and ns the old Atholl Lodge Lodge No . 171 had ceased to mako returns , its membora , no doubt in like manner , became -nerped in St . John ' s

Lodge . The original Warrant of the Chapter , like that of the Lodge , having been lost or destroyed some years previously , a Warrant of Confirmation was obtained from the Grind Chapter , dated 9 th May 1821 ; and abont the same time the fnrnitnre , & c . of the Chapter was purchased by subscription , headed by Sir F . G . Fowke , Bart ., who

also presented the banners of the Principals ' , still in use . Daring half a century this was the only Chapter in the Province , when , in 1847 , St . Augustine ' s Chapter was founded , in connection with the then recently established John of Gaunt Lodge , No . 766 ( now 523 ) , and so continued to the year 1856 . At that time the brethren at Ashby

being desirous of having a Chapter attached to their Lodge , whilst both the local Chapters were in anything bufc flourishing condition , the members being ( in comparison with those of the two Lodges ) few in number , ifc was decided for them to unite in working the old Chapter of Fortitude , whilst the Charter of St . Augustine ' s Chapter

was annexed to the Lodge afc Ashby de la Zoucb . On 28 th May 1869 , the De Mowbray Chapter afc Melton was consecrated , our worthy Companion Langley , to whom Masonry there and elsewhere in the Province owes much , being the first M . E . Z . And , finally , on the 14 th January 1873 , 1 had the pleasure , during the time I held the high

office of P . G . M ., as well as that I still retain of Grand Superintendent , of consecrating the Charnwood Chapter , No . 1007 , Loughbourgb . From that day to the present , whilst several new Lodges have sprung into existence in oar midst , all of which are in a highly flourishing condition , and whilst the dear old Chapter of Fortitude , the mother

Chapter of most of us , has , I believe , closely approaching one hundred membera , ifc is self evident that there is " ample room and verge enough " for the friendly and beneficial operations of afc least one additional Royal Arch Chapter in Leicester . Under these circumstances , and with a view of giving a new impetus to Royal Arch

Masonry amongst ns , a Charter has been obtained for the new Chapter of St . George , No . 1560 , which we are about to constitute in ancient form , and , mystically , to construct as a spiritual temple to the honour and glory of the Great I Am—and may fche result prove thafc we may apply to ifc the words of the Masonic poet : —

" When orient Wisdom beam'd serene , And pillar'd strength arose ; When Beauty tinged the glowing scene , And Faith her mansion chose ;

Exulting bands the fabric view'd ; Mysterious powers ador'd , And high the triple union stood , Thafc gave the Mystic Word . "

The Provincial Grand Scribe E . having stated the wishes of the Companions of the new Chapter , and having •read the Petition and Warrant , and the other usual formalities being observed , the Consecrating Officer called upon E . Companion the Eev . C . Henton Wood Prov . Grand

Reg . to deliver the Oration . Comp . Wood , after giving some interesting particulars as to the history of the several Royal Arch Chapters in this Province , and remarking upon the apparent want of interest shown in Royal Arch Masonry , proceeded as follows : — " Why then is the Snpreme Order of tho Royal Arch in such a

languishing condition , when the Mark Degree and other Masonio systems now worked in our midst are continually gaining accessions of strength , and , so far ns one is able to judge , prospering exceedirigly ? A chief cause , no doubt , is novelty , to many minds the multif-u-ious clothing , jewels and paraphernalia of these various Orders have

a great attraction , and whereas a principal charm of Masonry is the consciousness of secret knowledge , which gives a sonso of superiority over those who have it not , this feeling is intensified by the multiplicity of tho degrees taken ; and the yonng Mason is tempted to wander off the beaten track , in search of abstruse and complicated instrnction

, before he has acquired the genuine secrets of a M . M . ; and the allurements of office lead him to eeek employment outside his Lodge , sometimes before he has qualified himself for promotion within it . Another cause is the wont of more instruction dnring a brother's novitiate . Are not degrees conferred iu too quick succession ? Is

not the feeling growing that candidates hare a sort of claim and right to the succeeding degrees at the earliest possible date allowed by the Constitutions ? and do nofc many of our rising brethren , in consequence , claim ojicc , as a right , whether qualified or nofc ? If a candidate is told , within three months of his initiation , that having takeu the

Prov. Grand Chapter Of Leicestershire And Rutland.

third decree he has arrived afc the summit of Ins profession , is ho nofc apt to feel disappointment , and can we wonder that he should seek after novelty and try to quench his rising thirst for knowledge afc

every fresh fountain to whioh he can gain access , rather than resfc content under the vine of his own Lodge and drink of his own cistern ? A Craftsman may lawfully travel , as his ancient brethren did , from Eisfc to extremest West to seek out other Masters and learn new

modes of work ; but he should at least know how to indent on tha Rough aud try tho Smooth before he sets out . So long aa minute instruction in the three degrees is little attended to—so long as slovenly signs and tokens are tolerated , and the work of a Lodge restricted , by common consent , to the ceremonial conferring of

Degrees , on the principle of " the more the merrier "—quality in candidates being held secondary to quantity—fche Royal Aroh being never so much as hinted afc , ifc is to be feared that the Supreme Order will not command that place in the estimation of the brethren afc large which its importance demands . Time is devoted to other Degrees

which would perhaps be better spent in striving to attain to fche 1 climax of Freemasonry , ' for fche ritual ia extensive and complicated , and can hardly be mastered on the few occasions set apart for tbe exercise of ifc . We have therefore to rely too much on other means of obtaining the requisite knowled ge ^ the correctness of whioh is

doubtful , and the Companion who does his best in thafc direction too often fails to satisfy either himself or his predecessor in office . Bnfc happily there are laudmax-ks and limits , within which the aspirant cannot widely err . In ritual we are apt to attach too much importance to our own views of verbal accuracy , whereas the

doctrine of Limits , which runs like a thread throughout the Craft degrees , appears to me as applicable to ritual aa to morals . In the firsfc place we have brought to our notice the two Grand Parallels between whioh , so long as a brother confines himself and marches steadily onward with the eye of Faith fixed on thafc Star of Hope

which illuminates the immense vista , he cannot err . The poinfc within the circle conveys the same idea . The landmarks bound hig ^ horizon ; and whereas the limit of every circle is a rectangle contained by the radius , and half th ) circumference , the Mason standing in the centre can still discern fche two great Parallels of the law of God

and the Rules of the Craffc . For if a material circle be divided into a large nnmber of sectors , and these be arranged side by side , alternately point to base , ifc will be seen thafc they will be found to approximate to the rectangle above mentioned , and here I see the origin of the indented or fcesselafced border and the pattern of a

Companions' badge . And the idea Of two Grand Parallels is dominant ia the Royal Arch itself . The "limit" of fche curve called Catenary , U two parallel straight lines : for the two parts of a flexible cord suspended by ita two ends , are ( if very long in proportion to fche distance between them ) practically parallel to one another . In the

Royal Arch we have impressed on our minds the strength and durability of a vault or dome constructed on the principle of the true Catenarian Arch , standing complete in itself without buttress or bend of any kind . Such an Arch stands self supported only when tbe curve from which ifc takes its name can be accurately traced

between the limits of the outer and inner edge of its voussoirs . This again reminds me of tbe path of a sfcedfast Mason amid the landmarks of his Order , containing his words and very thoughts within the compass of propriety , and going on hia humble way rejoicing in the light which God has shed around him . I have endeavoured to suggest

the possible causes which prevent the Brethren at large from entering the Supreme Order and hinder them from pursuing it stedfastly . If I am right , these causss will not be removed by merely increasing the nnmber of Chapters ; but the lack of a centre of Insfcriict on and a standard of comparison in our Province will be supplied to-day . The

St . George ' s Chapter commences its career with every advantage ; ifc possesses in its Principals , the Chiefs of the Order in this Province , three illustrious Companions , second to none in Masonio skill and extended experience . They will be , I understand , supported by a body of Companions selected for their approved conduct and zeal , and

who will fulfil the expectations of the Founders by setting np for imitation such a standard of ritual and finished working as will instruct the minds and gladden the eyes of all who are privileged to behold it . May the G . A . O . T . U . prosper them one and all . May He direct and approve their work on earth , and finally exalfc them in the Heavens .

The ceremony of constitution and consecration was then regularly proceeded with , according to the printed programme , and on its completion the three

Principals designate , viz ., M . E . Comp . W . Kelly G . Supt ., George Toller Prov . G . H , and S . S . Partridge Prov . G . S . E ., who had all previously filled the several chairs of a Royal Arch Chapter , were duly inducted into the chairs of first , second , and third Principals of St . George ' s

Chapter , No . 1560 . The other Officers of the Chapter were appointed and invested . A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Comp . the Rev . C . Henton Wood , for the admirable Oration delivered by him , and he and Comp . M . J .

Walker were elected honorary members of the Chapter . St . George ' s Chapter was then closed , and the business of Provincial Grand Chapter resumed . The Provincial Grand

Treasurer's accounts having been received and passed , and some notices of motion disposed of , the Grand Superintendent appointed and invested his Provincial Grand

Officers , as follow : Comp . G . Toller PZ . 279 H . R . Boughton-Smith P . Z . 1007 J .

R . S . Partridge P . Z . 279 ... S . E . J .-seph Young P . Z . 279 ... S . N . C . S . Preston II . 279 ... Registrar