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Article THE MASONIC YEAR 1877. ← Page 3 of 13 Article THE MASONIC YEAR 1877. Page 3 of 13 →
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The Masonic Year 1877.
Its principal Lodge does not date back to the pre-revival epoch of 1717 , but we must still rejoice at finding that the Craft is so admirably circumstanced in the fine old capital city of Yorkshire . Wo trust the future career of the York Lodge , No . 236 , may be ever more and moro
increasingly prosperous , ancl if there is little or nothing known in these days of tho old York rite , that tho York rights of the present may never be in worse keeping than they aro now . We must also refer in passing to the Henry Muggeridge testimonial now being raised . " Old Mug , " as he is
familiarly if somewhat irreverently dubbed by his friends , is a fine old specimen of the ancient Craft . Ho has done loyal service in his day . As tho lato Collector for tho Girls' School , he is known of all men ; but his reputation , perhaps , stands highest as Preceptor of the Stability Lodge
of Instruction , where for generations—we will not bo so rude as to say how many—he has busily expounded to admiring audiences , the mysteries of the " Three Grand Principles , "
and " The Six Grand Periods , " & c , & c . Wo hope this testimonial , which we are given to understand will be closed on the 31 st January , will prove worthy of so eminent a brother .
But , afterall , our installations and Consecrations ancl the changes in the personnel of our government are matters of course , and must be looked forward to as a part of the inevitable . There are , generally , certain events in the career of the year ' s history which i fc is imperative we should notice ,
and foremost amongst these is the Memorial voted by Grand Lodge in honour of , and by way of recording most emphatically , the visit of the Grand Master to , and his safe return in health and strength from , India . Opinions were divided as to the form which this Commemorative gift should
assume . Many there were , and we confess we were of the number , who considered it should take the form of a presentation in equal shares to our three Masonic Institutions . Others favoured the idea that it should be presented to some Indian Charity , and others again , that it should go
m part towards the decoration and renovation of St . Paul ' s Cathedral—that masterpiece of our Illustious Wren—in part towards the restoration of St . Alban ' s Abbey , on the principal ground that St . Alban was the proto-martyr of the Anglican Church , and is freely mentioned with respect in
our old operative legends , though , for anything that is ever likely to be known , he had no more to do with our Craft than St . Peter or St . Paul , or any other of the early Christian martyrs . However , none of these views found favour in the sight of the Craft . An Especial
Communication of Grand Lodge was held on the 3 rd January , ancl the Earl of Carnarvon , our Pro Grand Master , who presided , proposed , in a long and eloquent speech , that the sum of £ 4 , 000 should be handed over to the Royal National Life Boat Institution , in order to provide ancl endow in
perpetuity two Lifeboats m commemoration of the auspicious visit , the one to be known as the Albert Edward , and the other as the Alexandra . The proposition was very warmly received , and , we need hardly add , was passed unanimously ; and the vote having been confirmed , not only has the sum
been paid to the credit of the Lifeboat Institution , but the boats themselves will shortly be placed—the one on the Coast of Devon , and the other at Clacton-on-Sea , the new London watering place on the Coast of Essex . It should also be mentioned that at the September Communication , the sum
of two hundred guineas was voted by Grand Lodge towards the relief of the sufferers from the fire of St . John , N . B . ; one hundred guineas ' to the sufferers by the cataclysm on the coast of Peru ; and further , that on the motion of Bro . J . M . Gabon , unanimously agreed to , the sum of one
thousand guineas was handed to the Mansion House Indian Famine Relief Fund . The course of the year may not have been marked by any such unusual event as the Royal Installation or the public appearance in full Masonic State
of the Grand Master , as at the Post Office Ceremonial in Glasgow , but the votes by Grand Lodge which we have just recorded , will go a long way towards making the year 1877 memorable in the annals of the Craft .
Royal Arch Masonry moves quickly along , with a progress which , if not astounding , is unquestionably matter for congratulation . Last year eighteen new Chapters were added to the roll , this year the number is twenty-six , namely—six in tho first quarter , eight in the second , seven in the third ,
and five in the fourth . Eight of them are metropolitan Chapters , thirteen are located in the Provinces , namelyfive in Kent , two in Cornwall , two in Middlesex , and one each in Derby , Devon , Hants , and Herts ; ancl five in districts abroad , of which one is in New Zealand , and four
The Masonic Year 1877.
aro in the Punjab . It is worthy of mention that two of the new metropolitan Chapters , namely—those founded under the auspices of the Wanderers' Lodge , No . 1609 , and the Bayard , No . 1615 , were established under unusual circumstances . It is customary to grant warrants for new
Chapters only in the case of Lodges which havo been in existence for three years , tho object of this law being to secure a sufficient number of brethren capable of filling the principal chairs . However , in tho case of these two Lodges , it was shown that this object had already been
secured , though they cannot yet boast of more than a full year ' s existence ; ancl the rule , therefore , was very wisely relaxed in thoir favour . In this matter Grand Chapter showed its wisdom , b y meeting the wishes of two new and vigorous and in all respects well appointed Lodges , which
even thus early in their career have greatly distinguished themselves . As to the Provinces , the most noticeable feature is undoubtedly the increase of five in the number of Chapters in Kent , an increase which is mainly , if not entirely , attributable to the appointment of Viscount
Holmesdale as Prov . G . Superintendent for the county . It is also worthy of mention that early in the year the Earl of Mount Edgcumbo was installed as Prov . Superintendent of Cornwall , and since then tho Earl of Bective has been formally inducted into the same exalted position for tho
Province of Cumberland and Westmoreland . It must likewise be recorded that Grand Chapter voted a sum of One Hundred Guineas towards tho relief of the sufferers by the fire at St . John ' s , New Brunswick . Notice of motion had also been given to vote Three Hundred Guineas towards tho
Indian Famine Relief Fund , but the Fund had been closed in the interim , owing to the announcement from Madras that further contributions were not required , and therefore the motion was withdrawn . If we turn from Arch to Mark Masonry , we shall find the
evidences of increasing prosperity are still more remarkable . Since last year application has been made to the Mark Grand Lodge for no less than nineteen warrants for new Lodges , so that , if we include the Time Immemorial Lodges , there are about 230 Lodges on the roll of this Grand Lodge , while close on a thousand certificates for advancement to
this degree have been issued during the past twelvemonths . There aro , consequently , between 10 , 000 and 11 , 000 Mark Master Masons in England and Wales and the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown . But these are not the
only gratifying circumstances we have to record . On tho 4 th April , the new Provincial Mark Grand Lodge of Monmouthshire was solemnly consecrated by the Rev . Geo . R . Portal , Past G . M . M . M ., ancl Bro . Humphrey installed as first Prov . G . M . M . M . On the 29 th of last month there
was a grand gathering of Mark Masons in tho Province of Lincolnshire , under the presidency of their respected chief , Bro . John Sutcliffe , the meeting being held under the auspices of the recently consecrated Lodge " St . Wolfrid , "
No . 209 . A Mark G . M . M . M . for the adjoining Province has been appointed in the person of Bro . John Wordsworth , who awaits the ceremony of installation , though his patent as Prov . G . Master has been made out . The Funds of
Grand Lodge , both the General and the Benevolent , are in a highly flourishing condition . It has been formally recognised by the General Grand Chapter of R . A . Masons in the United States , and last , but not least , the late Mark
Benevolent Festival , held under the genial auspices of tho Earl of Donoughmore , was a greater success than in any former year , the amount of contributions by the hands of seventeen Stewards being in excess of £ 230 .
Nor , if we turn to the Templars , the Red Cross of Constantino , the Ancient and Accepted Rite , the Royal Order of Scotland in the country south of the Tweed , & c , & c , shall we find reason to be otherwise than well satisfied with
the progress made during the year . In June , the Eboracum Conclave , No . 137 , of the Red Cross of Constantino , was consecrated at York . On Monday , the 11 th June , the Royal Bruce Chapter of the Royal Order was consecrated by R . W . Bro . Dr . Hamilton , Provincial Grand
Master of London , among the candidates advanced to the Order on the occasion being the Earl of Donoughmore , Lords Henniker and Brooke , the Hon . T . Warren Vernon , Major General Sir Charles Daubeny , the Hon . and Rev . Francis E . C . Byng , the Ven . Archdeacon Dunbar , Capt .
Porfclock Dadson , & c , & c . In October , tho Yorkshire College of the Rosicrucian Society in Anglid was consecrated by M . W . Fr . Chas . F . Matier IX ° , Fr . S . B . Ellis VIII ° , being installed as Chief Adept ; while the Templars and the Ancient and Accepted Rite , under the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Year 1877.
Its principal Lodge does not date back to the pre-revival epoch of 1717 , but we must still rejoice at finding that the Craft is so admirably circumstanced in the fine old capital city of Yorkshire . Wo trust the future career of the York Lodge , No . 236 , may be ever more and moro
increasingly prosperous , ancl if there is little or nothing known in these days of tho old York rite , that tho York rights of the present may never be in worse keeping than they aro now . We must also refer in passing to the Henry Muggeridge testimonial now being raised . " Old Mug , " as he is
familiarly if somewhat irreverently dubbed by his friends , is a fine old specimen of the ancient Craft . Ho has done loyal service in his day . As tho lato Collector for tho Girls' School , he is known of all men ; but his reputation , perhaps , stands highest as Preceptor of the Stability Lodge
of Instruction , where for generations—we will not bo so rude as to say how many—he has busily expounded to admiring audiences , the mysteries of the " Three Grand Principles , "
and " The Six Grand Periods , " & c , & c . Wo hope this testimonial , which we are given to understand will be closed on the 31 st January , will prove worthy of so eminent a brother .
But , afterall , our installations and Consecrations ancl the changes in the personnel of our government are matters of course , and must be looked forward to as a part of the inevitable . There are , generally , certain events in the career of the year ' s history which i fc is imperative we should notice ,
and foremost amongst these is the Memorial voted by Grand Lodge in honour of , and by way of recording most emphatically , the visit of the Grand Master to , and his safe return in health and strength from , India . Opinions were divided as to the form which this Commemorative gift should
assume . Many there were , and we confess we were of the number , who considered it should take the form of a presentation in equal shares to our three Masonic Institutions . Others favoured the idea that it should be presented to some Indian Charity , and others again , that it should go
m part towards the decoration and renovation of St . Paul ' s Cathedral—that masterpiece of our Illustious Wren—in part towards the restoration of St . Alban ' s Abbey , on the principal ground that St . Alban was the proto-martyr of the Anglican Church , and is freely mentioned with respect in
our old operative legends , though , for anything that is ever likely to be known , he had no more to do with our Craft than St . Peter or St . Paul , or any other of the early Christian martyrs . However , none of these views found favour in the sight of the Craft . An Especial
Communication of Grand Lodge was held on the 3 rd January , ancl the Earl of Carnarvon , our Pro Grand Master , who presided , proposed , in a long and eloquent speech , that the sum of £ 4 , 000 should be handed over to the Royal National Life Boat Institution , in order to provide ancl endow in
perpetuity two Lifeboats m commemoration of the auspicious visit , the one to be known as the Albert Edward , and the other as the Alexandra . The proposition was very warmly received , and , we need hardly add , was passed unanimously ; and the vote having been confirmed , not only has the sum
been paid to the credit of the Lifeboat Institution , but the boats themselves will shortly be placed—the one on the Coast of Devon , and the other at Clacton-on-Sea , the new London watering place on the Coast of Essex . It should also be mentioned that at the September Communication , the sum
of two hundred guineas was voted by Grand Lodge towards the relief of the sufferers from the fire of St . John , N . B . ; one hundred guineas ' to the sufferers by the cataclysm on the coast of Peru ; and further , that on the motion of Bro . J . M . Gabon , unanimously agreed to , the sum of one
thousand guineas was handed to the Mansion House Indian Famine Relief Fund . The course of the year may not have been marked by any such unusual event as the Royal Installation or the public appearance in full Masonic State
of the Grand Master , as at the Post Office Ceremonial in Glasgow , but the votes by Grand Lodge which we have just recorded , will go a long way towards making the year 1877 memorable in the annals of the Craft .
Royal Arch Masonry moves quickly along , with a progress which , if not astounding , is unquestionably matter for congratulation . Last year eighteen new Chapters were added to the roll , this year the number is twenty-six , namely—six in tho first quarter , eight in the second , seven in the third ,
and five in the fourth . Eight of them are metropolitan Chapters , thirteen are located in the Provinces , namelyfive in Kent , two in Cornwall , two in Middlesex , and one each in Derby , Devon , Hants , and Herts ; ancl five in districts abroad , of which one is in New Zealand , and four
The Masonic Year 1877.
aro in the Punjab . It is worthy of mention that two of the new metropolitan Chapters , namely—those founded under the auspices of the Wanderers' Lodge , No . 1609 , and the Bayard , No . 1615 , were established under unusual circumstances . It is customary to grant warrants for new
Chapters only in the case of Lodges which havo been in existence for three years , tho object of this law being to secure a sufficient number of brethren capable of filling the principal chairs . However , in tho case of these two Lodges , it was shown that this object had already been
secured , though they cannot yet boast of more than a full year ' s existence ; ancl the rule , therefore , was very wisely relaxed in thoir favour . In this matter Grand Chapter showed its wisdom , b y meeting the wishes of two new and vigorous and in all respects well appointed Lodges , which
even thus early in their career have greatly distinguished themselves . As to the Provinces , the most noticeable feature is undoubtedly the increase of five in the number of Chapters in Kent , an increase which is mainly , if not entirely , attributable to the appointment of Viscount
Holmesdale as Prov . G . Superintendent for the county . It is also worthy of mention that early in the year the Earl of Mount Edgcumbo was installed as Prov . Superintendent of Cornwall , and since then tho Earl of Bective has been formally inducted into the same exalted position for tho
Province of Cumberland and Westmoreland . It must likewise be recorded that Grand Chapter voted a sum of One Hundred Guineas towards tho relief of the sufferers by the fire at St . John ' s , New Brunswick . Notice of motion had also been given to vote Three Hundred Guineas towards tho
Indian Famine Relief Fund , but the Fund had been closed in the interim , owing to the announcement from Madras that further contributions were not required , and therefore the motion was withdrawn . If we turn from Arch to Mark Masonry , we shall find the
evidences of increasing prosperity are still more remarkable . Since last year application has been made to the Mark Grand Lodge for no less than nineteen warrants for new Lodges , so that , if we include the Time Immemorial Lodges , there are about 230 Lodges on the roll of this Grand Lodge , while close on a thousand certificates for advancement to
this degree have been issued during the past twelvemonths . There aro , consequently , between 10 , 000 and 11 , 000 Mark Master Masons in England and Wales and the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown . But these are not the
only gratifying circumstances we have to record . On tho 4 th April , the new Provincial Mark Grand Lodge of Monmouthshire was solemnly consecrated by the Rev . Geo . R . Portal , Past G . M . M . M ., ancl Bro . Humphrey installed as first Prov . G . M . M . M . On the 29 th of last month there
was a grand gathering of Mark Masons in tho Province of Lincolnshire , under the presidency of their respected chief , Bro . John Sutcliffe , the meeting being held under the auspices of the recently consecrated Lodge " St . Wolfrid , "
No . 209 . A Mark G . M . M . M . for the adjoining Province has been appointed in the person of Bro . John Wordsworth , who awaits the ceremony of installation , though his patent as Prov . G . Master has been made out . The Funds of
Grand Lodge , both the General and the Benevolent , are in a highly flourishing condition . It has been formally recognised by the General Grand Chapter of R . A . Masons in the United States , and last , but not least , the late Mark
Benevolent Festival , held under the genial auspices of tho Earl of Donoughmore , was a greater success than in any former year , the amount of contributions by the hands of seventeen Stewards being in excess of £ 230 .
Nor , if we turn to the Templars , the Red Cross of Constantino , the Ancient and Accepted Rite , the Royal Order of Scotland in the country south of the Tweed , & c , & c , shall we find reason to be otherwise than well satisfied with
the progress made during the year . In June , the Eboracum Conclave , No . 137 , of the Red Cross of Constantino , was consecrated at York . On Monday , the 11 th June , the Royal Bruce Chapter of the Royal Order was consecrated by R . W . Bro . Dr . Hamilton , Provincial Grand
Master of London , among the candidates advanced to the Order on the occasion being the Earl of Donoughmore , Lords Henniker and Brooke , the Hon . T . Warren Vernon , Major General Sir Charles Daubeny , the Hon . and Rev . Francis E . C . Byng , the Ven . Archdeacon Dunbar , Capt .
Porfclock Dadson , & c , & c . In October , tho Yorkshire College of the Rosicrucian Society in Anglid was consecrated by M . W . Fr . Chas . F . Matier IX ° , Fr . S . B . Ellis VIII ° , being installed as Chief Adept ; while the Templars and the Ancient and Accepted Rite , under the