Consecration Of The Queen's Westminster Lodge, No. 2021.

CONSECRATION OF THE QUEEN'S WESTMINSTER LODGE , No . 2021 .

IT is not to bo supposed that because somo Lod ges have their origin in special bodies they aro limited to the admission of ono class of society . The spirit of Freemasonry is universal , and nil Lodges under the English Constitution are bound by the same written and unwritten laws . There is no reason , however , why particular bodies of men should not enjoy special facilities for meetinf

together . There is the Gallery Lodge , for instance , the members of whioh are engaged in work during a part of the year which precludes them from enjoying Lodge association except on one night nf the week . A Lodge therefore has been formed to meet the requirements of the Press men , and judging from experience they have succeeded admirably . The same reasons cannot be

advanced with regard to Volunteer corps , yet they have a motive for desiring to bo united in Masonry as well as in arms that deserves respect . This feeling has found exemplification in the Victoria Rifles , the Eanelagh , the South Middlesex , the Macdonald , and the London Rifle Brigade . To this list must now be added the Queen ' s Westminster . Bro . George Lambert is Captain of the D company

of this Volunteer corps , and as he is a Mason of forty years' standing , a P . M . of several Lodges , a Past Grand Sword Bearer , and a liberal supporter of the Institutions connected with the Craffc , it is natural that he should desire to have a Lod ge bearing the title of the body of citizen soldiers to which he is so honourably attached . For the same reasons he was peculiarly fitted to promote such a union , and to be

the first Master of such a Lod ge . His experience gave him a claim upon Grand Lodge , and his reputation is a guarantee for the success of any undertaking he may embark in . The event we are about to chronicle was a most auspicious one . Over one hundred brethren assembled on Monday afternoon at , 8 A Red Lion Square , tho home of the new Lodge , on the occasion of its consecration . Brother

Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke Grand Secretary was the Consecrating Officer , and he was assisted by Bros . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , P . G . D . as S . W ., Captain N . G . Phili ps P . G . D . as J . W ., Rev . Ambrose W . Hall P . G . C . as Chaplain , * Frank Richardson P . G . D . acted as Director of the Ceremonies , and Colonel James Peters Grand Sword Bearer as I . G . Among those present were : —Bros . F . Marx P . M . 957 ,

T . Coulfcbard S . D . 1624 , J . R . Wood 173 , 0 . Jones 1420 , P . Flatterly P . M . 1624 , W . T . Woodruf J . W . 957 , R . Rowell S . D . 1980 , W . M . Bywafcer P . M . 19 , J . Lavies P . M . 291 , & c , B . L . Wilson J . W . 1366 , T . McElmore ( I . C . ) 26 , C Brown J . W . 1962 , F . Delevante W . M . 1319 , A . W . Fenner P . M . 1693 , J . Lewis Thomas P . A . G . D . C , D . H . McLeod P . M . 1624 , H . Massey P . M . 619 and 1928 , W . Hilton P . M . 1351 , J . Grist 1624 , G . D . Bundy 902 , A . C . Treadaway 1298 , G . C Matthews W . M . 706 , John Eead P . M . 720 , J . H .

Bond W . M . 1314 , P . Levy 1681 , C . Tayler W . M . 1624 , C W . Fromholz J . W . 141 , P . Goldney 1489 , H . Tolson S . D . 1604 , 0 . J . Lovett , J . L . Goode S . W . 1964 , G . A . Potter J . W . 1904 , 0 . J . Shoppee W . M . 382 , E . Pearcy P . M . 228 , W . H . Eose Chap . 1964 , G . P . Brotheridge 1694 , J . T . Eowe , F . Archard W . M . 198 , A . Eule P . M . 263 ( I . C ) , Watkin Brown 1612 , W . Vincent 1194 G . S . B . Middlesex , T . Hastings Miller P . P . G . Org . Middlesex , G . A . Corderoy J . W . 19 , H . M . Levy P . M . 188 , G . Flint 558 , E . Pole 125 , 0 . Kempton J . W . 1287 G . T . K .

, Tribble P . M . 1287 , J . Pearce 569 , T . H . Fry 1815 , F . T . Freeman 198 , C . E . Chamberlain 1743 , A . Barfleld P . M . 35 , E . J . Mills 1194 , Edgar Bowyer G . St . B ., E . J . Brown , W . Lake 131 , Courtenay Wynne W . M . 25 , H . J . Price 55 , George Cowell P . M . 198 , J . Carr S . W . 198 , John Finch 173 , T . B . Linscott P . M . 55 , J . T . Woodstock P . M . 749 , A . McDowall Pasfc Prov . Grand Director of Cer . Berks and Bucks ,

W . W . Morgan S . W . 211 , T . Fenn P . G . D ., John S . Heine W . M . 538 , Samuel Larcombe P . M . 788 , F . Binckes P . G . Steward , W . Smallpeice W . M . 969 , Henry Green W . M . 19 , J . Terry P . P . G . S . W . Norths and Hunts , Eobert Croffc P . M . 198 , D . M . Dewar , & c , & c . The Lodge having been formally opened , the Grand Secretary addressed the brethren . They wero met that day on an occasion which

wonld naturally be very interesting in all matters of Freemasonryto consecrate a new Lodge , and to add one more name to that long roll which afc present existed under the Grand Lodge of England , and under which there were afc present more Lodges registered than was the case in any Graad Lodge in the world . The brethren were all aware that fche Grand Lodge of England did not grant warrants

for Lodges limiting them to the admission of any one class of society ; but , at the same time , there was no doubt there were many Lodges which practically were instituted for some particular section of the community , and as in London they had among the volunteer forces a very large number of zealous and worthy members of the Masonic Order , it was only to

be expected that they should have among themselves Lodges which were moro particularly for their benefit and use—Lodges such as the Fitzroy , the Macdonald , and the City of London Eifle Brigade . It happened that among one of the mosfc distinguished of the volunteer regiments wore enrolled a great number of brethren of the Order , and it had occurred to some of them lately to endeavour to found a

Lodge which shonld be , to a great extent , for their convenience and use . They had addressed a petition to the Grand Master , and he hacl been pleased to grant a Warrant for a Lodge , to be called the Queen's Westminster , and to meet afc 8 A Red Lion-square . Ifc was for the purpose of consecrating this Lodge that they were now met together . Tbe founders had very sensibly and wisely selected aa

their first Master abrother well known to every class in London for his zeal and energy in every walk of life , and who was most distinguished for his philanthropy and charitableness . The Mason he alluded to was Bro . George Lambert Past Grand Sword Bearer , and an old Past Master . He was sure thafc under Bro . Lambert and his

skilled management the Lodge would progress in a very remarkable manner , aud would speedily achieve a highly satisfactory position among the Lodges of the metropolis . The formal consecration of tbe Lodge was then proceeded with ; tho oration was given by Bro . the Eev . Ambrose W . Hall Past G . Chaplain , and was listened to with rapt attention . Col . Shadwell Gierke then concluded tho

ceremony with that duo regard to detail whioh characterises hia work . Bro . George Lambert was presented by the Grand Acting Director of Ceremonies , and he was formally installed as first Wor . shipfnl Master of tho new Lodge . The following were the Officers appointed : —Bros . Captain Probyn P . M . S . W ., Capt . Payne J . W ., Bombadier Bellerby Treasurer , Serjeant George Coop Secretary , Herbert C Lambert P . M . 198 P . Prov . G . P . Herts S . D ., W . Jones

P . M . J . D ., Colour . Serj . Jones I . G ., Lieut . Watkin Brown W . S ., and Staff-Serjeant Bradley Tyler . Bro . G . Lambert was very happy in the selection of his remarks on investing the Officers . Ifc is clear from what he said that the brethren who constitute the working staff have had experience of each others capabilities in another sphere , and doubtless will work well together in the one they have now

entered upon . Bro . Colonel Shadwell Gierke then delivered the addresses . On the motion of the W . M ., duly seconded , a vote of thanks was ordered to be recorded ou the minutes of the Lodge to the Grand Secretary for consecrating the Lodge , and to the other Grand Officers who had assisted . The Lodge also elected these brethren honorary members . After these compliments had been

acknowledged by Bro . Colonel Gierke , Lodge was closed . The customary banquet took place afc fche Holborn Restaurant , where a capital menu was provided by Bro . Hamp , the energetic manager of this popular establishment . On the oloth being cleared the W . M . introduced the Toasts . In proposing fcho toasfc of The Queen and the CraffcFreemasons , he said , were especially loyal , and in a Lodge

, composed of brethren who wore the Queen ' s uniform the toast should be received with greater warmth , if possible , than elsewhere . The second toast , the M . W . the Grand Master , having received full honours , the W . M . proposed the Pro G . M . the Earl of Carnarvon , the Deputy G . M . the Earl of Lathom , and the rest of the Grand Officers Past and Present , and called on Bro . F . A . Philbrick P . G . D .

to reply . Bro . Philbrick said the estimation in which the W . M . of this Lodge , who was also a Grand Officer , was held was a guarantee , if guarantee were wanted , that the traditions of the Craft would be well and worthilv upheld by the Queen's Westminster Lodge . With regard to the rest of the Grand Officers , he might assure those who were young Masons that the services of the Grand Officers had ever

been at the disposition of the Craft , and had been ungrudgingly given , ofttimes at great cost of time . No efforts had been spared by those who had stood at the helm of the good ship Masonry to make her voyage prosperous . The estimation in which Masonry was held by the public showed that the efforts of fche Grand OflScers had not been unfavourableand that its progress and success had

, not been altogether left to take care of itself , but had been mosfc sedulously watched over , most anxiously guarded , and most devotedly served by those who had been placed in the position of Grand Officers . Ifc was not every day which saw a fresh addition to the rank of Lodges on the roll of Grand Lodge of England , and anions the additions it was not every addition that could be

looked on as so full of promise as the Queen s Westminster . From the eloquent oration the brethren had listened to they had learned much of the secrets of Masonry ' s great success and continued prosperity ; and , if he might venture to go one step beyond what the Grand Chaplain had said , ifc was by fidelity to the principles , and the consistency with which the Lodges upheld them , that the progress of

Masonry was due . The W . M . was a skilled Mason , a tried veteran of the Craft , and as a Past Grand Officer was called upon to assume a most important and delicate position as Master of this Lodge . It was in the initial steps in the Lodge thafc the key was centered ; it was by zealouslv guarding the entrance to the Lodge thafc they would best keep up the high reputation with which ifc

started , and whioh as an honorary member he was proud it held . Ifc would be a difficult task to an inexperienced Maaon to set the standard as ifc ought to be sefc in the Lodge , and to keep it up so that the Queen ' s Westminster might be second to none in the respectability of its members , its excellent working , and its material success . But in the continuance of the greafc

Masonic career of the W . M ., which had endeared him to bis friends in Masonry , lay the surest pledge that the first year of the Queen's Westminster would be a year of prosperity , which would set working the whole apparatus of the Lodge—a year which would be marked not only by its inauguration , but by tbe initiation into Masonry of many worthy comrades in arms .

The Rev . Bro . Hall proposed fche health of the Worshipfnl Master . In the Lodge he ( Brother Hall ) had had the high privilege to be allowed to speak on the duties of Masonry ; he would now speak for a short time on fche private duties thafc appertained to the Master of a Lodge . He said if it were necessary , because he felt assured thai his excellent friend and coadjutor , as a Grand Officer , knew those

duties so well that the prosperity of a Lodge could not have been entrusted fco better hands , or to a brother who would bring more zeal and energy to the cause . The Lodge had done him ( Brother Hall ) the high hononr to elect him an honorary member . This had been alrea-ly acknowledged by Colonel Clerko ; ho now acknowledged ifc individually , because it gave him an opportunity of saying that his

honorary membership would enable him to come again to the Lodge , and see tbe progress it would make . Although he regretted the absence from the banquet table of the Grand Secretary , who should have proposed the present toasfc , he did nofc regret it on his own account , because he was able to pay a tribute of homage to a good Mascn , and a good man , and bid all the Officers and members God

speed in their new work . He wished the Lodge a glorious career , and that ifc might take a high place on the roll of Lodges of England . He hardly knew how to say enough of the Wor . Master , or of his Lodge , but he knew , from the present Worshipful Master's long career in Masonry , everything would be dono in order . In acknowledgment Bro . Lambert said he was fully impressed with the duties which devolved on a Master taking the chair in a Lodge

that had been established for years , but he felt there was a more onerous task before him ; to endeavour to conduct a now Lodge , and pilot it into a happy haven . Still , he would endeavour to do his best In fche Lodge , when he was called upon fco say what he would do , and