Dedication Of The Carnarvon Lodge, No. 804.

DEDICATION OF THE CARNARVON LODGE , No . 804 .

From the PORTSMOUTH TIMES AND NAVAL GAZETTE . YESTEEDAY was appointed for the dedication , by the E . W . the Prov . G . M . of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ( Bro . W . Wither Bramston Beach , M . P . ) , of the Carnarvon Lodgo , No . 801 , which has been erected in the vioinity of the railway-station at Havant . Tho flourishing condition of the Lodge induced the

membera to provide a building to be set apart for tho purpose of Freemasonry , and so recently a 3 the 10 th April last the Prov . Grand Master attended at Havant to lay the foundation stone , tho ceremony being performed according to tho ancient customs of the Craft . Tho weather wa 3 unpropitious , and tho result was tho attendance of brethren on that occasion was somewhat limited . Sinco thon the

work has been pushed on vntb . considerable vigour , under the superintendence of Bro . H . E . Trigg , architect , of ! Hayling Island , a P . M . of tho Carnarvon Lodge , and Past Prov . Grand Superintendent of Works . The building consists of a lofty Lodge-room , with retiringroom for the W . M . adjoining , a committee-room and Tyler's-room at the entrance , and the nsual offices . The contract for its

construction was entrusted to Bro . G . Barnes , of North End , who has carried on the work in the most satisfactory manner . The building of tho Lodge having been completed , nothing remained but to havo it property dedicated , in order that the Freemasons of Havant may regularly assemble within its walls . Shortly after three o ' clock tho Lodge was " close tyled , " and tho

Provincial Grand Master , accompanied by tho Provincial Officers , entered , and was received with the customary tokens of respect by the brethren . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., the Provincial Grand Master , was supported by tho following officers of Provincial Grand Lodge : — Bros . J . E . Le Feuvro P . G . Sec . as D . P . G . M ., H . Abraham S . G . W .,

F . Pineo J . G . W ., M . E . Frost G . Treasurer , E . G . Holbrook G . Registrar , S . S . Pearco G . S . D ., J . B . Atkinson ( Lymington ) GJ . D ., Puntis ( Basingstoke ) G . D . C ., E . Groves G . A . D . C , J . R . Willson G . P ., G . Sherman and G . E . Johnson G . Stewards , J . W . Pillow G . Org ., J . Exell G . Tyler , —with the exception of somo of tho Stewards nearl y all the Provincial Officers appointed recently at Lymington

were in attendance . Among the Past Provincial Officers were Bros . H . Ford P . S . G . W ., J . T . Kirkman and H . Cawte P . J . G . W . 's , Capt . E . V . Haldano P . G . S . D . ( Monmouthshire ) , J . Parkes P . P . G . S . B ., J . Malfcby P . P . G . S . B ., R . Osborne P . P . G . O . ; also Bros . J . Weeks , W . M . Carnarvon Lodge , and the following P . M . ' s , officers and members of that Lodge , which was strongly represented : —Bros . J . N . Hillman ,

J . Purnell , Thos . Francis , —Harrison , and H . R . Trigg P . M . ' s ; J . Clay S . W ., T . P . Hall J . W ., Geo . Carter S . D ., 0 . H . Liddell J . D . and Organist , W . Bull I . G ., W . King , G . Barnes , J . Sonthwood , R . W . Green , Walter Sims , F . Spurgeon , Geo . Woodman , G . T . Gourd , C . A . Gourd , F . Gourd , C . H . Burr , H . Robins and Harry Kimber . Among the visitors were Bros . J . Whale W . M . 309 , L . A . B . Cole

W . M . 928 , W . Edgeler I . P . M . 928 , Eugene E . Street J . D . 56 , O . N ; WyattS . W . 38 ( Chichester ) , J . Grant P . M . 151 , J . Cole S . W ., Henry Peirson J . D ., and F . C . Masters I . G ., all of 928 ( Petersfield ) ; J . E . Hayman 257 , H . J . Dowse 257 , F . Feltham 257 , S . Gamblen S . D . 309 , F . J . Dennis S . D . 694 , J . Leggetfc J . W . 1428 , W . Bolton S . D . 777 ( Guildford ) , Thacker ( Minerva Lodge , Hull ) , S . R . Ellis P . M ., H . J .

Guy S . W ., W . Payne J . W ., W . D . Parkhouse , C . G . Adames , Baeigalupo , E . Smith , A . Yearworth , E . Bastable , J . L . Edwards and W . H . Sperring , all of the Royal Sussex Lodge , Portsoa ; Geo . Bond S . W ., W . Lenanton , Geo . Arnoy , T . P . Palsgrave , F . White and G . L . Green , of the Portsmouth Lodge , No . 487 ; Joseph Hill 1425 , J . Gieve 1069 ; C . B . Whitcomb P . M ., John Liddle , G . Foster , W . Scott , M . Dowd

and R . Drover , of Gosport Lodge , No . 903 . The Grand Master intimated that the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( Bro . W . Hickman ) was absent , in consequence of indisposition , and he asked the Prov . G . Secretary ( Bro . J . E . Lo Feuvre ) to act as his substitute . It was then announced that the Grand Master , assisted by his Grand Officers , would dedicate the Lodge to Masonry ,

Virtue , and Universal Benevolence . The opening solo and chorale , composed by Bro . C . H . Liddell , Organist of the Lodge , were effectively rendered by Bros . Carter , Liddell , Blackmore and Sperring , Bro . Fillow presiding at the harmonium . Tho Grand Master then called upon Bro . Henry Ford P . P . G . S . W . to offer some observations upon Freemasonry .

Bro . Ford said that if it were not his duty to obey tho Grand Master ' s command , he should still have felt it a pleasuro to take part in the proceedings of the day . It was no ordinary occasion that brought them together . They were met to consecrate for futurity a building in which he hoped the principles of Freemasonry , without any admixture , would never cease to be taught . Ho believed that

upon such an occasion it was usual to enter into a dissertation upon Freemasonry , but upon the present occasion he thought he should ill discharge the duty imposed upon him were he to occupy their time for more than a few moments on the subject that was entrusted to his keeping . He could not say that it was difficult to speak on any Masonic question , or for any one to give a reason for the hopo that

was within him , for ho bpHpypcl they had , ho was about to say , divine principles . But on the present occason he should content himself with very little more than a cursory allusion to the characteristics that ought to mark Freemasonry wherever it was found . It taught loyalty to tho throne , it taught them to obey the institutions of the country in which they lived , to reverence the laws , and to respect the obligations imposed upon them , living , as they did ,

under free institutions and in a free country . Need they wonder at the persecution to which Freemasonry was exposed in other countries which were governed by a constitution very dissimilar from theirs ? Freemasonry , besides , taught them , as one of their first obligations , to reverence the Volume of the Sacred Law . Otherwise , why was it that when they assembled on an occasion like the present , or at their ordinary meetings , they had tho Sacred Volume open before them

Dedication Of The Carnarvon Lodge, No. 804.

showing them that within its pages they discovered the principles which animated their Order and bound them together ? Ik had struck him that they were not sufficiently careful to look to the pages of that volume for a justification of the practices Masonry enjoined , and the condnct they endeavoured to obtain from every member of their Order . In both books of the Sacred Volume they found many and

many a justification . " Lot brotherly love continue . " " Be kindly afleotioned ono to another in honour preferring ono another . " It struck him that in those few words they had a summary which embraced almost every prinoiplo of their Order , and these certainly were the priuciples which they were disposed to present to their neighbours as the leading characteristics of their faith . Oh , if they

acted more upon thoso principles , if they permeated their conduct and lives in every step they took , how different tho tone of Masonic society would be , how much better all of them would bo as citizens , how much more would they givo effect to the principles that governed and guided thoir Order . Besides a reverence for tho Sacred Law they ought to remember that they had a duty to

one another as individuals , which ought to be discharged , whether they were Freemasons or not , bub which Freemasoury inteuslfied — he referred to the Divine principle of doing unto your neighbour as you would desire him to do unto yourself . This was what Freemasonry taught them to do . Oh , that they acted moro and more upon thoso principles , and so enabled the outer world to say ,

" Lo , how those Masons love ono auother . " If they could only effect this they wonld be doing much in the interests of their Order . There was no principle of morality which was not inculcated by Freemasonry . They were taught their duties as citizens and as indi . viduals . But they had other duties to perform amongst themselves , which every Mason would immediately recognise when ho alluded to

those principles which wore inculcated upon them , and which were intended to regulate their private life . They undertook tho solemn obligation , when they entered the walls of a Freemasons' Lodge , nob to forget that they had obligations , to live sober , steady lives , and to present themselves an oxample to their fellow creatures and to their fellow Masons . They were to show by their moderation , in every

action of their lives , that they were governed by a desire to promote virtue and advance science . Permit him to say how rejoiced they ought to be to find themselves , in a little town like this , assembled on such an interesting and important occasion . Let them hope that those principles to which he had cursorily and imperfectly referred would animate the breast of every member of Lodge

Carnarvon and permeate society at Havant , and that tho members of tho Lodge might never forget that their fellow-townsmen looked up to them to prove that they were Masons and that thero was something real and consistent about their Order . He hoped they would never forget the day on which they assembled to dedicate a building which was worthy of their Order , and which reflected the greatest possible

credit upon them . He hoped that it would remain for many years a monument of their devotion to the principles of the Craft . He congratulated them upon having arrived at the accomplishment of their object , and he offered an earnest prayer not only that the building might be permanent but that the principles of Freemasonry might be , not merely co-existent , but last far beyond it , and that every mem .

bor , now and in tho future , might bo blessed with health , wealth , and prosperity . ( Loud applause . ) " The Glorious Majesty of the Lord " having been sung , Bro . Trigg said , that having been entrusted with tho superintendence and management of the workmen in tho construction of tho edifice , and having now completed his charge , ho begged leave

humbly to thank tho Grand Master for tho honour bestowed upon him by the appointment , and also to return to him the implements which were entrusted to him at the laying of the foundation stone , and ho expressed a hope that tho work so far completed might be crowned with his ( tho Grand Master ' s ) approval , and that of tho brethren . ( Applause . )

The Provincial Grand Master said it was very gratifying to him , having so very recently attended to lay the foundation stone of the building , and having entrusted its management to his ( Bro . Tri gg ' s ) intelligence and skill , to see tho result which had attended his labours . Ho must certainly congratulate him , not only upon tho abilit y he had shown , but upon the management he must have evinced to have caused the building to have been erected in such a

speedy and expeditious manner . Ho thought , as Bro . Ford had said , that every credit was due to the Masons of this Lodge for having carried into execution such a building as this . But they must nob forget that it was to him ( Bro . Trigg ) they were indebted for having given offect to their resolutions and their ondeavours , and ho was certain that all wonld join with him in approval of his skill , and in thanking him for this testimony of his ability . ( Applause . ) " Hail Masonry Divine " was then sung , after which

The Acting Deputy Grand Master ( Bro . L < J Feuvre ) said it was some months sinco he had the great gra , tilio , i , tiDU of attending with the Grand Master and assisting in laying the foundation stone of the building in which they were now assembled . Since that timo tho building has made rapid progress , and now approached completion . Complete it was not , for one act yet rcmaiued to be accomplished .

Addressing the P . G . M ., tho Acting IX P . G . M . said ; lu every hopo and confidence that on tho foundation stone has been erected a superstructuiu which will receive your approval , perfect iu all its parts , honourable to the builder , and worthy of the brethren of this Lodge and neighbourhood , and in the name of the Carnarvon Lodge , I have the extreme gratification of asking you to consecrate it for the parposes of Freemasonry .

Ihe P . G . M . expressed tho great pleasure ho should have in acceding to tho request , and with the assistance of tho P . G . Wardens proceeded to perform the ceremony in duo Masonic form . ( Tho vessels for tho c ^ rn , wine and oil used on tho occasion had been lent by Bros . H . M . Emanuel aud Sous , of Ordnance-row , I ' ortsea . ) At the conclusion of tho impressive ceremony , Bro , Gr , E , Johnsoa ( of the Theological Traiaiug College . Chi .