Consecration.

that of the Provincial Superintendent . He said Comp . Starkie was an enthusiastic Eoyal Arch Mason , who had added lustre and dignity to the ceremony just completed . His presence among them showed that he was ever ready to maintain the honour and glory of the Masonic cause .

Comp . Worsley proposed the health of Comps . J . H . Sillitoe Second Principal , James Heelis Third Principal , and the rest of the Provincial Officers present and past , to which the former very appropriately replied , giving some interesting details as to the number of installations performed by him since his connection with Freemasonry .

Comp . Jefferis then proposed the health of the M . E . Z ., Principals , and Officers of the Truth Chapter . The remarks of Comp . Hellewell were exceedingly appropriate to the occasion , and we have selected them as being typical of the Officers ' responses . He said , " I desire to thank you for the special

mention of my name as one to respond to the toast of the Officers of the Truth Chapter , No . 1458 . This is the first consecration ceremony of a Eoyal Arch Chapter that I , as well as many of the Founders and Officers , have had the pleasure of witnessing , and we have been very much interested in the beautiful allegorical

and symbolical references throughout the whole ceremony , performed in such an impressive manner by our Provincial Superintendent and his assistant Officers . I can assure you it is very gratifying to the Officers and Founders of Truth Chapter to observe so many distinguished Companions among us this

evening , which seems to stimulate and encourage us in the hope of a successful career in the noble object which we have in view —to promote and diffuse the principles of Eoyal Arch Masonry in an additional Chapter , in the jurisdiction of our M . E . Grand Superintendent and under his control . In conclusion , I thank

you for the honour of being appointed the first Scribe E . of the Truth Chapter , and shall endeavour to fulfil the duties of the position to the satisfaction of the Principals and Companions . I also thank you for the hearty manner in which you have received the toast of our health . " Other toasts followed .

The proceedings were enhvenened by the services of a glee party , consisting of Comps . Nelson J . Stokes , Eidsdale Bowley , B . Budman , and Thos . Shorrock , who were under the able direction of Comp . L . H . Keay Prov . G . Org . Besides those mentioned above , we noticed Comps . C . E . N .

Beswicke-Eoyds Past Prov . G . H ., W . B . Akerman P . Z . 317 Prov . Gr . D . G ., C . D . Cheetham P . Z . 993 P . P . G . D . C , J . S . Veevers P . G . T ., W . Thornley P . Z . 210 P . P . A . S . J ., W . E . Clayton P . Z . 42 P . P . G . S . W ., Dr . Thos . D . Foreman P . Z . 210 P . P . G . D . C , J . W . Hulley P . Z . 268 P . G . A . S . E ., W . F . Chambers P . Z . 210 P . G . D . E , Geo . Sam . Smith P . Z . 645 P . P . G . O ., John Partington P . Z . 266 P . G . A . D . C , J . M . Williams P . Z . 935

P . G . S . B .. Chas . Swinn P . Z . 204 P . P . G . S . B ., John Marshall P . Z . 61 Z . 344 P . P . G . P . S . West Yorks P . G . P . S . E . L ., James Newton P . Z . 37 P . G . S . E ., J . W . Mellor P . Z . 277 P . G . S . B ., Jas . Smallpage P . Z . 116 P . G . A . S ., Clare Edgar Towell P . Z . 204 , W . B . Eussell P . Z . 204 , and W . B . Midgley J . 1055 .

New Hall At P0rt0bell0.

NEW HALL AT P 0 RT 0 BELL 0 .

AN interesting ceremony took place at Portobello , when the Grand Master of Scotland Sir Charles Dalrymple , Bart ., M . P ., formally inaugurated the new hall which the Brethren of Lodge No , 226 have erected in Tower Street . There was a large and representative gathering of the Craft , the company

numbering close upon two hundred , and including a numerous representation of sister Lodges in the Province . The W . M . of the Lodge Bro . John Borthwick jun . gave a brief sketch of the steps that had led them to remove the Lodge from licensed premises , and erect a hall of their own .

The Grand Master of Scotland , in formally inaugurating the new hall , said there was always something invidious in advising anyone to get out of comfortable quarters as soon as possible ; but when , on his last visit to the Lodge , he urged them to change their quarters , it was not because he meant any reflection

on the hotel in which they were then located , but because of the belief , which he held strongly , that a Lodge should meet in its separate habitation rather than in any hired quarters . He vejoiced that that inaugural ceremony had occurred while he was still holding his present high office in Grand Lodge , and he was

also glad that the same E . W . M . who had heard him express the opinion that they should change their quarters was still in the chair on an occasion of so much importance in the history of the Lodge . Their energetic Secretary Bro . Macgillivray had penned a most interesting narrative of the progress of the Lodge , and he

thought it was no ordinary compliment to the Masonic Craft that he should be able to say that the records of the Lodge had assisted the compilation of the local records of Portobello , because that showed , not only the important part played by the Masonic Craft , in the life of the town , but also the trustworthi-

New Hall At P0rt0bell0.

ness of the records of the Lodge . The Lodge was by no means a new one , for No . 226 was high on a list of nearly 900 Scottish Lodges . The first important ceremony in which it took part was in October 1808 , on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the first place of worship in Portobello .

Like other Lodges , and like most individuals , it had had its vicissitudes and its financial troubles , and it had for a period been dormant ; but chat was an old story . He sometimes thought it was more creditable that a Lodge should have been revived than that a Lodge should have been created , because a Lodge

was occasionally created by the efforts of a few , and had not a lengthened or prosperous career ; but when a Lodge had had a temporary eclipse and was revivified and shone forth again , it was a positive testimony to the vitality of the Masonic Craft in the locality . From 1850 onwards

the Lodge had nourished , and ib had continued to do so down to the present time . In 1862 the then Grand Master , the Duke of Atholl , laid the foundation stone of the Town Hall , and the Lodge was then in a flourishing condition . It was a curious circumstance that the cradle of Masonry in Portobello should

have been Tower Street , aud that now , after that lapse of time , the Lodge should find its habitation in the same street . The erection of that beautiful , spacious Lodge room marked not only a prosperous epoch in local Masonry , but it was an event in the Province , and also an event of interest to the Grand Lodge . He

had noticed that the Lodge had always been celebrated for its social qualities , but it was always mentioned that it conducted its social festivities with "dignity and decorum . " He did not know why that should have been always stated , because it looked as if it were sometimes the other way , but at any rate it

was the character which the Lodge had to maintain , because they could not fall below the standard of their old records . They knew that in former times these festivities were carried on to a greater extent than now . He was old enough to remember scenes which did not now occur in decent society , and he

therefore gathered from their records that Lodge Portobello had been before its time . He hailed with great satisfaction the erection and completion of that beautiful Lodge room , and he augured for Masonry in that district a very great increase of prosperity on account of their finding themselves in their new premises .

Bro . D . B . Lamb Chaplain of the Lodge at this stage presented the Lodge with a handsome chair for the use of the W . M . at Masonic meetings , and the Grand Master and W . M . Borthwick acknowledged the gift .

Later on , responding to the toast of the Grand Lodge of Scotland and the Grand Master , Sir Charles Dalrymple said an occasion of that kind was one of the red-letter days of the Craft , because he regarded it as an occasion of great interest and

importance in the life of a Lodge . As Grand Lodge desired the welfare of all the daughter Lodges in the country , such a start as they had made in Portobello could nob but be a matter of rejoicing . — " Scotsman . "

New Hall At Truro.

NEW HALL AT TRURO .

r |~ lHE inauguration ceremony of opening the new and com-1 modious rooms in connection wibh the Fortitude Lodge , No . 131 , book place on Tuesday , 8 bh inst ., under the presidency of the W . M . Bro . Clark , who was supported by a large board of Past Masters of 131 , and a considerable number of visiting Brethren .

After the Lodge meeting , a capital spread was provided in the spacious ante-room , and there were afterwards speeches , songs , recitations , & c . The Worshipful Master and Bro . George , the architect , were warmly congratulated on the convenience and excellency of the

rooms , which in every way meet the requirements of the Lodge , and which will well compare in their suitability with any similar suite of rooms in the county . The Brethren of Fortitude can well be complimented on their possession , which , for

completeness and accommodation , leaves nothing to be desired . It was suggested by Bro . Fraser-Frizell that the names of Bros . Clarke and W . J . George , with a record of the event , should be commemorated on the walls . — " Cornwall Gazette . "

What Masonry Has Been And Is.

WHAT MASONRY HAS BEEN AND IS .

By S . M . Yoran Grand Orator 1 ofthe Grand Lodge of Oregon . ( Continued from page 135 ) . HEBE we might leave the land of our fathers and follow on after those of our Brethren who , like Abraham , realised that the whole land was before them in which to seek an abiding