The Weymouth Masonic Chair.

THE WEYMOUTH MASONIC CHAIR .

FOR very many years one of the most noticeable objects shown to visitors to the Guildhall at Weymouth has been a chair which bears the date on its rather tastefully carved upright back 1571 , and in connection with this antique object an important and valuable discovery has just been made which will doubtless prove particularly interesting to the Freemasons of Dorset .

Some short time since the W . M . of the All Souls Lodge of Freemasons , at Weymouth , Brother J . Howard Bo wen , caused the old minute books of the Lodge , dating from 1767 , to be examined , wifch a view to a history of the Lodge and of Freemasonry in fche district being written , and this work was very judiciously entrusted to Mr . Zillwood Milledge .

In the prosecution of this labour of love Mr . Milledge unearthed many interesting facts that had long been buried in ages of the past , and amongst them were important revelations in respect to the chair under notice . It was revealed that the Masonic Lodge " Arimatbea , " which in 1809 met at the Liou

Inn , on tho Weymouth side of the water , was possessed of this ohair , and that ou the 5 th March 1828 the Lsdge ceased to work , whereupon tbe members joined the AU Souls Lodge , which was working in the then new premises ( the present hall ) , and which had been working from the year 1767 .

In 1821 Mr . Samuel Weston , whose statue is at present time a striking feature of the staircase leading to the magistrates ' court and tlie council chamber at the Guildhall , presented the All Souls Lodge with an extremely handsome Master ' s chair , and in February 1828 , Mr . W . Eliot presented two large chairs

for the use of the Wardens , so that when Lodge Arimathea ceased to exist a month later there was no room or place for the Arimathea chair in the All Souls Lodge . It was therefore removed for safe keeping to the old Town Hall on the Weymouth side of the water , and subsequently to the Guildhall on the

Melcome Regis side . It was only on the perusal of the MSS . of the All Souls Lodge that these facts came to light , and on it becoming known that the noted chair that had so long been a show feature of the Guildhall belonged to the Masonio Order of

the town , an application was in proper form made to the Mayor and Corporation of the borough for its restitution . This application was accordingly read at the last meeting of the Town Council and was readily granted .

Williams ) will cause a silver plate to be placed on the chair , prior to its restitution , with a light blue enamel letter inscription as follows : — " This chair , date 1571 , belonged to the Masonic Lodge at Weymouth known as the ' Arimathea , ' which in the year 1828

The chair will , therefore , be returned into the possession of the Order to which it originally belonged , and no doubt by All Souls members it will be jealously guarded amongst the valuable Masonic relics to be found in their Lod ge Room . It is understood that the Mayor and Corporation of the borough ( Mr . T . H .

ceased to be a separate Lodge , and united with the ' All Souls ' Lodge , now numbered 170 . It was given over for safe keeping to the Corporation of this borough , and placed in the Town Hall and afterwards in the Guildhall , where it has remained down to

the present time . On the application of the Worshipful Master J . Howard Bowen , Officers , and Brethren of All Souls , ' No . 170 , their request to have the chair passed back to them was by resolution of the Corporation , 12 th September 1895 , acceded to .

T . H . Williams , J . P ., Mayor . Worshipful Brother Sir R . N . Howard , J . P ., P . G . D . ( England ) , town clerk .

J . T . Whetfcam Secretary 170 . " His Worship will be invited to the All Souls Lodge for the purpose of handing over the chair on a date yet to be fixed . — " Southern Times . "

Installation Of Lord Sandhurst.

INSTALLATION OF LORD SANDHURST .

A SPECIAL communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bombay was held at the Town Hall on the 23 rd ult ., for the purpose of installing His Excellency the Right Honourable William , Baron Sandhurst , G . C . I . E ., as Pro District Grand Master of Bombay . The Darbar Room was fitted up as a Lodge Room for the

occasion , and it was scarcely large enough to accommodate the very large gathering of Masons present ; representatives from almost every Lodge in the Presidency attending , the banners of the various Lodges working under the District Grand Lodge being ranged behind the dais .

The Deputy District Grand Master in charge Bro . H . W . Barrow , attended by his Officers , entered the Lodge in procession , and the Lodge was duly opened . The Grand Master of all Scottish Freemasonry in India Bro .

Installation Of Lord Sandhurst.

J . W . Smith , who was attended by his Officers , was received in due form . The arrival of Bro . His Excellency Lord Sandhurst was announced by the District Grand Marshal Bro . Hon . W . R . Macdonell , who produced the Patent of His Excellency ' s appointment .

Lord Sandhurst was then introduced by the D . G . Marshal and seven Past Masters , and the Patent having been read aloud by Bro . E . J . Smith D . G . Secretary , His Excellency was duly inducted into the chair after having been invested with the insignia of his Office , and saluted . The business being over , the Pro D . G . M . closed the Lodge .

The Brethren subsequently adjourned to the banquet hall , where covers were laid for over one hundred and sixty . Dinner over , the usual Loyal toasts were given and honoured . Bro . Barrow , in proposing fche health of His Excellency said he hoped that before long it would be found possible to obtain a

suitable site for a Masonic Temple in Bombay . The toast was received with great enthusiasm , the cheering lasting several minutes . His Excellency made an interesting speech in reply , and said that he hoped not only that a site might be obtained , but that he would be able fco lay fche foundation stone . — " Madras Mail . "

Devil-Worship And Freemasonry.

DEVIL-WORSHIP AND FREEMASONRY .

/ T 1 HE Right Eev . Dr . Norfchrop , Bishop of Charleston , South JL Carolina , U . S . A ., recently informed a correspondent of the "Catholic Times " that , in his opinion , there is no truth whatever in the sensational accounts about devil-worship in a magnificent Masonic temple in Charleston . Bishop Northrop

has lived fifty years in Charleston , is personally acquainted with all the leading Freemasons there , and has been in the Masonic Hall , which in no particular answers to the description published in numbers of newspapers . His Lordship considers that Catholics , who are themselves the victims of so many calumnies ,

should be especially careful not to spread falsehood about others ; and gave our correspondent , who is in Liverpool , permission to publish what he said . Monsignor Quigley , the Vicar-General of the diocese , also expressed his complete disbelief of the stories about devil-worship by Masons , in so far as Charleston is concerned . — " Catholic Times . " ' "

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