Consecration Of The Landport Lodge At Portsmouth.

B . Beaoh , M . P ., Constituting nnd Installing Officer , and the V . W . the D . P . G . M . Bro . nickman , and the Officers of P . G . Lodge past and present . He regretted that the P . G . M . had been obliged to leave in order to catch a train , and expressed his obligations to him for his kindness , and also to tho Officers in coming there to constitute the Lodge . Tho toast was received with great enthusiasm . The D . P . G . M

in response , said that it had afforded the P . G . M . considerable pleasure to constitute tho new Lodgo under such auspicious circumstances . Indeed he ( the D . P . G . M . ) did not romemberany Lodge which had been constituted with such favourable prospects , and the gratification folt by tho P . G . M . was therefore shared by every brother present . ( Hear , hear ) . Tho P . G . M . had been confined to his honse through

indisposition , and that had been tho first time ho had left it on any business purpose for some time past . It mnst lmvo given an exceptional deg'eo of pleasure to tho P . G . M . to have added to tho number of his Lodges in tho province ono that came info working nnAcr such oirenmstances as did Lodye 1776 . The province was steadily increasing , not . only in tho number of its Lodges , lint in tho number an < 1

importance of tho brethren ; and ho trusted that satisfactory stato of things would long continue . Ho hoped and believed that tho now Lodge would work in harmony and in tho true s irifc of Masonry with tho Lodges in tho neighbourhood , as well as with those of the Provinco generally . It was a groat happiness to him to bo able to comoamong tho brethren in that district , for he had had exporioncoin past times

of their uniform kindness towards those in positions ot authority , which might at times be accompanied with a certain ai ^ onnt of anxiety to fnlfil their dntips in a way not only beneficial to tho Craft , but iicc » ptablo to thf brethren in thoir p irtienlar provinco . Ho felt satisfied that tho AV . M . wonld have a happy year of office , heartily wished every success to tho Lodge , and , in conclusion , expressed his

belief that the W . M ., at tho end of his term of office , wonld receive the congratulations of the brethren , as ho most heartily desorved thorn . ( Applause ) . Bro . J . E . Lo Feuvre , P . G . S ., replying for the Provincial Officers , expressed obligations to tho W . M . for tho maguifieei-t entertainment he had provided . For years past Portsmouth had been preeminent in its devotion to Masonic principles , which ho hoped wero

not confined within tho four walls of the Lodge , lint were , to the best of their ability , extended outside . In a short time that would not bo the junior Lodge , for ono was about to be constituted in Southampton , and it would ho very gratifying to tho Southampton brethren who were present to have tho Portsmouth brethren with them on tho 12 th

of December , to assist them in carrying out those fratornnl feehm'S which thoy wero associated together to promoto . Tho W . M . was well known in Portsmouth for his ability in another Lodge , and the hiuher rank ho had assumed would afford gratification to the brethreu over whom ho presided . Bro . Murroll wonld prove a useful addition to tho lorn ? and hononrablo list of Masters and Past . M'istors ,

and ho was proud to bo the mouthpiece of the Provincial Officers in wishing him a prosperous year of office , and in hoping that , tho n ° w Lodge might succeed , even beyond their expectations , in disseminating tho principles of brotherly love , relief , and truth . ( Applause . ) Tho Mayor of Portsmouth Bro . W . D . King , wdio was received with great cordiality , said that he was very pleased to bo present that evening .

and regarded that first meeting of the now Lodgo as a happv augury of a number of pleasant reunions . Ho proposed the toast , tho Worshipful Master Bro . 11 . J . Murrell , and success to the Lodge ( Applause ) , expressing his conviction that tho W . M . wonld occupy his position in a dignified yet humble spirit—dignified , in that he would maintain order in tho Lodge , and humble , in that he woold be always ready to

receive advice from his seniors . The toast did not need many words to commend it to their hearty approval , especially to those who knew Bro . Murrell as intimately as he did . ffo was a sterling friend and possessed groat energy , and he had no doubt that those brethren who had been tho means of inaugurating the Lundport Lodgo had selected him as t ^ e most fitting brother in tho town to fill tho important

position , because they knew that if he took a thing into his head ho would carry it out . Ho was snro that Bva . Mnrrcll wonld retire into the Past Blaster's chair with all tho honour and credit that would most certainly be his due . ( Loud applause . ) Tho chairman made a feeling response , trusting that tho Lodge would work harmoniously , prove a coutro of Masonry , and extend its beneficent influence far and wide .

The other toasts wero the W . M . s and representatives of neighbouring Lodges ; tho Visitors ; tho Officers of tho Lodge ; and tho Tyler's toast . During tho evening soino capital harmony was contributed by several of the brethren . The Provincial Grand Master was attended by the following Prov . Grand Officers :-Bros . W . Hickman 130 D P . G . M ., Dr . A . Piatt Wilka P . M . 608 G . J . W ., Rev . W . Scott 394 P . G . Chaplain , G . Dymot

P . M . 394 P . G . Reg ., M . E . Frost P . M . 487 aud 1069 P . G . Treasurer , J . E . Le Feuvre 130 P . G . Secretary , J . Harrison P . M . 804 P . G . Superintendent of Works , G . Bond " P . M . 487 P . G . Sword Bearer , G . Pack W . M . 175 , and J . Whale P . M . 309 P . G . Sts ., J . Excell Tyler . On Thursday evening the first regular meeting of the new Lodge was held , under the presidency of Bra Mtirrdl , when tho nsnal routine business was discussed , and numerous propositions for initiation and joining wero made . —Portsmouth Times and Naval Qazette .

La Tolerance Lodge of Instruction , JSo . 538 , has removed from the Horse and Groom , "Winsley-street , Oxford-street , to the Green Dragon , 2 Maddox-street , Regent-street , where the members have secured very commodious and comfortable quarters .

Special Advent Services will be held at St . Anne ' s Church , Soho . Bach ' s " Magnificat and My Spirit was in heaviness , " will be sung , with orchestral accompaniments ,

unrlor the direction of Mr . Bnrnby , on Friday , Cth , 13 th , and 'iOtli December , ; it 8 o ' clock . Tickets may be obtained of the Churchwarden , Bro . J . E . Shand , 2 Albert Mansions , Victoria-street , S . W .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

ire do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . ill Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessan'Zi / for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

"CHARITY ; " IS IT " GIVING ?" To tie Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR £ IR AND BROTHER , —In reply to the strictures of "A MASONIC ENTHUSIAST , " on my letter to yon nnder th s heading I can assure him that I noither was , nor am , desirous , either " in haste" or at leisure , to " demolish your series of correspondents , " or any ono of thorn . On a subject so important as that under disoussion , I am

gratided at seoing so nnny brethren communicating their views and notions , and while claiming the free expression of my own opinions , I am fully prepared to accord a respectful consideration to those of others with whom I fail to agree . The fault I ventured to find with " A MASONIC ENTHUSIAST "—and with the large number of whom I eannot help accepting him as a typo — wa « , not that he absolutely

ignored Masonic Charity , but th it he placed it on a level much lower than that of charity in connection with the popular world . This I gathered from his previous letter , and his second only confirms the impression T formed . Ho says that , n > one in his Provinco experiences greater pleasure than himielf in subscribing his annual ••• ite to the Masonic Charities ; and , lower down , he gives it as his opinion

that this is as acceptable to tho G . A . O . T . U . as the hundred guineas of the brother of large wealth . Now , surely that unfortunate " widow ' s mite" has been mado to do duty long enough . I should liko to know on how many occasions it lias been tendered in lien of sterling coin ; how many times it has been quoted , and pleaded in justification of tho most limited exercise of practical benevolence ?

But , apart from this , I conteud that your correspondent proves my case ; that tli 9 re is a very large class in Freemasonry which regards every other charitable claim as paramount to that of Masonio Charity —the outer world first , Masonry next—whereas I , and those who think and feel with me , reverse the order . I do so for this , to me , oxtremely simple and cos-ent reason—I became a Mason voluntarily ; in the earliest stago , I was inf rined , in plain terms , what I ought ,

and ought not , to expeot , and was closely examined as to the motives by which I was actuated . I was then told that above all other virtues thero was that of Charity ; that the rich abonnded in the Craft , hut that there wore also many who were reduced to a state of poverty and misfortune , and that in their behalf appeals must be made , & c . Pleading inability , I made certain promises , and I havo ovor sinco felt hound to do what in me lies to fulfil

them—to what extent is a question to settle with my own conscience , as it is for every brother Mason . Of coarse , no one is called upon or expected to do anything that may prove detrimental to himself or connections , or more than his circumstances in life mav fairly warrant . Tho little I have been enabled to do has been the result of my having always regarded , as a Mason , all other

charitable claims as subservient to thos" of Masonrv , and I continue to do so . Heroin is the poi > t of contention between the clasB of which I nm one , and that- class with which " A MASONIC ENTHUSIAST" associates himself , and it may be that these will go on in parallel lines with no possibility of ever meeting . My ability to discuss this question impartially shall be matter of

opinion , but , I altogether demnr to the statement that my point of view is necessarily very different from nearly all the rest of the Craft . My experience has fortunately proved that I can claim the concurrence of a very large minority at all events , and I hope to live to see this minority converted into a majority . I conceive it to be my duty to enlist support by all legitimate means , from every quarter to

which I have the privilege of appealing , and no less my duty fairly and dispassionately to combat the arguments of those who do not give themselves , and who , by example may influence other 3 . Whether St . Paul was a " brother" or not I havo not the slightest idea , but that he was eminently cute and practical is proved by bis " dictum " as quoted by your correspondent , to the general

applicability of which I have no posstble objection . " Big Stewards' Lists " are most desirable , and I believe are attain , able without peril , such as that pointed at . May their realisation be a dominant idea amongst energetic brethren , both Metropolitan and Provincial . If Charity begins at home , there is no reason why it should end

there , and I applaud those who , while they possess the means , extend their bounty to others not so fortunately situated as themselves . Should unforeseen adversity overtake them , they are not to be censured for the generosity they exhibited in happier and more prosperotis days , and in such instances as alluded to by " A MASONIC ENTHUSIAST , " more ready sympathy and assistance will be forthcoming

than in the cases of those who , resolutely setting their faces against appeals , wheD it was in their power to contribute , may by accident or misfortune be placed on the lowest spoke of Fortune ' s wheel , and compelled to seek aid from the very Institutions the claims of which they never recognised . Many such cases have occurred within my own personal knowledge !

As to the prominent instance adduced of a Brother " enjoying a comfortable life income of a £ 1 , 000 per anuum , possessing more than one Charity jewel " ( there mnst be some mistake here ) , " leaving his family almost wholly unprovided for , they having to seek Masonic asi-iitanee , " 1 should like to know to what extent Masonry is to bn hold responsible for a state of things so deplorable . The services necessary for the attainment of a Charity jewel and Bars would not involve an