Consecration Of The Sir Charles Bright Lodge, No. 1793.

of the candidate , and the name could be withdrawn . With such precautions as these many unpleasant situations could be avoided , and the brethren of this lotlge might bring it to a highly prosperous condition , and render it a credit to the Order , and a source of pride to its members and thc province to which it belonged . At the conclusion of this address , the ceremony was

proceetletl vvith , antl the oration was delivered . The Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , in giving the oration , said —Brethren , My invitation to attend here to-day was soshoit a one that I must ask you to bear with me whilst I say a few words , according to ancient custom , upon the nature and principles of our great Order , and I will speak to you much in the words that I addressed ata lodge which I very

lately attended the consecration of , and I will ask you to g ive mc your cars a little space , although I know when I look around at thc eminent Masons that are here that I can tell them nothing that they are not already acquainted with — that there can nothing emanate from me as regards our great principles that they do not know already , and have not already endeavoured to practise . And , yet , it is a good

old custom that , on an occasion like the present one , when a new lodge is about to be founded , the founders of that lodge shoultl be reminded of the responsibilities that will rest on them antl the great duties that they are going to undertake . You , who are to be the members of this lodge , are now bringing into life another society , formed for the guidance of its members in the path of truth and v irtuc ,

formed also to bring together a number of brethren in that social intercourse which , it is probable , without this lodge would not have had an opportunity of being brought together . Therefore , you arc to be a lodge of brethren , you are to extend to each other the great features of goodwill and equality ; you are to cement the ties of brotherhood by your good teaching , by your good working , by yourgood

understanding of our rites and ceremonies , so that your lotige may shine as one of the now many bright stars in what I may symbolically term the great firmament of our Ortler . For we see lodge after lotlge rising up , and we are astonished at the great influential body we are becoming . Why is it that so many are crowding under our Masonic banner ? It is , as our old Entered Apprentice Song says , because

" There ' s naugl . t but what's gootl , To be understood , By a Free antl an Accepted Mason . " Those who were at the last meeting of Grantl Lodge will remember our noble brother , my Lotd Carnarvon , the Pro Grand Master , calling our attention to a little scarce work that hail been presented to Grand Lotlge , which gave an

account of the rtdl of Lodges 150 years ago , in 1723 . At that time the lodges numbered 159 only . Well , now taking this lodge , which is 1793 , you will sec the rapid strides we arc making , and I mention this to call your attention to those rapitl strides , antl also to bear testimony to those valued brtthren , now long passetl away , to whom our mysteries , and our ceremonies , antl our teachings were

originally committed , and who through this long vista of years have brought them down to us as pure and unsullied as win 11 first they were deliveretl to the Masonic world . Il is these great truths . antl teachings that are now to be confided to you . If as brother after brother is added to your number you give him an example by your gootl rendering of our beautiful rites and ceremonies you may lead

him in the path that gootl Masons have trodden before , so that when you , who I may call thc parent stem , are gathered too to thc Great Lotige above , the growing children of the lodge may carry out the good work , nobly commenced to-day , antl may show to the outer and uninitiated world what Masons should be , in sorrow and in joy , in sickness and in health , in life antl in death . Thus much for the

nature of Freemasonry . A few words now upon its principles . As you all well know , the principles of our Order are brotherl y love , relief , and truth , and yet at the present time it is a duty that your attention should be called to another great all-prevailing principle that permeates and pervades all the lodgts of this country . I mean the presence of thc Great Architect of the Universe . We

seek His aitl to-day for a blessing on this new lodge ; we seek His aitl when we open our lotlge with prayer ; we ask His blessing on the candidate for our mysteries antl ceremonies ; antl when wc close our lodge we render Him our grateful thanks for the mercies we have received . And now , at this tlay , when on thc continent our brethren in the Grand Orient of France have chosen to ignore that

Great Presence , it is , I say , thc bounden duty of one bearing the Holy Orders I do to tell you , to remind you , that He is always vvith you antl His all-seeing eye is upon you , that in the eternity of ages past , ere worlds were made , or suns were formed , anil other worlds revolved in their orbits , great God , Thou wast—to tell you in His own Almighty words , " Him that honoureth Me )

will honour , but him that elespiseth Me shall be lightly esteemed . " Antl now , brethren , I will not keep you any longer than to wish all success to your new undertaking . May your vessel have a prosperous voyage on the ocean of its Masonic life ; and I feel sure from those who are to form its bulwarks that thc helm will be properly held , and that it will bear onward thc great truths it possesses to thc

gootl of our cause , thc glory of Gotl antl the benefit of out fellow creatures . Brethren , for the kind attention you have paid to the short address that I have been enabled to give you , receive my hearty thanks . I have hied as much as 1 could to condense what I had to say of the nature and principk'C of our Order as inculcated in our rites and

ceremonies ; and if one word of the Chaplain's should be remembered in after years to a brother's good , if aught that I have said shoultl bear gootl fruit or bring down the blessing * of thc Gnat Architect of the Universe upon you , upon your lotlge , or upon our holy cause , my mission has been faithfully fulfilled , antl I woultl bill you go to your respective duties as founders , as officers , as members of

Consecration Of The Sir Charles Bright Lodge, No. 1793.

the Sir Chatles Bright Lotlge , to go to them with energy and zeal ; antl God's benison be with you , and with all those who would make good of bad , antl friends of foes . Thc reverend brother resumed his scat amidst loud applause , and the ceremony of consecration vvas afterwards proceeded vvith and completed . Bro . H . C . Levander then installed Bro . John Hurst ,

P . M . T 512 , W . M . designate , as Master of ( he ledge , and the following brethren were invested as officers : —Bros . R . W . Forge d 16 5 6 , S . W . ; ] . Pillar , 16 56 , ) . W . ; Charles R . Pitt , Sec ; T . ' C , Walls , S . U . ; 11 . W . Linton , J . D . ; Charles Stevens , Org . ; and John Gilbert , Tyler . On the motion of the W . M ., seconded by the S . W ., Bros . Colonel Burdett , Sir Chatles Bright , H . G . Buss , H . C . Levander , the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , H .

A . Dubois , and J . W . Baldwin , were elected honorary members of the lodge , with thanks to them for their kindness in consecrating and assisting in consecrating the lodge . Aftir a gootl list of names for initiation and joining had been proposed , the lodge was closed , and thc brethren adjournctl to a cheicc banquet . The toasts which followed were given very briefly , as many of the brethren had to leave for town .

The W . M ., in proposing thc toast of " Colonel Burdett , R . W . Prov . G . M . for Middx ., " said that this toast came home very closely to the brethren , as they were under the provincial rule of Colonel Burdett . He coultl not let this toast be drunk without first informing the brethren that they had to thank Col . Burdett for the kind manner in which he had come forward to assist at the

ceremony of opening the new lodge , antl for the very great kindness he had also exhibited in aiding them in getting the warrant for the lodge . They hail very much to be thankful for in the kind services of Col . Burdett , for his recommendation , and for the great interest he had taken from the first lime the subject of the lodge was called to his attention . He had at all times acted very kindly

towards him ( the W . M . ) in the matter , u-commeniled , advised , guieled , and otherwise counselled him in everything hc had had to do with reference to the lodge , fcr all eif which kind acts hc ( the W . M . ) felt personally deeply grateful . The brethren well knew how Col . Burdett hatl actetl in the Craft in the province , that he vvas always to be found somewhere performing Masonic duly . In every

lodge in the province he was highly esteemed , and the brethren could rot go into a lodge in Middlesex withoct finding him held up as a pattern Mason . The brethren must be aware that whenever he came among them it vvas at great personal sacrifice , and , if for no other reason , they must for this feel themselves uneler a great obligation to their Provincial Grand Master .

Col . Buidctt , in reply , said it vvas vvi . h great gratitutle he acknowledged the flattering rcmatks tf the W . M ., and thc cordiality of the brethren ' s aeciptir . ee of them . This was not an onlinaty appreciation ot the efforts of a Prov . G . Master , for he found himself surrounded b y Mends who hatl in the most affectionate ami kind way expresseef their appreciation for several vears . He vvas not

like a stranger coming among the brethren , hut vvas a friend and a brother , and hc hoped he and they woultl have many opportunities herealti r of meeting not only in that 100 m , but in other places in the province . Tnv Province of Middlesex within the p 1 st ten years hatl grown very largely . Ten years ago he w . ts installed as Provincial Grand Master in that very room , but at that , time he tlitl

not think he should ever presitle ovt r twenty provincial lodgts . It was very gratifying to him , however , to do se > , ant ! it vvas the more gratifying ti him to find that the bre . thicn around him w . rc all brethren of that class which would do credit to their lot ' ges , the province , antl the Order in general . He had seen throughout the province cf Midellesex an immense number of members brought into it ,

and he had also seen a great deal of attention had been paid to thc class of men who were brought in . From all that had been said and considered in this question thc Masters antl other officers hail been very paiticular as to whom they admitted , and it was on that account the province hatl a high class of men which he believed no province in England coultl excectl . They were likewise

brethren who were anxious to work up the sj stem of Freemasonry , antl go through the several offices in the lodges . He was happy 10 see around him a body of brethren who he thought would sustain the interests of this lodge , and he felt confident that under the able presidency of Bro . Hurst they would find the lodge not only flourishing in a few years , but rapidly increasing in a very shoit time .

The W . M . next gave " The Health of the Dep . Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Sir Charles T . Bright , " and said that that day a brother of Sir Charles Bright hatl been proposed as a joining member of the lodge . This , he thought , the brethren ought to feel very proutl of . Sir Charles Bright , in reply , sail ] that the Provincial Grantl Master had really said everything that hc ( Sir C .

Bright ) coultl say . As regarded the interests of this lotlge they would be his best care as long as he took any interest in Masonry , which he hatl now done for the last twentythree years , and which he hoped hc woultl do to the end of his life . His interest in this lodge , besides it being in the province of which he vvas Deputy Grantl Master , woultl always be the greater in that his name was so prominently

associatetl with it . It woultl always he a great pleasure to him to come among the brethren whenever hc was able , and from what he hael seen of thc commencement of the lodge he vvas sure it would be an example to every either Masonic lotlge . in the province , that its work woultl be thoroughly well done , and the social friendship of its

members woultl not be surpassed by any of thc twenty-six lodges over whicli the Provincial Grand Master presided . He hoped his name would ever be received as that of a friend by every brother of the lotlge . Bro . the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall responded for " Thc Visitors , " to' the toast proposed and drunk in their honour .

Consecration Of The Sir Charles Bright Lodge, No. 1793.

He said he vras obligetl to hurry over his remarks , as he and other brethren had to catch the last train to London . It had given him great pleasure , as hc knew it had to all thc rest of the brethren antl thc other officers who assisted at the consecration , to be present , and assist in bringing to light a new lodge . He vvas sure from what hc had seen that the lodge would

become distinguished among the roll of lodges , especially in the province of Middlesex . Hc had said so much to the brethren in his adtlrcss in lodge , in thc way of advice , that he really had scarcely anything left to say . Indeed , it was very little he could say to such old Masons as he saw at the table , because hc knew they would all feel those great duties which devolved upon them ; they

would hold out their hand to a brother Mason , succour distress , sustain all those points which made our noble Order what he vvas proud to say it was , and which , he was sure , they were all proud and pleased to belong to . He thanked the brethren most heartily for the reception

they had given to the visitors , atid he drank " Success and all Honour to the Sir Charles Bright Lodge and the Province of Middlesex . " The London brethren then left , and the remaining toasts were soon afterwards disposed of . Thc whole of the day ' s proceedings passetl off vvith thc greatest success .

The Langthorne Masonic Charitable Association.

THE LANGTHORNE MASONIC CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION .

The anniversary meeting of this Association was held ou Weelnesetay , the 2 ( ith ult ., at the Swan . Hotel , Stratforel , when there were present the President , Bro . J . G . Stevens , P . M . 544 , 933 , P . / .. 933 ; Vice-President Bro . W . A . Thorp , P . M . 49 , 1228 , Z . 03 ; Treasurer Bro . Charles

Lacey , P . P . G . D . Herts , P . M . 174 ; 1327 , 1421 ; Bro . R . W . biggs , 1421 ; Bro . II . N . Taylor " , 1421 ; Bro . R . J . Tuck'T , P . M ., 933 , members of the Committee ; and Bros . Owen , Bright , Medwin , Allen , Bolton , Hunt Claridge , & c . ; Uro . T . S . Taylor , W . M . 1421 , Secretary of the Association , antl Bro . Fretlk . Binckes , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . On this occasion the

Committee presented their I bird Annual Report , in which they congratulated the members on the continued success of the society . During thc course of the year just closed the sum of £ 19 6 us . was paid in by members , and , with thc balance trom last year , has enabled the committee to have twenty-six appropriations balloted for , making 71 from thc commencement cf thc society's operations .

The society starteil with one hundred and nineteen members , each paying one shilling per week for the purchase of Life Governorships in the three Masonic charities . Of the above number , seventy-one , as already stated , have obtained Life Governorships , antl there are only thirty members still to receive prizes , some few having discontinued their contributions . The total amount received from

the commencement down to the close of the third year vvas £ 750 18 s . bd ., al which the Boys' School received £ iubi the Girls' . Schoeil £ t 33 ios ., anil the Benevolent Institution for lhe Aged £ i ( ro . These amounts do not absorb the whole of the above sum , there being eleven Life Governorships allotted , for which the institution was not nominated when the report was drawn up . Thc

Association , it will be perceived , is workeil very much upon thc same piiticip le as a building society , antl enables brethren by means of small weekly contributions to become Life Governors of thc Masonic Charities who woultl be unlikely to become so by making a single payment of ten guineas each , and , in the result , societies of this kind are thc means of obtaining for the institutions more than the bare

sums contributed by thc societies ; because thc allottees frequently accept Stewardships , anil , of course , get as large an amount upon their lists as they are able . The Committee of the Langthorne Association suggest to their members that as this is thc fourth and last year of its existence , it is advisable for each member to pay up the amounts due by him , so that those who have not yet

had their appropriations may obtain them as speedily as possible , and thus enable the Committee to close the Association within the time prescribed by lhe rules . The report conclueles with an expression of the desire of the Committee to testify to the very valuable services rendered b y Bro . T . S . Taylor , the Honorary Secretary , as they feel convinced that the success of the Association is

mainly due to the admirable manner in which he has conducted its proceedings , and , on behalf of thc members , to accord him their warmest anil fraternal thanks . The report being in thc hands of thc members was taken as read . Two Life Governorships were balloted for , the successful members being No . 45 , Bro . T . Jex , and No . 52 , Bro . J .

Jessett . Wednesday being the night for thc election of officers , it was proposed anil seconded that the present officers be reelected ; cairieil unanimously . A letter was reatl from Bro . F . W . Hedges , Secretary of the Masonic Institution for Girls , apologising for his inability to attend .

The Secretary stated that thc amount received that evening from members vvas £ 29 16 s . This concluded the business before thc Committee , and thc brethren then adjourned to the dining-room , where a handsome repast , admirably served by Bro . Watkins , the host , was partaken of . On the removal of the cloth , the President rose to propose the health of the first lady of

this land , " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , " to whom thc hearts of all Englishmen turned more particularly just now , in consequence of the present crisis in colonial affairs . Thc Chairman also proposed in one toast " The M . W . G . M ., Prince of Wales , anil all the Grand Officers , Present antl Past . " These having been duly honoured , hc again rose , and said—The next toast that I have to introduce