Consecration Of The Iris Lodge, No. 2545.

B-o . GEORGE J EFFORD FOWLER , S . W ., proposed the toast which included all the present and past Grand Officers , whom he d -scribed as the pillars of Freemasonry on account of the service they had rendered to the Craft . The humbler brethren , with landable and natural ambi'ion , regarded themse ' ves as Grand Officers in embryo . The Iris Lodge was entitled to congratulate itself on commencing its career with the membership of two Grand Offi : ers as its officers—Bros . Lennox Browne , and Philip Hickson Wate-Iow . Bro . Rear-Admiral MARKHAM responded .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER proposed "The Con ? crating Offi : ers , complimenting Bro . Letchworth on the start he hid given to th- ; loige and liis courtesy to the brethren on all occasions . Bro . EDWARD LETCHWORTH G . S ., replied , assuring the b-eth-en of the pleasure it had given him to launch such a lodge . In his position as Grand Secretary , he had consecrated many lodges , and he confessed that occahe consecrated

Monally he had had misgivings as to whether tin lodgj would be . a success . But the Iris Lodge he had no misgivings about , as he knew the elements of which it was composed . The Consecrating Officers wished it every possible success . He then proposed " Success to the Lodga , and the Health of the W . M ., " and said he was confident that under Bro . Lennox Browne ' s able and genial rule it would achieve the success they all wished it .

Bro . LENNOX BROWNE , W . M ., in acknowledging the toast , said that two or three friends of his wished for such a lodge , and asked him to assist them . His career was long enough and his reputation was sufficiently at stake , not only to be assured that the founders were all unanimous , but that the initiates were the proper sort of men to become Masons . They had had

a list of excellent names read out to them that evening in lodge , of men who wanted to come into the Craft , they were well known persons . This was the fifth lodge of which he was a founder , and his endeavour was not to have a numerous lodge but an efficient lodge . He hoped that 12 months hence it would be confessed that be had proved himself worthy of the position in which he had been placed .

Bros . WM . GAYDOX , M . D ., W . C . FOOKS , and Sir J B . MONCKTON replied to the toast of " The Visitors , " which was proposed by the acting LP . M ., Bro . P . H . WATERLOW . Bro . P . L . WATERLOW , J . W ., responded to the toast of "The Officers , " and Bro . EVENDEN gave the Tylet ' i toast , after which the brethren separated ,

Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of this Institution was held on Thursday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., in the chair . The other brethren present were Bros . A . W . Duret , Hugh M . Gordon , Alfred C Spaull , E . M . Monev , H . Massey , T . W . Whitmarsb , Robert A . Gowan , C Pulman , and F . R . W . Hedges ( Sec ) .

The CHAIRMAN stated that the returns for the Cambridge Local Examinations were out . Twenty-three girls were sent up , and they all passed , eight with honours and 11 with distinction . In addition to that , 48 passed out of 54 for the College of Preceptors . He did not think that showed picking and choosing .

When the minu ' . es of the Committee respecting the proposition of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution as to giving extra votes had been read , the CHAIRMAN stated that the Committee attended the special meeting of the Benevolent Institution , when the resolution to be submitted to Grand Lodge by that Institution was found to be so distasteful to the larger majority of the brethren who had considered them , that the chairman

announced that they proposed to withdraw them excepting the two last . They were obliged to get permission to withdraw them , and therefore that proposition was put to tbe meeting . The lis * , resolutions were put avid carried , and that absolutely set the matter at rest . Tint would be brought before Grand Lodge next Wednesday , and then the laws of the Benevolent Institution would be much more in accordance with the laws of the other two

Institutions . A grant of £ 20 to a late pupil for her advancement in life was made . Bro . HEDGES read the Auditor's Report , and also the Report of the Institution which included the information as to the girls who had pissed the Cambridge and other examinations . The CHAIRMAN analysed some of the expenditure , showing that it had been kept down to a low point .

Bro . A . C SPAULL said that with a much increased income th : re had been a less expenditure by £ ^ 548 . The Report was then approved and a ter transacting some other business the Committee adjourned .

Consecration Of The Fitzwilliam Lodge, No. 2533.

CONSECRATION OF THE FITZWILLIAM LODGE , No . 2533 .

The only Craft lodge held in Peterboro' up to the present has been that ol St . Peter ' s . No . 442 , established 183 C , since which timethe city has materiall y increased in population , and naturally many members have been added to the lodge , until at last many brethren began to feel that it was high time a

secwd ledge should be founded to work in peace side by side with the older . lodge , and so give younger brethren a chance of attaining within reasonable time the d ' gnity of office . Naturally som ? Ii'tle oppos ' tion \ va ~ at first felt , though this feeling has row b > -en dispelled , and the members of No . 442 cordially assisted by their

presence at ( he consecratirn to help give the new lodge a grand start , the thanks of all brthrcn beintr particularly due to Br . i . H . C . Clarabut . P . Prov . Grand Org ., W . M . 44 2 . ar | d now the worthy Secretary and founder of No . 2533 . to whose ( fforts on behalf of helping to found the latter every priise is due .

The consecr . ilion took p ' ace on the 21 st ult ., at Deacon ' s Schools , kindly lent by the master of the sime for the rcrasion at the request of Bro , Wheeler , P . M . 442 . the ceremony being perfo-med b y the Prov . Grand

Mis'fr , Ihe Earl of Eustrn , D . L .. in a most masterly and able manner , and who also took a portion of the ins t allation of Bro . Caster as first Master , ably assisted by Bro . F . G . Buckle , P . M . 442 , P . P . S G VV ., and Prov . Grand Secretary Norths and HuntF . The P . cv . Grand Officers were present in goodly numbers , the Wardens

Consecration Of The Fitzwilliam Lodge, No. 2533.

of the province , Bros . Markham and Pinney , occupying respectively the chairs of Senior and Junior Wardens . Bro . the Rev . T . Hodgson , Asst . Prov . G . Chap ., acted as Chap . ; Bro . Ellard , P . G . D . C , being D . C . ; and Bro . J . Vergette , P . M . 442 , P . P . G . J . W .. being I . G . ; Bro . J . S . Grime , 1335 , presiding at the organ , while Bro . 'C F . Matier , P . G . Std . Br ., helped in the consecration by reading the petition and warrant for founding the lodge .

The solemn ceremony of consecration was duly gone through in a most impressive manner , the dedication prayer being most beautifully given by the P . G . M . ; his address also did not fail to move the brethren , more especially those of No . 442 , when he expressed the hope that perfect peace , harmony , and brotherly love would always exist between the two lodges , and which expressions were heartily received in the usual Masonic style .

Bro . the Rev . T . HODGSON , I . P . M . 373 , Prov . Assistant Grand Chap ., gave the oration , taking his text from the Proverbs of Solomon , impressing upon the brethren the great and grand idea of Freemasonry , particularl y its first watchword—brotherly love—and pointing out that the great example of Jonathan and David was the brotherly love necessary to a Mason , and if a greater were needed , the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for St . John . As

to relief , that , of course , was a most essential virtue , but all brethren were to understand that Masonry was not to be a stepping-stone for begging and pauperising men , but a genuine assistance to a brother in distress , given as a brother to a brother . Lastly , truth was to be always observed by a neverfailing strict observance of keeping to it , so that all men might know when a Mason gave his word it was given once and for all , strictly , truly , and

honourably . The worthy brother then wound up his oration with a fine peroration , trusting the brethren of the new FitzwiU ' um Lodge would remember to always practice before all men the virtues he had enumerated , so that when summoned from this sublunary abode to the Grand Lod ge above they would be welcomed among other brethren already passed away to live in love with the Great Architect of the Universe , who lives and reigns for ever .

The installation of the VV . M . then followed , also the investiture of officers . Various propositions for initiation and joining membsrs were then received , among it the Utter b ? ing the P . G . Master , and the lodge was closed . A banquet was afterwards held at the Angel Hotel , admirably served by Bro . J . Clifton , of Peterborough , and a worthy member of No . 442 .

The W . M . was supported by the Prov . G . M ., the Earl of Euston ; Bro . C . F . Matier , P . G . S . B . ; and many brethren of No . 442 and other lodges to the number of 5 6 . At the conclusion of the banquet the WORSHIPFUL MASTER proposed " The Queen and the Craft , " " The M . W . the Grand Master the Prince of Wales , " and the M . W . the Pro Grand Master , the R . W . the Daputy Grand

Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " to the latter of which Bro . C F . MATIER ably replied . Bro . F . G . BUCKLE next proposed " The R . W . the Prov . Grand Master , the Earl of Euston , " and in doing so alluded to the remarkable changes that had taken pi ice in connection with the Crafc in the Province of Norths and Hunts since his connection with it , and also in Grand Lodge . He

adverted with pleasure to the greit progress the p-ovince had made under the guidance of Lord Euston , as when he took it over it had only eight lodges , and now he was pleased to say there were 13 , and he hoped there would soon be 14 , as he believed they would shortly have another lodge organised at Weedon . He sincerely trusted that indication of progress would be better for Freemasonry in general and that lodge in particular .

I he PROV . GRAND MASTER , in his reply , feelingly alluded to the loss the province generally had sustained by the death of the D . P . G . M ., Bro . Butler Wilkins . He was , his lordship said , a brother they all loved and honoured , and wis an ornament to Freemasonry , not only in that province , but also in Grand Lodge . Personally , he said he had b ; en greatly indebted to the late D . P . G M ., as he had been of the greatest assistance to him .

Allusion had been made to the formation of a lodge at Weedon , and he was pleased to be able to state that the petition had bsen sent to the M W . th : Grand Master the Prince of Wales . Concluding . Eirl Euston said he was happy to have had the privilege and pleasure of consecrating ths lodge and installing the W . M ., and he asked the brethren to support him in the future , as in the past , to maintain the prestige of the province .

" The Officers of Prov . Grand Lodge , Present and Past , " was submitted by Bro . H . F . NEWMAN , W . M . 117 , who expressed his pleasure at the manner in which the consecration ceremony had been performed . Bro . F . PINNEY , P . J . G . W ., replied to the toast , in the absence of B : o . C A . Markham , S . G . W . Bro . G . C W . FITZWILLIAM , S . W ., gave " The Consecrating Officers and Installing Masters , " in a neat little speech , to which Bros . Lord EUSTOX and F . G . BUCKLE responded .

The Prov . Grand Master submitted the toast of " The VV . M . of Fitzwilliam Lodge , No . 2533 , " and in doing so said the brethren had a W . M . who had Masonry at heart , and one who he felt sure would endeavour to raise the lodge to the high position occupied by the St . Peter ' s Lodge . He congratulated Bro . Caster on being the first W . M . of the lodge and wished it every succc"s . The toast was heartily and Masonically received .

Bro . Castor , in the course of his reply , dealt with the opposition that had been shown on the formation of the lod ge , and was glad to say that , however , had been removed , and that they now had the prospect of having a good second lodge in the town . " The Masonic Charities " was proposed by Bro . the Rev . P . ROYSTON ' , P . P . G . Chap ., to which Bro . C . F . MATIER replied .

" the Officers of the iMtzwilliam Lodge" was proposed by the W . M ., and he said he felt highly pleased at the excellent set of officers by which he was surrounded . He also said he was much gratified they had Bro . G . C . VV . Fitzwilliam among them as S . W . of the lodge , and he should heartily welcome him on his elevation to the chair next year . The W . M . also referred to the valuable services Bro . H . C Clarabut had rendered in the formation of the lodge .

Bro . FITZWILLIAM and Bro . CLARABUT suitably replied to the comp liment .

" ' 1 he V isitors " was given by Bro . PIKE , and responded to by Bro . Fox , P . M . 2017 . liro . VViiiTSEh gave " The W . Ms , and Brethren of the other Lodges in the Province , " to which Bro . H . E , CLAR \ BUT replied , and expressed his

pleasure at the formation of a secqnl lodge in the city , as he firmly believed there was room for it , and that it would be for the good of Freemasonry . He expressed the strong hope tint the two lodges would wo harrroruously together for the good of the Craft . 'J In Tyler ' s toast brought the proceedings to a close .