Consecration Of The Anglo-American Lodge, No. 2191.

would welcome , from the United States , all those who ranged under their The G RAND SECRETARY then said the W . M . had permitted him to take the gavel in order to propose the next toast . They had just been honouring those loyal Masonic toasts which they delighted to receive , and which they

thoroug hly appreciated , but now they were coming nearer home . They were in the bosom of the Anglo-American Lodge , and he was about to propose a toast which they had all been looking forward to . It was " The Health of the W . M ., and success to tho Anglo-American Lodge . " As they were all aware it was a great honour for a brother to be VV . M . of a lodge but when he is W . M . of a new lodge it was a much greater honour .

, They had had a great success that evening , and bad successfully launched that lodge into existence . They were now met to celebrate the event . When an event was celebrated there was one man who presided and who was honoui ed by all . That brother , on the present occasion , was Bro . Biackstone Baker , P . G . D ., the W . M . of that lodge . He ( the Grand Secretary ) , had

made a few remarks in the lodge as to the peculiar fitness of their distinguished brother for the office of W . M . of this lodge . When he told them that Bro . Brackstone Baker was a distinguished Grand Officer of the Grand Lodge of England , and that he represents here no less than 15 of the Grand Lodges of America , he thought they would consider that his claims

to the chair were unique . That brother was identified with Masonry on the other side of the Atlantic , and was initiated in a lodge in Canada . It was a happy thought to place him in the chair , for he had considerable claims amongst them at home . He is a P . G . D ., and had done good suit and service , and he hoped the Most High would spare him to carry on the

work in that lodge , which promised such success . The latter part of the toast was " Success to the Anglo-American Lodge . " He had already exp lained to them the happy idea of its formation , and it would be unnecessary for him to say anything more in its favour . There could be no doubt that the brethren of two nations which were so closely allied in every way ,

would find an advantage from the intercourse they had begun that day . He was certain the lodge would go on and prosper if the founders were careful whom they admitted . He always said this to new lodges , and

advised them to wait and remember the old saying , and respecting quality and quantity . It this lodge observed that rule it ought to have a magnificent future before it . He therefore asked them all to drink this toast and coup le vvith it the name of the estimable W . M ., Bro . Brackstone Baker .

Bro . BRACKSTONE BAKER , P . G . D ., W . M ., in reply , said he could not but feel deeply the compliments the Grand Secretary had paid him . He acceded to office with a great deal of satisfaction and diffidence but with a firm resolution . Satisfaction at the high office into which the Grand Secretary had installed him . Diffidence because he distrusted his own abitity to

carry out the work . A firm resolution that he would endeavour to perform his duties to the utmost of his ability . He was overwhelmed at the compliments which had been paid him , and felt like that Roman Emperor who was weighed down with the weight of his jewels . The Darwinian theory about the selection of the fittest had not been ' applied in the selection of

him as the W . M . of the lodge . It was the doctrine of affinity—the affinity he had had for the Craft and vvith trans-Atlanlic Masonry . He would give them a brief sketch of his Masonic career . He was made a Mason in Canada , in 1855 , > lodge under the Irish Constitution . He was therefore a case of a foreign Mason who had joined them . He came 10 England in 1856 ,

and lost no time in joining lodge No . 21 , of which he became W . M ., and was elected a member of the Colonial Board . Fortune so willed it that in 1864 he went back to America , during the height of the discussion about the secession of the Grand Lodge of Canada . There were three English lodges in Canada , the Canadian Grand Lodge still refused to recognise .

He knew these lodges to be in good order . They made the proper returns and did not desire to leave our jurisdiction , and why should we cast off brethren who did not wish to leave us . He satisfied their Grand Master that these lodges were regular , and the result was he had the satisfaction of seeing the Grand Lodge of Canada admit that these three

lod ges in Montreal were in order , and they still remain under our jurisdicdiction . Since then they had been on the best of terms , and they gave him the honorary rank of S . G . W . for his services . He had been for 21 years a member of the Colonial Board , which would show them the affinity he had for the Craft . After all American Freemasonrv was but a

slip or cutting from the English Tree which had taken root in the New World . There was nothing more natural than that they should wish to establish a lodge that would be the common resort of American and English Masons , and which would tend to cement those bonds of fraternity fjy which they were already bound . Amei icans in joininsr them would not lose

their nationality , but their children would be eligible , if necessary , for the institutions , and the Institution for Aged People was as much for them as "r the English distressed . The judicious blend will serve to link the

nationalities of American and English Masons more closely together . In conclusion he thanked them all for the kindness with which they had received . toastj and the kindly interest evinced in the consecration of the Anglo-American Lodge .

, The Consecrating Officers" was next given by the W . M ., who "served that the brethren had just come from the lodge room full of the oquent phrases of the Grand Secretary , and it was the health of that j , "Sashed brother he was about to propose . It had been his fate , since Cr j „ been a member of Grand Lodge , to be associated with three vZ , Secret a"es . The first was Bro . Gray Clarke , Bro . John Hervey ,

who loved , was next , and then came the present Grand Secretary , m . . perfect in everything connected with the jurisprudence and cerememh l ^ e < - > r ^ er ' andwas accessible and courteous to every one . Many Waif f | ° * e Craft had cause t 0 be tnankful for his assistance , and they i nva a . '' his influence in the kind , amiable and biotherl y fellowship he 'hem f ? displayed . He was sure he need say no more , but simply ask j , "to dnnk to the health of the "Consecrating Officer , Bro . Shadwell ^ yerte , G . Sec . " fee [ olf ? SECRETARY said that as a modest man he could not but

"ad said 11 at tne remarks ot the W-M- Br ° - Brackstone Baker him h til S ° ° P retty tnin ff about him , and he wished he could believe toast H was afrald that hls feelings had led him to transgress the Was riohi W ° ' d take lne flatterin & unction to himself that a certain amount C ° nsecrai - >> feeI flattered at the k ' expressions . He felt that as the d one Ies H 9 fficer ne nad Dut done his duty , and no brother would have v ari d f " 9 rand Secretary he tried to do his best to discharge his c ° uld ass " 1 , With res P ect t 0 the ceremony on the present occasion , he The y had " ?! I lt had been a very £ reat pleasure to him to perform it . be J stifier ? rd his voice s 0 often that evenin & that he felt he would not ea m trespassing too long on their time . He felt very much

Consecration Of The Anglo-American Lodge, No. 2191.

gratified at the kind reception he had received , and for which he sincerely thanked them . He would like to point out that the honour was not due to him alone , for he could have done little had he not been supported by those G . officers who had 30 kindly given their assistance . He was very sorry that Bro . Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , P . G . C ., who had officiated as Chaplain , and who had delighted them all with his eloquent oration , had been obliged to leave ,

having been called away into the country to attend to those religious duties he was at all times ready to perform . But he was pleased to say thev still had present Bro . T . Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes , whose name was a household word in Masonry , and Bro . Dr . Turtle Pigott , whose name was also well known . He had to cordially thank all those who had assisted him , for he had been very strongly supported . There was one

other point which he had omitted to allude to . They had had , he was sorry to say , received only a few weeks ago sad news from America . They had been fortunate for some time past in having as their representative in New York one of the most estimable Masons that ever existed . He was an old friend of his many years ago . The brethren present would know he referred to Bro . Goodall , whose loss they had recently to deplore . American

brethren would long remember him , for he was a great Mason in New York , and the English Grand Lodge was very fortunate in having him as its representative . He regretted to say Bro . Goodall had died very suddenly , and by his death both American and English Masons had suffered a severe loss . He felt they should not allow this opportunity to pass without expressing

their regret at the loss Masonry had sustained . All present , he was sure , would excuse him for making these remarks , for he was convinced he had their sympathy . He wished to again thank them all for their kindness , and assured them that he should always have the prosperity of the Anglo-American Lodge at heart .

Bro . S . POPE , Q . C ., S . G . D ., in proposing the toast of " Our American Joining Brethren , " said he obeyed the call of the W . M ., although the name of their esteemed Bro . Fenn appeared on the programme as the rightful occupant of his position . He had sat at the feet of Bro . Fenn long enough to comply with any request that brother might make . He supposed the toast had been committed to his charge because he was an Englishman , and

had never been in America . There were few of those present who had not relations or friends on the other side of the Atlantic . He had never dared to cross over , for no brother could imagine the fearful terror a lumpy sea or a short voyage had for him , and he was afraid that , should he venture , he would never see the other side . He could only say that from early life he had felt sufficient interest in American affairs and progress to feel equally as

comfortable under the " Stars and Stripes " as under the Union Jack , and it was the blending of those two flags that constituted the real germ of the Anglo-American Lodge . They were able to recognise in their brethren from across the Atlantic the same characteristics of industry and enterprise which the English people possessed . All rejoiced that they could come across the sea and join in the fraternal bonds of Masonry . He had heard the W .

Master in his admirable address speak of the lion laying down with the lamb ; but he was not quite sure that the lion would lie down quietly unless the lamb were inside the lion . But he mistook the spirit of their American brethren if they proposed to adopt the r 6 Ie of the lamb in any such comparison . They all rejoiced in the formation of that lodge , for it recognised the merits of the two nations . He had to associate with the toast the names

of two distinguished American members of the lodge—Bros . Titton , P . D . G . M . New York , and Consul-General Waller , S . D ., who was well known to all , and was testified to by the welcome accorded to him . At the call of the VV . M ., as the substitute of Bro . Fenn , he begged to propose for their acceptance "The Health of our American Joining Brethren . "

Bro . TILTON , P . D . G . M . New York , said it gave him great pleasure to respond to the toast so eloquently proposed by Bro . Pope . They had learned from the W . M . something of the origin of Freemasonry in America . He would tell them that they had lodges in America about 1750 ; but there were no Grand Lodges formed until 1770 to 1776 , then those of New York , Pennsylvania , Virginia , South Carolina , and Massachusetts were among the

first . Now they had more than 50 Grand Lodges , with a membership of 600 , 000 Freemasons , the Grand Lodge of New York being the largest , and from her eight lodges with 200 Freemasons in 177 6 , she had grown to more than 700 lodges and 80 , 000 Freemasons . They had similar lodges to the Anglo-American in New York , for they had lodges founded by Englishmen and by Scotchmen . In his district they had two Scotch lodges and an English lodge ,

so that the idea was not new , and if any brother crossed the Atlantic he would get a Masonic welcome , but one from his own nationality . Although they had so prospered and had grown so rapidly , they had not forgotten the the mother Grand Lodge of England . Neither did they foiget that it was presided over by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . It would be gratifying for Englishmen to go through the United States and see the good feeling felt

towards his Royal Highness . No toast was received with greater honour or with greater spirit than that of the health of the Prince of Wales . So they to-night completed in the consecration of the Anglo-American Lodge another link in that golden chain of Masonic brotherhood which bound them together more strongly than ever in the bonds of love and affectionthe two great nations of the Anglo-Saxon race .

Bro , Consul-General WALLER , S . D ., also replied , and said he hesitated , he confessed , to offer any remarks to the notice of the brethren . Kind as they were , he thought it doubtful if they would appreciate any more of " Hail Columbia" than they had had . He was , however , tempted to occupy a moment to assure his distinguished brother who proposed this toast that if he could be prevailed upon to overcome his idea of the perils of the sea ,

and if his countrymen ever found such a specimen of an Englishman in their midst they would never let him return again . He could also no doubt be made Grand Master of all the Grand Lodges there . Masonry had no country—the world was its domain . The only flag it looked to was the flag of distress , which , when occasion required , was never raised but respected , and never raised in vain . There was nothing strange to him in the fact that

American residents in London should desire to have a lodge intimately associated with themselves . They had previously been the guests of London lodges , and none could say but they had been honoured guests . But there came a time when it was a little pleasant to leave the place they were visit ing and return home . This lodge was intended to provide American brethren vvith a home , and why should they not have a home ? America was a

big country , both geograpically and Masonically . Seventy years ago in that country there were 70 , 000 Masons , but to-day there were 600 , 000 . In 50 years the population had increased by millions , and he was proud to say they had gained a population which included many from this little islandand its contiguous piaces . There was not a Mason in that country but would read with infinite satisfaction the account of the organisation and consecration of this lodge , which had been formed to more closely cement the fraternal