The New Grand Officers.

GRAND PURSUIVANT . Bro . SAMUEL V ALLENTINE was appointed Assistant Grand Pursuivant last year , when we gave a full sketch of his Masonic career . ASSISTANT GRAND PURSUIVANT .

Bro . S . V . ABRAHAM was initiated in the Joppa Lodge , No . 18 S , on the 3 rd December , 1855 , and was in due course installed W . M . in 1862 . Two years later he took part in founding the Montefiore Lodge , No . 1017 , and has had the honour of being thrice elected to its chair , namely , in 1867 , and again in the years 1882 and 1883 . He was exalted to the Royal Arch Degree in the Joppa Chapter , No . 188 , on the Sth February , 1858 , and occupied the chair of First Principal in 1867 . In July , 1889 , he was a founder of the Montefiore Chapter , No . 1017 , and was installed as first M . E . Z . Last year he was re-elected , and still occupies the office .

Consecration Of The Ordnance Lodge, No. 2399.

CONSECRATION OF THE ORDNANCE LODGE , No . 2399 .

Another class lodge has been added to the already rather heavy list of such lodges under the English Constitution , but in the case of the above lodge we have not the slig htest doubt but that its constitution is founded on such an excellent basis that it will become an important factor in the onward march of the Order , which is presided over by the heir to the throne of England , its colonies , and

dependencies . The lodge is intended to meet the requirements of her Majesty ' s Ordnance Store Department . It has a semi-military character , being composed of the officers of the Store Departments of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich , and Staff Sergeants , who are soldiers , and the store holders , clerks , inspectors , viewers , foremen , and others .

The lodge was opened by Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Grand Secretary , assisted by Bros . Dr . C . Egan , M . D ., D . D . G . M . South Africa , as S . W . ; Capt . N . J . Philips , P . G . D ., as J . W . ; Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , P . G . Chap ., as Chap . ; Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., as D . C ; C . Hammerton , P . G . D ., as I . G . ; and H . Sadler , Grand Tyler , as Tyler .

The lodge having been opened in the Three Degrees , the ceremony proceeded , and the Consecrating Officer , in addressing the brethren , said they had met that day on a most interesting and important occasion , and one that he vvas satisfied they were all p leased to take part in , because there were , no doubt , many present who had never before witnessed the ceremony of consecration , and in the next place because they were assisting at the opening of a new lodge which he felt sure

would be an honour to the Craft . They were all aware that Woolwich was a great centre of Masonry . There vvere a great many Masons in the district , and he was pleased to say that they were increasing in numbers every day , and most of them were also aware that there was already a lodge in the district which was especially devoted to the military brethren , and yet good reasons had been shown that there was room for another , and his Royal Highness , the Grand Master ,

being satisfied of the fact , had granted the prayer of the petitioners , and signed the warrant of the lodge . They were there present for the purpose of consecrating the new lodge , and from the Masonic knowledge and skill of the brethren elected to preside over its working he had no doubt that vvith good management it would attain the object of its inception . He strenuously warned them against accepting every candidate proposed ; " quality instead of quantity" should be their object in

admitting candidates , because , although it was an easy thing to admit anyone as a member , it vvas not so easy to get rid of them should they turn out unworthy of the Order . In conclusion , he wished the lodge every success , and trusted it would be built up into a home for Masonry among them , " perfect in its parts , and honourable to the builder . " The CONSECRATING CHAPLAIN then delivered the following

oration—English lodges are multiplying apace and each lodge as it is founded has its special duties and its special opportunities for good . I venture to think that no class of lodge is more important , and that no class of lodge has a wider field for usefulness than a lodge of English soldiers . Two of the main precepts of our Order are obedience and duty , and where should vve find a better home for these principles than in a lodge of English soldiers . Obedience is not a popular virtue . The common teaching of public opinion at

the present moment is that every man is not merely as good but a great deal better than his brother . Treasonable , disloyal , and seditious sentiments often remain unreproved , sometimes are openly encouraged and fostered . We require both in and out of our Order men who vvith all the force of personal example , vvith all the courage of conviction can prove to the world that self discipline and the subordination of self to others is the highest and truest form of human existence . An English soldier ' s whole life

consists in carrying out faithfully , honestly , and minutely vvhat he is told to do , and therefore the English soldier is a real power in history . Our ancient brethren of all grades had in this their strength that they knew what obedience meant , and , therefore , their work has stood , and remains , because each Mason worked in conformity with plans and designs vvhich came to him from his superiors . Duty is a virtue hard to understand , very hard indeed to perform . It means the constant seeking of what is right , not ot what is popular

or pleasant . Duty is not the opposition of self to the world , is not the disregarding of all sound habits and customs , but duty is the simple , unostentatious performance of that which is clearly right . Without delay and all costs . When the correspondence of the late Duke of Wellington vvas first published , more than one foreign critic made independently the remark , that the one word vvhich was of constant recurrence , so constant as to be almost singular , was the word " duty . " They asked what the English meant by that word

it was evidently a something vvhich couldnotbe exactly translated , something peculiar to the English . Both English Masons and English soldiers have borne , and are bearing , their part in making the meaning of the word duty understood throughout the world . Our ancient brethren vvere not merely obedient , but they carried into their work that spirit , that life , that determination to overcome all difficulties , that honesty of purpose and singleness of mind which together make up what vve mean by the word duty . And English soldiers have done the same , and have thus won for themselves the respect of their Queen and

their country . But here , again , the special times bring their own special danger , and to Englishmen of all classes the paid agitator and the professional sedition-monger is at hand vvith his prisonous lies . We need every possible counter force , and I have every confidence that the Ordnance Lodge vvill bear its share in resisting every force and every temptation vvhich would tend to impair or lessen the present high standard vvhich an English Mason and an English soldier fixes as the only possible standard for the duty he owes to his God , his country , and his Oueen .

The grand and impressive ceremony having been successfully carried to an issue , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . CLERKE , acting as Installing Officer , then installed the W . M . designate , Bro . Major De Salis , into the chair of K . S ., where he was duly saluted . He appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . Capt . G . Spinks P . M \ K- \ 6 P . P . G . S . B , I . P . M . ; Col . C . Vansittart , S . W . ; Conductor J . Bilton , J . W . ; Capt . D . Deeves , P . M . 1536 , P . D . G . D . C . NatalTreas . ; Capt . HearnSec ;

, , Capt . Woollett , S . D . ; Sergt .-Major Lee , J . D . ; Conductor Hull y , I . G . ; Sergt . Robertson , P . M ., D . C . ; and Hebin , Howell , and Hirst , Stwds . It is totally unnecessary to say one word as to the splendid , yet impressive manner in vvhich Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke performed both ceremonies , nor of the able assistance rendered him by his colleagues ; suffice it it was to all present an intellectual and grand Masonic treat .

Consecration Of The Ordnance Lodge, No. 2399.

The usual votes of thanks to the Consecrating Officer and his officers having been passed , they were unanimously elected honorary members of the lodge , for which they returned thanks . A number of propositions for joining members and initiates having been proposed , and " Hearty good wishes " tendered , the lodge was closed , and the brethren banqueted in the upper hall of the building , which had been handsomely decorated for the occasion .

Among the other brethren present vvere : Bros . A . N . N . McGachen , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . ( S . C . ) * Col . P . Stirling , P . M ., D . P . G . M . ( S . C . ); C . Coupland , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W ., A . Penfold , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., E . Denton , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., E . Palmer , P . M ., W . Busbridge , S . W ., W . Sanders , J . W ., F . Barry , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . Somerset , A . Moore , andC . W . Cuddington , of 913 ; Capt . W . Weston , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., W . Arnold , P . M ., Capt . J . Scully , P . M ., Treas ., E . Morris

, W . M . elect , and W . Shackleton , of 17 S 9 ; G . Kennedy , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B ., W . Moulds , P . M ., W . Sayle-Edwards , J . W ., J . Whiteheart , J . D ., and C . Warren , of 1536 ; G . W . Mitchell , P . M ., P . G . D . C , J . Aillud , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C , W . Doddrell , P . M ., and W . Keeble , of 615 ; R . J . Warren , P . M , P . P . J . G . D . Essex , S . E . Southgate , W . M ., I . McCollough , S . VV ., G . Taylor , J . W ., J . Warren , P . M . and Sec , ] . Sanderson , P . M , G . W . Miller , P . M ., W . Webber , P . M ., G . Benstead , P . M , G . Tufnell , J . D , G . H .

Nichols , I . G , A . J . Walklin , H . Roberts , and G . Grant , of 700 ; J . Gould , P . M , and R . Brewer , of 17 S 9 ; E . G . Van Tromp , W . M . 9 69 ; G . Kellie , H . Christie , W . M , W . Wharton , S . W , W . Soltaw , J . W , Major Eugene Sweny , P . M . and Treas , and S . Clarke , P . M , of 706 ; G . Davies , P . M , W . Tailbey , P . M ., A . Cleal , P . M , L . Chasteaneuf , S . W , J . Mattey , J . W , A . H . Russell , and W . Hill , of 13 ; Col . Richardson , P . M . 133 ; W . Moulder , P . M , P . P . G . P , and J . Montgomery , of 1926 ; and C . Jolly , P . M . and Sec . 1472 , P . M . and Sec . 21 S 4 , & c .

The names of the founders are as follows .- Bros . De Salis , Spinks , Deeves , Vansittart , Hearn , Woollett , Robertson , Lee , Hully , Hehir , Howell , Baylis , Wheeler , Rose , Page , Ingle , Booth , Mason , Crovvdy , Jones , Tims , Brand , Widgery , King , Dyer , Doddrell , Mark , and Dunstan . The banquet having been enjoyed , the W . M . gave " The Queen and the Craft , " and then that of "H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Grand Master of the Order . " This was followed by " The D . G . M , the Earl of Lathom , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " coupled with the name of

Bro . EGAN , who said he vvas much pleased at the very kind manner in vvhich the toast , coupled vvith his name , had been received . He was a visitor here from the colonies , and wanted to see as much of Masonry as he could while in the Mother Country before he went home . He vvas exceedingly pleased to hear that the W . M . came from the same place that he did , and had been in the same parts of the world as he had . Some 30 years ago the number of Masons in his

district was only 853 , now they had 2399 members , vvhich would show the great strides Masonry had made in South Africa in that time . He was pleased to witness the splendid manner in which the ceremony of consecration had been performed by their esteemed Grand Sec , Bro . Col . Clerke , because it would be a lesson for him whenever he had to do it in his own district . He thanked them cordially for the toast , and would always remember with pleasure the events of that day .

The next toast vvas that of " The Consecrating Officer and his Assistants , " and in putting it the W . M . said he considered that the lodge had been highly honoured in having their Grand Secretary to perform the ceremony of consecration , because not only vvas Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke their Grand Secretary , but he vvas an old soldier , and there were brethren in the room who knew him at Sandhurst and in the West Indies . Then they had present

the Deputy District Grand Master of South Africa , the place where he ( the Worshipful Master ) vvas born . They had also a gallant soldier in Bro . Capt . Philips . Bro . Brownrigg was a Past Grand Chaplain . Bro . Hammerton had honoured them vvith their presence and assistance , and also two Scotch brethren from across the border had lent their presence if not their assistance .

It vvas a great pleasure to meet brethren from so many different p laces . He had once before been a victim—the same as he had that day—having been a founder , and first Master of a lodge at York . He trusted to see their Consecrating Officer , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , many times amongst them , and asked them to drink the toast vvith cheers .

Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , who was received with enthusiasm , thanked the Worshipful Master for the kind way in which he had spoken of him and his assistants . He . was the mouthpiece of his brother Installing Officers , and could assure the Worshipful Master and brethren that the office had been a most pleasant one . It was especially a pleasant duty for him , because , as the W . M . had said , he vvas an old soldier of forty years standing .

Bro . Philips vvas also an old soldier , and at the Alma had bled for his country . He remembered the old Store Department , and was pleased to see it had grown into a great department , and that it now had a lodge at its headquarters . He was rather surprised to hear one of the candidates proposed was from Cairo ; that , he thought , rather a long cable-tow . Well , he vvas g lad to witness and assist at a movement that he believed would have a long and excellent

Masonic existence . He thanked his colleagues for their assistance , one of whom had come so far , for with their help he had been able to carry out the ceremony to their satisfaction . He then proposed the toast of "The W . M , and Success and Prosperity to the Ordnance Lodge . " Their W . M . had had certainly a most unique experience in Masonry , that being the second time he had been , as he called it ,

victim in the cause of the Order . All he ( Bro . Col . Clerke ) could say was " here is a poor and afflicted Mason , who had been through the chair of two new lodges as first Master of each , and yet he is alive . " He congratulated the W . M . upon his opportunities , especially on that of presiding over the latter , which promised to be a most excellent , influential , and flourishing lodge .

The WORSHIPI-UL MASTER , in response , said that he was in some trep idation that afternoon at the prospect of meeting their Grand Secretary . They me ' gentlemen in blue , very dark blue , every day , but they did not have the Grand Secretary with them every day to keep them in order , and so , when he knew he had to meet him it put his heart into his mouth , but not for long ; the courtesy and geniality of Bro . Col . Clerke soon put him at his ease . Now , with regard to the Ordnance Department , it was one of the oldest in the service , and he had often

expressed his astonishment that it had not a lodge of its own . They had one now , and he gave the thanks of the lodge and the whole credit of the undertal < |> to Bro . Capt . Hearn , who should have been in his , the W . M . ' s , p lace , if be n * had his due . He wished the brethren ofthe lodge whenever they went abroa ^ to speak of the lodge and assure their Masonic brethren who mi g ht be com ' j * home that they would receive a hearty greeting at the Ordnance Lodge at Woo . ' wich , and concluded by thanking them from the bottom of his heart for tliel kindness to him that day . . ,

Bros . STIRLING and PENI- ' OLD responded for "The Visitors" ( proposed > Bro . SPINKS ) . '•' The next toast proposed was "The Secretary and Treasurer , " the latter , bro * DEEVES , speaking of his speedy departure to Natal with mingled feelings of P lire and pain , pain at parting with such excellent companions and comrades , and P ^ ^ , at the prospect of renewing many happy acquaintances in Masonry a' ^ A ' lJ He should never forget his friends and the brethren of that district , and sho always remember that day with pleasure

. „ ., The next toast was that of " The Officers , " which was responded to by ° < ° ' VANSITTART and BILTON . „ ,, _ toasts

"The Masonic Press" followed , and several other personal honoured . ,. Bro . H . Roberts , 700 , presided at the piano , and conducted the musical p ° r [( , of the service well , for which he was accorded a vote of thanks ; and the 1 affair was a great success .