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Article Jamaica. ← Page 2 of 2 Article CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL LODGE, No. 1839. Page 1 of 2 Article CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL LODGE, No. 1839. Page 1 of 2 Article CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL LODGE, No. 1839. Page 1 of 2 →
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Jamaica.
entirely formed from brethren connected with H . M . Naval Department , and their positions are as follows : —Wor . Bro . John Tyndall , Surgeon H . M . R . N . Hospital ; Bros . M . C . H . Hastings , Lieutenant H . M . Sur . Schr . " Sparrow
Hawk ; " J . Feesy , Clerk , R . N . Hospital ; E . Anderson , Chief Clerk , H . M . Dockyard ; A . Duffus , Dispenser , R . N . ; W . Organ , Master Carpenter , H . M . Dockyard ; M . H . Smyth , Lieut ., H . M . Sur . Schr . " Sparrow Hawk ;" J . Wenman , Warrant Officer , H . M . S . " Urgent ; " W . B . Hannan , Warrant Officer , H . M . S . " Urgent , " ( retired ) .
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL LODGE , No . 1839 .
The Duke of Cornwall Lodge , No . 1 S 39 , was consecrated last Saturday at Freemasons' Hall by Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . D ., who was assisted by Bros . Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D ., as S . W . ; Hugh D . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , as J . W . ; Past Grand lain
Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , Chap , as Chapiain ; Frank Richardson , Past Grand Steward , as D . of C . ; T . C . Walls , Past Prov . Grand Org . Middlesex , as l . G ; and several other brethren , among whom were Bros " J . W . Brooke , T . C . Corpe , W . Gibson Bott , J . W . Dewsnap , Henry Cruse , George B . Smith , jun ., Alfred Stokes , G . F . Smith , J . C . Wilkins , Adolph Baumann , Rev . S . B .
Harris , P . M . 538 ; J . T . Calkin , 5 86 ; James Dann , P . M . 72 ; J . Shirley Hodson , 1706 ; John P . Sadler , 1670 ; Henry Gadsby , 1706 ; G . M . A . Low , S . D . 158 9 ; F . H . Gruggen , 1670 ; H .-Sadler , G . Tyler ; and H . Massey , P . M . 619 ( Freemason ) . After the lodge had been opened in the Three Degrees , Bro . Col . Shadwell Clerke said : Brethren , we have met
here to-day for a very important purpose , viz ., to add one more unit to the number of the great family of Masonic lodges in England—a lodge which has been honoured in being permitted to bear one of the titles of our Grand Master , His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . I fed suie that the founders will feel greatly the honour thus conferred on them , and I hope , and fully believe , from
what I have heard of the high character of the Master designate and the founders of the lodge , that they will so conduct this lodge in every respect as never to give His Royal Highness cause to regret having given permission to the lodge to use his name . The usual ceremonies were then gone through , and the following oration was then delivered by the Rev . J . S .
Brownrigg , Past Grand Chaplain , who said : Brethren , "In all labour there is profit . " "Whatsoever thy hand fin-Jetti to do , do it with thy might . " So does God teach us by the words of our Grand Master Solomon , and how well did our ancient brethren follow this teaching . Whatsoever they did they did it as well as they could . They laboured for God's honour and God ' s glory , not simply for
man s wages , and they thought nothing too good for God . Their heart was in their work ; their principle was to do everything well , whether they got the credit for it or not . Every stone they laid was a practical sermon on the words I have quoted to you . Look at the buildings of our ancient fraternity and you will see a careful attention to every detail of the work—Work that was out of sight or
far removed from the eye was not scamped and hunied over . Every colour was chosen with care , every ornament was in harmony , every man had his work . Some , were hewing the timber in such forests as Lebanon , or moulding the brass vessels in such places as the clay ground between Zuccoth and Zarthan . Some were employed on the rough ashlar , others in finishing the exquisite tracery
of the stone work—all , from the lowest to the highes-t , with their heart in the work , whatever it way , all endeavouring to do what they did do to the very best of their power ; all labouiing in obedience to the mind and direction of the architect . And what is the result ? We see it in those buildings of our ancient fraternity which time has spared to us . There is a something about these works ,
a something more than the mere charm of antiquity , which speaks to our inmost heart of God . We feel that the house has been built for Him . Oh I what a contrast here to the noisy , glaring , garish temples which the world builds for her business or her pleasures . The work has grown beautiful and solemn under the hands of Craftsmen who worked for God , and it bears in every part the
memorial of their high religious principle . The idle , selfish , unprincipled Craftsmen would not do such work . Wh y is it so difficult now-a-days to produce this " feeling " in our works ? We can get the money , the stone , the wood , all that our ancient brethren had . We have many advantages which they had not , the appliances of modern skill and science . Yes , we ought to do better than they did
, but we do not , as a rule , do as well . Why ? Is it not because we cannot get the old workmen whose heaits were in their work , and who worked not only for their wages but also chiefly for God ' s honour and glory ? But we meet to-day not as operative but as speculative , or free and accepted , Matrons . Let us apply these lessons which we learn from the work of our ancient brethren to our morals .
We have met together to-day , men of different professions , different tastes , different positions in life . Are we each of us carrying into our everyday life these principles , to do everything as well as we can , and everything not for self but for God ? I think these are the principles which every ceremony of our lodge does try to impress upon our minds . I here is nothing against which true Masonry sets her face
so sternl y as against idleness , selfishness , or the want of a right purpose in life . The man who values every day merel y j n proportion to the pleasures and amusements it D"ngs ; the man who cares tnly to please self ; and , above all , the man who has not a high religious principle , independent of Masonry—all these f untrue and nunworthy members of our Craft . My kn tJ ° f lhe Duke ot Cornwa " Lodge » when any one nocks at the door of your lodge for admittance , ask your-
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
selves the question—Is he a man who is doing honestly as well as he can the work , whatever it may be , which God has set him to do in this life ? And do not let him as a candidate ever pass that threshold unless you can answer this question satisfactorily . There is a need to be on our guard . We are living in times when Masonry is fashionable . Fashion brings to our doors men to whom
our Order can be only an empty form . Surely it is well then to be careful ; and will not this care have this real practical effect for good ? If the idler—the coarse , sensual liver—and the-profane find our doors closed against them , may it not be one means of bringing some of them to think " for what end was I made ? " and so cause , at all events , some of them , having found the true answer , to
return after a while and knock a second time , when we shall be able conscientiously to receive them . But we must watch ourselves as well as the candidates , and humbly endeavour to keep true to our principles . It is very easy to drift into a purposeless life ; it is very hard to be always at labour . And yet , my brethren , in one sense all life , even the hour of recreation , is labour—a
labour in all things to show forth God ' s honour and glory , to watch against anything which may dishonour Him . From this labour there will be no cessation until we hear those words " Well done , thou good and faithful servant , enter thou into the joy of thy Lord "—that joy to which alone those who here are not weary in well doing will be admitted—that joy which is itself the blessed work of
ever doing God's will where sin will have no place . At the conclusion of this oration Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke proceeded with the consecration of the lodge , and when this had been completed the Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg left for Newport Pagnell , where his ministerial duties for next day were numerous . Lieut .-Col . Clerke then installed Bro . Joseph Woolley , W . M .
designate , in the chair of the lodge , and the following brethren were invested with the collars of their respective offices : Bros . Charles T . Corpe , S . W . ; Dr . W . Gibson Bott , J . W . ; J . W . Dewsnap , Treas . ; Henry Crase , Sec . ; George F . Smith , jun ., S . D . ; Alfred Stokes , J . D . ; George F . Smith , sen ., D . C . ; J . C . Wilkins , l . G . ; Adolph Baumann , Std . ; and Goddard , Tyler .
Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke afterwards delivered the addresses , and a Committee was then appointed to frame and consider the bye-laws of the lodge . On the motion of the S . W ., seconded by the J . W ., the thanks of the lodge were voted to Bros . Lieut .-Col . Clerke , Capt . Philips , Hugh Sandeman , Rev . J . ftudholme Brownrigg , and Frank Richardson for their able services in the
ceremony of consecration and installation , and these brethren , as well as Col . Du Plat , were elected honorary members of the lodge . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke acknowledged the compliment on behalf of himself and the other Consecrating Officers , and expressed the pleasure it had given all of them to be instrumental in launching the Duke of
Cornwall Lodge , which they hoped they would avail themselves of the opportunity of visiting on more than one occasion . Letters of apology for inability to attend were read by the Secretary from Bros . General Brownrigg , Prov . G . M . for Surrey ; Malony , P . M . 25 ; Col . Du Plat , and Maybrick , 170 C . A list of names for initiation and joining was then read , and the lodge being afterwards closed , the
brethren afterwards adjourned to Freemasons' Tavern , where a choice banquet , provided by Bro . Best and superintended by Bro . Dawkins , was partaken of . At the subsequent proposing of the toasts of the evening , the W . M ., in givin g the toast of " The Q . ueen and the Craft , " said the Master of a new lodge when he rose for the first time in his lodge always proposed one toast . It
was the custom in all countries speaking the English language that the toast of " The Queen " should take precedence of all others , and it was not the custom in Masonic lodges to do otherwise . But Masons coupled with it " The Craft , " because every man who was a good Mason was supposed to be a loyal subject . In proposing " The M . W . G . M ., " he said that Masons were proud to
have the heir apparent to the throne of Old England at their head , and a better Grand Master he thought could not be found . The brethren of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge required no proof of the interest His Royal Highness took in Freemasonry , as he ( the W . M . ) held in his hand the warrant of the lodge , signed with His Royal Highncss ' s own hand .
In proposing "The Pro Grand Master , & c , " the W . M . said that whilst such men were at the helm of the jolly good barque of Freemasonry as Lords Carnarvon and Skelmersdale , assisted by such Grand Officers as were present that evening , the barque would be safely steered through every storm , and be able to avoid every quicksand such as the Grand Orient of France had drifted on .
Bro . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , replied , and said that to every Grand Officer it was a matter of very great interest to be present at so important an event as the consecration of a new lodge . He had been looking forward to that evening for a considerable time . He believed there was only one other lodge bearing the same name as the lodge that had just been dedicated ,
and he and the other Grand Officers heartily wished it might live and prosper to a good old age . The family ol English lodges was getting very large , and if any Mason twenty-five years ago had ventured to say that at a future time there would be 1839 lodges on the roll , he would have been looked upon as a Masonic optimist . There was no doubt that America and England , the two great
English-speaking countries of the world , were masters of the position as ri'gardcd Freemasonry—it was only in America , England , and the colonies that Masonry really flourished , not as a political engine working against the good of the State , as , alas , it was in so many continental countries , but a strong political power to uphold the government , because although Masons were told that they must not speak politics in lodge , yet Masons
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
like other men had their politics ; , which were to uphold the civil magistrate , to support the law of the land , and to maintain the principles < f their Order at any cost to themselves . If they acted fully up to their prof ssion they should set an example to the whole world , and show how men of cultivation , education , and science , men of every position , rank , and scale in society , knew how to honour
God and their Sovereign ; and it was for this reason that the English lodges were the envy and wonder of all continental Masons , who could not boast the same thing . Foreign lodges were merely political engines , sometimes for good , and sometimes for evil . Bro . Sandeman concluded by thanking the brethren for the toast , and for the hearty reception that had been given to the Grand Officers .
The W . M ., in proposing " The Consecrating Officer , Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . D ., " said he was sure all the brethren , as well as himself , had been deeply interested in the ceremony , and were delighted with the ready and excellent way in which the work had been performed . The brethren ' s very best thanks were due to Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , for so kindly attending and
performing the ceremonies of consecration and installation , and he ( the W . M . ) felt he could not sufficiently express all he would like to say of him in recommending this tcast to the brethren . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , in reply , said it afforded him very great pleasure when the W . M . wrote to him to perform the ceremony of the dav , to be able to accept the
invitation . It must be to any Mason who had the interests of the Order at heart a deeply gratifying feeling to be able to perform duties which would further the interests of the Order . He need not remind the brethren that consecrating a lodge was a very important and useful ceremony , and when he was asked to attend and officiate he did so with great pleasure and readiness . From what he knew
of the brethren who formed the Duke of Cornwall Lodge he felt certain that it would not disgrace the Order . He was afraid there was at the present day too great a desire and too great a temptation among the lodges to press matters to extremes in vieing with each other as to the number of initiates they made , in fact , entirely forgetting the principle to obtain quality
in striving to obtain quantity . He was , therefore , pleased to learn from the W . M . that that would not be the principle of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , but that they meant to go quietly and slowly , but surely , ahead . If they would only take a candidate now and then , when they were sure he was a good man and true , they would get on . They had frequently been told that it was very easy to get
an undesirable member into a lodge , but it was uncommonly hard to get rid of him afterwards . Therefore , they might depend upon it that the principle which he ( Bro . Lieut .-Col . Clerke ) advocated was the best . Do not try to make the lodge too large , as some were , in which there was such a mass of brethren that there was very little chance of a man getting into the chair . He was sorry
that some of his colleagues were unavoidably obliged to leave before the banquet . The eloquent brother , the Chap-Iain , who had so delighted them with his oration , lived a long way off , and he had four services to perform the next day , and , therefore , his presence in his parish was necessary . A severe domestic bereavement rendered it impossible for Captain Philips at present to stop to banquets after
Masonic work ; and Bro . Frank Richardson had a long standing engagement which had compelled him to leave when the lodge work was over . He mentioned these facts to show to the brethren that it was not through any lack of respect to the lodge that so many of the brethren who were at the consecration were not at a banquet . Their hearts , however , were with the brethren , and they felt the
honour conferred upon them in being asked to assist in performing the ceremonies . Like himself , they took great interest in the future welfare of the lodge . With respect to himself , he felt very grateful for the honour conferred on him , and as long as he lived he should watch the career of the lodge most carefully and with a very great deal cf interest . Before sitting down he would ask the brethren
to join him in drinking " The Health of the W . M . " Bro . Brooke had not long been a Mason , but he was a brother who had the interests of Masonry very dearly at heart , and from what the brethren had seen that night when he invested his officers they mig ht be sure he would do his work well . He ( Lieut .-Col . Shadwell Clerke ) had frequentlyseen Masters appoint and invest their officers , but he most
candidly confessed that he never had seen a Master deliver the charges to his officers so fluently and perfectly . Ex uno disce omnes ; and the brethren might , therefore , rely upon it the W . M . would do all the other work required of him in an equally efficient manner . The W . M . meant to do uncommonly well , and the brethren were very fortunate in having a brother like the W . M . to preside over
them . He was very keen , and in a long correspondence he had upon the subject of the lodge on various points , he displayed an immense amount of keenness . That was a great point , and the brethren were extremly fortunate in having secured Bro . Brooke for the first W . M . of the Duke of Cornwall lodge . The W . M ., in reply , said the most disagreeable pait
of his duties , the speaking about himself , now devolved upon him , and consequently if he should get throu gh it as quickly as possible the brethren would not blame him . In the first place he felt deeply indebted to the brethren for drinking the toast so ci thusiastically , especially to Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , for the kind and flattering manner in which he had proposed it . As the first W . M .
of the lodge to which the brethren bad been kind enough to recommend him , it was his wish and desire to render the Duke of Cornwall Lodge all that Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had said for it . They intended to be very careful whom they admitted to their ranks and would not admit any one hastily . Their lodge had the title of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , and they owed it to the Grand Master to make the lodge worthy of the name . He asked
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Jamaica.
entirely formed from brethren connected with H . M . Naval Department , and their positions are as follows : —Wor . Bro . John Tyndall , Surgeon H . M . R . N . Hospital ; Bros . M . C . H . Hastings , Lieutenant H . M . Sur . Schr . " Sparrow
Hawk ; " J . Feesy , Clerk , R . N . Hospital ; E . Anderson , Chief Clerk , H . M . Dockyard ; A . Duffus , Dispenser , R . N . ; W . Organ , Master Carpenter , H . M . Dockyard ; M . H . Smyth , Lieut ., H . M . Sur . Schr . " Sparrow Hawk ;" J . Wenman , Warrant Officer , H . M . S . " Urgent ; " W . B . Hannan , Warrant Officer , H . M . S . " Urgent , " ( retired ) .
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF CORNWALL LODGE , No . 1839 .
The Duke of Cornwall Lodge , No . 1 S 39 , was consecrated last Saturday at Freemasons' Hall by Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . D ., who was assisted by Bros . Capt . N . G . Philips , P . G . D ., as S . W . ; Hugh D . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , as J . W . ; Past Grand lain
Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , Chap , as Chapiain ; Frank Richardson , Past Grand Steward , as D . of C . ; T . C . Walls , Past Prov . Grand Org . Middlesex , as l . G ; and several other brethren , among whom were Bros " J . W . Brooke , T . C . Corpe , W . Gibson Bott , J . W . Dewsnap , Henry Cruse , George B . Smith , jun ., Alfred Stokes , G . F . Smith , J . C . Wilkins , Adolph Baumann , Rev . S . B .
Harris , P . M . 538 ; J . T . Calkin , 5 86 ; James Dann , P . M . 72 ; J . Shirley Hodson , 1706 ; John P . Sadler , 1670 ; Henry Gadsby , 1706 ; G . M . A . Low , S . D . 158 9 ; F . H . Gruggen , 1670 ; H .-Sadler , G . Tyler ; and H . Massey , P . M . 619 ( Freemason ) . After the lodge had been opened in the Three Degrees , Bro . Col . Shadwell Clerke said : Brethren , we have met
here to-day for a very important purpose , viz ., to add one more unit to the number of the great family of Masonic lodges in England—a lodge which has been honoured in being permitted to bear one of the titles of our Grand Master , His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . I fed suie that the founders will feel greatly the honour thus conferred on them , and I hope , and fully believe , from
what I have heard of the high character of the Master designate and the founders of the lodge , that they will so conduct this lodge in every respect as never to give His Royal Highness cause to regret having given permission to the lodge to use his name . The usual ceremonies were then gone through , and the following oration was then delivered by the Rev . J . S .
Brownrigg , Past Grand Chaplain , who said : Brethren , "In all labour there is profit . " "Whatsoever thy hand fin-Jetti to do , do it with thy might . " So does God teach us by the words of our Grand Master Solomon , and how well did our ancient brethren follow this teaching . Whatsoever they did they did it as well as they could . They laboured for God's honour and God ' s glory , not simply for
man s wages , and they thought nothing too good for God . Their heart was in their work ; their principle was to do everything well , whether they got the credit for it or not . Every stone they laid was a practical sermon on the words I have quoted to you . Look at the buildings of our ancient fraternity and you will see a careful attention to every detail of the work—Work that was out of sight or
far removed from the eye was not scamped and hunied over . Every colour was chosen with care , every ornament was in harmony , every man had his work . Some , were hewing the timber in such forests as Lebanon , or moulding the brass vessels in such places as the clay ground between Zuccoth and Zarthan . Some were employed on the rough ashlar , others in finishing the exquisite tracery
of the stone work—all , from the lowest to the highes-t , with their heart in the work , whatever it way , all endeavouring to do what they did do to the very best of their power ; all labouiing in obedience to the mind and direction of the architect . And what is the result ? We see it in those buildings of our ancient fraternity which time has spared to us . There is a something about these works ,
a something more than the mere charm of antiquity , which speaks to our inmost heart of God . We feel that the house has been built for Him . Oh I what a contrast here to the noisy , glaring , garish temples which the world builds for her business or her pleasures . The work has grown beautiful and solemn under the hands of Craftsmen who worked for God , and it bears in every part the
memorial of their high religious principle . The idle , selfish , unprincipled Craftsmen would not do such work . Wh y is it so difficult now-a-days to produce this " feeling " in our works ? We can get the money , the stone , the wood , all that our ancient brethren had . We have many advantages which they had not , the appliances of modern skill and science . Yes , we ought to do better than they did
, but we do not , as a rule , do as well . Why ? Is it not because we cannot get the old workmen whose heaits were in their work , and who worked not only for their wages but also chiefly for God ' s honour and glory ? But we meet to-day not as operative but as speculative , or free and accepted , Matrons . Let us apply these lessons which we learn from the work of our ancient brethren to our morals .
We have met together to-day , men of different professions , different tastes , different positions in life . Are we each of us carrying into our everyday life these principles , to do everything as well as we can , and everything not for self but for God ? I think these are the principles which every ceremony of our lodge does try to impress upon our minds . I here is nothing against which true Masonry sets her face
so sternl y as against idleness , selfishness , or the want of a right purpose in life . The man who values every day merel y j n proportion to the pleasures and amusements it D"ngs ; the man who cares tnly to please self ; and , above all , the man who has not a high religious principle , independent of Masonry—all these f untrue and nunworthy members of our Craft . My kn tJ ° f lhe Duke ot Cornwa " Lodge » when any one nocks at the door of your lodge for admittance , ask your-
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
selves the question—Is he a man who is doing honestly as well as he can the work , whatever it may be , which God has set him to do in this life ? And do not let him as a candidate ever pass that threshold unless you can answer this question satisfactorily . There is a need to be on our guard . We are living in times when Masonry is fashionable . Fashion brings to our doors men to whom
our Order can be only an empty form . Surely it is well then to be careful ; and will not this care have this real practical effect for good ? If the idler—the coarse , sensual liver—and the-profane find our doors closed against them , may it not be one means of bringing some of them to think " for what end was I made ? " and so cause , at all events , some of them , having found the true answer , to
return after a while and knock a second time , when we shall be able conscientiously to receive them . But we must watch ourselves as well as the candidates , and humbly endeavour to keep true to our principles . It is very easy to drift into a purposeless life ; it is very hard to be always at labour . And yet , my brethren , in one sense all life , even the hour of recreation , is labour—a
labour in all things to show forth God ' s honour and glory , to watch against anything which may dishonour Him . From this labour there will be no cessation until we hear those words " Well done , thou good and faithful servant , enter thou into the joy of thy Lord "—that joy to which alone those who here are not weary in well doing will be admitted—that joy which is itself the blessed work of
ever doing God's will where sin will have no place . At the conclusion of this oration Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke proceeded with the consecration of the lodge , and when this had been completed the Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg left for Newport Pagnell , where his ministerial duties for next day were numerous . Lieut .-Col . Clerke then installed Bro . Joseph Woolley , W . M .
designate , in the chair of the lodge , and the following brethren were invested with the collars of their respective offices : Bros . Charles T . Corpe , S . W . ; Dr . W . Gibson Bott , J . W . ; J . W . Dewsnap , Treas . ; Henry Crase , Sec . ; George F . Smith , jun ., S . D . ; Alfred Stokes , J . D . ; George F . Smith , sen ., D . C . ; J . C . Wilkins , l . G . ; Adolph Baumann , Std . ; and Goddard , Tyler .
Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke afterwards delivered the addresses , and a Committee was then appointed to frame and consider the bye-laws of the lodge . On the motion of the S . W ., seconded by the J . W ., the thanks of the lodge were voted to Bros . Lieut .-Col . Clerke , Capt . Philips , Hugh Sandeman , Rev . J . ftudholme Brownrigg , and Frank Richardson for their able services in the
ceremony of consecration and installation , and these brethren , as well as Col . Du Plat , were elected honorary members of the lodge . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke acknowledged the compliment on behalf of himself and the other Consecrating Officers , and expressed the pleasure it had given all of them to be instrumental in launching the Duke of
Cornwall Lodge , which they hoped they would avail themselves of the opportunity of visiting on more than one occasion . Letters of apology for inability to attend were read by the Secretary from Bros . General Brownrigg , Prov . G . M . for Surrey ; Malony , P . M . 25 ; Col . Du Plat , and Maybrick , 170 C . A list of names for initiation and joining was then read , and the lodge being afterwards closed , the
brethren afterwards adjourned to Freemasons' Tavern , where a choice banquet , provided by Bro . Best and superintended by Bro . Dawkins , was partaken of . At the subsequent proposing of the toasts of the evening , the W . M ., in givin g the toast of " The Q . ueen and the Craft , " said the Master of a new lodge when he rose for the first time in his lodge always proposed one toast . It
was the custom in all countries speaking the English language that the toast of " The Queen " should take precedence of all others , and it was not the custom in Masonic lodges to do otherwise . But Masons coupled with it " The Craft , " because every man who was a good Mason was supposed to be a loyal subject . In proposing " The M . W . G . M ., " he said that Masons were proud to
have the heir apparent to the throne of Old England at their head , and a better Grand Master he thought could not be found . The brethren of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge required no proof of the interest His Royal Highness took in Freemasonry , as he ( the W . M . ) held in his hand the warrant of the lodge , signed with His Royal Highncss ' s own hand .
In proposing "The Pro Grand Master , & c , " the W . M . said that whilst such men were at the helm of the jolly good barque of Freemasonry as Lords Carnarvon and Skelmersdale , assisted by such Grand Officers as were present that evening , the barque would be safely steered through every storm , and be able to avoid every quicksand such as the Grand Orient of France had drifted on .
Bro . Sandeman , Past District Grand Master of Bengal , replied , and said that to every Grand Officer it was a matter of very great interest to be present at so important an event as the consecration of a new lodge . He had been looking forward to that evening for a considerable time . He believed there was only one other lodge bearing the same name as the lodge that had just been dedicated ,
and he and the other Grand Officers heartily wished it might live and prosper to a good old age . The family ol English lodges was getting very large , and if any Mason twenty-five years ago had ventured to say that at a future time there would be 1839 lodges on the roll , he would have been looked upon as a Masonic optimist . There was no doubt that America and England , the two great
English-speaking countries of the world , were masters of the position as ri'gardcd Freemasonry—it was only in America , England , and the colonies that Masonry really flourished , not as a political engine working against the good of the State , as , alas , it was in so many continental countries , but a strong political power to uphold the government , because although Masons were told that they must not speak politics in lodge , yet Masons
Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Lodge, No. 1839.
like other men had their politics ; , which were to uphold the civil magistrate , to support the law of the land , and to maintain the principles < f their Order at any cost to themselves . If they acted fully up to their prof ssion they should set an example to the whole world , and show how men of cultivation , education , and science , men of every position , rank , and scale in society , knew how to honour
God and their Sovereign ; and it was for this reason that the English lodges were the envy and wonder of all continental Masons , who could not boast the same thing . Foreign lodges were merely political engines , sometimes for good , and sometimes for evil . Bro . Sandeman concluded by thanking the brethren for the toast , and for the hearty reception that had been given to the Grand Officers .
The W . M ., in proposing " The Consecrating Officer , Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . D ., " said he was sure all the brethren , as well as himself , had been deeply interested in the ceremony , and were delighted with the ready and excellent way in which the work had been performed . The brethren ' s very best thanks were due to Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , for so kindly attending and
performing the ceremonies of consecration and installation , and he ( the W . M . ) felt he could not sufficiently express all he would like to say of him in recommending this tcast to the brethren . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , in reply , said it afforded him very great pleasure when the W . M . wrote to him to perform the ceremony of the dav , to be able to accept the
invitation . It must be to any Mason who had the interests of the Order at heart a deeply gratifying feeling to be able to perform duties which would further the interests of the Order . He need not remind the brethren that consecrating a lodge was a very important and useful ceremony , and when he was asked to attend and officiate he did so with great pleasure and readiness . From what he knew
of the brethren who formed the Duke of Cornwall Lodge he felt certain that it would not disgrace the Order . He was afraid there was at the present day too great a desire and too great a temptation among the lodges to press matters to extremes in vieing with each other as to the number of initiates they made , in fact , entirely forgetting the principle to obtain quality
in striving to obtain quantity . He was , therefore , pleased to learn from the W . M . that that would not be the principle of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , but that they meant to go quietly and slowly , but surely , ahead . If they would only take a candidate now and then , when they were sure he was a good man and true , they would get on . They had frequently been told that it was very easy to get
an undesirable member into a lodge , but it was uncommonly hard to get rid of him afterwards . Therefore , they might depend upon it that the principle which he ( Bro . Lieut .-Col . Clerke ) advocated was the best . Do not try to make the lodge too large , as some were , in which there was such a mass of brethren that there was very little chance of a man getting into the chair . He was sorry
that some of his colleagues were unavoidably obliged to leave before the banquet . The eloquent brother , the Chap-Iain , who had so delighted them with his oration , lived a long way off , and he had four services to perform the next day , and , therefore , his presence in his parish was necessary . A severe domestic bereavement rendered it impossible for Captain Philips at present to stop to banquets after
Masonic work ; and Bro . Frank Richardson had a long standing engagement which had compelled him to leave when the lodge work was over . He mentioned these facts to show to the brethren that it was not through any lack of respect to the lodge that so many of the brethren who were at the consecration were not at a banquet . Their hearts , however , were with the brethren , and they felt the
honour conferred upon them in being asked to assist in performing the ceremonies . Like himself , they took great interest in the future welfare of the lodge . With respect to himself , he felt very grateful for the honour conferred on him , and as long as he lived he should watch the career of the lodge most carefully and with a very great deal cf interest . Before sitting down he would ask the brethren
to join him in drinking " The Health of the W . M . " Bro . Brooke had not long been a Mason , but he was a brother who had the interests of Masonry very dearly at heart , and from what the brethren had seen that night when he invested his officers they mig ht be sure he would do his work well . He ( Lieut .-Col . Shadwell Clerke ) had frequentlyseen Masters appoint and invest their officers , but he most
candidly confessed that he never had seen a Master deliver the charges to his officers so fluently and perfectly . Ex uno disce omnes ; and the brethren might , therefore , rely upon it the W . M . would do all the other work required of him in an equally efficient manner . The W . M . meant to do uncommonly well , and the brethren were very fortunate in having a brother like the W . M . to preside over
them . He was very keen , and in a long correspondence he had upon the subject of the lodge on various points , he displayed an immense amount of keenness . That was a great point , and the brethren were extremly fortunate in having secured Bro . Brooke for the first W . M . of the Duke of Cornwall lodge . The W . M ., in reply , said the most disagreeable pait
of his duties , the speaking about himself , now devolved upon him , and consequently if he should get throu gh it as quickly as possible the brethren would not blame him . In the first place he felt deeply indebted to the brethren for drinking the toast so ci thusiastically , especially to Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , for the kind and flattering manner in which he had proposed it . As the first W . M .
of the lodge to which the brethren bad been kind enough to recommend him , it was his wish and desire to render the Duke of Cornwall Lodge all that Bro . Lieut .-Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had said for it . They intended to be very careful whom they admitted to their ranks and would not admit any one hastily . Their lodge had the title of the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , and they owed it to the Grand Master to make the lodge worthy of the name . He asked