The Columbia Lodge, No. 2397.

THE COLUMBIA LODGE , No . 2397 .

V f another lodge is to be added to the roll on Th rsday , the 19 th inst ., in the form of a duplicate of h " enormously successful Anglo-American . The new " projected sort ot lement to

•J u been as a supp h Matter and its meetings are to be held in the off ths when many American visitors will be passing throug h London , and when , as at present arranged , fh e is no regular Masonic home meeting for their

reception . In the foundation of the lodge Bros . Brackstone Raker Major George Lambert , Adolphus Clark , W . M Bywater , E . Jessurun , Cuming , Dr . Wedgewood . and anv other well-known Masons are prominent , and in " wiring Bro . Clark as their first W . M ., Bro . Colonel

North for their first S . W ., and Bro . A . Cook ( Mayor of Leeds ) for their first J . W ., we feel sure a good start is ensured . There is one American brother in London without whom no semi-American lodge is perfect , and this lodge has secured him—Bro . Cuming—as its

Treasurer . We are not at present able to give a list of the whole of the officers designate , but we feel satisfied that the wealth and talent available among the Anglo-American community in London is ample to justify us in our prediction of a bright future for this lodge . It

has been suggested that the members elected shall be alternately English and American . This , if carried out seems to us a happy idea , and one likely to give great satisfaction to all concerned . The ceremony of consecration will be undertaken by Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , the Grand Secretary , and we feel assured that the day may be marked with

a red letter in Masonic calendars on both sides of the water . If we add that the Cafe Royal , Regent-street , is to be the home of the lodge , we have said enough to show that comfort and hospitality will be conspicuously present . The Secretary pro tern , is Bro . W . J . Spratling , 74 , Wickham-road , Brockley , S . E ., who will be glad to furnish further information .

Philanthropic Lodge, No. 304.— Memorial Service.

PHILANTHROPIC LODGE , No . 304 . — MEMORIAL SERVICE .

Owing to the death of Bro . Craig , P . M ., P . P . G . D ., taking place while on a visit to his friends , and far from Leeds , and none of his brethren being able , owing to time and distance , to attend his funeral , it was decided to hold a lodge of emergency for the purpose of having a memorial service , to which all the Masons resident in Leeds were invited .

The lodge of emergency was opened b y the W . M ., Bro . J . W . Booth , in the presence of Bros . Chas . Normanton , S . W . ; Chas . Crozsdale , J . W . ; C Letch Mason , P . M ., Treas . ; J . Rickard , P . M . ; F . H . Lawson , I . P . M . ; T . Myer , P . M . ; J . Yates , P . M . ; W . F . Tomlinson , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C ; S . T . Oates , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C ; James Bedford , P . P . G . D . ; W . H . Hewson , P . M . ; J . Beaumont ,

Sec . ; G . Hamsworth , L . Kettlewell , E . White , W . Neill , F . H . Lawson , jun ., Wm . Brownridge , S . Barrand , Tyler ; H . Smith , P . M . 302 , D . P . G . M . ; D . R . Glover , P . M . 2 S 9 , P . P . G . D . ; T . Dodds ; J . C . Malcolm , P . M ., W . M . 306 , P . P . G . R . ; J . Threppleton , P . M . 306 ; S . T . Simpkin , 306 ; C . Fenton , 306 ; F . J . Blackburn , P . M . 306 ; W . Flockton , P . M . 1042 ; R . Thompson , P . M . 1042 , Prov . G .

Steward ; T . Thorp , S . W . 1042 ; A . Atkinson , S . D . 1042 ; G . Heathwaite , 1042 ; H . Bank , 1043 ; R . Waide , 1042 ; A . Dongill , 1042 ; A . T . Dobson , 1042 ; Wm . Smith , P . M . 1211 ; C . Scriven , P . M . 1211 ; Rev . T . E . Jameson , 1211 ; A . S . Bacon , 1211 : C . B . Inman , 1211 ;

lorn Tomlinson , P . M . 1221 ; R . Lucas , P . M . 1221 ; Jos . Millmgton , J . D . 1221 ; S . W . Cliff , l . G . 1221 ; T . C lurner , 1221 ; T . S . Usher , 1221 ; G . Whitaker , 1221 ; VV . W . Clayton , W . M . 1311 ; J . J . Fretwell , W . M . 2 of 3 gi U Middleton , P . M . 206 9 ; Tudor Trevor , P . M . 2069 ; and others .

W •^ . ' consisted of prayer and a portion of Holy Writ , which were very solemnly and appropriately rendered by aro . Jost Rickard . P . M . The following hymns were sung : " O God our help in ages past , " " Lead kindly light amid the encircling gloom , " " Brief life is here our porri , ?" , " Abide with me fast falls the eventide . " I he following address was sriven bv Bro . W . F . T

011-i-ixsox , P . P . G . D . C : W . M . and Brethren , —As we were not permitted to join in the obsequies of our dear departed Mother ( owing to his death having taken place at a great instance from Leeds ) , and thereby be enabled to show our appreciation of his beautiful and blameless life , we turn uur thoughts to that quiet country churchyard which now domains all that is mortal of Robert Craisr . but . brethren .

we sorrow not as those without hope . " Our hearts are ¦^ stained by the assurance that his flesh shall there rest in Ptl 6 * ,., certain hope of a joyful resurrection unto eternal hfe . "Our loss is his infinite gain . " Yv " ! ° ff' who can estimate it ? It is irreparable . ve ot the Philanthropic Lodge shall miss his kindly genial mitte ^ T g u , ar meetings , and at the Hall C om-: J ~; the young rising Masons of this great and Portant town

will miss his patient painstaking training in |" un . "l ue and beautilul ritual of our Order ; his tact very arUng accurate knowledge of our ceremonies was ejiDgrf reat ' ' had the advantage of his large and ripe in'' ni ? ? by nim was slimulated to learn the work-DearpH \ Ie three De 2 frees , which at the period apus O , m ? mind almost unattainable . He has gone from the C as l ) Irations follow him from thissublunary abode to iu _ . ^ . ° dge above , where the Great lehovah is the

Tht n S officers the "oly angels , linn- aT ep' Plov- G-M- > Br ° - HENRY SMITH , P . G . D . of tainpHL ^ rPPressed the great loss the province had sus-BroT | V Cra , ' ' sdeath - tribute rn ' tt RElWELL » W . M . 20 C 9 , paid an eloquent cularlv , i , 5 "l emory ° f our deceased brother . He parti-Prudenw J t 0 br 0 , Cra 'g ' s connection with Lodge only in I j L Said that bv his death Freemasonry—not sustained i' ln the Province of West Yorkshire—had ImmeH , - ^ loss , which it would be very difficult to replace , 'wuatelv before singing the last hymn Bro . C . LETCH

Philanthropic Lodge, No. 304.— Memorial Service.

MASON , P . M ., P . P . G . Treas ., delivered the following oration : It may truly be said , brethren , in the midst of life we are in death . When we assembled on the 2 Sth of last month to celebrate with joy the installation of the W . M ., none thought that before many days elapsed we should mourn for one of our oldest members , one who has been an honoured and esteemed Past Master of the lodge for many years ,

one who was looked up to by many as their father in Masonry , the kind loving Preceptor and instructor , loving and beloved by all who came within the circle of his acquaintance . The badges of mourning and the tokens of Masonic regret we see around in lodge to-night remind us one and all more forcibly than words express of this recent dispensation of an all-wise and all-merciful Providence .

Let us , therefore , for a few minutes , devote a few passing moments to honour the memory of one , whose worth as a man we all acknowledge and whose excellency as a Mason we all admired—for , believe me , the beneficent and genial spirit of our noble Order never shines more brightly than when ( as with a ray from heaven ) it seeks to lighten up the shifting scenes and sterner vicissitudes of life with its

own unfading lustre of brotherly sympathy and brotherly love . Robert Craig—with all reverence let his name be spoken—was born on the 5 th May , 1815 , at Coldingham , a small parish on the coast of Berwickshire , skirting on East Lothian . Here among the ranges of hills belonging to the Lammermuir chain , cloven into ridges by intervening valleys of considerable extent , and watered by the Eye , the Ale ,

their tributaries and five minor streams , with St . Abbs Head close at hand with its rocky and dangerous coast , abounding in caves and fissures , once the retreat of smugglershere were his boyhood days spent , and no doubt tended to form that character of enterprise and travel which so greatly distinguished his after years . His apprenticeship was served at Berwick-on-Tweed , after which he came

to Leeds as manager and foreman for Mr . Hemmant , in Briggate . There are some things we call accidents , others look upon them as an overruling of a Divine Providence . On completing his apprenticeship he was proceeding to London , and passing through Leeds , stayed all night at the Bull and Mouth , and in course of conversation named that he was going to London in quest of an appointment , when

some one present said Mr . Hemmant was in want of a good assistant . Bro . Craig quietly went out , and business places being open later than now , saw Mr . Hemmant . They mutually took a fancy to each other , which resulted in his settling down in Leeds , and it is also well known that the great George Moore admiring his business capabilities , offered him an appointment . About the year 1 S 48 he

succeeded to the business , when he was joined by two of his brothers , and it was carried on for many years as "R . W . and G . Craig . " He survived both his brothers , and finally retired from business in 1 SS 5 . He was for 20 years one of the overseers of the poor , viz ., from 1 S 57 to 1 S 77 , and was also an active member of the Trade Protection Society , having been elected a member of the Committee in

September , 1 S 55 , and up to the time of leaving Leeds he regularly attended to and discharged his duties—a pretty good period of service—35 years . At all times he took an active interest in all that appertained to the welfare of the town of his adoption . Our brother was a great student , and was a fountain of knowledge , and , perhaps , to this may be attributed the affection of his eyes and the

complete loss of sight in one . Few subjects you could touch on that he was not conversant with . He was a great admirer of Carlyle and his writings , especially " Sartor Resartus " and " Life of Frederick the Great . " Some have heard him give with much feeling the recitation from Sartor on " War . " He was a great traveller , and had been in most of the capitals in Europe , with some of which he was well

acquainted . He was a good businessman ; just , upright , and forgiving even when wronged , never known to say an unkind word against anyone , and we all know the excellency of his memory . He enjoyed to the last excellent spirits , and died on the 2 nd February , 1 S 91 , far from all his Leeds friends , but amongst his relatives , and was laid quietly to rest in the churchyard at Coldingham . But to

us , my brethren , he stood in a closer friendship . Bro . Craig was initiated into our Ancient and Honourable Society on the 27 th April , 1 S 64—just about the time when the erection of the hall in which we are now assembled was under careful consideration , and we find that both he and his brother George ( who was also a member of our Order ) were amongst those who took up debentures to assist in the

erection ot this hall . He was exalted to the Supreme Degree of a Rojal Arch Mason on the ist October , 1 S 66 , but we do not find him taking any active interest in the working of the lodge until the end of 1 S 70 , when I , as Master of the lodge , had the pleasure of appointing him , with the full consent of the Board of Past Masters , to the office of Secretary of the lodge , and I think that we may fairly

reckon this time as the commencement of that long and honourable career which has only terminated by the Grand Master ' s call to ascend to the Grand Lodge above . At the close of 1 S 71 he was appointed Junior Warden and in 1 S 7 J Senior Warden . When the time approached for the election of Worshipful Master in 1 S 73 , he reluctantly felt he must decline to go forward owing to

the foreshadowing of l hat which in his later days deprived him of his gieatest pleasure—the study of books . However , the brethren lelt they could not afford to lose his services , and Bro . Lolunel PiLworth , P . M ., was placed in the chair , whilst Bro . Luwrey , P . M ., kindly undertook the duties of Seniur V \ arden su as to keep the path open if Bro . Craig could undeitake the duties of Master in the succeeding

ytar . To the great delight of the brethren he was unanimously elected to the chair in 1874 and regularly installed Master ot the lodge . During his year of office the Provincial Grand Master had occasion to call his advice committee together several times , when Bro . Craig hospitably entertained them , and on the conclusion of the business was presented with a handsome Past Master's jewel , which he

at all times valued very highly . Bro . Craig held office as a Grand Deacon in the Provincial Grand Lodge . In Royal Arch Masonry , after serving the minor offices , he was installed Third Principal in 1877 , Second Principal in 1 S 7 S , and First Piincipal in 18 79 , and Grand Asst . Sojourner in the Provincial Grand Chapter in 1 SS 3 . He was advanced to the Honourable Degree of a Mark Master Mason on

3 rd October , 1 S 7 6 , and worked up to and was elected Master of the Lopley Lodge in 1 SS 1 , but at the time he ought to have been installed he was undergoing a painful operation connected with his eyesight , and he was unable to attend any Masonic duties for some time , and so his installation did not take place ; however in 1 S 87 he accepted the office of Junior Warden , in 1 SS 8 Senior Warden , and was

Philanthropic Lodge, No. 304.— Memorial Service.

installed Master in 1 SS 9 . He was appointed within a few days of his installation Junior Grand Warden of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of West Yorkshire . He was also a knight of the Temple and a knight of Malta , and also became a member of the White Rose Council of Royal and Select Masters . Bro . Craig was a warm

supporter of our Masonic Chanties , the Girls' School and the Benevolent Funds being his especial favourites . He was also a Life-Governor of our local Benevolent Educational Fund , and was a past President . He was also for some time Chairman of our local Relief Committee , and many can testify to his kind , attentive , and careful consideration of the claims of those who came to him for relief . And

what can we say more ? His courtesy and consideration for others was forcibly marked in all his words and actions . No one ever endeavoured more truly to carry out in practice the theory of our Masonic teaching , and to be one to whom the burdened heart might pour forth its sorrow , to whom distress might prefer its suit ; truely , his head was guided by justice and his heart was expanded by benevolence . Who

ever heard our brother say an unkind word about anyone ? yea , even when he might justly have done so , but rather suggested the most favourable and paliating circumstances in extenuation , when their conduct was justly liable to reprehension and blame . Who ever heard of him refusing to give instruction to any one willing to learn ? but would spend hour after hour imparting instruction to all who came

within the circle of his circumference , delighting to transmit pure and unsullied the genuine tenets of our Institution . And may we not , my brethren , draw some valuable thoughts for ourselves , some useful lessons from him who has gone before ? Who of us , brethren , can reckon on to-morrow ' s light ? Who of us , I aslc , met here together , when he lays himself down to take his sweet repose to-night , can say he

will evermore anfe ; that our summons may not—will not —come even before the night watches are sped away . Day by day and hour by hour our own experience tells us with an unwavering voice , what we are all so loth to believe and to learn , that this life of ours with all its gifts , its charms , its blessings , is not only most shadowy , but most uncertain : that its precious sands are fast running away past recall

into the eternity of our being . Day by day we see the youngest , the faij-est , the most hopeful , and the most gifted fall at our side , though we ourselves are still spared . Hour by hour the whisper of fond affection is hushed , and the pleasant voice of gentleness is still ; to-day we are full of gladness and rejoicing , bright hopes and glowing anticipations , all is well with us and ours ; to-morrow , alas I a

shadow has fallen on our hearths ; the face that gave it sunshine , the voice that filled our home , our lodge , with melody has passed away for ever . In a moment , mv brethren , on a sudden , most awfully sudden at times ; to-day , to-morrow , here and there , in our studies , in the market place , in our counting houses , in our homes , when we are most lonely as well as when we are * most busy , it is

all the same—we ourselves are not ; we have ceased to I e , to breathe , to speak , to hope , to plan ; our place of business , our sphere of duty , our home , our lodge will know us no more . Friends regret us , or sometimes , alas 1 friends forget us . We have passed away from this earth , all our hopes and fears ended in the grave . Such is the home appointed for all living—a home to some of many fears and

sad anticipations , but yet to many a home " where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary be at rest . " And then , my brethren , in that dark grave and that mysterious future . What then ? What is behind that veil which the eye of human reason cannot penetrate ? What shall we see in that strange land of which all mortal men are ignorant ? What shall we find at that

distant bourne from which no traveller returns ? Men and brethren , should not such a memory andsuch an opportunity as to-day supplies teach us to look onward , upwards , and inwards ? Should it not lift us , as it were , above this passing scene , and bring us to self-contemplation and self-consideration ? May we not in this way grasp-at that great lesson of human life , that solemn measure of self-discipline , which we

are required to learn as onwards we pass through time to eternity ? For we have all sooner or later , unless we wilfully close our ears to that still small voice within us which bears witness of a vital and immortal principle , to prepare ourselves for the closing hours of our own mortal struggle , that so , amid all the intricate windings of this transitory life , and raising our eyes ever upwards to that bright

morning star whose rising proclaimed peace and salvation to the faithful and obdient of the human race , as our guide through the dark valley of the shadow of death , we may , by God ' s providence , have not only learnt how to live here below , but also have learnt how to die . May we learn to make the Volume of the Sacred Law , the unerring standard of right and wrong , our patient and reverential study , and to

regulate our lives and actions by the divine precepts it contains . May we ever inculcate upon others , and ever seek to practise carefully ourselves those distinguishing duties of morality and order as taught us by Masonic lore , brotherly love , belief , and truth . May prudence direct us , temperance chasten us , fortitude support , and justice be the guide of all our actions . May

we ever show forth fidelity , secrecy , and obedience as Masons ; benevolence , courtesy , and Charity as men . May we in our several stations in life discharge our moral and social duties with freedom , fervency , and zeal . Then , my brethren , all our hidden mysteries and symbols will not have been displayed in vain . Then , like our dear departed brother , we shall lay , by God ' s help , a foundation-stone

right and true on which to raise a superstructure perfect in all its parts and honourable to the builder . Farewell , dear friend and brother , lying peacefully amongst thy keth and ken in the home of your childhood . Farewell , kind friend , instructor and Preceptor . Farewell , Bro . Craig , a long , long farewell till the morning break and the shadows flee away , till the last days when time shall be swallowed up in

eternity , farewell ! farewell ! Brethren , we are not yet dismissed from our labour and our toil . The times of n - freshing are not yet come to us , but our Grand Master ' s summons may come to us any day , and then , as with our departed brother , so may we hope when time itself shall he no more , through the mercy alone of the world ' s Gnat

Architect , to dwell in his presence in those mansions not made with hands eternal in the heavens . Oh , may the Almighty and all merciful Father of us all vouchsafe His presence to all the gatherings , and His blessings to all the labours of our brethren scattered over this wide world , and may He continue to cement and adorn our Order with every

moral and social virtue . The lodge was immediately afterwards closed , and the brethren dispersed .