Red Cross Of Constantine.

— > . ' ' K . G . C . & c . It is proposed to form a Sanctuary of the K . H . S . and a Commandery of the Order of St John in connection with the Liverpool Conclaves , and judging from the number of candidates offered , success must attend the proposal .

Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

CONSECRATION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF LINCOLNSHIRE .

On Thursday , the 29 th tilt ., the new Province of Lincolnshire was constituted , and the Provincial Grand Master installed , at the Schoolroom , Newland , Lincoln . The brethren of Lincolnshire having been

desirous that the Mark Degree in the East of England should , like the Craft , have a province of its own , petitioned the Grand Mark Lodge for a Warrant of Constitution , and came forward with the proposition of a Mark Mason for Provincial Grand Master , who they felt would reflect

honour on Grand Lodge , and the Degree . The Most Worshipful Grand Mark Master , with his usual readiness to promote the good of the Order and to aid its extension , immediately granted the prayer of the petition , and knowing that Bro . John Sutcliff ' e , of Great Grimsby , the

proposed first Grand Master of the Province , had always reflected honour on Freemasonry , and would be a most desirable representative of Grand Lodge in the province , designated him as the ruler of the province . The fame of Bro . Sutcliff ' e was not confined to the county in which

he resided . As a native of Rochdale , and as having a wide connection with Lancashire , Cheshire , Durham , Northumberland , the Midland Counties and Yorkshire , he had acquired the esteem and respect of a large circle of business men and Freemasons , and it was not , therefore ,

surprising that his installation should be seized upon as a fitting opportunity to do him honour . On no occasion probably has there been such a numerous assemblage of brethren , who came from a long distance to pay respect to any one short of Royalty . Four hundred brethren hailing

from London , Liverpool , Manchester , Rochdale ; from Cheshire , Durham , and the North generally , together with representatives from intermediate places , arrived in Lincoln on the day previous to , and on the morning of the celebration . Among these were a large muster of Present and

Past Grand Officeis , both of Grand Lodge , and of Provincial Grand Lodges , Lancashire supplying a great proportion of the latter . This was partly to be accounted for by the arrangement that Bro . Romaine Callender , M . P ., F . S . A ., Prov . Grand Maik Master Mason of the County

Palatine of Lancaster , would perform the ceremonies of Constitution of Grand Lodge , and Installation of the Grand Master assisted b y his officers . Unfortunately , however , illness prevented Bro . Callender from attending , but his officers , headed by the banner of the Province ,

which was conspicuous in Grand Lodge made what amends they could for the disappointment caused by this untoward event . The trains , which arrived about half past twelve o ' clock , brought the great bulk of the brethren , who were , by the liberality of Bro . Sutcliff ' e , immediately

regaled with a repast , and Grand Lodge was opened by two o ' clock . The appearance of Grand Lodge was very imposing . Jewels in the Craft , Arch , and Maik degrees of a gorgeous character were everywhere to be seen , and the room in which the brethren met being of noble

dimensions , gave sufficient scope for a full display of gold and silk . The preliminary proceedings were admirably arranged by the Committee , and the brethren who acted as Director of Ceremonies , Secretary , and Organist , were well posted up in their duties , and acted as if these

duties were in daily practice among them . Among the brethren from London who attended , were Jiro . V . Binckes , Grand Secretary ; Jiro . I-I . W . Binckes , Assistant Grand Secretary ; Bro . Thos . Cubitt , G . D . C . ; Bro . Thomas J .

Sabine , Past Grand Overseer ; and Bro . James Terry ; and among the past and present Grand Officers , and Provincial Grand Officers , the following Mark Lodges were represented , —viz ., Old York ; Joppa . 14 ; Minerva , 12 ; Prince Edward , 14 ; Howe , 12 ¦ * Southwark , 22 ;

Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

Roberts , 24 ; Union , 32 ; Eclectic , 39 ; Britannic , 53 ; Fearnley , 58 ; West Lancashire , 65 ; St . Botolph , 108 ; Copley , 111 ; Blair , II 3 j Remigius , 117 ; Callender , 123 ; Alfred , 13 6 . Faith , 137 ; Skelmersdale , 141 ; Wike , r . j . . Egerton , 165 , ; and John of Gaunt , 172 .

The brethren having assembled , a Lodge was formally opened . Bro . Binckes then addressed the brethren , and said they had been brought together to assist one whom they honoured and whose name was widely known in the neighbourhood where they

were assembled and in the surrounding districts , and who was esteemed and respected in every capacity of life which he filled , and at the same time adorned . He alluded to Bro . Romaine Callender whose absence it was his duty to inform them 0 f but

who had been specially nominated by the Most Worshipful the Grand Mark M aster , Earl Percy , to instal Bro , Sutcliffe as Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire . He ( Bro . Binckes ) had had no idea up to that morning that there was any possibility that Bro . Callender would be

absent , but on seeing Bro . Chadwi ck he had been informed that the ceremonies of that day would beshorn of thcirchiefornament . Although they had known that Bro . Callender was not well , they yet had indulged the hope that he would have been so far recovered from his

indisposition as to be able to be present - indeed he knew and was satisfied that nothing but . very severe cause would have kept that brother from his post of duty . He was very SOrry at the last moment to find that Bro . Callender would not be present , and that he } lad

commissioned Bro . Chadwick to communicate this fact to the brethren . He ( Bro . Binckes ) had been requested to supply his place , and he was therefore called upon at a moment ' s notice to undertake the onerous , but at the same time honourable duty of presiding over this Grand

Lodge , and conducting the proceedings anc \ ; n stalling Bro . Sutcliffe in the chair . i-r e neefj hardly say that he felt it the most difficult task of his life , because Bro . Callender would have performed the ceremonies with consummate ability ; but whilst lamenting his absen ce an < I its

cause , in which every brother he was sure would sympathise , he would throw himself on the indulgence of the brethren , for which he knew he should not appeal in vain . fj e would now request Bro . Chadwick to read two communications he had received from Bro . Callender

Bro . Chadwick then read the two Communications , the first of which stated that Bro . Callender was laid up with a very severe attack of influenza , and might possibly not be aD ] e to attend , and the second that he had not recovered and would positively not be present .

Bro . Binckes added that he thought those two communications would be accepted by the brethren as quite sufficient excuse for Bro . Callcnder ' s absence , and that while sincerely regretting it no one would have wished him to attend at any risk to himself . He would request that both

the communications from Bro . Callender be entered on the minutes of this Provincial Grand Lodge . The brethren would now assist in the performance of the ceremonies of the day . The Acting Provincial Grand Secretary by direction of liro . Binckes , read the summons

convening the meeting , and the minutes of preliminary proceedings , after which , as ]> _ Sutcliff ' e had not previously filled the IVlaster ' s chair of a Mark "Lodge , Bro . Binckes and a score ol Installed Masters adjourned to another room , and a board of Installed Masters having been formed

, Bro . Binckes installed Br . Sutcliff ' e as a W . M . Bro . Binckes again repaired to the lodge , accompanied by the Board , of Installed Masters , but leaving Bro . Sutclijy _ hind . On Bro . Binckes resuming the chair Bro . Roberts , Director of Ceremonies , ann 0 l ) nCed that the Provincial Grand Master Desi gnate , John Sutcliff

Bro . ' e , was without and recjnested to be installed . Bro . Binckes inquired if the patent of approval and appointment by the Most Worshi pful Grand Master had been issued to the Provincial Grand Master Designate , and was in his possession . Bro . Roberts announced that it had been issued , and was in Br . Sutcliffe ' s possession ; whereupon at the re < pj ' est 0 f Bro . Binckes , Bro . Roberts retired , and after-

Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

wards returned with the patent , which he handed to Bro . Binckes , who having examined it , handed it to the Acting Grand Secretary to be read aloud . This ceremony concluded , Bro . Binckes announced his satisfaction , and called upon the Acting : Provincial Grand Wardens , two installed

W . M . ' s and such Grand Officers as were present to retire and conduct Bro . Sutcliffe into the lodge . This was done , and Bro . Sutcliffe was placed in front of the W . M . ' s pedestal . The Rev . D . Ace , D . D ., who wore his Doctor of Divinity ' s gown , then offered up a prayer with

great earnestness for a blessing on the work in which the brethren were engaged , and at the conclusion of the prayer , Bro . Binckes , addressing Bro . Sutcliffe , said , he was too painfully aware that the observations he was about to make with reference to the

W . M . ' s qualifications for the very high office he was about to fill would fall lamentably short in the effect they would have pioduced on the W . M ., if they had been uttered by the distinguished brother who had hoped to deliver them . He would wish that the brethren should not

judge too critically the remarks which fell from himself , who had been called upon suddenly to fill the Installing Master ' s place . But however imperfect his words might be , they were simple and earnest words , and he trusted that the brethren would well weigh the importance of the occasion .

This , however , he was sure they would do , as the recommendation of Bro . Sutcliffe to the Grand Master for nomination was an earnest of their appreciation of this important event . They were perfectly aware that there were many who knew nothing of the principles , the practice , or the

merits of Freemasonry , who looked upon this Order with varied feelings , some of ridicule , and some of scorn . Some stigmatised it in terms of obloquy , and some would if they had the power resort to persecution . There were also many light or careless minds who either

undervalued or did not value at all the principles and tenets sought to be inculcated by the Masonic organization , which dated from a very remote antiquity , and which had for its object nothing but the good of humanity . In the Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire he was

sure they had one who did not belong to the first of these classes of men , nor to the second ; but who , from the time of his initiation , had thoroughly realised the importance and value of the principles of Masonry , had carried out those principles in the most practical manner ,

and had done every thing in his power—and his power had been large and his influence great , and both had been most beneficially exercisedto extend those principles . To him the Craft at large were under an enormous debt of gratitude for the happiness he had diffused among its

members . As concerned the Grand Mark Lodge , they knew there many Craft Freemasons who regarded the Mark Degree but slightly ; but Mark Masons called themselves a select body , and studied Mark Masonry , fully impressed with the importance of those principles so worthily

inculcated in the Craft degrees ; in point of . fact , if they knew it , they were exactly synonymous , for , if there were any men who had laid themselves out to promote brotherly love , relief and truth , they would be found among Mark Master Masons . After referring to the high

distinction conferred on Bro . Sutcliffe by the Grand Master appointing him as Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire , Bro . Binckcs adminstered to him the obligation and invested him with the insignia of his office , inducted him on the Ihrone , and placed in his

hands the emblem of power . Taking the time from Bro . Roberts , the brethren saluted the Grand Master , aud then vociferously cheered him . With the heartiness and volume of theirapplausethe Provincial Grand Master was completely overcome , and for some

minutes was quite unable to speak . He therefore requested Bro . Binckcs to obligate and invest Dr . Charles Harrison , P . M . 127 , 3 s Deputy Provincial Grand Master . When this ceremony was concluded ,

Bro . Iladley , of Boston , rose and said that their next business was to nominate a Grand Treasurer for the province , and he felt sure when he mentioned the name of the brother he should propose for that office , it would be received with