Surrey Masonic Hall.

in the Southern District of the Metropolis is necessary and advantageous ; that the scheme now submitted by the Directors of the Surrey Hall Company appears to be reasonable and

capable of being carried out ; and the meeting hereby pledges itself to support the undertaking . " After expatiating at some length on the evils and discredit which resulted from the

present unavoidable connection of most of the Surrey-side lodges with hotels and taverns , and the great . injury thereby inflicted upon the dignity and social influence of Freemasonry ,

Bro . Stevens forcibly directed tha attention of the meeting to the fact that in many small provincial towns the brethren had emancipated themselves from the thrall of " mine host , " and built

for themselves , and for purposes of public good , temples and halls which were alike creditable to them as members of Freemasonry , and profitable as individual stakeholders in the construction thereof . If such laudable elforts could

be undertaken by small communities with such perfect results , why , he would ask , with surprise not unmixed with regretful indignation , should there have been for so many years great

hesitation amongst the brethren m this district m adopting the proper means for securing like success . The necessity was everywhere acknowledged , and yet , great as the number of

lodges were , powerful and influential as so large a proportion of the members of such lodges a re known to be , it became an absolute matter of difficulty to enlist that sympathy and suppor t

without which the best and most perfect scheme could not hope to succeed . However , he was p leased to say , there was reason to believe that now the Freemasons of this district were

thoroughly awakened to their position and the necessity to take steps to preserve their dignity . One or two lodges he could name , because they woulj not , to the injury of their purses and

persons , continue that expenditure on " banquet and refreshment" which had hitherto been the rule instead of the exception , had been within the past month sent to the " right about" by

their respective "hosts , " and just now would be very glad to have such local habitation as the proposed hall , if built , would have afforded them . To these lodges might be added several others very

desirous of emulating the good example of moderation which the former had set , but which they hesitated to follow lest they also should have " notice to quit . " Could Freemasonry

stand this ? Forbid it the dignity of the Order i Let it not be said that we , who profess morality in all our works , and especially enforce on our novieates the practice of " temperance , " are but

the serfs of others , whose interest lies in a very different direction . Bro . Stevens continued by submitting that what he had alread y said mi ght fairly suffice , for the necessity for building the

contemplated hall , but that in this practical age it might be as well that he should add a few words on the probability of commercial success , and show that the " thing would pay . " lie

therelore " went into figures" at once , and would read certain estimates which he was prepared to maintain had been very fairly made , ami which

showed that the shareholders of the Cumy-am might _ reasonably expect at least 8 to 10 percent on their investments . Having done this , Bro

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Stevens concluded by expressing a hope that the meeting would see fit to adopt his resolution , and his confidence that the support to be pledged thereby would be liberal and earnest .

Bro . Dr . Harrison rose to second the resolution , which he considered to be in every respect worthy of adoption . There could be no doubt that this proposal was a move in the right

direction , and although former attempts had failed , probably from bad management , and possibly from their not having those elements of success in their respective schemes which this so

assuredly contained , the Surrey Masonic Hall Company , he thought , had now the ball before them , and would certainly attain the goal they sought . Bro . Stevens ' s exhaustive remarks had left scarce

an argument with which to support a resolution in the terms of which he felt sure a perfect agreement would be expressed by those present . He could only say that , although it appeared the

hall would be necessary , to secure the commercial success of the Company , he . wished that it could become a purely Masonic Hall , for Masonic purposes only , and looking to what had

been done elsewhere , he did not see why ultimately it mig ht not become so . This proposal he considered ought to be taken up by the . principal Masons , both in this locality and elsewhere ,

if only to prove the sincerity of their desire for the welfare of the Order , and whether they themselves ever used the building or not , they should hel p those who appeared to be earnestly and

arduously working to secure so great a benelit for Freemasonry generally . For his part he might say , so satisfied did he feel with what he had heard on this occasion , he was certain the Company

would have the support of his lodge , both collecthely and iiulividually / and promising his personal support , he seconded the resolution with great pleasure .

llro . E . Frances agreed with Bro . Dr . Harrison in the desire that the proposed hall should be only for Masonic purposes , but feared that the directors were quite rig ht in their belief that to make a

commercial success the public use of it at times must be permitted . He would like to ask whether any lodges had yet taken shares , and if not what prospects there were that shares would be applied for by lodges .

The Chairman stated that no lodge had yet , in its collective capacity , applied for shares , but that the subject would be broughtforwardatonce in many lodges , with a view to their becoming

shareholders . He mi ght say however that the individual members of one lodge had taken above 50 shares amongst them . There were a very large number of Masons , he regretted to add , who

promised support at some indefinite period , say , " when the foundation stone was laid , "— " when the material for the building was on the ground , " and

soon . Now , if all were like that , no foundation stone would ever be laid , no material ever needed . What was now asked for was confidence and a

readiness on the part of those who really had Freemasonry at heart to risk a few shillings , if need be , in the attempt to carry out the undertaking . He could not say if the scheme succeeded , —so

many shares having been already allotted it was bound to succeed , —but supposing what was most unlikely to occur , the expenses had been so kept clown that all deposits could be returned , minus

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but a small fraction ; so that brethren who meant support ought not to hesitate further about rendering it at once . Bro . Dr . Goss supported the resolution and

wished the Company success . Bro . 11 . Lacey also supported the views of the Company , and would at once take ten shares , as an expression of his confidence in the proposed undertaking .

Bro . Wisby andothers . havingspoken in favour , the resolution was put and carried unanimously . Votes of thanks to Bro . Stevens for the use of

his room , and to the Chairman , ; having been cordially proposed and respectively acknowledged the meeting separated .

Consecration Of The Faith Chapter, No.141.

CONSECRATION OF THE FAITH CHAPTER , No . 141 .

A warrant having been granted by Grand Chapter , for the above , to be attached to the Lodge of Faith , 141 , the companions

assembled on Friday , the 29 th ult , at Anderton s Hotel , Fleet-street , for the purpose of consecrating the same . Comp . J , Terry , P . Z . 174

975 , having been elected as consecrating officer , occupied the chair of Z . ; Comp . T . S . Mortlock ( Z . Sincerity ) as H . ; S . Gluckstein ( J . 51 ,

Colchester ) as J . The chapter having been opened and the companions admitted , the acting Z . addressed them on the nature of the meeting ; the acting S . E .,

Comp . W . E . Gompertz , read the petition and the warrant on which was inscribed the following E . Gottheil as Z . designate ; A . E . Harris , H . designate ; C . C . Taylor , J . designate , who were

duly approved , upon which the acting Z . delivered an oration . The anthems were then chanted and the consecration prayer given with great solemnity . The ceremony of carrying the cornucopia ,

wine , and oil three times round the chapter having been performed , the second poition of the consecration prayer was delivered . The Z . then declared the chapter duly

constituted . Comp . E . Gottheil was then inducted to the chair of Z ., and Comps . A . E . Harris and C . C . Taylor were respectively installed into the offices of H . and J . by the M . E . Z . The

following Comps . were then invested , viz : —W . h Gompertz , S . E . ; N . Gluckstein , S . N . ; C . l < Hogard , P . S . ; J . Kennett , 1 st Asst . S . ; J . Con

stable , 2 nd Asst . S . j J . S . Mortlock , Z . J 86 , Treasurer ; J . H . Ross , W . S . ; Longstatf , Janitor ; J . H . Finder , D . C .

Comp . J . Terry was unanimously elected an honorary member , and the M . E . Z . expressed his hig h appreciation of Comp . Terry ' s abilities and more particularly for the efficiency with which

he had discharged the onerous duties of the evening . In this the companions most heartily joined , and then proceeded to arrange their future meetings , viz ., the last Thursday in January ,

April and October , the fees as follows : exaltation , three guineas ; joining , two guineas ; and annual subscription , one guinea and a half . A committee was then appointed to frame the

byelaws . The following were proposed for exaltation -. Bros . J . Sheldon , 1027 ana ' 3 7 5 Jackson , 141 ; S . Abrahams , late 141 . The chapter was then closed in due form , after which the . comp-