Consecration Of The Kaiser-Ihind Lodge, No. 1724.

know , a favourite complaint with many persons to-day . We actually do—yes , we infatuated Freemasons , do look upon those who differ from us in belief as brethren of the common dust . Yes , I repeat , we are so unprincipled and so latitudinatian as to think our " doxy " need not actually or necessarily be another person's "doxy , " and there arc such things possible in the world as liberty of conscience ,

the sanc'ity of personal belief , that persecution is debasing and proscription irreligious . And , therefore , in defiance of Papal Bulls , of Cardinals' Charges , of Archepiscopal " mandements , " and the outcry of thc smaller Ultramontane fry , wc venture to hold our Masonic assemblies , imposing no test , but simply asking from all our faithful brethren an acknowledgment of the Fatherhood of God ,

sympathy with the brotherhood of man . We profess to pass no judgment , as indeed we cannot , on a brother's views or a brother ' s tenets ; "to his own master , he standeth nrfalleth ; " we condemn no difference of opinion ; we object to no honest conviction ; our" words are worels of pleasantness and all our paths are peace . " Far from us , Sir ever be that intolerance which denounces all who elo not agree

with us , that bigotry which forgets that we have no moral right , any of us , to say that wc are alone in possession of thc truth . If the fact of gathering' together on such a basis , most consonant , as I for one hold it to be , with right religion and sound morality be an offence at all , it is surely , if it be an offence , an offence only against intolerance and injustice , antl can assuredlv be no offence

whatever against light and truth , religion antl liberty and true toleration . Indeed , as I venture , Sir , to look at it to-day , this very broad foundation of Freemasonry is after all the truest test of its reality and its surest condition of vitality . It is its best and most enduring tie of cohesion and consistency , and tends to weld together and cement together , in goodly and consistent fraternity those who would

otherwise have remained at an impenetrable distance . This much abused universality of Freemasonry is , I repeat , in my humble opinion , the truest evidence of its liberal profession , the most effective witness of its religious practice , antl the surest guarantee for its future progress . Freemasonry , Sir , often appears to me toresemblca goodly obelisk , which towers on high , pointing to heaven . The storms of ages

have beaten about it , the sand of ages has accumulated at its base , but still , there it is , defying wind antl weather , the ravages of time , the march of ages , and the passions of men , and outliving aU those petty controversies , all those insane contentions , which have marked , alas , too often antl too sadly , the onward career of the human race . And when , Sir , we look back to day on the past history of

Freemasonry and contemplate its present position , we are able , I think , to see , that one of the reasons why it still flourishes and still extentls , despite the malediction of an " infallible authority , " the accusation of the ignorant , and the cavils of the unjust , is just because it has remained true , ( as the Great Duke once said of another body ) , to its " Marching Orders , " " Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . "

And sure am I of this , that we who form part of the lodges happily under the Grand Lotlge of England will never surrender , for any reason whatever , those distinguishing tenets of our venerable craft , but shall feel that they in truth deserve our loyal adhesion and our unflinching support And then , sir , there is another position has'ily and recently taken up by a section of our Order , which 1 can only shortly allutle to ,

which deserves notice and elemands I venture to think , our manly and Masonic reprobation . It is an old saying that " extremes meet , " and outside the lodge , we know how often in public and private life that apothegm is made gootl . In France , for instance , a noisy and intolerant majority has forced the Graud Orient to abjure any professed belief in Gotl , and the reason put forward by those ardent lovers of

change is , that the present constitutions keep out certain persons and create eUfficulti's . But when we ask " who are the persons kept out , and what are the difficulties complained of , " we And that those who do not anil will not accept a personal God , or avow belief in Gotl , are those for whom , under the specious cry of toleration , this momentous revolution has been effected . The only

persons to be benefitted by the change , are those whom we term " Atheists , " that is those who , whether belonging to Positivism or the " Morale Independante , " decline to recognize the Great Architect antl Moral Governor , the Continual Preserver anel Future Judge of all Mankind . I think I shall best illustrate how this untoward change is likely to work by a little anecdote .

Bro . Behr , some months back , in the Grand Orient of France ( I take the fact from the " Bulletin elu Grand Orient , " their official publication ) , made this statement , which has never been denied , and I fancy cannot be refuted . Indeed , proof might be forthcoming showing that the same " animus" exists in many other French and Belgian lodges . That worthy brother , who objecieel

most properly and ably in his speech in the Grand Orient to the proposal originally put forward , spoke as follows .- — He said that he had been recently in a French lotlge in Paris where the candidate was asked by the " Venerable , " amid numerous questions ( which are ad libitum in France)— " Have you ever prayed to God ? " " Yes , " he replied , " quelquefois , " ( sometimes . ) "Sometimes ?"

said the Master , ( I give thc French ) " Oui , dans les circonstanccs tres douloureuses de ma vie . " ( In some very mournfnl circumstances of my life ) . He had , it seems , actually prayed to God , sometimes , in sorrow . Infatuated man ! Antl for this act of fanatacism he received twenty three black balls , and was excluded from Fremasonry Is not comment needless ? Does not argument even seem

to be an impertinence under such a hopeless , senseless , godless state of things ? The effect of the recent legislation can only be to discourage believers in God from entering Freemasonry , and encouraging those to ask for admission inco its sodality who refuse to believe in God , who do despite to every sanction of religion , and who deliberately reject all those blessings which in the goodness of the G . A . O . T . U . flow from his message of religious credence

Consecration Of The Kaiser-Ihind Lodge, No. 1724.

and revealed truth to man . Sir , I only mention this painful reality but to " point the moral , " if not to " adorn the tale . " Thus we see hew intolerance most alien from our Masonic toleration , works , if under different names , and from antagonistic points of thought and action . The Ultramontane objects to our meeting together here with Christians and non-Christians , the"Libres

Penseurs , " the Esprits Forts , " deny our right of professing to believe in God , as Freemasons . They have , so far , in France , got the upper hand , and not only have banished the Bible from the lodges , but they now take away the only bar apparently to the admission of materialistic professors of infidelity , and actual Atheist " . Surely in these things there is a warning .

Yes , Sir , there is an exhortation which speaks trumpcttongued to us when we meet in our lodges , when we consecrate a new lodge to-day . Such abnormal acts remind us of our happier truths , and our gootl old teaching . Do they not , as it were make us determine that we will not only " quieta non movere " but that we will resolutely stand " super vias antiquas . " Far better than any novel

defination or political cry is our most true Old English Masonic Triad which has gone the old world over , " Brotherly Love , Relief anil Truth ? Is there not a striking message to our English Craft in these things to follow the good advice of our Royal Grand Master , to keep clear of politics , and steadily repressing hurtful cliques and noisy clamour , to adhere to the great principles of English Freemasonry ,

"Loyalty and Charity , " the reverence of Gotl and the love of man ? act us not allow any one to degrade our noble and fraternal Order by infusing into it the hurtful elements of party strife , or degrading it to the level of some barbaric faction , but under our Royal Grand Master , let us hold fast resolutely by the " safe old lines , " antl , neither turning to the

right hand or to the le ft , let us march on a devoted phalanx of friends and brethren . whom persecution cannot intimidate , divisions cannot destroy . A living Masonic poet , in a very pretty poem , has saitl ; and I venture to repeat his words to you , in conclusion of my address , because I think you will appreciate both their seasonableness , their grace , and their truth : —

The voice of love , who can ignore its accents mild and pure ? It is a balm for every wound , for every grief a cure , And our Grand Master who presides in majesty above , Ne ' er gave a richer boon to man than sweet fraternal love , To wipe the tear from sorrow's eye , the broken heart to bind ,

Will yield to us the purest bliss that we on earth can find ; Go to the desolated home , assuage thc mourner's grief , And pour into his listening ear the voice of kind relief ; More potent than the strongest spell which eloquence can cast , Is that soft voice of magic power , not least , though mentioneel last -, It gives a sacred charm to age , a matchless grace to youth ,

And stands pre-eminent of all , the voice of spotless truth . Dear brethren of the mystic tie , into your ready ears , May all these " voices" find access , dispelling all your fears . And when you pass within the vail , life ' s conflict nobly won , May our Grantl Master say to each , "Faithful and true , well elone 1 "

V . W . Sir , officers and brethren , I trust that you will accept these imperfect remarks as the friendly words of an old Mason , and , as he believes , entirely an agreement with our Masonic love , and that you will permit him to express in conclusion , his sincere congratulations at the object of your meeting to-day , and his " hearty good wishes , " for the future prestige , usefulness , and Masonic

work of the Kaiser-i-Hintl Lodge . ( Applause . ) At the conclusion of the consecration ceremony , the lotlge was resumed to the Second Degree , and Bro . Capt . H . Burton was prcsenteet by the D . C . as the first Master of the lotlge . A Board of Installed Masters was then constituted , and the W . M . was fully installed and afterwards saluted . He then proceeded to appoint antl invest his

officers as follows : Bros . Majcr Blake , S . W . ; R . W . Fyers , J . W . ; Rev . A . W . Hall , P . P . S . G . W . Surrey ; Chaplain ; S . C . Dibtlin , P . M ., Sec . ; S . C . Pratt , S . W j Lieut .-Col . E . H . Vincent , J . W . ; Cant . C . H . Sampson , O . ; S . H . el'Avigdon , I . G . C . T . Speight , Prov . G . Tyler , Surrey , was elected and invested as Tyler . A vote ot thank's was passed to the Grantl Officers who hail assisted in the ceremony , ami Bros . J . Hervey , Rev . A . F . A .

Woodford , T . Fenn , Mclntyre , Buss , and Robinson were elected honorary members of the lodge , a compliment which was briefly acknowleelgeel by Bro . Rev . A . F . A . Woodford . Subsequently a banquet took place , at which the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured . The speeches were of an entirely complimentary character , and the warmest wishes were expresseil for the prosperity of the lodge .

The visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Dorsetshire eluring the hunting season has been fixed for Monday , January 28 . They will be the guests of Lord Alington , at Crichel House . NEW RESIDENCE FOR THE DUKE OV CONNAUGHT . —The Builder gives a view of a new mansion in course of erection at Bagshot Park , Surrey , for H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , K . G . The old house , once the

residence of the Duke of Gloucester , stood in a low situation , and having become much dilapidated has recently been pulled elown . The site selected for thc new structure is considerably more elevated , anil commands an extensive and beautiful view . The house now building is in thc Tudor-style , which has been preferretl to Lombardo-Gothic ; the materials are red brick and Portland stone . The plan is formed so as to admit of future additions when required .

Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

The half-yearly communication of Grand Lodge o Mark Master Masons of England , antl the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown , was held on Tuesday evening , at Freemasons' Tavern . There were present the M . W . Bro . Right Hon . the Earl of Limerick , M . W . G . M . ; R . W . Bros . Samuel Rawson , Prov . G . M . M ., China , as

Deputy G . M . ; Lieut .-Gen . J . S . Brownrigg , C . B ., P . G . W . as G . S . W . ; Captain N . G . Philips , P . G . S . W ., as G . S . W . ; A . B . Cook . G . M . O . ; I . J . H . Wilkins , G . S . O . ; D . M . Dewar , G . J . O . ; Rev . F . W . Thoyts , and Rev . T . F . Ravenshaw , G . Chaplains ; V . W . Bros . Fredk . Davison , G . Treas . ; H . C . Levander , G . Reg . ; Fredk . Binckes , ( P . G . J . W . ) , G . Secretary ; W . Bros . A . Spears , G . J . D . ; Wm . Wigginton ,

G . Inspector of Works ; Robt . Berridge , G . D . C ; W . Spencei P . G . A . C ; Hyde Pullen , G . Sword Bearer ; J . G . Poderin , G . Stantlard Bearer ; W . T . Belcher , D . M ., G . Org . ; H . W . Binckes , G . Assist . Sec . ; Thos . Poore , G . I . G . ; C . T . Speight , G . Tyler ; Joseph Tomlinson , S . S . Pearce , George J . McKay , G . Stewards ; R . W . Bros . John Wordsworth , Prov . G . M . M ., Yorkshire ; Hon . R . W .

H . Giddy , South Africa ; W . E . Gumbleton , P . G . W . ; V . W . Bros . Magnus Ohren , P . G . M . O . ; Thomas Meggy , P . G . M . O . ; James Stevens , P . G . J . O . ; W . Bros . J . C . Gregg , P . G . J . D . ; Thomas Hargreaves , Geo . Neall , P . G . Supt . of Works . ; S . Rosenthal , Thomas Cubitt , P . G . D . C . ; T . J . Sabine . P . G . A . D . C ; W . A . Barrett , P . G . Org . ; J . H . Spencer , P . G . I . G . ; T . R . Parker , A . Williams , C .

Pulman , H . Massey ( Freetnason ) , P . G . Stewards ; and the following Prov . G . Officers : —W . Bros . George Toller , jun ., P . P . G . S . W . Leicestershire ; John Chaelwick , Prov . G . Sec . Lancashire ; Reginald J . Mure , P . Prov . G . M . O ., Middx . and Surrey ; B . Meyer , P . G . S . Middx . and Surrey ; J . B , Shackleton , P . G . D . C , Middx . and Surrey ; John Wrightson , P . G . S . Middx . and Surrey ; J . W . Klenck , P . G . Reg .

of Marks , Middx . and Surrey ; with many brethren representing the St . Mark ' s Lodge , No . 1 , Southwark Lodge , No . 22 ; Caisarean Lodge , No . 74 ; Keystone Lodge , 107 ; Panmure Lodge , 139 ; Grosvenor Lodge , 144 ; Temple Lodge , 173 ; Duke of Connaught Lodge , 199 ; St . Mary ' s Lodge , 121 ; St . Cuthberga , 99 . After the opening of Grand Lodge , the minutes of

Grand Lodge of 5 th June last were read and confirmed . Bro . T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C , in rising to nominate a Grand Master for the ensuing year , said : —M . W . G . M . and brethren , our old and familiar friend whom none of us can shake off in our travels through life , has at last brought us round to the day when it is necessary out of respect , and in conformity with the constitutions that govern this

Order , that some distinguished brother should be nominated to take his seat on the throne which you , M . W . G . M ., now occupy , and which you have so well occupied for a long time past . I rise to propose to you a nobleman | whose name I am quite sure will be accepted with thc greatest amount of respect , not only on account of his personal fame as a citizen and as a nobleman , but more especially

on account of those varied and distinguished services which he has rendered to Freemasonry in every one of its branches , which he has hitherto touched . I refer to the Deputy Grand Master , Lord Skelmersdale . In making this proposition to Grand Lodge , I have thought it my duty to look back for a period of ten years , antl to compare what Mark Masonry was in the year 1866-7 with what it is in

this year , 1876-7 ; and I find , Sir , that Mark Masonry has matle , thanks to the energy which you and your predecessors have shown with respect to this degree , most rapid strides , and I am justified in saying it has made a most tremenelous success . Despite the' opposition which the degree meets with—the conscientious objection , I will say—from some of the old Masons who look with some

degree of affection on that wonderful decision which was taken by Granel Lodge when they united in the year 1813 , an opposition which it is difficult to overcome , 1 find that whereas in thc year 1866-7 we had then upon the roll of Grand Mark Lodge somewhere about 90 or 95 lodges , at the present time I am told by our respected Grand Secretary , we have on the roll something like 214 lodges .

Bro Binckes , G . S .: — 214 lodges in addition to the old time-immemorial lodges , which would bring the number up to 230 . Bro . Sabine : —That , of course , makes it so much the better . I have an invitation to attend the consecration of No . 211 on Saturday next , anil I hear that since the warrant was granted three or four more applications for

warrants have been received and granted . In 1866-7 the annual income from all sources was about £ 330 . I find our annual income now exceeds £ 800 . 1 find , further , that ten years ago , when our highly respected Past Grantl Master Beach was Grand Master , the number of the Provincial Grand Lodges was five . I find at the present time the number of Provincial Grand Lodges is twenty-four .

I find , further , that m 1866-7 there was no Benevolent Fund ; but since then a Benevolent Fund has been started ; and you may possibly remember that in 1869 some six Stewards , of whom 1 had thc honour to be one , tried if such a thing would succeed . At the present time we have not only furnished antl firmly established that Benevolent Fund , but we have invested £ 800 , and instead of bringing

in at the Benevolent Festival some £ 50 or £ 60 , as we elid at first ,-last time we got £ 232 or £ 234 . by the exertions of seventeen Stewards . In 1866 7 this Grand Lodge had not on its general account one penny invested in order to meet the future claims that might arise . Now , on the General account we have £ 5 °° invested : at the period I have named we hid comparatively very few

members : now , 1 am told , they muster from 10 , 000 to 12 , 000 . I think in stating these facts I am steadily showing you , M . W . G . M ., and also the members of the Grand Lodge , that it is owing to the wise discretion which Grand Lotlge has hitherto exercised of selecting every three years brethren of distinction , and position , and energy , to fill the throne of Grand Mark Lodge , that this success .