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Article NOTES ON THE CEREMONY OF INSTALLATION. ← Page 3 of 3 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. Page 1 of 3 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND. Page 1 of 3 →
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Notes On The Ceremony Of Installation.
As before stated , he was present at the opening of this lodge in 1823 , put I have somewhere read th-it so far from approving of the plan on which it was established , he strongly objected to it ,-on the ground that a lodge of instruction restricted to M . M . ' s . and working the lectures only , on a new system , could not succeed ; he , however , had reason to alter his opinion , for in May . 1825 , he joined the lodge , and continued an active , and I need scarcely say , the principal , member of it the remainder of his life , thus showing that prejudice was not one of his failings .
It will readily be conceived that so remarkable a character would be long remembered in the lodge with which he had so strongly identified himself , and , up to a comparatively recent period , " The pious memory of the late Peter Gilkes " was the first toast given at the Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . His admirers and pupils were numerous , and , I might say , various , and , although familiar with the names of many whose merits I should like to notice , I think it better , under the circumstances , to
confine my remarks to those whom I have personally known , and with whose abilities the brethren of the present generation are best acquainted . According to Masonic tradition , the designer of the monument to Peter Gilkes succeeded him in the leadership of his ^ tavourite lodge of instruction . I am somewhat doubtful on this point , as there were much older and more experienced brethren intimately associated with the lodge for many years after Gilkes' time , as the following paragraph from a report of the anniversary festival in 1835 w '" show : —
" The meeting was , in particular , marked by the presence of the three leading lecturers on Masonry , upon whom , by general consent as it were , the mantle of' Peter Gilkes' may be said to have fallen . We feel an honest pride in our associaiion with Brothers Dowley , Cooper , and S . B . Wilson , and entertain so high an opinion of their value to the Society , that we take
the liberty of making as public as we can , their well-earned character for intelligence , grounded upon a careful adherence to the landmarks of the Order , for the strict observance of our laws and regulations , and still more for the modesty with which they receive the homage so readily offered to their merits as individuals . " ( To be continued ) .
United Grand Lodge Of England.
UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .
The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England was held at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday evening . The Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , presided ; Bro . W . W . B . Beach , R . W . Provincial Grand Master Hants and the Isle of Wight , acted as Deputy Grand Master ;
Lieut .-Col . the Hon . W , T . Orde-Powlett , P . G . W ., occupied the Senior Grand Warden's chair , in the absence of the Lord High Chancellor ; the Rev . C . J . Martin , Dep . G . M . for Suffolk , occupied the chair of Junior Grand Warden , in the absence of Lord John Taylour ; and the other Grand and Past Grand Officers present
were—The Grand Lodge having been opened , GRAND SECRETARY ( Col . Shadwell H . Clerke ) read the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of Sth September , which were put , and confirmed . Col . SHADWELL CLERKE then said : Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , — I have just read the minutes of the last Grand Lodge , in which is
reported the presentation to his Majesty the King of Sweden of a Past Grand Master's clothing . I have now the honour to lay before Grand Lodge a letter , which has been received from his Majesty , acknowledging that present , and wilh your permission I will read it . It is as follows : Stockholm , 12 th November , 188 S . Sir and Most Worshipful Brother ,
With great pleasure 1 have received the insignia that your Royal Highness , as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England , has been graciously pleased to send to me in token of the dignity as Past Grand Master of the said Grand Lodge , with which I was invested during my last sojourn in England .
j pray your Royal H'ghness and the Grand Lodge to accept my sincere and cordial thanks for this new testimony of the friendly relations that exist between the Grand Lodges of England and Sweden . I have the honour to remain , your Royal Highness ' faithful Brother and true friend ,
OSCAR , V . S . V ., To P . G . M . of the Grand Lodge of England . His Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of VVales , etc ., etc ., etc ., etc . The reading of this letter was accompanied with loud applause .
The Earl of CARNARVON : Brethren , —I have now to move that the Royal letter from the King ot Sweden be entered on the minutes . Bro . W . BEACH : I beg to second it . The motion was carried unanimously .
The Earl of CARNARVON ; Brethren , —It becomes my duty now to submit to you a resolution by command of our Illustrious and Most Worshipful Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . Some , perhaps , here present may remember that I alluded at our last Quarterl y Communication to the possibility of some such reference being made to you , and I
doubt not that the general facts are more or less within the knowledge of all who are now present . You will , no doubt , remember that for some time past , Masonry in New South Wales , that great and most flourishing colony , has not presented that unanimity which , as Masons , we could desire to see exhibited by the Craft all over the world . And , brethren , when I , myself ,
was in the Colony of New South Wales at the commencement of this year , it grieved me to see the disunion and the dissension which existed in so many quarters . It would be alike a painful and an unnecessary task for me to rtcite or to expatiate upon those dissensions ; and all the more that during the last six months , to my infinite satisfaction , those difficulties have
cjeared away , the dissensions have passed into ancient history , and a new order of things has arisen in the colony . Brethren , it is my good fortune and my great satisfaction to you this evening to announce formally that those dissensions have been closed , and that all the dissensions , as far as I know , whether English , Scottish , or Irish , of those who stood aloof and formed themselves into a separate and dissentient Grand Lod ge , all those
United Grand Lodge Of England.
have combined to unite upon what I believe to be true Masonic princi ples and to constitute henceforward a United Grand Lodge of New South Wales . ( Applause . ) New South Wales has the good fortune to be governed by one of the most popular and successful administrators who could be found , and whom England has sent forth to that great country
In New South Wales I think there is no name that is more popular than that of my noble friend and brother , Lord Carrington . ( Applause . ) Our Illustrious Grand Master , with that happy perception of circumstances which characterises him , appointed Lord Carrington District G . Master of New South Wales , and it was very much due , indeed , to that felicitous
appointment that the present happier state of things came to pass , for Lord Carrington , being in that position of District Grand Master , was hailed through the length and breadth of that great land , with one unanimous acclaim , as the future Grand Master of the United Grand Lod ge . Our Illustrious Grand Master has not withheld his consent , and now the
United Grand Lodge has been formed , and Lord Carrington has accepted the position of Grand Master of that Grand Lodge . Brethren , it was but a short time since that his installation took place in Sydney . There are few towns in the New World which are more worthy of admiration than Sydney with its exquisite harbour , and probably no place in Australia could have
been better fitted for such a solemnity . In the Old World , from all that I have heard , Lord Carrington ' s installation would have been a splendid and a noteworthy event . In the New World of Australia it was absolutel y without precedent . Between 400 and 500 Masons , of all ranks and estates , and degrees , and conditions , and kinds , met from all parts of that mi ghty
continent to do him honour who was so well worthy to receive it , and at the same time to lay fit hands upon the foundations of the new United Grand Lodge of New South Wales . ( Applause . ) And now , brethren , to-ni ght it is my duty , in the name of our illustrious Grand Master , to ask you to con . firm that act of our New South Wales brethren , and I cannot doubt
that you will readily do so . You , as Englishmen , whether Masons or otherwise , have the wholesome practice of being largely guided by precedent , and the precedents leave us in this matter no option , but identically , I may say , the same state of things arose only three years ago in South Australia . A Grand Lodge was there formed , and it appl ied to this Grand Lodge , as the
Grand Lodge of New South Wales applies to us to-night—applied to this Grand Lodge for recognition ; and this Grand Lodge wisely—as I think most wisely—following upon the conditions which have been established now , and which have guided us for many years , at once accepted and confirmed the act , and I trust that they will do the same unanimously this evening . I
can say from my own experience that the results in South Australia have been very happy . The Grand Lodge there thrives and flourishes ; and if the welcome that they gave to me in my capacity of Pro Grand Master can be accepted as any evidence of the strength of the ties of affection , then I have a proof that I could not for one moment doubt that
the old loyalty , though turned into a different channel , remains identically the same , and that our brethren in South Australia are as much our brethren as if they were our brethren in West Yorkshire . ( Applause . ) Our Illustrious Grand Master has fully accepted that principle , because you may remember that at last Grand Lodge I announced
to you that his Royal Highness had consented to become the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of South Australia . ( Cheers . ) Now , brethren , I have one word more , and only one , to say with regard to this new Grand Lodge of New South VVales . I believe that the vote has been practicallyperhaps actually—unanimous . We have not received news of any one single
lodge being dissentient on any ground ; but there are two or three lodges that have not given in their answers . There are 82 English lodges that have consented , 56 Scotch , and 51 under the dissentient Grand Lodge , and my belief is that there is no one single lodge throughout the length and breadth of the colony that dissents from the proposal ; but it is right , and
it is in accordance with all our practice up to this time , that we should reserve the full right of any who may chance to dissent from the vote of the majority . I believe that in this case it is a purely formal act , but it is my duty not the less to mention it and to insist on it . Brethren , I have nothing further to add except to say this , that if we seem to lose from under our control , so to
say , the prosperous lodges of the Grand Colony of New South Wales , we are losing nothing that we could possibly have retained for one moment against their wish . We are following the analogy of Imperial Administration in this matter . Self-government has been freely and fully accorded ) without stint and without reserve , to these great self-governing
colonies , and there is no one in England so blind or so mad as to repent that gift . They have paid it with a feeling of affection and loyalty towards the mother country , and it is my conviction that in the same way we are bound to give freely , generously , and without stint the powers of self-government in Masonic matters to our Masonic
brethren in the New World . They deserve it , they are fully capable of using it ; and I am convinced that as time goes on we shall find that the ties ot Masonic affection have not in the least de gree been weakened by that
concession . Brethren , I have now , on the p art of the Most Worship ful the Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , to move " That this Grand Lodge do recognise the United Grand Lodge of k New South Walos . " ( Loud cheers . )
Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , Q . C , Grand Registrar : Most Worshipf " Pro Grand Master and brethren , —After the very eloquent speech that we have heard , it wants but little , beyond the simple seconding of the propos' " tion , to insure its acceptance with this Grand Lodge . But the duty devolves
upon me—and a most grateful duty it is , having in years gone by seconde the proposition that this Grand Lodge recognise the Grand Lodge South Australia—to second the proposition to recognise the Grand Long of New South Wales , We , as the Grand Lodge of England—the oldest
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Notes On The Ceremony Of Installation.
As before stated , he was present at the opening of this lodge in 1823 , put I have somewhere read th-it so far from approving of the plan on which it was established , he strongly objected to it ,-on the ground that a lodge of instruction restricted to M . M . ' s . and working the lectures only , on a new system , could not succeed ; he , however , had reason to alter his opinion , for in May . 1825 , he joined the lodge , and continued an active , and I need scarcely say , the principal , member of it the remainder of his life , thus showing that prejudice was not one of his failings .
It will readily be conceived that so remarkable a character would be long remembered in the lodge with which he had so strongly identified himself , and , up to a comparatively recent period , " The pious memory of the late Peter Gilkes " was the first toast given at the Annual Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . His admirers and pupils were numerous , and , I might say , various , and , although familiar with the names of many whose merits I should like to notice , I think it better , under the circumstances , to
confine my remarks to those whom I have personally known , and with whose abilities the brethren of the present generation are best acquainted . According to Masonic tradition , the designer of the monument to Peter Gilkes succeeded him in the leadership of his ^ tavourite lodge of instruction . I am somewhat doubtful on this point , as there were much older and more experienced brethren intimately associated with the lodge for many years after Gilkes' time , as the following paragraph from a report of the anniversary festival in 1835 w '" show : —
" The meeting was , in particular , marked by the presence of the three leading lecturers on Masonry , upon whom , by general consent as it were , the mantle of' Peter Gilkes' may be said to have fallen . We feel an honest pride in our associaiion with Brothers Dowley , Cooper , and S . B . Wilson , and entertain so high an opinion of their value to the Society , that we take
the liberty of making as public as we can , their well-earned character for intelligence , grounded upon a careful adherence to the landmarks of the Order , for the strict observance of our laws and regulations , and still more for the modesty with which they receive the homage so readily offered to their merits as individuals . " ( To be continued ) .
United Grand Lodge Of England.
UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .
The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England was held at Freemasons' Hall on Wednesday evening . The Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , presided ; Bro . W . W . B . Beach , R . W . Provincial Grand Master Hants and the Isle of Wight , acted as Deputy Grand Master ;
Lieut .-Col . the Hon . W , T . Orde-Powlett , P . G . W ., occupied the Senior Grand Warden's chair , in the absence of the Lord High Chancellor ; the Rev . C . J . Martin , Dep . G . M . for Suffolk , occupied the chair of Junior Grand Warden , in the absence of Lord John Taylour ; and the other Grand and Past Grand Officers present
were—The Grand Lodge having been opened , GRAND SECRETARY ( Col . Shadwell H . Clerke ) read the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of Sth September , which were put , and confirmed . Col . SHADWELL CLERKE then said : Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master , — I have just read the minutes of the last Grand Lodge , in which is
reported the presentation to his Majesty the King of Sweden of a Past Grand Master's clothing . I have now the honour to lay before Grand Lodge a letter , which has been received from his Majesty , acknowledging that present , and wilh your permission I will read it . It is as follows : Stockholm , 12 th November , 188 S . Sir and Most Worshipful Brother ,
With great pleasure 1 have received the insignia that your Royal Highness , as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England , has been graciously pleased to send to me in token of the dignity as Past Grand Master of the said Grand Lodge , with which I was invested during my last sojourn in England .
j pray your Royal H'ghness and the Grand Lodge to accept my sincere and cordial thanks for this new testimony of the friendly relations that exist between the Grand Lodges of England and Sweden . I have the honour to remain , your Royal Highness ' faithful Brother and true friend ,
OSCAR , V . S . V ., To P . G . M . of the Grand Lodge of England . His Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of VVales , etc ., etc ., etc ., etc . The reading of this letter was accompanied with loud applause .
The Earl of CARNARVON : Brethren , —I have now to move that the Royal letter from the King ot Sweden be entered on the minutes . Bro . W . BEACH : I beg to second it . The motion was carried unanimously .
The Earl of CARNARVON ; Brethren , —It becomes my duty now to submit to you a resolution by command of our Illustrious and Most Worshipful Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . Some , perhaps , here present may remember that I alluded at our last Quarterl y Communication to the possibility of some such reference being made to you , and I
doubt not that the general facts are more or less within the knowledge of all who are now present . You will , no doubt , remember that for some time past , Masonry in New South Wales , that great and most flourishing colony , has not presented that unanimity which , as Masons , we could desire to see exhibited by the Craft all over the world . And , brethren , when I , myself ,
was in the Colony of New South Wales at the commencement of this year , it grieved me to see the disunion and the dissension which existed in so many quarters . It would be alike a painful and an unnecessary task for me to rtcite or to expatiate upon those dissensions ; and all the more that during the last six months , to my infinite satisfaction , those difficulties have
cjeared away , the dissensions have passed into ancient history , and a new order of things has arisen in the colony . Brethren , it is my good fortune and my great satisfaction to you this evening to announce formally that those dissensions have been closed , and that all the dissensions , as far as I know , whether English , Scottish , or Irish , of those who stood aloof and formed themselves into a separate and dissentient Grand Lod ge , all those
United Grand Lodge Of England.
have combined to unite upon what I believe to be true Masonic princi ples and to constitute henceforward a United Grand Lodge of New South Wales . ( Applause . ) New South Wales has the good fortune to be governed by one of the most popular and successful administrators who could be found , and whom England has sent forth to that great country
In New South Wales I think there is no name that is more popular than that of my noble friend and brother , Lord Carrington . ( Applause . ) Our Illustrious Grand Master , with that happy perception of circumstances which characterises him , appointed Lord Carrington District G . Master of New South Wales , and it was very much due , indeed , to that felicitous
appointment that the present happier state of things came to pass , for Lord Carrington , being in that position of District Grand Master , was hailed through the length and breadth of that great land , with one unanimous acclaim , as the future Grand Master of the United Grand Lod ge . Our Illustrious Grand Master has not withheld his consent , and now the
United Grand Lodge has been formed , and Lord Carrington has accepted the position of Grand Master of that Grand Lodge . Brethren , it was but a short time since that his installation took place in Sydney . There are few towns in the New World which are more worthy of admiration than Sydney with its exquisite harbour , and probably no place in Australia could have
been better fitted for such a solemnity . In the Old World , from all that I have heard , Lord Carrington ' s installation would have been a splendid and a noteworthy event . In the New World of Australia it was absolutel y without precedent . Between 400 and 500 Masons , of all ranks and estates , and degrees , and conditions , and kinds , met from all parts of that mi ghty
continent to do him honour who was so well worthy to receive it , and at the same time to lay fit hands upon the foundations of the new United Grand Lodge of New South Wales . ( Applause . ) And now , brethren , to-ni ght it is my duty , in the name of our illustrious Grand Master , to ask you to con . firm that act of our New South Wales brethren , and I cannot doubt
that you will readily do so . You , as Englishmen , whether Masons or otherwise , have the wholesome practice of being largely guided by precedent , and the precedents leave us in this matter no option , but identically , I may say , the same state of things arose only three years ago in South Australia . A Grand Lodge was there formed , and it appl ied to this Grand Lodge , as the
Grand Lodge of New South Wales applies to us to-night—applied to this Grand Lodge for recognition ; and this Grand Lodge wisely—as I think most wisely—following upon the conditions which have been established now , and which have guided us for many years , at once accepted and confirmed the act , and I trust that they will do the same unanimously this evening . I
can say from my own experience that the results in South Australia have been very happy . The Grand Lodge there thrives and flourishes ; and if the welcome that they gave to me in my capacity of Pro Grand Master can be accepted as any evidence of the strength of the ties of affection , then I have a proof that I could not for one moment doubt that
the old loyalty , though turned into a different channel , remains identically the same , and that our brethren in South Australia are as much our brethren as if they were our brethren in West Yorkshire . ( Applause . ) Our Illustrious Grand Master has fully accepted that principle , because you may remember that at last Grand Lodge I announced
to you that his Royal Highness had consented to become the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of South Australia . ( Cheers . ) Now , brethren , I have one word more , and only one , to say with regard to this new Grand Lodge of New South VVales . I believe that the vote has been practicallyperhaps actually—unanimous . We have not received news of any one single
lodge being dissentient on any ground ; but there are two or three lodges that have not given in their answers . There are 82 English lodges that have consented , 56 Scotch , and 51 under the dissentient Grand Lodge , and my belief is that there is no one single lodge throughout the length and breadth of the colony that dissents from the proposal ; but it is right , and
it is in accordance with all our practice up to this time , that we should reserve the full right of any who may chance to dissent from the vote of the majority . I believe that in this case it is a purely formal act , but it is my duty not the less to mention it and to insist on it . Brethren , I have nothing further to add except to say this , that if we seem to lose from under our control , so to
say , the prosperous lodges of the Grand Colony of New South Wales , we are losing nothing that we could possibly have retained for one moment against their wish . We are following the analogy of Imperial Administration in this matter . Self-government has been freely and fully accorded ) without stint and without reserve , to these great self-governing
colonies , and there is no one in England so blind or so mad as to repent that gift . They have paid it with a feeling of affection and loyalty towards the mother country , and it is my conviction that in the same way we are bound to give freely , generously , and without stint the powers of self-government in Masonic matters to our Masonic
brethren in the New World . They deserve it , they are fully capable of using it ; and I am convinced that as time goes on we shall find that the ties ot Masonic affection have not in the least de gree been weakened by that
concession . Brethren , I have now , on the p art of the Most Worship ful the Grand Master , his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , to move " That this Grand Lodge do recognise the United Grand Lodge of k New South Walos . " ( Loud cheers . )
Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , Q . C , Grand Registrar : Most Worshipf " Pro Grand Master and brethren , —After the very eloquent speech that we have heard , it wants but little , beyond the simple seconding of the propos' " tion , to insure its acceptance with this Grand Lodge . But the duty devolves
upon me—and a most grateful duty it is , having in years gone by seconde the proposition that this Grand Lodge recognise the Grand Lodge South Australia—to second the proposition to recognise the Grand Long of New South Wales , We , as the Grand Lodge of England—the oldest