Consecration Of The New Colombo Preceptory, No. 164 (E .C), Ceylon.

CONSECRATION OF THE NEW COLOMBO PRECEPTORY , No . 164 ( E . C ) , CEYLON .

That the revival of Masonry in Ceylon is still very popular was amply exemplified , when a goodly number of sir knights assembled at the Freemasons' Hall , Colombo , on Wednesday , the 6 th ult ., to assist in the Consecration of the New Colombo Preceptory , No .

164 ( E . G . ) . Sir Knights Col . Blake , Royal Artillery , Past Prov . Grand Constable of the Mediterranean , and John Maitland were the Consecrating Officers . The preceptory having been opened , the CONSECRATING OFFICERS addressed the sir knights in the most appropriate and felicitous terms on the nature of the meeting . The preceptory was then consecrated and

dedicated in a most impressive manner . Sir Knight Captain George Hearn , the E . P . designate , was then formally installed as first E . P . of the Colombo Preceptory , and invested the following as his ofiicers : Sir Knights John Guthrie , Constable ; William Cantrell , Marshal ; E . C . Davies , Prelate ; John Maitland , P . E . C , Reg . and Treas . ; W . R . F . Lukis ,

Sub-Marshal ; A . O . Joseph , Captain of the Guard ; Arthur Alvis , Almoner ; B . G . L . Bremner , ist Std . Br . ; W . T . Robson , 2 nd Std . Br . ; and Lieut . F . Brown , R . A ., Pursuivant . The names of several candidates were proposed for installation . The E . P . said his first—a very pleasant duty—was

to return thanks to the Consecrating Ofiicers for the effective and impressive manner the consecration and installation had been carried out , and he proposed that Sir Knight Major-General Hay , C . B ., their Vice-Chancellor , and Sir Knight Col . Blake , R . A ., be elected honorary members of this preceptory . —Carried by

acclamation . The preceptory having been closed , a priory of the Knig hts of Malta was opened , and the Degree conferred on eight candidates , and Sir Knight Captain Hearn was duly installed first E . P ., and invested his ofiicers for the ensuing year . The priory was then closed , and the sir knights

adjourned to the banqueting hall for dinner , where the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given . Sir Knight Col . BLAKE , in returning thanks lor the toast of his health , said it had given him much pleasure in assisting that evening at the consecration of the new preceptory , and more especially as he had lived for a number of years in Malta , to confer the Degrees of Knig hts of Malta on eig ht candidates that evening .

He said that it was not at all an unusual thing for sir knights to come out to Malta for the sole purpose of getting the Degree of Knight of Malta , and he could assure tViem that as they had seen it worked that evening the Melita Priory worked it , and as it had been handed down from the old Knights of Malta . The toast list having been brought to an end , a most enjoyable evening , long to be remembered in Colombo , terminated .

Inventory Of Property Belonging To The Newcastle-Ontyne Lodge, No. 29.

INVENTORY OF PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE NEWCASTLE-ONTYNE LODGE , No . 29 .

Inventory of Property belonging to the Newcastleon-Tyne Lodge of Freemasons , No . 24 , the said property being now in the Possession of Brother George Weatherhead forthe Safe Keeping thereof .

3 Officer's Chairs—with Cushions ; Platform , Columns , Pilasters , Cornices , Hangings , & c . —for Throne , 3 Platforms for Officers Chairs , 3 Tables , 2 Pedestals , Ballot Box , Lanthorn and Star , Senior Warden's Desk , Treasurer's StafT , Secretary's Desk , Black LetlerBible , bound in red mcroco— Joint property

rf the Royal Arch Chapter de Swinburne & thc Lodge , 2 Cushions for Bibles , Painting of Star & Letter G , 16 Private Lodge Certificates—filled up , 6 Private Lodge Certificates-Blank , Grand Lodge Certificate for T . S . Colwell—date 1828 , Grand Lodge Certificate for W . Scott—date 1829 , a Parcel of Vouchers and

other documents , Treasurer ' s Book of Athol Lodge from 1805 to 1814 , Benefit Society ' s donation Book 1811 , Antient Charges on Vellum , Book of Declarations from 1822 to 1824 . Visitors Book from 1805 to 1827 , Tyler's Book from 1828 ( 0 1 S 43 , Athol Lodge seal—copper , Athol Lodge seal—silver , Silver Square

—in red case , Masters Desk & Stand for do .. Manuscript Copy of By Laws , Excelent and Super excelent Tracing board , 3 Craft Tracing boards , State Sword and Stand , 2 Plated , Branch Candlesticks—not complete , 3 Gas burners , 4 Branches for Secretary & Treasurer ' s desks—not complete , 17 firing Glasses ,

Letter from H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex Framed & Glazed , Letter from H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex not Framed , Drawing of Fcnnings' Monument , Framed , Glass broken , Register of Athol Lodge Officers Framed & Glazed , Establishmt . & Register of Athol Lodge Framed & Glazed , List of Officers of the Athol and St . Nicholas Lodges at the time of the

Union-Framed & Glazed , Engraving of Emblems Framed & Varnished—damaged , Register of Officers of Lodge No . 24 from 1828 to 1841—not Framed . The foregoing is a correct Inventory of the Masonic property , now in the possession of Brother George Weatherhead , As Witness my hand this sixteenth day of December 1850 , W . DALZIEL .

The Duke and Duchess of Vork arrived at York House , , St . James's , from Sinlringham , on Monday , the Lady Eva Greville and Sir Charles Cuit being in attendance on their Royal Highnesses .

" The Mark."

" THE MARK . "

In the far distant , ancient , times , The chronicle is told , That an adventurous Fellow Craft , With resolution bold , Though Mark Man only , had presumed , By his audacious deed , Wages to seek , and thus incurred The penalty decreed .

His work rejected by the test Of overseer ' s square , Amongst the rubbish it was heaved , Within the quarries there . This stone , of chaste and novel form , A master-piece of skill , In Holy Temple was refused A worthy place to fill .

O ' ercome by grief , disconsolate , In mental conflict tost , Our Brother Fellow Craft exclaimed , " Alas ! my labour ' s lost . " Long had he hoped to be " advanced " Masonic rank to gain , But Fate , adverse , his suit repelled ; His labour was in vain .

Meanwhile the work in Temple Arch Comes to untimely stand ; The keystone lost , and its design Unknown throughout the land , Trjen the despised , rejected , stone Its place of honour filled ; The artist won the prize he sought ! Thus the Grand Master willed .

May we in times of fear and doubt Learn never to despair , If , haply , for a while it seems That God rejects our prayer . Let us , as faithful Masons , still Bear constantly in mind , Although delayed , our work at last , Will sure acceptance find !

While thus , as living stones built up , An edifice we raise , _ Our toil , as humble offering , joined With attribute of praise . As Men of Mark , may each his Mark Upon his work impress , That e ' en the outer world shall own T he type of Holiness !

Thus , when the Overseer views Our work may he approve , And heavenly wages grant to us The bounty of His Love . Then , after life ' s tempestuous strife , May we , for ever blest , As Brethren meet and enter in The haven of our rest . BRO . F . W . DRIVER , M . A ., P . M ., Sec . 176 , P . M . Grand Stewards' Lodge .

In Memoriam.

IN MEMORIAM .

CHAS . VV . CURRAN , P . M . and P . Z . 3 S 4 . Obiit ., 23 Feb ., 1 S 95 . Who hath not lost a friend , and losing Mourn'd , and thinking felt , that life Is but a spirit-fretting trial _ - Ot our weak faith ? Bright days of meeting , Dimm'd by parting nights , make up its round

Till death , unbidden , ends thc little play . He was our friend . Four ' prenticeships in years His heart was open to us ; and we gazed Upon its work , and oft' have bless'd the name Of Him who deign'd to give us such a friend . The precious rain of sympathy , —a silent tear , — Had he for all in sorrow . Masons he lov'd , And all n * en ; for he was our Brother , and The Light had enter'd where the rays remain'd .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . SIR F . WYATT TRUSCOTT , P . G . W . It is with great regret we announce the decease of Bro . Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , one of the senior aldermen of the City of London , who died on Sunday afternoon last at his residence in Victoria-street , after a short illness from bronchitis and asthma . He was the son of Bro . James Truscott , of Essex Lodge , Norwood ,

and was born in Cornwall in 1824 . He became a member of the Corporation in 1858 as a Common Councilman for Dowgate Ward , and he served the office of Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1871-2 inthe mayoralty | of Sir Sills Gibbons . During his shrievalty her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family attended the memorable service in St . Paul ' s Cathedral in

thanksgiving for the recovery of the Prince of Wales from his dangerous illness , and Sir Francis Truscott and his cosheriff , Sir John Bennett , who had ridden in the pageant , subsequently received the honour of kni ghthood , ln December , 1 S 71 , Sir Francis Truscott was unanimously elected Alderman of his ward in -succession to Sir Robert Garden , who had accepted the sinecure office of

Alderman of the Ward of Bridge Without . He was elected Lord Mayor in 1879 , and during his year of office paid State , visits to Brussels , to Scarborough , where he opened the Spa , and to Truro—his native city—for the laying of the foundation-stone of the cathedral . It was during his year of office that the

boundary-mark between the City and thc West-End , known as "The Griffin , " was erected in place ol Temple Bar , and unveiled by the late Duke of Albany , He also raised the following Mansion House Funds : For the Relief of Distress in Ireland ( the Duchess of Marlborough ' s Fund ) , . 635 , 431 ; Abercarne Colliery Accident , . £ 33 , 007 ; Risca Colliery

Obituary.

Accident , ^ 7 677 ; Truro Cathedral Fund , £ 1121 the loss of H . M . S . Atalanta Fund , ^ 9897 ; and the Sir Rowland Hill Memorial and Benevolent Fund . £ 16 , 827 . Sir Francis was a Magistrate for London Middlesex , Westminster , Surrey , and Cornwall ; one of her Majesty ' s Lieutenants for the City , and a Commissioner of Income Tax ; amember of tbe Metropolitan

Board of Works from 1 S 75 till iSSS , a Conservator of the Thames , a Commander of the Orders of Leopold of Belgium and the Saviour of Greece , and an officer of the Legion of Honour . He belonged to thc Haberdashers ' , Vintners ' , and Stationers' Companies in all of which he had served as Master , and he was a leading member of the Conservative Association in

the City . His career in Masonry was a long one and highly distinguished . He was initiated in the Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 , on the 20 th December , 1857 represented it on the Board of Grand Stewards in 1864-5 , and was installed its W . M . firstly in January , 1865 , and for the second time in the corresponding month of 1880 , when Lord Mayor of London . In A pril

of the latter year he was appointed Junior Grand Warden of England , and in the following October had the honour of entertaining at a grand banquet at the Mansion House the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master , the officers and members of his lodge ( No . 1 ) and about 300 of the most prominent members of the Order . He was also a founder and first W . M . of the

Savage Club Lodge , and was installed in the chair of that lodge in January , 1887 . He was likewise a Royal Arch Mason , having been exalted in the St . James ' s Chapter , No . 2 , and was appointed Grand Scribe N . in Supreme Grand Chapter in 1880 . Lastly he was a Life Governorof our three Institutions , and had served sundry

Stewardships in their behalf . He was married in 18 47 to Eliza , daughter of Mr . James Freeman , of Turnham - green , and he leaves surviving two sons—of whom the elder , Mr . George Wyatt Truscott , will probably succeed him as Alderman—and one daughter , who is married to Bro . Henry Homewood Crawford , the City Solicitor .

BRO . JOHN BARNETT . Wc last week had the melancholy duty cf announcing in our obituary column the death of Bro . John Barnett , who passed away after only 10 days' illness , in his 51 st year . He was an enthusiastic Mason , not only as regards our ritual but also in supporting our Masonic Charities . Initiated in 186 9 in Plymouth , he , in 1884 ,

joined the Domatie Lodge , No . 177 , was VV . M . last year , installing his successor in a very able manner ; he was a founder in 1887 and fourth WiM . of the Highbury Lodge , No . 2192 , and joined the Pegasus Lodge , No , 2205 , in the Province of Kent in 1889 . He was exalted in the Royal Naval Chapter , No . 59 , and was , at the time of his lamented death , the M . E . Z . In Mark

Masonry he also took an active interest , having been advanced in 1871 in No . 60 , Plymouth . He joined the Henniker Lodge , No . 315 , and is a P . M . of the lodge , and in 1892 he was a founder and first W . M . of the Crystal Palace Lodge , No . 450 , which was the first lodge formed after the separation of Middlesex and Surrey , and was consecrated by the then D . G . M .. Bro . thc

Earl of Euston , on the same day as Bro . Col . Noel Money was installed as Prov . Grand Master of the Province of Surrey , and it is a singular coincidence that both those brethren should have been called to their rest at so short an interval of time . Bro . Barnett was appointed a Grand Steward in the Mark Degree in 1893 , became a member of the Grand

Stewards' Lodge , and held at the time of his death the office of P . J . G . W . in the Province of Surrey . Besides serving four Stewardships for the Mark Benevolent Fund , he had been Steward 12 times for one or other of the Craft Charities . He was also a member of thc present Board of General Purposes , and his lamented death has left a void which it will be difficult to fill .

He leaves a widow and five young children . l " death of our brother was so unexpected , that when the end came there was little time to apprise his numerous friends of the day appointed for the funeral , nevertheless , we noticed amongst those attending Bros . J . A . Farnfield , Past Assistant G . Director of Ceremonies ; Hastings Miller , P . G . S . B . ; C . F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br . ; Wigmore , W . M ., and Salmon , P . M ., of

Domatie Lodge j E . Apelt , W . M . elect Crystal Palace Mark Lodge ; and others ; while apologies and regrets at non-attendance were received from Bros . J . S , Eastes , D . P . G . M . Kent ; G . Everett , P . G . Treas . ; F . Binckes , P . G . S . B . ; Herbert Sprake , W . M . 2192 ; and many others . Wreaths of flowers , with Masonic emblems , were sent from the Domatie Lodge , No . 177 ; Highbury Lodge , No . 2192 ; Henniker Mark Lodge , No . 315 ; and Crystal Palace Mark Lodge , No . 45 ° -

BRO . EARL COWLEY . The funeral of Bro . Earl Cowley , who died on Thursday , the 28 th ult ., took place at Draycot , near Chippenham , on Monday , the 4 th instant . 'f' "* "* service was conducted by the Rev . R . E . Neville , rector of Draycot , assisted by the Rev . R . Daw 50 " rector of Sutton-Benger . Among the mourners were

Viscount Dangan now Earl Cowley—the Hon . F . AWellesley , the Duke of Beaufort , the Marquis o > Lansdowne , Lord Charles Kerr , Viscount Trafalj" - * ' the Marquis of Worcester , Bro . W . H . Long , M . P-i Viscount Royston , Lord Ebury , Capt . Nisei Jones ,

and Capt . Spicer . Thc deceased was a mcirti > er 0 l the Lansdowne Lodge of Unity , No . 626 , Chippenhanji to the chair of which he was elected in 1884 . In ' •^• "j his lordship was appointed by the late Bro . L ° Methuen , P . G . M ., to be Prov . Senior Grand * vVa rden of Wiltshire .