Consecration Of The Cheselden Lodge, No. 2870.

The ceremony of consecration was performed by Bro . E Letchworth , F . S . A ., G . Sec , assisted by Bro . F . Richardson , as D . C , and Bro . J . C . F . Tower , as G . D . C , and Bro . Sir B . Savory , Bart ., G . Chap ., as Chaplain . In addressing the brethren on the motive of the meeting , the GRAND S ECRETARY stated that the lodge was named after one who , about 200

years ago , was a prominent surgeon connected with St . Thomas's Hospital . In delivering his oration the CHAPLAIN stated that in 1100 A . D . the hospital had been formed in connection with the church of St . Mary , Holborn . It was destroyed by fire in 1207 , but was restored , with the aid of the Bishop of Winchester , in 122 S . In 1 ^ 38 , and afterwards , it suffered

in common with other religious houses . During the period of about 1700 Cheselden lectured in the hospital , and in 1871 Queen Victoria laid the first stone of the new buildings , So it seemed fitting to form a lodge in connection with the hospital , which should be a new centre of brotherly love , relief , and truth .

The lodge having been duly dedicated and constituted , Bro . T . Wakley , jun ., was installed in the chair of K . S . by the Grand Secretary , and then appointed acid invested the following officers for the ensuing year : Bros . W . Vaughan Morgan , P . M ., P . G . Treas ., as I . P . M ., * H . H . Clutton , S . W . ; G . Crawford Thomson , P . M ., J . W . ; Sydney Phillips , Treas . ; Charles R . Box , Sec ; W . S . Colman , S . D . ; T . G . Nicholson , J . D . ; S . Hague , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C . Middx ., D . C . ; L . A . Bidtvell . W . M . 2620

I . G . j W . H . L . Copeland , W . M . 1506 , and H . J . Prangley , P . M ., Stwds . ; and W . H . Hobbin , P . M ., Tyler . A Committee was appointed to frame bye-laws , and the M . W . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , was elected the first Hon . Member of the lodge , a similar honour being subsequently conferred on Bro . E . Letchworth , G . Sec , and the other Consecrating Officers . A number of propositions for membership were received , and founders' jewels were presented to each one of the Consecrating Officers .

The lodge having been closed , the brethren adjourned to the Trocadero Restaurant , where a banquet had been prepared , at the conclusion of which the customary loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured . Replying to the toast of " The Grand Officers , " Bro . G . RICHARDS , Dist . G . M . Transvaal , referred to the brilliancy which had attended the

consecration of the lodge , and expressed his sense of the burden which devolved on the W . M . and his officers to maintain the prestige of the lodge , for the future of which he had no fear , connected as it was with a noble profession , whose duty called them to relieve sickness and pain , even at their own peril , and on the field of battle .

The W . M ., in proposing " The Health of the Consecrating Officers , " hoped they would not view their honorary membership in too honorary a light , but would often visit the lodge . He referred in graceful terms to the admirable work of the Consecrating Officers , and to the eloquent oration of the Grand Chaplain , who would always be persona grata with the medical profession if only for the sake of his honoured father . He took the opportunity also of thanking Bro . Dr . Walmsley-Little , G . Org ., for the music

with which he had supplied them . Bro . LETCHWORTH responded in suitable terms , and remarked that no one was more disappointed at the Grand Master's absence than the Duke of Connaught himself . His Royal Highness had expressed to htm only that morning the pleasure with which he looked forward to being present at the consecration of a lodge belonging to a hospital with which he was officially connected .

Bro . VAUGHAN MORGAN , I . P . M ., proposed " The Health of the W . M . " in a humorous speech , the toast being most cordially received . Bro . T . WAKLEY , W . M ., in response , said he sometimes thought the toast was one to which a W . M . on his installation was hardly entitled to as he was an unknown quantity and his work remained to be proved . He would , however , endeavour to do his best and would conclude with a few

observations on the name of the lodge . They were precluded from calling it St . Thomas ' s Lodge , as there was already a lodge of . that name in Derbyshire , which comprised for the most part thc tenants of land given to the hospital in the time of Edward VI . St . Bartholomew ' s had named their lodge after their founder Rahere , and Charing Cross had named theirs Chere Reine , partly in memory of Queen Eleanor , and partly in memory of Queen Victoria . Cheselden was a surgeon at St . Thomas ' s Hospital from

1718 to 1738 , and though there was nothing to show he was a Freemason , yet he was an eminent man , not only in surgery , but in other directions . If he did not cement stones , however , he did much to take stone away from the human frame , a work equally beneficial to mankind . Cheselden had , moreover , drawn the plans for Putney Bridge , and was an eminent sportsman also . But if Cheselden was not a Mason , Bro . R . F . Gould had informed him that Sir Thos . Clayton , Alderman and Lord Mayor of London , who was Governor of St . Thomas ' s Hospital in 1693 , was a Freemason .

The toast of "The Visitors " was responded to by Bros . Sir WILLIAM MCCORMAC , Bart ., and P . S . ABRAHAM , W . M . of the Rahere Lodge , the remaining toasts being those of " The Officers of the Lodge " . and the Tyler ' s toast . A programme of music was given under the direction of Bro . W . \ VaImsIey Little , Mus . Doc , G . Org ., who furthermore presided at the piano . Others who contributed to the programme were Miss Annie Box , Miss Walmsley Little , Bros . H . Holyoake and G . J . Conning . 1 he founders' jewels , kc , were manulactured by Bros . George Kenning and Son , London .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF BERKSHIRE .

1 he Berkshire brethren assembled in Provincial Grand Lodge at the Koyal borough of Windsor , on the 29 th ult ., when the weather proved . avourable , and there was a numerous and highly-representative attendance , including members of all the lodges in the county , and several officers of the Grand Lodge of England .

The brethren of the Windsor Lodges and Royal Arch Chapter gave the •sitorsa most hospitable reception between three and four o ' clock at the wasonic Hall , from whence they proceeded to the adjacent Town Hall , Wl ? p era ! C 03 ms were placed at their disposal by the Mayor , Councillor a ^ i . ^ eave 'l , to whom a hearty vote of thanks was presented , and acknowled ged by the ex-Mayor , Bro . Birber . fon * ^ ^' ' * Grand Lodge was opjried with due ceremony at half-past ° ur in the handsome Guildhall , the walls of which are hung with valuable

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Berkshire.

portraits of Royal and distinguished personages . The D . P . G . M . in charge , Bro . J . T . Morland , P . G . D . England , presided with his accustomed ability , and was supported by a strong body of Prov . G . Officers , some of whom had been working in the cause of Masonry for 30 years or more , and to these the Prov . Grand Lodge affords a most pleasant reunion , recalling the

incidents and associations of past days . At one end of the hall appeared the splendid Prov . Grand Lodge banner with the armorial bearings of the late Lord Wantage , V . C , while at the other was fixed the banner of one of the youngest lodges—that of Aldermaston—presented by Bro . Charles E . Keyser , and bearing a beautifully-worked representation of Aldermaston Court .

After the usual formalities , it was unanimously resolved , on the proposal of Bro . E . MARGRETT , seconded by Bro . G . J . COSRURN , that the lengthy minutes of the Prov . Grand Lodge held at Lockinge House last summer be taken as read , the same having been printed and circulated . The DEI * . PROV . G . MASTER , addressing the brethren , remarked that the first business on the agenda paper was one of a melancholy character .

They were reminded by the notices which they had received that on the last o caslon on which they assembled in Prov . G . Lodge It was at the hosplt ' able home of their late lamented Prov . G . Master , Lord Wantage , and some of them might have formed the opinion from his lordship's appearance on that occasion that it was not likely he would be spared to them for more than a few years . However , it had since pleased the Great Architect of the

Universe to remove him , and they all deplored very much his loss . It Was probable that few of them had known much of Lord Wantage Masonically , as he did not take any prominent part in Prov . G . Lodge matters until comparatively a short time ago . Nevertheless he became a member of the Abbey Lodge as far back as the year 1863 , and continued a subscribing member up to the date of his death . He ( Bro . Morland ) felt sure they

would desire to have recorded on the minutes their deep sense of the loss which the province had sustained by his death , and also to express sympathy with Lady Wantage in her sorrow and affliction . They also regretted the loss by death of two other prominent members of this Prov . G . Lodge , one being their Chaplain , Bro : the Rev . E . R .. Adams , of Pamber ,

who was a Mason of considerable standing , while the other was Bro . Charles Stephens , who had been their Prov . G . Treasurer for a considerable period—23 years he believed . Bro . Stephens in his earlier days was an active and most indefatigable member of the Craft , and he had reason to know that at the time of the installation of the late lamented Duke of

Clarence and Avondale , his Royal Highness offered to appoint Bro , Stephens to the position of Dep . Prov . G . Master , but he was compelled to decline the honour through failing health , which would rendei it impossible for him to visit the various lodges at their meetings , which were usually held in the evening . He simply mentioned this to show the high eeteem in which Bro . Stephens had been held as a Mason . It was a singular

circumstance that the next Prov . G . Lodge following the death of the Duke of Clarence should have been held in the very room in which they were then assembled , mourning the deaths of Lord Wantage and two other of their Grand Officers . He would not say more , and would content himself by simply moving the following resolution , asking Bro . Canon Garry to second it , and speak more fully upon it : " That this Provincial Grand Lodge of Freemasons desires to record its deep sorrow at the loss this provincs has

sustained by the lamented deaths of the Right Hon . Lord Wantage , V . C , K . C . B ., the Provincial Grand Master : W . Bro . the Rev . E . R . Adams , the Provincial Grand Chaplain ; and W . Bro . Charles Stephens , the Provincial Grand Treasurer ; who had each obtained the sincere respect of all Freemasons in Berkshire ; and that a vote of condolence , expressing sincere and heartfelt sympathy , be passed , and forwarded to the msmbers of their respective families . "

Bro . Canon GARRY , Past Grand Chaplain of England , in seconding the vote , said : Few provinces have ever had to send a vote of condolence to the families of three of its Grand Officers at the same annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge ; that is our sad lot to-day . The foss of the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the province naturally turns our thoughts back to the untimely death of our first Grand Master . In this

very room at the meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge , nine years ago , it was my sad privilege to move a vote of condolence on the death of the Duke of Clarence . Many here present can remember the stately and impressive ceremony in the Town Hall of Reading , with which the present King , then Prince of Wales and Grand Master of England , installed his

eldest son , the heir to the Throne , as first Grand Master of the Province of Berkshire , of the kindly grace with which the newly-installed Grand Master invested his officers . How soon was all the bright promise of that young life cut short by death ! It was wilh him as with the young Marcellus , the heir of his uncle the Emperor Augustus * .

" Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata , neque ultra Esse sinent . " After the interval of some years , Lord Wantage was installed , also in Reading , by Earl Amherst ; but he had not held the post of Grand Master much longer than his predecessor , the Duke of Clarence , though he passed away full of years and honours . Those who can remember the Crimean War can recall the bravery of Colonel Lindsay of the Guards and how he

won the Victoria Cross ; all Berkshire men know and appreciate the part that he took in the Volunteer movement , and how under his leadership the Berkshire men became , and still are , one of the most efficient Voluntesr regiments . When Lord Wantage became Lord Lieutenant , the county felt that it was a well-merited distinction , and the Freemasons of the province felt that they were honoured when he was appointed their Grand ' Master 1

and now that he has been taken away they deeply mourn his loss . The Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . E . R . Adams , had not been long in the county when he was appointed ; but he was a distinguished Mason , and had already acted as Grand Chaplain of the Province of Sussex . But the tale of our loss is not yet complete ; we mourn our tried friend Bro . Charles Stephens , our Provincial Grand Treasurer , whose management of our

funds , since the formation of the province , has been most careful and efficient . In his youth our brother was an athlete , * he played as a boy in the Winchester eleven , and he rowed in his College boat at Oxford , and in early and middle life everything about him promised a hearty and vigorous old age ; but to the deep regret of his many friends , especially of his

brother Masons , his health began to fail about 15 years ago , and now he has passed away , making the loss of the province a threefold one . We deeply feel that loss , ourselves , and we wish to assure the families of the three Provincial Grand Officers who have passed away to the world of light , of our heartfelt sympathy with them in their sorrow . The resolution was then submitted from the chair , and unanimously