Consecration Of The Æsculapius Lodge, No. 2410.

would be better citizens and possess every requirement necessary to make up a Christian gentleman . I will , therefore , ask you to be upstanding and drink the toast of the Queen and the Craft . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next said : The toast I now have the honour of proposing is that of " Our Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . " I

need not here dilate upon the good and sterling qualiticsof our Grand Master : they are well known to you all , but this I must say , that a more painstaking , energetic , and hardworking Mason is not to be found in the Craft , and I am sure you will all endorse what I have said . I will , therefore , ask you to be upstanding and drink long life and prosperity to our genial Prince .

Bro . LENNOX BROWNE proposed " The Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " of whom , as well as of the Deputy Grand Master , he said he had had the honour of the acquaintance and friendship of 20 years . Speaking of those brothers as highly esteemed , as excellent workers in Masonry , and as courteous , affable , and genial gentlemen , he looked upon the other numerous

Grand Officers who graced the table that night as worthy colleagues of those noblemen , and as furnishing such an embarras de richesse as to make it extremely difficult for him to select a respondent to the toast . He would , however , call upon Bros . Col . Elliott , C . B ., K . C . M . G ., District Grand Master of Barbados , and Dr . Jabez Hogg , P . G . D ., to reply . Dr . Hogg was a member of the medical profession whom every one esteemed ; he was one of the oldest Grand Officers ; he was not only an oculist of distinction , but he

had been an early and enthusiastic worker with the microscope ; his work was of the first order , and was a quarter of a century before its time . His portrait was in Grand Lodge . If the / Esculapius Lodge could be more esteemed than it was , it would be by a seat on the dais where Dr . Hoggsat ; they hoped that before long some member of it might sit there , and if Dr . Hogg had anything to say on the subject , certainly the Ayes ( Eyes ) would have it . Perhaps it required a microscope to see the pun .

Bro . Col . J ELLIOTT , District G . Master of Barbados , in responding , said that the successes in Freemasonry as in the services to which he and many brethren at the table belonged had been achieved by the individual exertions of members . In Masonry the Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , the Grand Secretary , and other active members of Grand Lodge had with the possession of wisdom to comprehend , judgment

to define , and ability to enforce obedience to the laws of Masonry in harmony and concord , secured to the Order unity of action and the distribution of an extended system of Charity . He had read in a Masonic work that Masonry was a system of mutual assistance , of Charity to the distressed , and goodwill to all ; fidelity to a trust , reverence to the magistrate , and obedience to the law were sculptured in capitals on the pediments of their Institutions . Those were , one might safely say , the principles which guided

the men to whom the brethren had done honour that night ; they guided the Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master ( whom he had had the honour of being associated with many years ) , the Grand Secretary , and other working members of Grand Lodge , and a debt of gratitude for the present prosperous condition of Grand Lodge was due to those brethren . If individual members of the Order adopted these principles and made them the rule of their lives they must afford to Grand Lodge that assistance which would ensure that success in the future it had achieved in the past .

Bro . Dr . J ABEZ HOGG , in the presence of so many distinguished men , would rather have hot said anything . He had known Bro . Lennox Browne many years ; his father was an old friend , a man greatly esteemed in the profession , who originated one of the finest operations ever heard of in connection with surgery , and by whose exertions numbers of lives had been saved . Now he had the p leasure of meeting the son himself

eminent in another branch of the profession which they all admiredthat evening at least . These sons of / Esculapius were assembled that evening in great numbers , and they did not acknowledge that medicine could become old or in the least worn out . They were all disci ples of / Esculapius from the day they obtained the smallest office in connection with their profession until the day of their death . They felt that

night in attending the inauguration of such a lodge as the / Esculapius they were really carrying out the fine orig in of medicine in their father / Esculapius , who left some one behind him to carry on his distinguished labours . He also originated the daughter of medicine , for his eminent and celebrated daughter Hygceria was the orig inator of the female side of their profession . It was fortunate that lodge should be inaugurated in the year of the Hygienic

Congress in London . For many good reasons the brethren of that lod ge had conferred an inestimable service on his profession in bringing the members of it together in the brotherly and kind way which had been pointed out by the Grand Chaplain . His excellent oration , althoug h Bro . Simpson modestly disclaimed being an orator , went to the heart of everyoneand pointed out the step they should take to ensure

, thesuccess of the / Esculapius Lodge . He ( Bro . Hogg ) was a senior Grand Officer , but he felt himself young when he had by his side Bro . Fenn , with whom he used to work in the Craft 45 years ago , and under whose tuition he received his first lesson . He felt particularly honoured by being invited ! o take part in a Masonic ceremony which would do honour to the founders of the lodge and to all connected with it .

, 1 he WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing " The Health of the Consecrating and Installing Master and his Assistants , " said : I . have great pleasure in proposing this toast , to which I am sure you will heartily respond . The masterl y and grand manner in which the whole ceremony has been performed will leave a lasting impression on all our minds , never to be effaced , each Consecrating Officer doing his work well ; while too great a meed of

praise cannot be offered to the Installing Master in recognition of the impressivel y efficient way in which he performed his special functions . I will , therefore , ask you to be upstanding and drink the health of the Consecrating and Installing Master and his assistants . Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , in response , said he was only one of a band of brothers who had attended to launch a lodge which they hoped and

trusted would do good service to the Craft . Had he not been so well supported the ceremony would not have gone off so well as it had done . At the same time he and his assistants were very grateful for the brethren ' s l ecognition of their performance . Their services had been given with a great deal of pleasure , and they were only too delighted to take part in setting that lodge afoot , which he believed would attain to a high position .

jc liopcd this would be an historical celebration . He then proposed " The Wealth of the W . M ., and Prosperity to the New Lodge , " and repeated observations he had made at former consecrations , that it was a far more distinguished position to be lirst Master -of a lodge than to be the elected Master of an established lodge , for the reason that the oundcrs looked upon the Master they nominated as the best of lem - all . Bro . Brindley James was not an old Mason , as his services

Consecration Of The Æsculapius Lodge, No. 2410.

dated back only eight or nine years , but he had achieved a position , and was already a P . M . in the Craft . The brethren were fortunate in securing such a Master ; his career was in his own hands , and he had a great future before him if he properly performed the guardianship of his own interests . With gentlemen of hi gh standing in this city if he did not get a band of brethren together who would be an honour to Masonry it would be his own

fault . The name of the lodge was very appropriate indeed . Dr . Hoggmade some remarks about the late lamented gentleman Mr . / Esculapius ; he hoped he would be the prototype of all the members of that lodge—at least in some respects . / Esculapius was supposed to be the son of Apollo ; Homer called him the " blameless physician . " He was sure everyone in the

lodge was a blameless physician ; and as / Esculapius gave both his sons to the medical profession , as they were both surgeons of the Greek army ofoccupation at Troy , he would hope that the members of this lodge would bring their sons to this profession ; so that / Esculapius of ancient memory might be a prototype of the members of the lodge .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER said : I feel highly gratified at the very kind remarks made by the Grand Secretary , and hope I may always deserve them . Little did I think , in August of last year , my humble efforts would have been crowned with such signal success . For it was at that period that a letter was written by me suggesting the formation of a medical Masonic lodge as well as the name it now bears . Some years ago our Secretary and other medical brethren met together and proposed a

lodge of the same kind , but were unsuccessful , and the idea fell through owing to deficient material support . We encountered great difficulties at first , but , through the energy of our Secretary , Bro . Ninnis , and Bro . Lennox Browne , those obstacles have all been triumphantly surmounted , and now our new lodge is floated under very favourable auspices . I thank you , brethren all , for placing me at your head , and I will do my level best to make the / Esculapius Lodge a success .

Bro . LENNOX BROWNE proposed "The Visitors , to which Bros . Admiral MARKHAM , WALSHAM , F . R . C . S ., and SHIRLEY responded . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing " The Officers , " said that toast gave him great pleasure to offer , as he was very proud of the officers

of the / Esculapius Lodge . They were men of the highest pronounced worth , thoroughly reliable , and brethren that would perform their duties like clock-work . One officer they all had to thank for the zeal , assiduity , and trouble he had taken throughout the formation of that lodge , and ' without whose aid it would never have been established—he meant Bro . Dutton . He

knew they would endorse all he had said of ' him , and drink with him health and prosperity to the officers of the / Esculapius Lodge . j The toast was responded to by Bros . Dr . DUTTON , Secretary ; Deputy . Inspector-General NINNIS , J . W . ; and Dr . DANFORD THOMAS , Treasurer ; after which Bro . ELLIS , Tyler , gave the Tyler ' s toast , and the highly successful proceedings terminated .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Wiltshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF WILTSHIRE .

The Provincial Grand Chapter of Wiltshire held its annual meeting at the Masonic Hall , Trowbridge , by invitation of the Concord Chapter , No . 632 , on Friday , the 25 th ult . There was a large number of companions present , and it was the largest attended Provincial Grand Chapter ever held in the county . This must be very satisfactory to the Concord Chapter ,

under whose banner the convocation was held , and especially to Comp . G . L . Palmer , who in 1887 was chiefly instrumental in obtaining a warrant for founding this chapter in Trowbridge , and to whose energy and enthusiasm the success and vitality it shows is largely due . As M . E . Z . of the chapter it is more than likely that Comp . G . L . Palmer will make it the most prosperous in the province . Among those present

were—Comps . the Rev . J . A . Lloyd , P . A . G . S . England , P . G . H . ; IT . C . Tombs , P . A . G . S . England , P . G . S . E . ; H . Bevir , P . G . S . N . ; G . LI . Palmer , P . G . T . ; T . Ponting , P . G . R . ; H . Kemble , P . G . ist A . S . ; A . J . Beaven , P . P . G . R . ; T . Ringer , P . G . P . S . ; F . S . Hancock , P . Z ., Treas . 663 ; J . A . Randell , P . Z ., S . E . 66 3 ; E . S . Mackrell ,

J . 1478 ; R . W . Merriman , H . 1533 ; J . C . Maclean , P . P . G . j . ; F . Goldney , P . P . G . H . ; J . Sparks , P . Z ., G . W . Wiltshire , H ., W . J . Mann , J ., T . S . Hill , Treas ., A . Parry , P . Z ., S . E ., T . H . Holroyd , P . S ., W . N . C . Wheeler , ist A . S ., F . Bendle , D . C , F W . Selfe , Org ., W . R . Brown , H . Bishop , F . B . Norris , J . S . Brun , Wiikins , H . Bailey , Janitor , all of 632 ; and others .

In the absence of the Grand Superintendent , the Right Hon . Lord Henry F . Thynne , Comp . J . A . Lloyd , P . G . H ., presided . The Provincial Grand Officers having been duly saluted , the minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed and the usual routine business transacted , after which the following Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing

year were appointed and invested : — Comp . J . C Maclean ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ A . Parry ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ H . C Tombs ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . ,, Theobald Ringer ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, G . L . Palmer ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . ,, F . S . Hancock ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ W . S . Bambridge ...- ¦ ... ... Prov . G . P . S ' ; „ T . S . Hill ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ J . Chandler ... ... ... Prov . G . D . of C ,, W . Dean ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . The re-election of Comp . G . L . Palmer as Prov . G . Treas was by acclamation , the ballot being expressly waived by the companions .

In bestowing the collar upon Comp . T . S . Hill , the ACTING GRAND SUPERINTENDENT remarked that it was somewhat out of the usual course to bestow such a mark of distinction upon a companion who had not passed the chair , but the zeal shown by Comp . Hill was sufficient justification for giving him an office in the Provincial Grand Chapter .

At the conclusion of the business the Provincial Grand Chapter was closed , and the companions , to the number of about 40 , adjourned to the George Hotel , where an excellent banquet , provided by Miss Wade , awaited them .

Comp . J . C . Maclean presided , and the usual loyal and Masonic toasts -. were given and responded to . The companions . of No , 632 highly appreciated the courtesy of the M . E . Z . in inviting them as his guests at the banquet . The catering of Miss Wade gave the greatest satisfaction .