Provincial Grand Chapter Of Hants And Isle Of Wight.

1461 ; R . Buckle , P . Z . 177 6 ; W . Miller , P . Z . ( and 1428 ) , P . P . G . D . C , and G . Williams , H . 206 S , and J . Exell , P . G . Janitor . _ After the transaction of formal business the Grand Superintendent appointed and invested the following companions as the Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year :

Comp . | . E . Le Feuvre , 394 ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ T . W . Faulkner ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ E . Goble , 309 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ G . Ward , 76 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . ,, G . J . Tilling , 1461 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . F . V . Paxton , 804 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ F . Rutland , 175 ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ C . W . Bevis , 342 ... ... ... Prov . 1 st A . G . S . „ M . F . Curtis , 1461 ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ l . C . Burbage , 17 80 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . ,, J . G . Garnham , 151 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ W . Bates , 487 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ R . E . Buckle , 177 6 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . ,, G . Pearman , 48 7 ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . ,, G . F . Lancaster , 342 ... ' ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . ,, f . Exell , 4 S 7 ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor .

The statement of accounts for the year , showing a good balance in hand , was presented by the Prov . Grand Treasurer , Comp . TILLIN , G , and unanimously adopted , and on the proposition of Comp . LANCASTER , seconded by Comp . the Rev . J . N . PALMER , and supported by Comp . J . E . LE FEUVRE ,

the sum of 25 guineas was unanimously voted as a contribution to the funds of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . It was understood that the contribution would be equally divided between the lists of Comps . Palmer and Tilling , who would be attending the approaching Festival of the Institution as Stewards .

At the conclusion of the business a banquet was held in the new dining hall of the lodge , the Grand Supt ., Comp . W . W . B . Beach , presiding , ¦ when the usual toasts were briefly given and heartily received . In responding to the toast in his honour , ably submitted by Comp . the Rev . J . N . PALMER , the GRAND SUPT . warmly congratulated the members of the Albany Lodge and Chapter on their enterprise and energy in providing

such a splendid and appropriate building for Masonic purposes as that in which they were met that day , and on behalf of the P . G . Chapter he expressed his gratification of the arrangements which had been made for their accommodation . The speaker concluded by announcing amid loud cheers that it would give him much pleasure to visit them again in some capacity during the present year .

Comp . J . E . Li : FEUVRE , 2 nd Grand Principal , appropriately responded on behalf of " The Provincial Grand Officers . " " The Principals of the Chapters of the Province , " proposed from the Chair , was coupled with the name of Comp . J . G . GARNHAM , who , in response , gave a cordial welcome to the members of Prov . Grand Chapter , on behalf of the Albany Chapter , the members of which greatly appreciated

the honour done them by the visit , and were especially gratified by- the promise made by the Grand Superintendent of another early visit . Other toasts followed , and the services of the Hon . Steward , Comp . Wave !! , were duly recognised , as were the successful labours of Comps . H . Groves , Pring , Golden , and others on the Decoration and Reception Committees .

The pleasure of the after dinner proceedings was much enhanced b y songs contributed by Comps . Rutland , James , Airs , W . L . George , and others , and a recitation by Comp . Golden .

Consecration Of The Tuscan Mark Lodge No. 454.

CONSECRATION OF THE TUSCAN MARK LODGE No . 454 .

The Tuscan Lodge , No . 454 , was consecrated at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Oueen-street , on the 28 th ult ., by Bro . the Earl of Huston , Deputy GrandTvlaster , assisted by Bros . Col . A . B . Cook , Prov . G . M . Middx ., as S . W . ; Col . G . Noel Money , C . B ., Prov . G . M . Surrey , as J . W . ; Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , Prov . G . M . Bucks , as Chap .: Robert Berridge ,

P . G . W ., G . D . C , as D . C . ; and Wm . Vincent , P . A . G . D . C , as l . G . There was a large number of brethren present . The lodge having been opened and a hymn sung , the CONSECRATING OFFICER , addressing the brethren , said : We are met here this evening to evince that Masonry in general , and Mark Masonry in particular , is progressing , and gaining strength from day to day . We are called here for the purpose of consecrating another new lodge to be added to the Grand

Lodge of Mark Master Masons . I am sure every one will feel with me that a great proof of the progress of Mark Masonry is to be found in the number of lodges consecrated in the last 12 months , and the deep interest taken in it by older Mark Masons is shown by such brethren as Bro . Frank Richardson coming forward to take the chair of a new lodge . I will not waste your time , but that is the object for which we arc met , and I hope and trust that this lodge may progress and prosper , and prove another stronghold of Mark Masons in England .

The founders present gave their approval of the officers named in the warrant , after which the following oration was delivered by Bro . Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , Prov . G . M . Bucks , acting Chaplain : In the beautiful ceremonial of the Mark Degree there is one great and special truth of universal importance , which , like a golden thread , runs through the whole ritual , and is ever being enforced upon our attention . Again and again are we

reminded of the dignity , the value , and the responsibility of work . Man is not answering the great end of his creation unless he is doing some work . The first command of God to men involves work . Work is not the penal consequence of man's rebellion , but the condition of man ' s true nature . The reward of faithful service in this life will be the capacity to perform perfect work hereafter . The first point , therefore , for a human being to ascertain is what his work in this life

should be . The man without a profession , without employment , without daily labour , either of the brain or the hands , cannot be a true brother amongst us . And though the common and popular cry is that every profession is overcrowded , and that there are many unemployed who would work , if they could find work , / do not believe it . My professional duties have taken me amongst all classes and conditions of men , and I have never yet met with anyone whose failure to get work

was not more truly lus disinclination to do work which did not commend itself to his tastes and inclination . The Great Architect of the Universe may not give us the work we would choose for ourselves . The plains of Zaredatha , the clay ground between Succoth and Zurthan may be our appointed place of work when we are more disposed to labour in the forests of Lebanon , but where the Master p laces us there our work is , and there it should be done . So we come to this

Consecration Of The Tuscan Mark Lodge No. 454.

second point of our great truth : The obligation of doing our work—set us by God—in the best possible manner . If a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well . The daily business of a man's life ought to interest him . He ought not to regard it , whatever it is , as an unpleasant necessity , which he is bound to face or starve . We hear much now-a-days of the dignity of labour , and the nobility and rights of the labourer . The true dignity oi labour , as our Masonic

ceremonies teach us , is to labour well and faithfully . The true nobility and rights of the workman consist in his obedience to order , and in only taking a day ' s wage when it has been preceded by a day's work . The last and greatest point of work is that it should be done for the glory of God and the good of the community . From first to last every teaching of our Craft points to unselfishness . It is true that the

labourer must and should receive the wage to which he is entitled , and does thereby secure personal benefit to himself . But the wage is the accident , not the end of work . The real end and aim of all our labours must be to carry out the purposes of the Great Architect of the Universe , and this in the humblest as well as the lowest station of life .

The daily round , the common task Will furnish all we need to ask , Room to deny ourselves a road To bring us daily nearer God , Seek we no more .

The ceremony was proceeded with , and the new lodge formally and solemnly dedicated and constituted . Bro . C . F . Matier , P . G . W ., G . Sec , then installed as the first Master Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . W ., G . Reg ., and the following officers were invested : Bros . Walter J . Ebbetts , S . W . ; Gordon Smith , J . W . ; C . W . Stephens , M . O . ; Ernest Richardson , S . O . j Harold Burke , J . O . ; G . H . Hopkinson , Treas . ; W . H . F . Balliston , R . of M . ; R . D . Hancock , Sec . ; and E . Mills , Tyler .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , W . M ., said the first duty of a W . M . of a new lodge was to return thanks to the officer who consecrated it . It was always a great pleasure to perform that duty ; but on the present occasion that pleasure was doubled , for the Deputy Grand Master had done them the honour . He , therefore , proposed a most hearty vote of thanks to the Deputy Grand Master for having performed the ceremony , and asked that the members should be allowed to enrol his name as an honorary member . The DEPUTY GRAND MASTER returned thanks for the honour conferred

upon him . As far as consecrating the lodge was concerned , it was a great pleasure to him to do anything for this or any Order in Freemasonry . It was also a duty , for by the Book of Constitutions the Deputy Grand Master should consecrate new lodges , and he always tried to carry out the duty of any office he held . It was with great pleasure he undertook to consecrate this lodge , especially when he knew the first W . M . was to be his great friend , Bro . Frank Richardson , who had done so much for the Order .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER then proposed a vote of thanks to the Grand Officers who had assisted in the consecration and installation , and , in conjunction with Judge McLeod , Dist . G . M . Burmah , they were elected honorary members . Letters of regret for non-attendance were announced from Bros , the Marquis of Hertford , Pro G . M . ; Sir Reginald Hanson , Sir John B . Monckton , and C . H . Driver .

A strong list of brethren was proposed as candidates for advancement and joining , and the lodge was closed . The brethren adjourned to a banquet at Freemasons' Tavern , and the usual toasts were subsequently heartily honoured . "The Queen and Mark Masonry" was first given . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in giving "The M . W . G . M ., the Pro G . M .,

and Deputy G . M ., " said they all knew that H . R . H . the M . W . G . M . was the hardest worked gentleman in the country , and that was a good reason why they did not see as much of him as they would like . They knew more of the Pro Grand Master , who , whenever he received a summons of importance , was present at all meetings to give them guidance and advice . Of the Deputy Grand Master they knew still more , for they knew him to be the

right man in the right place . Whenever there was any Masonic work to be done , whether Craft , Arch , or Mark , the Earl of Euston was always to the front . In Mark Masonry they knew him because he was always with them , and they never had to ask his assistance at any ceremony , but he placed himself at personal inconvenience to do the work . They had evidence of that on the present occasion , for he had come up that morning from the

country , where he had been attending to arduous duties , to consecrate that lodge . He ( the W . M . ) looked upon it as a great honour to any lodge to be consecrated by the Deputy Grand Master , whom he personally thanked for the compliment . Bro . the Earl of EUSTON , Deputy G . M ., thanked the brethren on behalf of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales for the kind way they had acknowledged the toast of his health , and also on hehalf of the Pro Grand Master . For

his own part , he could only say he was always pleased to do anything he could to help them . He thanked the W . M . for the kind way in which he had spoken of him , and the brethren for their kind reception . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next gave " The Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and said that when the brethren considered that three Provincial Grand Masters and a Grand Warden had assisted in the ceremony that day ,

and that there were also present a District Grand Master , two or three other Grand Wardens , and many other Grand Officers , they must feel that the Grand Officers did their work , and were clearly entitled to their praise . The members-of the new lodge were deeply indebted not only to those who took part in the ceremony , but also to those who had assisted by their presence . Bro . Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , Prov . G . M . Bucks , briefly

replied , after which the DEPUTY GRAND MASTER proposed "The Health of the first W . M . of the Lodge . " He considered the lodge should feel itself very highly honoured to have as the first W . M . a brother so well known in Masonry , with a record of so many years work in the Craft and in Mark Degrees , and a Past Grand Warden of the Order . He onl y hoped that it would be an encouragement to the other brethren to follow his example in

the work they would see done during the coming year . Bro . Richardson was always able and ready to undertake any ceremony in Masonry , and was always to be depended upon for advice in any difficulty that might occur . He also possessed all the tact and qualifications for a Master , and in congratulating the lodge they would wish the W . M . health , strength , and every blessing that God could give during his year of office .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , G . Reg ., W . AL , in response , said he rose without delay to return thanks for the very kind and far too flattering words spoken of him by the Deputy Grand Master . He could assure them he looked upon it as a very high honour indeed to be the first W . M . of the Tuscan Mark Lodge . He could not claim to have initiated its foundation , but when he was asked by the founders to become their first W . M ., he felt it was impossible to refuse . As so many founders were members of the