Consecration Of The London Scottish Rifles Lodge, No. 2310.

The toast was drunk with a rattling fire , and was followed by a duet , ' < The battle eve , " by Bros . Wakefield Reed and Arthur Cranch .: Col . S HADWELL H . CLARK , E said he lost no possible time in rising to express his gratitude for the very kind and far too flattering terms in which the distinguished brother , the P . G . M . of Aberdeenshire , the S . VV . of this lodge , had proposed this toast . He vvas afraid the brethren had already

heard too much of his voice that evening , and therefore did not want to hear a speech now . One could say as much in a few words as in an hour , and he would say at once that he had very much pleasure in launching that lodge ; it had been unusually interesting , because he was an old soldier himself , and his heart yearned in his old age to his brethren in arms , and when he came to a lodge started by such a body as the London Scottish

Rifles , he took an interest in advancing their Masonic education b y forming them into a lodge . The Rev . Capt . Brownrigg had said there was a Masonry of arms between the regulars and the Volunteers , and he would add that when Volunteers defended the hearths and homes of Englishmen , they , as Masons , protected the hearths and homes of the widows and orphans . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke said that it was also very pleasant to

him to take part in these proceedings , because of the association with his old friend , Col . Lumsden , whom he had known for many years . But he should be selfish if he accepted for himself ^ lone all the kind expressions which had been employed by the proposer of this toast , because the brethren who had assisted him were equally associated with this toast . To assist him in the ceremony , he had had a band of brothers who could not be surpassed .

First , the G . Chaplain , then the G . Wardens , and then that tower of strength , Bro . Richardson , and last , but not least , Bro . Woodward . With their aid he had managed to run the coach . It was a great point to start the business right , and , considering all things , he thought he might congratulate the lodge on having had a good start . The reins were now in their own

hands . None but good men are with you at the start , but if you let in Tom , Dick , and Harry , because they have a five pound note in their pockets , you will become a bad lodge . They had hundreds of good men m their ' regiment ; let them not hurry , but be prudent , and take their pick , and he was very confident they would have good results .

Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE then resumed his seat , but rose again immediately , and said that the brethren would positively hate him before they had done wilh him , but one of the privileges which he had as a right was to propose " The Health of the Baby he had just christened . " He had frequently on those occasions pointed out that the position of a Master of a nevv lodge vvas a higher one than the Mastership of a running lodge ,

because in the latter case the Master went in more or less by seniority , but here where in the case of a new lodge everybody was equal , and the founders came together , probably all good men , and they picked out some particular man to be over them , then it was a well deserved compliment to the brother put into the chair . That great compliment has been paid to the worth y brother on his left to be the first Master of that lodge . It was a curious

fact that the worthy brother Capt . Hepburn-Hastie had just arrived at his Masonic majority , it being 21 years since he was made a Mason . And another matter , although there were not a great many quasi , military lodges , still it had been his good fortune to be Master of two ; he had been Master of the Macdonald , and was now to be Master of the London Scottish Rifles Lodge . He belonged to other lodges as well ; he was an enthusiastic

Mason , and although a public man of a good deal of occupation , could find time for Masonry . It was only the real idler that never had time for anything . They were now going to drink the health of the worthy brother who was the first Master of the lodge , and he could say with some confidence , from what he knew of Capt . Hepburn-Hastie , that the reins of the lodge

had been p laced in safe hands , who would , at the end of the year , hand them over to Bro . Lumsden , the colonel of the regiment ; but in the meantime the lodge was in good hands , and he vvas sure they would all join him in the belief that at the end of the year they would be able to say he had done his work thoroughly , and deserved their thanks for his conduct of the lodge during the first year .

The toast was received by the brethren with applause , and was drunk with enthusiasm . It was followed by a song from Bro . Wakefield Reed , " Mary of Argyle . " Bro . HEPBURN-HASTIE , in reply , said he rose to return his hearty thanks for the kind manner in which his health had been proposed and received .

He felt thoroughly out of place , because he was conscious that the chair of the lodge was the place where the chief of the regiment ought to be . However , he thanked them very much for the great honour which they had done him in asking him to be their W . M . He would do all he could for the lodge , and he felt it a very great honour to be the first Master . He thanked them very heartily .

Ihe W . M . then called upon the Junior Warden to propose the next toast .

Bro . GLYNN SMITH said it was his very pleasing duty to propose " The Health of the Visitors . " It was a tradition in the regiment to which he belonged to welcome all visitors , and that welcome would be extended to those who honoured them with their presence in the lodge . He called on the brethren to drink to the health of the visitors , which he coupled with the name of Bro . Stevens .

This toast having been drunk , was followed by the " Wedding of Shon McLean , " sung by Bro . Arthur Cranch . Bro . STEVENS , in reply , said , in accordance with Masonic rules , he must address himself first to the VV . M ., but at the same time hislacknowledg'nents were due to the J . W . for the kind manner in vvhich he had proposed this toast . He expected to have had an opportunity of saying a few words ¦

'" the course of the evening ; but did not expect that the honour of replying for the visitors would have fallen to his lot . He had very great gratification ln rising to respond for the visitors to the London Scottish Rifles Lodge . Looking back over a period of 20 years , he saw himself the first S . VV . of the Macdonald Lodge connected with the ist Surrey Rifles . He was a Volunteer of 30 years' standing , and was still able to make his mark at

Wimbledon when called upon ; it was not many men at 65 years of age that could make that boast . He was not sure which he was more proud of 7 ~"' Volunteer standing or the standing he had as a Mason . It had been d great source of satisfaction to him that his good old friend should have stained the honourable position of Master of that lodge . He sympathised v 'th the feeling of the W . M . that the colonel should have occupied that

Position while he took that of the S . VV . Bro . Stevens went on to say that e knew of no two corps that were so well disposed towards each other—so •sposed to be " chummy" —as the 1 st Surrey and the London Scottish ; pa concluded by thanking the brethren on behalf of himself and the other vls 'tors for the toast . " ° . Capt . BRIDGES also returned thanks , but said that after the exhaus-

Consecration Of The London Scottish Rifles Lodge, No. 2310.

tive speech of Bro . Stevens it was difficult for him to say anything more than to congratulate the brethren on the very successful manner in which the lodge had been consecrated , and to congratulate the VV . M . on his position . Lodges formed in Volunteer corps had been very successful , and he

saw no reason why this lodge , attached to so good a regiment as the London Scottish , should not be a greater success than the others . It was a great pleasure to see Captain Hastie in the chair , and it seemed to him that they had that evening forged one more link in that chain of friendshi p by which they had been united during 25 years .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER then proposed " The Officers of the Lodge , " saying that it was in the officers that efficiency of the lodge was shown , because however good a Master might be he was as nothing without good officers .

Bro . Col . LUMSDEN , as S . W ., said on behalf of the officers of the London Scottish Rifles Lodge he had to thank the Master and brethren for the way in which their health had been proposed and drunk . But he thought he ought to congratulate them upon having a member of the 1 st Surrey for their first Master . The London Scottish had always been most intimate friends of the 1 st Surrey—he knew of no other corps with which they had more

intimate relations ; and therefore it was not out of the way that Bro . Capt . Hastie should be the first Master of their lodge , as he ( Col . Lumsden ) could not possibly take that office at present . If he could only succeed Bro . Capt . Hastie in as good form he should be proud to do so . They had ail very much to thank Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke for ; he had put them in the way of getting their warrant , and he himself to thank the first officers and the Secretary for the very hard work done in order to get them into the

position which they now stood . He felt very proud of the position they had attained , which was very creditable to all concerned ; and he did trust that this fair start that they had made was only the prelude to what the London Scottish Rifles Lodge would be . He was sure that the W . M . would do all he could during his term of office . He had to thank the VV . M . cordially for the way in which he had proposed the health of the officers of the London Scottish Rifles Lodge , and was very giad that they had aU had such a pleasant evening .

There being no Tyler yet elected , the Tyler ' s toast was given by the W . M ., and the evening ' s proceedings terminated . The following were among the visitors : Bros . C H . Newington Bridges , P . M . 772 , 1216 , and 1660 , P . G . D . Somerset ; Corrie

lackson , P . M . 534 ; B . R . Bryant , Wakefield Reed , ; nS 2 ; Frank Longolm , 1365 ; Arthur Weston , 1929 ; J . F . H . Woodward , P . G . S . B . ; VV . W . Bass , P . M . 165 S ; A . R . Cranch , W . M . 1216 ; R . Siliico , Louis Beck , P . P . G . D . Middx . ; Jas . Stevens , P . M . 1216 "; \ V . Davidson , 913 ; Chas . E . Smith , P . M . 58 ; J . Wilkinson , P . M . 1731 ; and E . C . Massey .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Derbyshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF DERBYSHIRE .

The annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Chapter was held at the Masonic Hall , Derby , on Thursday , the 25 th ult ., under the presidency of Comp . W . Naylor , P . G- Std . Br . England , Prov . G . S . E ., in the unavoidable absence of the Most Hon . the Marquis of Harrington , Grand Supt ., and Comp . H . C Okeover , Prov . G . H . There were also

present—Comps . Thos . Cox , P . P . G . J ., Prov . G . Treas . ; Jas . O . Manton , Prov . G . S . N . ; T . E . Yeomans , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; Percy Wallis , Prov . G . D . of C ; John H . Clarke , Prov . A . G . S . E . ; E . Home , Prov . G . Org . ; W . Wynne Jendvvine , P . P . G . J . ; John Brown , P . P . G . S . N . ; Frank Iliffe , P . Z . ; Joseph H . Lawson , P . P . G . Soj . ; Sir John Smith , P . P . G . J . ; S . Robinson , H . 635 ; Wright Booth , Z . 625 ; C Webster , J . 731 ; W . Elphinstonc , S . E . 731 ; W . H . Fisher , Z . 1324 ; J . Clark , P . P . G . R . ; R . Wilkes , S . E . 1324 ; E . J . H . Hoskins , H . 1324 ; H . B . Boag , J . 1324 , John E . Harrison , Z . 1235 ; Tom N . Turner , P . Z . ; John H . Orme , H . 1235 ; and others .

The chapter was opened , the roll of Prov . Grand Officers called , and the minutes confirmed . The Prov . G . Treasurer ' s accounts vvere presented and passed . The reports of the First Principals of chapters were read , and considered vety satisfactory . Comp . Thos . Cox , P . P . G . J ., was re-elected Prov . G . Treasurer .

Comp . NAYLOR , P . P . G . J ., P . G . Std . Br . Eng ., Prov . G . S . E ., announced that the Grand Superintendent had been pleased to appoint his officers as follows :

Comp . H . C . Okeover ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ Frank Iliffe ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ W . Naylor , P . G . Std . Br . Eng . ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ Sir John G . N . Alleyne , Bart . ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ Thos . Cox , P . P . G . J . ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ E . Home , P . P . G . Org . ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ W . Cartwright ... Prov . G . P . S . „ T . N . Turner ... ... ... Prov . G . ist A . S . ,, G . Smedley ... ... .., ... Prov . G . 2 nd A . S . ,, P . Bramwell ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Jos . Collier ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Percy Wallis ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ A . Woodiwiss ... ... .... Prov . A . G . D . C „ Montague F . Smith ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ John H . Clark ... ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . „ Thomas Day ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . The chapter was then closed .

BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . —An inner organisation of the English Grand Lodge , for the purpose of dealing vvith many matters specified in the Book of Constitutions , financial , general , and judicial . It is composed of a President and twenty-four members , of whom the President and ten are annually nominated by the Grand Master for the time being ; the remainder are elected by Grand Lodge . A Vice-President is selected out of the body by the Board . The Grand Master , Pro Grand Master , Deputy

Grand Master , and the Grand Warden of the grade , are ex-officio members of the Board . The fourteen elected members must be actual Masters or Past Masters of lodges . There is no doubt the Board of General Purposes is a most valuable institution , and has been of great service to English Freemasonry , in that it has served to protect alike the landmaiks of the Order , and the rights of individual members of the Craft . —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .

BERKELEY HOTEL ( late St . James ' s ) , 1 , Berkeley-street and 77 , Piccadilly , London , W . First class accommodation for residents , vvith a Restaurant newlyattached for high class luncheons and dinners , at fixed prices and a la carte 1 r—C DIETTE , Manager . - [ ADVT . 1