Consecration Of The Southdown Mark Lodge, (No. 164,) At Hayward's Heath.

CONSECRATION OF THE SOUTHDOWN MARK LODGE , ( No . 164 , ) AT HAYWARD'S HEATH .

Hay ward ' s Heath has of late years become an important suburb of Brig hton . There , charmed by the beauty of the sourrounding country , the happy and prosperous trader has erected his garden-environed villa . There , the adjacent station ,

affording an easy means of reaching London , and , indeed , almost every part of Sussex , has enticed the merchant , who in his middle age finds a retreat amid scenes of rural joy and plenty . There , in the old-fashioned cottage , in the olderfashioned farm-house , or in the innumerable

petite homes which have grown up within a short memory in and about and around the Heath , a numerous well-to-do class of inhabitants have gathered , attracted by the pleasures afforded for the leisure hours of age by their gardens and fields , and the delightful walks of

the neig hbourhood . All this is not to be wondered at . From every point of Hay ward's Heath a variety of scenes can be embraced , the extent only limited by the magnificent range of downs on the south , and by the hills and wooded heights on the north ; while to the east the pretty village

of Lindfield ( celebrated of old for its famous white currants ) with its church and needle-shaped spire a conspicious object . To the west , Cuckfield church spire marking , the spot where a small country town lies embedded in a mass of g lorious foliage and colour . Hayward ' s Heath ,

is indeed the centre of a country district charming to the eye , invigorating to the health , attractive to the lover of country scenes , aye , indeed , to the lover of country sports it is attractive alike to the sportsman , the huntsman , or to the " disciple of Isaac Walton . "

It was at the Station Hotel , quiet , comfortable , and convenient , a hostel presided over by a genial and kindly landlord , and an equally good tempered landlady , that a party of Masons decided to hold a Mark Lodge , and to apply to the R . W . Grand Mark Master Mason for

permission to open a Lodge of the degree , lhis having been granted and a warrant issued under which to work , Saturday last was the day fixed on for the important ceremonies of Consecration , Installation , and Advancement of members . Precisely at half-past two o ' clock , R . W . Bro . F .

Binckes , P . G . J . W ., and Grand Secretary of the degree , who had been specially deputed by the Grantl Master R . W . Bro . the Earl Percy , to perform the Ceremony of Consecration entered the Lodge Room , accompanied by W . Bro . W . Hudson , P . M . 7 , 5 ( Mark ) , P . G . A . D . of C , W .

Bro . J . M . Cunningham . P . M . 75 ( Mark ) , P . G . J . G . W . ; Bro . Thos . J . Sabine ^ P . M . 22 ( Mark ) , P . G . A . D . of C . The Consecrating Officer then placed his officers at their posts , the S . W . chair being occupied by W . Bro . J . M . Cunningham , and the J . W . chair by W .

Bro . Thos . J . Sabine . The Acting-Grand Secretary , Bro . R . S . Ade , then stated the reasons which had led to the formation of the Lodge , and the members present having stated their approval of the officers designate , the Consecrating Officer called on the Acting-Grand Secretary

to read the warrant of Constitution of the Southdown Lodge No . 164 on the register of the Grand Mark Lodge of England ami Wales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown . This having been done , the corn , wine , nnd oil was taken round the Lodge by three Past

Masters , Bros . Cunningham , Hudson , and Sabine . The Lodge was formally and legally consecrated to the service of the G . A . O . T . U . and dedicated to the service of Mark Masonry , for the advantage and convenience of those residing in or visiting the district of Hayward ' s

Heath . The ceremony of consecration being ended , the W . M . ' s chair was taken by W . Bro . Thos . J . Sabine , who had been requested to install in the chair of " A . " the W . Bro . \ V . Hudson , P . M . 75 , Craft P . G . A . D . of C The W . M . Designate having been presented ,

questioned , and pledged , all the brethren below the rank of P . M . withdrew from the Lodge , and Bro . Hudson was formally installed in the Worshipful Master ' s chair in the presence of a board of Installed Masters , comprising the Present or Past Grand Officers . —W . Bros . Binckes , Cunningham , Sabine , and Bros . Thomas Cooke

Consecration Of The Southdown Mark Lodge, (No. 164,) At Hayward's Heath.

P . M . 75 ; John Robinson P . M . 7 , 5 ; G . R . Lockyer W . M . 75 , and Bro . Trollope W . M . 166 , Hastings . Bro . T . J . Sabine was invested with the collar of P . M . The board of Installed Masters was closed , and the brethren admitted ; at this stage and by special permission , a ballot was

taken for nineteen candidates , hailing from Craft Lodges 40 , ffi , 73 , 186 , 271 , 284 , 311 , 3 r _ 5 , 511 , 811 , 874 , 1305 , 1362 , 1 4 , all of whom were unanimously elected . A ballot was then taken for seven joining members , all of whom were elected .

Eleven of the candidates , including Bro . Sir John Cordy Burrows , being present , they were advanced by the W . M . into the mysteries of this ancient and highly instructive degree , the lecture being delivered in a very correct and impressive manner by Bro . Thomas Cook , P . M . 75 .

Apologies were received from several of the candidates , who will attend to be advanced at the next meeting , to be held on the 26 th Jul )' . The ceremony of installation was then proceeded with . The W . M . having been proclaimed , saluted , and addressed , he proceedetl to

invest his officers as follows : —Bros . James Pearson , S . W . ; S . R . Ade , J . W . They were addressed as to the nature of their duties , and advised as to the responsibility of their office . The W . M . nominated and invested his Overseers as follows : —Bros . Kemp , M . O . ; Bonniwell ,

S . O . ; C . Golding , J . O . Ihe Overseers were next addressed on the importance of their duties , and on the rules which must guide them in their approval of the work submitted to them for inspection . Bro . Captain Knig ht was invested as Secretary ; Bro . F . Willard was unanimously

elected Treasurer , to the satisfaction of the brethren present ; Bros . Cowley , S . D . ; Read , J . D . ; Bidgood , I . G . ; Woolcock , Steward ; Cook , P . M ., D . of C ; and T . Hughes , Tyler . The members were then addressed on the importance of carrying out in their integrity the

principles of brotherly love , relief , and truth . The whole of the addresses were most admirably given by . W . Bro . James Stevens , P . M ., P . M . G . O ., Prov . G . Sec . of Middlesex and Surrey . Several notices of motion were given , and W . Bros . Binckes , James Stevens , and Dr .

Cunningham elected as honorary members of the lodge . The lodge was closed , and the brethren , between 30 and 40 in number , adjourned to dinner , which was served up in a manner reflecting great credit on Bro . Golding . The W . M ., Bro . Hudson , presided , having on his right hand Bros .

Sir John Cordy Burrows , F . Binckes ( the consecrating officer ) , J . Stevens , Dr . Cunningham , Trcllope , and W . R . Wood ; and on his left , Bro . Sabine ( the installing Master ) ; Bro . Robinson , P . M . 75 ; Lockyer , W . M . 75 . We haye only room to g ive a list of the toasts , all of which were proposed and responded to in a

suitable manner . "The Queen" and" Mark Masonry . " "The M . W . G . M . M . M , Bro . the Earl Percy . " " The R . W . Past Grand M . M . Masons . " "The D . G . M . M . M . Bro . the Earl of Limerick , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . "

" Success to the Southdown Mark Lodge , No . 164 , and to Mark Masonry in Sussex . " ' * The Consecrating Officer , R . W . Bro . V Binckes , P . J . G . W . and Grand Secretary . " "TheW . M ., W . Bro . W . Hudson , P . M . 75 , P . A . G . D . C of C "

" The Newly Advanced Brethren . " " The Visiting Brethren . " " The Masonic Schools and Benevolent lnsti tution . " " The Officers of this Lodge . " " The Tyler ' s Toast . "

ihe establishment of the Southdown Lodge of Mark Masons is an undoubted success , and it is expected that a few months hence the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Masons of Sussex will be inaugurated with Bro . Sir John Cordy Burrows , of Brighton , as Provincial Grand Master , and Bro . J . M . Cunningham , M . D ., of llailsham , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

We learn that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales has postponed , until about the nth or 12 th of August , his visit to Hol yhead , for the purpose of formally opening the Harbour of Refuge , and declaring the breakwater at that place complete .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — No person , as has been shown by your , correspondent J . E . C , can belong to any secret order in this country—by which , I mean the United Kingdom—without first having taken

the vows and exemplified his conduct as a Master Mason in Craft Masonry . Hence , if the new Order of the Temple choose to disconnect themselves from Masonry , they place the existence of that Order in jeopardy . As an admitting official of another order , to

which I have made reference before ( see your paper of October 9 th , 1869 ) , if a postulate is admitted here , he must previously , to attain that honour , vouch to me or to the admitting brethren , that he is a Master Mason , and the utmost strictness is observed . Of course where

the law is different , a different procedure takes place . There , an oath , not in contravention of the various codes in existence in the various countries where we have chancellories , is administered ; or should any one desire to belong to the Order , after true approval , he is taken

into a country where the oath can be legally administered . The Order of the Temple differs in very few respects as to its rite of admission , but it is clear that , should it desire to retain the protection of the law , it must , at any rate , win its sanction according to ordinary legal forms .

The mere fact that an illustrious brother should have placed himself at the head of any association cannot change fundamental principles . I am sure my brethren will be glad to see the letter of J . E . C . It is most opportune , inasmuch as the good the Masonic Knights Templar can do must be greatly affected by the status they are found

to hold . Through a felonious charity—which , if not Masonic , it would be—nothing could be effected ; " good cannot arise out of evil , " nor can evil be regarded as disguised good . Many think so , however . Vale , Frater ! CRYPTONYMUS . July ? , 1873 .

BALSARIAN SECT OF CHRISTIANS :

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Hutchinson , in the thirteenth lecture of his " Spirit of Masonry , " says : — "In modern Masonry , it is given as a principle why our dedication of lodges is made to St . John , that the Masons who engaged to conquer the Holy

Land , chose that saint as their patron . We should be sorry to appropriate the Balsarian sect of Christians to St . J ohn , " etc . ' ^ This passage is quoted by Dr . Oliver , of course , in his " Mirror of a Johannite Mason , " and , I believe , also in some other of his works . Now I have heard of a great many Christian sects , but

never heard of " Balsarian Christians . " Cannot some Masonic scholar inform me whose who these Balsarian Christians were ? Where and

when did they flourish ? and what connection was there between their heresy , and St . John , and Masonry , or the Knights Templar ? Yours fraternal ! )' , J ACOII NORTON . Boston , U . S ., June 24 , 1873 .

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

To tne Editor of The Freemason . Dear Siruid Brother , — The brevity of the notice in your issue of the 5 th inst ., calling attention to my project A r obtaining a Life Governorship of the abovenamed institution , induces me to solicit the

insertion of the following particulars : — " Every purchaser of a shilling ticket will be entitled to participate in the ballot for a Life Governorship , and the possessor of the successful number will have £ 10 paid to the Institution in his or her name . "

Several hundred tickets have been disposed of , and I feel convinced that the fact of having a chance of a Life Governorship for a shilling , only requires to be generally known to secure a successful issue . I hope every member of the Craft will be induced to invest a shilling , and .