Consecration Of The Walthamstow Lodge, No. 2472.

possible words to return his thanks for the more than kind reception given { lie loast , proposed in such very kind and flattering terms by the VVorshipful . Master . It had afforded him the greatest possible pleasure to assist in the consecration of that lodge . He was deeply indebted to those Grand Officers who had done him the honour to assist him in the ceremony . They all knew how ready Bros . Dr . Gooding and Belton were to take any duties or

perform any work , and on the present occasion he hadfo refer more particularly to the services rendered him and the lodge by Bro . Philbrick . They would one and all agree that the duties discharged by him could not have heen fulfilled in a more perfect manner by any Past or Present Grand Chap lain . He had also to refer particularly- to the services rendered by his old friend , Bro . Matthews ,-who , at almost a moment's notice , undertook

io perform , and had rerformed in a most admirable manner , the duties that Uro . Richardson had promised to undertake . He had also to acknowledge ihe services of Bro . Pinder , P . G . Treas . Essex , whoactedas I . G . On behalf of those who ' ad been associated with him in the consecratjon , and on his own behalf , hc returned their warmest thanks for the compliment paid them . They had allhrard of the distinguished brother whom he had the honour to install as ti * eir W . M . and whos- health he now desired to propose . He was

well aware that in that part of the country , the Worshipful Master s name was a household w- * rd . He believed there was no brother in the neighbourhood who had shown more zeal for the furtherance of the interests of Masonry lhan Bro . Shurmur , and he felt confident . that under his abif and genial rule this new lodge , would very shortly attain a high position among the lodges of ihe metropolis . * That it should be so was the wish of every brother in the room . He asked them to join with him in drinking the health of their W . M ., Bro . Shurmur .

Bro . WM . SHURMUR , P . P . G . Treas . Essex , W . M ., in reply , said he was extremely grateful to the Grand Secretary for the very kindly * and comp limentary way in which he had been pleased to propose that toast , and lie thanked ihe brethren for their hearty reception . He considered it a very great honour to be appointed the first " VVorshipful Master of that lodge . He had no fear as to its ultimate success , seeing

that he had the Chairman of the Local Board acting as the I . P . M ., that one of the founders was a representative of the County Council of Essex , and that several others were leading lights in that parish . He knew they would all put their shoulders to the wheel , and without * Jny trouble make the lodge a great success . That was his ambition , and he knew they would work with him to obtain that result . It was alwavs well for the

Juttire of the lodge when they found the founders recommending their sons for initiation . When they started the lodge they made up their minds it should not be a large one , and directly they arrived at the number of 40 or 50 they would raise their fees . He might say for the information of the Grand Officers . that the Beaconsfield Lodge , ' which was good enougb to recommend the petition , recommended that their fees should be hi gher than

llicir own , and at the preliminary meetings that arrangement had been carried out . ; He lhanked them all for their " Hearty good wishes , " and assured them that the founders would do their best to make the lodge a success . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER proposed "The Visitors , " and said they had teen favoured b y thc presence of a large number of visitors , and he was very pleased in all sincerity to greet them with a hearty fraternal welcome .

It was encouraging for a new lodge to be visited by old friends . The members'knew they had their good wishes for success , and it was gratifying lhat many had introduced candidates for initiation and joining . Amongst the visitors were Bros . Bolton , an old and valued friend and brother , who was muehiesteemed not only in Essex but in the Metropolis ; J . J . Thomas , a member of the Board of General Purposes ; . Dehane and Pinder , Prov . G . Treas ., both hailing from the Province of Essex ; and many others .

Bro . BOLTON , P . P . G . D . Essex , thanked the W . M . for his kind invite to visit that lodge , and assured him that he had thoroughly enjoyed himself . Hc congratulated Bro , Shurmur on having been chosen to be the VV . M . of lhis very important lodge , and thought the brethren had done wisely in selecting such a Mas'er . His conviction was that Bro . Shurmur had in liiinselfeverything . that fitted him I ' or a good Mastership . He must say

how much he esteemed and respected the VV . M . who had in fact won his affection , for he had proved himself a good man and true , and one always to bc relied upon , which was a mannerism they could all admire . It was his hope that in the near future Bro . Shurmur might become Grand Treasurer , nnd it would be their pleasure to support him in his election . He saw no reason wh y the Worshi pful Master should not be thc next Grand Treasurer ,

¦ or that portion ot the Metropolis in which they were situated , as well as the Province of Essex , would vote solid for him . Bros . J . J . THOMAS , P . M . ; DEHANE , CROPLEY , KING , and FINCH also responded . Other toasts were given , and the brethren separated after a v * - 'ry pleasant and enjoyable gathering . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

Masonic Ignorance And Enlightenment.

MASONIC IGNORANCE AND ENLIGHTENMENT .

Much of thc obscurity 01 the ori gin and early history of Freemasonry has been caused by the secrecy generally observed by the brethren of that period . But little was communicated to paper , arid the proceedings r dorded were of the scantiest character . The Grand Lodge of England , 'he mother of modern Freemasonry , seems to have been inspired till a tt'mparativcl y late time with hostility to the art of printing , and the Swedish system of Masonry has published none of its transactions down to the Present time .

Ihe liberty of the Masonic press and the free expression of thought Which is now conceded to Masonic writers , is a victory gained only after an arduous struggle . It was the general opinion of those high in office , but "ol deep in Masonic knowledge , that all the learning of Masonry should be ^ iilined to a mere recital of the ritual and an acquaintance with the lodge ectiires . They supposed that the whole curriculum of Masonic science or Philosophy was embraced within the narrow limits of oral constructionor

, uhcr they knew nothing of any science or philosophy , and were wont to Mm him the most learned Mason who could but recite by rote the stereoyped catechism he had acquired by constant repetition . "til this condition was not satisfactory to brethren of intelligence . There . ' ¦"¦"" c those who believed that the ritual was a mere skeleton , which , to make Presentable to men of cultivated intellecls . reouired to be clothed with

vvl ) ' Noughts ; that there was a sy . 'temof profound philosophy in Masonry , "ch could only bc developed by research ; that of this system the ritual ai ' . 'V ' ' y l "C index pointing out the objects that were lo be investigated ; L ' "" ally , that to give these investigations any value it was absolutely cessai y lhat they should be given to the world like the investigations of

Masonic Ignorance And Enlightenment.

any other science , or philosophy , by means of publications which Masons could read , and thus enlarge within their homes the ideas , the sentiments of which they had first acquired in the lodge . The cloud of ignorance seeking to obscure the rays of intellectual light was not confined to England ; it extended its baneful influence also toother countries .

In b ranee , Clavel published a Masonic history in 1 S 42 , and commenced a Masonic journal in 1844 . In neither case had he sought the sanction of the Grand Orient , and for this offence a sentence of perpetual exclusion from that body was pronounced . ¦ In Germany , Krause and' Mossdorf , two of the most learned Masons

that the Fraternity in any country can boast of , suffered by a similar punishment for their valuable contributions to our Masonic literature . In the United States the antagonism to Masonic publications has been less , owing to the . indifference of the Craft to the cultivation of the literature ot the Fraternity ; and none have opposed its dissemination .

A great change in this respect in the . last half century has taken place in the . internal and external relations of Freemasonry . Years ago the Grand Lodge of Delaware expressed its opinion that Masonic literature was doing more , harm than good to the institution . But this illiterate view has long since been abandoned . From the character of a mere social club , or a benevolent association , it has become a school of philosophy . Books on

its history and science , once so rare , are now abundant . Six . thousand of them have been printed alone in the English language , and these being added to those published in other languages , their whole number cannot fall much short of 15 , 000 . Every country where there is a congregation , of Masons has its scholars investigating the character , the aim , the design of tbe institution , and its periodical works , conduct-d . for the most part with ability , in which the results of these investigations are given to the Craft .

Ihe means of acquiring Masonic knowledge are within the reach . of every Mason . He who is ignorant must attribute his ignorance to his own indifference . He who contents himself with the acquisition ol the ritual as given in the lodge , may be in possession of all the forms of initiation , and call himself a " bright " Mason , but his brightness will be utter darkne-s when compared with the knowledge of him who from books has learned thc true meaning and significance of that ritual and the real philosophy of that institution . —Freemasons' Journal .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of North Wales.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF NORTH WALES .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of North Wales was held at Rhyl , on Tuesday , thc ist inst ., under the presidency of the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Lord Harlech . There was a large gathering of brethren representing the whole of the lodges in the province . Among those present were : Bros . Sir VV .

Grenville VVilliams , Bart ., J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . L for Boys ; C . VV . Richards , Prov . G . Reg . ; R . Langford Jones , J . W . M . Smith , J . Parry Jones , Rev . W . J . Caxodlne , J . Lloyd ; Griffith , James G . Tuxford , Col . the Hon . VV . E . Sackville West , James Salmon , S . J . Amos , F . H . Groshoby , and others .

In the morning a meeting of the Committee of the North Wales Masonic Charily Association was held , when business pertaining to various Charities was transacted . The Provincial Grand Lodge assembled in the Town Hall at half-past one , a procession of Grand Officers being formed from the County Club . ln his address to the brethren , the PROV . GRAND MASTER cong'atulated the p ovince upon its numerical strength . Compared with seven years ago ,

the number of members showed an increase of 256 . He could not impress too strongly upon them the desirability of looking into the characters of the candidates , and of seeing that thi-y were free and honourable men . Hc deplored the loss during the past year of several prominent members of the Craft in the province ,, and alluded to the absence of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Col . Piatt , through the drowning of his son . A vote of condolence was passed to Bro . Col . Piatt in his bereavement . The Prov . G . Master appointed the following as his officers : '

Bro . the Dean of St . Asaph ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ C H . Rees ... ... ... ... P » pv . J . G . W . „ Rev . D . Edwards ... ... * ... D „ r > ^ u " Rev . T . Edwards j Prov . G . Chaps . „ J . Salmon ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ C W . Richards ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . ,, E . Roberts ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . ,, * F . H . V . Groshoby ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . ,, R . Langford Jones ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ J . Hall ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ L . F . Cox ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ T . Williams ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C „ Griffith Richards ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ James E Hughes | Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, Jno . E . Davies ... ... ... ) „ C . Rowland ... ... .. ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ W . D . Henderson ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ VV . A . Nott ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ James Cutts ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ J . H . Kills - ) " A * C " MT- * u £ Prov . G . Stwds . , , „ A . S . H . Bromwich ... ... ... I „ W . Rowland ... ... ... ) „ H . L . Stubington ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The business of the lodge was brought to a close in the usual manner . Afterwards the brethren sat down to a banquet at the Town Hall .

Getting Acquainted With One Another.

GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH ONE ANOTHER .

A little item has been going the round of Masonic journals that a Grand Master , visiting a certain lodge in which little work had been done in thc course of the year , upon inquiring how they had spent their time at the meetings , received the naive reply— " We tried to get acquainted with one another . "

The full stress of this little item , from frequent reading of it , impressed our mind more and more with each reading , and the suggestiveness of the inquiry and thc pertinency of the reply seem worthy ol a more extended consideration . The thought of the Grand Master , in making the inquiry how thev had spent their time al the meetings , was evidently that so many