Consecration Of The Woodgrange Lodge, No. 2409.

had g iven him more to learn than all the teachers he had sought . He had sympathy for teachers , but Masonry had taught him this—belief in God , belief in the immortality of the soul , belief in the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God . He had the honour of representing his lodge on the Board of Relief , and he found that Masonry assisted a man now , it did not believe in the good by-and-bye ; it taught men to assist their fellow men now . He was going back to the city of New York on the 23 rd September ,

and he should carry away this thought , that the reputation of Masonry throughout Europe was not too high , that the reputation of Masonry in London and the city of New York was not too high , and he congratulated the W . M . that he had the rig ht men about him . Under Bro . Trew he knew they would be true to their Master , true to Masonry , and true to the obligations they had taken upon themselves . Bros . TRACY , J MASON , and NORMAN also replied .

Bro . CUNDICK replied for the Langthorne Lodge , the recommending lodge . Bros . TERRY , HEDGES , and MCLEOD responded for "The Charities , " the W . M . having said he was next year going to represent the lodge for the Benevolent institution , and he felt certain the Senior and Junior Wardens when they arrived at the chair would each in his year represent one of the other two Charities .

Bro . J G . STEVENS , in reply to a cordial recognition of him by the W . M . in proposing " The Health of the Officers of the Lodge , " was pleased to say he had been of some service to the W . M . in the foundation of this lodge . The W . M . had called him to his councils and he had had much pleasure in giving him his hearty co-operation . There seemed to be one spirit among the brethren , to have this lodge in this particular neighbourhood . Twenty

years ago it appeared to him that the accretion of lodges had been so extended that there was a chance for a Masonic lodge in this neighbourhood . There had been meetings and they had been successful , and the brethren stood that day with a realised fact , and the Woodgrange Lodge was also a fact . If he might use a metaphor he should say the ship was launched , the ship was in port , the captain was on board , and the crew , and it remained to be seen what that ship was going to do in its adventurous voyage . The

voyage of the Woodgrange ship meant for many , many years , if it was conducted by succeeding captains , many years beyond our memory and beyond our tether , if the captains were as good as Bro . Trew . He was sure it was the fervent hope of every one who was the founder of this good ship , the Woodgrange , that that ship might run over the billows of Freemasonry for many , many years to come , and do good suit and service , and carry a good and valuable freight for the benefit of the Institutions of the Order .

The other officers also replied , and the Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

The New Mark District.

THE NEW MARK DISTRICT .

We are disposed to distinctly welcome the appointment of R . W . Bro . Egan to the post of D . G . Mark Master of South Africa . The advantages of local government for all Degrees are so obvious that we need not again refer to them , and we have little doubt that Bro . Egan will be able to put the Mark in a more satisfactory condition than it has ever held . We trust that

none of the brethren in Capetown , Port Elizabeth , Kimberley , or Johannesburg will be disposed to cavil at the appointment on local grounds . It is plain that with lodges scattered at such very wide intervals no very close intercommunication in thelocal authority is practicable , and it is equally plain thata distant D . G . M . is far better than none at all . He is at least comeatable in

two or three days by letter , and in two or three hours by wire . Moreover , as Mark lodges are already in course of formation at East London and Baddy East , out of seven lodges in the Mark district four will be in Bro . Egan ' s own Craft jurisdiction , and three of them in very close contiguity to his own town . It will thus be evident that setting aside personal qualifications , the

selection of Bro . Egan for this distinguished post is , on general grounds , the very best that could be made . A brother at Capetown , Port Elizabeth , Kimberley , or Johannesburg , would have been many hundreds of miles away from any other Iodge but his own , whereas the D . G . M . at Kingwilliamstown has , in addition to his own lodge ,

one within two hours and a half railway distance from him , another not very far away , and a third at Port Elizabeth quite within the length of his cable tow . Moreover , four out of these seven lodges being in his own Craft district , as we mentioned before , will immensely facilitate the formation of a Mark District Grand Lodge , because should he choose to

make the meetings of that body correspond with those of the Craft District Grand Lodge , he will always be able to make sure of these four at least sending representatives , whilst there is quite as good a chance of a general representation as there would be had any other selection been made . We are not for a moment urging that all the meetings should be held within the

Eastern Division , but the fact of some at least being so held will at any rate assure that District Grand Mark Lodge will sometimes do practical Work . But apart from these questions of practical utility there is every reason why , on personal grounds , Bro . Egan should be chosen for the post . It is a generally recognised and laudable princi ple that as far as possible

the chiefs of the "Higher" Degrees should be those who have occupied similar positions of trust in those of thc Craft , and Bro . Dr . Egan being not only an old Mark Mason , but the senior English District Grand Master in South Africa , possesses therefore special claim , more especially as his reputation as a Masonic administrator has won him well deserved recognition alike

from the powers that be and from his Masonic subordinates . Of course the present arrangement can at the best be regarded as onl y provisional . We earnestly trust that many more lodges of this interesting Degree may in due course of time be established in various parts of South Africa , and then it will be obviously for the advantage of all concerned that Bro . Dr . Egan ' s

extensive Mark jurisdiction should be parcelled out into smaller and more manageable portions . In the meantime , however , we are certain that the Mark Degree will be better governed than it has ever been before . There has been a long interregnum since Bro . Gidd y ' s time , an interregnum into Which , We trust , the Mark will never be allowed to lapse again . —South African Freemason .

A Master's Duty.

A MASTER'S DUTY .

As long as there are men there will probably be Masons , as long as there are Masons there will be Masters , and as long as there are Masters there must be duties performed . The time will probably never come when it will be unnecessary to discuss the rights , the prerogatives , the responsibilities and the duties of the Master of a lodge . They are nearly the same the world over , varied only by the conditions under which the lodge exists . Every generation must be taught what the last in turn received from its predecessor . Hence the continual discussion of the duties of the officers of a

lodge . 1 he Masonic , being an institution peculiar to itself , independent of any outside influence , has its own settled principles of government . They are venerated for their age , and obeyed for their justice . The Master of a lodge has always been regarded as superior in authority to any other power . His decisions are final . His word is law .

An officer possessing such unlimited privileges should be a man of impartial justice , free from envy and every ambition that would lead him to waver from the path of righteous judgment . Every member of his lodge , from the humblest to the greatest , is entitled to the same consideration . He cannot treat one kindly and another unkindly . As long as they are members in good standing he must regard them as his brethren , over whom he has been called to preside . One brother needs sympathy—he should receive it .

Another needs admonition and warning—these should be given . His errors should be pointed out and he urged to correct them . Those in distress must receive the proper attention , and that without delay . The young and aspiring brother whose zeal runs away with his discretion should be instructed in the duty of a Mason . No man should presume to accept the position of Master of a lodge without considering well the obligations that devolve upon him .

lhe paramount duty of the Master is to preserve peace and harmony in his lodge . It is impossible for lodges to exist without differences arising between members . One will feel himself aggrieved and will say harsh and emphatic things about another . Rumour , base , deceiving , unreliable , often utterly false , floats like poison in the air , and increases with every breath

until it blackens the reputation of one entirely innocent . The Master should use every means in his power to settle disputes , bringing the parties together on the principles of Masonic justice and pour oil upon the troubled waters . Rumours affecting the reputation of a brother should be silenced , that the good name of the Fraternity be not injured . If the brother is guilty of an offence there is a way to reach it that every Mason should find .

In dealing with a brother who may be in the wrong , the Master should treat him in such a manner as to win his confidence and respect . Then will he listen to words of advice , and in nine cases out of ten all the difficulty will be settled with but little friction . Harsh words , rough treatment , the assumption of power and a dictatorial spirit weakens the influence of a Master and injure the cause of justice . But peace and harmony must be preserved in the body , and the Master must judge of the best means to gain that end .

As we have often said , the mere conferring of Degrees , while an important duty , is by no means the most important in the conduct of the affairs of the lodge . The true intent and usefulness of the Fraternity is in the education of the members after they are received . The Degrees are but the beginning of a life to be moulded by the pure principles of morality , brotherly love , truth , and every commendable virtue . The Degrees are but the alphabet of Masonry , the great lessons of moral teaching and usefulness

are learned as we go on in life , year after year extending our researches into the great storehouse of knowledge . They are only the foundation of a building , to which we must add stone after stone as our days roll by , until it stands a marvel of beauty and perfection in the light of revealed truth , truly a temple not made by hands , pure and lovely , and fitted for the eternity of the heavens . The basic principles of Masonry are grand , and should be presented in the best manner possible , and the structure erected thereon should be reared in conformity with those grand and ennobling principles .

The Master ' s duty is to assist every brother in his Iodge to fulfil honestly the multifarious duties of life ; to aid him in erecting the Masonic edifice agreeably to the plans laid down by the Grand Architect of the Universe . To do this his own life should be an example , Free from vicious habits , honest and upright , he should live above reproach . The suggestion of this subject , we hope , will lead to thoughtful consideration . The office of Master of a lodge is no unimportant position . —New York Dispatch .

Our House.

OUR HOUSE .

When called on to write on subjects with which I was supposed to be acquainted , I have answered as I could , but when you called for some words on Masonry , I was at a loss ; what do I know about Masonry ? To be sure , I have been connected with the Order for 30 years or more , but always as a layman . Years ago I knew something of the work , but the cares of a laborious life and lack of use have made its lessons dim and

uncertain . Like Scott s minstrel , in whose mind , in old age , Mingle confusedly as they rush along , The war march with the funeral song , the lessons of the Blue Lodge , Chapter , Commandery , and Consistory , distinct enough when heard , leave an insufficient line of demarcation one

from the other to feel sure of among strangers . But who are the strangers ? I have mingled with people I did not know , in strange places , but thoug h I felt illy assured of welcome , knowing so well how ' imperfectly my lessons were learned , I always found , truth being assured , that the broad mantle of Masonic Charity would cover many such imperfections , and I never found the strangers .

But what is Masonry ? A tedious ceremonial , so long and complex that when I hear its lessons recited , I wonder at the retentive memory that can hold them . Its obligations ? To one who mi ght be disposed to deny them , solemn and inexorable as death ; but to him who would violate no laws , light as air , imposing no restriction or hardshi p . There must be something else—something more .

Inrst comes the requirement that the candidate must be sou . id in body and mind—mentally , morally , and physically . Here we have something ' tangible . When we meet a Mason we have the instinctive feeling that this man has been tried by a jury of his peers and pronounced—An honest man—the noblest work of God I"