Consecration Of The Carrington Lodge, No. 2421, At Amersham.

A special vote of thanks with an honorary membership of the lodge was accorded to the Consecrating Officer , and the like honour was conferred upon Bros . James Terry and J . M . McLeod , the Secretaries of the Benevolent and Boys' Institutions . Propositions followed tor four local gentlemen to be initiated , and the lodge was closed at 4 . 411 p . m ., although not a " record break , " still . 1 good proof that the Consecrating Officer was " all there " in his work .

An adjournment was then made to the Town Hall , which had been nicely decorated for the occasion with flowers and flags kindly lent by Bro . Cheese , aud by the forethought of the local brethren , had been " propped " with supports to bear the extra weight on the magisterial floor . A capital dinner was served by the most energetic Bro . Collins ,

and it is a matter of congratulation to the lodge that it has found its home where convenience , both in lodge and for the inner man , is so happily under the care of an experienced brother with the reputation of the worthy host of the Crown . After the usual loyal toasts had been properly honoured ,

Bro . GEORGE E VERETT , P . G . Treas ., replied in his usual happy vein to the toast of " The Grand Officers , " and alluded to the affinity between that new lod " -c and his old lodge—the Domatic—which had been the mother of so m . iiiy good and strong Masonic children . He had little doubt of the success of a lodge started under such favourable auspices as the present . The toast of "The Prov . Grand Officers" was most enthusiastically received .

Bro . the . Rev . J . S . BROWXRIGG responded . Lightly touching upon the recent division of the provinces , and the fear that had been expressed in some quarters that there was not much room for expansion in " little Bucks , " he pointed to the fact that the present was not the first addition ,

and would not be the last , inasmuch as he knew of two or three other lodges which would shortly come into existence under as favourable auspices as the Carrington . He congratulated the brethren on the excellent start the ) ' had made , and did not doubt that under the experienced guidance of the W . M . and his officers a good future was in store for them .

Bro . BOWEN , Prov . G . Sec , also responded , and gave the brethren some sound advice as to the admission of members to their lodge . "The Health of the W . M . " followed , and met , of course , with a good

response . Other toasts , interspersed with good songs , followed , that of " The Honorary Members of the Lodge" being responded to by Bros . TERRY and MCL EOD , the latter of whom expressed his pleasure at having discovered this new Masonic centre , and in having introduced the W . M . to an old friend in Bro . Collins . He had not anticipated the honour so kindly

conferred upon him for the little service he had rendered , but was more than repaid by the knowledge that the W . M . and S . D . of the lodge intended to signalise its formation by serving the office of Steward at the next Festival of the Institution of which he was the chief executive officer . They knew that on the success or otherwise of the annual Festivals of our Institutions much depended , and he was grateful for the assistance afforded to him by the many good friends of the Institutions who were around the board on the

present occasion . With the Tyler ' s toast the return journey was commenced , and despite many fears on the part of some of our timorous brethren , the last "drag , " with its full complement of 19 , safely reached the station for the journey back to town .

Amongst the visitors were—Bros . George Everett , P . G . Treas . ; James Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . Ben . Inst . ; J M . McLeod , P . P . S . G . W . Derbyshire , Sec . R . M . I , for Boys ; J . Welford , P . M . and Treas . 733 ; S . R . Walker , P . M . and Sec . 733 ; W . A . Scurrah , P . P . S . G . W . Middx . ; J . W . Burgess , P . P . G . P . West Lanes . ; N . Turner , P . M . 72 ; H . J .

Thomas , 753 ; J . Page , W . M . 2319 ; E . Rogers , P . G . S . ; W . J . Mason , W . M . 2150 ; G . V . Wood , W . M . i 6 oS ; H . J . Turner , P . M . 160 S ; F . S . Jarvis , J . W . 511 ; T . W . Weeding , P . M . 1591 ; J . Scarlett Campbell , P . M . 1591 ; H . Richards , J . W . 79 ; E . Mackrill , W . M . 94 8 ; E . Hill , S . W . 948 ; H . S . Braman , 227 ; C . Peters , 1765 ; R . B . A . Lodge , 2308 ; B . R . Thomas , 511 ; A . G . Flatman , 1 G 0 S ; G . S . Wilks , P . M . 125 ; E . Lindsay Pembroke , 2 il ; and C . Sims , P . M . 120 S .

Consecration Of The Ebbisham Lodge, No. 2422.

CONSECRATION OF THE EBBISHAM LODGE , No . 2422 .

A petition was recently presented to H . R . H . the M . W . G . M . by several brethren residing in the ancient town of Epsom , asking to be formed into a regularly constituted lodge , and his Royal Highness having acquiesced in the prayer of the petition , the new lodge—to be known as the Ebbisham Lodge , No . 2422 was consecrated on Monday , the gth inst ., at its future mteting place , the King ' s Head Hotel , Epsom , in the presence of a large number ol brethren . The founders were fortunate in securing the services

of Bro . T . T . Bucknill , O . C ., as the first W . Master , and as the lodge starts under excellent auspices a brilliant future should be in store for it . The Consecrating Officer , Bro . Col . Gerard Noel Money , C . B ., Prov . Grand Master of Surrey , was assisted by Bros . Frcdk . West , Dep . Prov . G . M ., P . G . D . ; A . Lionel Scott , Prov . S . G . W . ; G . F . Rouniieu , Prov . | . G . W . ; Rev . E . L . G . Houndle , Prov . G . Chap . ; Charles Greenwood , Prov . G . Sec ; and C . Harcourt Knight , Prov . G . D . C .

The following founders were present : Bros . T . T . Bucknill , O . C ., P . M . 136 ; J . O'Connell , P . M . 1851 and 2157 , P . P . G . Org . ; J . Andrews , l . D . 171 ) 9 , l-O . 1 S 92 ; T . ] . I . awes , S . W . 1851 ; C . P . King , * [ . W . ij . jtj ; W . J . Green , 19 86 ; W . Pile , P . M . 1892 , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . Edwards , 1 S 92 ; H . A . Pope Genge , 1307 ; and George Snashall . There were also present : -

Bros . Major General E . II . Steward , ififij ; Dr . H . J . Strong , A . G . D . C ; E . D . Whiting , P . P . G . Sec . Suffolk ; J . II . Hawes , P . P . G . S . B . Sussex ; C . Harcourt Knight ; P . G . D . C ; G . C . Hurry , P . P . G . Org . j T . J . Dodd , P . P . G . O . Kent ; R . lluice , P . P . A . G . P . ; G . C . Gibes , P . P . J . G . W . ; and many others .

The Consecrating Officer took the chair and appointed his officers pro tent ., and the lodge was opened . He then briefly stated the motive of the meeting and called upon the Acting Chaplain for prayer , after which the brethren of the new lodge signified their approval of the officers designated in the petition and warrant .

An oration on the nature and principles of Freemasonry was delivered by the Acting Chaplain , alter which the ceremony was proceeded with , and the lodge was solemnly dedicated and constituted . The Prov . Grand Master installed the W . M . designate , Bro , T . T . Bucknill , O . C ., into the chair , and the following officers were invested 1 Bros . J . O'Connell , S . W . ; | ames Andrews , | . W . j W . Pile , P . P . G . S . B ., Treas ., acting I . P . AL ; T . j- Lawcs , P . M . Sec ; C . Cooke , S . D . ; C . P . King , J . 13 , ; NV . J . Green , I . G ; and Rowley , Tyler .

Consecration Of The Ebbisham Lodge, No. 2422.

The founders were elected a committee to frame the by-laws , and several propositions for initiation and joining were received . On the proposition of Bro . PILE , P . M ., Treas ., seconded by the S . W . honorary membership was conferred upon the Prov . Grand Master , the Dep . Prov . Grand Master , and the Prov . Grand Secretary .

The W . M . said he had taken a very pleasing duty upon himself , in pro . posing the heartiest vote of thanks it was possible for the founders to give to the Consecrating Officers . He was sure he could appeal with confidence to those who had seen the consecration ceremony before , and say it must have struck their minds with great pleasure to have seen the way in which it was performed that day , and to those who , like himself , had never seen the consecration of a lodge , he could say they had felt an emotion never experienced before .

The PROV . GRAXD MASTER returned thanks , and , on behalf of those who had assisted said , they were sure the infancy , youth , and manhood of the lodge would afford them even greater pleasure than the consecration had done . After banquet , the customary loyal and Masonic toasts received due recognition , " The Oueen and the Craft " being first given .

In giving " The M . W . G . M ., " the WORSHIPFUL MASTER said his Royal Hig hness had sought with his consort relief from public life in the air of a foreign country , and they would hope that he and those still left near and dear to him had returned restored in health and spirit .

Bro . Col . GERARD NOEL MOXEY , C . B ., Prov . G . M ., replied for " The Grand Officers" in brief terms , in view of the toast which followed . He said the Grand Officers were as a body enthusiastic in the cause of Masonry , and always ready to forward it . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in giving " The R . W . Provincial Grand Master , " said they were very much indebted to Bro . Col . Money . These

were no fine words on his part . He knew that sometimes he erred , on the side of flippancy , for that was his nature , but he could claim he had moments of serious feeling , and that he was capable of knowing when the time came to feel serious . That toast was to his mind one he could not properly lay before them . He had , following the incentive of his father , been a great admirer of Masonry , and so soon as his age allowed becamea

Freemason , and he had been brought up in the belief of his father—a belief which he believed now—that if a man be a good Mason he could not be a bad man . The Provincial Grand Master being a good Mason , was , he was sure , a good fellow . Unfortunately , he had not had the pleasure of Col . Money ' s personal acquaintance , but fortunately he had made it , and hoped it would not be the beginning and the end . The Provincial Grand

Master had performed the ceremony most impressively , and had uttered words which had not been mere words , but had sunk into their hearts , and left a lesson which should bear fruit hereafter . The lodge was now ending its first day , and they owed a deep debt of gratitude to Col . Money for starting them on their life . The members pledged themselves to become a good and useful Masonic lodge , to begin with labour and to think of labour

before refreshment , although they could not forget that refreshment does follow labour . They hoped to see the Prov . Grand Alaster present on future occasions to see the progress made , and they offered him their best thanks on the present occasion . 'The PROV . GRAND MASTER said that nothing had given him so much pleasure since he was made Provincial Grand Master of that great province

than that of assisting as accoucheur to that lodge . He hoped the progress of the lodge in the province would equal the fair promise of that evening . No lodge ever started under more auspicious circumstances , and they could feel extremely hopeful of the result , and that it would take its rank as one of the foremost lodges . He need say but little on the present occasion on a subject important to all lodges—the great care and caution with which

applications should be received both as initiates and joining members . No lodge could be too careful on this point , for they might get one member incautiously who would sap the foundation and bring great trouble and discomfort . He knew a lodge in India where two members were admitted , and the lodge had not met for some years , the only course open being to return the warrant and apply for it again after a few weeks . Another case

happened the other day where a candidate had to be withdrawn from the lodge room , but if the proposer and seconder had taken ordinary care ami realised their responsibility such things could not happen . He would advise them that a proposer and seconder incurred a grave responsibility , which did not end until the candidate had taken his Third Degree . It had been extremely painful for him when candidates had been brought forward and had not been able to answer the questions . He called that an utter disgrace

in any lodge , and whenever he had been Master and found a brother could not answer the questions himself he would not proceed with the ceremony any further . If a Mason did not think it worth his while to commit to heart those few questions , was he likel y to become a good officer ? The welfare of a lodge rested as much with the junior officers almost as with the W . AL and he was sure that lodge would set an example . A new broom sweeps clean it was said , but he trusted it would sweep very clean when it grew old and was no longer a new broom . It had given him great pleasure to he with them , and on a future occasion when he visited them he felt he should

not have to caution but to congratulate them . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next proposed " The Deputy Prov . Grand Master and Prov . Grand Ollicers , " and said that all the ' Prov . Grand Officers present had done their best to make the meeting a success , and he tendered to them heartfelt thanks for the great kindness and ability shown in the proceedings . . lwd

Bro . G . F . Rot / Mini / , Prov . J . G . W ., expressed the pleasure it afforded the Prov . Grand Officers to assist on that occasion . The lodge had started well and had for its W . M . not only agood Mason but a ge « ' man who was popular wherever he went . He was sure the W . M- " ° . excuse him for saying so , but as an humble representative of the profess ' to which that brother belonged , he could say the W . M . was one of the m °

popular members of that profession and would also make a P ° P , : || Alaster . He thought the founders had done well in selecting Bro . , il" - c j as the first W . M . He wished him a successful year of office and n ° P that when he vacated the chair he would emulate the spirit of Alas '" J [ pervading the province and install his successor . He trusted the nncm l . | a ' would not forget the all important element of Charity and that they « ' ° practise outside the lod those virtues they professed .

ge " The Consecrating Officers " was proposed by the Wousm MASTER . He said the ceremony of consecration was not often given , ^ when given to be remembered always . He had never seen it belorc , ^ hoped to see it again , bocausc it was an impressive and holy ceremon ) •^ made men think and meditate about matters not onl y here , but hcre '