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derstand that a brief sketch of its history was read by Bro . J . R . HAYMAN , P . M ., in the course of the meeting , and we hope some day to have the pleasure of reviewing a full account by him or some other competent member . We have a strong belief in the value of lodge histories , and though the materials it may be enabled to furnish may be few and even meagre in particulars ,

we consider it almost the duly of every lodge to have some account , that can be regarded as official , compiled , especially when it has lived and worked long enough to be entitled to receive a centenary warrant . The Phoenix , as we have said , was constituted in May , 1786 , and is the only one on the " Modern " side of the English Craft , which has survived out of the

lodges created that year , the three others which date from it , namely , the East Medina , No . 175 , Ryde , Isle of Wight , the Domatic , No . 177 , and the Antiquity , No . 178 , Wigan , being all of "Ancient" origin . We should gladly have given a report of the proceedings , but the lodge , in the

exercise of its discretion , appears to have been anxious to avoid anything like publicity . The few facts referred to here , in respect of the celebration , are derived from a contemporary local paper , and the historical facts from our own sources of information .

* * * LODGE nomenclature is not a subject that often engages our attention . We manage this part of our duty very quietly and comfortably in England , it generally happening that the first we hear of the style and title borne by a new lodge is from reading the account of its consecration . Founders are . no

doubt , hard put to it at times for an appropriate or becoming title , and we dare say the GRAND MASTER would demur to accepting one which set at naught his and the general sense of respect for the proprieties of Masonic life . But it invariably happens that a proper designation for a new lodge , to which no reasonable being would dream of taking exception , is

ultimately found , the only faults to be urged against our lodge nomenclature being that the names are occasionally uncouth or rugged to the ear , and that sometimes a brother is honoured by having a lodge named after him , who , though worthy enough in himself , is not quite worthy of so signal and so enduring a compliment . It seems , however , that in other jurisdictions

the question of lodge names is considered as of some importance . Last week , for instance , we quoted from the Voice 0 / Masonry a passage relating to the consecration of a new lodge in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba . From this it appears that the lodge was ultimately designated and consecrated as the " Doric" Lodge , while the name originally

proposed for it was the " Forrest . " But the Board of General Purposes having passed a resolution to the effect " That no lodge be named after a living person , " the GRAND MASTER refused his consent to the lodge being named the " Forrest , " and it . was therefore changed to the " Doric . " It strikes us that this interference , first of all , of the Board of General Purposes ,

and then of the GRAND MASTER , with the memb ers of the new lodge in their choice of a name is somewhat childish . We know nothing about the Bro . FORREST after whom it was proposed at the outset to name the new lodge , but we are justified in assuming that he is worthy of such an honour . That being so , and the name being as unobjectionable as the

brother , we fail to see what business it was of the Board of General Purposes and the Grand Master to interfere in the matter . We recognise that , no matter how distinguished and respected a b rother may be , there is always the possibility—albeit in the majority of cases a very remote onethat at some future time he may become less distinguished and less entitled

to respect . But should that unfortunately happen , there is no need to perpetuate his name in connection with any lodge , nothing more being necessary than that the membeis , if they consider the matter of sufficient importance to justify any action at all on their part , should obtain the sanction of the authorities for changing its name to something else . What is needed

in matters of this minor kind is , that , subject to certain broad and general , yet well-defined , conditions , there should be as little inter ference as possible on the part of the executive with the course pursued by private lodges and

their members . Let private lodges manage as much as possible of their own concerns without the intervention of Grand Masters and Boards , and the common sense of the brethren , as well as their natural sense of propriety , will see them well and successfully through their labours .

* # Wi ; hear that Bro . H . B . MARSHALL , P . G . Treasurer , is about to initiate his son , Mr . H . B . MARSHALL , jun ., who has just attained his majority , into Freemasonry , and that the newly-made brother , who is already a Patron of

all our Institutions , will follow in the footsteps so clearly marked by his father , by supporting and aiding them at their annual Festivals . The news is welcome , for it is good news , and intimately concerns one who , in the eight or nine years of his connection with our Society , has done splendid suit and service to the English Craft , and above all to its Charities .

# * # WE hear that preparations , on a magnificent scale , are in progress to com ' memorate the centenary of the separation of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania from the " Atholl" Grand Lodge of England ; the resolution offered by Bro . C . E . MEYER , at the last Grand Lodge , being most enthusi

astically carried ( vide Freemason , August 7 th , 1 S 86 . ) The important event took place on September 25 th , 1786 the Prov . Grand Lodge of Philadelphia having been until then , within the fold of the seceders or " Ancients , " the original warrant . lost en route , was dated 15 th June , 1761 , the one which came in force being signed on 20 th June , 1764 . Freemasonry began in

Philadelphia about 1730 , the first Prov . Grand Master for any part of America being the R . W , Bro . Colonel COXE , who was appointed to preside over Pennsylvania , as well as New Jersey and New York . The Grand Lodge has already celebrated the third jubilee of the introduction of Freemasonry into the State , that commemoration occuring on 24 th June , 1883 .

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The early lodges and Prov . G . Lodge of the " Moderns , " so-called , have all passed away , however , the province being under the influence of the " Ancients " from 1764 , and until its independence , in 1786 , was one of the most successful Bodies established by the ever active Seceders . The first

lodge warranted by the "Ancient Grand Lodge of England for Philadelphia was No . GQ , in 175 8 , the first for any part of America being for Nova Scotia , in December , 1757 . The Craft flourishes in the " Keystone " State , the statistics exhibiting almost double the number of lodges and members now , to those on the roll in 1866 .

* * THE Freemasons' Journal ( Mew York ) states that the old charter of the Independent Royal Arch Lodge , No . 2 , was displayed for the first time for many years on June 17 th . The original warrant was issued in 1760 , and

was replaced by another in 1789 . For reasons stated the second document has only lately come into the hands of the lodge , and the members have obtained permission to make use of it , instead of the much later one of confirmation .

it # WE are very pleased to note that Bio . HERMAN G . CARTER has been re-appointed Grand Librarian , which confers a position and office in the Grand Lodge of New York . The Grand Master and brethren unite in

expressing their indebtedness to their Grand Librarian for his devotion to duty , and his most zealous labours on their behalf . The collection of curiosities , started under Bro . CARTER ' auspices is rapidly becoming quite a feature of the library .

* THE list of Officers of Grand Lodge , New York , includes the names of 29 District Deputy Grand Masters , whose duties correspond to those performed by our Provincial and District Grand Masters , only no officers are appointed

as in our provinces- One District Deputy Grand Master has charge of the lodges working in German , and another for those speaking French , Spanish , and Italian ; so that all needful arrangements are made to obtain efficiency under the rule of M . W . Bro . F . R . LAWRENCE , one of the best Grand Masters that have ever occupied the Masonic Throne in New York .

Consecration Of The Joshua Nunn Lodge, No. 2154, At Halstead.

CONSECRATION OF THE JOSHUA NUNN LODGE , No . 2154 , AT HALSTEAD .

Freemasonry in Essex during the last few years has been making rapid strides , both in regard to its efforts in support of the Charities of the Order , and also as to its numerical strength . Since the advent of Lord Brooke to the Provincial Grand Mastership of the Province , five lodges , with an aggregate of 200 members , have been added to the roll , and on Saturday last a sixth was consecrated , bringing up the number of lodges in the

province to 25 . The new lodge is called the Joshua Nunn , a name well known in Masonic circles , both in Essex and the country generally , Bro . Nunn ( who now resides at Bocking Hall ) having been for many years connected with the Board of Benevolence , first as Vice-President , and more recently as President . He is also a member of the House Committee of the Girls ' School , and has for many years taken an active part in all good works connected with Masonry .

The lodge is numbered 2154 . Bro . Joshua Nunn s name naturally headed the petition , as W . M . designate , the other signatories being W . Bros . Vero W . Taylor , P . M . 276 , P . P . G . S . W ., S . W . designate ; J . J . Cavill , W . M . ( second time ) 1312 , J . W . designate : V . W . Bros . R . G . Kellett . P . M . 1312 , P . P . G . Swd . Br . ; E . H . Inman , P . M . 1312 ; and Bros . George Copus , Mark Gentry , and Thomas Adams .

On Saturday last a large number of brethren assembled to witness or assist in the consecration of the new lodge . It had been announced that the ceremony would be performed by Lord Brooke , but at the last moment his lordship telegraphed that he had been detained , and his place as Con secrating Officer was ably filled by V . W . Bro . Fred . A . Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Reg ., D . P . G . M . of the province . ~

On taking the chair the D . P . G . M . appointed the following officers pro tern .: Bros . Rev . F . B . Shepherd , P . M . 276 , P . P . G . S . W ., S . W . ; Andrew C . Durrant , W . M . 276 , P . G . J . W ., J . W . ; Rev . Thos . Stevens ( Vicar of Saffron Walden ) , Chap . 1280 , Chaplain ; Thos . J . Railing , P . M . and Sec . 51 , P . G . Sec , Secretary ; Albert Lucking , G . P . Eng ., P . G . D . C ., D . C . ; A . J . Dudgeon , P . M . 2006 , P . G . S . D ., I . G . After the usual preliminaries , the DEP . PROV . GRAND MASTER briefly

explained the object of the meeting . They were , he said , all aware of the purpose for which they were gathered together—it was to consecrate a new lodge in that province and in that town , under circumstances which rendered it peculiarly interesting . The consecration of a new lodge of Freemasons was always an interesting occasion , but there in that town of Halstead they were about again to bring the habitation of a lodge , after a

lapse of something like thirty years , during which time the town had been without the advantage of having a lodge meeting there . He need scarcely say that at this stage in the history of Masonry in England , and particularly in this province , the granting of a warrant of constitution b y H . R . H . the Most Worshipful Grand Master was not a matter which was li ghtly regarded . The brethren who sought to constitute themselves into a lodge had

to show some real need for the foundafion of a lodge , and some prospect that the new undertaking would be successful , before a warrant was granted . On this occasion the need had been testified , and the success , as they trusted , assured . The M . W . Grand Master had , at the instance of their respected and esteemed Prov . Grand Master , Lord Brooke , granted a

warrant , which was the foundation of their proceedings that day . It was granted at the request , as they knew , of a very old brother in the Craft , one whose Masonic record was a record of honour to himself and of usefulness to the great cause they all had at heart—fitly , therefore , the lodge was to bear the name of Joshua Nunn . ( Applause . )

An oration on the nature and principles of the Institution was given by the acting CHAPLAIN . He said : The consecration of a new Masonic lodge , marking- as it did an extension of the Order , ought to recall to their minds the principles which formed the foundation of Freemasonry .