The Craft In British Columbia.

THE CRAFT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA .

It is not often we have news of the proceedings of the Craft in British Columbia . It is one of the most distant parts of the British Empire , and communication between the places in which its lodges are established is by no means easy . Moreover , as regards numbers , the jurisdiction of its Grand Lodge is by no means extensive . However , if the Masons there are not a

numerous bod )' , and if it is only occasionally that we obtain glimpses into their doings , there is no doubt they are active in good work , and as time progresses that they will be as strong as they now are reputable . The lodges on the roll of its Grand Lodge are 13 , and there is one more undsr dispensation , the membership of the former being S 60 . The senior lodge ,

which was warranted by our Grand Lodge of England , dates from the year 1 S 59 , while the Grand Lodge of British Columbia was constituted in the year 1 S 70 ; but though of comparatively recent origin , the lodges in the jurisdiction are possessed of property and funds amounting in the aggregate to not far short of £ 54 , , Lodge No . I , which has i ^ Ko , No . 3 with

Si 1 , 710 , and No . 9 with S 20 , 6 oo , being of English origin . It was under the banner of the first of these lodges that early in January of the present year one ol the most successful gatherings that ever took place in the Colony was held , the object being to present testimonials to the three retiring trustees of Ihe Masonic Hall at Victoria , the bodies which took part in the

proceedings being the Lodge , No . i , already referred to , Vancouver—Quadra Lodge , No . 2 , and tho Columbia Royal Arch Chapter . The brethren thus honoured were Past Grand Master Er . i HARRISON , sen ., who had the honour of presiding over the Grand Lodge during the years 1878 , 1 S 79 , 1 SS 0 ; his son , Bro . ELI HARRISON , jun ., who was Junior

Grand VVarden in 1 S 79 , 1 SS 0 , 1 S 81 ; and Bro . T . TROUNCE , who after serving as Senior Grand Warden in 18 S 2 , and Deputy Grand . Master in 1 S 83 and 18 S 4 , was elected and installed Grand Master in 1885 . Unfortunately , ill-health prevented Bro . TROUNCE from attending for the purpose of receiving the proposed recognition of his long and faithful

services , and to this extent , the proceedings , which took place under the auspices of Bro .. F . VV . WILLIAMS , W . M . of Victoria-Columbia Lodge , No . 1 , were shorn of a very considerable part of their interest . But , in spite of this shortcoming , the enthusiasm exhibited on the occasion would seem to have justified the description we have read of the function as about the

most pleasant and encouraging that has ever taken place in British Columbia . The reply of Bro . ELI HARRISON , sen ., was , indeed , characterised by admirable taste and feeling , and the account rendered by him of his Trusteeship redounds not only to his credit , but to that of our British Columbia brethren general !)' . After mentioning incidentally that he had

been present 32 years previously at the first anniversary of Lodge No . 1 , that during his connection with Masonry he had filled every office from the lowest to the highest , and that among his audience there was present only one brother—Past Grand Master F . W . WILLIAMS , ex-Speaker—who liad attended the same anniversary gathering ; and , after expressing his

thanks for the further token of respect and esteem he had just received , Hro . HARRISON , sen ., went on to state that the work which he and his co-Irustccs had undertaken to accomplish had been "to furnish the Masonic Order in this city and the GrandjLodge of the Province a suitable place to "lectin for the purpose of Masonic work , on a plan suggested by myself and

accepted by the Grand Lodge . " Butthe capital they had tobegin with was very ¦ mall , and accordingly " scrip to the amount of 812 , 000 was issued in the name of the Trustees , and they were legally responsible for the same . This scri p was sold to enable them to proceed with the work , " and the work having been finished and the whole of the scrip redeemed , the Trustees

"'fire at length anxious to be relieved of their responsibility . In making ''us announcement , he had at the same time the satisfaction of stating that during the whole period of their Trusteeship , both he and his colleagues had worked together in perfect harmony , neither had they had from the date of their j " Ppointment till then , the slightest dispute or trouble with the brethren who

' ¦ id lent their money . " The lodges and chapters have been troubled with no disputes on account of the Trustees , and the shareholders have all been P ' * ' < l back their money with interest at nearly six per cent . " Bro . HARRISON We 'H on to add that their great desire had been " to secure a property ° rthy of our Order , with every convenience for . the ceremonies , at as small

' cost as possible , " and this , he said , they had succeeded in accomplishing without any extra cost in dues or fees to the members of either lodges or '' Piers . " in short , he remarked , '' we have placed you in possession of a 1 ° perty worth $ 30 , 000 , free from debt and unencumbered . " But , he con-11 C c b " 1 need not detain you with a long speech on the subject , as the o ( 0 P ' y speaks for itself . Look around at your beautiful hall , one lc finest ^ in | thc province , examine your valuable premises , and

The Craft In British Columbia.

call to your mind those kind and generous brethren who were willing to plant that posterity might reap the fruit of the sublime principles inculcated by our Ancient and Honourable Order , and be you willing to follow their good examples . " As to the future , Bro . HARRISON went on to express his belief " that the revenue received from the

property in a few years , will , with care , enable the Fraternity in this city to so reduce the annual dues that few will have any cause to be suspended for non-payment of the same , and also be enabled to furnish a fund for the relief of distressed brethren , and widows and orphans . " Bro . HARRISON concluded with an expression of gratitude to his co-Trustees for their able

and willing co-operation with him in the task they had undertaken , and to the brethren , and especially the members of the Columbia Chapter , for their exceeding kindness on the occasion . Bro . HARRISON , jun ., P . G . W ., followed , and after returning thanks , declared that " it was entirely owing to the confidence exhibited by the brethren in buying the scrip that the Trustees

were placed in funds and enabled to do what they had done . He had often looked back with surprise at the confidence placed by the brethren in so nobly coming forward and buying the bits of paper with only the names of the three Trustees to them , and it was , therefore , to those brethren that the credit was mainly due . " Bro . HARRISON , jun ., added that he regretted

extremely the absence of Bro . IROUNCE , P . G . M ., who was in feeble health , and had attained the ripe old age of 80 years , but he considered he was justified in returning thanks in his behalf " for the kind manner in which that worthy brother's services had been acknowledged . " After the new Worshipful Master of

Victoria - Columbia Lodge , had been installed in office , and his predecessor had been presented with the usual recognition of his scrviccSj the customary banquet was held in celebration of St . John ' s Day , and then what must have been one of the most successful meetings ever held in British Columbia came to an end . It certainly speaks well for the harmony

prevailing among our British Columbian brethren and their evidently intense devotion to the Craft , that the erection of the Masonic Hall in the City of Victoria should have been accomplished in the manner described by Bro . HARRISON , sen . It is not often that even in Masonry we encounter three men who are prepared to undertake so large a responsibility as that

of providing the wherewith to erect a suitable hall , nor do we often meet with a body of brethren who have such implicit faith in certain of their leading members as to buy their notes of hand to the tunc of Si 2 , ooo . British Columbia may not be a very formidable jurisdiction as far as

numbers go , nor has Masonry been long established within its borders , but it is evident that its members arc deeply imbued with the principles of Freemasonry , or such a picture as we have presented to our readers would have been out of the question .

Consecration Of The Duke Of Fife Chapter, No. 2345.

CONSECRATION OF THE DUKE OF FIFE CHAPTER , No . 2345 .

Probably no more successful meeting has ever been held at Anderton ' s Hotel than the consecration of this new chapter , on Monday evening last . Comp . K . Letchworth , G . S . K ., was the Consecrating Principal , and had most able assistance from Comps . Major-Gen . J . Grassland Hay , C . B ., A . G . S ., as II . ; Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , G . Supt . Bucks , as J . ; C . E . Keyser , G . S . B ., as S . N . ; and F . Richardson , P . A . G . S ., as D . C , each of whom is perfect master of the work allotted to him .

The founders of the chapter are Comps . S . Cochrane , G . Treas . elect ; J . Wyer , P . Z . ; J . W . Folkard , W . W . Westley , P . Z . ; G . Everett , P . G . Treas . ; Charlie Woods , Alfred Harvey , J . W . Andrews , and J . A . Randall . In addition to the Consecrating Officers and founders ( with the exception

of Comp . G . Everett , P . G . Treas . ) , there were present Comps . J . S . Tavener , J . Bond , P . Z . 619 ; F . Hilton , P . Z . 1275 and 1622 , M . E . Z . 172 ; H . Price , P . Z . 177 ; John Read , P . Z . 449 and 720 , P . G . S . B . Herts ; C . J . Reed , 1524 ; II . Sadler , G . Janitor ; R . J . Voisey , P . Z ., M . E . Z . 1226 ; H . J . Lardner , P . Z . 3 , P . P . G . D . C . Surrey ; Capt . T . C . Walls , P . Z . 3 , P . P . G . P . S . ; and C . Patrick , P . Z . 1623 , Janitor .

Comp . the Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG delivered the following oration :

Companions , —One of the most satisfactory indications of the reality and genuineness of the advance which our Order is making is that a new lodge seldom fails in due course to apply for the attachment of a Royal Arch chapter . Time was when a few chapters in the metropolitan district were sufficient to satisfy the wants of the few brethren who cared sufficiently about our Craft to seek any progress beyond the Master Mason's Degree . Those days are -fast passing away , and every new lodge that succeeds requires and obtains its Royal