Original Correspondence.

Nunn , P . G . S . B ., and Bro . Colonel Burdett , Prov . G . M . Middx ., make as good pictures as any , I think , on the dais ,. and amongst provincial brethrenthe first to catch my eye was Bio . Richard Rodd , P . Prov . G . Reg . of Devon , who is seated next the artist , from whence the sketch of the installation was taken . Then I noticed Bro . James Terry , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent

Institution , and quite close to him our Bro . Binckes , Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . I fancy I have discerned Bro . R . W . Little , the Secretary for the " Girls ' , " but , if so , it is not equal to the other two of the well-known trio . Then I looked around , and fraternally greeted Bro . J . E . Curteis , P . Prov . S . G . W . of Devon , and some other friends . But 1 must not stay to say more now , save to

declare my belief that the " good words " of the Editor of the Freemason as to the special merits of the picture are thoroughly deserved , and also the appreciative sketch by Bro . " H . W . S . " in the Freemason tor Feb . 9 th , the fact being that the engraving is alike worthy of the subject and the artist , and I believe that by judicious advertisements , and a speedy issue of the engravings , the whole issue will soon be subscribed for . WILLIAM J AMES HOGHAN .

THE INSTALLATION ENGRAVING . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A little reflection ought to convince " Disappointed " that it is to my interest to supply all subscribers as quickly as possible . Therefore delay in accomplishing that desirable result must bc unavoidable on my part . I

hope in about six weeks from this date to satisfy him with the possession of the print he has subscribed for . With regard to the other matters alluded to by "Disappointed , " I beg to assure him that it was simply impossible to adopt any other course but that used to complete the work . I am dear Sir and Brother , fraternally and truly yours , March 13 th , 1878 . EOWARD J . HARTY .

COINCIDENCE OR DESIGN , —WHICH ? To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — The very interesting letter of " S . P . " will I hope , lead to other investigations of a similar character to his own . Any M . M . looking attentively at the great picture in the National Gallery , of the Raising of Lazarus , by

Sebastian del Piombo , the figures in which are said to have been designed by Michael Angelo , will not fail to notice the vivid presentment of the emotions that were aroused when the livid corpse came forth from the tomb , only half resuscitated . Perhaps Raphael and Michael Angelo belonged to the

same lodge . fc & . Was there ever a lodge of operative Masons at St . Peter's at Rome , similar to that at Strasburg , which exists to the present day ? If so , the painters and architects may have been initiated in it . Yours fraternally , H . II . B ., P . M . 14 .

The Consequences Of The Modification Of The French Constitutions.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE MODIFICATION OF THE FRENCH CONSTITUTIONS .

There is in the Chaine d'Union tor March a very interesting letter from Bro . Denis , of Tours , which we should have liked to have translated in extenso for our pages , but unfortunately must content ourseleves with one or two extracts .

Bro . Denis seems to ascribe the recent movement to the " Positivistes , " more or less and , which , as he says , has resulted in the " moral impotence and sterility of French Freemasonry . " Bro . Denis , the Orator , and Bro . Aubert , the W . Masttr of the Lodge " Demophilos , " resigned their positions , anel had almost determined to leave French Freemasonry , but decided to remain , if grieving , attached to it .

It seems that Bro . Denis really sees , as we do , Bro . Desmon ' s absurd argument , ( untrue as a fact ) , in respect of the adhesion of other Grand Lodges to this revolutionary change . Me visited the Lodge " Dante Alighieri de Turin , " and conversed wilh its members , and was informed by them that the Grand Orient of Italy ( exactly as our distinguished Bro . I . C . Parkinson told us ) , always affirms in its

Constitutions the "Belief in God and the immortality of the Soul , " and that nothing was likely to change such declaration . No wonder then that Bro . Denis was startled at such a commentary on Bro . Desmon ' s last statement in the Grand Orient of France , a statement utterly at variance with the facts of the case . As Bro . Denis truly puts it , what is the worth of Bro .

Desjnons' assertions ? We quite agree with Bro . Denis when he says : — "When one considers how the discussion of the ' voeu' was shortened , with what haste the vote itself was taken , one can affirm with reason that the decisions of the Convent on this point have neither been sufficiently enlightened , nor sufficiently matured . It is then under tbe effect of erroneous appreciation that the Masonic Assembly

has voted the constitutional modifications , antl nevertheless , such decisions have never been more full of danger to our Order . " These have always been our ideas , but our readers will remember that Bro . Caubet found fault with our view of the proceedings of tbe Convent . Bro . Denis concluded his able letter with this aspiration , in which we heartily join : — " Let us hope that the

members of the Council will know how to uphold the true interests of Freemasonry , and that instead of precipitating matters , ( and . fi ) Uowing out all the logical consequences of the vote of [ Si'ptefnbcr , they will await the resolutions ofthe next Convent , which , less excited , and more enlightened by the facts than that of 1877 , will know how to restore to our Institution its interior unity and its external prestige . " We shall probably recur to this able letter of Bro . Denis , of Tours , in our next .

Consecration Of The Sunbury Lodge, No. 1733,

CONSECRATION OF THE SUNBURY LODGE , No . 1733 ,

The Sunbury Lodge , No . 1773 , was consecrated on Saturday last at the Magpie Hotel , Sunbury , Middlesex , by Col . Burdett . Prov . G . M . for Middlesex . The arrangements at the hotel were admirable , and the room in which the new lodge was consecrated was most commodious and

elegant . The efforts of the proprietor , Mr . Freeman , to render the brethren comfortable , and to make the lodge a desirable one to enter , were deserving of the greatest praise . There was a very nice party assembled to perform the ceremonies , and everything seemed to combine to render the day a success . The brethren present on the occasion were Bros . Col . Burdett , Prov . G . M ., Mieldlesex :

H . C . Levander , Prov . G . Secretary ; Frederick Keily , Past Prov . G . Treas . ; Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , Prov . G . Chaplain , Surrey ; W . T . Howe , A . G . P . ; W . 11 . Stephens , Adam Leigh , Joseph Harris , J . Llewellyn Jones , H .. Whaley , William Clifton Crick , Rumston Dunn , F . C . Raggett , J . W ., 181 , 788 ; G . McArthur Low , J . D ., 16 70 , I . G ., 1589 ; Edmund G . Hislop , I . G ., 1460 ; L . B . Pillin ,

W . M ., 180 ; George P . Gillard , J . D ., 657 ; Charles A . Potter , 6 57 ; II . Brette , P . M ., 231 ; Henry Macdonald , 6 37 -, W . Bos-wall , 1622 ; E . V . Thomas , 1466 ; G . Townsend , 1460 ; R . Stone , 1460 ; G . Powell ; Wm . S . Webster , P . M ., 231 ; F . W . Levander , 231 ; Walter W . Martin , P . M ., 53 , 1460 ; James Boor , P . M ., 370 , 1460 ; Charles B . Payne , P . M ., 27 , G . T . ; H . Wiles ( Burdett ) ,

Wm . Hammond , P . M ., 201 , 1326 , 1 5 , 1656 . P . P . G . D ., Middlesex ; G . H . Powell , 771 , P . M ., 209 , P . P . G . D . ; H . Massey ( Freemason ) , P . M ., 619 , and R . Gallar , S . W ., 1670 , Organist . Col . Burdett presided as W . M . ; Bro . W . T . Howe was S . W . ; Bro . F . Keily , J . W . ; the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , Chaplain ; Bro . W . Clifton Trick , Secretary ; Bro . H . C . Levander , D . C . ; and Bro . G . McArthur

Low , I . G . After the lodge had been opened in due form , and the customary ceremonies performed , the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall delivered the oration . He said , —W . M . and brethren , at a ceremony like this I think the words addressed by the Chaplain are not unimportant , but that they are worthy of forethought and of digest as well . It was only a few days back that I was aware of the honour

that would bc paid me to assist in the consecration of this new lodge . I must , therefore , ask your indulgence , and that you will bear with mc in any shortcomings that you may discover in my address to you this evening . When I look around this room and see the many excellent and worthy Masons who arc here it seems unnecessary for me to say anything to them with rega'd to their duties . Yet

it is an old custom , and a time-honoured one , that the Chaplain at a consecration should say a few words upon the nature and piinciples of our Order , so that the brethren may be reminded of the duties and responsibilities that will devolve on them and the great privileges that will be theirs . You are about now , so to speak , to launch your Masonic barque upon an ocean where you will oftentimes

find darkness , dreariness , shoals , and quicksands in the way ; but it will be yours to steer that vessel safely through all , and sec that it bears aloft those great principles of our Order that have so many years afforded consolation to the brethren , and so that all may see in it the children of sorrow , especially the children of our common faith may see in it an aik of refuge . This , brethren , the great

principles of our Order teach us , and this should be the feeling of every honest Mason ' s htart . When first God made this beautiful world he said , as you may remember , " Let there be light-, and there was light "—light on all creation ; light permeating on all around—light from God , the life of Heaven . And yet for years and years that light had no fixed dwelling place until " Solomon

built him a house , " and then the light of God , the divine Schecbinah , entered there and took its place between the cherubims . And then King Solomon sent for Hiram of Tyre , who was cunning in the working of metals ; and he , as you know , made two large pillars of the Temple" one on the right he called Jachin , aud the other on the left he called Boaz . " And then arose the light of Freemasonry .

That light has been handed down from them to us in all its purity , and that light it is your duty , brethren of the new lodge , to carry on pure , and unsullied , and to cause its " bright beams , " one of which is in your lodge shining on you , to spread on all both far and near . And remember , too , the obligation that you have taken , that your hand given to a brother Mason should be a sure pledge

of brotherhood , that your feet should go long distances to unite with his and preserve him from danger ; that the posture of your daily supplications should lemind you of his wants ; and that your breast should be the repository of his secrets , and that you would at all times preserve his character harmless from calumny . That was your obligation , your vow ; and that vow , mind you , was

registered in heaven . And then , again , think of what you represent , the officers of your new lodge—the ages of man . The W . M ., when at sunrise he opens his lodge prefigures the happy time of childhood when all seems bright and beautiful and wears a roseate hue . The J . W ., when he marks the sun ' s meridian , points to the meridian of our days , that lime when we had health and strength ; and ,

remember , you should dedicate some portion of that to the glory of the Great Architect , the God of our common race . And when at eve the S . W . closes the lodge at the W . M . 's command , he is a type of that time when the aged Mason , worn with infirmity and years , sinking down to his rest , feels that he is about to be transferred from his lodge on

earth , we trust , to God ' s great lodge above . Brethren , I will not keep you longer , as time presses , but I will now merely thank you for the attention you have paid to the few words that I have been permitted to address to you . If ought that 1 have said has fallen " upon good ground , " if but one word of mine has entered a brother Mason ' s heart , there to lie dormant it may be for days , or months ,

Consecration Of The Sunbury Lodge, No. 1733,

or years , but yet at last to fructify for the glory of his Maker and the good of our noble Order , my little work this day has been ably done , and to the Great Architect be all the glory and the thanks . Brethren , you have my hearty good wishes for all that success to attend you which I feel that you will so justly merit . May the Great Architect shed upon you the influences of His gracious presence ,

" and guide your feet into the way of peace ; " and if even you should feel your brotherly love and harmony grow cold , look to Him , and ask him that it may be revived , and that those affections which may seem so cold and feeble now may burst into a brighter flame till all your hearts—all our hearts—are united in one sacred bond of love to man and harmony with each other .

Col . Burdett then said he should like to say a few words to the brethren , as was customary at the formation of a new lodge . In the present case bethought the W . M . and Wardens had been well selected , for they were brethren who were very efficient . The brethren present knew them pretty well , and were aware that they were thoroughly acquainted with the rules and regulations of the Oreler . Still

it might be as well to remind them that it was not advisable in any case whatever to endeavour to get as large a body together as possible , but to keep the number under control , and answerable to all the laws of the lodge and the Order in general . By getting a great number of members into a lodge they might often find a lodge become unwieldly ; and , therefore , it woulei be as well for the

bye-laws to restrict the number . There were a great many things to be considered on this subject , and , of course , it would be necessary to be very particular as to whom they admitted into the lodge . It was not advisable that every gentleman in the neighbourhood who sought admission should be admitted ; but due enquiry should be made about him before he was admitted , and the proposer and

the seconder should be able to state positively that they were in a position to say he would be a credit to the lodge . If an indifferent gentleman was admitted—some one of an unruly temper—he might create a great deal of dissension and ill-feeling in the lodge . As far as the ballot went ,

he thought there might be opportunities when the exercise of it disadvantageously to a candidate might be avoided altogether . If a brother had an objection to a candidate , it was a very simple course for him to adopt , to state to the Secretary thalh e did not think it advisable that such a candidate should be admitted . It would then be for the

Secretary to recommend the proposer and seconder to withdraw their candidate , and so avoid the necessity of blackballing him . He merely threw this out as a hint as to how the blackball might be avoided . It was a very disagreeable thing to use the blackball when a candidate was brought forward , and a little judgment would obviate the difficulty . The consecration ceremony

was then proceeded with , and concluded ; after which Col . Burdett requested Bro . W . Clifton Crick to assume the chair , and instal the W . M . Hro . Crick having taken Col . Burdett's place , afterwards installed Bro . W . H . Stevens as W . M ., and the following brethren were appointed and invested : —Bro . Adam Leigh , S . W . ; Bro . Joseph Harris , J . W . ; Bro . J . Llewellyn Jones , Treasurer ;

Bro . H . Whaley , S . D . ; and Bro . Longstaff , Tyler . Bro . Crick delivered the addresses , and the lodge then elected Col . Burdett , Bro . the Rev . Ambrose W . Hall , Bro . W . T . Howe , Bro . F . Keily . and Bro . Levander honorary members of the lodge , and passed a vote of thanks to them for having consecrated the lodge . Lodge was closed after these brethren had acknowledged the compliment , and the

brethren partook of a first-rate banquet . The loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed and honoured ; but the speeches in which they were proposed were very short , in order that the brethren might not miss the last train . Bro . W . T . Howe , A . G . P ., replied for " The Pro and Deputy Grand Masters and Grand Officers , " and expressed the great pleasure it gave him to assist at the consecration

of this lodge , or whenever he was called upon to be of any service to Freemasonry . Col . Burdett replied to the toast of " 'I'he Provincial Grand Master for Middlesex . " He had held , he said , the position of Provincial Grand Master for a considerable number of years , and he had found that , if it was net for the support he had received from the Provincial Grand Officers and the brethren of the province in

general , he should not have been able to carry on his duties . He felt confident that the addition to the Order which had been made by this new lodge would not render him less assistance . He was grateful for the manner in which he had been supported , and he could not omit to mention , now that he was on the subject cf support , that the assistance he had received from the Provincial Grand

Secretary ( Bro . Levander ) very much relieved him of his burden . He would do everything he could for the benefit of the brethren of the Order , and when he found what excellent brethren they had in the province of Middlesex , he felt that they deserved encouragement . Bro . Burdett next proposed "The Health of the W . M ., " and complimented him on the admirable manner in which he had that

evening performed his duties , The W . M ., in reply , said he should not have attempted to put himself forward as the W . M . of a new lodge if he had not felt he was able to perform the duties of the office . All the officers were actuated by the same feeling . The lodge started under very favourable circumstances . It was honoured by beingconsecrated by the Provincial Grand Master , and it started

out of debt . That to a great extent was due to the great kindness of Bro . Rumston Dunn , who had contributed the furniture to the lodge . The W . M . next gave " The Consecrating Officers , " and the toast was replied to by Bro . H . C . Levender , who regretted that the Rev . Bro . A . W .

Hall had been obliged to leave before this toast was reached . He ( Bro . Levander ) was pleased to have assisted at the ceremony that evening , and it gave all the Prov . Grand Officers pleasure to see another lodge added to the already long roll of lodges which were under the care of Col . Burdett . He felt quite certain the lodge