Inauguration Festival At Freemasons' Hall.

INAUGURATION FESTIVAL AT FREEMASONS' HALL .

GREAT QUEEN STREET , LONDON . ?

From 1776 to 1869 — ninety-three years have passed away since our predecessors in Freemasonry solemnly dedicated Freemasons' Hall , Great

Queenatreet to " Universal Charity aud Benevolence , " and before we attempt to relate the proceedings at the second dedication or " Inauguration , " in 1869 , a brief resume of the ceremonies observed in 1776 will

not , we hope , prove uninteresting : — On Thursday , the 23 rd of May , 1776 , the Right Hon . Lord Petre , the Grand Master , and his officers , with a numerous and brilliant company of Past Grand Officers and brethren of eminence and

distinction , and the members of the Hall Committee and their assistants , assembled in the Committee-room adjacent to the Hall , where the Grand Lodge was opened in ample form about 12 o ' clock . Upwards of 160 ladies , who were complimented with tickets

to see the ceremonies and hear the musical performances , attended , and were introduced by the assistants to the Hall Committee into the galleries of the hall . In the upper part of the hall the orchestra was built , where above 60 instrumental and 30 vocal

performers were placed . The Masters and Wardens of lodges , and private brethren , were arranged in particular seats set apart for them in the hall . The procession was formed in the Committee-room , and consisted only of Present and Past Grand Officers ,

Grand Stewards , members of the Hall Committee and their assistants , and the Masters of the seven oldest lodges present . About half-past 12 o ' clock the procession entered the hall , and on reaching the Grand Master ' s chair the brethren in the procession

were proclaimed , and from thence walked round the hall three times . At the end of the third circuit , the Present and Past Grand Officers repaired to their seats on a platform at the upper part of the hall , and the other Grand Officers to the upper part of the

front seats on each side of the Lodge ; and the Grand Stewards and members of the Hall Committee to the lower part of the same seats . Immediately on the Grand Master beiug proclaimed the music began , and continued to perform a grand piece till all tho

members of the procession were seated . The Lodge was then placed in the centre of the hall , and the three lights , and one gold and two silver pitchers , containing corn , wine and oil , were placed thereon ; the Bible , compasses , square , and Book of

Constitutions , ona velvetcushion , beingplacedon the pedestal . The " Foundation-Stone Anthem " was then sung ; and an exordium on Masonry given by the Grand Secretary , which concluded with an intimation of the Architect's desire to return the implements

entrusted to his care at the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone ; on which the Architect addressing the Grand Master , his Lordship expressed his approbation of the Architect ' s conduct , and commanded the Grand Officers to receive back the

implements which had been delivered to the Architect on that occasion . A solemn piece of music was next performed , during which the ladies withdrew to tea and coffee , and such of the musicians as were not Masons retired to entertain them . The

Grand Master then ordered the Hall to be tiled . On which the Lodge was uncovered , and the Grand Secretary informed the Grand Master that it was the desire of the Society to have the Hall dedicated to Masonry . The Grand Master commanded the

Grand Officers to assist in that ceremony , durin ~ which the organ kept playing solemn music . The Grand Officers then walked round the Lodge in procession three times , stopping each time for the ceremony of dedication . At the end of the first

circuit , the organ was silent , and the Grand Master in solemn form declared the Hall dedicated to Masonry ; which being proclaimed by the Grand Secretary , tho grand honours were given . At the

end of the second circuit , the organ was silent , and the Grand Master in solemn form declared the Hall dedicated to Virtue , which being proclaimed , the grand honours were given as before . At the end of the third circuit , the organ was silent , and the Graud

Inauguration Festival At Freemasons' Hall.

Master in solemn form declared the Hall dedicated to Universal Charity and Benevolence , which being proclaimed , the grand honours were given as before . The Lodge was then covered , and the ladies introduced . A grand anthem , composed for the occasion ,

was sung by Mr . Hudson , of St . Paul ' s , and others . An oration on Masonry was then delivei'ed by the Grand Chaplain , and the Coronation Anthem performed ; after which donations from several brethren were proclaimed . A new ode was performed ; after

which the procession was resumed , and marched round ihe hall three times , preceded by Tylers carrying the Lodge , during which the music continued playing a grand piece . The procession having returned to the Committee-room , the Grand Lodge

was closed m ample form . In further reference to the above-described auspicious event , the following extract from "The Revelations of a Square , " by the regretted Bro . the Rev Dr . Oliver , may not be found inopportune : —

" 'In the year 1776 , ' continued my amusing companion , 'I had the gratification , under a new Master , of witnessing the most magnificent spectacle it is possible to conceive ; for it realised the gorgeous description of the Arabian tales . I refer to the solemn

dedication of Freemasons' Hall . The numerous band of Grand and Past Grand officers , in full Masonic costume ; the galleries crowded with ladies of rank and fashion , presenting the appearance of a magnificent parterre decorated with a galaxy of

exotic flowers , dazzling to the eye ; a hundred musicians , vocal and instrumental , placed in the orchestra ; the Masters and Wardens of private lodges arranged , like a holy Sanhedrim , in order of jsrecedency upon the benches on the floor ; added to the splendid and

tasteful decorations in the Hall itself , produced a coup cVaiil which exceeds my powers of rhetoric to describe . It was a superb sight to behold the brethren , invested with the badges and appendages suitable to their rank , entering the hall from the

Committee-room , and proceeding to the Throne of Solomon , compass the room three several times to sweet music , amidst the waving of hauderchiefs and scarfs from the ladies in the galleries . The Grand Tyler led the way , then followed the Lodge , covered

with white satin , borne by four serving brethren ; after which , the corn , wine , and oil , in covered vessels of gold and silver , carried by Master Masons of good standing in the Order , followed by the members of the Hall Committee , and the brethren

of the Alfred Lodge , Oxford , two and two , in their academical dress , surmounted by the insignia of their several offices . But it would be an unnecessary waste of time , ' the Square interjected parenthetically , ' to describe the order of a procession which must

be perfectly familiar to you . When the preliminary ceremonies were completed , and the Lodge placed in the centre of the hall ; when the three lesser lights , with the gold and silver pitchers , containing the elements of consecration , were placed thereon ; when

the three great lights , on a velvet cushion , were deposited upon the pedestal in solemn silence ; then did the heart of every brother present rebound , like

the war horse at the thrilling blast of the trumpet , on hearing the simultaneous burst of harmony from the orchestra which introduced the opening symphonies of the foundation-stone

anthem'"Io heaven ' s High Architect nil praise , ' & c , which was sung by Mr . Hudson , of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , the chorus being filled up by the whole band . The ceremony , I assure you , sir , was very imposing ; aud although the eye was satiated with the gorgeous

display , and the ear delighted with the sweet influence of music , yet the heart of every person in the v ; ist assembly was carried . away by the oration of the Grand Chaplain , whose matchless eloquence of language and grace of delivery riveted the attention

of his audience . And when he pronounced any particularly fine passage , with all the energy of enthusiasm , the acclamations were unbounded ; and the conclusion of the address , after a deep silence

of a . few seconds , was hailed with such peals of enthusiastic cheering as have scarcely ever sinec been heard within the walls of Freemasons' Hall . Tho triumph of the orator was complete . '" Tho inauguration of the new Masonic Hall and buildings , at the Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday ,

Inauguration Festival At Freemasons' Hall.

the 14 th inst ., was ; an imposing ceremony , and one that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it . The magnificent hall was crowded by what may be called the elite of the Craft , from all parts of

England , Scotland and Ireland , and the greatest interest was manifested in the proceedings . From the appearance of the building itself , the Building Committee have every reason to congratulate themselves that their labours have been crowned with so

much success . The chairs recently discovered , and which were for some years laid aside , have been re-decorated and were used on this occasion . Amongst the Brethren present ( a complete list it would be

impossible to give ) were the Most Worshipful Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland ; T . W . Hall , Prov . G . Master for Cambridgeshire ; the Eight Hon . the Earl of Limerick , Prov . Grand Master for Bristol ; the Rev . Joseph Huyshe , Prov .

G . Master for Devon ; Lord Kenlis , Prov . Grand Master , for Cumberland and Westmorland ; . Stephen Blair , Prov . G . Master for East Lancashire ; R . J . Bagshaw , Prov . G . Master for Essex ; Sir E . R . Borough , Dep . G . Master for Ireland ; F . Roxburgh ,

P . G . Reg . as Dep . Grand Master ; Bentley Shaw , S . G . D . and D . P . M . for West Yorkshire ; Dr . Jabez Hogg , P . G . D . ; J . Savage , P . G . D . ; G . Cox , P . G . D . ; J . Hervey , Grand Secretary ; Rev . R . J . Simpson , G . Chaplain ; Rev . T . F . T . Ravenshaw , G .

Chaplain ; John Emmens , P . G . Purst . ; J . Smith , P . G . Purst . ( 177 , & c ); Thomas A . Adams , P . G Purst . ; T . Lewis , G . Purst . ; W . Ough , Asst ., G . Purst . ; J . Llewellyn Evans , President of the Board of General Purposes ; A . J . Mclntyre , G . Reg . ;

Samuel Tomkins , G . Treasurer ; Clabon , P . G . D . ; V . Williamson , P . G . W . ; W . Farnfield , P . A . G ., Sec ; E . Busher , P . G . S . B . ; F . Biuckes , P . G . Steward ; A . Brown , Prov . S . G . W ., Worcestershire ; Raynham Stewart , P . M . 12 ; Dr . Moore , P . Prov .

G . S . W ., East Lancashire ; J . Boyd , P . M . 534 ; E . Roberts , G . S . B . ; H . G . Buss , P . M ., Asst . Sec . Board of Stewards ; R . W . Little , P . M . 975 ; F . H . Gilbavt , W . M . 53-1 ; Capt . J- W . C . Whitbread , S . W . 81 ; G . M . E . Snow , P . P . G . W . Kent ; J . G .

Chancellor , P . P . G . D . Surrey ; J . Brett , P . M . 177 ; A . A . Pendlebtiry , P . M . ; H . Massey , W . M . 619 ; F . Walters , P . M . ; J . Terry , P . M . 228 ; J . A . Farnfield , P . M . ; C . Chard , W . M . 907 ; Capt . Aveling , 809 ; W . Barlow , P . M . ; 11 . Ord , P . M .:

J . Lacey ; W . Watson , P . M . ; J . Mason , P . G . S . B . ; Albert Woods , G . Dir . of Cers . ; T . Fenu , Asst . Grand G . D . of Cers . ; Frederick Dundas , J . G . W ., Representative of the Grand Lodge of Prussia ; Col . Burdett , Representative of the Graud Lodge of

Ireland ; Col . Lowry Cole , P . G . W . ; J . Havers , P . G . W . ; Patten , P . G . S . B . ; R . J . Spiers , P . G . S . B . and D . P . G . Master for Oxfordshire ; Major Creaton , P . G . D . ; W . Smith , C . E . ; P . G . Steward ; J . R . Stebbing , P . G . D . ; Main , P . M ., ( 813 ); Maples , P . M .

St . Lukes ; Halsey , P . M ., Caledonian ; Winn , P . M . Eastern Star , & e . ; States , P . M . and Sec . ; H . Wellington Vallance , Tuscan Lodge ; Bolton , P . M ., Justice ; Tanner , ( 177 ) ; Foulger , ( 177 ); H . Potter , P . M . of several Lodges ; Spencer , P . M . and

I'hompson , P . M ., ( 177 ) , aud Southern Star Lodge , ( 158 ); G . Kenning ; C . G . Thompson , S . D . and Sec . ( 1158 and 177 ) , & e ., & c , & e .

Shortly after four o'clock a procession was formed in the Corridor on the ground floor , and proceed in the following order up to the graud staircase aud along tho corridor to the Great Hall , viz : —

Stewards of the Inauguration Festival . Grand Stewards . Past Urund Pursuivants . Grand Purusuivant .

Grand OrganiBt . Past Assistant Grand Secretary . Past Grand Sword Bearers . Past Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies . Past Grand Superintendent of Works . Past Grand Deacons .

( The Cornucopia , with Com , \ borne by the Master of a Lodge . I Grand Two Ewere , with Wine and Oil , j Steward , borne by Masters of Lodges . ) ( Irand Superintendent of Works ( with the Plans ) . Jlombeve of the Building Committee .