Annual Assembly Of The Grand Imperial Conclave Of The Red Cross.

Andrew ' s Conclave had also shown their loyalty to their Grand Sovereign . They had a most invaluable Recorder in Sir Knight Matier , and a most valuable servant in Sir Knight Hogard , and he should therelore like to see their annual festival better supported . Sir Knight H . J . LARDNER , also replied , and attributed the success to Sir Knight Bateman who had travelled a long distance to provide the necessary appliances .

" The Grand Treasurer and Grand Recorder " was the last toast given by the M . I . G . SOVEREIGN . Sir Knight C . F . HOGARD , G . Treas ., said he had been connected with the Order for a great many years , and although it had not gone on by strides , still he thought they had done fairly well .

Sir Knight C . F . MATIER , G . Rec , also replied . He said that when he had the honour of being appointed , he thought of a great many ways by which they might possibly render the annual meeting more attractive , and the only thing was to follow the good example of the Knights Templar Order and work a ceremony . He was glad to see that that night they had more than doubled the attendance of last year , and , speaking personally , his best services were at their disposal . The proceedings then closed .

The Grand Lodge Of Ulster.

THE GRAND LODGE OF ULSTER .

Bv HENRY SADLER . ( Continued from page ii / J . When , in response to friends in Ireland , I began my contribution towards the elucidation of the history of the almost unknown Grand Lodge of Ulster , I was not aware that the subject had previously been dealt with by anyone in this country . I have , however , since found that , in 1871 , my

esteemed friend , Bro . Hughan , of Torquay , published in the Freemason ol that year , a series of most interesting articles , entitled , " Freemasonry in Ireland , " containing much valuable information relating to the Ulster secession . Of course , I ought to have known this before , and probably I did know it when the articles were written , but , unfortunately , my memory is a long way from being infallible , and I therefore humbly apologise to Bro ,

Hughan for my forgetfulness . I gather from Bro . Hughan ' s articles that among certain printed papers lent him in 1871 , relating to Freemasonry in Ireland , were some emanating from the Grand Lodge of Ulster , but as the earliest of these is dated Sth of May , 180 S , very little repetition will be found in my present treatise on the same subject . This document of the Sth May , 1 S 0 S , is important , inasmuch as it proves that so late as the morning of sth of the same month , the Northern faction held a meeting on the

Grand Lodge premises , in Bick-Iane , describing themselves "the Grand Lodge of Ireland , " and later in the day again met at the Ormond Tavern , when 79 lodges were represented , and it was decided to remove their head-quarters to Dungannon , and formally establish the Grand Lodge of Ulster , a meeting for this purpose being held there on the Gth of June following , when officers were elected and a series of Resolutions passed , which , as both Bros . Hughan and Crossle have given in extenso , I shall not now reprint . The

document last quoted is not in the archives of the Grand Lodgeof England , but the one mentioned by Bra . Crossle , dated 6 th December , 1809 , is . It bears an impression of the seal here appended . Wc have also reports of meetings of the

Grand Lodge ol Ulster held at Dungannon on the 7 th of March and the 6 th of June , 1810 , both of which are known to Bro . Crossle . The latter contains a long circular from Alexander

Seton , which Bro . Hughan has reprinted verbatim in the Freemason of April Sth , 1871 . No later printed papers bearing on the subject have come under my notice , neither can I find any

reference to it in the written correspondence , nor the records of cither of the two Grand Lodges of England until after their Union in 1813 . The following seems to indicate thai the Grand Lodge of Ulster was in existence as late as the year 1814 : At a Conference held in Free Misons' Hill , London , on Monday , the 27 th of June , and continued by adjournment to Saturday , the 2 nd of July , 1814 , and of Masonry 5 S 14

Present—The M . W . His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , Grand Mister of Masons in England . The M . W . His Grace the Duke of Leinster , Grand Master of Masons in Ireland .

The M . W . Ihe Ri ght Hon : The Earl of Donoughmore , Past Grand Master of the same . The M . W . The Right Hon : Lord Kinnaird , Grand Master of Masons in Scotland . The R . W . The Right Hon : The Earl of Rosslyn , Past Deputy Grand Master of the same .

The R . W . the Kight Hon : Lord Dundas , Deputy Grand Mister of Masons in England . The R . W . James Perry , Past Dep . Grand Master of the same . The R . W . James Agar Ditto . The R . W . Thomas Harper Ditto . The R . W . Arthur Tegart , Past Grand Warden of the same . The R . W . James Deans Ditto . The V . W . William H . White 7 _ , _ . , , The V . W . Edwards Harper ) Grand Secretaries of the same .

His Grace the Duke of Leinster , Lord Kinnaird , the Earl of Donoughmore , and the Earl of Rosslyn having been appointed a Deputation from the Grand Lodges of Ireland and Scotland to the Grand Lodge of England to settle the points of communion , intercourse , and fraternization among the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom ; to ascertain the identltvof obligation , discipline .

and practice ; and to form such Regulations for the maintenance , security , and promotion of the Craft as should appear to them advisable . His Royal Highness desired the attendance at this Assembly of His Deputy Grand Master , and the Commissioners of the Union recentl y effected between the two Fraternities of Masons in England , now happily incorporated in one , together with the Grand Secretaries of the same .

At this conference ei ght resolutions were passed , but as only one of them touches upon the Grand Lod ge of Ulster I shall reserve the remainder until the Editor of the Freemason can find space for the whole ol the document , the contents of which I have no recollection of having met with before either in print or manuscri pt , and , in my humble opinion , it

The Grand Lodge Of Ulster.

is of sufficient importance to merit preservation in the annals of the great Masonic Union of the Craft in England . Sth . That for the security ot the intercourse which so happily subsists among the Brethren of the Three Grand Lodges , and also to guard the Funds of Benevolence from irregular and improper applications for relief it is judged necessary that each of the Three Grand Lodges shall fix a sum under which no Grand Lodge Certificate shall be granted , and that no Certificate nor Diploma

shall be granted to any Brother applying for the same without his producing a Certificate signed in open Lodge by the Master Wardens and specifying the respective days on which he received the various Degrees after due examination as to his qualifications . And it is expressly agreed and Resolved that no member of any one of the Three Grand Lodges , or of Lodges holding of them respectively , shall be entitled , as a matter of right , to admission into the Lodges of either of the other two , or to relief from their Funds of Benevolence without being furnished with

a Grand Lodge Certificate or Diploma from the Grand Lodge to which his particular Lodge belongs . And , the Grand Secretaries having laid before the Assembly a Letter , from a person of the Name of A . Seton describing himself as " The Deputy Grand Secretary " of a Society calling themselves " The Ulster Grand Lodge , " and which has been set up without the sanction or authority of the Grand Lodge of Ireland , it was unanimously Resolved and agreed that members from Ireland holding and possessing Certificates from the Grand Lodge of which His Grace

The Duke of Leinster is the present Grand Master can alone be admitted to any Lodge or Fraternity of Masons , holding of the Three Grand Lodges , or be entitled to relief from the Funds of any one of them—it being the practice and invariable Law that there can be but one Grand or Mother Lodge holden in each of the Three Countries , and tnat no Assembly , Convocation , Meeting or Lodge called or held in any place within the jurisdiction of either of the Three established Grand Lodges without their seve al Warrants can be recognised or suffered to exist , the same being contrary to the Ancient Laws and Constitutions of the Fraternity .

The important question to be decided is—When and how did the Grand Lodge of Ulster become extinct ? The records of the Grand Lodge of Ireland ought surely to contain some information on this point , but , failing definite evidence to the contrary , I am inclined to the opinion that the determined action of the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom as evinced in the document last quoted contributed largely to its quietus , if , indeed , it was not then practically at the end of its tether . I have before me printed

lists of the lodges under the Grand Lodge of Ireland , with the names of the Gand Officers for the year 1813 , and "from the 24 th June , 1814 , with the names of the Masters and Wardens appended to each lodge , the last lodge on the former is No , 100 7 , and on the latter , No . IOIO . Of course , there are many vacancies in both lists , but , whereas , the former only contains 657 lodges , the latter shows 705 . It would appear from this that many of the rebellious lodges had returned to the fold between the printing of

these two lists . We all know what an atrocious crime rebellion against constituted authority is , unless it succeeds , then , of course , it is " a glorious revolution , " and the wonder to me is , that in the face of such powerful opposition , the men of Ulster were able to hold their own so long as they did ; it says much for their determination and tenacity of purpose . I think , then , that the period of existence of the Grand Lodge of Ulster as a separate and independent body was at the most between six and seven years ,

and that there was no such thing as unconditional surrender on the part of the rebels , nor any particular concession or conciliation offered by the Dublin authorities , that many of the recalcitrant lodges returned to their allegiance of their own accord , because the members had sense enough to see that this was their best course , while others died out from sheer inanition .

"Out of evil cometh good —is an old established maxim , it holds equally good in affairs both Masonic and mundane , and is clearly exemplified in this instance , as from the period of this extraordinary turmoil may be dated the marked and material progress of Freemasonry in Ireland from being about the worst organised Masonic system then in existence to the present prosperous and hignly respectable position it new occupies .

Consecration Of St. Anne's Lodge, No. 2457, At St. Anne's-On-The-Sea.

CONSECRATION OF ST . ANNE'S LODGE , No . 2457 , AT ST . ANNE'S-ON-THE-SEA .

The consecration of the above lodge took place on Monday , the 27 th ult ., at the New Mission Rooms , St . George ' s-road , St . Anne ' s-on-the-Sea . The meeting was a highly successful one , and included many Grand and Prov . Grand Oliicers of great distinction , including Bros . Capt . J . D . Murray , G . Treas . ; William Goodacre , P . G . Std . Br . England , Prov . G . Sec . ; and Rev . C . Hesketh Knowlys , P . P . G . Chap .

The brethren assembled in the new lodge room , which had been tastefully furnished , Bro . Wm . Goodacre , P . G . Sec , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . the Earl of Lathom , P . G . M ., being the Presiding Officer , and appointed as his Installing Officers Bros . J . VV . Johnson , P . S . G . W ., as S . VV . ; John Christie , P . J . G . W ., as J . VV . ; Rev . C . Hesketh Knowlys , P . P . G . C , as Chap . ; T . Forrester , P . G . S . B . England , as Sec . ; and J . D . Murray , G . Treas ., as D . C .

With such an array of celebrities known in the Masonic world , it will be conceived at once that the ceremony of consecration was beautifully rendered and successfully carried out . After the final benediction , Bro . W . Goodacre called upon Bro . W . Simpson , P . M ., to act as Installing Master , and it is needless to say that office was performed in a masterly manner .

Bro . James Lawrence , P . P . G . S . B ., W . M ., invested his officers as follows , and their duties were explained by the Installing Master : Bros . A . R . Rogerson , S . W . ; W . B . Turner , J . W . ; Rev . W . G . Terry , W . M . 11 3 , Chap . ; VV , H . Hargreaves , P . M ., Treas . ; Leyland Eccles , P . MM Sec ; J . H . Hughes , P . M ., S . D . ; W . Cross , J . D . ; J . Thornley , I . G . i and j . Gooden , Stwd .

The musical portion of the ceremony was conducted by Bro . AtkiMi assisted by several brethren . The VV . M . pioposed a vote of thanks to the Consecrating Officer , and those brethren who had so ably assisted him . This was acknowledged by Bro . VV . GOODACRE .

At the close of the meeting a banquet was held , at which the usual lo )' - ' 11 and Masonic toasts were given and replied to . Among those present were—Bros . W . Goodacre , P . G . S . B ., P . G . Sec ; J . D . Murray , Grand Treas . Eng land ; Thos . Forrester , P . G . S . B . ; C . Heywood , P . G . D . C . ; Kev . C . Hesketh Knowlys , P . P . G . Chap . ; J . W . Johnson , P . S . G . W . ; lohn Cnnstie , P . J . G . W . ; G .. Harridon , ¦

P . P . G . T . ; T . Milligan , P . P . G . D . ; Rev . S . Y . B . Bradshaw , P . P . G . C . ; H . « Ormsby , P . P . G . P . ; T . P . Yates , P . P . G . P . ; W . W . Elton , P . P . G . D . C ; G . L . Giles , P . P . G . Sec . ; P . D . Pochin , P . P . G . Reg . ; Rev . W . H . Baynes , P . P . G . C ; Geo . Wray , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . Housriun , W . M . 237 6 ; S . Widdows , P . M . 730 ; JHardwicke-Marsh , W . M . 1 730 ; G . A . Myers , P . M . 730 , 2359 j John \ Vals hi 703 ; N . Preston , and others . The lodge was furnished by Bro , George Kenning .