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Lodge of Bombala , No . 920 , marked in the 1888 Calendar as being in abeyance , was constituted in 1862 , and the United Service , No . 937 , Sydney , in the same year ; and then we have a group of three lodges , numbered consecutively Nos . 980 , 981 , and 9 82 , and named respectively the Yass Lodge of Concord , the Union Lodge of Berrima , and the Queen ' s ,

of Penrith , all founded in 1863 . The Cooma , No . 1081 , was warranted in 1865 ; the Hope , No . 1123 , Murrundi , in 1866 ; the Palmerston , No . 114 S , Grafton , in 1867 ; and the Unity of Sydney , No . 1169 , the same year , these being the last which were constituted under warrants granted by the late Lord ZETLAND . An interval of a few years passes , and we come

to Lodges Doric , No . 1450 , Hill End , and St . John ' s , No . 1451 , which were warranted in 1873 ; while the Tumut Unity , No . 1510 , was founded in the following year . These lodges , 23 in number , constitute the evidences still existing in the Colony of the work done by the English brethren in the way of establishing lodges during the 46 years—from 1828 to 1874 , both inclusive

—which elapsed between the inroduction of the Craft into Sydney and the accession of H . R . H . the Prince of WALES to the Grand Mastership , the remaining 59 lodges having been constituted during the years from 1875 to the inauguration in 18 S 8 of the Independent and United Grand Lodge

of this rich and prosperous Colony . All these lodges—so far as our informa . tion goes—have now been removed from the roll of our Grand Lodge , and though less numerous by some 20 than those of the Scottish and Victorian Constitutions taken . together , will be found to form the chief element of strength in the composition of the newly-organised Grand Body .

Bro. Hughan's New Work.

BRO . HUGHAN'S NEW WORK .

The reading brethren of the Craft will rejoice to hear that another work is just being circulated of Bro . Hughan ' s , making the eighth of the series of " Masonic Sketches and Reprints " inaugurated by him in 186 9 , and which has been very heartily appreciated in Great Britain , and America especially , and wherever Masonic students abound . The previous seven

are out of print , much to the regret of several brethren who desire a complete set of the valuable series . Owing to the scarcity of these books , and as only small editions have been printed ( particularly of the earlier issues ) , there is always keen competition when any occur for sale . In December

last , at the bi-annual sale of the ' ¦ Masonic Publishing Company , " New York , Bro , Hughan ' s " Memorials of the Masonic Union " ( 18 74 ) , fetched £ 1 6 s ., though the original cost was only ios ., and his "Constitutions of the Freemasons " ( 1 S 69 ) , which was issued to subscribers only at half a guinea , regularly makes two to three guineas when a copy is offered for sale .

The present volume is a charming souvenir " of ye olden tyme , " being a fac-simile reproduction of the Engraved List of Regular Lodges , by John Pine , of 1734 , of which the only copy known in the world is owned

by Bro . James Newton , of Bolton , who fraternally lent it for the purpose The exact representation of the unique original is by the photo-zincographic process , and certainly nothing could possibly be better , as the reproduction is simply perfect .

The fine frontispiece , by the celebrated engraver of so many of these lists , published by authority of the Grand Lodge of England ( which was designed by Bro . Thornhiil ) , is a special feature of the handsome facsimile , and as it bears the arms of " The Most Noble and Puissant Lord

John Lindsay , Earl of Crauford and Lindsay , Viscount Kilberney , Lord Spinzie Glenes , Fenever Town and Columbfinch , Premier Earl of Scotland , " the list may be said to have been dedicated to that distinguished nobleman , then Grand Master .

Bro . Hughan states that the present Lord Crawford and Balcarres is an ardent member of the Fraternity , being Prov . Grand Master of Aberdeenshire West , P . S . G . W . of England , and now Deputy Prov . Grand Master of West Lancashire , and also narrates some curious points in the Masonic history of his predecessor of 1734 .

An interesting sketch is furnished of the several Lists from 1724 down to 1734 , and the names of all the known owners are supplied from the earliest preserved down to the latest issued in 1778 . Unfortunately , a few are missing , and as they belong to a period about which we know lamentably

little , this is all the more to be regretted . Should this excellent reproduction meet with the reception anticipated , we hope that Bro . Hughan will secure the reproduction of other valuable and rare editions , so that their valuable contents may be more widely known .

The List of 1734 consists of the frontispiece already alluded to , and eleven pages else , printed on one side of the paper only , as the original . In fact , as respects size of reproduction , as well as fidelity in all its details , it is a veritable facsimile of its prototype . Ten of the pages give the numbers of the lodges , with their places of meetings , the Signs of the

Taverns being duly engraved ; then follow the streets , towns , & c , with days of meeting and dates of consecration or constitution ( five columns in all ) , the engraved portion measuring about 51- by 2 \ inches . To the ordinary reader considerable difficulty would be experienced in tracing these lodges ,

unless a copy of Bro . Lane ' s ** Masonic'Records , 1717-1886 , " was at hand , so Bro . Hughan has considerately appended a series of tables , giving the exact descriptions of the signs , and the names and particulars of all those lodges still on tlie roll , as well as the years when those extinct , or erased , were removed from the roll .

But the special interest of the student will centre in the sketches of all the old lodges given by the author , who has not confined himself to those on the present English register , but has also written racy notices of others now under other Grand Lodges . There are 127 lodges in all , No . 79 being blank , about which we imy have a word to say farther , both as to Bro . Hughan ' s view thereon and as to the general question of "Time Imme-

Bro. Hughan's New Work.

morial Lodges . " Of these 127 there are but 23 on the present roll , viz . : Antiquity , No . 2 ; Royal Somerset House , No . 4 ; Friendship , No . 6 ; British , No . 8 ; Westminster , & c , No . 10 ; Fortitude , & c , No . 12 j Tuscan , No . 14 ; Royal Alpha , No . 16 : Old Dundee , No . 18 ; Emulation , No . 21 ; Globe , No . 23 ; Castle Lodge of Harmony , No . 26 ; Old King ' s Arms , No .

28 ; St . Alban ' s , No . 29 ; Britannic , No . 33 ; and Strong Man , No . 45 , all of London ; and "Royal Kent , " No . 20 , Chatham ; Medina , No . 35 , Cowes ; "Anchor and Hope , " No . 37 , Bolton ; St . John the Baptist , No . 39 , Exeter ; Royal Cumberland , No . 41 , Bath ; " Relief , " No . 42 , Bath ; and " St . Paul ' s , " No . 43 , Birmingham . Many of the particulars in the

text supplied by Bro . Hughan are deeply interesting , and will surely be eagerly perused by the members of these old lodges . The facts also obtained and published respecting other lodges now located abroad , or formerly existing in England , cannot fail to prove most welcome to all lovers of such studies .

The work is dedicated to the M . W . Bro . S . C Lawrence , who was Grand Master of Massachusetts when the sesqui-centennial of the St . John ' s Lodge , Boston , was celebrated , which is the only one in America on the roll of 1734 ; and doubtless this curious fact will lead many in the United States ( where the Craft is flourishing ) to lose no time in subscribing , as we

understand a second edition will not be issued , at all events , not for some time , as Bro . Hughan ' s hands are we believe pretty full with other works in preparation . This we need not say will be good news to the general body of Masonic readers ; our worthy brother ' s ready pen and large experience have always been at the service not only of fellow students

in the higher walks of Masonic literature and research , but of the more humble enquirer after knowledge in Masonic law and practice , and now that he is fairly restored to comparative health and strength we shall look forward , and we feel sure our readers will as well , to a succession of works of the character which has made him so deservedly popular .

We must not forget to state that copies may be had from Bro . Hughan , Grosvenor House , Torquay , for five shillings , or from the publisher , Bro . George Kenning , who has produced a facsimile which , for artistic effect and fidelity , cannot be surpassed .

Consecration Of The West Ham Abbey Lodge, No. 2291, At Stratford.

CONSECRATION OF THE WEST HAM ABBEY LODGE , No . 2291 , AT STRATFORD .

Ihe consecration of the above lodge , which is No . 2291 upon the register of the Grand Lodge ol England , took place on Thursday , the ioth inst ., at the Town Hall , and was a most brilliant and successful affair . The lodge was held in the Council Chamber , and soon after 4 p . m . a procession ,

formed of the Grand Officers present , entered ; and on Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , P . G . D ., Grand Sec , taking the chair as Consecrating Officer , he was saluted with grand honours . He appointed his officers as follows Bros . D . P . Cama , P . G . Treas ., as S . W . ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . Reg ., as J . W . ; Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , P . G . Chap ., as Chap . ; J . H . Mathews , P . G . Std . Br ., as D . C ; C F . Hogard , P . G . Std . Br ., I . G . ; and H . Sadler ,

Grand Tyler , also assisted . The usual preliminaries having been arranged , Bro . Col . CLERKE said they had met that day to add another to the magnificent list of lodges that at present existed on the registry of the Grand Lodge ot England . There were a great many lodges in the London area , and it was an exceedingly difficult thing to obtain their Grand

Master ' s consent for a new one , unless some very good cause could be shown for its existence ; in the present case he congratulated the founders upon the fact that there was room in this populous and growing district , and also upon the fact that their Grand Master had , after due and deliberate consideration , consented to their prayer , and signed the warrant of their lodge . He also congratulated them upon having such excellent premises for their meetings ; and trusted that the tree about to be planted would

produce good fruit , and become not only a prosperous one , but a credit to the planters . He cautioned the founders against that which often actuated the brethren of new lodges , namely , the desire for getting a good number of initiates in their first year , and advised them seriously to look well into the character as well as the circumstances of the candidates proposed . He felt sure , from what he knew of the very excellent brother whom they had selected for their first Master , that under his sway the lodge would become a pattern of good order and regularity .

Ihe petitioners having signified their approval of the officers named in the warrant , the Chaplain gave the following oration - .

The old cities of Westminster and London , and the many adjacent townships which now form our great modern London , are very full of most interesting- records of our ancient Craft . It is much to be desired that some one with leisure and ability ( how hard it is to find the two combined ) would devote himself to gather together these scattered accounts of what our ancient brethren did . 1 do not think I am assuming too much in saying that rarely , if ever , was any architectural work of importance done by

any except the Operative Lodges of Freemasons . Sometimes these . lodges existed only for one particular work , and when the work was finished were disbanded . Others went on from work to work . The history of Stratford-atte-Bow is not without its Masonic records . Situated as it was on the highway from London to the Eastern Counties , it saw many coming and going . The ancient road was by ^ Old Ford , where , as the name indicates , there was no bridge , and consequently many poor people lost their lives when

the floods were out . Queen Maud , the wife of our illustrious brother , King Henry I ., was moved to pity by the thought of her people's suffering , and as a work of charity built your bridge , from whence your town takes its name—Stratford at the Bow of the Bridge . 1 have not the least hesitation in saying that this bridge was built by an Operative Lodge of Freemasons , and so well did they do their work that many years alterwards Leland describes it as " A rare piece of work , for before that time the like

had never been seen in England . " But the bridge was not merely built , it was maintained , I think , by the Craft . As years went on the control of the Operative Lodges tell to a very great extent into the hands of tlie religious bodies throughout the country . They were finding the money for the work , and were consequently the masters ot the Craft . West Ham Abbey ( founded in 1134 by Wililam Monthchet ) , from which

you most appropriately take your name , undertook the charge of the bridge our Order had built . The Abbot of Stratford , who was , I doubt not , the permanent Master of the Operative Lodge , agreed lor himself and his successors to build , make , sustain , and repair the said bridge and causeway for ever . Permit me to draw one short and simple lesson from the work of our ancient brethren of this town and Abbey .