Royal Kensington Lodge.

ROYAL KENSINGTON LODGE .

"The consecration of thc Royal Kensington Lodge took c at Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , the nth inst ., yvhen P , , L „ remonies of consecration and installation yvere formed by V . W . Bro . Hyde Pullen , P . G . S . B ., P . D . P . ft \\ yvho had been appointed for the purpose by the M . " : . ^ , nH Master , assisted bv W . Bro . H . G . Buss ,

o v GJ- W . Middlesex , as Director of Ceremonies , by he ° Kev . Bro . A . W . Hall , P . S . G . W . Surrey , as Chaplain , , ther brethren . It is unnecessary to say that the 3 re -monies were performed in a most impressive manner , ° Bro . Hy de Pullen , it is well-knoyvn , makes one of the \ lt-st consecrating Masters . Suffice it is to say that after " ¦ „ ,,, the lodge in the three tlegrces , the Presiding Master

( Idressed a feyv impressive yvords to the brethren on the | enin nature of the meeting , and called on the Ch ? plain in rrive the prayer , after yvhich the Secretary stated thc wishes of the brethren yvho had petitioned and obtained a warrant for the neyv lodge , yvhereupon the Presiding Offi-A desired these brethren to stand forth yvhile thc Secre-,, rv read the petition and yvarrant . The brethren of the

new lodge having , in reply to the President ' s inquiries , signified their approval of the ofhVers appointed by the yvarrant , the Chaplain addressed the brethren . He said , that when King Solomon built his beautiful temple at Jerusalem strength and ability yvere typified in it . Freemasonry is founded on the same principles ; since it yvas founded it his undergone no change , but many persecutions , but

from those persecutions it has risen like the mythological bird of old , from its ashes , to shine more brightly than before . It has been carried doyvn from then till now , yvhen lhe noble Order seems to be at its highest pitch of pros , perity . The noble sentiments yve teach shoyv that yve are nut a selfish body ; they arc sentiments of universal benevolence , charity , in its widest and most comprehensive

sense , and that other virtue yvhich is lasting as eternity . The -se three noble principles should make the pledge of a Mason inviolable , his he-ait tender an 1 merciful , and the course of his life yvithout guile . With ihese beautiful principles in vieyv , you , brethren of the Royal Kensington Lodge , are about to launch your barque on the ocean of limeand mav thc Great Architect cive you errace and

wisdom , and may the Hoyal Kensington Lodge take its stand as one of thc first lodges in this country . The speaker then called attention to the Scripture yvhich tells us that yvhen King Solomon and Hiram yvalked in the vale of Jordan , between Succo' . h and Zuithan , the king , observintr the soft clay ground there , selected that place for

casting the vessels of gold and silver [ and brass that yvere to decorate the Temple of the Lord , and there upon this ground did they cast those vessels yvhich yyere destined for the Holy of Holies . These soft clay ground .- - , hc said , represented our hearts , yvho are the temple of the liy ing God ; our hearts yvhich must be devoted lo good yvorks , to Iv : brought forth from time to time as they may be required

[ or his service . At tlie close of the oration the choir sang the anthem , " Hoyv good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity . " After the dedication prayer and thc invocation , the Chaplain read the first sixteen verses of II . Chron ., Chap .

I , which yvas succeeded by the uncovering of the lodge board and the dedication and constitution of the lodge , during which ceremony thc choir sang thc anthems , " Glory be to God on high . Peace on earth , Good yvill toyvards men . "

anj " Glory to God in the highest ; Let all the brethren cry aloud Praise ye the Loid . For His merciful kindness is ever gieat toyvards us , And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever . Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time

forth for evermore . " The lodge was then resumed to the Second Degree , and Bro . Buss presented Bro . W . T . Raymond , VV . M . designate , liithe Presiding Master ti receive at his hands the benefit "' installation . Bro . Raymond haying given his assent •o lhe requirements of Grand Lodge , yvas obligated , after which a Board of Installed Masters yvas formed , to yvhom

he was presented , and installed into the chair of K . S . The officers were appointed as folloyvs : —Broa . C . E . Soppet , » •" ' . ; W . E . G . Leith , J . VV . ; D . M . Deyy-ar , Sec . ; H - H . Gill , S . D . ; B . F . Cramer , J . D . ; H . M . Sydney , '•<; . ; Samuel Broyvnc , W . S . ; VV . Steedman , Tyler . •" he business of the meeting being noyv concluded , S £ vtral pro-ositions for initiates and joining members yvere

" ¦ "We , and the thanks of the brethren yvere tendered to the « rand O fficers and other visitors who had honoured the « ge with their presence , and V . W . Bro . Saml . Tomkins , ' „ as , t acknowledged the compliment . Bro . Dewar : W . M . and brethren , —I have a vote of '" wks to propose to our V . W . Bro . Hyde Pullen , for CllUgaS Cons PC r .-ltin o-nnil Tncrnllinrrl M : > clpr lr »_ itn , r nml

tliat h L ° ol '' «* •ne be made an honorary member of the Royal KentoT ° " S * l a , s ° propose the best thanks of the lodge Re ti ' 5 uS 3 ^ hls va ^ ' services as D . C . ; also to our an I ! ID' ^a "' ^ 1 " no ' va ' ' services as Chap ., the W Absalom and thc other brethren who filled Mast chairs ' fomied thc Board of Installed « .. . s * I propose that this vote of thanks be recorded on

been minut -es . 1 am sure that all present must have 'n wh ^''^ ' '* bythc beautiful and impressive manner Br ,. tlle wt , o ! e of the ceremonies have been conducted , "airie ' f ^ llen * . W . M ., in my own name , and in the thank f C 0 "? S ' ' S to return you our grateful what >! ° ^ k ' l way in yvhich you have mentioned ton i „ j ave done * w <* wish you and the Royal Kcnsing-T |; p every success . VnowlL * p , ain and Bro * B"S 3 also returned their ac"wiedgments .

Royal Kensington Lodge.

The folloyving brethren signed thc attendance book : — Bros . Hyde Pullen , P . G . S . B . ; A . W . Hall , P . M . 416 , P . S . G . W . Surrey ; H . Hall , Sir Isaac Newton Lodge ; W . H . Absalom , Mount Lebanon , 34 , P . M . ; J . C . Dwarber , P . M . si ; Capt . N . G . Philips , 1 \ M . 1383 ; H . G . Buss , Burdett , - ' 21 H , Prov . J . G . W . Middx . ; C . F . Matier , 645 , P . G . W . Greece ; C . S . Jekyll , W . M . Asaph , 1310 ; Jno .

Bean , P . M . 720 ; C . H . Driver , P . M . 905 , G . Sup . Wks ., Surrey ; J . P . Leith , 1118 , P . G . D . ; W . Hamilton , P . M . 34 ; B . Cramer , 108 ; C . Taylor , 1426 ; G . Cardwell , P . M . 3 ; Theo . Distin , Phcenix ; Fredk . Binckes , G . S ., Secretary Boys' School ; J . R . Jekyll , 1319 ; J . Rand Baily , P . M . 4 ; Benj . Broyvne , 503 ; VV . S . Gordon Leith , S : o- I . P . Robertson . W . M . e : : Robert Perkins . I . W .

34 ; Samuel Tomkins , G . Treas . ; Walter T . Justling , P . M . 33 ; H . Massey ( " Freemason " ) . After the closing of the lodge and its adjournment till the first Friday in October , the brethren present adjourned to the tavern , yvhere a sumptuous banquet yvas provided , to yvhich ample justice yvas done . When the cloth had been yvithdrawn . the usual loval and Masonic toasts were

proposed and duly honoured . In proposing " The Health of Lord Skelmersdale , the Deputy Grand Master , with the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " the VV . M . coupled therewith the name of Bro . Parkinson , yvhom he requested to respond . Bro . Parkinson : Worshipful Master and brethren , — Where there arc few tasks mere agreeable , there are manv

less difficult than returning thanks for the Grand Officers on the present occasion . The Grand Officers are always received at these meetings with so much cordiality and kindness that the task becomes more onerous each time one has to respond to the toast . It makes it the more difficult that one has only to respond to praises ; there is nothinsr to defend . One feels inclined to wish for the

presence of a devil ' s advocate , an institution in the Romish Church—yvhere yvhen a mar . is canonised and his virtues arc spoken of , some one appears on the other side to point out his defects . I feel assured that it yvould be easier to me to find fault . Declining the Worshipful Mastei ' s hint , 1 shall express myself deeply grateful for the attention yve have received . It is a matter of gratification for

us all to yvitness the advent of this admirable lodge , which I have no doubt is destined to long life and prosperity . He concluded by yvishing that it might always have youth at its helm an ! pleasure at its proiv . Bro . Hyde Pullen : The VV . M . has given me his gave and of course you yvill understand why . Now , I find myself in a verv ncculiar position at this moment , because

I take upon myself , or rather the W . M . has imposed upon me , a task which is usually imposed upon an officer that does not exist in this lodge . I have the collar of the P . M . placed upon mc to hold for a time , and I am noyv about to propose a toast that is given usually by the P . M ., but I do offer it to you in my own peculiar sense , and I have irreat pleasure in nrcscntine to you the toast of thc

evening , "The Master of the Lodge . " We have embarked upon a voyage yvhich has been spoken of to-night by Bro . Parkinson , and the barque that yve have entered into and launched forth into thc waves of futurity depends upon the capability of every one in and about it to c . irry it to success at a future time . I yvill place charity at its prow , hosnitalitv at its helmand nrudence and care amidshins .

I present to you " 'I he Health of your Master . " It 13 the first time that that toast has been proposed to you , but I trust that such a health yvill be proposed to you year by year yvith thc expectation of excellence yvith yvhich it is proposed by me at the present moment , noyv at its commencement . Brethren , it is something for the VV . M . tonight to enter upon his duties for the first time , and it is

not only the first time as the Master of a neyv lodge , but the first timn in yvhich he has been Master of any lodge . At such a time there arc certain feelings he must have ; he is being initiated , as it were , into duties yvhich he never performed before . You will assist him to the utmost to ca . able him to perform his duties , so that when thc time for a change cemes round he yvill leave yvith honour to himself

and glory to the lodge and advantage to the Craft in general . Brethren , with all earnestness I give you " The Health , Happiness , Capability of your Master , and to your willingness to aid and assist him in his year of o / Iice . " The W . M . * . Brethren , I thank you most sincerely , most heartily for the manner in which vou have received the toast

proposed by Bro . Pullen . I thank him very muchindeedfor the kind yvay in which he has expressed himself , and I must only reiterate his yvish that the officers and members and brethren in generjl yvill afford me their kind indulgence in every way iu carrying on in my year of office my duties as Master of this lodge , and I hope with their assistance to pive r / eneral satisfactionand that when mv

year of office ends there may be no complaints . I thank you all . Bro . J . Percy Leith , P . G . D . : Worshipful Sir and brethren , —I have been requested to propose the next toast . I am quite sure that it is one you will be pleased to hear , the health of our kind Bro . Hyde Pullen , Bro . Hyde Pullen this evening has performed the duty of

Consecrating-Officer to the lodge upstairs , and 1 am confident that there will be none to say that they ever heard thc ceremony performed better than they have this evening . It is not the first time we have seen him carrying out this programme in thc Craft ; no one devotes more time to serving his fellow beings than Bro . Hyde Pullen . I have known Bro . Hyde Pullen for many years , and I have

been received with the right hand of fellowship . I desire to couple with Bro . H ) de Pullen this toast—Bro . Hall , the Consecrating Chaplain , and to thank him for the very able manner in which he performed his part of the ceremony . I give you " The Health of Bro . Hyde Pullen and Bro . Hall . " The toast was acknowledged by Bro . Hyde Fallen and Bro . Hall , the latter observing that it did not fall to the

Royal Kensington Lodge.

lot of many of his profession to consecrate often . He knew that he would never be a bishop , and if he had not consecrated a lodge that evening he might never have had the pleasure of consecrating anything . The bishops consecrated stately edifices built up unto the Lord , and he congratulated himself that he had consecrated a temple made up of a band of brethren , "bound tosrether to carry

out in themselves , and to carry out in the world , those beautiful teachings , those excellent truths , which the bishops themselves only can teach . He had consecrated a Freemasons' lodge , folloyving at a humble distance the bishops who consecrated temples to the Lord , and he concluded , —May the lodge which I have consecrated be blessed ' bvthe Great Architect of the Universe , so that the

members may not only be deemed good men , but may be considered members of that science which is all that is good , all that is true , Bro . Hall resumed his seat , thanking the brethren for their reception of his health . Bro . Absalom : W . M . and brethren , —Although at this moment I knoyv myself to be on the ri ght of the chair , that is to say . I stand in the position cf a visitor , vet .

believe me , yvhen I look at the brother yvho occupies the chair , and some of these friendly faces I see around me , I scarcely deem myself a visitor . When once Socrates yvas asked by an admiring crowd which of the human race he considered nearest to the gods in point of happiness , he replied , " That man who is in want of the fewest thinsrs . " He left it to be r / uessed bv

his auditory whether he intended that answer to imply amplitude of possessions or contraction of desires . If there is any truth in that I must feel myself in a very bad yvay , because , though my possessions may be limited , my desires are great . First of all , my desire is to stand well with you whom I speak to , certainly . Secondly , while all of those who have addressed you this evening , from the

Grand Officer to Bro . Pullen , with thanks for the toasts you proposed , you will not be surprised that I desire much of you in the reception of the toast I am about to propose , for that toast is of great importance to this lodge , and perhaps to Freemasonry itself . I am about to propose " Success to the Royal Kensington Lodge . " This toast has been entrusted to mv care , and of course vou will readilv

conceive that I must feel no ordinary amount of diffidence in advancing it to your attention , and with the earnest hope that it may meet yvith your approbation . There is no doubt that each one who attended the meeting upstairs , and had the privilege of hearing the addresses given in so impressive a manner by Bro . Pullen , was greatly benefited by yvhat he heard . They could not have been eiven more

impressively , they could not have been given yvith greater effect , and , seconded as they yvere by the eloquent address of our excellent Chaplain . I say all must have felt impressed with the ceremony , and acknoyvledge that they have received a lesson which yvill lead them on to greater efforts in the cause of Freemasonry , and to remember among their hanniest moments their visit to the Rnvnl Keneinorrnn

Lodge . Your Master is well known to me . I have watched his advent to Masonry ; I have seen the advance he has made ; I have watched his attention to the ceremonies , and I have every hope that he will prove a worthy leader to your lodge . He trusted that their noble institutions would not be forgotten in the new lodge—institutions which he believed to be the backbone of Masonry , and that benevolence in its widest sense would he . thpir stndv .

He trusted that an entente cordiale would be established between his lodge ( Mount Moriah ) and the neyv lodge , and concluded by inviting the brethren to that lodge . Several other toasts were proposed and received with thc utmost cordiality , and speeches were spoken for which we have no space to spare . It must therefore suffice to say that everything that was done was well done , and that the whole meeting was a genuine success .

Consecration Of The Eboracum Lodge, No. 1611.

CONSECRATION OF THE EBORACUM LODGE , No . 1611 .

On Monday , 7 th inst , a ceremony took place in the old city of York fraught with thc greatest interest to all brethren of thc Royal Art . This yvas nothing less than thc consecration and constitution of a neyv Masonic lodge , a ceremony which had not been witnessed yvithin the yvalls

of York for ninety-nine years previously , the last occasion being the consecration of the York Lodge , No . 23 C , in the year 1777 . York is in its history and associations very closely linked with Freemasonry . Traditionally it has been the scene of much that is interesting to the Order . It was , according to the cherished legends , in York that the Athelstane charter was cranted . in the vear 026 : it was in the

ancient crypt of York Cathedral that the ancient brethren met for the celebration of their rites and ceremonies , and from that time to the present the history of York has been more or less interwoven yvith that of Freemasonry . Several years ago the propriety of the promotion of a movement for a second lodge in York was discussed , but it was not until the commencement of the current vear thata number

of brethren , all deeply interested in the progress of Masonry and the welfare of the Craft , forwarded a petition to the Grand Lodge of England for a warrant for a second lodge in York , to be called the Eboracum Lodge . In due course the petition was granted and the warrant issued , the number of the lodge on the grand roll of England being 1611 . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , annointed Monday , the 7 th Auo-ust . as the dav

for the consecration ceremony , and accordingly every preparation was made by the brethren for the successful celebration of the event . We are happy to knoyv that their efforts were crowned with success , and that the day passed off without a single drayvback , the R . W . P . G . Master and his Deputy both expressing their great satisfaction at every thing connected with the ceremonial . The lodge-room is attached to the Queen ' s Hotel , Micklegate , and is a very handsome apartment , eminently suited