Provincial Grand Lodge Of Sussex.

all pleased to do their utmost to assist lodges in the provinces , and those were indeed fortunate who visited the Province of Sussex . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Sir W . f . MARRIOTT , O . C , M . ., next submitted "The M . W . Prov . Grand Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . " In proposing the toast , he said his onlv difficulty was that in the presence of his Royal Hig-hness he could not sneak of him as he

would if he were absent . He would , however , say that their Prov . Grand Master was honoured and loved by every Mason in the province . He had , at great inconvenience , visited the lodge , and train arrangements had not made his return to Portsmouth easy . ' But for his many engagements , his Royal Highness would be oftener amongst them . The brethren heartil y welcomed him , and fully appreciated his visit to them .

His Royal Highness the Duke of CONNAUGHT , on rising lo respond , was greeted with enthusiastic and prolonged applause . He said he felt deeply indebted to the brethren for the very cordial manner in which they had received the toast . His friend , Sir William Marriott , had echoed his sentiments as to his wish to be with them oftener . Whatever temporary discomfort he had experienced had been counterbalanced by the srreat

p leasure he felt in visiting the Provincial Grand Lodge . He was glad to find the province in a flourishing condition . He had every reason to believe the new lodge at Eastbourne would be successful , and he had that evening signed the warrant for the new lod ge at Uckfield . The brethren had expressed a wish to have a temple and club of their own , and the movement had his warmest sympathy . No one was more jealous than he was of the good name of the province , and as long as he was their Grand Master he

would do his utmost to promote the interests of Freemasonry in the province . He then proposed "The VV . Deputy Prov . Grand Master , the Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , Q . C , M . P ., Past Grand Steward . " He said few Provincial Grand Masters had such a Deputy as he had in Sir William Marriott—one in whom he had complete confidence . He thanked him for the manner in which he had supported and assisted him , and believed few Masons were more popular .

The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER , who was warmly received , said he felt unworthy of the kind words with which the toast had been proposed , for when he thought of his predecessors—the late Bros . Gerard Ford and lohn Henderson Scott—he felt that his work fell short of what they had done . His duties had been made easy by the help he had received from the Prov .

Grand Officers , and particularly from Bro . Freeman , who had carried out the duties of his office as Provincial Grand Secretary in a perfect manner . Alluding to the new lodges , he said he looked forward with confidence to their success , and hoped they would be able to meet next year and congratulate themselves upon the increased prosperity of the province .

Bro . J . EWART ( Mayor of Brighton ) submitted "The Prov . S . G . W ., Bro . J . P . Slingsby Roberts ; the Prov . J . G . W ., Bro . H . Langton ; and Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , Present and Past . " Judging from the excellence of the work shown during the afternoon , he said the lodge must be congratulated upon its able officers . It had been said that "

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery , " and he was sure that if the present officers imitated those who had retired from office , the working of the province would be admirable , and in conformity with the wishes of the Prov . Grand Master . Bros . Roberts and Langton had proved themselves good citizens , and were , if possible , better as Masons .

Bro . J . P . SLINGSBY ROBERTS , in responding , said the Prov . Grand Ofiicers fully appreciated the high trust imposed upon them , and hoped to transmit their collars to their successors as pure and unsullied as they received them .

Bro . H . LANGTON also acknowledged the toast , and said hc would do his utmost to worthily carry out the duties of his office . The PROV . GRAND MASTER proposed " The Visitors , " to whom , he said , they gave a hearty welcome .

Bros . Col . SOMERVILLE BURNEY and G . W . E . LODER , M . P . briefly responded . The latter remarked that his lodge , the Earl of Sussex , was named after the Prov . Grand Master , and the brethren would be proud to welcome his Royal Hi ghness amongst them . The Duke of Connaught then left to catch his train to Portsmouth .

' 1 he chair was taken by Bro . E . R . CURRIE , P . P . G . Chap ., who proposed " Prosperity to thc Masonic Institutions . " Bro . J . M . REED responded , remarking that there was now but one lodge in the province which did not subscribe to the Masonic Charities . The CHAIRMAN gavs " The W . M . ' s of the Lodges in the Province , " which Bro . W . E . MORRISON ( Mayor of Eastbourne ) acknowledged .

Bro . R . CLOWES , in giving " The Stewards , " said the great success of the meeting was largely due to the excellent arrangements made by thc Stewards—Bros . H . Langton , R . T . Davison , J . P . Slingsby Roberts , E . S . Medcalf , and J . C . Buckwell . Bro . E . S . MEDCALE responded , remarking that Bros . J . P . Slingsby Roberts and H . Langton merited the greatest share of the praise , for they had kindly undertaken the largest amount of the necessary work . The Tyler ' s toast brought tlie gathering to a close .

During the evening a programme of vocal music , under the direction of Hro . A . Stanley Cooke , Prov . G . Org ., was ably sustained by Miss Maud 15 ond , Miss Edith Hands , Bro . A . Stanley Cooke , and Mr . T . Lynes , the duties . of accompanist being admirably carried out b y Bro . W . N . Roe , Prov . G . Org . Bro . Eric C . Williams also gave a recitation in excellent style .

Consecration Of The Royal Somerset House And Inverness Chapter, No. 4.

CONSECRATION OF THE ROYAL SOMERSET HOUSE AND INVERNESS CHAPTER , No . 4 .

This interesting and important ceremony took place at Freemasons ' Hall , Great Ouccn-street , W . C , on Monday , the 7 th instant . The Consecrating Officer was Comp . E . Letchworth , Grand Scribe E ., assisted b y L ' oinps . Col . G . Noel Money , C . B ., Grand Superintendent of Surrey , as " . ; Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , Grand Superintendent of Bucks , as . !•; Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . Scribe N ., as S . N . ; and Frank Richards ° n , G . D . C , as D . C .

I he founders of the new chapter , who were all present with one exception , ¦ ' , r e Comps . Frederick West , P . A . G . S ., Prov . G . H . Surrey ; Arthur Adams , : \ 1-E . Z . 2096 , P . P . A . G . S . Surrey ; John Chynowclh , P . Z . 33 ; Rev . A . W . Oxford , M . A . ; Hugh Macintosh , M . D ., P . Z . 8 ; A . S . Brown , P . Z . 2096 , P . P . G . S . N . Surrey ; N . S . Stott , P . Z . 1397 ; F . M . Hartung ; W . }*•Fenn , P . Z . 538 , P . P . G . S . B . Surrey ; R . G . Hall , P . Z . 29 ; H . p . L ater , W . S . Hoyie , and A . J . Venn . . Among the visitors were Comps . T . Fenn , P . P . C . G . P . ; H . S . Somerville Burney , P . G . S . B . ; J . Sampson Peirce , P . A . G . S . ; H . M . Hobbs ,

Consecration Of The Royal Somerset House And Inverness Chapter, No. 4.

P . Z . 2096 ; T . G . Nicholson , J . 91 ; Cyril Plummer , 416 ; J . Stedman , P . Z . 157 ; J . Hodges , P . Z . ; R . Milner , P . Z . 26 ; G . A . King , 463 ; W . Oldham Rew , Z . 1118 ; G . F . Smith , Z . 2005 ; F . W . Price , 2178 ; Egbert Roberts , P . Z . 1623 ; E . D . Lister , P . P . G . S . N . ; H . G . Thompson , P . P . G . J . Surrev ; H . Sadler , G . Janitor ; H . Joyce , P . Z . ; E . J . Barron , P . G . S . B . ; and W . W . Lee , S . N . i « 4 . .

The chapter having becn formally opened , ( he CONSECRATING PRINCIPAL , addressing the companions , said : VVe are met to-day on an occasion which , I think , cannot fail to enlist the sympathy and evoke the good wishes of all who have at heart the prosperity and welfare of Royal Arch Masonry . VVe are met for the purpose of constituting and consecrating a new Royal Arch chapter , a chapter to be attached to a very old and a very distinguished lodge . It not infrequently happens that when a new lodge has been

consecrated the members of it are fired b y a desire to have a Royal Arch chapter attached to it , and occasionall y it has been neccessary for the Supreme Grand Chapter to quench the ardour of those good Masons . In thc present instance the Royal Somerset House and Inverness Lodge cannot be accused of undue haste . They have taken time to consider the subject , and I am extremely gratified at being privileged to come here and undertake the ceremony of launching into existence this new chapter . I feel

sure that under the able guidance of the first M . E . Z ., Comp . Macintosh , who is known so well to us , and who has had great experience in this Degree , assisted by Comps . Oxford and Hoyte , this chapter will have before it a very successful career—a career worthy of the very distinguished lodge to which it will be attached . I am sure I am only expressing the feelings o the Royal Arch companions present when I express the hope that it may

have before it a career of unbroken prosperity . With these few observations I will now proceed with the ceremony in hand , and will call upon the D . C . to state the wishes of the companions . The founders signified theirapproval of the officers named in the charter , and the following oration was delivered by Comp . the Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , G . Supt . Bucks :

The consecration of a new Royal Arch chapter , which is to be connected with a lodge so venerable on account of its antiquity , and so distinguished on account of its antecedents , is surely an occasion for remembering how much our Craft owes to the past ; how much it depends upon the present . This has always been the case ; it was so when , 166 years ago , you came from Westminster , mindful of your historic past to assist in receiving the Grand Lodge of England for the practical purposes of the hour . It is so to-day , when justly proud of your time immemorial

existence , you are seeking the addition of a chapter to your lodge . No doubt some have in past years hesitated upon this new departure , anxious not to do anything which would in any way even seem to change a condition whicli had so long existed . You were proud to be the only old lodge without a chapter ; but , companions , no antiquity is a reason against an advance in the ri ght direction . In all times the most difficult problem of the day , not only in Masonry , but in the world , is to know when progress is true and when it is

false ; when it is needful , and when it is dangerous . Test them , my Zl companions , in your Craft , and in your lives every important step by these three questions . ( 1 . ) Is it consistent with all that is great and good in the fast ? Our ancient brethren ever laboured to improve the material structure upon which they were engaged . No period of architecture is a mere copy of the preceding one , but no period is destructive of the principles upon which former structures were based . Whenever Art has been inconsistent with its past , it has

become debased . Let us follow their teaching as speculative Masons , and learn that without progress there can be no true life—that stagnation is inevitable decay , but that all true advance is guided and controlled by that which is great and good in the past . ( 2 . ) Is it opportune ? A distinguished Frenchman once said " Never do a thing to-day , if you can do it better to-morrow . If we look at the great fabrics which our ancient brethren reared to be monuments of wisdom , strength , and beauty which the devouring hand of ages could not

weaken , we must note that there are no signs of impatience or hurry about them . The work was well considered before it was commenced , and done slowly when begun . Hence its solidity and excellence . Companions , is it needless in these days to warn all to preserve the due medium betweenidlenessand precipitate action . Never to waste time , but neverto force it , and to see that all is done just at that moment which is the most opportune . ( 3 ) Is it disinterested ? The builder of old set before him the principle—I must work for God , not for self . Hence there is a solemnity and a grandeur about our ancient work

which is sometimes lacking in that of the present day . The operative Mason wrote not his name , but only his mark , upon the stone , a mark known and recognised by the Master , but not by the world . Shall we not do well to test our motives in all things , and to ask whenever we are starting a new work or making a fresh departure . " Am I leaving my own petty interests out of the question , seeking not to advance my own interests , but those of the work in the which I am only a poor and insignificant unit . " Feeling sure that you can , on starting your new chapter , answer satisfactorily these three test questions , I bid you Godspeed .

The ceremony was then proceeded with , and the new chapter was formally dedicated and constituted . The following Principals were then installed into their respective chairs : Comps . Hugh Macintosh , Z . ; Rev . A . W . Oxford , H . ; and W . S . Hoyte , J . 'l'heother officers for the year ensuing are Comps . F . West , P . A . G . S ., acting I . P . Z . ; Arthur Adams , S . E . ; A . J . Venn , S . N . ; R . G . Hall , Treas . ; F . M . Hartung , P . S . ; W . G . Fenn , P . P . G . S . B . Surrey , ist A . S . ; and N . S . Stott , 2 nd A . S . The Consecrating Officers and his Assistants were unanimously elected honorary members , and the compliment was duly acknowledged by the G . S . E .

Ten members of the mother lodge were proposed as candidates for exaltation and two for joining , and the chapter was closed . After banquet at the Freemasons Tavern , the customary toasts were acknowledged . Comp . VV . S . HOYTE , J ., proposed "The Grand Officers , " coupling with it the names of Comps . the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg and Colonel Noel Money .

Comp . the Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG , Grand Superintendent Bucks , having briefly replied , Comp . Col . NOEL MONEY , Grand Superintendent Surrey , thanked them for their kind reception of ihe Grand Oilicers . He had a lively ieclmg <;/' pleasure at having enjoyed the hospitality uf ihe lodge , and was gr . ml . ed that through the kindness of the companions he had been elected an honorary member of the chapter .

" The Consecrating Officer and his Assistants" was next given by Comp . II . MACINTOSH , M . E . Z ., who said they had becn particularly fortunate that evening in having had the assistance of some of the most distinguished members of Grand Chapter , and those companions who were present at the consecration must have been impressed and delighted with the able and courteous manner in which every office was performed . The Chaplain had given them a most admirable oration on the three test questions they as companions of this chapter would ever have before them in all their dealings ,