Consecration Of The London Rifle Brigade Lodge, No. 1962.

CONSECRATION OF THE LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE LODGE , No . 1962 .

The ceremonies of consecrating this lodge and installing the first W . M . were performed on Thursday , the nth inst ., at Anderton ' s Hotel , by Colonel Shadwcll H . Clorkc , Grand Secretary , assisted by the R . W . Bro . General T . S . Brownrigg , P . G . W ., Prov . Grand Master Surrey , as S . W . ; V . W . Bro . Sir John ' Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes , ns f . W . ; * V . W . Bro . the Rev . John Studholme Brownrigg , Past Grand

Chaplain , as Chaplain ; W . Bro . Frank Richardson , P . G . D ., as Director of Ceremonies ; and Bro . W . Hollingsworth , P . M . 63 , as I . G . The Grand Secretary was also supported by R . W . Bro . the Rt . Hon . John Whittaker Ellis , Grand Junior Warden , Lord Mayor of London ; R . W . Bro . Sir Francis Wyatt Truscott , Past Grand Warden ; and Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Hanson .

The petitioners were Bros . A . Green , A . McDowall , G . C . Matthams , Alderman and Sheriff Hanson , Capt . Geo . K . Holland , Walter C . Claridge , R . Southgate , J . D . McAlpin , Chas . Brown , L . M . Williams , M . L . Levey , L . V . Walker , A . H . Sandlc , Jackson Gawith , W . J . Tasman , W . McDougall , A . H . Brown , H . F . Bing , W . Tyrrell , F . Bell , and C . G . Brown . . . , Besides the members of the lodge there were also the following visitors

present : Bros . W . Hollingsworth , P . M . 63 , W . M . 1924 ; J . J . Berry , P . M . 554 ; J . Chubb , 700 ; G . Mickley , P . M . 449 . P . P . G . D . Herts ; C . Quint , 749 ; John Shepherd , 140 ; Ino . Harper , W . M . 22 ; Thos . Blake , W . M . 945 ; J . F . Busbridge , 505 , P . P . G . A . S . Kent ; H . John , W . M . 1679 ; R . J . Tyrell , 474 ; H . Baldwin , Sec . 1777 ; J . Kemp Coleman , P . M . 1716 ; J . A . Burton , 1924 ; W . Rowley , 1924 ; F . Fox , 1269 ; E . F . Storr , P . M . and Sec . 22 ; Fred . H . Cozens , Org . 907 ; W . Cooke , 1924 ; H .

Ashton , 1929 ; Capt . ] . Sculley , S . D . 413 ; G . Laker , P . M . 1599 ; J . Brown , P . M . 1607 ; T . O . Harding , J . W . S ^ g ; S . C . Haslip , W . M . S 13 ; H . J . Newberry , 21 S ; A . ; F . Bianchi , P . M . 159 S ; A . McMillan , P . M . 13 C 5 ; A . Cumner , 1426 ; G . Bntton , P . M . 22 ; H . Povey , J . W . 22 ; W . F . Smithson , P . S . G . D . WestYorks . ; H . Percy Barraud , 1640 ; H . H . Nudin " , 1924 ; F . McDougall , P . M . 7 SS ; John Gay wood , 2 oG ; G . P . Gillard , 6 57 ; H . Sadler , Grand Tyler ; P . Balme , 1 S 04 ; Col . Addison Potter , P . G . S . W . Northumberland ; General A . Sage , 322 I . C . ; and E . C . Massey , P . M . 1297 ( Freemason ) .

The lodge having been opened in the Three Degrees , The GRAND S ECRETARY , as Consecrating Officer , addressed the brethren as follows : Brethren , we are met to-day for a purpose which must be very interesting to all brethren connected with the City of London . We are about to-day to add one more name to the long and distinguished roll of lodges which are under the control of the Grand Lodge of England . We

have about three hundred lodges in London , and the general feeling is that we have already enough , and there is consequently considerable difficulty in obtaining a warrant for a new London Lodge . Exceptions are occasionally made in cases where the Grand Master sees that such a course would be desirable , and the petitioners for a warrant for this lodge find themselves in the happy position of being one of these exceptions . It has been proposed

by certain brethren of the Order who are attached to one of the oldest of Volunteer Rifle Corps — the London Rifle Brigade — that they should form a lodge that shall be identified with this corps , and it is proposed practically to limit the membership in this lodge to the officers and men of that regiment . The Grand Master has carefully considered this application , and has ruled that the exception might be made to the rule not to grant more warrants for lodges in the centre of London , and we are to-day to

inaugurate the London Rifle Brigade Lodge . The first Master is an old Past Master and an experienced Mason , and we are sure that we may safely leave to him that in the appointment of officers he will select good men to assist him , and that the membership of this lodge will be confined as far as possible to the members of the Rifle Corps . I will not detain you further , but will call upon the acting Chaplain , the V . W . Bro . ^ the Rev . John Studholme Brownrigg , P . G . Chaplain , for the benefit of prayer .

The Chaplain having delivered the first prayer , the acting Secretary addressed the presiding officer , who instructed the D . C . to range the brethren of the new lodge in order . This having been done , the acting Secretary read the petition and warrant , whereupon the Presiding Officer inquired of the brethren before him whether they approved of the officers named in the petition and warrant , and receiving an answer in the affirmative , called upon the Chaplain to address the brethren , and

The CHAPLAIN delivered the following oration : Very Worshipful Sir and Brethren—The consecration of every new lodge is evidence to us that Freemasonry is becoming more and more a real power in this country . I hope a power for good ; and I hopeitisa very significant fact that there is an increasing number of lodges that are associated with particular objects ; that no important organisation , whether it be our universities , our garrison towns ,

our legal circuits , or our volunteer regiments , is satisfied to be without its Masonic lodge . I am sure that such lodges—lodges formed in connection with some particular body of men—are of the greatest advantage , both to the Craft and to the body to which they belong . It is natural that this should be so ; it is only natural that men who are bound together b y some external tie of business , or who are banded together in the pursuit of some

matter of common interest , should desire to strengthen these ties by the ennobling influence of a Masonic lodge . It is only wise that they should avail themselves of our obligations to brotherly love as a safeguard against the want of charity , the selfishness and the jealousies which , alas ! too often creep into all human organisations . I am confident that there is in a society which possesses within itself a Masonic lodge a better chance of facing

the worries , the irritations , and the misunderstandings of our daily life than there is in a society which ignores our Craft . But , brethren , to descend from generalities , let us ask ourselves this question . What are the special virtues which more than any others form a link between the Craft and our Volunteer Army ? I answer , without fear of contradiction , loyalty and discipline . It was loyalty which more than

twenty-one years called suddenly into existence the regiment to which you belong . There was thought to be a possibility of a foreign invasion , and all over England loyalty to our Queen and our country prompted the simultaneous movement all over the country , from which there sprang into sudden existence ( so sudden that old soldiers marvelled ) a series of Rifle Corps . Every Englishman , worthy of the name , who had strength to hold a rifle , determined to die behind the last ditch rather than allow a foreign

power to be master of this country . It was the same spirit of loyalty , when the danger and excitement had passed away ; it was still loyalty which enabled the force steadily to persevere . There were not wanting those who sneered at it , and ridiculed it ; but I have to say , as an old volunteer officer , who have lived all my life among regular soldiers , that I never heard soldiers of reputation either laugh or sneer at the volunteer force ; still , though no soldier of reputation ever joined in these

Consecration Of The London Rifle Brigade Lodge, No. 1962.

sneers and ridicule , they were sometimes hc . rd to bear . It was I say loyalty which enabled you , after the first excitement , to persevere and to make the volunteer force what it is ; respected alike by friend and foe . And is it not the same principle which has made our Craft what it is ? Why is it that the English Grand Lodge lakes the first place amongst the Iodo-e . s of the world ? It is because English Freemasons are loyal . We have avoided

the rock of disaffection which has made many foreign jurisdictions untrue to the first principles of our Order . Let us guard well this great treasure of loyalty . Especially at the present time , when more than ever there is wanting that old-fashioned love and attachment to our constitution , let us as Freemasons , be true to our Queen and to our country . Whatever our political opinions may be , let our loyalty be something more than a mere

outward profession ; something more than a graceful adjunct to an afterdinner speech . In our professions , in our daily life , let us be on the watch for disloyalty . Unfortunately , it is more common nowadays than it used to be . Men say things and do things , unchecked , which fifty years ago would have excluded them from the society of men of honourand virtue . Let us , when we meet such , show judiciously and firmly that we do not want

their friendship—that we cannot trust the honour of disloyal men . At the present terrible crisis let it be evident to all men that that gracious lady , the Queen of this realm , who is facing this , as she has faced every other trial , with the courage of a man and the gentleness of a woman , has in the very fullest sense the S 3 'mpathy of her Masonic subjects . But to turn to my second point . Loyalty without discipline is of little use . It" is discipline added to which has made the volunteer

loyalty force practically useful . It is , I think , a most praiseworthy fact that independent men have , out of loyalty to their Queenandtheircountry voluntarily placed themselves under the strictest discipline . It is no uncommon thing to find in a volunteer regiment the ordinary positions of life reversed—the master in the ranks , the servant holding Her Majesty ' s commission . And yet the whole system works perfectl

y ; on parade the subordinate and the superior perform their respective duties of command and obedience , and as soon as parade is over the social status of each is pefectly naturally resumed . And this simply because English common sense has learned that discipline is a grand and noble virtue . And so in our Masonic lodges . No lodge can be efficient without discipline . The W . M . for the time being is invested by our Constitutions with almost

despotic power . Within the limit of our Constitutions he is absolute . And again , this state of things is possible , because men recognise the value of discipline . The lessons , then , you learn on parade you learn also within the walls of this lodge ; and may the G . A . O . T . U . dail y so increase in you these two great virtues that , loyal to your Queen , your country , and your God ,

you may discipline and correct all that is evil within you , and become worth y of His acceptance ; that as the stones formed for the earthly temple were adjusted silently without the sound of axe or hammer , so may you be fitted as spiritual stones worthy to become part of the eternal mansion not made with hands , for ever in the heavens .

Bros . Cozens , Lawler , and Ashton then sang the anthem " Behold , how good and beautiful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity , " at the conclusion of which the Chaplain offerred up the first portion of the Dedication Prayer , the Presiding Officer gave the Invocation , and the Chaplain read the portion of Scriptures appointed for this ceremony .

The Lodge Board was then uncovered and consecrated in due form , and the Presiding Officer formally consecrated the lodge . The anthem , " Thine , O Lord , is the greatness , " was then sung , and and the second portion of the Dedication Prayer was offerred up by the Chaplain . The lodge was constituted ; the anthem , " Oh , Lord , how manifold are thy works , " was sung , and the final benediction concluded the

ceremony . The Presiding Officer then resumed the lodge in the Second Degree and installed Bro . Neville Green the first W . M . of the London Rifle Brigade Lodge ; and having done so , called on him to invest the Senior and Junior Wardens named in the warrant , and to appoint and invest his remaining officers .

The following is the list of officers for the year : Bros . A . McDowall , S . W . ; George C . Matthams , J . W . ; Walter McDougall , Treas . ; W . C . Claridge ( P . M . 1685 ) , Sec ; C . Brown , S . D . ; A . H . Brown , J . D . ; A . H . Sandle , I . G . ; W . J . Tasman , M . C . ; L . V . Walker and L . M . Williams , Stewards ; and J . S . Lackland , Tyler .

The GRAND SECRETARY then delivered the usual charges to the Master , Wardens , and brethren , and thus brought a most impressive ceremony to a conclusion .

The W . M . proposed a vote of thanks to the Consecrating Officer and the distinguished brethren who had assisted him , and moved that they should be elected honorary members of the lodge . This vote was seconded by the S . W ., and carried unanimously . Bro . Col . CLERKE , in acknowledging the compliment for himself and

coadjutors , accepted thehonorary membership with pleasure , ashe should wish to come occasionally and see how the lodge was progressing . A considerable number of nominations , as candidates for initiation and joining , were announced by the Secretary , and the lodge was then closed in the customary form .

I he brethren then adjourned to a splendid banquet , after which , grace having been sung by the musical brethren , the following toasts were drunk with the usual honours .

The CHAIRMAN said that the first toast he had to propose was the toast of " The Queen , " coupled with the Craft . He was sure that , as Masons , they would all drink that toast very heartily indeed , for Masons were noted for their loyalty ; and when he reminded them that they were military men , he thought that this must be acknowledged to be a very loyal assemblage indeed . They all remembered the dastardl y attempt upon Her Majesty's

life , on which occasion the Masonic Fraternity displayed the loyalty of Freemasons as well as of Englishmen , and a special Grand Lodge was called by the Prince of Wales , and an address of congratulation had been voted unanimously . That address had yesterday been presented , and those who were fortunate enough to be present on that occasion could not have failed to have been deeply impressed .

In proposing "The Health of the Grand Master , " the CHAIRMAN referred to the fact that merely to have the Prince of Wales for a Grand Master was a great benefit to the Craft , and reminded the company that this benefit was enhanced by the further fact that H . R . H . tooka genuine interest in Freemasonry , though the multiplicity of his engagements would not admit of his attending Grand Lodge personall y on every occasion .

In proposing " The Health of the Grand Officers , " the CHAIRMAN said that he had had the privilege for eight or nine years of attending Grand Lodge , and could bear personal testimony to the admirable manner in which the Grand Officers performed their duty . On this occasion they