Consecration Of The Lennox Browne Lodge, No. 2318.

CONSECRATION OF THE LENNOX BROWNE LODGE , No . 2318 .

On Monday last , at the Roebuck Hotel , Buckhurst Hill , a new lodge was added to the roll of the Province of Essex , when the Right Hon . the Lord Brooke , M . P ., P . G . M . of that province , inangurated the Lennox Browne Lodge , No . 2318 , on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England . As Consecrating Officer , Lord Brooke was assisted by Bro . F . A . Philbrick ,

Q . C . G . Reg ., and D . P . G . M ., who , at the conclusion of the consecration ceremony , installed the first Master of the lodge into the chair of K . S . The Prov . Grand Officers who assisted Lord Brooke in the consecration were Bros . Harrison , P . S . G . W ., acting as S . W . ; Clowes , P . P . S . G . W ., and W . M . elect of the Earl of Sussex Lodge , asJlW . ; A . Lucking , P . G . D . ; Andrew Durrant , P . G . Treas ., as I . G . ; Rev . Thos . Cochrane , P . G . C . Eng ., as Chap . ; and T . J . Railing , P . G . Sec .

The founders of the new lodge were Bros . T . Scoresby-Jackson , M . D ., J . W . 2256 , Worship ful Master designate ; H . Ffrench Bromhead , J . D . 1662 , Senior Warden designate ; W . Shurmur , P . M . 1471 , Junior Warden designate ; Lennox Browne , P . M . 210 S and 2256 ; J . Pinder , P . M . 15 , 1662 , 1997 ; T . H . G . Wri ghton , P . M . 1520 ; W . E . Dring , 31 ; H . J . Drane , 1223 ; A . Schneider , 151 ; Wm . Butcher , 174 ; W . P . Allen , 2256 ; G . Ashton , 442 ; A . Ambrose , M . D ., 5 ( I . C . ) ; J . G . Cackett . 2256 ; T . C . Warner , W . M . elect 2256 ; G . Hurley , 2256 ; J . H . Clare , 19 * 5 : E . Gray , jun ., 65 ; and A . Brown , 86 9 .

There was a very large assemblage of brethren to witness the inauguration of the new lodg-e , so that the lodge room was well filled before the proceedings commenced , and the number was very considerably augmented before the lodge vvas closed .

Among the officers of the Grand Lodge of England present were Bros . Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W . ; * T . Fenn , P . G . D ., President of the Board of General Purposes ; E . Terry . G . Treas . ; R . Eve , P . G . Treas . ; E . Letchworth , P . G . D . ; V . P . Freeman , P . G . D . ; George Cooper , P . G . D . ; Charles Belton , D . G . D . C ; C . F . Matier , P . G . Std . Br . ; Ganz , P . G . Org . ; and Pendlebury , A . G . Sec .

The brethren having assembled in the lodge room , the Grand and Provincial Grand Officers entered in procession , ushering in the Provincial Grand Master and his Deputy , who were warmly welcomed b y the applause of the brethren . The P . G . M . having taken the chair , ancl appointed his officers as alread y indicated , proceeded to open the lodge in the three Degrees , after which the hymn " HaU , eternal , by whose aid " -was sung .

Lord BROOKE then said it was customary for the Consecrating Officer on occasions like the present to address a few words to the assembled brethren before proceeding with the chief ceremony of the day . As Prov . Grand Master , it was agreat satisfaction to him , and it must be a satisfaction to them , to see with what unanimity and cordial co-operation this lodge had been started . He had seldom seen such interest taken in the starting of a new lodge as displayed by the very large concourse of brethren present ; indeed , he had seen meetings of Prov . Grand Lodge at which there had not been so large a muster . He accepted the large meetin ? as a token that the province was satisfied that the founders were justified in forming the lodge which bore the name of Bro . Lennox Browne , who s ' o id high in the Craft as he did in the profession which he followed . It was hardl y necessary for him to say that it was a great thing to see how Freemasonry was increasing in the Province of Essex . The number of lodges he did

not desire to see increase too much , especially in localities where there was any probability that they would clash with one another ; but he thought they had ample justification for forming this lodge in that charming spot . He had not yet had the pleasure of shaking hands with Rro . Lennox Browne , but he congratulated

him upon the formation of this lodge , which it appeared had in some way sprung out of the Warner Lodge , which he ( Lord Brooke ) had consecrated just a year ago . He felt sure that this lodge would have a prosperous career , and would be a staunch supporter of the true principles of Freemasonry . He was quite sure

that he should never regret the day when he came to Buckhurst Hill toconsecrate the Lennox Browne Lodge . Bro . RALLING , Prov . G . Sec , then addressed the Consecrating Oflicer , who , in reply , desired that the founders of the new Iodge should be ranged before him . This having been done , the Prov . G . Sec . read first the petition and afterwards the warrant for the

BRO . LENNOX BROWNE . F . R . C . S .

formation of the lodge . The PROV . G . MASTER then , addressing the founders of the lodge , inquired if they still approved of the officers who were named in the warrant , and these brethren having signified their approval , the Prov . G . Master called on the Chaplain for an oration on the nature and principles of the Institution .

Bro . the Rev . THOMAS COCHRANE , P . G . Chap ., rose and said * . In obedience to your commands , R . W . Sir , I beg to offer a few remarks to the brethren on the nature and principles of the Institution . It is not my intention to enter at any length into the controversies as to the exact date of the origin of Freemasonry . In the opinion of many , our Order sprang into being at the time of the building of King Solomon ' s Temple , and without doubt , if it did not originate at that time ,

the Order of Masonry would have received a powerful stimulant from the confraternities and guilds of artificers employed in that work of devotion to T . G . A . O . T . U ., all deeply impressed with the sacredness of the work in which they were engaged . But I cannot but believe that our Ancient Order was represented at a far earlier date by one who was especially inspired by Almighty God to erect the first architectural edifice used for the worship of God—viz ., the Tabernacle in

the wilderness . We read in Exodus xxxi . that "The Lord spake unto Moses , saying , I bave called b y name Bezaleel , the son of Uri , and I have filled him with wisdom in all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works , to work in gold and in silver and in the cutting of stone . " The antiquity of the Order being , however , beyond dispute , our time will , I think , be more profitably occupied in considering its position and value in the civilised world . Modern Freemasonry is , as

we are all aware , not a school of architecture , but a system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols , and its special connection with practical architecture has been gradually but surely severed . Now , I conceive that were it necessary to place our Ancient Order upon the defensive against the indiscriminatmg attacks which prejudice loves to make upon every institution recognising the principles of mystery and secrecy , the most effective reply is not to be found in

any mere appeal to antiquity , but by pointing to the well known practical results of ^ Masonry thoroughl y acted up to . In an ever-changing world the unchanging principles of our Order stand firm as a perpetual protest over body and mind , and as a school in which to learn the paramount duties of love to God and love to the brethren , as a rock over which the wild storms of political conflicts and the battle of creeds , which alter the destinies of whole nations , may sweep without ruffling its surface . It is of the essence of pure Masonry that it knows no creeds ,

Consecration Of The Lennox Browne Lodge, No. 2318.

recognises no politics , and thus pure Masonry can p lace itself into antagonist with no States , no religions . Purity , Charity , Fraternity are the principles which it strives to infuse into the minds and hearts of its children , and it bids them to « forth boldly from every lodge , and in the name of T . G . A . O . T . U . practise these virtues faithfully . The assertion so frequently made that the secrets of Masonry are opposed to the doctrines of religion are both michievous and false—intently

mischievous , inasmuch as to force Freemasonry into opposition to religion results disastrously for both systems ; utterly false , inasmuch as Masonry is neither religion nor a substitute for reli gion , but a system of morals eminently constituted to form a valuable handmaiden to every pure religion . We must not fail to observe however , that the fault of a collision between Masonry and religion is sometimes generally the fault of the Mason himself . And circumstances will occasionall y

occur when the wisest discretion must be exercised . A peculiar and deepl y interesting * illustration of a dilemma of this nature , in which there could be no doubt that the principles of our Order were unduly stretched , is afforded us in the V . S . L . The history itself is full of interest to Masons , as bearing marvellous testimony , first , to the antiquity of the Order , and , secondly , to the power of the principles of Masonry over one of the strongest passions of man ' s

nature—the desire for revenge . In the xxth chapter of the ist Book of Kings the incident is related—Benhadad , the King of Syria , had sent to Ahab , the King of Israel , a galling and insolent challenge , " Thy silver and thy gold are mine ; thy wives also and thy children , even the goodliest , are mine . " Ahab , after an interval of timidity and hesitation , being encouraged by a prophet of the Lord , joined in battle with the Syrian King , and defeated him with terrific slaughter , Benhadad

himself escaping from the field of battle , and concealing himself in the city . And now came the point of the history . From his concealment he sent messengers to supplicate the King of Israel for his life . What passed between the messengers and the victorious Sovereign had better be given in the words of Holy Scripture but , if they did not refer to the passing between the conquered and the conquerors of a certain secret sign , it is not easy to see the meaning of the passage . Ahab , upon receiving the message , as if suddenly remembering some obligations of Fraternit y ,

cried out ( v . 32 ) , " Is he yet alive ; he is my brother ; " and we read " The men did diligently observe whether anything would come from it , and did hastily catch it , and they said thy Brother Benhadad . " Doubtless they watched with eagerness to see if the sign of the brotherhood would come from him , and responded to it with the joyful cry "Th y Brother Benhadad . " Remarkable , too , is the sequel of the history . Ahab being thus , as he considered , constrained by the principles of the Ancient Order to spare the life of his enemy , who had heaped insult on his country and his God , came , as I conceive , justly under the sore displeasure of the Church ,

and was visited by the prophet , who foretold his own destruction for sparing the life of the enemy of his na . tion . In this he was distinctly wrong in placing Masonry above his relig ion and above the interests of his country , And , in conclusion , brethren , let the errors or excesses of any who do belong or who have belonged to our

noble Order not discourage or deter us in our pursuit of virtue . To those about to join the Lennox Browne Lodge , now about to be consecrated , I would say that the true secret of preserving a community in a state of purity and usefulness is for each member to begin by making one man pure and useful , and that man himself . Let

neither friendship nor relationship by blood ever betray you in recommending as a fit and proper person to be admitted into Masonry either an unchaste or intemperate man , or one who cannot control himself in his family circle , amongst his friends and acquaintances , and in his professional circle . Above all , then , make your

Freemasonry a reality and not a pastime . Attend , whenever possible , lodges of instruction , that you may become conversant with the real beauty and virtue of the system . Do not consider it as a religion , or as a substitute for religion , but as coexistant with religion , and as an encouragement to search after higher and more

soul-saving truths . Cultivate the sublime principles which are so solemnl y inculcated when you are admitted to the Order . Prove yourselves before the outside world to be true and genuine brothers , that all may see and approve the benign influence of Freemasonry ; and , above all things , remember that the system of morality to which we , as Masons , are pledged , is

essentially for the well-being of an earthly community , and , as mortal beings , you cannot rest satisfied with that . This life , with its interests and necessities , is , after all , but a starting point along a road without an ending , and before us all there is a time when systems of morality shall have faded away into the past , and eternity shall have set its terrible seal upon every action of this

life . In praying that T . G . A . O . T . U . would vouchsafe His choicest blessing upon this newly-constituted lodge , I would add the prayer that . every member of the Fraternity , present and future , may so shape his course here below that he may be admitted , through the mercy and merit of One who loved the world and gave Himself for it , into the eternal portals of the Grand Lodge above . So mote it be .

The oration was followed by the anthem , " Behold how good and joyful a thing , " sung by the musical brethren , and the ceremony of consecration proceeded to its close in the customary form , and finally the Patriarchal Benediction was pronounced by the CONSECRATING OFFICER . Lord BROOKE then requested Bro . Philbrick , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , to install the W . M . designated in the warrant , and Bro . Philbrick according ly

assumed the Master ' s chair , and immediately resumed the lodge in the Second Degree , when Bro . Dr . Thomas Scoresby-Jackson was presented by Bro . Lucking , Prov . G . D . C , for the benefit of installation , and was dul y installed in ancient form by Bro . Philbrick into the chair of K . S . in the presence of a Board consisting of at least 50 Installed Masters , by whom he was duly saluted and congratulated . The newly-installed W . M . then invested Bro . Lennox Browne as acting I . P . M ., a 1 "

likewise invested the officers named in the warrant , namel y : Bro . H . Ffrench Bromhead , as S . W ., and Bro . Wm . Shurmur , as J . W . Bro . J . Pinder was then elected Treasurer of the lodge , and also invested . The rest of the officers were appoi «' and invested , as follows : Bros . T . H . G . Wrighton , Sec ; W . Ernest Dring , S . D . ; H . J . Drane , J . D . ; A . Schneider , I . G . ; W . M . Butcher , D . C ; W . P * Al * ' A . D . C ; G . Ashton and A . Ambrose , Stwds . ; and J . G . Cackett , Org . Bro * Young was elected Tyler by a show of hands , and invested . . The W . M . then rose , and proposed that a vote of thanks to the Prov . Gran Master , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and the rest of the Prov . Grand 0 $ c & who had assisted at the consecration , be recorded on the lodge minutes , and furti * that those brethren be elected honorary members of the lodge . , The motion having been seconded by the S . W ., was put to the vote by " " J . W ., and carried unanimously . , The W . M ., in informing the P . G . M . of the result , presented him with a ha n some consecration jewel , as a memento of the occasion . h js Lord BROOKE , in reply , said it gave him very great pleasure to pin upon coat among the other badges which he valued that token of the regard and estee of the Master and brethren of the Lennox Browne Lodge . It had been a v « ;