Consecration Of The St. Stephen's Lodge, No. 2424.

following brethren were invested as officers : Bros . Gordon Miller , P . M . 257 , j . W . 1910 , S . W . ; Charles Rawle , P . M . 1685 , J . D . 23613 , J . W . ; R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L ., P . A . G . D . C , acting I . P . M . ; J . C . Merry weather , 127 , Treas . ; H . F . Bing , P . M ., Sec . 1597 , P . M . 1962 , P . P . G . D . Middx ., Sec . ; ]¦ Harrison , 810 , S . D . ; A . R . Carter , P . M . 1728 , Sec . 2347 , ] . D . ; A . Harrison , Sio , I . G . ; C F . Matier , P . G . Std . Br ., D . C . ; C . Warwick Jordan , Mus . Doc , 1314 , Org . ; and Ball , Tyler .

The Consecrating Officers were , on the motion of the W . M ., seconded by Bro . Dr . TURTLE PIGOTT , unanimously elected honorary members of the lodge , and after names of joining members and intending initiates had been proposed and seconded , the lodge was closed , and adjourned till October .

The usual consecration banquet followed , with the customar 3 ' toasts and programme of music . After " The Queen and the Craft" had been honoured , The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing "The M . W . G . M ., " said the feeling that was uppermost in the breasts of Masons was that of thankfulness that the Prince of Wales ' s visit , like the visit of her Majesty to the

continent , had resulted in his return to this country in improved health . If anything could show the admiration not only of this county , but of the whole world , of the Prince of Wales , it was the wonderful evidence of the S 3 'inpathy which he had received in the great trouble through which he had lately passed . Those connected with the Craft , and consequently more closely associated with him , and having opportunities of seeing him and knowing all his good qualities , were able to appreciate and sympathise with

him perhaps more than an ) ' other class . There were those among Masons who had had to lose their first-born , but he doubted whether any of them had had a worse experience than the Grand Master , but they fully sympathised with him , ami were grateful to the Great Architect for having restored him to health . They hoped to see him among them soon in full vigour . All Masons in every part of the globe trusted that the Almight 3 ' would give him health and strength to support himself , to bear his heav ) ' burden , and to cast off his srrief .

Bro . Sir JOHN B . MONCKTON , P . G . W ., responded to the toast of . " The Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and prefaced his remarks by observing how gratified he was personalty and Masonicallj' to be present that evening . A new Masonic bab 3 had been brought into the world , not by an old and experienced midwife , but by a young and promising one , so promising ,

indeed , that they might look forward to many such babies in the future being safe !) ' launched on their Masonic existence . He most heartily congratulated the St . Stephen ' s Lodge on being the lirst to test the quality of the new Grand Secretary . He saw him consecrate a new Royal Arch chapter in Camberwell not long ago , and admirabl y he did it . Old Masons knew it to be the fact , and young ones might take it from them , that no man of business was of any good unless he did a little bit of business when he

could . On that occasion he ( Sir J . Monckton ) threw out a feelsr , and he would throw out another this evening . The most graceful act the St . Stephen ' s Lodge could perform would be to send up a Steward lo the Girls ' Festival -. the babies here might help the babies elsewhere . He could assure them the money would be well taken care of , and not as had happened at Cambridge recently , where after Lord Lathom had laid the lirst stone of a Masonic Hall , it was proved they had not bottled up the coins properly , and someone had taken them afterwards .

Bro . LETCHWORTH said he felt that an apology was due from him to the brethren for again venturing to inflict his words upon them after having said so much in lodge ; but he felt sure that when he revealed the object of his rising , they would forgive him . Me rose to ask the brethren to drink the toast of tlie evening— " The Health of the W . M ., " whom he recently had the great pleasure of installing in the chair of the St . Stephen ' s Lodge . He

thought that those brethren who signed the petition for the lodge exercised a very wise discretion when they selected as their first Master the brother who now filled the chair , lie did not know whether there were present any members of the United Pilgrims Lodge , but if there were they could tell the brethren that at the time when the United Pilgrims Lodge was—not to speak disrespectfull y of it—at somewhat low water , Bro . Joyce

was induced to take the chair , and so well did he discharge the duties of his office that at the end of his year of onice he was invited to take the chair for a second year . He did so , and at the end of his second year not only had he restored to the lodge that prestige which it formerly had and so well deserved , but he placed the Charity Fund on a sound and satisfactory basis ,

and in addition he initiated during the time he was W . M . no less than 29 candidates . This was pretty good evidence of the manner in which the W . M . was able to manage a lodge , and the founders of theSt . Stephen ' s Lodge were to be most heartily congratulated on having at their head so able a brother , He asked the brethren with every feeling and sentiment of corr diality to join with him in drinking the health of the W . M .

I he WoRSHii'iiL MASTER , in reply , said he might take it from what Bro . Letchworth had said with reference to him that at least it was believed that during his Masonic career he had attempted to do the best he could for the Craft in general and everybody in particular . He was very much struck by a paper he held in his hand which contained a record of his installation in 1883 in the United Pilgrims Lodge , when he was scarcely a

three-yearold Mason . He war , first in the chair , and on that occasion four brethren were present who were present that ni ght -Bros . Lemon , Bing , Stevens , and Peters . He was very proud lo think those brethren were now present . He could never hope to have another such occasion as this , and he should be quite content to retire on his laurels . With regard 10 the remarks ol the Grand Secretary , he could onl y say that it would be his endeavour in

the future as it had been in the past to do the best he could with regard to Freemasonry . Bro . Lemon said at his ( Bro . Joyce ' s ) lirst installation that he thought he ( Bro . Joyce ) was a very good Mason—that he was omnivorous . He should continue to be omnivorous . Bro . Monckton had made an appeal to him and his friends in the lod ge with regard to the Charities of Masonry . He was proud to think that that was the thing he had been working for all

these years . He had on his breast a jewel he prized more than his Past Master ' s jewel or P . 7 .. ' s jewel , the jewel which showed he had served the Stewardship of the three great Charities , and more than that , he would tell them he did not confine it to himself , he tried to induce his brother Masons ts go into it . Sir J . Monckton had been appcalinir to younir members .

I here was one present , and when he induced him to go up for the Benevolent he was not content with that , but was going up for the Girls . They were doing a great deal in that line . With regard to that which was the ambition of his life , to do all he could for Charity , there was one of his own lodges to whom he owed a great deal . The Secretary , Bro . Bing , was one who prompted him in the cause of Charity , and by his help he adopted a

Consecration Of The St. Stephen's Lodge, No. 2424.

system which had been a great assistance to the cause of Charity . He hoped to see the same system carried out in the St . Stephen ' s Lodge ; fro m every subscription they appropriated half a guinea to Charity . That was the conception of Bro . Bing , and the result was that they had contributed a large amount . He hoped to put that upon their rules . They were going to work heartily and unanimously , and secure the peace , prosperity , and happiness of the St . Stephen ' s Lodge , and of the Craft generally . The other toasts were given at a very late hour .

The Centenary Of The Female Orphan School At Dublin.

THE CENTENARY OF THE FEMALE ORPHAN SCHOOL AT DUBLIN .

The bazaar at Ball's Bridge , in aid of the Masonic Female Orphan School , was opened with much pomp and circumstance on Tuesday afternoon , the 17 th inst ., by his Grace the Duke of Abercorn , the Grand Master of Ireland , and in the presence of a vast concourse of distinguished persons from all parts of Ireland—many , indeed , came over from England , and even beyond that—the occasion being considered so interesting , so important

and one that will not occur again in the lifetime of any living person . It is quite certain that no bazaar has ever been held in Dublin on a scale at once so extensive and so magnificent , and it is doubtful whether any fete of a similar description has ever taken . place in England or elsewhere . There is some evidence to support this—what might be called a rash statement . Messrs . Womersley and Co ., of Leeds , who erected Old

Dublin and the 17 th century English city lor this bazaar , state that it is certainly the largest contract of this nature which they have ever undertaken . Before- three o ' clock in the afternoon the throng was so great that it was deemed wise to admit the people , who quickly filled the Main Hall in anticipation of the opening ceremoii 3 ' . The galleries were packed , and the pressure was so great that it was surprising the towers and gables of the old

city did not topple down on the heads of the dense crowd below , where there was scarcehy room to move . All the reserved seats were occupied ; the platform was fully occupied also , with the exception of that portion set apart for the brethren taking part in the procession . Away towards the back of the platform was posted the band of the Gloster Regiment , who from time to lime rendered a selection of music , which relieved the tedium

of waiting . A few minutes after the hands of the great clock had pointed to 3 . 30 the band struck up a slow march , and from the other end of the arena there entered in stately procession , to the impressive music , the brethren in their full regalia , the lesser lights leading the van , and the Right Worshipful Masters , the Provincial Grand Secretaries—visions of blue and gold—the Past Masters , the Knights Templars , and the Knights

of the other Orders attired in their white robes , and bearing swords and halberds . In the close of the procession there were the M . W . Grand Master of Ireland , his Grace the Duke of Abercorn , and the R . W . Deputy Grand Master , Bro . R . W . Shekleton , Q . C ., attended by the Chaplains , and it must have been interesting to those not connected with the brotherhood to notice that in this procession there were the most distinguished of

their countrymen . When the knights arrived at the foot of the platform they baited and formed an avenue ; they then crossed their swords , and through this arch of steel passed the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master , and the distinguished officers accompanying them . All then filed in to their places . The spectacle was then of a truly brilliant character . The platform was ablaze with colour ; for besides the brethren in their attractive regalia , there were some hundreds of the lady stall-holders and

assistants in their bri ght-hucd fancy costumes , and the bandsmen in their military uniforms ; then the windows of the old houses in the city walls were filled with eager , interested faces , the avenues were densely crowded with smartly-dressed people , and the gay drapery of the stalls blended into the bewildering display of Hags and bunting hung overhead . Bro . W . CHETWODE CRAWLEY , I . L . D ., G . D . of C , came forward and announced that the Deputy Grand Master would mark the time for the customary salute to the Grand Master .

The National Anthem having been rendered by the band of the Gloster Regiment , The Duke of ADERCORN , M . W . G . M ., arose and was greeted with loud applause . He said the duty devolved upon him of declaring open this bazaar , which was one of a description that had never before been held in Dublin , and would probably never be held again during their lifetime There were three objects always in view in holding bazaars . The first ' was

lo extract as much money out of the pockets of those persons who attended bazaars as was possible , and that in the most pleasant manner . The second object was that of flirting , and he hoped that in years to come many young couples would look back with p leasure t » the pleasant memories of this bazaar . The third object was to

collect as many pounds as possible for whatever object the promoter '' might have in view , whether of Charity or of any other kiinl . The } ' were all aware of the reasons for which this bazaar w . -i- > being held . The object was to increase the funds of the two Masonic Schools , and especially the Girls' School . It was not intendcel to add to any great extent to the buildings of those two Schools , but the }'

were anxious to increase as far as possible the opportunities for the furthci education of the elder girls who were able for it . He wished to convey all thanks to those who had aided in the success of this great bazaar . An assistance had been rendered in every town all over the country which \ V . T deserving of the highest praise ; and it was only another proof of that warn ' sympathetic nature which characterised the Irish race . The warmest thanks

were due also to those ladies who had aided the good work by their uiitinni , efforts , and who had been the means of providing those beautiful stalls am all the beautiful articles glittering therein . Thanks were also due to the Masonic body throughout Ireland ; to the Masonic lodges who ha ' been of the very greatest assistance by means of their local organisations , which enabled them to hold bazaars and entertainments in aw

of this great bazaar . To the Dublin and Irish provincial press then wannest thanks were due for their friendly criticism and notices of the bazaar . The Irish press had been of incalculable benefit to this movement ' The previous night had witnessed a beautiful and successful scene , owing '" the grand organisation which the Masonic brethren were able to bring inl ° play , but that afternoon they had a still more wonderful exhibition with a of the

vast attendance of the public . He could only hope that the success : previous ni ght would be magnified in the success of the coming week , aiK that when the inhibition closed they would find that the pecuniary result n <' far exceeded their expectations , and that in the years to come this griM exhibition would always remain in the minds of Irish Masons as a memen of what Irishmen were able to undertake and successfully perform , then declared the bazaar open .