Consecration Of The Queen's Westminster Lodge, No. 2021.

so actively was he engaged , that although he was much inclined to join the Volunteers he could not give it sufficient time . His eldest son , however , became a Volunteer in the Middlesex Artillery , and he afterwards served at Buenos Ayres , and commanded a body of Artillery . His eldest son , who was the only son he had living , went into the Victoria Rifles , and afterwards in the Middlesex Yeomanry ; and so enchanted was he with the service that he went into active military life at the Cape , and through a

little Masonic influence he ( Bro . Fenn ) got him an appointment as Lieutenant in the Frontier Light Horse , in which he served in the Transvaal war . Therefore he ( Bro . Fenn ) thought he might say he represented the Volunteer movement , and he certainly felt a sincere interest in it , and could both as a Mason and as o representative Volunteer wish success to their lodge . Under their present W . M . it had every' prospect of success , and that success he now proposed as a toast .

To the toast of " The Visitors Bro . EDGAR BOWYER , G . Std . Rr ., and C . J . SHOPPEE replied . The toasts of "The Treasurer and Secretary , " "The Officers , " and the Tyler ' s toast concluded the proceedings .

Consecration Of The Methuen Chapter, No. 1533, At Marlborough, Wilts.

CONSECRATION OF THE METHUEN CHAPTER , No . 1533 , AT MARLBOROUGH , WILTS .

The interesting and impressive ceremony of the consecration of a new Royal Arch Chapter , attached to the Lodge of Loyalty , No . 15 , 33 , at Marlborough , was performed on Monday , the loth inst ., by the Right Hon . Lord H . Thynne , M . P ., Grand Superintendent of Wilts , assisted b y Comps . Col . Shadwell H , Clerke , G . S . E ., as H ., and the Rev . John A . Lloyd , J . 357 , as J ., who delivered an able oration on the occasion . Owing

to various circumstances , notably the difficulty of reaching the town from different parts of the province by train , the attendance of Royal Arch Masons was not so numerous as otherwise might have been expected . Amongst those present were Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Prov . G . Supt . Middx . ; E . Comps . Henry C . Tombs , P . A . G . So } ., acting Scribe K . ; Edwin Jiyrcs , M . E . Z . 355 ; Richard Tarrant , P . Z . 355 ; Comps . F . H . Goldney , 41 ; Francis Barton , 6 S 3 ; H . Lovcll , 683 ; James Batemnn , 159 ; and Robt . Blake , 147 S .

The music for the ceremonial was well arranged , and partly composed by Comp . W . S . Bnmbridge , who presided at the harmonium . Comp . John Chandler , P . Z . 355 , acted as Director of Ceremonies . After the consecration the following Principals were duly installed : Comps . Deputy Surgeon-General Theobold Ringer , P . G . Sword Bearer , to the chair of M . E . Z . ; the Rev . John A . Lloyd to the chair of H . ; and J . Campbell Maclean , P . Z . 355 , to the chair of J . The Right Hon . Lord H . Bruce was elected Treasurer , and Comp . E . B . Merriman , Scribe E .

The FIRST PRINCIPAL then stated that H . R . H . the Duke of Albany , K . G ., Grand Superintendent of Oxfordshire , bad most kindl y expressed his willingness to become an honorary member of the chapter , in order to show his friendship for Lord Methuen , the Provincial Grand Master of Wilts , by whose name the chapter was designated ; and at the same time his desire

to associate himself with the Province of Wilts , in which he had at one time resided . He therefore had the honour and pleasure of proposing his Royal Highness as an honorary member of the chapter , and he took this opportunity of expressing his thanks for his Royal Highness ' s kind gift of £ 5 towards the foundation expenses . The proposal was carried with acclamation by the companions .

The newly-installed M . E . Z . then proposed the following companions as honorary members : Lord H . Thynne , Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Henry C , Tombs , and Lord Methuen . These proposals were also carried by acclamation .

' The following candidates were then proposed for exaltation : Comps . the Right Hon . Lord F . Bruce , Brooks-Hill , F . C . P . Calley , R . Merriman , and the Rev . E . Christmas . Afterwards the following companions were proposed as joining members : H . Bevir , George Pike , and James Bateman . Votes of thanks were then accorded to the acting Principals in the

consecration [ of the chapter and the Prov . G . S . E . for their services . The consideration of the bye-laws was deferred to a future occasion , and the chapter was closed in due form . The assembled companions then adjourned to a banquet at the Ailesbury Arms Hotel , provided by Bro . J . Carter , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were duly honoured .

I he following gifts were presented to the chapter : A set of banners , by Comp . Dep . Surgeon-General T . Ringer , M . E . Z ., and the sceptres by Comp . the Rev . John A . Lloyd , H . Letters of regret for inability to be present were received from Lord Methuen , who was in attendance at Windsor ; Lord Robert Bruce , A . L . Hawkins , H . 357 ; the Rev . J . H . Jukes , M . E . Z . 357 ; the Rev , Canon Millar , 355 ; and many other companions .

St. Botolph's Lodge, No. 2020.

ST . BOTOLPH'S LODGE , No . 2020 .

The earl y days ol the coming year will witness the consecration of a new bod ge , bearing the style and title of the St . Botolph ' s Lodge , No . 2020 , and meeting in the vicinity of a church dedicated to this particular Saint , and the installation of our respected Bro . Alderman Staples as its first Worshi pful Master . It happens curiously enough that Bro . Staples , who for the last six years has presided over the Ward of Aldersgate as its Alderman ,

and who a short time back took part , in his official capacity , in the ceremony ° i opening St . Botolph ' s burial-ground to the public as a place for recreation , has compiled a kind of memorial sketch of the church and the Parish in which it is situated . This sketch has been printed for private circulation ; but we trust no offence will be taken if we lay before our readers a few of its most noteworthy particulars . St . Botolph , though there

are doubts as to the place of his nativity , appears to have been a most exemplary person , and died in the odour of sanctity in the abbey he had erected 'n the fens of Lincolnshire , his name and fame being perpetuated by the good town of Boston , that is , Botolp h ' s Town , which in days long gone by * as a place of considerable importance , and one with which the worth y c 'hzens of London had many and considerable dealings . Hence it was not

so very strange that Londoners should have honoured the tutelary Saint of he Lincolnshire town by erecting several churches in their own vicinity , and bestowing upon them his name . Of these , St . Botolph ' s Without ^ l dcrsgate , ' by no means the least worthy of our respect . It has had its 'are of the vicissitudes of fortune , but it has emerged from them all most ravel y , it escaped total destruction at the Great Fire of London , yet the

St. Botolph's Lodge, No. 2020.

present edifice is little more than a century old . Its records go a long way back , while of the properties which belonged eiihcr to the church melf , or to the fraternities of the Holy Trinity , St . Katherine , and St . Fabi ; n , and St . Sebastian , which were founded in it , some sn'II remain in ihe possession of the parish . All this is told clcar ' y and ] Ieasan l y by Bro . Staples , while the information he has hunted up Iro-n ancient archives concerning the church and the parish are supplemented by others relating

to St . Martin ' s-le-Grand , whose dean and chapter were its palrons , and Little Britain , still a busy and well-known thoroughfare in this pnrt of whit it is the fashion to speak of as the " . Modern Babylon . " Thus having mastered all the details of St . Botolph ' s Church and parish , in which extraofficially , no doubt , as well as officially , he takes a deep interest , we have every confidence that Bro . Staples will show himself equally proficient in contriving whatever is necessary to secure the future prosperity of St . Botolph ' s Lodge . He has , at all events , our hearty good wishes for its success .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

{ Continued from page 637 . ) The principal business of the Quarterly General Meeting in January , 1 S 41 , was the election of a seventh annuitant , the successful candidate being a Bro . John Clarke , who polled 24 + votes , the other four being nowhere . At the Quarterly Meeting in April , the Secretary having announced among other things that he had distributed by post 150 copies of the preliminary

regulations among as many lodges , the important business of the day was proceeded with , and the following resolutions were unanimously passed , namely : That the executor or executors of any bequest of 20 guineas or upwards , or the appointee or appointees of any occasional fund or funds of a similar amount contributed to this Institution , be entitled to the privileges of a Life Governor .

That the widows of annuitants , married at least 10 years before the date of their election , and at least 50 years of age at the decease of their husbands , shall respectively eceive one-half of the amount of the annuity previously paid .

Bro . Rowe then expressed his anxiety to submit sundry resolutions to the meeting with . 1 view to healing the " wounds inflicted upon the Institution b y removing the cause of dissension amongst its friends , " but as no previous notice of his intention had been given , the course he was desirous of following could not be taken . But the wish that something of the kind should be done being apparent among the brethren present , it was

unanimously agreed , on the motion of Bro . Lee Stevens , that it be a recommendation to the next Quarterly Meeting to the effect that certain alterations be made in the rules and regulations , and certain resolutions be rescinded . The matter , however , was not dealt with till the meeting in October , though Bro . Watkins gave notice of a series of resolutions , the object of which was to establish two separate funds , one consisting of the / 2000

already invested in Consols , to be set apart as a Building Fund ; and the other of £ 1000 to form the nucleus of an Annuity Fund , so that donors and subscribers mi ght have the option of contributing to either or both . The officers and Committee were , as usual , elected . The Auditors' report was satisfactory , the balance in hand , after defraying expenses and purchasing ^ 300 Exchequer Bills , being only a few pounds less than the year previous ,

while the statement of assets , including the aforesaid balance , disclosed a total in cash and investments amounting to very little short of £ 3200 , there being arrears of subscriptions outstanding in respect of the current year and 1840 to the extent of over £ 222 . It may also be mentioned that the Anniversary Festival took place on the 15 th June . Bro . Benjamin Wood ,

M . P ., was to have presided , but his parliamentary duties intervening , his place at the last moment was taken b y Bro . J . C . Bell ; the subscriptions announced , including £ 10 10 s . from Bro . Wood , amounting to close on ^ 422 . It is also worthy of record that the annual Asylum ball yielded a profit of £ < ifi , or taking into account about ^ £ 14 uncollected , £ 60 .

At the October Quarterly Meeting the question of amending the regulations and rescinding certain resolutions was taken into consideration , with

the result that Bro . Watkins s resolutions , as altered by himself , were accepted in lieu of the original proposition and were to the following effect : The Committee , after taking into mature consideration the operation of the resolution passed for the appropriation of the funds of this Charity on the 24 th May , 1839 , ar « of opinion that the wishes of many warm friends to this Institution will be materially consulted by their being- permitted to exercise a discretion in the disposal of their

donations , and therefore propose , That the sum of £ 2000 , now invested in the Three per cent . Consols for the purpose of erecting an Asylum for worthy Aged and Decayed Freemasons , be denominated the Building Fund ; and that the annual interest of the said fund , together with all donations and subscriptions to that object , be added to it , to accumulate until such time as it shall be deemed expedient to commence the erection of the Asylum .

That the sum of £ 1000 and upwards , since subscribed , be invested in the public funds , and be denominated the Annuity Fund ; and that such portion of the interest thereof , and of the donations and subscriptions to that object , as shall not be required for the payment of the Annuitants and current expenses of the Institution , shall annually be added to the said fund .

That all future subscriptions and donations be received under separate heads , and added , at the option of the donors , to either the Building Fund or the Annuity Fund . A resolution was also passed to the effect that " the Quarterly Communication of the meeting of the United Grand Lodge of England on the 1 st September last having been read ; it was resolved that the General Committee , by Sub-Committee or otherwise , be empowered to confer with the Board of General Purposes on the system of Annuities proposed to Grand

Lodge , with a view to an early amalgamation of the two plans . " It was further arranged that a Special General Meeting should be held on the 27 th October for the purpose , if approved , of confirming the foregoing resolutions , and the meeting being held accordingly , they were so confirmed unanimousl y . But this necessitated the holding of another Special Meeting which took place on the 2 nd November , when Bros . R . T . Crucefix , J . C . Bel ) , and J . Lee Stevens , with the assistance of Bro . Field , the Secretary , were appointed a Sub-Committee with a view to conferring with the Board