Freemasonry In 1894.

Freemasonry in 1894 .

ii S ^ i V fi ^^ MP no event of exceptional'importsincp 1 ms occurred in ' ' ils I EM' I Freemasonry during ' the current year , if there ha ye ;';' J 3 | Bpfij ; heen no other , acquisitions . or losses titan such as are ' 'SA AWM inevitable in all societies , be they religious , political , A " ~~~~~ " * or social , it is , in our judgment , beyond all question

that' the Craft generally throughout the British Empire has rally maintained its position . If , indeed , we take the mere additions to onr roll " of lodges as a criterion of the prosperity which has attended our labours during the past twelve months , we shall find the Craft materially stronger than it was when we compiled our review of

"Freemasonry in 1893 . "* But we are not in the habit of attaching much impovtance- ^ -certainl y not too mnch importance—to the creation of new lodges . When they have been established in new districts , thfey serve as the outward and visible sign that the sphere of . our influence has been extended ; but when they have been planted

in close contiguity with lodges that have already been constituted and were doing good service , it has yet to be seen whether the new bodies will prove sources of strength or weakness . Fortunately , we are not obliged to base our judgment as to the fortune that has )> ef alien us'during tlie year 1894 oh the mere numerical increase of

our lodges . There is ample ancl conclusive evidence to he found in ihe i eports which have been presented , both to the lodges in London and the Provincial and District Grand Lodges in the Country and Abroad , that the year , which a few days hence will have run its course , has been one of steady , if not unexampled , progress . We have

been successful in the discharge of our duties , while the Institutions vvhich have been established at different times , for divers purposes , mid in different parts of the Country , havo heen at least as well supported— -in not a few instances tlie support they have received

has been greater—as , with a few notable exceptions , at any previous period in their history . That this is no idle assertion will be gathered irom the following particulars it has been , once again , our duty to compile .

CRAFT MASONKY , as it forms the groundwork of our wholo Masonic system , naturally claims our first attention . Tlie new lodges for which his Koyal Hi g hness tho M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to grant Warrants of Constitution since the Quarterly Communication of

United Grand Lodge in December , 1893 , are 46 as compared with the 37 that were issued during the preceding twelve months . Of these , 8 are located in the London district , 21 in the Provinces , and 17 Abroad , as against 9 in London , 17 in the Provinces , and 11 Abroad in 1893 . The new London Lodges comprise the Old Boys '

Lodge , No . 2500 , intended , not as its title mi ghtat lirst suggest , for former pupils of onr Boys' School , but for those who have been educated at Montrose College , Brixton Hill ; tlie Barnet Lodge , No . 2509 , which was consecrated by the Grand Secretary on the 28 th May , and which , though it has for its nearest neighbours thc Gladsmuir and

Ravenscroft Lodges in the Province of Hertfordshire , is within the London radius ; the St . John-at-Hackney , No . 2511 ; the Fulliam Lodge , No . 2512 ; and the Sir Walter St . John Lodge , No . 2513 , which meets in the Surrey Masonic Hall , Camberwell . The Train Bands Lodge , No . 2524 , is a semi-military lodge , intended for

brethren connected with the old City of London Militia ; while the Lancastrian Lodge , which , as its name betokens , is for the benefit of Lancashire men who are resident in , or have business connections with . London , was consecrated by the Grand Secretary in the

presence of a very numerous gathering of distinguished Masons , and as it has started on its career with Bro . the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . Master , and Prov . G . Master of West Lancashire , as W . Master , and will derive much of its support from the largest and most influential Province under the Grand Lodge of England , we have no hesitation

Freemasonry In 1894.

in predicting for il a long career nf ¦ success . The remaining London Lodge is the Fellowship . No . 2535 . Tlie 21 Country Lodges are distributed among twelve of the 46 Provinces " , the earliest being the Vale of Eden Lodge , No . 2492 , which was consecrated at Appleby towards the close of March by

Bro . Gen . , 1 . McKay , P . G . Std . Br ., who then occupied the post of Deputy P . G . M . of Cumberland and Westmoreland . The Humber Lodge of Installed Masters , No . 2494 , was consecrated on the 2 nd February by Bro . the Hon . W . T . Ordc-Povvlett , ' P . G . AV ., D . P . G . M . of North and East Yorkshire , and had the good fortune to secure

the services of that able Mason , Bro . M . C . Peck , P . G . Std . Br ., Prov . G . Secretary , as its first AV . M . As many as four new Lodges have been placed on the roll of AA est Lancashire , namely : the Goodacre , No . 2425 , which is worthily named after the G . Secretary of the Province , and meets at Bootle ; tho County Palatine Lodge , No .

2505 , which meets at Birkdale near Liverpool ; the City Lodge , No . 2514 , Liverpool ; and tho-Thurston Lodge , " No . 2525 , meeting at ; Monk Coniston . Cheshire has lengthened its Lodge roll by tho addition of the Wirral Lodge , No . 2496 , Birkenhead , which was ushered into existence in February by the Dep . G . Master ofthe Province .

Bro . ten' Horatio Lloyd , P . G . D . It is just live years since any IIPW Lodges were consecrated in Northumberland , and tlie Province , therefoi * e , is to be congratulated on the addition of two , by the constitution , on the same day—the 25 th July—of the Carville Lodge , No . 2497 , AVallsend-on-Tyne . and the Prince of AA ales Lodge .

No . 2520 , Newcastle-on-Tyne , the ceremony having been performed in both cases by Bro . Sir l \ . AVhite-Ridley , Bart , M . P ., Prov . G . Master . Two . Lodges . have been established in Kent , of which one , hearing the style and title of the North . Kent Lodge , No . 2499 , meets at Bexley Heath , while the other—the Shirley AVooliner , No .

2530—is held in Sidcup . Essex has been slightly more forttinato nnd has increased its array of lodges by three , from 34 to 37 , two of its new lodges being located at : Buckhurst Hill , viz : the Ixion Lotlge , No . 2501 , for A \ lieclmen , which was consecrated b y Bro . T . J . Balling , P . G . Sec , on the 30 th April , and the Earl of Warwick

Lodge , No . 2504 , so named after the Prov . G . Master under his new title , and consecrated by him on tlie llth of tlie same month . The remaining new lodge was consccvnIed by Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . Beg ., the Deputy G . Master of the Province , under the st yle and title of the Thomas Railing Lodge , No . 2508 , at Chingford , on tho 1 st

May , and started on its career under the auspices of the respected brother from whom it derives its name , and who readily consented to serve as its first AV . Master . Surrey has been strengthened by the addition of two lodges , and is now entitled to additional Provincial Ofiicers ; the Gatvvick , No . 2502 , Horley , and the Noel-Money

Lodge , Tso . 2521 , AVeybridge , named after the present Prov . G . Alaster , who is presiding as the first W . M ., having enlarged the number to 40 lodges . Hertfordshire is now 22 lodges strong , ihe Charles Edward Keyser Lodge , No . 2518 , which meets at Hoddesdon , having been consecrated by Bro . T . F . Halsey , M . P ., P . G . AI ., on the 5 th July .

Bro . Keyser was installed as its lirst AV . Alaster , and we trust the lodge , having started under such favourable auspices , will last for many , many years , and so perpetuate the fame of one who , both in Hertfordshire and generally , has rendered such important services to Freemasonry . Aliddlesex , by the addition of the

Roll-Call Lodge , No . 2523 , Hounslow , and the Staines Lodge , No . 2520 , meeting in the town after which it is named , has also increased its roll of lodges to upwards of 40 , and , like Surrey , is now entitled to additional Provincial Officers ; while East Lancashire has been strengthened by the constitution of the Abbey Lodge , No . 2529 ,

Whalley . Ihe remaining new Country Lodgo is tho Fitzwilliam , No . 2533 , which meets at Peterborough , and adds one more to the array of lodges under Bro . the Earl of Enston , Prov . G . Master of Norths and Hunts . As for the 17 lodges which have been constituted abroad , the bulk of them will be found located in South