Consecration Of The Birchall Lodge Of Mark Masters, No. 143 .

William Romaine Callender , juri ., Prov . G . M . M . M of Lancashire . " In Mas-cWy generally , no name stood higher than that of Bro . Callender . He would not expatiate why , nor make use of any amount of fulsome eulogy . They knew why , but in that degree particularly , met , as they were ,

on the occasion of consecrating a new lodge , they ought to pay especial compliments to him for the exertion he had expended in promoting Alark Masonry , the talent he had brought to bear upon it , and the kind manner in which he had exerted his great social influence in promoting the

extension ofthe Order . He need not say more to impress Upon them the importance of the toast , nor to render it more acceptable to them . He was confident they would receive it and do due honour to it ; but he must be permitted to express to the Provincial Grand Alaster his own

personal obligation for the kind manner in which he had sanctioned the formation of the lod ge , and especially for his presence on that occasion , and for the admirable and never-to-be-forgotten manner in which he had consecrated the lodge . It was with very great pleasure he proposed his health , and hoped he and the officers under him

in the illustrious position he so abl y filled mi ght enjoy long and prosperous lives . Bro . W . Romaine Callender , junr ., said : — Brethren , as regards brevity I will follow , as I am always anxious to do , the example of your Worshipful Alaster . I can assure you that I never enter a lodge without receiving words of kindness and commendation which I feel are

more than I deserve . Perhaps I never had greater pleasure than in coming to Pieston to-day . Considering the importance of Preston—and I say it , you will be quite sure , not merely in words of compliment or flattery—it is no small thing for us to have a Mark Lodge in a large ancl important town like this . The founding- ofa branch

like this , commenced under such auspices , taken up by a number of brethren who have the confidence of their friends in the town and nei ghbourhood , and commanding the position and importance which your town occupies . —I say , such a lodgi ought to be a focus and a loadstar of Mark

Alasonry in North Lancashire , I hope for generations , ( Applause . ) There is another peculiar feature in our meeting to-day . We have had thc pleasure of meeting in our lodge , and obligating in our Constitution , brethren who , like many other brethren in this room and in Lancashire , took their Alark degree under a kindred Constitution ;

and I am always anxious that those brethren should be fully alive to the fact that there is no actual rivalry between us . It is not worth while now going into the question how or why there . should be two jurisdictions . We who were advanced under one jurisdiction have thought , as Englishmen , that we ought to support the English Constitution when one could be found to

work and agree ; but , on the other hand , we have no wish to push ourselves in opposition to , or to force our lodges upon , those who differ from us . One strong feeling which I had in accepting the honours which were placed before me was , that I mi ght perhaps , having some

influence in the Craft , prevent any possibility of dissension arising in this degree to mar our working in the Craft degree , which we all acknowledge to be the most important and most universal . I believe that this and many other degrees are of use and importance , have special beauties of their

own , and are , as it were , the adornments and embellishments of the system ; still I think it would be a great mistake and a great misfortune if any differences on those other points were at all to cause any unpleasant feeling or the shadow of uneasiness or dissension in our Craft lodges .

I am happy to be able to say that this view of the question , so far as regards East Lancashire , has been generally adopted ; and although we have yet two jurisdictions , ancl although we do not quite know whether they will be merged into one , still we have reason to believe that , in a longer or shorter time , no feelinsr of

dissatisfaction , or dissension , or dispute can possibly ari e to mar the working of the one or the other , for we acknowledge to have one desire in this great and beautiful and most comprehensive elegree . I have onl y now to thank you , th , * brethren , personally , and at the same time let me say how many thanks I feel we owe to your Worshi pful Master and the brotherhood of the lodge estab-

Consecration Of The Birchall Lodge Of Mark Masters, No. 143 .

lished to-day ; and also , if I may be allowed to add , to the Provincial Grand Officers who have come in such number here . They have come here not merely from any personal regard to myself , and not merely from a sense of duty , but from a desire to do honour to th i town of

Preston—and to assure the brethren here that they have a hearty sympathy in all that concerns your ancient and most important town . Bro . Birchall having proposed "The Lord Lindsay , the R . W . Deputy P . G . M . M . ; Lord Skelmersdale , P . G . S . W . AI . M . ; and the rest of the Provincial Grand Officers . "

Bro . W . Romaine Callender , jun ., said he believed he had now the privilege of proposing the next toast , and , as time was advancing , he feared he would not be able to do justice to it in the way in which he should like to do , and perhaps he had already anticipated some remarks he might have

made in proposing " Prosperity to the Birchall Lodge , 143 . " It was a similar toast to that always proposed atthe installation ofa Worshipful Master , and always proposed with sincerity . He was sure none of these Masonic toasts were ever proposed by brethren without feeling a

heartiness and an earnestness to which members of the outer world were to a great extent strangers . No man with any degree of Masonry in his heart could enter into a lodge without wishing that lodge prosperity ; and although he might be a stranger , ancl although he might scarcely

know its members , and know little or nothing of its particular working , yet , if he happened to be present at the annual meeting , -when an installation took place , he must feel a special desire that the principles which had been handed down so far might be handed down for twelve months

more , and that their operations would be carried on as time advances by future members . He was sure if that feeling was prevalent in every Alasonic heart , it must be especially so when a new lodge was formed . AVhatever amount of Alasonic experience a brother might have had ,

still , there was no small responsibility in undertaking the working of a new lodge . He was sure on an occasion like that , when they were commencing a new lodge in a new degree , that responsibility , that anxiety , ancl that labour were proportionately increased ; and till the more

so when it was their desire , as he knew it must be , to emulate other lodges in the province and to set a good example to . those who might come in after them . Since they had had a Provincial Grand Lodge in Lancashire they had been

particularl y fortunate in the class and the number of brethren who had joined them . They had not merely been numerous , but they had also been excellent and hard-working Alasons . As he knew it must and would be their desire that the

Birchall Lodge should not be outshone by others he felt that their Worshi pful Alaster and his officers , and the brethren who first composed it , would have no ordinary work to perform ; and in proportion to that work and responsibility , so the wishes of himself and Grand Officers , and

the brethren throughout Lancashire , would be great and earnest . He confessed that when Col . Birchall was at one of their Alark Lodges he was exceedingly anxious not to take him from their Scotch brethren by any unworthy means , but to avail himself of his services if it was reall y

possible . He would not , either for his own sake , or for the colonel ' s sake , or the Craft ' s sake , suggest that he should give up his first allegiance , but when he heard that he was disposed to join them , he felt—and those feelings were shared by them all—a very great amount of pleasure . It was

an especial gratification to him to have a brother and a gentleman like the Colonel to fill an office in the Provincial Grand Lodge , because he had always contended that , whilst they ought to recognise merit , they ought also to seek to amalgamate with it social position and social worth .

He knew that Bro . Birchall was not likely to do that without doing some more Alasonic work . He felt perfectly certain of that when Bro . Birchall received the office of Prov . J . G . Warden , and he said to a friend , " Depend upon it , we

shall have a lodge at Preston before long . " He could only , in conclusion , express to Bro . Birchall the gratification he felt for his kindness in taking office under him , and also his very sincere thanks for the manner in which he and his other brethren were going to conduct their new lodge .-

Consecration Of The Birchall Lodge Of Mark Masters, No. 143 .

He wished Bro . Birchall in his year of office , and every other brother who accepted office under him and all who were connected w ith the lodge , every happiness and prosperity , both in their

public and private concerns , and he hoped especially that this Birchall Lodge would be a Masonic blessing and a Alasonic advantage to the town and neighbourhood . He had great pleasure in proposing " Prosperity to the Birchall Lodge . "

Bro , Birchall , in rising to return thanks for the honour which they had done him in drinking his health in connection with the newly-formed lodge , assured thc brethren that whilst he felt the high honour ancl experienced great pleasure and gratification in having been placed in that

eminent position , he at the same time felt the great responsibility which he had undertaken , because that was not the first time he had been called upon to initiate a Alasonic Institution in the town of Preston . ( Hear , hear . ) Like their Provincial Worshipful Alaster he for the third

time appeared as the institutor or founder of a Alasonic body in the town . He was quite aware that the Provincial Grand Master felt a great wish and anxiety that it should spread in all directions , and that he had a peculiar desire that a lodge should be formed in Preston . It afforded

him ( Bro . Birchall ) great pleasure in carrying that desire in effect . Their Worshipful Alaster thought it would progress still further westward if once established in Preston , and he ( Bro . Birchall ) had ever ) ' reason to believe that before long there would be a lodge in Lancaster , and

probably still further north-west . He trusted they would agree with him in thinking that they had begun that day under very good auspices . They began , of course , as new lodges did , with a limited number of members , but they had alread y that clay affiliated several members from another

Order , of the same degree , ancl he had had the honour of proposing in the lodge not fewer than twenty-five brethren for advancement , unon the occasion of their first assembly . No exertion of his woul I be spared , so far as time from his other avocations would permit , to ensure the

welfare of the lotlge . He felt proud that he had been supported so kindly by the brethren who had accepted office under him , and he did trust that they would exert themselves to make themselves perfect in their respective departments , so that they might not be ashamed to be visited

by members from any other locality . Before sitting down , he moved to propose " The health of the Senior and Junior NVardens , and the other officers of the lodge ; " with such good officers there was no fear that the lodge would not go on succeeding and to prosper . ( Loud applause . )

Bro . Alajor Wilson , Senior Warden , returned thanks on behalf of the officers of the new lodge . He hoped and he believed the people of Preston would see , from these ceremonies , that there was something in Freemasonry that was deserving of

the consideration and attention of every good man —( hear , hear , )—and that there was something in the principles of the Craft . In evendegree they saw them developed in a different way—one developed in one way , and another in another—and there was something * so ennobline *

111 them , that the knowledge of their proceedings would further the interests of the Craft ; and in the town induce the people to think that they were not a body of men who met merely for the purpose of eating ancl drinking , and

social intercourse , but for the purpose of promoting morality , religion , and good fellowshi p amongst one another . Bro . J . J . Greaves proposed "The Visiting Brethren . "

The Worshi pful Alaster proposed " The health of the Brethren of the neighbouring Province of Cumberland ancl Westmorland , " coupled with the name of Bro . James Porter , W . M . of lodge

60 , who suitably responded . Bro . Galloway proposed the . health of those gentlemen who had entertained them with harmony ; and the remainder of the evening was passed in an equally enjoyable manner .

" MORE than a year aero one of my children was attacked witli bronchitis , and , after a long illness , was given up by all physicians as ' past cure . ' 1 was then induced to try your Vegetable fain Killer , and from tlie time 1 began tlie use of it the child rapidly got better , and it is now strong and healthy . —J OHN WISSTANTI . I ; V , JO , Whittle-st ., L'pool , 186 9 . —To P . D . & Son . " ____•...,. „ .