Consecration Of The Hadrian Lodge, No. 1970, At South Shields.

Officers of Grand Lodge , " and in doing- so said he need not tell them how xvell His Royal Highness and his officers discharged their duties , as the facts was so xvell knoxvn to every brother in the Craft . ( Cheers ) . Bro . T . G . MABANE , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D ., then in eloquent and appropriate terms proposed " The Health of the noble Chairman . " He said the appointment of the Marquis of Londonderry to the important office of

Provincial Grand Master of so large and important a province as that of Durham , xvas hailed with pride and unqualified delight by every brother . They were proud to be connected with so illustrious a name , and the } ' were delighted to hail as their Grand Master one whose kindness of heart , charity , and general urbanity of character xvere so well known . ( Cheers . ) Since his appointment their noble Chairman had shown a devoted zeal to 'Freemasonry and an anxious desire to promote its success , xvhich more than

justified the high expectations xvhich the Craft had entertained of his lordship . ( Cheers . ) He need not say the brethren in South Shields xvere that day proud to have his lordship amongst them , and they heartily thanked them for the trouble he had taken to come and consecrate the Hadrian Lodge . ( Great cheering . ) He gave the toast of " The most noble the Marquis of Londonderry , Provincial Grand Master , and Ofiicers of Provincial Grand Lodge . " The toast xx'as received xvith loud and prolonged cheering .

The noble CHAIRMAN * , on rising , xvas received with great enthusiasm . He said he found it difficult to thank them for the kindly and enthusiastic way in which they had received him . It had been to him a source of great pleasure to come amongst them to consecrate their new lodge . ( Applause . ) It xvas invariably the rule xvith Freemasons to hold their celebrations in times of profound peace , but it had been their lot to consecrate the

Hadrian Lodge on the actual day when one of the most extraordinary successes ever known had been xvon by the British Army . ( Great cheering . ) With reference to xvhat had been said respecting his devotion to the cause of Freemasonry , he could only say that he had yet much to learn before he could hope to approach the perfection of his respected and honoured predecessor—Bro . John Fawcett . ( " No , no , " and cheers . ) •He could , hoxvever , assure

them that ever since he had the honour to be appointed Prox'incial Grand Master it had been his most earnest wish , as it was always his pride , to promote the success of Freemasonry in general , and the success and happiness of the lodges in the Province of Durham in particular . ( Loud applause . ) Bro . CAMERON , P . S . G . W ., gax'e " Lord Percy , Provincial Grand Master of Northumberland , and his Officers , " which xvas cordially received .

Bro . E . D . DAVIS , P . G . D . of C , responded , and referred to the great cordiality always existing between the officers and brethren of the txvo provinces . Before sitting down , he proposed " Health and Happiness to her Grace the Marchioness of Londonderry and the Members of the Family . " ( Cheers . ) The noble CHAIRMAN responded in a felicitious speech .

I he noble CHAIRMAN then , in a neat speech , proposed " Health , Success , and Prosperity to the Hadrian Lodge . " ( Applause . ) It xvas x'ery gratifying to him to find that Freemasonry should be on the increase in the province , and from xvhat he had seen that day he was certain that the Hadrian Lodge xvould increase in prosperity and in wisdom . That it should do so was his most anxious wish . ( Loud applause . ) With the toast he coupled the name of the W . M ., Bro . Thos . Coulson . ( Cheers . )

Bro . THOS . C OULSON , W . M ., & : C :, who xvas received xvith loud . applause , said he could only thank them in fexv xvords for the honour they had done him . He could assure their noble Chairman that so long as the Hadrian Lodge was under his care every thing would be carried out iti-strict accordance xvith the Book of Constitutions , and in accordance with the ancient customs and landmarks of the Order . From xvhat he knew of his ofiicers , he felt confident that every endeavour xvould be itia . de to' maintain unsullied the honour and prestige of the Craft in the Hadrian Lodge . ,

"The Health of Bro . Hudson " was proposed and received with great cordiality . Bro . HUDSON , in responding , congratulated the brethren of the Hadrian on the smooth and harmonious way in vhich everything had gone off . % The proceedings throughout had been a complete success , and he trusted it . was but an augury for their future prosperity and the goodxvill xvhich would alxvays reign amongst them . ( Applause . )

At this stage of the proceedings the Prov . Grand Master xvas obliged to leave , and the chair was then assumed by Bro . Thomas Coulson ; xvhen other toasts folloxved , enlivened by excellent glees , songs , & c , ably given by the brethren xvho kindly officiated at the consecration .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

In trie balloting papers xvhich hax'e just been issued for the election of this Institution , on the i 6 lh October , there are some omissions ' . vhich may , perhaps , injuriously affect the cases of individual candidates . In the list of boys xvho will be removed from the list after next election there are five names , viz ., VV . Vincent Beilby Jones , Henry Arthur Eccleston , Geoffrey

Stuart Jones , George Potter , and Richard Eardley Searle . But to this list two other names should be added , those of Thomas Moreton Nicholas ( No . 21 on the list ) , and Charles Patrick O'Doherty ( No . 30 ) . These boys will have attained the age of elex-en before the April election , and consequently cannot compete .

There are also two names xvithdrawn—No . 10 , Reginald Augustus Lowder Hill , xvhose friends are fortunately in better circumstances than on the four former occasions he stood for election ; and No . 43 , Walter Ralph Worthington , xvho , since his former candidature , last April , has died . The list noxv stands at sixty candidates and twelve vacancies .

Freemasonry And Mormonism.

FREEMASONRY AND MORMONISM .

The following letter , xvritten by the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Utah , to the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , sets forth xvisely and explicitly the relation of the Craft to Mormonism : " Office of the Grand Secretary of Utah . " Salt Lake City , May ioth , A . D . 1 SS 2 . " Dear Sir and Brother , —

" _ To avoid further misunderstanding , and to explain the position of the Masonic Fraternity of Utah towards the members of thc Mormon Church living in this territory , and the reason why they are excluded from receiving any of the privileges of Freemasonry , this Grand Lodge , in its eleventh annual communication ( January 17 th and iSth , A . D . i 882 ) assembled , directed the undersigned to call your attention to the following facts con-•ccrninn- the subject : •.

Freemasonry And Mormonism.

" Previous to the organisation of the Grand Lodge of Utah , there were in the territory three lodges , xvorking respectively by authority of the Grand Lodges of Montana , Kansas , and Colorado . The brothers composing these lodges , although working under different Grand Jurisdictions , and xvithout receiving direct instructions from them , neither made Masons from members

of the Mormon Church , nor admitted such who were Masons into their lodges . This refusal shows plainly that these brethren did not consider the followers of Brigham Young fit material for the Masonic structure , and that they must have had sufficient reason for objecting- to associate in their lodges xvith sxich , xvho had , in their mother country and prior to joining the Mormon Church , taken the O . B . of a Mason .

"At the organisation of the Grand Lodge of LJtah , A . D . 1 S 72 , the Mormon question xvas not directly approached , for the simple reason that it xvas supposed then , as now , that each individual brother xvas familiar enough with the teachings and practices of the Mormon Church to knoxv that a person believing in its doctrines could notbc madea Mason . The experience of the past decade has proved sufficiently that the Grand Lodge acted xvisely in leaving the question an open one , and in depending entirely on the good judgment of its members .

" While the fraternity in Utah believes in and upholds the university of the Masonic Institution , and recognises the ri ght of ex'ery Craftsman to join any church and embrace any creed he chooses , and demands of him only that he shall admit the theological belief taught on the threshold of our sacred Temple ; and , further , that he must be loyal to the government under xvhich he lives , and yield a willing obedience to all its laws , the Masons

in Utah contend that the latter important prerequisite is wanting in the Mormons , because one of « the chief tenets of their church in Utah is polygamy , x \; hich a United States statute has declared to be a crime , and which all civilised nations consider a relic of barbarism . It has been said that not all Mormons in Utah practice polygamy ; and this is even so ; but it is nevertheless true that all believe it to be

a revelation of God ; and consequently all of them , by retaining taining membership in the church , uphold the tenet , and thereby leach and encourage others to enter into polygamous relations , that make them abbettors of the crime ; and they are therefore , by the laxvs of our country , the decisions of our courts , and the moral sense of an enlightened xvorld , amenable and guilty . It is their application of the dogma to practical life ,

and their enjoining it upon all as a duty commanded by God , that constitutes their criminality , and not the simple belief in it . Hence every disciple of and adherent to the Mormon doctrine as taught by Brigham Young , is barred out of our lodges because we cannot comprehend that a deed committed in the jurisdiction of a sister Grand Lodge , and there considered to be a crime in the eyes of Freemasonry as well as in the eyes of the law of

the land , should be upheld and considered to be a religious tenet in Utah . /' In view of . tbe foregoing facts every thinking Mason must admit that the course heretofore pursued by our lodges is the only correct one , and that to be true to themselves and to the Craft at large they can pursue none other . The Craftsmen of Utah have seen so much of the evil doings of Morinonism that they have a perfect abhorence of it , and will do all

in their power to keep the noble and pure institution of Freemasonry free from its evil influences . The Grand Lod ge of Utah is well aware of its singular and anomalous position ; biit the Craft throughout the globe may be assured that , as a link in the Masonic chain , it has in the past , and xvill in the future , ^ perforin its sacred duty to ihe satisfaction of every sister Grand Lodge . For further infdrmation concerning this subject I refer you to our

proceedings of 1879 , p . 29 , and 1882 , pp . 28 and 78 , copies of xvhich xverc mailed to you at the time ; and xvhicli xvill more fully elucidate our past actions . •Our future intentions in the premises may be judged thereby . " The Grand Lodge of Utah desires to acquaint the Masonic world xvith its position and standing toxvards the believers in the teachings of Brigham Young , and that this may be accomplished , I beg leave , dear brother , to

solicit your assistance , by submitting the' matter , as hereinbefore stated , to your Most Worshipful Grand Lodge at its next Annual Communication , with the request that it be published xvith the proceedings . Should you be prevented from attending the Communication , please intrust another competent member of the'Grand Lodge xvith our supplication , and be

assured of my sincerest thanks . "With Masonic salutations , believe lo be , fraternally yours , "CHRISTOPHER DIEHL , " To Sereno D . Nickerson , Esq ., " Grand Secretary "Grand Secretary A . F . and A . M ., "Boston , Mass . "

HAMBURG . —When Freemasonry was introduced really into Hamburg is not quite clear . The Monsieur de Thour , or Thuanus , or De Thou mentioned in our Constitution Books is not apparently verified in Germanyl ; neither is there any precise evidence of the deputation granted to eleven German brethren , good brethren , by Lord Strathmore , in 1733 , for constituting a lodge at Hamburg . The German writers ratlier lean to a French

protocol of a meeting of Freemasons , December 6 , 1737 , as the formal foundation of FVcemasonry in Hamburg , though xve are inclined to think , knowing the irregularity of those early days , that the English account is substantially correct . Be this as it may , the " Handbuch " talks of a " Karl Sarry , " English Prov . Grand Master of Prussia and Brandenburg ; but xve can find no trace of such a brother , and therefore rather lean to the theory

that the Practical development of Freemasonry in Hamburg dates from Matthias Albert Luttmar . n's P . G . Mastership in 1740 . The lodge , which had been working , some say from 1737 , others from 1733 , without a name , in 1741 took the name of " Absalom , " and in the same year , acccording to Findel , the P . G . Lodge of Hamburg and Saxonywas formed . It is , however , quite clear that in 1738 Freemasonry xvas active in Hamburg .

Soon after this the high grades appear on the scene , and bring in much of confusion and controversy , conflicting systems and opposing rites . In 1789 , the Grand Lodge of Hamburg was formed out of the old Prov . Grand Lodge of Loxvcr Saxony , and revix'ed in 1 S 01 , 1 S 11—and perhaps after the French occupation of Hamburg is still in existence . It has noxv three lodges under it , and 2629 brethren . There is also a Provincial Lodge of

Lower Saxony at Hamburg , founded June 4 th , 1777 . It has apparently six Johannile Lodges and one Andrew Lodge under it , xvith a few hundred members . There is also the " Eclectic System , " or Schroder ' s " Engbund , " xvhich is , xve believe , worked in only two lodges , " Zur Brudertreue an der Elbe , '' and the " Bruderkctte , " xvhich between them have about 300 members . The system of the Grand Lodge is Schroder ' s : that of the Provincial Lodge , Zinnendorf ' s . —Kcmiing ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .