Consecration Of The Martyn Lodge, No. 1983, At Southwold.

looked forward to that day . His Lordship , however , had sent him a paper , which he was requested to read to the brethren : — "London , Dec . 15 , 1 SS 2 . * ' R . W . the P . G . M . of Suffolk desires to offer his congratulations to the W . M . elect , to the officers , and brethren of the Lodge " Martyn , " No . 19 S 3 , of which the consecration was designed to have been performed under his personal superintendence and encouagement .

" Deprived by indisposition of this fortunate opportunity , the R . W . P . G . M . takes occasion , through the action of the V . W . D . G . M ., to observe on the happy circumstances of the revival of an old lodge , and to augur , from the proof of vital energy , a prosperous and uninterrupted existence to the young inheritor of an old craft member . "The P . G . M . commits the ceremonies of reception into the Masonic body with confidence to the experienced hands of the V . VV . the D . P . G . M ., whose name is of good omen to the Southwold Lodge ; and offers his best and most fraternal good wishes at this high Christmas-tide . " WAVENEY , P . G . M . Prov . Suffolk . "

Since his arrival at Southwold lie had received a telegram in the following words from Lord Waveny : " Hope weather good and all well . Please give Prov . Grand Master ' s toast . Kind Christmas wishes and New Year ' s greetings to lodge . " It was very evident the Prov . G . Master ' s thoughts were of them that day , and he very much regretted his absence . He ( Bro .

Martyn ) hoped that the new lodge , like a Phoenix rising from the ashes , would go on and prosper , greatly increasing in the number of its members , and in propagating the principles of Freemasonry . These were also the wishes ol his family , who greatly appreciated their naming the lodge after him , and as a token , his daughters desired to present that copy of the Holy Bible to them .

1 he brethren who signed the petition having been presented to the D . P . G . M ., the warrant was read , and the brethren having signified their approval of them as officers , Bro . Terry delivered the oration on the nature and design of Freemasonry . The usual consecration and dedication service was then performed , the vessels being those used by the Prince of Wales at the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of Truro Cathedral .

A procession was then formed to the church of St . Edmund , when a shortened evening service was given , the vicar ( the Rev . P . L . Cautley ) taking the first , and the Rev . T . Frome Wilkinson ( senior curate of Long Melford ) the second portions , the lesson being read by the Rev . A . Tighe Gregory of Bawdsey . The sermon was preached by the Provincial Grand Chaplain ( the Rev . E . J . Griffiths ) , who took his text from Romans xii .,

4 , 5 verses . The rev . gentleman , who preached a powerful sermon , impressed on his hearers the solemnity of a birthday , whether of an individua or of an institution ; and addressing himself first of all more particularly to those who were not Masons , proceeded to answer the query which , he thought , might be passing through their minds , " How can the consecration of a new Masonic lodge matter to me ? " He pointed out how large a part

of the history of a nation was made up of daily meetings and partings ; of the actions belonging to business , friendship , aad p leasure ; and passing on to a consideration of much higher importance , urged that Masonry was the antidote of a Christian socialism to the poison of the godless socialism which they saw making headway in the nation . That was not the place for politics , but it would be foolish to ignore the fact , that a great social danger was

threatening . They could not , if they were thinking men and women , overlook the growing concentration of wealth in a few hands , the ever-widening gulf between poor and rich , and the existence of desperate men who were p lanning to end all this by a terrible and crashing blow . It surely must be for the welfare of the whole community that there should exist a body whose

members were taught on their initiation into it that it was their bounden duty to observe obedience to the laws , and especially to remember the allegiance due to their sovereign and their native land—a body whose head is the future sovereign of these realms , and in whose meetings prince and peer mingled with every grade of the middle class as brothers , united by the holy bonds of love , relief , and truth .

The rev . gentleman made an appeal on behalf of the Southwold Dispensary , and the collection amounted to £ 6 14 s . 3 d . The procession was then re-formed , and , after reaching the lodge-room , the installation o ( Bro . J . M . Canova as W . M . took place , and he proceeded to appoint and invest his officers as follows : Bros . A . E . Smith , S . W . ; R . Barker , J . VV . ; Rev . P . L . Cautley , Chaplain ; T . H . Jellicoe , Secretary ; W . Chambers , S . D . ; R . Claxlon , J . D . ; W . A . Pepper , I . G . Bro . H . R . Allen was unanimously elected Treasurer of the lodge .

Votes of thanks were accorded to Bros , the Rev . P . L . Cautley for the use of the church ; to the Rev . E . J . ' Griffith for his excellent sermon ; to Bro . W . Clarke ( who acted most efficiently as Director of Ceremonies ); to Bro . W . Terr } ' who had travelled from London specially to be present and assist in the ceremony : to Sir A . Wood for the loan of the consecrating vessels ; and to Bro . Sadler , the Grand Lodge Tyler , for bringing them clown .

Bro . STRVTHKUN , one of the surviving members of the old lodge , proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the Provincial Grand Master for his presence and consecrating the lodge . He deserved the commendation of the Craft for the way in which he conducted all things in Masonry . He was a zealous Mason , and above all applied himself to the Charities , which was gratify ing to the brethren . The thanks of the members of that lodge were due to him for the handsome manner in which he and his family had

treated them , and though the rev . gentleman might consider it an honour to have the lodge named after him , yet he ( Bro . Stratliern ) was sure that the members felt it a greater honour in being permitted to name the lodge after their Deputy Provincial Grand Master . Bro . YV . CLAKKI : seconded the proposition , and said he trusted all the the Worshipful Masters of thelodge would remember the donor of the chair , and fill it with satisfaction to the members .

The D . P . G . M ., in acknowledging the compliment , said he had known Bro . Strathern long enough to know that if he did not mean what he had said he would not have spoken it . He felt great pride in hearing that the members contemplated doing him the honour of naming the lodge " the Martyn , " and he was more gratified than he could express . His children heard it with expressions of delight , and even his parishioners felt the

kindness shown him . His brethren of the Slour Valley Lodge were pleased , and as a recognition had come there in goodly numbers to witness the consecration . He loved Freemasonry , and if lie could do anything at any time to further the interests of the Craft he would be always pleased to do so . He should have had the greatest pleasure in seeing the Prov . Grand Master there that day , but he would take care to send him a full account of the ceremonyand express the regret of all at his absence and the cause of it .

, Several joining and new members were then proposed , and lodge was closed in due form , and later in the evening a banquet was held at the Swan Hotel , which adjoins the Town Hall . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

Consecration Of The Arnold Lodge , No. 1981, At Molesey.

CONSECRATION OF THE ARNOLD LODGE , No . 1981 , AT MOLESEY .

This new lodge was consecrated on Wednesday last , by the V . VV . Bro . the Rev . Charles Wm . Arnold , M . A ., Past Grand Chaplain and Deputy Prov . G . M . for Surrey . The new lodge meets at the Bell Hotel , East Molesey , where they have , considering that the house is an ancient hostelry , some very good rooms . The lodge was opened punctually at 2 . 30 in the Three Degrees , and aftera hymn ( " Hail Eternnl by Whose Aid " ) had been sung , the Consecrating Officer addressed the brethren .

lhe acting Secretary then addressed the Consecrating Officer , who replied , and directed that the lodge should be arranged in order , after which the acting Secretary read the petitions and warrant , and the brethren of the new lodge signified their approval of the officers named in the warrant . The Consecrating Officer called upon Bro . MILNER , P . G . Chap ., for an oration on the subject of Freemasonry , which was as follows :

Brethren , —I am called upon this day , by virtue of my office , to address you on the subject of Freemasonry . Standing as we do , on holy ground , can I speak to you on a subject more necessary , more suitable , more useful than that which we all , as Masons , confess—our belief in one Supreme Being , the Great Architect of the Universe . Religion is an instinct of the human race . In all danger and difficult ) ' man trusts in God . There is none ,

civilised or savage , but worships a power above and beyond . Whether it be the idolater of Africaand the South Pacific , or the philosophic reli gionist of China , the dreamy mystical Hindoo , the sensual Mahomedan , or the Christian , one and all attest the fact that man universally recognises God , and must worship . Freemasonry being a society of men , and dealing with man , supplies this want . Every lodge is consecrated ; every lodge is

opened and closed with prayer . For every candidate for Freemasonry the prayer is offered that he may dedicate and devote his life to the service of God , that thereby he may become a faithful brother among us . As he passes , the continuance of God ' s aid is supplicated ; and when he is being raised to the sublime degree of a M . M ., on his behalf prayer is made to the Great Architect and Ruler of the Universe that he may be endued with such

fortitude , that in the hour of trial he fail not , but that , passing safely under His protection through the valley of the shadow of death , he may finally rise from the tomb of transgression to shine as the stars , for ever and ever . Freemasonry is not a religion , it makes no such claim , but it is a religious institution , satisfying the instincts of humanity . It recognises all religious truths ; it repudiates nothing but Atheism . Round its

altar , consecrated to the Great Architect of the Universe , men of all creeds may kneel in one common worship . But , brethren , Freemasonry is not satisfied with merely a religious belief . It knows well that faith without work is dead ; it acquires the actual energy of love , shown in thankfulness to God and charity to man . Let us clearly understand this—the full ripe grape is useless for its original purpose if it be allowed to hang still on the

vine , it will dry and become wasted . It must be gathered and pressed if it is to yield its wine to make glad the heart of man , and to minister to his infirmities . The intellect filled with knowledge is useless , too , unless some of its stores be brought forth for the good of the brethren . So also the intellect stored with the knowledge of God , struck at every step with the footsteps of the everlasting and Almighty Creator , is more than useless unless it impel

the soul into action to carry out the three grand principles on which our Order is founded . On these three grand principles it is unnecessary for me to enlarge . We are Masons ; we are brethren . Ever since we passed from a state of darkness into the clear light of a Masons' lodge , the words brotherly love , relief , and truth have been sounding in our ears ; have been working in our hearts ; have been shining in our lives , and bringing forth the peaceable

fruits of righteousness . Wc can look back , with regret it may be , for lost opportunities ; but the event which has summoned us here to-day—the consecration of a new lodge named after our V . W . D . P . G . M ., almost under the shadow of that great palace which has stood for so many centuries in all its glory and beauty—brings to us the memory of that great palace , exceeding magnificent , which Solomon dedicated and consecrated on Sion ' s Hill ; that

temple which rose without sound of axe or hammer , meet representation of that speculative society to which wc belong . Brethren , we have been summoned to , we have been present al , the consccrstion of the Arnold Lodge , No . iySi on the books of the Grand Lodge of England . When God summons us , may we all be present , properly clothed , at the consecration of Grand Lodge above , to do His work and to do His will for ever .

T hen followed the anthem , " Behold , how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ; " after which the Consecrating Officer delivered the first portion of the dedication prayer ; the Chaplain read the appointed portion of Scripture , and the brethren sang the hymn , " Supreme Grand Master , God of Power . " The Lodge Board was then uncovered , and the ceremony of consecration was completed in due form .

The ceremony of installing the first Master of the lodge ( Bro . W . Youldon , P . M . 54 8 and 1638 ) was then performed by the Consecrating Officer , and Bro . Youldon thereafter invested the Wardens and appointed and invested his other officers as follows : Bros . S . P . Catterson , 1892 , P . M . 548 , as I . P . M . and Treas . ; J . W . Moorman , S . D . 163 S , Sec ; VV . P . Catterson , 548 , J . D . 1 S 92 , S . W . ; C . G . L . Kipling , 141 G , I . G . 1949 , J . W . ; J . Youldon , 54 8 and 163 S , S . D . ; and Geo . Moorman , J . D .

1 he lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to a banquet presided over by the W . M ., Bro . Youldon . Among the visitors present were—Bros . R . T . Klsam , P . P . G . D . C . ; Harry Statham , P . G . S . VV . ; J . G . Yolland , P . G . S . B . Herts ; Charles Greenwood , P . G . Sec , P . P . G . Reg-. ; II . E . Frances , P . G . D . C . ; Chas . Greenwood , jun ., P . G . S . U . ; Rev . Milner , P . G . ' Chap . ; Geo . Moorman , 1 C 3 S ;

Charles Sadler , 1293 ; H . S . W . Humphreys , 163 S ; John Drewett , 163 S ; W . H . Tilling-, 76 j ; A . H . Bowers , 1 G 3 S ; R . Tilling , W . M . 765 ; J . G . Jcssett , P . M . 1512 ; Thomas Warren , 163 S ; T . Pinckney , 163 S ; H . Baldwin , 1777 ; T . Robins , P . M . 25 j John Youldon , 54 S ; VV . L . Kitson , P . M . 54 S ; | . Otterhcad , S . D . 13 G 0 ; J . VV . Moorman , 1 C 3 S ; John Bond , P . M . SSy ; J . J . West , P . M . 54 S ; Frederick Croakey , P . M . 1 S 5 ; and K . C . Massey ( Freemason ) .

After the cloth had been removed , the W . M . proposed from the chair the customary loyal and Masonic toasts . As some of their distinguished visitors resided at a distance , it was necessary to make the accompanying speeches as brief as possible . The first three toasts , viz ., " The ( ) uecn and the Craft . " " H . R . H . the

Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master , " and " The Ri ght Hon . the Karl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master ; the Karl ol Lathom , Deputy Grand Master ; and the other Officers of the Grand Lodge , Present and Past , " were , therefore , proposed without comment , but were drank with no less enthusiasm on that account . I In proposing " The health of the Prov . Grand Master for Surrey , Bro .-