Consecration Of The St. Clement's Lodge, No. 2442, At Leigh, Essex.

The consecration ceremony was then performed . The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Geo . Palmer , P . M . 781 , assisted by Bros . G . R . Dawson , F . J . Cumine , C . H . Bowmaker , and W . H . Judd . Bro . Palmer made an efficient Organist , and the vocal efforts of the other brethren named added materially to the effect of the ceremonw

Bro . Philbrick , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , then ably installed Bro . Jas . Boulton , P . M . 2 S , 1056 , 2291 , as the first W . M . of the lodge . Bro . John Byford , P . M ., was elected as Treasurer , and he will also act as the I . P . M .

The W . M . then appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . William A . S . Staley , S . W . ; Charles A . Hales , J . W . ; William Beecroft , S . D . ; Henry Barrow , J . D . ; Frederick England , I . G . ; and James S . Metcalfe , D . C . The latter brother was also invested as Secretary , on behalf of Bro . Geo Moss , and Bro . A . W . Martin , Provincial Grand Tyler , was unanimously elected Tyler .

The W . M . was elected to represent the lodge on the Essex Provincial Charity Committee , and as Steward at the next Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . It was mentioned that Bro . Loid Brooke had consented to preside over this Festival , and , on the motion of Bro . BYFORD , the sum of 25 guineas was voted from the funds of the lodge towards the Boys' Institution .

The officers of the lodge were appointed as a Committee to frame by-laws , and the S . W . brought forward several propositions for initiation . A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Bros . Lord Brooke and F . A . Philbrick for their services , and it was unanimously resolved that they should be elected honorary members of the lodge . Bro . Lord BROOKE suitably acknowledged the compliment , and the lodge was then closed .

For the convenience of the brethren , the down express was stopped at Leigh , in order to convey them to Southend , where the banquet was subsequently held . The banquet was served in the ball-room of the Royal Hotel , Southend , and was attended by about So brethren . The W . M ., Bro . James Boulton , presided , and he was supported at the head table by Bro . Lord Brooke and

most of the Prov . Grand Officers . The seating arrangements were satisfactorily carried out by Bro . John Byford , the acting I . P . M ., and the catering of Bro . B . Thomas , the manager of the hotel , gave very general satisfaction , and he was personally congratulated upon it by Bro . Lord Brooke . At the conclusion of the banquet , the customary toasts were proposed by the W . M ., and heartilv received .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing " The Provincial' Grand Master , " referred to the popularity of his lordship amongst the members of the Craft , and specially thanked him for his presence that day . The toast was drunk with musical honours .

Bro . Lord BROOKE , in responding , said he hoped theiryoungest lodge mi g ht live and prosper . They had got a very pretty spot down there , and Leigh was a very growing place . He had been their Provincial Grand Master for something like n years , and he had spent some very happy times with them , thanks to their great kindness and indulgence . It should be their great wish in the world to think of their fellow-men as much as they could , and Freemasonry doubly placed that obligation and resolve upon themselves .

They must think of the serious part of Freemasonry , as well as the pleasurable part , and he felt sure he need not tell his friends , the Masters and the founders of the St . Clement ' s Lodge , that it was their duty to make Freemasonry well thought of . In Essex times were very hard , but at the same time he hoped Essex would credit the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys with a good sum next year , when he had promised to preside at its annual Festival .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER proposed , in complimentary terms , "The Deputy Prov . Grand Master and the Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Bro . Philbrick was much esteemed by Freemasons throughout the length and breadth of the country , and he received their universal sympathy in connection with the outrage that was recently committed upon his dear and beloved daughter .

Bro . Pim . nriCK , who was very warmly received , said it afforded him sincere pleasure to serve under such a head as Lord Brooke . Many of the Masonic provinces had at their head men of high rank who were beloved and esteemed , but none of them was more beloved or more esteemed than was Lord Brooke . He ( Bro . Philbrick ) was very pleased and very proud to be present upon that occasion ; and he hoped their new lodge might bring

the light of Freemasonry to shine upon a part of the province where it had not shone before . It might not shine at its commencement with the great brilliancy of an arc light , but he hoped it would throw out a steady and pure ray . Their lodge had been successful ! ) ' launched , and he felt confident the helm was in the right hands , and that , even if the Admiralty charts were wrong , they would escape , and would not manage to get their ship stranded .

He wished them a prosperous voyage under the guidance of their old pilot , and might they " cross the bar" in safety , and reach the desired haven . He trusted the gales would be propitious , and that no uncertain winds would baffle their experienced old mariner , but that he would be able to steer them a straight and prosperous course under the " lee . " He ( Bro . Philbrick )

thanked them very much for what had been said concerning his daughter , and he could scarcely tell them how deeply touched he was by the great sympathy that had been extended to him in regard to the unprecedented trouble that had fallen upon his household . He was pleased indeed to tell them that they had great and good hopes that his daughter ' s recovery would be permanent .

Bro . Lord BROOKE proposed "The Health of Bro . Boulton , the Worshipful Master of St . Clement ' s Lodge . " He wished Bro . Boulton every luck , and said that , like Bro . Philbrick , he ( Bro . Lord Brooke ) hoped their " old pilot " would steer their ship beautifully over the waters . They might have to

encounter some shoals , but he had no doubt that they would only show the capacity of their accomplished helmsman , and that there would be no question of salvage . He hoped that next year they would have a largely increased " log , " and that at the end of their course they would find the " salt " of Freemasonry had stuck to them .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in responding , said that about 18 months ago he was asked by some of the brethren of Leigh to put them in the way of getting a warrant for a new lodge . He did so , and then , to his surprise , they asked him to become their first Master . He accepted the position somewhat reluctantly , but he was more than gratified at having been so cordially received . God sparing his health , he was determined to

Consecration Of The St. Clement's Lodge, No. 2442, At Leigh, Essex.

do everything that lay in his power to make the St . Clement ' s Lod ge a success . He then proposed the toast of " The Visitors , " and particularl y thanked the Priory Lodge for having recommended Grand Lod ge to o-rant the warrant for the St . Clement ' s Lodge . Bros . R . THOMAS , W . M . 1000 ; T . HOOD , J WALKER , G . R . DAW - SON , and other brethren responded to the toast . Bros . E . H . TAYLOR and G . N . H . WHALES replied for "The Press "

, The other toasts were " The Wardens and Officers of St . Clement ' s Lodge , " each of whom responded ; and the Tyler ' s toast , given b y Bro . A . W . MARTIN . The speeches were interspersed with a capital selection of songs and glees by Bros . G . R . Dawson , W . H . Judd , F . J . Cumine , C . H . Bowmaker , G . Palmer , O . E . Riche , and others ; and the pianoforte accompaniments were played by Bro . Geo . Palmer .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF ESSEX .

On Saturday , the 3 rd inst , the ninth annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Chapter of the Province of Essex was held at Halstead , the Grand Superintendent , Comp . Frederick A . Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Registrar , Recorder of Colchester , presiding , supported by the following Provincial

Grand Officers : Comps . Rowland Plumbe , Prov . G . H . ; Francis White Prov . G . J . ; T . J . Railing , Prov . G . S . E . ; R . G . Kellett , Prov . G . P . S . ; Milner Jutsum , Prov . A . G . S . ; Andrew Durrant , Prov . G . Treas . ; J . J . Cavill , Prov . G . Reg . ; A . Lucking , Prov . G . D . C . ; and A . W . Martin , Pro . G . Janitor .

The minutes of the last annual meeting , held at Chingford , having been read and confirmed , letters regretting their idability to attend were read from several distinguished R . A . companions . The roll was next called , and the 10 chapters comprising the province were all found to be represented .

The PROVINCIAL GRAND SCRIBE E . then read an abstract of the annual returns , which showed the number of companions on the register to December 31 st last to be 220 , an increase of 16 on the previous year . There was also an increase in the amount of contributions . The Auditors' Report showed a balance in hand of £ 31 17 s . 8 d .

Comp . J J . C . TURNER , P . Z . 51 , P . P . G . J ., said before proceeding with the business of that meeting there was one matter which he thought should be at the earliest possible moment brought before Provincial Grand Chapter . Since the last annual meeting a very sad calamity had befallen the family of their beloved Grand Superintendent , and no one had scanned

the papers more than the Royal Arch companions of Essex for news of the condition of the young lady who had boen the victim of a madman ' s violence . Many members of the Prov . Grand Chapter had , as individuals , expressed their sympathy with the Grand Superintendent and his family , but he was sure all would feel that this meeting should not be allowed to pass without their placing upon record their feelings on the subject . He begged to

move : " That this Provincial Grand Chapter ] 'desires to express its sincere regret at the severe injury inflicted upon the daughter of the Grand Superintendent in August last , and earnestly hopes that by the blessing of T . T . A . L . G . M . H . she may in time be completely restored . The members of this Provincial Grand " Chapter venture to add an expression of their deep sympathy with the Grand Superintendent in the terrible anxiety through which he has passed . "

Comp . R . PLUMBE , Prov . G . 1 L , seconded , remarking that he fully agreed with every word of the resolution , and also what Comp . Turner had said . The GRAND SUPERINTENDENT , who was much affected , said he should have a heart of stone if he did not feel deeply the kindness that had prompted the kind terms of the resolution that had just been placed before Provincial Grand Chapter , and responded to so unanimously . It was seldom that a calamity like that which had befallen his poor child occurred in a country like Entrland . He was breaking no confidence when he said that in a letter

written by the Queen asking for full details , her Majesty expressed disbelief in the first intelligence that had appeared in the public papers . The sympathy of all classes from the hig hest in the land had been universal to both families . For himself he might say that during many hours of terrible suspense—when they did not know from hour to hour what they might expect—his almost only solace had been the generous sympathy of his brethren and companions in the Craft and Arch , whilst he also felt he had the kind thoughts of many who did not write , being anxious not to add to the mass of correspondence which flowed in from all parts of the world . He thanked the companions present for this recognition of his trouble at this first meeting since the occurrence ; if anything were wanting to endear

the companions to him , it had been the act they had done in passing that resolution . He felt sure they would be interested to know that the report that morning was slightly better . One of the most distressing features of the case had been that the speech had been affected—not the articulationbut there had been a difficulty in giving expression to the desires of the mind . From the symptoms that morning , however , they had great hope that the full faculty of speech might re restored in a few hours .

_ After a brief interval the GRAND SUPERINTENDENT again rose , and said he was pleased to congratulate himself and the Provincial Grand Chapter upon the meeting that day . For the reasons that had prompted the resolution just passed , it had been necessary to postpone till then , and he was not sorry altogether for itbecause it enabled him to mention a fact that

, had occurred within the last few days . At the last meeting o ' Provincial Grand Chapter they had nine chapters on the roll . Two da } 's ago one had been added , and , if what he had heard within the last few hours was true , it was very probable that he should be asked to recommend another charter to the Supreme Grand Chapter . The new chapter just

consecrated was under the presidency of their excellent Comp . W miain Shurmur , whose zeal and competence were undisputed ; while the chaptei had been launched with an amount of energy and go which gave good promise of its proving a powerful accession to their roll . With regard to its

the province generally , there was every reason to be satisfied with progress . When the province was constituted there were four chapters , with a membership of no companions . The nine chapters in existence when tlieie returns were made up , which did not include the addition on Thursday , showed that the members had doubled—a 100 per cent , in nine years . 1 | 1 C

figures exhibited a greater proportionate increase in the number of chapterthan members , which showed that the companions were able to practise tn Arch convenient to their dwellings . Their increase had been a sound on 1 particularly when they considered that the times were not very flourishing ^ either in business or agriculture . He was glad to know that the work wa .