Consecration Of The Thames Lodge, No. 1895.

moved first to Nurieham and thence to Oxford , where it had been , and was now , flourishing in great vigour under the name so well known in the Masonic world as the Churchill . He felt perfect confidence in the sure progression and prosperity of the Thames Lodge , especially as it was placed under the guidance of so experienced and able an officer as the W . M ., whom he had that day had the pleasure of installing . Bro . Horlock had for some

years since done good service in the Province of Oxon , in which he had also held Prov . Grand office , and since then had done much and most efficient Masonic work in the Province of Cornwall , where he had served the important office of Prov . G . S . W . He would earnestly counsel the brethren of the Thames Lodge to be very careful as to the character of those whom they recommended as initiates or joining members , bearing in mind that it was

quality not quantity which should be their object ; that if they paid due attention to this weighty point , and were correct and zealous in their duties as officers of their lodge , as well as in carrying out , not only inside but outside the lodge , the grand and perfect principles of their Order , their success vvas assured . He called on all the brethren present to join with him in wishing every possible prosperity to the Thames Lodge and its W . M ., Bro . Rev D . H . W . Horlock .

The W . M ., in reply , said it vvas without doubt a very great honour to any Mason or to any man to stand in the position which he occupied that day , not only as the recipient of the compliments which the distinguished Drother had so lavishly heaped on him , as to what he had been pleased to call his past efficient services in the Craft , but also , and in a far higher degree , as the first W . M . of a lodge which carried upon its youthful brow so

great a promise of future maturity— a promise too , perhaps , greater than the D . P . G . AI . was then aware of . Still he would not conceal from himself the great and arduous responsibility of his position . The future well-being of a lodge— -at all events for many years—depended to a very great extent on its first W . M . It was true that Masonic experience had often seen a lodge whicii had risen to the very summit ot efficiency and respectability fall lo the lowest depths of idleness and contempt , and again rise from

those depths , and proudly raise its head even to the skies ; but , still , he was convinced that a good start was the greatest pledge of a prosperous future . In this , as well as in its literal sense , one could not fail to trace the immortal truth of Solomon's words , " Train up a child in the way that he should go , and when hc is old he will not depart from it . " That training then fell to a great

extent on his shoulders , and a great responsibility did he feel it . Still there was a bright side . However hard a work might be , any man who was worthy of the name could carry it out if he only had good tools to work with . These , he was thankful to say , had in a very marked degree fallen to his lot . When some months since certain brethren called on him and asked him lo accept the position of W . M ., the duties of his profession , as

well as his distance from the town , placed such great obstacles in the way of his efficient management of the undertaking , that it was only very reluctantly , and for two reasons , that he acceded to their request . First there was a feeling of his duty to the Craft , lest his refusal might place an obstacle in thc way of its extension ; and , secondly , he thought he knew well the characters and capabilities of his fellow workers ; and the event had shown

him he had not been mistaken . At one of the first Committee meetings which had been held an idea had been expressed that it would be necessary to obtain outside assistance to start the lodge , there being only eight Masons in the town , of which not one was a P . M . Now it had always been his opinion that the more self-reliance you could instil into a man , much more in a body of men , so much the better for the prosperity of those concerned . He had , therefore , said to that small body of , for the most part young

Masons , " If every one of you will promise me to work with heart and soul in getting up the necessary work and in trying to perform the duties , we will found and officer this lodge ourselves , and seek no extraneous assistance . " That promise vvas solemnly given , and most nobly had it been carried out . Every man of them had tried his utmost , had applied his utmost , need hc add every man had succeeded to the utmost also . Yes ; had

succeeded so well that— -it was a bold thing to say , but he would say it , for he felt it—he would not fear at that moment , in the presence of the experienced and distinguished body of Masons that he saw before him , to perform any one or all of the Masonic ceremonies in any one or all of the various Degrees , unassisted by any one except those officers , some of them Masons of not more than a year ' s standing , whom he had that day appointed . He

considered that this assistance was proof of itself , were there none other , that he was looking forward to a very brilliant year of true Masonic work . With regard to the very flattering remarks which had been made concerning work , of which the honour and glory had rightl y or wrongly been ascribed to him , he could not take the slightest credit for it . No credit whatever attached to a Mason , however hard he might work , however successful he might be

in that work ; for what was it after all but obedience to his obligations , performance of his plain and absolute duty ? In conclusion , the W . M . added that he wished that the brethren of the Thames Lodge would never lose sight of one great fact in Freemasonry—he would that all who had heard him would never lose sight of it , he would that the whole of the Craft would pay greater regard to it—that Freemasonry is not a matter of a

town , of a province , no , not even of a kingdom , or of a continent ; it is an Institution of the universe , so that a Mason who is working well and loyally according to the principles of the Craft is working for the interest of the whole world , is working with the eyes of the whole world upon him , so to speak , and not only so , but with the eye upon him of thc G . A . and Ruler of the Universe , to whom we must one day give an undisguised account of our lives and actions .

" The Lodges of the Province" vvas then proposed and suitabl y acknowledged . In proposing the next toast , "The Visiting Brethren , " the W . M . expressed his great satisfaction at seeing so many distinguished brethren present from a distance , come to extend the right hand of fellowship to

their youthful sister . He felt it almost invidious to have to select any names lo couple with this toast , but he thought he could satisfactorily explain his reasons for the choice . First he would mention theW . M . ofthe Lod ge of Loyalty , 1533 , Marlboro , that lodge had been the Masonic mother of several of his officers of that day , and the Thames Lodge felt vcry grateful for that gift bestowed on it ; and secondly , Bro . G . C ^ Archer , P . Prov .

Sen . Grand Warden for Cornwall , an old friend of his own and a Mason vvith whom he had for several years , and at one time , in somewhat arduous circumstances , worked and fought shoulder to shoulder and come off with the palm of victory . In reply Bro . Rev . LLOYD , W . M ., of 1533 , stated that it was a curious circumstance that in his own province he should be called upon fo return thanks as a-stranger , but that he did so with great pleasure , e

Consecration Of The Thames Lodge, No. 1895.

Bro . ARCHER in an interesting speech gave some account of the Masonic work to which the W . M . had alluded , and ended b y congratulating trie Thames Lodge on securing a W . M ., not only of greater efficiency ttiari any hc had ever seen , but also possessed of surpassing tact , a quality sd necessary in his position . The D . P . G . M . then proposed " The Officers of the Thames Lod "

ge , stating his great satisfaction at hearing the high praise that had been awarded them in a former speech and his earnest hope and expectation that they would abundantly fulfil the expectations that the whole province would entertain concerning them . The toast was responded to by the Senior and Junior Wardens . The Tyler ' s toast terminated the proceedings of a most successful day .

Consecration Of The Eastern Star Chapter, No. 95.

CONSECRATION OF THE EASTERN STAR CHAPTER , No . 95 .

The ceremony of consecrating this chapter was performed at the Ship and Turtle Tavern , Leadenhall-street , on Tuesday , the 21 st inst ., by E . Comp . James Terry , P . Z ., P . P . G . D . C . Herts , assisted by E . Comp . WH . Saddler , M . E . Z . 1366 , as IT ., and E . Comp . J . D . Collier , 749 , as J . The M . E . Z . designate was Comp . R . T . Hill , P . Z . 753 ; and Comps . F . L . Goode , 1 S 8 , and H . W . Ruff , 1293 , H . and T . respectively ; and there were

also present Comps . J . Batting , 382 ; Seymour Smith , 126 9 ; A . E . Fish ; E . C . Daimes ; F . H . Cogens , 1216 ; J . Tickle ; and W . Lake , J . 12 75 ( Freemason ) . The Eastern Star , although a very old lodge , dating from 1765 , has been until now without a chapter attached to it , but several active members , prominent among them being Bro . Ruff , determined that it should no longer remain without the crowning arch . Their zealous and united efforts have

resulted in the formation of a chapter , which , judging from the number of propositions submitted to the first meeting , bids fair to be as prosperous , and to have a life as long , as the lodge from which it springs . At four o ' clock the companions assembled , and the Consecrating Officer , Comp . Terry , at once proceeded to perform the ceremony , receivingable assistance from Comps . Saddler and Collier . To say that Comp . Terry vvas in good form is to say that the ceremony vvas perfectly performed .

The installation of the Three Principals was then proceeded with ; and , on the re-admission of the members , the following companions were invested with their collars of office : Comps . R . T . Hill , M . E . Z . ; Frank L . Goode , H . ; H . W . Ruff , J . ; A . E . Fish , S . E . ; and E . C . Daimes , P . S . The M . E . Z . then proposed "That the Consecrating Officers become Honorary Members ; " this was carried unanimously .

Comp . IERRY returned thanks on behalf of himself and colleagues . A long list of propositions for membership was then submitted to the chapter , and , after " Hearty good wishes" from the visitors present , the chapter was closed , and thc companions adjourned to a banquet . The toasts of" The Oueen and Royal Arch Masonry , " "H . R . H . the Grand Z ., " "The P . Grand Z ., the Earl of Carnarvon , the Grand H ., the Earl of

Lathom , and the Grand J ., Lord de Tabley , " were drunk most heartily , and Comp . Terry then , in the absence of a Past Z ., asked the Companions to join with him in drinking " The Health ofthe First Principal , Comp . Hill . " He said he had often had to instal as M . E . Z . a companion who had never occupied thc position before , but Comp . Hill had filled the chair two or three

times . It was essential in cither case that the companion who occupied the position should be in every respect capable of performing the duties , whether in lodge or chapter ; if they had not an experienced captain the ship would come to grief . He felt sure they would never have occasion to regret the selection they had made , and he called on them to drink to " The M . E . Z . and Success to the Eastern Star Chapter . "

Comp . HILL thanked the companions heartily for their reception of the toast , and Comp . Terry for his kind expressions and good wishes . He would have much preferred that the brother whose name had been mentioned in connection with the chair had taken the position of M . E . Z ., but rather than keep the chapter in abeyance he had consented to fill it , and would endeavour to discharge the duties lo the best of his ability . He had passed through

the office in four other chapters , he hoped with credit , and would merely add that in future years he trusted he should look back on the prosperous working of the Eastern Star Chapter . The M . E . Z . then gave what he termed the toast of the evening , viz .-, "The Health of the Consecrating Officers , Comps . Terry , Saddler , arid Collier . " Those who were oresent at the consecration must have been

pleased at the way in which the beautiful ceremony had been worked . The three companions he had just named were all good and worth y Masons . Bro . Terry's name was a household word in the Craft . His genial manner and courtesy had won for him the highest esteem . Wherever Masons went , cast or west , his name was always mentioned with the highest respect ' , not only in connection with lodge life , but as one whose zeal and integrity had

largely helped the Institution he so ably conducted . They hoped to see him often at their meetings , and he felt that Bro . Terry had done him honour by coming to instal him . The Consecrating H . and J ., Comps . Saddler and Collier , were worthy and esteemed companions ; they had worked together in Masonry for some time vvith that good feeling which should always exisL Coming up as they did under his tuition , he was proud of having them as Consecrating Officers that evening .

Comp , 1 ERRY , in returning thanks , desired to speak for himself . fills was the sixty-first chapter he had had the honour of consecrating , so he ought by this lime lo be proficient in his work . Hc believed there was no companion living who had done as much . Hc had also consecrated one hundred and nineteen lodges , and had assisted the late Bro . John Hervey in the consecration of about seventy lodges and eighty or ninety chapters ; and in every instance the same kindly , good words had been always

expressed . It vvas not always numbers and large lodges that contained the * greatest elements of success . The union of personal friends in a lodge orchapler he believed was thc surest foundation . He referred to the kindl y feeling * that had prompted Comp . Hill to hold back for three years from the position of First Principal , but now the chapter was fairly started , and he hoped that the wan-rant would be handed down to worthy successors . In reference to the ceremony of exaltation he would say that in his opinion no

Degree could compare with the Royal Arch , and that it was necccssary the candidate should not only be impressed vvith the ceremonial but that he should consider it was no light honour to become a Roya ! Arch Mason . Comp . Saddler said he considered il a great compliment to be asked by Comp . Terry to assist him at this consecration . He had been his father in Masonry and had exalted him in the Royal Arch . He was very pleased to see Comp Hill installed as the First M . EZ ., there was no brother fte Wew