Consecration Of Anerley Lodge, No. 1397.

CONSECRATION OF ANERLEY LODGE , NO . 1397 .

The consecration ' of the above lodge took p lace at the Thicket Hotel , Tuesday , 32 nd inst ., there being present—Bro . W . Locock AVebb , P . Prov . G . S . AV ., AA . M . designate ; Bro . G . C .

Ring , S . AV . designate ; Bro . Bennett , J . AV . designate , and the ^ following brethren , members : — Bros . , Dr . Cantrill , Dommett , P . G . Registrar , Sparks , and others .

The visitors were—Bro . C . Locock AVebb , P . G . D . ; Bro . H . Frances , -P . AL 8 57 , Consecrating Alaster : Bro . Honeywell , S . D . S 89 ;

Bro . Ingliss , 776 ; Bro . Lossam , 1269 ; Bro . J Ringwell , 126 9 ; Bro . Ring , AV . AL 126 9 ; Bro Dr . Gibbs , 743 ; Bro . AVilliams , 19 .

The ceremony of consecration was most impressively performed by liro . Frances , aided by the musical abilities of Bro . Honeywell , R . A . AL , who presided as Organist . At the conclusion

of the ceremony , Bro . Frances installed Bro . AV . L . AVebb into the chair of K . S ., in a manner which gave the greatest delig ht to all present , while the worth y brother whom he inducted into the chair , was " / reefed with the utmost

enthusiasm . The AV . AE then appointed his officers , viz ., Bros . C . Ring , S . AV .: Bennett , j . W . ; Dommett , S . D . ; and Sparks , J . D ., while Bro . Dr . Cantrill was duly elected and invested as Treasurer .

A vote of thanks was most cordially returned to the Consecrating Alaster and Organist for their services . , and the brethren adjourned to banquet .

This part of the evening ' s pleasure was a great success and gave unqualified satisfaction , and the worth y host , Bro . Lassan was much complimented . The banquet was it la r / tssc , and the

tables were set out wilh exquisite taste , charming the eye , while the more substantial part of the entertainment was equally gratify ing . J After the cloth was removed , the Alasonic toasts were given , and received with acclamation .

Bro . C . Locock AVebb , P . G . D ., in replying for the Grand Officers , in the course of an able speech , alluded to the excellent example set by those noblemen who held the highest rank in

the Craft , and who , from their political positions , must be necessaril y greatly engaged , and yet found time to attend to their Alasonic duties , and did those duties in a manner that set an

example to all . He thanked the brethren for their cordial greeting to his name , when coupled with the Grand Officers . Bro . C . L . AVebb proposed " Prosperity to the Anerley Lodge . "

Ihe W . MasterV > health was then proposed in eulogistic terms , by Bro . Dr . Cantrill . Bro . AV . L . AVtfub , in reply , said he thanked the brethren most sincerely for their kindness .

They must excuse any rustiness they might find m him in working the ceremonies . He had attained hi gh honours in F . AL , and , as he thought ,

retired from active duties ; but the wishes ofthe brethren of the Anerley Lodge had brought him into life again , and he believed he was serving the interests of the Craft , and the happiness ofthe

Consecration Of Anerley Lodge, No. 1397.

brethren , in accepting the honour they gave him of presiding over the Anerley Lodge as its first Master . TheW . M . then gave the health of the visitors ,

reminding the brethren of the valuable aid his brother , C . Locock AVebb , P . G . O ., had given the lodge in their attempt to procure their charter . Of Bro . Frances' solemn and impressive

ceremony of Consecration , which he should remember , and he thought it wise of all the brethren to remember it , as it not only reminded them of their duty in this life , but would help them in

that which was to come . He had been much delig hted with the ceremony of installation ^ likewise , and thanked Bro . Frances , for himself and the lodge , for his kindness and trouble . Bro .

Honeywell , the Organist , had also merited their best thanks , while Bros . AVilliams and Adams had also materially assisted by their taking an

active part in the duties of the evening . He had to thank their neighbouring lodge , the Stanhope , epresented by Bro . Ring , AV . AL , for its able

assistance .-The toast was drunk with enthusiasm . Bro . Frances , in reply , said he thanked the brethren for their cordiality , and was clad to lind

that his attempts to give satisfaction were successful . It was the first time he performed the ceremony of consecration , and he hoped the brethren would excuse ail imperfectness . The

ceremony they had heard , was his own composition , and he had not departed iu the least from ancient form . In that little essay , dignified by the name of an oration , he had not so much

endeavoured to find historical evidence ofthe eirigin of Freemasonry as to inculcate its vital principles , which , if rig htly understood and practised , they mig ht then truly build a Tower of Babel , whose

foundation would be on ihe earth , but whose topmost storey would be in the highest heavens , for the foundation stone and the cape stone would have but one inscription , understood by all

nations—that of brotherly love . He , liro . Frances had not penned one line in that oration that he did not sincerely feel , and thoroughly mean .

He had been happy to have the pleasure to place his old friend , Bro . AVebb , in the chair , and should always be pleased to be of service to this Iodge .

Bros . Honeywell , AVilliams , and Ring , nisei returned thanks in happy terms . The toast of "The Ofiicers" wasdul y respontled to by Bro . Dommett , P . G . R ., and the Tyler ' s toast was the finale to a mest agreeable evening .

Mark Masonry In Cheshire.

MARK MASONRY IN CHESHIRE .

On the occasion of the late visit of the AI . AV . G . AI . AL to Alanchester , a deputation ol brethren from Cheshire and North AVales waited on the Chief of the Order , and represented the

benefit that was likely to result from the appointment of a Ptov . G . AI . AL for that tlistrict . The AI . AV . Bro . Portal promised to take the

matter into his immediate consideration , and we understand that the Hon . Wilbraliam Hgerioti , M . P ., lias , at tite G . M . Aids , request , coi-seuietl to take charge of the new Province .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

QUERIES . To the Editor of the Freemason . . Dear Sir and Brother , AVill you allow me to make , through your valuable paper , a few queries , which I should be glad to have answered by any brother in

possession of the requisite information . The replies should be fountl in the Constitutions as the onl y legal reference book of the Craft . First , concerning ( rrand Stewards . There are 18 nominated annually , by as many Lodges . If

these were the 10 oldest lodges ( Nos . 1 to 18 ) we mi g ht understand their ri ght , but this is not so . AA hen was the right of nomination given to these particular lodges , and why to them in preference to all other lodges ? AVhat , also , are the

qualifications , duties and privileges ofthe Grand Stewards . Second , concerning Grand Standard Bearers . AVe find in the Constitutions ( p . 41 , edit . 1 S 71 ) '' They are not , however , by their appointment ,

members of the Grand Lodge , nor are they to wear the clothing of a Grand Ollicer . " ( sic ) . AVhy then , if not members of Grand Lotlge , are tbey called Grand Standard Bearers ? Again , "Any Grand Officer entitled to have a standard may appoint a

standard bearer . " AVhat Grand Officers are entitleel to have standards . Third , are Prov . Grand Alasters entitled to appoint assistant Preiv . Grand Officers ? Some decision was , 1 believe made on this subject

lately . In the bye laws of an important province now before me I find Assistant P . G . Diactor of Ceremonies , and Assistant P . G . Pursuivant , and I have also seen Assistant P . G . Secretary . Ftiurth , whence is derived the authority for

wearing gauntlets ? They are entirely unnoticed in the Constitutions , which are very minute respecting the either regalia , yet we rintl them worn m Grantl Loelge , all Prov . Grand Lodges , and by the AV . Al . and AVardens of most private lodges .

These little things are trifles , no doubt , but where so much exactness is found upon other points , surely the Constitutions should not omit these . Yours fraternally , l . VTOMtlS .

PROVINCIAL GRAND OFFICERS . To the Editor of the f reemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — I have noted wilh much interest the letters which have appeared in your valued columns

respecting the appointment of Provineial Grand Ofiicers , a subject which , if duly ventilated , would doubtless lead to a more satisfactory distribution of provincial honours , but a report ofa petition from Lodge fjyy exceeds al ) bounds of Masonic

propriety , and to the regret of many leading Alasons in the Province of Cornwall , paragraphs have appcarcel in the Plymouth and Cornwall papers , also in yourjournal , assuming , unwarrantably , that the unanimous vote of the fraternity

would be in favor ol tmetherein named . The impropriety , to say the least of it , of such assumption , as well as of the petition alluded to , must be evident . Alasons are not required to profess a willingness to submit to any appointment matle by

our G . AIaster , since vve-are bound to do so by our OB . Fortunately , we have no voice in the selection , but confielently rely on the wisdom of our G . . Master to appoint as his representative in Cornwall , an independent brother , uninfluenceel by local tics or interest , whcthersocial or political . PAST P . G . O .