Consecration Of The Columbia Lodge, No. 2397.

, jn America . A few years ago they had no provision for the aged , the widow , d the infirm . One of his missions in England was to rob them of the noble 8 rvices they were receiving at the hands of Bro . Colonel Gierke , and take Wm to New York with a guarantee to bring him back safe and sound . He left New York to invite Bro . Colonel Clerke , and felt he was on a noble Usion . He had not succeeded in that mission , but had written home

ask if it was not possible to postpone the laying of the cornertone of the new buildings about to be erected from May until the fall , in order to secure Bro . Gierke's acceptance . He was , however , afraid it vas too late . As he had said , a few years ago they had made no provision for the aged and infirm , but , stimulated by the noble example set in England , they would have a building costing over one million dollars , and an income of from , - . . . tAnnnnn rlnllars . Thev had beouesls for maintaininp * the home for the

aff ' ed and the widow , the corner-stone of vvhich building he had invited Bro . Clerke to see laid . They were the second largest jurisdiction fo England , and vvere not going to play more than second fiddle to anybody . He said to the English brethren , " Do not lose that first fiddle : we are after it . " There was another little matter , and that was they claimed that Masonry was a grand and

o-ood thing . But did they not hide their candle under a bushel ? Was there anything in Masonry they were ashamed of ? In America they held public installations and had a public way of opening a lodge , which showed others that Masonry vvas something they were not ashamed of , and that it vvas associated with Charity . The public installation vvas followed by an evening ' s music , and no one went away but felt there was something in Masonry . There was one great thingit let the wives know what their husbands did in Masonry .

Bro . Major GEORGE LAMBERT , P . G . S . B ., said a very important toast had been committed to him , but he questioned very much his ability to display it in proper colours . The toast was that of " The Worshipful Master in the chair , and Success to the Columbia Lodge . " He wrote the W M . a letter to say he coveted his position , but could hold a dual office , being Master of another lodge , and would , therefore , see him placed in the chair with pleasure . They brought with them no

tyro , but a man well skilled in the arts and sciences , and perfectly capable of performing the duties . There vvere few brethren so able and capable of carrying throug h the work of a Masonic chair as their good friend , Bro . Adolphus Clark . They were sure from the able manner in which he filled the chair in the Anglo-American Lodge , that by asking him to accept the position of Master of the Columbia Lodge they were doing what was right and straight . It was a difficult

thing to fill the chair of the Anglo-American Lodge , but Bro . Clark undertook the duties , and would no doubt support the Columbia Lodge with all the ability he disp layed in that lodge . There was ample room for the one ledge and the other . They did not wish to clash with the Anglo-American , but to support them to the best of their ability . Long might Bro . Clark live to sit as a Past Master , and assist in ruling and governing the lodge . The second part of the toast was

" Success to the Lodge , " and he was sure they all wished it success . There vvas ampleroomforasecond lodge , and they were delighted to feel they vvere supported . It vvas but right and properthat anybrotherFreemasoncominginto this country desiring knowledge should find some place of rest for the sole of his foot . There vvere certain rules in connection with the American lodges that tied the members to

their own lodges , and they could not join others , but that was no reason why they should not be welcomed here . He agreed with Bro . Hayes that they should look for quality , and not for quantity . He was an old Freemason , and had often said in another lodge what he should like to say here—never invite any man to join your lodge that you cannot take to your own homes . He wished to see the lodge a success , and should assist the W . M . that the lodge might prosper .

Bro . ADOLPHUS CLARK , W . M ., thanked the brethren very sincerel y for the reception given the toast . He was sure that Bro . Lambert had gone a little out of his way in recommending him to their notice , but that brother knew his heart was on the right side , and that he did all he could for Masonry in whatever position he vvas placed . He could tell them that that lodge had been formed somewhat on the lines of the Anglo-American Lodge , but he thought it right to say it had not

been formed in opposition . He saw the W . M . of the Anglo-American Lodge ( Bro . Tilton ) , whom he hoped would understand there was no competition with that lodge . They thought there was room for another lodge of that kind , and believed they could assist the Anglo-American Lodge in carrying out the principal views on which they had been founded , and assist in the reception of American brethren visiting this country . It was the determination of the members to make

the Columbia a first-class lodge , second to none in London , and that it should be a credit to the Order to which they belonged . He must say a few words with respect to those brethren of the lodge who had worked so diligently during the past week in making the necessary arrangements for that consecration . There had been a vast amount of labour , and he ought to mention the names of the ¦ t reasurer and Secretary , who worked early and late for the benefit of the lod ge . He had to thank the founders very sincerely for placine him in that

honourable position , and in return he promised to do all he could to merit their entire approval during his year of office . Bro . H . S . WELLCOME , S . D ., in giving "The Consecrating Officers , " said 'hey had all been impressed with the great beauty and feeling of the service they had listened to with so much interest , and vvhich had meant so much to them . 1 ney had been peculiarly honoured by very distinguished Masons attending to lay he corner-stone . The founding of that lodge was the welding of a new tie to the nghsh-speakine people of the two hemispheres , and anvone who did

anvwing to promote that tie of brotherhood between the English-speaking people did f" ^ ' r ^ H asonr y cou 'd , and , certainly , Masonry has and does strengthen that tie , » the founding of that lodge a great blessing had been conferred , and an additional tlv f m ^ he distinguished brother , Bro . Colonel Clerke , who had conducted f " remon y , was a gentleman who was well-known in the two hemispheres to 1 j 0 nst . services to Masonry , and it was a peculiar kindness for him g himself to extending the number of lodges . The Grand tretary had been assisted by the P . G . Chaplain , whose beautiful oration

imgre t M S 0 muc ^> and 'hey vvere especially honoured by the presence of that f 0 i , Mason who did so much for the ritual in England , and whose example was of ' ° f '"•otfler countnes—he referred to Bro . Fenn , the head of that great lodge ^^ instruction which was the criterion in Masonry . The other Consecrating heart" ? Were We " known , but he was sure he could leave it to the brethren in their all tiA make the building of which the corner-stone had been laid a structure in that was beautifu l in Masonry .

at the CcI * SHADWEU - H- CLERKE , Grand Secretary , said he felt much Battered be hadTk ar ' mac ' * ^ ^ ad been a great and sincere pleasure to take the part he ex , . "ay . In the few remarks he made at the beginning of the ceremony they a ' iH the - P eculiar reasons which caused the founding of that lodge , and ^ 'ginal r ^ a < ii ! y understand that having had the honour of consecrating the ' bein mo . l ° dge—if he could call it so—he had great and peculiar pleasure U « . i _ & Permitted to take a similar part in the ceremonies of that dav . Rrn

like ( j to e ' l uent and charming speech said a great deal he should have Hng | , {* he would simply add that he believed the Grand Lodge of lluaintan * . d very warmly , and were only too delighted to keep up their ach ( i knew W ' the . excellent brethren on the other side of the water , and w 'th th Persona " y English brethren vvere always received on the other side leased t ^ ^ test hospitality and invited continuously . He vvas therefore to advan ° an ^ P ' fathering the movement which had a tendency d ° vvn with ^ connect i ° between the two countries . He could not sit ren dered h " ' e * Pressln g w'th Bro . Wellccme his appreciation of the services "V his excellent brethren who had assisted him and thanking

Consecration Of The Columbia Lodge, No. 2397.

them for those services . With their valuable assistance he had been able to carry out the work and he thanked them for the way he had been assisted . They had heard his voice a great deal , but he could assure them , as far as he vvas concerned —and he spoke the sentiments of his colleagues—they were greatly pleased to take part in the ceremonies and hoped the work would in the future bear good fruit .

" The Visitors " vvas proposed by Bro . ALI- ' . COOKE , J . W ., and was followed b y "The Officers" and the Tyler ' s toast . The musical arrangements throughout the ceremonies and at the banquet table were carried out under the direction of Bro . S . A . Hill , assisted by Bro . J . H . Asman , Alfred Lester , Alfred Stribling , and Frank Ward , all of whom kindl y volunteered . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

Consecration Of The Military Jubilee Chapter, No. 2195, At Dover.

CONSECRATION OF THE MILITARY JUBILEE CHAPTER , No . 2195 , AT DOVER .

Earl Amherst , Grand Superintendent of Kent , on Tuesday , the 17 th instant , consecrated the Military Jubilee Chapter at Dover , being assisted on the occasion by the following Provincial Grand Officers : Comps . J . S . Eastes , Prov . G . H ., as H . ; T . S . Warne , Prov . G . S . E ., as J . ; J . D . Terson , Prov . G . S . N ., as S . E . ; E . Lukey , Prov . G . S ., as S . N . ; H . Ward , P . P . G . J ., as D . C ; W . J . Lane , Prov . G . D . C , as A . D . C . ; and other Provincial Grand Officers .

The proceedings were commenced at the Freemasons' HaU , Snargate-street , and there was a large gathering of companions , amongst whom were , in addition to the above , Comps . Capt . A . H . Bradshaw , R . N . ; Capt . G . C . Herbert , Lieut . C . F . Heyworth , Col . A . P . Westropp , Capt . E . L . R . Thackwell , Dr . W . J . Best , G . R . I gg lesden , W . Cessford , Best , G . J . Bussey , C . Sims , J . J . Wright , A . Crane , W . Francis , Rev . J . B . Harrisen , H . Mason , W . Plant , and others . The ceremony of consecration having been performed by Earl Amherst , the

following were installed by Comp . T . S . Warne as the three Principals of the new chapter : Comps . Surgeon G . F . A . Smythe , Z . ; Major-General T . Cuming , H . ; and Major G . F . Guyon , J . The other officers appointed were Comps . Capt . W . Beresford Baker , S . E . ; Lieut . W . Bissett , S . N . ; Surgeon C . C . Walter , P . Z ., Treas . ; Col . A . P . Westropp , P . S . ; Capt . W . L . Forbes , ist A . S . ; Sergeant-Major S . White , 2 nd A . S . ; W . Pearse , P . Z ., D . C ; and Lieut . H . J . Newenham , A . D . C .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of East Lancashire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF EAST LANCASHIRE .

The annual Provincial Grand Chapter of East Lancashire was held last week , in the Town Hall , Bury . The Grand Superintendent , Comp . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie , presided over a gathering numbering nearly 100 members of the Degree . All the 38 chapters were represented with two exceptions . Comp . J . H . SILLITOE , Prov . G . Scribe N ., read the annual report , of the

Prov . G . Principals , which congratulated the G . Superintendent upon the continued prosperity of Royal Arch Masonry within the province . The number of subscribing members returned for the past year was 97 8 , against 922 in the previous year , and the finances of the province bore an equally favourable comparison . During their periodical visits to the various chapters they had

observed in many instances that the attendance was good and the working highly creditable . There were some few chapters where there was room for improvement in regularity in holding their meetings and in their working generally , bu t promises made and assurances given led to the belief that more energy and diligence would be displayed , and that a better result might be anticipated . The accounts vvere passed by the meeting , and a sum of ^ 20 was voted to the East Lancashire Systematic Masonic and Benevolent Institution .

Comp . Colonel Starkie afterwards invested the following as Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year : Comp . J . H . Sillitoe , 6 45 ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ A . H . Jefferis , 6 45 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . ,, John Chadwick , 15 2 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E , „ W . J . Cunliffe , 317 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ W . S . Weeks , 36 9 ... ... ... Prov . G . R . „ A . Hopkinson , 42 ... ... ... Prov . G . S .

„ J . Loftus , 128 ... ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ T . Mellor , 128 ... ... ... ... Prov . and A . G . S . „ S . Warburton , 6 45 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ Joseph Harling , 283 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br , „ C . E . Collingwood , 298 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ Thomas Preston , 269 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ H . Miller , 204 ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ James Newton , 37 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . Thomas Hi 348 ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor 1 - ¦¦ ' ¦ j

,, gson , . ,, * " •£ ,- —JT- - ' - - ~ - ~ .. ~ . ~ ..... v . . The chapter was succeeded by a dinner at the Derby Hotel , Comp . Colonel Starkie in the chair .

ELIAS ASHMOLE . —A well-known antiquary , born at Lichfield in 1617 , and died in London 1692 . He came to London in 16 3 8 , as a Chancery solicitor ; but also it appears , went to Brasenose College , Oxford . He served in the King ' s army during the civil wars , and after the final victory of the Parliamentarians returned to London , and devoted himself apparently to the study of archaeology , alchemy , and astrology . He wrote the history of the Order of the Garter , and gave his

cabinet of curiosities , his books , and some of his MSS . to the University of Oxford , which were the foundation of the Museum Ashmoleanum . He is so far the first Speculative English Freemason of whom we have distinct evidence , having been received at Warrington , October 16 , 1746 . In 1682 , on March 10 , he states that he was summoned to a lodge at Masons' Hall , Basinghall-street , and attended next day , March j 1 , when several were

admitted into the " Fellowship of Freemasons . " Recent researches have proved that Ashmole was not a member of the Masons' Company , though almost all the persons he names were . It , then , is clear that the " Fellowship of Freemasons" was a lodgeof separate Freemasons , more or less speculative . This entry is said to prove that the Master's Degree vvas not known , but it by no means

proves it . The Master ' s Degree was until a later period even only given , at least at York , in the annual meeting , or at a Master ' s lodge ; and the custom of Masters' lodges separate from the monthly lodge meeting vvas maintained for some time in the 18 th century . Ashmole is said to have put together some MSS . on Freemasonry which so far have eluded all research . —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .