Consecration Of The Prince Edward Of Saxe-Weimar Lodge, No. 1903, At Portsmouth.

The noble CHAIRMAN next gave "The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master , " and observed that the Prince of Wales had occupied his present position among Masons for some years , and performed a great deal of arduous work on behalf of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) His Lordship referred to the visit of the Prince of Wales to India , and pointed out how popular H . R . H . made himself , and said that after the Paris Exhibition even ladies' dresses became a la Prince of Wales . ( Laughter . )

The next toast was "The Ri g ht Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Pro G . M . of England , " who , the CHAIRMAN said , had been a Mason for twenty-five years , and who had spent a good deal of his valuable time in furthering thc interests of Masonry . The health of thc noble Lord having been drunk , the noble Chairman gave "The Health of the Earl of Lathom , D . D . G . M ., and Grand Officers , Present and Past . "

The Duke of CONNAUGHT , whose name was associated with the toast , replied as follows : Worshipful Master , Your Serene Highness , my lords , and gentlemen , I feel flattered at my name being connected with the toast you have just drunk with so much enthusiasm . There arc many Grand Officers , far senior to myself , who should have returned thanks for this toast , therefore , I feel the more honoured that it has devolved upon me .

( Cheers . ) I can assure you , gentlemen , that , speaking collectively , we have all had the greatest pleasure and the greatest satisfaction in taking- part in the interesting ceremony of this evening . ( Hear , hear . ) Although I have taken part in different ceremonies as a Freemason , I may frankly say that I have seldom taken part in a ceremony that has given me greater satisfaction than the one that has just taken place . ( Cheers . )

Speaking personally , it has been a great pleasure for me to come here to-day . It is onl y fair that you should know that the Prince of Wales expressed a very strong wish that one of the famil y should come here —( hear , hear)—and I was glad to come as his representative , and to represent all those members of the Royal Family who are Freemasons . ( Cheers . ) A good many of the Royal Famil y have been Freemasons , and some of them Grand Masters ; but we all take the deepest

interest in all that concerns the welfare and good fellowship of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) I must entirely agree with the sentiment expressed by our Worshipful Master , in saying that we among all others feel that our great safeguard and great watchword is charity and good fellowship —( cheers)—and it is in that sense that we , as the Grand Officers , Present and Past , attended to-day . We see this in the new lodge springing up , and we wish to show the interest we have in it , and we wish most sincerely for its happiness and prosperity . ( Prolonged cheering . )

Bro . Sir H . D . WOLFF , M . P ., gave "Thc Health of the R . W . Prov . G . M ., Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., " and , in doing so , said they all knew the labours and the attention that Bro . Beach applied to the discharge of the functions of his office . He was brought up in one of the best schools of Masonry—the Apollo Lodge , of Oxford—and they had seen from the manner in which he had discharged his duties that day how apt a pupil he had been

in the Craft . ( Hear , hear . ) He certainly had never discharged a duty with greater pleasure to himself than in opening a lodge in Portsmouth with Lord Charles Beresford as its Master , and dedicated to Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar . ( Cheers . ) They welcomed thc formation of this lodge in Portsmouth because it was characteristic of the town , and characteristic of

the Masonry of England , and if it had been graced b y the presence of a member of the Royal Family and by so many distinguished members of the Craft , it was because loyalty to the Craft implied loyally tothe Crown —( loud and prolonged cheering)—and because they knew that a good Mason must be a good subject . ( Renewed and general cheering . )

Bro . W . W . B . BEACH , M . P ., responded , and said that since he had held his present position of honour he had opened three new lodges in Portsmouth . ( Cheers ) . He congratulated them on the manner in which Masonry was progressing in the old town of Portsmouth and in the province , and he believed it was flourishing in equal proportions in the country also . His sincere hope and wish was that thc lodge would be an honour not only to the province , but lo the Craft in England . ( Cheers . ) Bro . MONTAGUE GUEST , P . G . M . of Dorset , gave "The Health of the

R . W . Deputy G . M ., Bro . W . Hickman , and Officers of the P . G . Lodge , " to which Bro . Captain Martin , of Southampton , responded . The Duke of CONNAUGHT , in proposing "The Health of the Worshipful Master , " said : My lords and gentlemen , one of the most pleasing duties now devolves upon me , and one which 1 may say almost speaks for itself . I feel it requires but few words of mine to make you respond to thc toast with the heartiest cordiality possible . It is "The Health ot the Most Worshipful

Master , Lord Charles Beresford . " ( Great cheering . ) Your applause which greets the mere mention of your Master ' s name shows me that I was not mistaken when I said , that it was a toast that would be received with heartiness and cordiality . In the presence of people of whom you are speaking it is customary not to eulogise them too much , still I hope he will allow me to say that I feel gieat pleasure in proposing this afternoon his

health . I have had the pleasure of his acquaintance for years past . There are many present who know him not only . as a Alason , but in his professional capacity as an officer in the navy . ( Cheers . ) Gentlemen , as an officer in the army it affords me all the greater pleasure in proposing the health of an officer in the sister service—the navy . ( Cheers . ) Vou all know his career , and how he has risen from the lowest rank to the rank he now holds , and the respect he is held in by all branches of the

navy , from the senior officers down to the bluejackets and marines . ( Cheers ) . I may say that the same good feeling , the same respect , and the same affection that is shown him in his own profession will be shown him in the Craft . ( Loud cheers . ) I am convinced that the Lodge Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar has a most excellent Master ( hear , hear ) , and that he will do

everything to keep up all that is creditable to the Craft and good fellowship , and I hopethatunder his Mastership the lodge which weinaugurate to-day will flourish and prosper , and when he comes to hand it over lo his successor he may be able to look back upon his work with the greatest pleasure . ( Cheers . ) I ask you to drink " The Health of the W . M ., Lord Charles Beresford . " ( Prolonged cheering . ) Lord CHARLES BERESJORO briefly responded .

The remaining toasts were "The Visitors , " "The Founders of the Lodge , " & c . Among those present were Bros : Capt . S . H . AL Martin , R . N ., P . G . S . W . ; H . Broniscker , P . G . J . W . ; Revs . A . G . Barker , and A . A . Headly , Chaplains ; T . Lamb , P . G . Registrar ; M . E . Frost , P . G . Treas . ;

A . J . Miller , P . G . Sec ; R . Sharp , P . G . S . D . ; C . L . Emanuel . P . G . J . D . ; W . Lasher , P . G . Supt . of Works ; R . Barns , P . G . D . C ; W . Bowyer , P . G . A . D . C ; Quarter-Master G . D . Douglas , P . G . Sword Bearer ; J . Harle , P . G . Purst . ; J . G . Jones , P . G . Org . ; F . Carter , A . II . Jolliffe , T . J . Pulley , H . C Liddell , J . Parkinson , W . Lake , P . G . Reg . Cornwall ( Freemason ) , and others .

Consecration Of The Prince Edward Of Saxe-Weimar Lodge, No. 1903, At Portsmouth.

The founders one and all appear to have entered into the work of the new lodge with the greatest spirit , as is evidenced by the following presents to the value of nearl y £ 400 of lod ge furniture and jewels b y individual members : By the W . M . —Collars , gauntlets , and silver jewels for every officer ; S . W . —Set of tracing boards , in gilt frames ; J . W . —The Wardens' columns , made of ebony , with gilt tops ; Honorary Secretary

—Very handsome blue cushion for the Bible ; S . D . —Set of solid silver working tools , over thirty ounces in wei ght , and ivory gavel ; Bro . Townsend —A very old Bible , the cover bearing a large gold shield with crest ; Bro . Maybom—Silver square and compass for Bible ; Bro . Davis—Handsome poignard for I . G . ; ' Bro . Damerun—Handsome Tyler ' s sword to match ; Bro . Backler—Set of ebony gavels , white ivory handles , with silver crest

inlaid in head of gavel ; Bro . Smith—A very old ( said to be over 120 years old ) Masonic jug , with plated mountings ; Bro . McLeod—Handsome ballot box , with gilt crest in front ; Bro . Legget—Ebony maul , with handle to match gavel ; Bro . Bourke—Plated triangle , with ebony stand , and rough ancl perfect ashlar ; Bro . Lees—Ebony candlestick , with gilt tops , for the Master ' s pedestal ; Bro . J . Parker—Ebony candlestick , with gilt tops , for

the S . W . ' s pedestal ; Bro . Barnes— -Ebony candlestick , with gilt tops , for the J . W . ' s pedestal ; Bros . Field and Elverstone—Sash belt for T yler ' s sword ; Bros . Sam Knight , Shepherd , and Long—Deacons' wands , with ebonised silver tops . The founder ' s jewel presented to Lord Charles Beresford consists of twenty-seven stones , the compass being formed of fine diamonds , and the crown of diamonds and rubies . The W . M . presented similar jewels to all the founders .

Services Of Grand Officers.

SERVICES OF GRAND OFFICERS .

GRAND SENIOR WARDEN . Bro . the Earl of MARCH , M . P ., eldest son of the Duke of Richmond , was initiated in the Lodge of Union , No . 38 , Colchester , on the 7 th April , 1877 , and was exalted in Cyrus Chapter , No . 38 , Colchester , on thei 6 th December , 1880 .

GRAND SWORD BEARER . Bro . GEORGE LAMBERT was initiated in ' the Percy Lodge , 198 ( then 234 ) , in 18 43 , in which lodge he served the offices of I . G . and J . and S . Wardens , being appointed W . AL in 18 49 , to which position he was again elected in 1 S 56 and 1 S 57 . He took thc office of Secretary in 1 S 57 , and held that post for thirteen years . He joined the . Berkhampstead Lodge , 504 , in 1859 , being

W . M . from 1 S 61 to 1 S 63 , and was appointed under a patent from the M . W . G . M . ( he being a non-resident of the province ) , J . G . W . of Herts . In 1 S 56 he was appointed b y Grand Lodge one of the members of the firsi Colonial Board . Bro . Lambert attended , as one of the two representatives of the Grand Lodge of England , the laying of the foundation stone of the ncw cathedral at Hamburg ( in which city he was educated ) , after the

great fire in 1842 . Bro . Lambert was exalted into Royal Arch Masonry in 18 47 in the Royal York Chapter of Perseverance , No . 7 ; joined the Royal Arch Chapter of Edinburgh in 1857 , and the Cyprus Chapter , No . 21 , in 1 S 5 8 , filling thc Principals' chairs in the latter during thc years 1 S 61-63 . In 18 54 he entered Mark Masonry by joining the Bon Accord Lodge , and was one of the founders ( in 1 S 5 S ) of the Keystone Lodge . He joined

the knights I emplar at Watford , in i 860 , and in 1873 was confirmed by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , G . M . of the Temple , in his appointment in the Great Prior ) ' as Warden of Regalia . Bro . Lambert became Knight of Malta and Rose Croix in 1 S 63 , in which year he also joined the 30 th Degree under the Hi gh Grades Council , having previously thrown over his allegiance to the G . O . of Paris , in which Order he held the Degree of Areopagite , equal

to the 30 th Degree in English Masonry . He also joined the lodge Clement Amitie at Paris , and in i 860 was elected Venerable ( Master ) or the lodge Les Admirateurs de I'Univers . In 1871-72 he joined the Cryptic Degree , and the Royal Order of Scotland . He has served many times Stewardships of the three Masonic Charities . Bro . Lambert made all the working tools used by the Grand Lodge of England . We regret our space forbids our

recounting thc many meritorious services of Bro . Lambert to the brotherhood , not only in connection with lodge duties , but in a variety of ways that an ardent and conscientious Mason can help on the true principles of the Order . His experiences both at home and abroad have been long and varied , and we think the Craft generally will agree wilh Bro . J . Havers , who , writing to Bro . Lambert , says that " for his great Masonic services thre was not person whom he more wished lo see rewarded wilh Grand Ofticee . '

MACON , FRANC . —As Thory points out , we think properly , this name is applied to persons who have been initiated in " Franche Maconnerie . " They arc termed , he declares , "Francs Macons , " or "Macons Libres , " to distinguish them from Operative Masons , " Macons de pratique . " This we believe to be the true explanation , as such a use is clearly not of very early dale . In Depping ' s " Documens Inddits , " under " Rfeglemens des

Arts et Metiers de Pans rddiges au 131110 siecle , et connus sous le nom de Livrc des Metiers d'Etienne Boileau , " we find " le macon" and " le meslicr des macons , " as well as " mortelliers , " answering probably to " cementarius , " and " tailleur de pierre , " to " lapicida" or " latonius . " Curiously enough , about the same time " le macon " was in full use in England . In 1320 Magister Simon , le Masoun cementarius , makes his will

at York , and about 1370 the Chapter of York draws up in English an " ordinacio cementariorum , " in which the word " masouns" is found . In the Westminster fabric rolls , and those of the Chapel of St . Stephen , and of Durham , the word " macon " or " le masoun " is not found so early , the usual word being " cementarius" or "latonius . " In the i 6 lh century early at Durham , the word " masonn " is in full use . It would almost seem

as if the words cementarius , latonius , le macon , le masoun , masonn , came gradually into use in England . There is no actual historical evidence that the French Operative Masons were ever called Francs Macons , as thc proper expression would be undoubtedly Macons Francs , and in all probability the words onl y date from the iSth century . But yet , as there is evidence of lhe use of the word " franc homme , " a freeman , and all know that the French also used thc word franc juge , the

judge ( of lhe Yelunic tribunal ) , wc arc not prepared lo say that thc words may not be found to be of early use , and to describe a Mason , as wilh us , free of his guild or " conl ' ralernilu . " Bazot makes a distinction , like Thory , as between , 1 " Macon de thcorie " and the " Macon do pratique . " Respecting the first he says . " Les Macons de theorie praliquent une morale qui pent ( . 'purer leius incurs , et les rendre agreable a tous les hommes ; " while regarding the last , he simply terms him—" ouvrier en batimens . "Ken 11 ir rir ' s C yclop . tdia ¦