Consecration Of The Cornish Lodge^ No. 2369.

of nationality , but as a brother among brethren of the Grand Lodge of England . It vvas a pleasure to visit the old world itself and see the wonderful things vvhich abounded in it—old castles , old churches , old traditions , and that old cradle of Freemasonry , the City of London . He vvas associated with that old country where in 1717 there vvere a great many of those things they had heard spoken of that evening . He took exception to the word foreign in connection with the Grand

Lodge of Canada . He was not a representative of a foreign lodge in any sense , having sprung from the three Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom . He then entered into a history of the circumstances connected with the formation of the Grand Lodge of Canada , vvhich had resulted in strengthening the Grand Lodge of England and form ing a buttress to it instead of a weakness . Canada could now boast that it had a Grand Lodge equal to any Grand Lodge in the worldand from all parts

, of the American Union tributes had come to the Grand Lodge of Canada for the admirable way in which the business of the Grand Lodge vvas worked . He vvas not initiated till 1874 , and the whole of the ship—the Grand Lodge of Canadawas built and launched before he vvas a Mason—therefore , to those who had gone before , and had had the wisdom to frame the Grand Lodge of Canada , he gave all the praise . The duties of a Grand Master were not of an

ornamental character . There was no Pro Grand Master in Canada , and the Grand Master vvas expected to go about the country in every direction to 17 or 18 districts , a distance to cover altogether of 1500 miles . He could , assure them that the Grand Master performed his duties with zeal and assiduity ; he visited all the districts , and wherever he went he was most enthusiastically received . He ( Bro .

Walkem ) was very pleased to have been received so kindl y by that Cornish Lodge and by all Masons in England , and he was glad to have had the pleasure of witnessing the grand performance of the consecration ceremony by Col . Shadwell Clerke , whom he looked upon as one of those learned men in Masonry to whom the Most Worshi pful Grand Master was able to refer on every point of Masonic lore vvhich occurred from time to time .

Bro . W . M . ST . AUBYN , in proposing " The Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , " regretted for some reasons that the toast had not been committed to some brother more experienced in the working of lodges than himself . Although he had been a Mason for over 30 years , he regretted to say that he had not given that attention to it which he hoped to give in future . Still he felt it a great compliment to be asked to propose the toast . It vvas not his intention to detain the brethren at any length after the able and exhaustive speeches that had alread y

been addressed to the brethren . Very few words , indeed , vvere necessary in proposing that toast , because all the brethren thoroughly appreciated vvhat they had seen . The Earl of Mount Ed gcumbe had been present in the lodge , and his good qualities were well known to Cornish brethren . As a brother Cornishman , and as a brother Mason , and , he was proud to say , as an officer of this new Cornish lodge , he would ask them " One and All " to drink the health of the noble lord the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand * Master of Cornwall , whose name was a " household word" in Masonry and in Cornwall .

The toast having been most enthusiastically received , the W . M . proposed "The Health of the Consecrating Officer , Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S ., " and he informed the brethren that it vvas a toast to be drunk vvith full Cornish Masonic enthusiasm , especially on the present occasion . They had all witnessed vvith extreme pleasure the very beautiful ceremony vvhich vvas so splendidly

performed that day . A great deal depended on detail , whether in the performance of a Masonic ceremony or in the painting of a picture ; and the ease , the grace , and the accuracy with which the ceremony of consecration had been performed in the Cornish Lod ge must have gone to the hearts of all who witnessed it . All the Consecrating Officers vvere in good fettle , and no one vvas in better fettle than Colonel Shadwell Clerke .

Bro . Colonel SHADWELL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary , replying to the toast , which was most cordially and enthusiasticall y drunk , said that , as a somewhat modest man , he felt a little overpowered by the far too flattering way in which the W . M . had been good enough to speak about the share he ( Col . Clerke ) had been able to take in the proceedings of the evening ; but he could assure the brethren that what it was his good fortune and privilege to do was a very sincere

pleasure to him . As the executive officer of Freemasons it vvas his duty to perform those ceremonies from time to time , but he did not know that he ever entered more thoroughly into the ceremony , because he knew what a future there vvas before the lodge . The brethren had heard a good deal of his voice that ni ght , and therefore they would not expect him to make a long speech , but he could not sit down without thanking those brethren who had so ably assisted him . Without their aid

his services would have been of little avail . When he found himself surrounded by the Grand Chaplain and the Grand Registrar he felt he was on velvet and that his work was somewhat lighter than it would otherwise have been . He was very grateful for the kindness with vvhich he had been received , and with vvhich he vvas always received , among the various Masonic bodies in England ; and to the brethren of the Cornish Lodge he had to return his most hearty thanks . Leaving ,

now , vvhat he always disliked , a personal matter , he would go to one which was more pleasant , and he would ask the brethren to join him in drinking an exceedingly important toast—that of the very excellent and able brother whom he had had the honour and the pleasure of installing as the first W . M . of the Cornish Lodge that ni ght . He had on more than one similar event remarked —and he did it again now—that the position of the first W . M . of a new lodge

was far higher than that of the ordinary Master of a lodge which had been many years in existence , because whereas a brother arrived at the position of Master b y seniorit y , the first Master of a new lodge wcs a leader among his companions who had been selected b y the founders to fill the chair . All the brethren must agree that Bro . West vvas a fit and proper person to be chosen as Master of the lodge . Bro . West vvas an old Mason of a quarter of a century . He had been Master of

several ^ lodges , and he ( Col . Clerke ) had known him 20 years as a keen and enthusiastic Mason ; he was living now in London close to the habitat of the lodge , and he would be able to devote all his skill and attention to the lodge . The brethren vvere fortunate in having selected him as first W . M . of the lodge , and under his control it would go on and prosper . He sincerely wished Bro . West a very happy and prosperous year of office .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER said that in responding to that toast he should feel far more difficulty than i n proposing another , because it had always been a query to him since he was asked to be Master of that lodge why they asked him to take that position . He cai . didl y admitted that when he first came to London he had an idea at some time or other to meet Cornishmen in a Cornish lodge . He had not been in London long when that subject was mentioned by two other brethren .

They fell in with his view , but he found that as soon as the question became known that a Cornish lodge would be formed , it vvas taken up in such a hearty manner that he saw the time vvas not far distant when they would have such a pleasant gathering as they had had that day . The idea of a Cornish lodge in London was something gratifying to a Cornish Mason . In Cornwall they had their Masonic gatherings , and they prided themselves on taking a great interest in Masonry . But

when they" came to London and formed a Cornish lodge , which was started as a London lodge , it vvas a serious matter . They were so formed , and they were there that night as a Cornish lodge . It was not the habit of Cornishmen to take up anything unless they intended to go through with it , and he felt that his officers would assist him in making the success of the lodge certain . With regard to himself he could

only say that anything and everything he could do should be done which would raise the Cornish Lod ge to a level with the hi ghest lodges in London . They could not expect to do more than other lodges , and it was far from their wish to do so ; all they wanted was to be on the same line and level ; it not , he thought it might fairl y be said they had better not have started a Cornish lodge . His idea was that they should work with one common object .

Consecration Of The Cornish Lodge^ No. 2369.

that common object being to raise the Cornish Lodge to a standard that they as members of Grand Lodge and all other lodges should be proud of . Bro . J . LEACH BARRETT proposed " The Visitors , " and said he hoped that in the Cornish Lodge in London visitors would be always welcome . Although they had visitors that evening from all parts of the country the W . M . wished him to call upon brethren from their own county of Cornwall . He would like also to include Devonshire , the sister county . All those brethren would always find a hearty welcome in the Cornish Lodge .

Bro . MILFORD , who vvas the first called upon to reply , said that directly he heard that his old and esteemed friend , Bro . West , had the honour of being selected as the first Master of the lodge , he determined that nothing should stand in the way of his coming to offer Bro . West his hearty congratulations . He felt assured when he heard that the Very Worshipful the Grand Secretary was to perform the ceremony of consecration of the lodge and the installation of the W . M .

the brethren would have a treat . All the brethren would agree that they had seen and heard something to carry home vvith them . The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe told him he came specially , and that he should be able if anything occurred again to require it , to take a lesson from the Grand Secretary . Next to Col . Shadwell Clerke he never heard anyone perform the ceremony like the Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall . The brethren who knew Bro . West would agree that the loss

sustained b y the brethren of Cornwall had been a gain to London . The loss to Cornwall was irreparable . Bro . West had been the life and lig ht of his lodge there , and what he was to his own lodge he vvas to the province ; he took the highest honours ; he vvas selected as their Treasurer ; but more especially had he made his mark in the other Degrees . When he had to initiate five gentlemen who had

been proposed he would perform the ceremony as well as it could be performed in London . In the Provincial Grand Lodge only a fortnight ago he had a jewel given him for the very able manner in which he always performed the ceremonies in Cornwall . That showed the kindl y feeling of the brethren of Cornwall . " One and All " they were—they vvere clannish ; and " One and All" they would rally round him from the first year , vvhich must be a very onerous one .

Bro . J . PAIGE , Secretary Savage Club Lodge , siid that a few days ago he was surprised b y an invitation to go to the initiation of one of our African travellers , and he asked him why he vvas coming back so soon to England . The African traveller said he wanted to be initiated ; he had

learned in the wilds of Africa the value of Freemasonry . He ( Bro . Paige ) could understand then , from the Grand Master of Canada , how it was that Masonry had so spread in Canada . He ( Bro . Paige ) belonged to Devonshire , and Devonshire men did not give any place to Cornwall as first in welcome . The Cornishmen were perhaps the first in the world for hospitality .

Bro . COFFIN said he felt himself in a most unfortunate position having to return thanks for the large province of Devonshire , because there were so many men there so gifted , and so eloquent , who could have spoken to the brethren more in point than he . However , he gave the heartiest good wishes to the Cornishmen . As long as Devonshire had existed Devon and Cornwall had worked side

by side— "One and All . " He onl y regretted one thing—that Lord Mount Edgcumbe was not present at the banquet , as he could have returned thanks for Devonshire as well as Cornwall . He thanked the W . M . very heartily on behalf of Devonshire for his kindness in proposing the health of the representative of the county .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER next proposed " The Officers . " It vvas a well known fact that no lodge , whether in Devonshire , or in Cornwall , or in London , had ever attained to anything like a good state unless all the officers tried and did their best ; it was unanimous work , not single work . It vvas the unanimous wish of the officers to do everything in their power for the benefit of a lodge that raised that lodge to any degree or standard of perfection . He was quite sure that in the choice of their officers that day they had done the very best that could be done under the circumstances . He must admit that he did not know the

quality of the Cornish brethren in London as well as most of the other brethren present did ; but he refused to appoint , the brethren on his own responsibility , and he asked the co-operation of those who formed the Committee , and the choice vvas theirs . Backed b y his own opinion , he felt certain from vvhat he had seen that the officers chosen that day had shown a great interest in their work , and

he hoped—one and all—they would put aside all petty grievances that might arise in the future , and be animated by one idea—to make the Cornish Lodge a success . As the brethren knew , there were a great number of officers in a lodge , but he would ask three of them to respond—Bros . John Roberts , J . W . ; their esteemed and respected Secretary , Bro . Greenwood , and Bro . Curnow .

Bro . J ROBERTS , J . W ., said it was a great pleasure to him to be one of the founders of that lodge . He came from the far West—the Lizard ; they could not go further . It vvas but a few months since that he spoke to Bro . Greenwood in the Cornwallis Lodge about a Cornish lodge . He hoped and trusted it would be one of the strongest lodges in London . Many candidates were coming forward ;

they were waiting their time . He should not forget that his mother lodge was a Cornish lodge . He sincerely hoped they would have Cornishmen good , true , and sincere , and that they would assist the W . M . and his officers in carrying out the duties they had that day undertaken . He was very sorry indeed that the S . W . ( Bro . Henwood Thomas ) was not present , but he hoped he would be sufficiently restored to health to be present at the next meeting .

Bro . C . GREENWOOD said some years ago Cornwall vvas looked upon as Western Barbary . Many a year ago it was said to him that wise men came from the East . He said , yes , and they went back a good deal wiser than they came . He thought it vvas very fitting that a lodge hailing from the West had its first W . M ., Bro . West , vvith such an appropriate name . There were several organisations in London comprising Cornishmen ; but he might say as a member

of the progressive party , as he was not satisfied with the progress they had made . On more than one occasion they had let Devonshire take the wind out of their sails , and he thought to himself there was at least one way in which they could show they could take the lead—they would have a Cornish lodge . He believed the Devonshire men had not yet a lodge . He commended that remark to his friends , and he hoped soon they would take example from the Cornishmen . He

mentioned that to Bro . Roberts , who consulted with the leading light of Cornwall in London . The result they had seen that night . As Secretary of the lodge , he had received every assistance from every member in the room vvith whom he had come in contact . There was one brother whose name he desired to mention , and that vvas Bro . Lake . He hoped to look upon him as one of the fathers of the lodge . His long Masonic career would justify that ; and as a parent should have a strong

affection for his own offspring , he trusted that affection would last as long as he lasted . He mi g ht say , in conclusion , for the edification of those brethren who did not know of what the lodge was formed , that all worthy men who might have been born in Cornwall , who were born of Cornish descent , or who had lived in Cornwall , or who had had the wisdom to marry Cornish wives , vvere eligible for membership of that lodge .

Bro . CURNOW said among the founders they would find men just on the borders of Devonshire , from Millbrook . If Cornishmen put their shoulders to the wheel to do anything they could do it , and as in the founding of that lodge a number of Past Masters of other lodges had been associated vvith Cornwall , they had joined together to found the lodge , and they would all do their best to support

Bro . West . When the work of the lodge came to be done they would be found ready and willing , and he hoped able , to do it . Bro . MILLS afterwards gave the Tyler ' s toast , and the brethren then separated . The musical arrangements of the evening were under the direction of Bro . Thomas Kempton , of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , who vvas assisted by Bros . Hodges P . M . ; Atkinson , T . W . Hanson , N . B . Bullen , P . M . ; and Robert Bullen .