Province Of Wiltshire.

sung , and this , followed by the Benediction from the Provincial Grand Chaplain , closed the proceedings so far as the consecration of the hall was concerned . It was resolved that the alms ( which amounted to £ 5 5 s . ) be given to the Devizes Cottage Hospital .

Ihe Provincial Grand Master then rose and stated that the time had come for him to ieave , but before doing so he would congratulate the province on their being" honoured b y the presence of such a distinguished Mason as Sir Francis Burdctt , the P . G . M . of Middlesex . Referring to the duty he ( Lord Methuen ) had just performed , he trusted the lodge would

fcrgive any want of knowledge which he might have displayed , but again assured them of the great pleasure it had given him to come there . He hoped the Devizes Lodge would long' continue in its present slate , and that he should have the pleasure of frequently meeting them again in that hall . He then requested the Provincial Grand Treasurer , Bro . F . H . Goldney , to take his place and retired .

BRO . GotusKV , on assuming the chair , expressed his regret that Lord Methuen had been bound to leave them , and called attention to the next business on the agenda paper , which was the consideration of the circular from the Grand Secretary , requesting to have notified to him the views of the Provincial Grand Lodge with reference to Bro . J . M . Gabon ' s proposition that all members of lodges not within the London district should pay quarterly ninepence each to the fund of Benevolence instead of sixpence as at present .

Bro . HENRY C . TOMBS , P . G . D ., P . G . Sec . Wilts , introduced the subject , and reported the action he had taken in Grand Lodge upon the proposition of Bro . Gabon being made . He had opposed it ; first , because such an increased tax upon the brethren seemed unnecessary ; secondly , it would seriously interfere with the financial arrangements of every lodge in Willshire ; and , thirdly , that the large grants made by the Board of Benevolence

were undesirable , as tending to induce many Masons to consider the Fund of Benevolence as a kind of insurance ; and he instanced a case which had come to his knowledge where a Mason had made no provision for his widow stating that Masons would do that . He commented also upon the inexpedience of the Board of Benevolence spending any part of its capital , and urged that the income should be alone applicable for grants . He referred to

the action of the Board in pressing on Grand Lodge last December a vo : e when it was objected to by a brother who stated he was a member of the lodge of which the brother in whose favour the grant was made belonged . Notwithstanding the brother objecting made the most serious charges as to the integrity of the brother proposed to be assisted , yet the Board prsssed the vote on Grand Lodge , instead of at once withdrawing it for further

enquiry , and for half an hour Grand Lodge was in a state of unpleasant confusion . Such conduct was most unwise ; for the Board should be looked at as " trustees , " whose duly il was to guard with a jealous eye the funds under their control , instead of endeavouring to force on Grand Lodge a grant about which it was quite clear further enquiry as to the applicant was needed . It seemed to him , as a man of business , that if votes were to be

recommended and pressed in that way , it was hardly desirable to put greater funds under the power of such trustees . With regard to the hardship on the lodges in this province , it appeared to him that Bro . Gabon was unaware oi , or had overlooked , the fact , that , in addition to the fees paid by the Wiltshire lodges to the Fund of Benevolence , they paid to their Provincial Grand Lodge 3 s . per member . And nearly every lodge now contributed some 4 s .

or 5 s . per member to their own special Charity Fund , besides supporting the newly - established Provincial Fund of Benevolence , so that reall y the contributions to Charity in Wiltshire amounted to some gs . or 10 s . per member , as against the four shillings per annum paid by the London brethren ; and , therefore , the country lodges were doing vastly more than the metropolitan lodges , or than Grand lodge gave them

credit for , or perhaps knew of . He could not hel p thinking , knowing how experienced Bro . Gabon was , not only as a gentleman of great business acquirements , but also as the late President of the Board of Benevolence , that his object in making this proposition was not so much with the hope of carrying it as to raise a discussion on the subject of the recommendations of the Board of Benevolence , and to check , if possible , the system of

making such enormous grants as had recentl y been made . He , therefore , proposed the following resolution , and , in doing so , said he had no intention of interfering with the proposition as affecting the metropolitan lodges , but only the lodges of Wiltshire , and , incidently , other provinces : " This Provincial Grand Lodge having considered the circular of the Grand

Secretary relative to Bro . Gabon ' s proposition to increase the contributions of the lodges in this province to the bund of Benevolence , is of opinion that such increase is very undesirable , as it would occasion great financial inconvenience to such lodges ; and that measures be taken to oppose such proposition on its being brought forward in Grand Lodge . "

Bro . STOKES , the acting P . S . G . W ., seconded the motion , which was briefly supported by Bros , the Rev . J . A . Lloyd ; Chandler , Treasurer 355 ; Powell , W . M . 1295 : Hanuan , W . M . 5 86 ; Nott , Provincial Charity Secretary , and Sec . 663 ; and also by Sir Francis Burdett , who enlirely

agread with the opinions that had already been expressed . He thought if we wanted to increase our charitable contributions let us do it amongst ourselves , and let us have the money to spend . He thought a great mistake had been made in calling for this increase , and believed that it would be opposed by his own province .

I he resolution on being put to the meeting was carried unanimously . The P . G . Registrar , Bro . POXTING , drew attention to the next business on the agenda paper , namely , the consideration of the Draft New Book of Constitutions which had been issued by Grand Lodge for the consideration of the provinces . He had been through such draft and had made certain notes thereon . These

notes he had embodied in a short report he then read to the meeting , but suggested that the belter plan would be that a small Committee should be appointed to go more thoroughly into the matter , and report thereon to the next meeting of that Provincial Grand Lodge . This suggestion was adopted b y the meeting , and a Committee appointed accordingly , consisting of Bros . F II . Goldney , P . G . Treasurer ; Pouting , P . G . Registrar ; Henry

C . Tombs , P . G . Secretary ; and Wm . Nott , Prov . Charity Secretary . The Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed , and the acting P . G . M . and other members thereof retired , followed by the closing of the Wiltshire Lodge of Fidelity by Bro . J . A . Randell , W . M . After the proceedings at the hall had teiminated the brethren sat down to a cold collation at the Bear Hotel , under the presidency of Bro . F . H . Goldney , when the usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given and duly responded to .

Consecration Of The Saye And Sele Lodge, No. 1973.

CONSECRATION OF THE SAYE AND SELE LODGE , No . 1973 .

The ceremony of consecrating the Sayc and Selc Lodge was performed on Wednesday , the jfnh inst ., by the Rt . Hon . Viscount Holmesdale , Prov . Grand Master for Kent , at Essen den House , Belvedere , the private residence of Dr . Spurrell , who is well known in and beyond the province as a most enthusiastic Mason . The brethren met at half-past one at Essendcn House , in the dining-room , a handsome and spacious apartment , duly fitted

up as a lodge-room . Ihe R . W . Prov . Grand Master was supported on his right by the V . W . Bro . J . S . Eastes , Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and appointed W . Bro . Coupland , P . P . G . W . Kent , to act as S . W . ; VV . Bro . B . K . Thorpe , Prov . G . Treas . Kent , as ] . W . ; V . W . Bro . the Rev . Robl . Jamblin , Prov . G . C ., as Chaplain ; and Bro . T . W . Knight , P . D . C ., as Director of Ceremonies .

Ihe PROVINCIAL GRAXD MASTER then opened the lodge in the Three Degrees ,-and then addressed the brethren . He said that they had met for the well-known purpose of adding another lod ge to the long roll of lodges that already owed allegiance to the province of Kent , and he was sure that there was no brother present who did not recognise the importance of

making worthy additions to that roll . Knowing how numerously the petition for the Saye and Sole Lodge had been signed , and knowing the standing of the brethren who had si gned it , they might feel assured that everything in connection with the lodge would be carried on with the order and decorum contemplated in the formation of new lodges ; and he should , therefore , at once proceed to dedicate and consecrate it ' according to ancient custom .

I he brethren of the new lodge were then ranged in order before the presiding officer , and the acting Secretary proceeded to read the petition and warrant . When this had been done , the presiding officer inquired whether the brethren of the new lodge approved of the officers who were named in the warrant , and receiving an answer in the affirmative , he proceeded to constitute the lodge , and the Grand Chaplain , by command of the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , delivered the invocation .

As the Prov . Grand Chaplain ( Bro . Jamblin ) was very unwell , Bro . the Rev . H . Cummings , Prov . Grand Chaplain Cornwall , delivered an oration He said , I esteem it a very great honour that I have been asked to address the brethren assembled to-day to consecrate this lodge , and I place some restraint upon myself because my aim is not to make ' a brilliant oration on Speculative Masonry , but in simple and forcible language to put forward

some plain , practical truths of Masonic teaching which may be of use to us all in our threefold character , as units of our universal brotherhood , as members of a lodge local , limited yet perfect , and as individual Masons . Masonry is a progressive science in which we trace a regular gradation , step by step , from the uninstructed entered apprentice to the installed W . M . charged with the employment and instruction of his lodge . Proceeding

onwards we have that assembly of local lodges in congress , under the presidency of the R . W . Provincial Grand Master , known its Provincial Grand Lodge , until finally wc arrive at the highest constituted authority among Masons , Grand Lodge itself . The greater efficiency displayed by each , the greater the advantage accruing to ' the Craft , the more will the brethren be bound to bear' the title of " Worthy . " It will be at once conceded ,

I think , that Grand Lod ge does iullil the work of a great deliberative and administrative assembly of FYeemasons . The same practical usefulness , but in a narrower circle , is found in Prov . Grand Lodge ; but there the Chaplain is permitted a wider range and may deal with the pure principles of Masonry . And the same spirit of efficiency should pervade every Craft lodge in every province , so that each in its own

sphere may diffuse efficiency and instruction as from a centre . And it is to be remembered that there is a greater need of this since it is in the lodge that individual Masonry is learned ; that is its own proper field for developement ; there the individual Mason gains instruction in the tenets of his Craft . The question suggests itself : Do lod ges come up to this high standard ? Brethren , the tree is known b y its fruits , and this much we . may say ,

wherever apath y is indicated b y irregular or spasmodic attendance , wherever entrance to the lodge is sought from unworthy , selfish motives , from a view to some gain outside the lodge , wherever the genial , social element is preponderant because the brethren are impatient to go from labour to relreshment , we feel no surprise at finding a decaying lodsrc , and the brethren strangers to Masonic principles . And where is the aritidotc

lor this > Let me briefly try to indicate it . Every member of every lodge should be an ornament to Masonry . There are vast stores of Masonic lore not touched or scarcel y touched in our ceremonies . There is an endless variety of instruction l ying within the compass of every brother to attain to , which is not to be learned from the Masonic ritual , nor even from the lectures on the tracing board ; and there are few lodges which

do not contain some members ot high mental attainments to search for the instruction , and with a little leisure to promote its development , whose efforts are a great power for good amongst mankind . Work of the kind 1 speak of may be undertaken when the ordinary business of the lodge is slack ; and once the spirit of inquiry were raised , the brethren wouid study for themselves ; and brethren would search after truth and carry it to its legitimate uses . Freemasonry itself is a peculiar system of morality , veiled in

allegory , and illustrated by symbols ; the penalties of the obligations , for very wise reasons retained , which we all feel need comment ; and especially the legend of the Third Degree requiring to be placed in its true light and position as a historic fact . These are a tew points which are scarcely mentioned in the ritual , and seldom , if ever , alluded to in the lodge . These are a few matters connected with the speculative view of symbolic Masonry . And then , again , the history of our Order furnishes a subject worthy of the Masonic student . And , subordinate to these , there is the true relations

between Operative and Speculative Masonry—the nature , privileges , and work of the primitive degree , the working and positive growth of the kindred institutions , the number of degrees in ancient times , in I ' -gyP 1 ' Greece , and Rome , its chronological position . To a large number of brethren these things are wholly unknown , and it would surprise them to learn , besides the ceremonies of initiation , passing , raising , and exalting , which are the four regular recognised Degrees . Nor need we

fear the test that is applied to every science—that universal curiosity to penetrate a hidden mystery of nature and science . Our Order permeates all nature and science ; men of every calibre of mental attainments join our Order . We must be prepared to support our pretensions if we are to retain a hold ; the best of our citizens , men of talent , and research , and intellectual activity will not rest content with mere mechanical routine . Our watchwords are Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . I have endeavoured to sketch out briefly and imperfectl y how the craving for the last may in sonic measure