Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
CONSECRATION OF THE CLAUSENTUM LODGE AT WOOLSTON .
The consecration of the Clausentum Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , No . 1471 , took place at Woolston , Southampton , on Wednesday , the j 8 th instant , when the R . W . Prov . Grand Master for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., his Deputy , Bro . J .
R . Stebbing , P . G . Deacon of England ; and the other Prov . Grand Officers attended . The Prov . Grand Officers having taking their places , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master proceeded with the ceremonies of consecration and installation , in the presence of a numerous attendance of the
brethren , including Bros . Stopher , Hare , Alix , Booth , H . P . Aslatt , Howell , W . J . Hickman , S . S . Pearce , C . Cox , Cleveland , Harle , C . J . Phillips , Best , and many of the members of the newlyformed lodge . In introducing the special business of the
meeting , the Prov . Grand Master , in a most impressive address , referred to the powerful benefits Freemasonry was calculated to confer upon them . Instituted in the most remote ages , it had stood an Order by itself , uninfluenced by the flow of time , and defying those assaults which had been fatal to other Orders . Why had this been
the case ? Because it had been founded on those principles which alone are eternal , and which had proved that , rig htly applied , they could not fail to be beneficial to the brethren who made themselves acquainted with them , and who acted up to them . They knew that the principles which conduced to make a man an excellent Freemason
must produce a good man—that at the very root of the Order the most excellent virtues were inculcated which in the volume of the sacred law were recorded for the guidance of men . la the very first lessons of Freemasonry adherence to that volume was enjoined , and as the neophyte
advanced in instruction in the Order , he was still bade look to that holy volume as his guide . He was told that the very first lessons a Freemason ought to take to heart were faith , hope , and charity—faith in the Divine Author of our being , hope in salvation , and to be in charity with all
men , particularly our brethren in Masonry . These being the virtues and principles recorded for their guidance , he must believe that no Freemason could be uninfluenced by such recommendations . They knew that Freemasonry was not a system of religion , but , nevertheless , it was in harmony
with many of the precepts which religion enjoined , and no brother who was animated by the princip les of the Craft could fail to be influenced for good in his future life . Believing this , they certainly felt Freemasonry to be one of those excellent things which
ought to be inculcated on our fellow men . It was not consonant with their principles to attempt to induce any to belong to the Craft—they did not wish to enlist unwilling additions to their numbers , but if their advice was asked upon the point , they could not refuse the benefit of that
advice , founded upon that experience of the Order . They could not say that they believed Freemasonry to be of no effect . On the contrary , if they were true Masons , they must say that they belived it to be of great effect . They must , however , show by their own conduct and their
own lives that they had taken its precepts to heart , and as true and faithful members of the Order they should endeavour to show by their actions that they were animated by the principles which it was their boast the Order inculcated . Such , he trusted , was the object and would be the
endeavour of the brethren whom he was then specially addressing as those about to [ arm a new lodge . He trusted that this lodge might prove a powerful influence in the locality , and that , aided by the counsel , advice , and assistance of
their neighbouring brethren , the members of the Clausentum lodge would prove themselves workmen who needed not to be ashamed , and who would set an example to other lodges in the district .
The formal documents were then read , approved , and confirmed , after which Brother Basil Wilberforce , the Prov . Grand Chaplain , delivered an address on the nature and principles of the institution . He could have wished lor the sake of the brethren , he said , that this duty had fallen into abler hands , profoundly conscious as he was
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
of his own own unfitness in the presence of so many brethren far more intimately acquainted with the history of their Order than he himself . It was not his intention to enter at any length into the controversies as to the exact date of the orig in of Freemasonry . In the opinion of many
their Order sprang into being at the time of the building of Solomon ' s Temple , and without doubt , if it did not orig inate at that time , the Order of Masonry would have received a powerful stimulant from the confraternities and guilds of artificers employed in that work of devotion
to the great Architect of the Universe , all deeply impressed with the sacredness of the work in which they were engaged . But he could not but believe himself that their ancient Order was represented at a far earlier date by one who was especially inspired by Almig hty God to erect the
first architectural edifice used for the worship of God , namely , the tabernacle in the wilderness . We read in the xxxi . chapter of the book of Exodus , that " The Lord spake unto Moses saying , I have called by name Bezaleel , the son of Uri , and I have filled 1 i n with
wisdom in all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works , to work in gold and in silver , and in brass , and in the cutting of stone . " The antiquity of the Order being , however , beyond dispute , their time would be more profitably occupied in considering its position and value in
the civilised world . Modern Freemasonry was , as they were aware , not a school of architecture , but a system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols , and its special connection with practical architecture had been gradually but surely severed . During the middle ages the
inventions and improvements in architecture were due entirely to the skill and labour of the Freemasons , and the orig in and spread of the wellknown Gothic architecture throughout Western Europe was the work of the various lodges ot the Craft , who communicated their inventions
from lodge to lodge , and from country to country . In our own land it was remarkable that in the third year of King Henry VI ., the Freemasons had assumed such power that , at the instigation of the then Bishop of Winchester , an Ace of Parliament was passed in condemnation
of the Craft , but not only was this tyrannical Act never enforced , but history leads us to the conclusion that King Henry himself became a Mason , or at any rate was present at the meeting of lodges , which would imply that he was initiated into the mysteries of the Craft . King
James the First of Scotland was also a Mason and a constant patron of the ancient Order . After this date , Freemasonry being no longer indispensable to the Church , gradually declined . At the time of the civil war ( 1642 ) it again made its appearance in full force , but entirely severed
from architectural practice , and whilst retaining the ancient ritual the architectural symbols , devoted itself exclusively to the indication of brotherly love and every social virtue . From England Freemasonry was first introduced into France in the year 1725 , into Spain in 172 S , and
into Italy in 1733 , in which year the first Italian Masonic lodge was established at Florence . Now he conceived that were it necessary to place their ancient Order upon the defensive against the indiscriminating attacks which prejudice loved to make upon every institution recognizing the
principles of mystery and secrecy , the most effective reply was not to be found by any mere appeal to antiquity , but by pointing to the wellknown practical results of Masonry thoroughly acted up to . Jn an ever changing world the unchanging principles of their Order stood firm as
a perpetual protest over body and mind , and as a school in which to learn the paramount duties of love to God and love to the brethren—as a rock over which the wild storms of political conflicts and the battle of creeds , which alter the destinies of whole nations , may sweep without
rufllinp- its siuface . It is of the essence of pure Masonry that it knows no creeds , recognises no politics ; and thus pure Masonry can place itself into antagonism with no states , no religions . Purity , charity , fraternity , are the principles
which it strives to infuse into the minds and hearts of its children , and it bids them go forth boldly from every lodge , and in the name of the Great Architect of the Universe , practice these lirtues faithfully . The reli g ions of the world
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
have varied , have developed , have exhibited intervals of terrible disruption—of almost universal disintegration . Masonry , in the midst of the storm , has still faithfully uttered her cry , purity , charity , fraternity . Men have made their creeds their battlefields , and to this or that
religion the love of many has waxed cold , and when the love of a man to his religion waxes cole ' his morality suffers . Yet if one such has been a faithful Mason he has still heard the voice of the Ancient Order ringing in his ears—purity , charity , fraternity . And who can say that this
constant exhibition of a hi gh standard of social virtue has not filled a gap in the moral history of many a waverer in such times as those . He could not but recognise in this characteristic of their Order one reason wh y Freemasonry had so frequently come under the displeasure and
excited the jealousy of prevailing religion . It was because it had effected so much for morality that it had been accused of rivalry to religion ; but the assertion so frequently made that the secrets of Masonry were opposed to the doctrines of reli gion were both mischievous and
false—intensely mischievous , inasmuch as to force Freemasonry into opposition to religion results disastrously for both systems—utterly false , inasmuch as Masonry is neither a religion nor a substitute for religion , but a system of morals eminently constituted to form a valuable
handmaiden to every pure religion . What if Freemasonry had at times administered comfort and taught morality to some bewildered member of a religious community in process of disruption ? This surely had been the fault of the professors of religion , and to the honour and credit of the
Craft . We must not fail to observe , however , that the fault of a collision between Masonry and religion is sometimes the fault of the Mason himself . And circumstances will occasionally occur when the wisest discretion must be exercised . A peculiar and deeply interesting
illustration of a dilemma of this nature , in which there could be no 'doubt that the principles of their Order were unduly stretched , was afforded us in scripture narrative . The history itself was full of interest to Masons as bearing marvellous testimony—first , to the antiquity of
the Order , and , secondly , to the power of the principles of Masonry over one of the strongest passions of man ' s nature—the desire for revenge . In the 2 oih chapter of the 1 st Book of Kings the incident is related—Benhadad , the King of Syra , had sent to Ahab , the King of Israel , a
galling and insolent challenge— " Thy silver and thy gold are mine ; thy wives also and thy children , even the goodliest , are mine . " Ahab , after an interval of timidity and hesitation , being encouraged by a prophet of the Lord , joined in battle with the Syrian King and defeated him
with terrific slaughter , Benhadad himself escaping from the field of battle , and concealing himself in the city . And now came the point of the history . From his concealment he sent messengers to supplicate the King of Israel for his life . What passed between the messengers and
the victonons sovereign had better be rendered in the words of Holy Scripture , but if they did not reter to the passinq between the conquered and the conquerors of a certain secret sign , it was not easy to see the meaning of the passage . Ahab , upon receiving the message , as if suddenly
remembering some obligations of fraternity , cried out , "Is he yet alive ; he is my brother ;" and we read " The men did diligently observe whether anything would come from him , and did hastily catch it , and they said thy ' brother Benhadad . ' " Doubtless they watched with
eagerness to see if the sign of the brotherood would come from him , and responded to it with the joyful cry , " Thy brother Benhadad . " Remarkable , too , is the sequel of the history . Ahab being thus apparently constrained by the principles of the ancient Order to spare the life of his
enemy , who had heaped insult on his country and his God , came , as he ( the speaker ) conceived , justly under the sore displeasure of his church , and was visited b y the prophet , who foretold his own destruction for sparing the life of the enemy
of his nation . Time would not suffer him to enter into the important question of the deterioration of Continental Freemasonry . The consistently hostile attitude adopted by the prevailing religion of the Continent towards Free-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
CONSECRATION OF THE CLAUSENTUM LODGE AT WOOLSTON .
The consecration of the Clausentum Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , No . 1471 , took place at Woolston , Southampton , on Wednesday , the j 8 th instant , when the R . W . Prov . Grand Master for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., his Deputy , Bro . J .
R . Stebbing , P . G . Deacon of England ; and the other Prov . Grand Officers attended . The Prov . Grand Officers having taking their places , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master proceeded with the ceremonies of consecration and installation , in the presence of a numerous attendance of the
brethren , including Bros . Stopher , Hare , Alix , Booth , H . P . Aslatt , Howell , W . J . Hickman , S . S . Pearce , C . Cox , Cleveland , Harle , C . J . Phillips , Best , and many of the members of the newlyformed lodge . In introducing the special business of the
meeting , the Prov . Grand Master , in a most impressive address , referred to the powerful benefits Freemasonry was calculated to confer upon them . Instituted in the most remote ages , it had stood an Order by itself , uninfluenced by the flow of time , and defying those assaults which had been fatal to other Orders . Why had this been
the case ? Because it had been founded on those principles which alone are eternal , and which had proved that , rig htly applied , they could not fail to be beneficial to the brethren who made themselves acquainted with them , and who acted up to them . They knew that the principles which conduced to make a man an excellent Freemason
must produce a good man—that at the very root of the Order the most excellent virtues were inculcated which in the volume of the sacred law were recorded for the guidance of men . la the very first lessons of Freemasonry adherence to that volume was enjoined , and as the neophyte
advanced in instruction in the Order , he was still bade look to that holy volume as his guide . He was told that the very first lessons a Freemason ought to take to heart were faith , hope , and charity—faith in the Divine Author of our being , hope in salvation , and to be in charity with all
men , particularly our brethren in Masonry . These being the virtues and principles recorded for their guidance , he must believe that no Freemason could be uninfluenced by such recommendations . They knew that Freemasonry was not a system of religion , but , nevertheless , it was in harmony
with many of the precepts which religion enjoined , and no brother who was animated by the princip les of the Craft could fail to be influenced for good in his future life . Believing this , they certainly felt Freemasonry to be one of those excellent things which
ought to be inculcated on our fellow men . It was not consonant with their principles to attempt to induce any to belong to the Craft—they did not wish to enlist unwilling additions to their numbers , but if their advice was asked upon the point , they could not refuse the benefit of that
advice , founded upon that experience of the Order . They could not say that they believed Freemasonry to be of no effect . On the contrary , if they were true Masons , they must say that they belived it to be of great effect . They must , however , show by their own conduct and their
own lives that they had taken its precepts to heart , and as true and faithful members of the Order they should endeavour to show by their actions that they were animated by the principles which it was their boast the Order inculcated . Such , he trusted , was the object and would be the
endeavour of the brethren whom he was then specially addressing as those about to [ arm a new lodge . He trusted that this lodge might prove a powerful influence in the locality , and that , aided by the counsel , advice , and assistance of
their neighbouring brethren , the members of the Clausentum lodge would prove themselves workmen who needed not to be ashamed , and who would set an example to other lodges in the district .
The formal documents were then read , approved , and confirmed , after which Brother Basil Wilberforce , the Prov . Grand Chaplain , delivered an address on the nature and principles of the institution . He could have wished lor the sake of the brethren , he said , that this duty had fallen into abler hands , profoundly conscious as he was
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
of his own own unfitness in the presence of so many brethren far more intimately acquainted with the history of their Order than he himself . It was not his intention to enter at any length into the controversies as to the exact date of the orig in of Freemasonry . In the opinion of many
their Order sprang into being at the time of the building of Solomon ' s Temple , and without doubt , if it did not orig inate at that time , the Order of Masonry would have received a powerful stimulant from the confraternities and guilds of artificers employed in that work of devotion
to the great Architect of the Universe , all deeply impressed with the sacredness of the work in which they were engaged . But he could not but believe himself that their ancient Order was represented at a far earlier date by one who was especially inspired by Almig hty God to erect the
first architectural edifice used for the worship of God , namely , the tabernacle in the wilderness . We read in the xxxi . chapter of the book of Exodus , that " The Lord spake unto Moses saying , I have called by name Bezaleel , the son of Uri , and I have filled 1 i n with
wisdom in all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works , to work in gold and in silver , and in brass , and in the cutting of stone . " The antiquity of the Order being , however , beyond dispute , their time would be more profitably occupied in considering its position and value in
the civilised world . Modern Freemasonry was , as they were aware , not a school of architecture , but a system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols , and its special connection with practical architecture had been gradually but surely severed . During the middle ages the
inventions and improvements in architecture were due entirely to the skill and labour of the Freemasons , and the orig in and spread of the wellknown Gothic architecture throughout Western Europe was the work of the various lodges ot the Craft , who communicated their inventions
from lodge to lodge , and from country to country . In our own land it was remarkable that in the third year of King Henry VI ., the Freemasons had assumed such power that , at the instigation of the then Bishop of Winchester , an Ace of Parliament was passed in condemnation
of the Craft , but not only was this tyrannical Act never enforced , but history leads us to the conclusion that King Henry himself became a Mason , or at any rate was present at the meeting of lodges , which would imply that he was initiated into the mysteries of the Craft . King
James the First of Scotland was also a Mason and a constant patron of the ancient Order . After this date , Freemasonry being no longer indispensable to the Church , gradually declined . At the time of the civil war ( 1642 ) it again made its appearance in full force , but entirely severed
from architectural practice , and whilst retaining the ancient ritual the architectural symbols , devoted itself exclusively to the indication of brotherly love and every social virtue . From England Freemasonry was first introduced into France in the year 1725 , into Spain in 172 S , and
into Italy in 1733 , in which year the first Italian Masonic lodge was established at Florence . Now he conceived that were it necessary to place their ancient Order upon the defensive against the indiscriminating attacks which prejudice loved to make upon every institution recognizing the
principles of mystery and secrecy , the most effective reply was not to be found by any mere appeal to antiquity , but by pointing to the wellknown practical results of Masonry thoroughly acted up to . Jn an ever changing world the unchanging principles of their Order stood firm as
a perpetual protest over body and mind , and as a school in which to learn the paramount duties of love to God and love to the brethren—as a rock over which the wild storms of political conflicts and the battle of creeds , which alter the destinies of whole nations , may sweep without
rufllinp- its siuface . It is of the essence of pure Masonry that it knows no creeds , recognises no politics ; and thus pure Masonry can place itself into antagonism with no states , no religions . Purity , charity , fraternity , are the principles
which it strives to infuse into the minds and hearts of its children , and it bids them go forth boldly from every lodge , and in the name of the Great Architect of the Universe , practice these lirtues faithfully . The reli g ions of the world
Consecration Of The Clausentum Lodge At Woolston.
have varied , have developed , have exhibited intervals of terrible disruption—of almost universal disintegration . Masonry , in the midst of the storm , has still faithfully uttered her cry , purity , charity , fraternity . Men have made their creeds their battlefields , and to this or that
religion the love of many has waxed cold , and when the love of a man to his religion waxes cole ' his morality suffers . Yet if one such has been a faithful Mason he has still heard the voice of the Ancient Order ringing in his ears—purity , charity , fraternity . And who can say that this
constant exhibition of a hi gh standard of social virtue has not filled a gap in the moral history of many a waverer in such times as those . He could not but recognise in this characteristic of their Order one reason wh y Freemasonry had so frequently come under the displeasure and
excited the jealousy of prevailing religion . It was because it had effected so much for morality that it had been accused of rivalry to religion ; but the assertion so frequently made that the secrets of Masonry were opposed to the doctrines of reli gion were both mischievous and
false—intensely mischievous , inasmuch as to force Freemasonry into opposition to religion results disastrously for both systems—utterly false , inasmuch as Masonry is neither a religion nor a substitute for religion , but a system of morals eminently constituted to form a valuable
handmaiden to every pure religion . What if Freemasonry had at times administered comfort and taught morality to some bewildered member of a religious community in process of disruption ? This surely had been the fault of the professors of religion , and to the honour and credit of the
Craft . We must not fail to observe , however , that the fault of a collision between Masonry and religion is sometimes the fault of the Mason himself . And circumstances will occasionally occur when the wisest discretion must be exercised . A peculiar and deeply interesting
illustration of a dilemma of this nature , in which there could be no 'doubt that the principles of their Order were unduly stretched , was afforded us in scripture narrative . The history itself was full of interest to Masons as bearing marvellous testimony—first , to the antiquity of
the Order , and , secondly , to the power of the principles of Masonry over one of the strongest passions of man ' s nature—the desire for revenge . In the 2 oih chapter of the 1 st Book of Kings the incident is related—Benhadad , the King of Syra , had sent to Ahab , the King of Israel , a
galling and insolent challenge— " Thy silver and thy gold are mine ; thy wives also and thy children , even the goodliest , are mine . " Ahab , after an interval of timidity and hesitation , being encouraged by a prophet of the Lord , joined in battle with the Syrian King and defeated him
with terrific slaughter , Benhadad himself escaping from the field of battle , and concealing himself in the city . And now came the point of the history . From his concealment he sent messengers to supplicate the King of Israel for his life . What passed between the messengers and
the victonons sovereign had better be rendered in the words of Holy Scripture , but if they did not reter to the passinq between the conquered and the conquerors of a certain secret sign , it was not easy to see the meaning of the passage . Ahab , upon receiving the message , as if suddenly
remembering some obligations of fraternity , cried out , "Is he yet alive ; he is my brother ;" and we read " The men did diligently observe whether anything would come from him , and did hastily catch it , and they said thy ' brother Benhadad . ' " Doubtless they watched with
eagerness to see if the sign of the brotherood would come from him , and responded to it with the joyful cry , " Thy brother Benhadad . " Remarkable , too , is the sequel of the history . Ahab being thus apparently constrained by the principles of the ancient Order to spare the life of his
enemy , who had heaped insult on his country and his God , came , as he ( the speaker ) conceived , justly under the sore displeasure of his church , and was visited b y the prophet , who foretold his own destruction for sparing the life of the enemy
of his nation . Time would not suffer him to enter into the important question of the deterioration of Continental Freemasonry . The consistently hostile attitude adopted by the prevailing religion of the Continent towards Free-