Consecration Of The Drury Lane Lodge No. 2127.

lord in the chair . They were all aware of the sad accident—from which he had not yet recovered—that had befallen him , but notwithstanding that he was there with them that evening , and by his presence he had earned the gratitude of all persons connected with the lodge . Their W . M . was a

Mason of long standing , and he had held the chairs of no fewer than three lodges . He had taken a great interest in theatrical matters , and it was a good omen for this successfully started lodge that the founders had selected this good and worthy brother to preside over them . They would all join with him in wishing his lordship a speedy and happy recovery from his

ailments . The WoRSHirFUL MASTER , in response , said that , kind and flattering as their reception of him had been that evening , he was even more grateful to them for foregoing their cigars , which was a most touching proof of their kind feeling . His accident had brought home to him the meaning of an odd expression used by his punter when duck shooting—that such and such n position was " worth a Jew ' s eye . " Now he had lost his eye , he felt he

would give anything to get it back again . He thanked them for starting this new lodge so well . Never had there been such a consecration as that of this eveninr , or one of such interest not only to them personally , but to the whole of the dramatic profession . They had present with them a good representaiive company , and . now those actors who were so well received at home and abroad by other lodges could invite their friends to come to the Drury Lane Lodge to pass a pleasant evening .

Bro . H . NEVILLE proposed " 'Ihe Consecrating Officers . " Never in his life , he said , had he been so impressed with any ceremony as that of the evening . Masons should always be proud of what Masonry did . They all had the opportunity of looking forward and of looking back—looking forward with anticipation to the chair , and looking back with pleasure to the

time when they occupied that distinguished position . Their lodge had no past ; but they looked forward to a glorious future they looked forward with faith , hope , and pride ; with faith in the good deeds of their Master and Wardens ; with hope in the principles of Masonry ; and with pride that so many noble and good names were inscribed on their banner .

The GRAND SECRETARY said he thanked them for the cordial reception they had given to this toast , and even more for the compliments paid them by one who was not only a Past Master in the Craft , but a Past Master in the art of elocution , and whose elocution was at another place the admiration of the world . Such a compliment from Bro . Neville was praise indeed . All the Consecrating Officers had felt it to be a very pleasing duty to take

part in the ceremony of the day . His services had been not only a pleasure , but a duty , for , as their executive officer , it was his duty to further the extension and well being of the Order . He wished to offer his thanks to those distinguished Grand Officers who had assisted him . Bro . Martyn had charmed them all with his most eloquent oration , and he had been supported by able officers . It was a high honour to consecrate such a lodge , becausr

in this lodge they had a new departure . This assembly was a marvellous , one , including as it did , in the words of the Prayer Book , " all sorts and conditions of men . " They might congratulate themselves on their lodge , which had a grand prospect of success before it . He would , however , give them a word of warning . He hoped they would net rush to take in every one who came to them . When a new lodge of a popular character like this

was started , people read the accounts in the newspapers and became eager to join it ; but he would remind them that the more difficult it was to join a lodge , the more their membership was valued . In his own name and in that of the other Consecrating Officers he thanked them , and he looked forward with pleasure to the certain prosperity of the Drury Lane Lodge . The SECRETARY next proposed " The Visitors . " He said a more

representative assembly of visitors had never been seen at a lodge . They had with them Bro . Waller to represent America , and Bro . Lawrie the Colonial Grand Lodges . Bros . Lords Suffield and Onslow were there as members of the House of Lords , and they had eight Members of Parliament , six of whom had fled to more tempestuous scenes ; but two of them remained at their guns , including her M ijesty's Solicitor-General , who evidently

preferred Masonry to controversial politics . They had three generals , and their S . D . represented the Navy . There were also present members of the medical profession , and Bro . Philbrick , the Grand Registrar , was a lawyer learned in the law . The drama was with them in every phase , and literature sent its contingent in the persons of Bros . Russell , Parkinson , and Le Sage , while the Corporate bodies of the community had spared them for a

short time the Lord Mayor of London . They had likewise with them the brethren who were the executive officers of the great Masonic Charities , and representatives of the Royal Aquarium and the Inventions Exhibition . He thought they would consider that as a very eminently representative assembly . He concluded by coupling with the toast the names of Bros . Philbrick , Consul-General Waller , and Dr . W . H . Russell .

Bro . PHILBRICK , in response , remarked that the large number of visitors relatively to the members of the lodge showed how thoroughly the lodge founders understood the Masonic virture of hospitality . The interesting catalogue ot guests given by Bro . Broadley , showed the wide spread character of . Masonry , pervading as it did every class and rank of society ,

and it showed how great was the attraction which bound them thus to the great ideas they possessed . It was evident that this lodge fulfilled a want , because it at once filled its place in the ranks of English lodges . That it might fill its legitimate function was the sincere wish of the visitors , and that it had a great future the assembly here this evening attested . The good wishes ol the visitors went with the lodge .

Bro . WALLER said that in Masonry they knew they had one place in every country where they could go and be sure of a hearty welcome , where there was no sectarianism , and " whetc a man ' s a man for all that" if he was a good Mason . It was to him a special gratification to be at the consecration of this lodge . There was no profession or occupation that needed the enforcement of the precepts of Charity so little as the dramatic pro fesMon . Actors were as jealous as women of each other ' s successes , but thev were also as kind as women to their distressed brethren .

Bro . Dr . RUSSELL also responded . Bro . J . C . PARKINSON proposed " Prosperity to the Drury Lane Lodge , " coupled with the name of Bro . Augustus Harris . In doing so , he complained that the ground had been cut from under him by preceding speakers . Everything that could be said of the lodge and its associations , the great traditions of the National theatre , from whence it took its name

and the natural sympathy they all had with a great intellectual calling , had been said . It had begun brightly . It had all the assistance that men of high lineage , of dramatic position , and of Masonic experience could give it , and ail had united to weld it together into a consistent and harmonious whole . It would not be unappropriate for him to allude to a belief many brethren had that Shakespeare , the greatest English dramatist , was a

Consecration Of The Drury Lane Lodge No. 2127.

Mason . As an evidence of that he would remind the brethren that Shakespeare , in one of his plays , says : — " They whisper in each other ' s ear , And he who speaks doth Clasp the hearer ' s wrist . " and Polonius , speaking to the King , with reference to Hamlet ' s love for Ophelia , says : — " If circumstances lead me , I will find

Where truth is hid , tho' it were hid indeed Within the centre . " In regard to the lodge he would ask the brethren to remember in all heartiness that Bro . Augustus Harris was the "head and front" of that underdertaking which not only lent its name to this lodge , but to which his name would ever be associated in the future history of the drama .

Bro . AUGUSTUS HARRIS , in acknowledging the toast , said that Bro . Parkinson , while saying that there remained nothing more to be said , yet called upon him to say something . That was . to say the least somewhat paradoxical . With regard to the Drury Lane Lodge , he thanked them all for the kind way in which they had drunk to its prosperity . As to the large and magnificent theatre over which he had the honour to reign at . present , he could only say he went there seven years ago as young then in theatrical matters as he was still in Masonry . He only hoped he should advance in Masonry as rapidly as he had been lucky enough to do in his profession .

Bro . the Earl of ONSLOW proposed "The Officers of the Lodge , " and said that one of the three principal officers , who had just spoken , had displayed his genius in producing a marvellous pantomime at Drury Lane Theatre . There was in the banquet they had all so much enjoyed evidence of Bro . Harris ' s lavish but discriminating hand . The J . W . was not only a distinguished lawyer , but he had a great Parliamentary reputation , and Had , with three other prominent politicians , succeeded in establishing a new

and separate political party in the last Parliament . The b . D ., Sir Edward Inglefield , was a gallant admiral ; and Bro . Pettitt , the J . D ., was a man than whom , in the ranks of Masonry , no one was more thoroughly acquainted with " Human Nature . " The Secretary , Bro . Broadley , was a man who had gained name and fame on the shores of the Mediterranean , where he had also worked hard in the cause of Masonry . In Bros . Fleming and Warner the lodge had valuable and worthy officers .

Bro . Sir J GORST said the officers would do their best to fulfil the duties entrusted to them , and they hoped by this time next year to feel that they had done something to merit the good opinions of the brethren . As it had been remarked , this lodge was to be an assembly of " all sorts and conditions of men , "

all equal and alike , and he was sure that the true spirit of brotherly love would not suffer in their hands , Bro . F . BINCKES responded to the toast of "The Masonic Charities , " in his usual able manner , and the Tyler's toast shortly afterwards brought the proceedings and a most enjoyable and memorable evening to a

close . It should be mentioned that the W . M ., Lord Londesborough , has presented the lodge with a handsome banner .

The Lodge Jewel was specially designed , nnd it is an exauisite sr > ecimen of the

Jewellers' Art . The Banner is beautifully embroidered in silk , with the arms of the Worshipful Master , Lord Londesborough , supported by two Masonic columns , inscribed with the names of celebrated dramatists and actors . These , together with the Jewels and Furniture , were produced by Bro . George Kenning .

] ADOT . —R . C . Cure oi Lunevillc , was cited by the Freemasons of Luneville before the French courts of law for refusing to read the funeral service , or celebrate a religious ceremony , for Monsieur Duverey , Cure de Couvas , a Freemason . Monsieur Jadot was ordered to perform the service . This was just about a century ago , July 1770 . The Bishop of Toul was also required to cease from persecuting the Freemasons . —Kenning ' s Cyclopccdia of Freemasonry .