Consecration Of The Stuart Lodge, No. 1632.

p leasure to them to do anything they could on behalf of Masonry . He then complimented the W . M . on having established this new lodge , and wished all prosperity to the lodge and happ iness to its members . The W . M . next gave " The Consecrating Officer , " but as the brethren had seen the working of thc ceremonies by Bro . Little it was not necessary for him to dwell on the

fact . The brethren need not ask him for any expression of opinion as to how the ceremony was performed , but he might add that he had never seen thc ceremony performed so perfectly . Bro . Little responded . It was as much a pleasure to him to perform the ceremony of consecration as it was to the brethren to witness it . He had been ably assisted by

some other brethren , and he was happy to believe that in installing Bro . Stuart Barker , jun ., as W . M . he had placed in the chair of the lodge . the rig ht man . It would bc thc duty of the other officers to follow the W . M . ' s example . As it was always a more pleasing thing to speak of others than of himself , it was ; with much gratification he acknowledged the able assistance of other brethren in the

ceremony performed that day . He now came to a very pleasing duty , the proposal of " The Health of the W . M . " The worth of thc W . M . was well known . Having been p laced in the chair of the lodge by the suffrages of the brethren , confirmed finally by the Grand Master , it was the duty of the brethren to support him to thc utmost . To thc W . M . he offered " the right hand of fellowship , " and

he trusted he might experience nothing but kindness and good fellowship during , liis year of office . Should any difficulties arise , as unfortunately they would arise in lodges sometimes , the skill and ability of the W . M . would set matters tight , and . the Stuart Lodge would go on to a haven of peace and prosperity that would redound to its honour . ( Hear , hear . )

Thc W . M . in his reply said he trusted that Bro . Little's prognostications would be amply verified during his year of office . Among Masons there should be a unity of purpose , and that unity of purpose had been exemplified by the manner the brethren had responded to the toast , lt augured well for the future of the Stuart Lot ! gc , and he felt confident that in this lodge there would always be

unity of purpose . He would wish to impress upon thc brethren the necessity for such unity of purpose between the W . M . and the brethren . He thought they had a bright year before them . The question of admission of members to a lodge was one of great importance . They should be very particular about thc brethren they admitted , ami he trusted that with reference to any candidate that might

be brought forward blackballing would never be known . There was a way in which blackballing could bc avoided . If a brother found that there was any one proposed for initiation with whom he could not sit harmoniously and work in thc lodge , or against whom he entertained the slightest feelings of animosity , or , even to go further , with whom he could not sit down at the social table , let him go

to thc W . M . and state his case confidentially to him ; he would at once advise that the name be erased from the list , rather than that the Stuart Lodge should in any case blackball any one , whether as an initiate or as a joining member . It was a matter he felt very strongly upon . When he spoke of unanimity , perhaps he might say this of his officers , that although , through circumstances

which he need not mention , a considerable time had elapsed between the sending in of the petition for thc Stuart Lodge and the consecration of the lodge , yet the first cast of officers was the same as it was to-night . Circumstances in the life of every man necessitated change , and circumstances in the life of every Mason gave him opportunities in his own lodge for advancement . Those

advantages had been offered to officers of this lodge , who had banded themselves together as a band of brothers , to inaugurate and bring to a successful issue the Stuart Lodge . Having such officers around him , good men and true , the barque of the Stuart Lodge must of necessity he launched on thc sea of prosperity . He had been that night overwhelmed with the congratulations of

friends , friends with whom there were many associations he looked back upon with a great deal of pleasure ; and it would ill become him now he was installed , and a brother Mason too , if he forgot his father in Masonry , a man who long since was dead and gone , but who , though not in the flesh , was in a portrait looking down upon him as the W . M . of the Stuart Lodge , a man

who inducted him into Masonry—Bro . John Thomas , who initiated him in the Sphinx Lodge in 1872 . Bro . Thomas watched over his progress in Masonry with pleasure , and now that he was installed as W . M . of thc Stuart Lodge , his portrait was looking down upon him , as though he were anxious that in whatever he ( the W . M . ) did there should be tbe tinge of prosperity . There was also

another friend of his present , the W . M . of the Sphinx Lodge , Bro . Past Master Nairne , and that brother also he greeted with the greatest sincerity as a well wisher . There was another friend present , Bro . Seex , W . M . of the Industry Lodge . He was glad to see them all gather round him , and there was nothing throughout the whole of the ceremony that impressed him so much as the adherence of

his friends to him in the moment which to him was one of very great trial . ( Hear , hear . ) Thc W . M . then gave "The Visitors , " and mentioned the fact lhat the Board of Installed Masters numbered twenty-five brethren , among whom the purple was amply represented . He hoped that on future occasions the lodge would be well supported by visitors . Bros . Grabham , H . Thompson , John Secx , and P . A .

Nairne responded , all congratulating the W . M . on the consecration of thc lodge , and his own advancement to thc i-hair , and wishing prosperity to the lodge . Bro . Little proposed " Tbe Charities , " and thanked the W . M . for having undertaken the office ot Steward for the next festival of the Girls' School . The time was short , but he hoped that by the help of numerous friends he would be able to come to the festival with generous

Consecration Of The Stuart Lodge, No. 1632.

donations . Of the Institutions he would say , " May they all flourish , " esto pcrpetua . The W . M . responded , and dwelt on the principle of brotherly love , relief , and , truth . Me had been pressed to become a Steward , and had refused ; but , like Donna Anna , " saying she would ne ' er consent , consented . " The Girls' Institution ' s festival was the nearest , and so he

took that . The Institution was eig hty-nine years of age , thc oldest of thc Masonic Institutions . It hail been said of Scotchmen that they kept their hands in their pockets , and always shut . He did not believe it . He intended to go up for the Girls' School , and also to take with him a good list . Bro . Little saying the time was short , evidently did not expect much . He trusted

he should take him by surprise , and that the Stuart Lodge should not only bc a success it itself , but in its support of thc Institutions of the Order . The W . M . next proposed " The Joining Members . " One of them he had appointed to office that evening . He had had the pleasure of investing one to office whom he was very well acquainted with—their Bro . Treasurer . He appointed him to that

office for the very reason that he had long been his ( the W . M . ' s ) Treasurer . Time after time when he wanted money he knew where to go to get it . He thought , and the other founders of the lodge also thought with him , that he could not do better than associate with the lodge his own father—a man for whom he should say nothing now—his feelings were beyond utterance in that respect ,

and be hail a sense of delicacy about the matier . He could say this , that he had not appointed any man to office with greater feelings of p leasure than his own father , because he found his father giving countenance to his proceedings . His father was older in Masonry than he was ; but it was a matter of great pride and congratulation to bim to invest his father with a collar of office .

Bro . Stuart Barker ( Treasurer ) responded . He said he had never felt himself in a position of so much difficulty . It was not that lie did not know where lie was , but he was the subject of a peculiar sensation , for he did not know what he was . For thirty years he had been the father of his son ; recently he had become his brother . His wile for thirty years hail been bis son ' s mother ; but now , he

being his son ' s brother , she was his sister-in-law . As he hail another son , that son * must be his son's nephew . He had a daughter who had been his son ' s sister hitherto , but who , being his brother ' s wife ' s daughter , must be his son's niece . In fact , he wanted to know thc precise relationship he held to the W . M . ( Laughter . ) But joking apart , he must say , with a great many of the other speakers , what

great pleasure he hail had at being present at that day's ceremony . If il had been a pleasure and gratification tc thc brethren who had presided , how much greater must the pride and gratification of the W . M . 's father have been to sec him presiding over thc lodge , and to sec gathered around him many old and dear friends , He was au older Mason than his son , anil when he was

made . 1 Mason his son wanted bim to tell tbe secrets of Freemasonry . Cf course he would not ilo so , and his son told him that he would go and find them out for himself . He did so , anil lie had that day found out a secret which his father did not know . Me should always take great interest in the success of the Stuart Loilge , from the fact that his son was its first W . M . In going through life

it had always been his study to endeavour on all occasions to train up his son " in the way he should go , " as that old book , the Book of tbe law , said that when he grew up to manhood he " should not depart from it . " He undertook the office of Treasurer of the lodge under somewhat different feelings lo those which his son mentioned when he invested him . He had always understood that it was

Ihe duty of a Treasurer tn lake care of the Treasury , but he did not know that it was the duty of a Treasurer to be drawn upon . His son had been drawing upon him for a long time , and he thought he could draw on him through the lodge . ( No , no . ) He was delighted to hear that emphatic " No , " bur however that might be , there would be no difficulty on that score . The Stuart Lodge

would be always able to meet any claims that might be made on it . After the successful opening of thc Stuart Lodge there was no doubt what it ivould bc in thc future . He trusted that the brethren might often meet together again , and that nothing might occur to interrupt the harmony that ought to exist among thc brethren of a Freemasons' lodge .

Thc W . M . afterwards gave "The Health of the Officers of the Lodge , " to which the S . W . responded . "Thc Press " followed , and was responded to by Bro . H . Massey ( Freemason ) and H . Thompson , and the Tyler ' s toast concluded the evening , which was most delightfully spent .

1 have been asked within this week to attend a consecration of a new Masonic lodge , No . 1671 . Now , less than a year ago I was present at the consecration of No . 1601 . Figures are more eloquent than words in this case , and these two prove to demonstration the great increase " Modern Masonry" is making ... Another and a far from p leasant proof of the spread of Masonry was furnished

thc other night at the Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge . When the procession of Grand Officers entered Ihe " Temple , " the place was not simply full of " rulers of the Craft , " but it was overflowing with them . If lodges continue to increase as they have done recently , some additional accommodation must be provided , or the number of those entitled to attend musl he considerably reduced . —M tu , I air .

Hi' ; State apartments at Windsor Castle will be open to the public on and after Monday next . "Notice is given in the Gazelle that her Majesty ' s birthday will be kept on Saturday , the 26 th o ' May next . Mr . Compton ' s benefit at the Theatre Royal , Manchester , on Monday night , realised X ' 900 .

Consecration Of The Mizpah Lodge, No. 1671.

CONSECRATION OF THE MIZPAH LODGE , No . 1671 .

On Tuesday evening last the Mizpah Lodge , No . 16 7 ! was consecrated at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgate-street , ' by Bro . John Hervey , Grand Secretary , who was assisted by Bro . the Rev . R . J . Simpson , Past Grand Chaplain -, Bro . Jas . Terry , Prov . Grand Director of Ceremonies

Herts , as Director of Ceremonies , and numerous other brethren . The chair of Senior Warden was taken b y Bro . J . B . Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes , and the chair of Junior Warden by Bro . C . A Murton , Past Grand Deacon . Tbe full list of brethren comprised the following : Bros . C . Schmidt , 217 ; Saml , Gamman , P . M . 206 ; Nelson Reed , 38 , i ***? 2 ; A . J . Duff

Filer , P . G . S . B . ; Jas . Terry , Prov . G . D . C . Herts ; H , Massey , P . M . CIQ ( Freemason ); Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C ; John Hervey , G . S . ; John B . Monckton , President Board of General Purposes ; Mont . Scott , C . B , Payne , G . T . ; W . G . Jennings , T . J . Maidwell , J . W 27 ; George Kenning , Treasurer 16 *^ 7 ; W . S . Whitaker , W . M . 1572 ; J . Chavey , 1 S 0 ; E . B . West , 142 ; F . H

Willcocks , 1572 ; N . T . Pearce , 1572 ; W . J . H . Klotgen , 1247 ; R . Pawson Hooton , 1572 ; Bertram Noakes , J . W . 92 ; Sam . Gamman , P . M . 20 ( 1 ; John Green , P . M . 27 ; Geo . Carew Steele , 1 *^ 72 ; Montagu Scott , P . M . 765 ; Charles J . St . Alph ' onsc , S . D . 108 ; Philip Bulloch , 1572 ; Edward Humphrey , 53 8 ; Robert Allen , 139- ;; J . Brown , W . M . 765 ; and Rev . W . Taylor Jones ' , W . M 1 ( io 1 .

After thc lodge had been formally opened in the different degrees , the Presiding Officer , Bro . Hervey , proceeded to address the brethren on the nature of the meeting in the following terms : — Brethren , —I need not say what we have met to do tbis afternoon , because you are all well aware that we have assembled he re for the purpose of consecrating a

new lodge , one which I trust will be a credit to the Craft and an honour to the great city in which it is about to be located . I have so often addressed thc brethren upon one or two points , and it is difficult upon these occasions to find anything fresh to say , that I am not going to give you a lecture again to-day upon the necessity of being careful whom you introduce into your ranks , or to dilate

upon the uncharitablcness , 1 may say wickedness , of blackballing those of whom you know nothing , and merely for the purposes of casting a slight to or stain upon a Worship ful Master or upon the proposer of thc candidate . But I would still reiterate that those are subjects , and legitimate subjects , to discuss in a Masons' lodge , and it is very desirable indeed that they should be enforced in a

new lodge , which is about to be consecrated , and about to be launched into existence . Brethren , there are one ot two things which I thought I would mention this afternoon , one or two statistical matters which might interest some of ihose present , which would make a little difference in the address , the very short address , which I am about to give you this

evening . In looking over the Grand Lodge records , which I was doing the other evening for a particular ohjeet , it struck me that it mig ht bc a satisfaction to thc brethren here to know how the Craft had progressed during the last few years , and going back merely to the time of the union , I jotted down one or two points which 1 think those here may be glad to know . I take it for

granted that all those who are in this room know that , prior to 1812 , or prior to 1813 , rather , there were two Grand Lodges in existence in the City of London , one under the Grand Mastership of His Royal Highness the then Prince of Wales , who was afterwards Prince Regent and George IV ., and the other under the Grand Mastershin of the Duke of Athol , and that these two Grand

Lodges went by the respective names of these distinguished persons . I find that the number of lodges in 1812 , 011 what was termed the Prince's side , was 640 ; and in ' 1813 the Athol and Prince ' s Lodges joined together , and formed what is now termed the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England . 1 find also , that while on the Prince ' s side there were 640 lodges , those on the

Athol side I have no means of ascertaining , because they did not keep their books in any very regular way , and they had no calendars to which reference can bc made ; yet when the two Grand Lodges were joined together , the Athol Grand Lodge and the Prince of Wales's Grand Lodge , although the number of lodges on the Prince ' s side was 640 , yet when the dormant lodges were

eliminated upon the two sides , the two Grand Lodges could only muster 647 lodges . This went on till 1813 , therefore we started with ( 147 lodges , and in the year 1832 the lodges were all renumbered , the vacant places closed up , and I find that in 1832 the number appeared to be 865 lodges , or an increase on the number of C 47 of 218 ; but as the new number began with 594 lodges , it really appears

that in these 20 years there was a reduction of J 3 lodges ; and in 1832 we started with the last number , 594 . The receipts of money in 1812 were , on ihe Benevolent account £ 970 , and on the General Purposes account £ i 35 ' but we had improved in that respect , as in 1832 the Benevolence amounted to £ ; 18 9 , and the General Purposes to £ 2209 . The next renumbering of the lodges was '"

1 S 63 , thc number of lodges being 1267 , or an increase on the number in 1832 of 073 lodges in 31 years , thc new numbers beginning with 574 , shewing a positive increase of 3 80 lodges , although during thc perio * Canada had declared itself independent . The funds also had much increased -, thc Fund of Benevolence being £ 3081 , and the General Purposes £ 3794 . Well , brethtinit

ren , to shew the progress of the Craft at thc present i the last warrant granted is No . 1682 , shewing a gross increase of 708 lodges ; and deducting the Brunswieki Nova Scotia , and other places which have establish - ' ' Grand Ledges of their own , it gives a net increase 0 5 88 lodges in fourteen years . The funds also have increased in like proportion . The receipts of the Fund »