Grand Lodge Of New South Wales

was warranted by the same authority in 1855 , its numbers having been 941 and 655 , and like so man }* else was removed from our roll in 1888 on leaving its mother Grand Lodge . Nearly 50 lodges meet in Sydney , but else the lodges are widely distributed and rarely more than one in any town in

the Colon }* . Full particulars of all these may be obtained by consulting the " Masonic Guide of New South Wales , 1903-4 , " edited by Bro . William T . Wright , P . M . and Sec . No . 79 , Bathurst , which is in its third year of issue , and is one of the best of the kind published under the sanction of

any Grand Lodge . It is historical , ably arranged , and indispensable for the thousands of members in the jurisdiction , so ably catered for by the indefatigable editor . This year is of special value because it contains the Grand Master ' s oration , which embraces a sketch of the Craft in Australia

during the last one hundred years . The Grand Lodge Calendar for England gives seven Prov . or District Grand Masters for New South Wales , beginning with 18 39 , when Bro . George R . Nichols was appointed by H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , K . G ., & c , & c . Followed in 18 4 8 by Captain Joseph L . Innes , in 1855 by Sir Samuel O . Gibbs ,

Bart ., in i 860 by the R . W . Bro . John Williams , who , in 1856 , as D . Prov . G . M ., when on a visit to London , obtained from , the Grand Master " many important concessions . " These with the Hon . Arthur Todd Holroycl in 1867 , were all appointed by the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Zetland , K . G ., & c ,

the last of the quartette being the lirst to be designated District Grand Master . In 1877 the R . W . Bro . John Williams was again in the chair of the district until the union eleven years later . In 18 99 the revered Brother passed away , to the great sorrow of the local Craft .

For Scotland the following have been Prov . Grand Masters The Hon . Robert Campbell , 18 57-9 i Dr . John Belisario , 1865-9 i anc - Dr . William G . Sedgwick , 1871-88 ; becoming Past G . M . of N . S . W . from 1888 to his lamented death in 18 95 . For Ireland the Hon . George Thornton succeeded as Prov . G . M . in 1857 to 1867 , the Hon . James T . Farnell in

1873 becoming the Ruler , and soon made it manifest that he was bent on the formation of a Grand Lodge , which was started in 1878 , with that Brother as Grand Master . The G . L . of Ireland appointed Major J . W . Guise in his place , but by 1885 the last of the Irish Lodges had returned its

warrant to Dublin , and the sway of that Grand Lodge ceased in the Colony . The Grand Lodge , however , did not commend itself to the majority , and for a time , though new lodges were started , it was far from a happy and peaceful organization .

In 1885 the Rt . Hon . the Earl Camngton , G . C . M . G . ( Senior Grand Warden of England in 1882 ) , became the Governor of New South Wales , and soon after his advent began to promote a reconciliation between the trio of Masonic authorities , becoming for that purpose District Grand Master ,

by appointment of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Grand Master in 1888 . The late revered Pro Grand Master of England , the Rt . Hon . Earl Carnarvon , visited Sydney early in that year , and suggested a basis of union , which was generally accepted , though not as to all details , the result being the establishment of the " United Grand Lodge of New South

Wales " in the same year , at which time there were 74 lodges of English origin , 53 of Scottish , and 49 under the minority Grand Lodge , a total of 176 . The Rt . Hon . Lord Carrington was , as might have been expected , elected Grand Master , and was installed on 18 th

September by the M . W . Bro . Sir Samuel Way ( since appointed a Past Grand Warden of England ) , whose services on behalf of the Australian Craft are much valued and appreciated . On his lordship ceasing his official duties in 1890 , the Rt . Hon . Earl Jersey , G . C . B ., G . C . M . G . ( S . G . W . of

England in 1870 , and Prov . G . M . of Oxfordshire from 1885 ) , succeeded as Governor , and in the following year was elected and installed Grand Master , being followed by the new Governor , Sir Robert Duff , in 18 93 , who was at the head of the local fraternity until his decease in 18 95 , when Sir

Joseph Palmer Abbott , K . C . M . G . ( Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ) , was selected as Grand Master , and was re-elected to 18 9 8 .

From 18 99 to 1903 , the M . W . Bro . Lt .-Colonel John C . Remington ( P . M . 23 , Past D . G . M . ) has been the Grand Master , and has proved an ideal Ruler in every respect . At his installation last year in the presence of 3500 brethren he delivered an eloquent address to the Grand Lodge , which deserves a very wide circulation , and is eminently

calculated to raise the tone of the fraternity to its highest point . He considers that Freemasonry has continued to exist and

extend" Because it has adhered to its guiding principles—Brotherly Love , Relief and Truth , questioning no man ' s form of religious creed so long as he be vouched for as just and upright and affirms a belief in a Supreme Being , and in a future state for which this life is a preparation . Because it abstains from

all political discussions in its lodges , forbids plots or conspiracies against government , and enjoins every Master to be a peaceable subject , and patiently submit to the decisions of the Supreme Legislature . "

The Deputy Grand Master is the R . W . Bro . Arthur J . Scott , and the V . W . Bro . Arthur H . Bray is the Grand Secretary . The Quarterly Communications of the Grand Lodge are held on the 2 nd Wednesday in March , June , September and

December , the Masonic Hall being in Castlereach Street , Sydney . W . T . HUGHAN .

Consecration Of The Semper Paratus Lodge, No. 3015.

Consecration of the Semper Paratus Lodge , No . 3015 .

THIS interesting function took place on Wednesday , January 6 th , at the Masonic Temple , Holborn Restaurant . The founders , a complete list of whom we give below , were recruited entirely from the members of the National Fire Brigades Union , which is a society having

for its object the mutual intercourse of the large body of volunteer firemen throughout the country , a society which may claim to be international , as it has members in nearly

every part oi the civilized globe . Although a metropolitan lodge , it will be completely cosmopolitan , as many of its founders reside in distant parts of the kingdom . The ceremony was performed by V . W . Bro . Sir Edward Letchworth , Grand Secretary , assisted by the following Consecrating Officers : —W . Bro . Vice-Admiral W . H . C . St . Clair , P . G . D ., as S . W . ; W . Bro . Col . George J . Parkyn , P . G . Swd . B ., as J . W . ; V . W . Bro . Rev . H . W . Turner , M . A .,