Consecration Of The Westminster City Council Lodge, No. 2882.

Consecration of the Westminster City Council Lodge , No . 2882 .

r pHE consecration of the above lodge took place at the I Cafe Monico , on Monday , 3 rd March , the ceremony being most impressively performed by V . W . Bro . E . Letchworth , Grand Secretary , assisted by the following Grand Officers : —Bros . H . Arthur Hunt , P . G . Supt . of Works , as SAW ; W . J . Crump , P . A . G . D . C . ( Mayor of Islington ) ,

as J . W . ; Frank Richardson , P . D . G . Reg ., as D . C . ; the Rev . Canon Brownrigg , P . G . Chaplain , as Chaplain ; and J . H . Benn , P . M . ( Mayor of Greenwich ) , as I . G . There was a very large and distinguished attendance , not only of Grand Officers , but also of well known members in municipal

life of London , including , besides the two above mentioned Mayors , W . Bro . Lieut .-Col . Clifford Probyn , P . G . T ., Mayor of Westminster , the Mayor of St . Pancras , and the Mayor of Hackney , & c . At the banquet which followed , the Acting I . P . M .,

W . Bro . Col . Probyn , owing to the indisposition of R . W . Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., who was forced to retire immediately upon the conclusion of the ceremony , acted as W . M ., and in proposing the toast of " The Grand Officers , " coupled with it the name of W . Bro .

Lord Dungarvan , P . G . M . of Somerset , whose work , he said , both in Masonic and patriotic interests , was well known . Lord Dungarven had only lately returned from South Africa , where he was second in command of the South African

Rough Riders . Bro . Lord Dungarvan , in reply , paid a tribute to Bro . Colonel Probyn as a public man in the Metropolis , and expressed his conviction that he could be relied upon as a loyal supporter of the City of Westminster . In proposing the toast of " The W . M ., " the Acting W . M .

said how much he , and he was sure all the brethren present , regretted his ( the W . M . ' s ) absence at the banquet through a bad attack of laryngitis , and requested the Secretary to send a telegram trusting he would be soon restored to good health ,

and congratulating him on his great pluck in attending at the ceremony under such adverse circumstances . W . Bro E . Letchworth , in replying to the toast of ' The Consecrating Officers , " deplored the absence of Bro . the Rev . Canon Brownigg , owing to a prior engagement , and proposed the toast of " The Acting W . M ., " who , he said , at a moment ' s

notice had presided at the banquet , but he was always ready to discharge any duty he might be called upon to perform . The Acting W . M ., in responding , thought , he stated , the Grand Secretary had been a bit too laudatory in his remarks , but he had done his bit of time and passed through the

Masonic mill , and he could honestly say he had come out not a bit the worse . Bro . Louis Thomas , P . G . D . of C , and Bro . J . Easterbrook , whose names were coupled with the toast of " The Visitors , " replied on their behalf .

The Acting W . M ., in rising to propose the toast of " The Officers , " said it had just been suggested to him to proposethe toast of " The Municipal Mayors present , " of whom there were four besides himself ; and although not on the programme he had great pleasure in doing so , and wished them everything kind and good in this important year of office .

The Mayors of St . Pancras and Hackney responded , and the former remarked that it was the first time in his experience that such a toast had been given at a Masonic gathering . He appreciated it none the less , however . He would endeavour to emulate the example of the City of Westminster in having a local lodge of their own , and he

was sure other Mayors who are Masons would follow suit . The Acting W . M . then gave the toast of " The Officers , " and said great credit was due , and the lodge was deeply indebted , to the Secretary , Bro . Bingham , for the excellent way in which lie had performed his arduous task in connection with the formation of the lodge . Bros . Bingham , Berkeley , and Watson also responded .

Consecration Of The Willing Lodge, No. 2893.

Consecration of the Willing Lodge , No . 2893 .

A TO . 28 93 was added to the roll of lodges on Tuesday , ]\ i . the nth of March . It was consecrated at the Tivoli Restaurant , Strand , by V . W . Bro . E . Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Secretary , in his usual impressive manner , assisted by Bros . George Everett , P . G . Treasurer , as S . W . ; James Stephens , P . D . G . D . C , as J . W . ; the Rev . Herbert

W . Turner , M . A ., P . G . C , as Chaplain ; Frank Richardson , P . D . G . Registrar , Acting G . D . C , as D . C . ; and Thomas A . Bullock , P . G . S . B ., as I . G . V . W . Bro . the Rev . Herbert W . Turner , P . G . Chaplain , in the course of an eloquent and instructive oration ,

said that perhaps as the world grew older there was less need for that portion of the ceremony , but though times had changed , there was no change in the tenets of Freemasonry . There was still the ever-pervading foundation of the Craft , the solemnity of its work , and the unshakeable reverence for

a true and beautiful religious life , exemplified by them in the constant use of the Sacred Word . This Word reminded them oi the duties of the Craft in the realms of love tind charity . These ought to be the distinguishing virtues of every member of this lodge and of every Freemason . In the

matter of charity there appeared to him to be three classes , those who were willing to give and not able , those who were able and not willing , and those who were both willing and able , and he trusted all present would be found amongst the last , the grandest class .

Amongst the thirty-seven founders it will be observed there were many Grand Officers . W . Bro . James Willing , jun ., is the first W . M ., after whose father the lodge is named . Like his father , who has been a generous benefactor to the new lodge , Bro . Willing , jun ., is a well-known and popular Freemason , and a generous friend of Masonic Charities . Having been installed in the chair he appointed his officers

as follows : —Bros . J . J . Chapman , . Acting I . P . M . ; T . V . Bowater , C . C , S . W . ; W . H . Wilson , J . W . ; the Rev . R . W . J . Smart , Chaplain ; James Speller , Treasurer ; R . H . McLeocl , Secretary ; A . A . Gilmer , S . D . ; A . H . Haddocks , J . D . ; H . Shirreff , I . G . ; James Stephens , D . C . ; C . J . Taylor , Organist ; and J . A . Hare , J . O . Schuler and J . R . Hill , Stewards .

A long list of propositions for initiation and joining was read by the Secretary , after which the lodge tendered their hearty thanks to the Consecrating Officers , whom they also elected honorary members . A banquet followed , and in proposing the toast of " The Consecrating Master , " the W . M ., in happy terms , referred

to the approaching wedding of the Grand Secretary , and on behalf of the lodge presented him with a beautiful solid silver breakfast warmer . The Grand Secretary made a feeling response , and concluded by proposing " The Health of the W . M ., " the

well-known , generous , and kindheavted Freemason . In appropriate terms he referred to the hearty and ever ready support of the W . M . to all the Masonic Charities , and prophesied for him a most prosperous and happy year of office .

The W . M ., in the course of his reply , desired to say that his father—on whose eighty-fourth birthday the warrant of that lodge was signed—had . taken a great interest in the foundation of the lodge , and had manifested that interest in a practical way , and he regretted that his advanced years

alone prevented him from being with them then . The W . H . concluded an able speech by hoping that he , the officers , and brethren would find them firmer friends at the close of his year of office , if that were possible , than they were that day .