Consecration Of Defence Lodge, No. 2839.

Consecration of Defence Lodge , No . 2839 .

''PHE inception of the idea of a volunteer officers' lodge j for Calcutta dates back several years ago , but circumstances did not favour its inauguration at that time as the status of the various battalions in that city was undergoing change . Early , however , in 1900 , the scheme was again brought forward , and as the idea met with considerable

encouragement it was put into practical shape . A petition was drawn up and signed by twenty volunteer officers representing the various Calcutta corps . Bro . John Richard Maples , Lieut .-Colonel of the 1 st Calcutta Volunteer Rifles , was chosen as the first

Worshipful Master , with Lieut .-Colonel Binning , then Senior Warden of 218 ( E . C ) , as first Senior Warden , and Capt . W . J . Bradshaw , Port Defence Volunteers , P . M . 232 ( E . G . ) , as first Junior Warden . Owing to the death of the late Queen and the consequent

change in the Grand Mastership , some considerable delay was experienced in procuring the charter , and when it did arrive the Worshipful Master elect was on his way home , as

A GROUP OF POUNDERS .

it proved , for good . This necessitated a re-election of chief officers , when Bro . Binning was chosen Worshipful Master , and Bros . Bradshaw and Girard Senior and Junior Wardens . Membership of this lodge is open to all volunteer officers , past and present , and regular officers of the Indian Staff Corps . The subscription has been fixed at a reasonable

limit to enable eligible brethren all over India to join without adding a great deal to their Masonic dues . Absent brethren are admitted at half the usual rates , and it is anticipated this concession will bring members who are volunteer officers from every part of India , so that in time a huge lodge will

be the result . In connection with the lodge there will be an officers mess , so that Mofussil brethren , if they happen to be in Calcutta , will be able to meet their brother officers both in Masonry and at the social board . A feature in the lodge is the roll of eminent soldiers who cordially approved of the scheme and consented to nomination as honorary members . Their names are as follows : —

Bros . Field Marshall Earl Roberts , Lord Kitchener , General Sir Charles Warren , Sir Power Palmer , and General Sir 15 . Collen . The consecration meeting of the lodge was held at Freemasons' Hall , Calcutta , on Friday , January 3 rd . Bro . the Hon . Sir H . T . Prinsep , D . G . M . of Bengal , assisted by

Bros . W . B . Colville , as D . G . S . W . ; G . W . Lees , D . G . J . W . ; the Rev . Canon Luckman , D . G . Chaplain ; H . M . Rustomjee , D . G . Secretary ; E . G . Sinclair , D . G . D . C ; and C . H . Mead , D . G . Organist , performed the ceremony before a fairly large attendance of brethren , the founders and promoters .

On the conclusion of the consecration Bro . Lieut .-Colonel J . Binning was duly installed as W . M . by Bro . H . M . Rustomjee , D . G . Secretary of Bengal , in his well known able manner . The following brethren were appointed to offices in the

lodge : —Bros . Boughton Chambers , I . P . M . ; W . J . Bradshaw , S . W . ; H . E . Girard , J . W . ; C . W . Batho , Treasurer ; W . T . Grice , S . D . ; W . M . Jones , J . D . ; and T . Herbert , Tyler .

The appointments of Secretary and Inner Guard were held over for a subsequent meeting . Other routine business was then proceeded with , after which the lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to a banquet . The usual toasts were proposed by the Worshipful Master ,

who was particularly felicitous in that of " The District Grand Lodge of Bengal , " whose ruler , Bro . Sir Henry T . Prinsep , was the most distinguished guest of the evening . In the course of his remarks the Worshipful Master alluded to the eminent services to Freemasonry by their Right Worshipful

District Grand Master , and expressed his opinion that the proposed new Masonic Temple must be a memento of his rule . The toast was drunk with great enthusiasm . Bro . Sir H . T . Prinsep responded in a few well-chosen words . He briefly alluded to the building scheme and the main reasons of his disapproval of it , which were based upon