Consecration Of The Guildhall Lodge, No. 3116.

( he kind things said , but he would not expose himself by denying them . The best way in which he could reward ( hem was by ( hanking them from the bottom of his heart for the kind way in which they had received the toast . " The Yisitors " was next given from the chair , the W . M .

alluding to the unusual number of distinguished guests present , including Bishop Potter , of New York—known throughout the world—and the Yery Rev . the Dean of Cape Town . He proposed to ask those two brethren to acknowledge ( he ( oast , and should also include his senior Sheriff ,

Bro . Alderman Smalhnan . Bro . H . C . Potter , Bishop of New York , said he remembered with great pride and satisfaction that one of the ATaids of Honour at the Lord Mayor ' s banquet was an American girl , and this was sufficient to bind the two nations

as one people . He himself was not a cousin of theirs , but a brother . His ancestors came from Coventry to the United States in 16 32 , and the arms upon the episcopal ring of the Diocese of New York which he was wearing were the arms granted to ( he Alayor of Coventry by Queen , Elizabeth . When he found himself in the anteroom , before the

intercst-1 I 1 IO . C . (' . WAK'KI'IELII , C . C . ing function of the consecration of the lodge , he was practically nude , having no Masonic clothing . A brother , howeverinsisted upon taking his apron off and placing it

, upon hi ' m , and it was for acts like these that ( he Americans loved the English people . He thought the Americans loved the English more than the English loved the Americans . The latter had all the vices of youth , and perhaps suffered from " big head , " but ( hat did not in ( he smallest degree

affect their chivalric and lender feeling towards England and the great City of London . The Deputy Grand Afaster imparted to him an interesting incident , and first asked him if he knew any people of the name of Halsey in Carolina . When Bro . Halsey ' s country house was burnt down in ( he spring he received a cablegram from that family assuring

him of their sympathy . That was a fine and touching expression of what was characteristic of an Ameiican heart —and he entreated them to distinguish between an American heart and an Ameiican mind . The affection , respect , and homage with which they turned to their mother England

was something of which he believed they had no adequate conception . When he went back , privileged to say he was honoured by ( he Lord . Mayor with an invitation to attend ( his consecration and most beautiful function , ( he brethren not only of New York , but also of ( he great West would feel

with delight and gratitude ( he kind hospitality of that night . Bro . the Very Rev . the Dean of Cape Town , D . G . M . South Africa ( W . D . ) , said it was a very proud moment for him to have come 6 , 000 miles and brought greetings ( o tin ' s lodge . During his career there had been three great Masonic

gatherings impressed upon his memory . The first was twenty years ago , when he was one of 3 , 000 who met at Brighton under the presidency of the Prince of Wales , the present King . The next was a striking assembly in Johannesburg , when 600 Alasons were present at the

installation of a successor to one well known to them all—Bro . Geo . Richards . This was the third great occasion , and he had come a long distance to accept their invitation , arriving in London the day previously , and leaving again on the morrow . Alasonry was not a mere matter of decoration and clothing and of ritual , for there should be a fraternal bond

amongst them , of whatever nationality or creed . In South Africa Alasonry had always come to the front , whether in times of plague or war , to relieve the distressed and try to promote concord , peace and brotherly love . He belonged to four Constitutions , being D . G . M . under the English Constitution , and P . M . under the Dutch , Scotch , and Irish

Constitutions . Masonry saved many a life during the recent war , and brought the Dutch and English together , and thank God , he had the affection of the Dutch as well as of the English Alasons . He looked to Alasonry to smooth down the racial rancour , for the sake of Masonry , and for the sake

of Empire . Bro . Alderman and Sheriff Smalhnan , D . L ., J . P ., also responded , after which " The Officers " was given .

BI' . O . ALKXAXDKH Rl'I'CUlE , J . l' ., CO . Bro . Sir Horace Brooks Marshall , LL . D ., J . P ., C . C , P . G . Treas . replied , and said his first thought was to congratulate the W . AI . upon the honour of having P . G . AV . conferred upon him . His next thought was to congratulate the officers

and members upon having as their first Alaster Bro . the Right Hon . the Lord Alayor of the City of London . Freemasonry had ever been closely identified with the Cit y , and it seemed to him peculiarly fitting that that should be a lodge closely attached to the Corporation and its officers .

It would be the endeavour of the officers to carry out the ritual in a right and proper manner and uphold the great principles of Freemasonry—brotherly love , relief , and truth . If they did that the raison d ' etre of the lodge would be established . The Tyler ' s toast then concluded the proceedings .