Royal Arch.

Comp . Bu 3 s referred to the progress made jn Royal Arch Masonry , and wished prosperity to the new chapter . " The Officers of the Andrew Chapter" was given by the M . E . Z ., and responded to by Comps . Miller , Seribe ! N ., and Bean , Prin . Soj . The usual concluding toasts were given . The proceedings of the evening were interspersed by some songs and recitations . The Banquet was admirably served and in good taste , the

desssert and other delicacies in abundance , the waiting was excellent , and the whole arrangement reflected the greatest credit upon the attentive and obliging ' , host of the Royal Sussex Hotel . The brethren adjourned at an early hour . At the time occurred one of tho heaviest rainstorms we remember to have witnessed . An admirable instance was afforded of the great utility of the Metropolitan Railway and its extensions , which seemed to accommodate the whole of tbe brethrenwhatever distant part of town

, they reside , there being at the time no other conveyance . Amongst the visitors present were Comps . J . Smith , P . G . Purst . aud P . G . Dir . of Cers . ; H . G . Buss , P . Z . 177 ; W . Smith , C . E ., P . M , 33 ; G . King , jun ., M . E . Z . 1 , 260 ; G . King , H . 1 , 260 ; Roche , Daly , Birch , Simpson , and Bray , all of Mount Sinai Chapter , No . 19 .

We quote from the West London Observer the following historical reminiscence of Freemasonry in Hammersmith : — " When a few years ago some six or eight earnest Masons sought to establish a lodge in Hammersmith , they were met with the objection that to establish and sustain a brotherhood of any kind in Hammersmith would be an utter impossibility , there was no desire among the inhabitants to promote any character of enjoyment or improvement , no unanimity , no desire to baud

together for any change , except under a certain clique , but nevertheless the Ranelagh Lodge was established , and became rapidly one of the best working aud well supported lodges of the metropolis . Our Masonic readers will be pleased to hear that to-day the very interesting and sublime ceremony of the consecration of a new chapter of the Royal Arch will take place at the Royal Sussex Hotel , Broadway , Hammersmith , a house rendered famous in the memory of Masons , because from it issued a goodly assembly of tbe Craft , headed by the very popular Grand Master of the Order , the late Duke of Sussex , in the year 1825 , to lay tbe

foundation-stone of the Hammersmith Suspension Bridge . The brethren on that occasion , clothed , opened a lodge , and proceeded in procession through King-street West to the then narrow turning known as Angel-lane , there being no other approach to the bridge at that time , as we quote from ' Faulkner's History of Hammersmith : '" ' On the 7 th of May , 1825 , the foundation-stone ofthe north tower was laid by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , with

Masonic ceremony , the coffer dam being fitted up as an amphitheatre in which tho stone was suspended . At four o ' clock the Duke arrived , the officers ofthe Grand Lodge assembled at the Latymer School Room , and the lodge was opened by the Master and officers of the Caveat Lodge , No . 231 . The procession walked from the School-room to the Broadway , down Angel-lane in Masonic order . On arriving at the entrance , the procession divided and took their station riht and leftand the Duke passed to the

g , platform . The ceremony of laying the stone commenced aiter three cheers had been given to bis Royal Highness . The grand treasurer delivered to him a bottle containing the coins of the reigning sovereign ; also a brass plate to be placed over the cavity , with the following inscription : — ' This foundation stone

of a Bridge of Suspension over the river Thames , from the Hamlet of Hammersmith , in the County of Middlesex , to Barnes , in the County of Surrey , was laid with due Masonic ceremony by His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , Most AVorshipful Grand Master , on Saturday , May the 7 th , 1825 . W . T . Clark , Esq ., Engineer ; George , William , and Stephen Bird , and Captain Brown , Royal Marines , Contractors / Mr . Robert HollPast Grand SecretaryClerk and Secretary . On

, , the stone being lowered , the Duke scattered the corn , and said , ' As I have poured the corn , the oil , and the wine , emblems of wealth , plenty , and comfort , so may the bridge tend to communicate prosperity and wealth from one end of the island to the other , God bless the King . ' The procession then returned nearly in the same order , and His Royal Highness dined with a numerous compauyat the Coffee-housenow the Royal SussexHotel '

, . " We are thus pleased to congratulate the Brotherhood ou the good taste in their selection , and the success of their progress , We have been favoured with the handsomely illuminated notice of the consecration , really a work of art in the most exquisite taste and beauty of design . "

The Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts

THE GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS

ADDRESS OP BRO . "W . S . GARDNER , GRAND MASTER , TO THE GRAND LODGE OS MASSACHUSETTS . ( Continued from page 179 ) . The several States of the United States of America , the Territories when legally organised as such by Congress , and the District of Columbia , are each organised as separate and independent jurisdictions in which Grand Lodges may he

established-This is the American doctrine , most religiously and masonically adhered to by tho Craftsmen of the United States , and which our brethren upon the other side of tho Atlantic must accedo to , recognise , and support . After the declaration hereinafter referred to , made by tbe Massachusetts Grand Lodge December 6 , 17 S 2 , treaty stipulations were entered into by the several Grand Lodges then iu existence , in confirmation of tbe action , of Massachusetts . The Grand Lodge of New York adopted the following preamble and resolutions : —

" Whereas , the Grand Lodge of the State of Massachusetts have by a communication , dated the 4 th of January last , suggested to this Grand Lodge the propriety of adopting a resolution declaring that no charter or dispensation for holding a lodge be issued by any Grand Lodge to any number of Masons residing out of the State wherein the Grand Lodge is established , be it therefore "Resolved and declared bthis Grand Lodgethat no

y , Charter or Dispensation for holding a lodge of Masons shall be granted to any person or persons whatever , residing out of thi 3 State and within the jurisdiction of any other Grand Lodge . " From that time to this , the Grand Lodges of the United States have uniformly resisted every encroachment upon the sole jurisdiction of the several Grand Lodges . At the Festival of June 211790 Josiali Bartlettafterwards

, , , Grand Master , delivered an address before the Grand Lodge , in which he says , after referring to the re-interment of Warren : — " How to assemble the Grand Lodge with regularity , was now made a serious question , as the commission ofthe Grand Master had died with him , aud the deputy had no power independent of his nomination and appointment . "Communications for the consideration of this subject were

held at different times , nil 8 th of March , 5777 , when , experiencing the necessity of preserving the intercourse of the brethren , and the want of a proper establishment to soften the rigours of an active and distressing war , they proceeded to the formation of an Independent Grand Lodge , with ' powers anp prerogatives to be exercised on principles consistent with and . subordinate to the regulations pointed out in the Constitutions of Ancient Masonry' and our late worthand Most Worshiful

, y p Brother , Joseph Webb , Esquire , whose amiable deportment and fidelity in the duties ot'his important office now claim our grateful remembrance , was duly elected Grand Master , and proceeded to install his officers , and organize the Grand Lodge . " Iu 1792 , Thaddeus M . Harris compiled the Constitutions , and published them . In referring to this act of independence , he quotes from the address of Bartlett the above extractand

, , in a foot-note , states that "the general regulations from Entinck ' s Constitutions were adopted and practiced ; except that the Grand Masters and Wardens were elected by a ballot at large . The other officers were appointed by the Grand Master . ' '

Both of these brethren , Bartlett and Harris , were intimate with those who formed tho Independent Grand Lodge , associated with them Masonically , and thus had the amplest means of knowing the truth of the statements which they made . In addition to this extraneous evidence , the record itself , of December 6 , 17 S 2 , recites the facts with great clearness and force ; but , before alluding to this , I desire to show some of those acts of freedom and characteristic of

independence an absolute Grand Lodge which this " Grand Body performed before that date . Charters were not only granted for establishing Lodges in Massachusetts , but also iu other States . But anticipating that the independent government organized in this State would be followed by the Craft elsewhere , it was determined that all Charters granted without the limits of Massachusetts should be

in force only until a Grand Lodgo was formed in such State or country whore such Lodges were held . Upon these conditions Lodges were established in New Hampshire , Vermont , Connecticut and New York , prior to December , 1782 .