History Of A Military Lodge.

surviving members of the loclge fell off soon after by discharge , leaving the Worshipful Master ( Bro . Hollinsworth ) and three others , " the sole remains of a once numerous body . " The Worshipful Master was further afflicted by the loss of an excellent wife after a protracted illness , and was himself ill for several months . The regiment was soon after removed to

Canuanore , where the lodge received assistance from two lodges on the " Coromandel Grand Registry , " N " os . 11 and 14 . The loclge was resuscitated on the 19 fch August , 1824 , and from that date till the 27 th December , eighteen meetings were held . The number of members at the end of the year amounted to 27 .

The fees for Grand Registry and certificates were remitted to the Grand Secretary , with a donation of £ 5 to the Grand Loclge Pund . A Brother , Joseph Watts , of the Corinthian Lodge , who had lent a helping hand , was presented with a golden trowel and a purse of three goklmohurs . In 1825 the lodge

opened at Poena , and "many officers of the regiment , noted for their high military position , literary attainments , and moral and religious character , nought and obtained admission . '' On tiie 24 th October of the

same year , the lodge assisted Bro . Lieut . General Sir Charles Colville , Commander-in-Chief , in laying the foundation-stone of a Masonic Hall . The brethren subscribed liberall y from their private funds towards the erection ofthe building , ancl the loclge also voted a handsome donation . On the 4 th January , 1827 , a medal was presented to Bro . Hollinsworth " who had

, hy this time risen from the rank of Sergeant-Major to be Lieutenant and Adjutant ofthe corps . The same year four officers of the regiment , who afterwards rendered great service to the lodge , were initiated . The widows and orphans of deceased brethren were entirely supported by the lodge , and large grants were

frequently made to the Masonic Orphan Asylum in Dublin . In 1828 , a brother who had been removed on duty to Tabreez , in Persia , forwarded a splendid silver cup to the lodge . Ia 1829 ( the lodge mustering 60 members ) , the regiment was removed to Colaba . Bro . Lieutenant Henry Clinton was presented with a gold Royal Arch medal . In 1831 the

regiment was removed to BeJgaum , where a brother who had been convicted of fraud by a "committee of scrutiny , " was expelled the Craft . His expulsion was considered b y the regiment a * large , and by the offender himself , a far greater disgrace than his reduction from the honourable position he had held in the corps . About this time the minute book of the lod

ge was enriched with , copious extracts from lectures Avhich had been delivered upon the symbols of Ereemasonry . Lectures on " Man" were also delivered by Bro . Assistant Surgeon Moffatt . Bro . Capt . Taylor , on his departure for England , was presented with a handsome gold square . On the 21 st December , 1836 ,

the regiment encamped at Vingorla previous to embarking for England , ancl remained in camp a whole month . Hearing of their detention , Ensign A . G . Shaw , 22 nd N . I ., took a long and difficult journey to Vingorla , and petitioned the brethren for advancement in Masomy , who , of course , complied with his request .

During its stay in India , the lodge had enrolled 150 members under its banner ; but of these only 20 embarked for Europe . The cause of this was that several of the regiment ( not less than 402 ) had

volunteered for service in other regiments , and that many of the members of the lodge belonged to regiments of Native Infantry , or held appointments in the Indian Civil Service . The following ara the details of the number 150 : —

OF HEB MAJESTY ' SERVICE . 1 Lieutenant-Colonel . 6 Captains . 12 Lieutenants . 1 Surgeon . 3 Assistant Surgeons . 72 JN on-commissioned officers . 1 Private .

OF THE HOX . EAST INDIA COMPANY ' S SEEVICE . 1 Judge . 12 Others of the Civil Service . 2 Chaplains . 9 Lieutenants . 2 Assistant Surgeons . 1 Ensign . 27 JWon-commissioned officers .

Of those who had left England as members of the lodge , only one had returned to his native land . Up to the 9 th October , 1838 , the "Superior Degrees" had been conferred under the old warrant of the loclge ; but on that date a charter was obtained from tho Grand Chapter for the exaltation of brethren

to the Royal Arch degree . In 1841 the regiment was sent to Bermuda * but the loclge did not meet till November , 1844 . After that , no more meetings were held for ei ght years . The first act of the brethren ou meeting , was to grant a donation to tlie widow and orphan of a deceased

brother . In 1815 , an excellent Masonic library was purchased . On the removal of the regiment to Hamilton , the brethren were very cordially received by the members of the Atlantic Phcenix Lodge ( No . 271 ) , of England . In November , 1845 , a handsome " key stone" for tho Mark Degree was presented to the loclge by the brethren of the Hoyal Sappers and

Miners . On St . Johns Day , the same year , the Sussex Loclge , the Atlantic Phoenix Lodge , and the Miuden Lodge walked in procession to church , where service was performed hy the Rev . Bro . Mantach , and a sermon was preached by the Venerable and Rev . Bro . Hoare An anthem had been composed expressly for the occasion by Bro . Oliver . At four

o ' clock the brethren sat down to a sumptuous dinner , aud several toasts were proposed , the band playing after each . The following were among the toasts : — " Sir Francis Austen and the Navy ; " " Col . Hutchinson and the Army ; " "Bro . Dr . Hunter , " ( P . G . M . of Scotch Lodges in the Bermudas ) ; " Our Rev . Bro .

Hoare ; " "Sirs . Reid and the Ladies of Bermuda . " In returning thanks for himself the Rev . Bro . Hoare stated that he had been a Mason forty years , and that for a long time he had presided over a lodge in Somerset , which was still working . After several glees and catches , the clay's proceedings were brought to a close at nine o ' clock .

On the 15 th October , 1846 , Bro . Captain South , who had been elected Master five times , was presented on the eve of his departure for England , with a richly embossed Past Master ' s jewel , surmounted by a Royal Arch jewel in miniature . In December , 1846 , a brother who had absconded