Consecrations.

that amongst the Masons who are members of the City of London Tradesmen ' s Club a suggestion has been made in favour of the formation of a Lodge , to consist exclusively of members of the Club . The initial steps have already been taken , and it is probable that the Prince of Wales will be

asked ia a very short while to grant a dispensation for the formation of the Lodge . Upwards of twenty members , I understand , have already expressed their willingness to become founders , while nearly as many more have put their

names down as initiates . Naturally , no decision has been come to in reference to the place of meeting , but I understand that it is not improbable that the home of the Lodge will be the Cripplegate Institute . A more convenient spot it would be difficult to find . — " City Press . "

Irish Charity.

IRISH CHARITY .

THE cause of charity , and those noble institutions—the Masonic Orphan Schools for Boys and Girls—are especially dear to all Freemasons , and , in common with their Brethren all over Ireland , the members of the Craft in Lisburn and in the neighbourhood are deeply interested in the progress of the "Century Fund " in connection with the

Masonic Orphan Boys School . The history of that Fund is soon told . Shortly after the Centenary celebration ( in 1892 ) of the Masonic Female Orphan School the Governors resolved to make a similar effort on behalf of the Boys School , and to that end applied to the Royal Dublin Society

for terms for use of the premises at Ball's Bridge . The rent paid for the premises in 18 92 was £ 100 , in addition to the payment of all expenses and cost of repairs consequent upon the celebration . The Governors tried to arrange similar terms for the igoo celebration , but to this the Society would

not agree , and the Governors subsequently increased their offer to £ 300 . Still the Society did not consider this sufficient , and fixed terms at £ 500 down , or , as an alternative , £ 100 down and 3 per cent , on all profits . After lengthy consultation and discussion of ways and means the Committee in charge

of the affair reluctantly came to the conclusion that with such a tax upon it the idea was not practicable , and the proposal to hold a bazaar was abandoned . Meanwhile , the School is in urgent need of additional funds . The School now numbers eighty , and it is hoped that this number may be increased , as

the number of female pupils has been , to one hundred . The existing schoolrooms , however , are wholly unfit for their purpose . Plans and estimates have been obtained for the

buildings which are indispensably necessary , and a capital sum of £ 5 , 000 is needed to provide additions and improvements suitable to the rest of the School , and worthy of the Order .

While £ 5 , 000 is thus essential , any additional funds would be most useful for the maintenance and enlargement of an Institution where nothing is allowed to go to waste , and where the results attained are as good with regard to economy as they are with regard to efficiency and beneficence . The

decision of the Committee to abandon the proposal to hold a celebration was approved of by many generous supporters , who instead contributed to what is described as the Century Fund . Over £ 2 , 500 has already been promised , and the Governors have issued an appeal to all Lodges to help on

the work . In response to this appeal Lodge No . 178 , Lisburn , ever foremost in deeds of charity , determined to hold a grand service in Christ Church , at the same time generously undertaking to pay all expenses , so that the whole of the offertory should go to augment the fund . The idea

was warmly received , enthusiastically carried out , and Sunday , 18 th ult , saw it an accomplished fact . Bro . the Rev . R . S . O'Loughlin , D . D ., Rector of Lurgan , consented to preach , and a large number of Provincial Grand Officers announced

their intention of being present . The Brethren assembled and donned regalia in the Nicholson Memorial Schoolhouse , and , preceded by Bro . the Rev . J . Irvine Peacock ( incumbent ) and Bro . the Rev . Dr . O'Loughlin , marched to the Church . Our reverend Brother took for his text 1 Corinthians xiii .

13— "And now abideth faith , hope , charity , these three ; but the greatest of these is charity . " In the course of his sermon he said— " Our institutions and our buildings always reflect the influences operating amongst us , and unconsciously they also often become

interpreters to men of the forces controlling them . As a consequence , we frequently find similes and illustrations taken from the material to express the spiritual , or from the mechanical to express the moral . No better example could be adduced than the history of the Institution to which we

Irish Charity.

belong . Founded probably in those ages when those mighty Minsters were erected by devout souls to the glory of God , and for the service of His church , when by the necessity of the case , for mutual protection and comfort , the Craftsmen who built them would join themselves in guilds , under duly

appointed officers , who would rule , protect , and direct them . When the strength that came from this union , and the help from mutual service , would be realised , the corporations would become more attractive , and therefore larger ancl more powerful , and when its powers would attract men to seek

admission who were not really Craftsmen , but who for assistance would give assistance , the enlarged grasp of the union would speak of a larger union still , on a broader basis than that of a common Craft , or a common interest—a union for a common service ; and in the struggles and confusions

of life , its buffets and adversities , they would in their Craft find a suggestion of their purpose—a union for the glory of God , best realised in a Divine service . Everywhere around them were suggestions and prophecy —in the chipping and fitting of stones to stones , in the

mutual relationship of dependence and support , in the stately edifice that was being in the process of erection , but hidden in the forest of scaffolding , they read the purpose of life battered and shaped and polished by the stroke of adversity or the stress of tribulation . In the broken arch , the fretted

roof , the towering spire , they found a continued parallel to their life ' s conditions ; and when they saw the scaffolding removed , the confusion gone , and the noble pile stand out in its calm completeness to the glory of God , they saw a description and a parallel in the struggles and the confusion

of life—a life and character being shaped for the glory of God , and in this thought school of theoretic Masonry would grow the formation of the material , and great moral and spiritual lessons bearing on this formation of character would be laid to heart . How best then to express the glory of God ?

is the question before our Craft ? Is it not by expressing it through the Divine attribute of love ? How far we come short in the performance of the duty is much to be deplored . How much has been attained is the cause of deep thankfulness to the earnest Mason ; not merely the good

fellowship our Lodge meetings engender ; not merely the kindly action which is promised and expected ; but more by far than these the fraternal thought for the weak and distressed Brother ; the anxious thought for the widow and orphan . This is the professed purpose of Masonry . Its

elaborate ritual , its signs and passwords , its Lodge gatherings , its tiled doors , are but the accidents—the millinery of the Order . The spirit of philanthropy is its spirit and life . It is an order for edification , for building up , and therefore we point to its large charities as the true exponent of its

spirit . The Masonic jewels we most value are the children of deceased Brethren residing in our orphanages . This is the expression of true religion . Pure and undented religion , said St James , is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world .

And this spirit of charity manifesting itself in benevolence is the Divine Spirit ; God is charity ; charity is eternal ; charity never faileth . As true Masons , as devout Christians , let us realise in living actions and loving thoughts more of its powers , and then we are realising more fully the purpose of our lives—the glory of God . '

After the sermon the offertory was taken , and after the Benediction by Bro . the Rev . J . Irvine Peacock , the procession was reformed , and returned to the adjoining schoolhouse , thus bringing to a close a most impressive service . — " Lisburn Standard . "

The Columbia Lodge , No . 2397 , which consists of English and American Brethren , held its ninth installation meeting on the 26 th ult ., at the Hotel Cecil , under the Mastership of Bro . R . Newton Crane , Barrister-at-Law , the president of the American Society in London . A large and

distinguished company of home and Transatlantic Brethren attended , including several Grand Officers , among them being the Archdeacon of London , Bro . Gordon-Miller , and Bro . Imre Kiralfy . Colonel James Loockermann Taylor , Past President of the American Society in London , was installed

W 9 rshipful Master . The gallant Brother has also had a large experience of office in American Lodges . Bro . Newton Crane was invested as Immediate Past Master , and was presented with a handsome Past Master ' s jewel . After the banquet the first toast was the Queen and the Ciaft , and the second the President of the United States and the Craft in America ,