Consecration: Lancastrian, No. 2528.

CONSECRATION : LANCASTRIAN , No . 2528 .

IT is not often a new Lodge starts under such favourable auspices as those which are associated with this latest addition to the English Craft , which has for its first Master one of the most popular ancl best beloved Masons of the day , in the person of tho Earl of Lathom

Pro Grand Master of England . In addition to this the new Lodge—which , from its title , will be at once recognised as a " class " body—has one of the strongest aud most prolific fields from which to draw its material that

ever fell to the lot of such an organisation , and we shall be very much surprised if the favourable opinions formed at its consecration are not fully realised , even if in the fulness of time it is not found they are exceeded .

Viewed in connection with this Consecration London may be said to occupy as peculiar a position in Freemasonry as it does in trade and many other features of the nation . It has characteristics entirely its own , aud , in Freemasonry at least , its powers are best appreciated when we consider the possibility of starting such a

Lodge as this—restricted to Lancashire men in Loudon —and hear the Pro Grand Master express the opinion that there is room for such a Lodge in the metropolis associated with each and every county of England . Although London is so huge in comparison with any

other centre of industry it would be very difficult to start a Lodge in any part of the Provinces limited to Loudon men . This may be accounted for when we remember that workers are attracted from all parts to the capital , and although they readily adapt themselves to the new

life here they do not lose their individuality or sever the ties of home , which always remain strong in their breast ; much more so than is the case with the ordinary Londoner who leaves the great city for some other part of the country .

These are the considerations that seem to promise success for this new Lodge , which was consecrated on Wednesday , at the Frascati Eestaurant , Oxford Street , in the presence of a brilliant assemblage oi Grand and Provincial Grand Officers , those who signed the Attendance Book being as follows ;

CONSECRATING OFFICERS : E . Letchworth Grand Secretary as Consecrating Master , Lord Skelmersdale J . G . W . as S . W ., John W . Maclure , M . P ., P . G . D . as J . W ., Rev . J . S . Brownrigg P . G . C . as Chaplain , Frank Richardson P . G . D . as D . C , Major-General F . Gadsden G . S . B . as I . G .

GRAND OFFICERS : Joseph C . Dimsdale Grand Treasurer , J . Teny P . G . S . B ., T . C . Walls Giand Standard B . John Chadwick P . G . Sw . B . Prov . Gr . Sec . East Lancashire , W . Stevenson Hoyte

Grand Organist , Eugene Monteuuis P . G . Sw . B ., J . H . Sillitoe P . G . St . B . P . P . G . W . East Lancashire , W . Goodacre P . G . Sw . B . Prov . G . Sec . West Lancashire , George Everett P . G . Treas ., Robert Wylio P . G . D ., H . Sadler Grand Tyler .

•FOUNDERS : — -The Earl of Lathom Pro G . M ., James J . Marsh , L . R . C . P ., L . R . C . S ., E . E . Life , T . H . Openshaw , M . S ., F . R . C . S ., R . J . Railton , Edward Bartlett , vVilliam H . Booth , Robert Maguiro , M . D ., F . R . C . P ., Thomas Evans . VISITORS : V . A . Waterburg P . M . 1476 , F . Peck 2272 , D . F .

Tiyrill l 3 l 5 , G . F . Lancaster P . M . 008 P . P . G . Reg ., W . M . Lee W . M . 1697 , W . J . H . Whittall 8 , J . N . He-am W . M . 1381 , George May 2000 , Charles Chilley 2005 , Arthur Spruguell 2 ^ 04 , J . W . Burgess P . M . 1325 P . P . S . G . D . VVest Lane , F . J . Hubbard P . M . 1032 P . S . G . D . West Lane , T . S . Raines PjM . 2339 P . P . G . C , W . S .

Skelding , H . Massey 160 P . M . 619 and 192 d , Alex . Stoddart P . M , 32 P . P . S . W ., Thos . Bail W . M . 1403 P . P . G . P ., John Bolton P . M . 580 P . G . P . W . Lane , R . Walker P . M . 580 P . P . G . D . W . Lane , Major Heap P . M . P . P . S . D ., E . P . Mathers 1937 , A . LeGrand P . M 706 , F . A . Guimaraens P . M . 416 P . P . S . G . W . Surrey , P . G . C .

Shaw S . W . 106 , W . J . Stride P . M . 176 2095 , R . bchreiber W . M . 2150 , A . W . Oxford P . M . 4 P . G . S ., J . Farnngton Downer P . P . G . C . Herts ., Edwaru Mojon 1017 , H . E . Peck 1361 , J . H . C . Dalton 2181 , E . Colwell 1381 , W . D . Nott 1876 , A . D . Waller ( S . C ) , A . Findlater S . D . 134 , A . E . Sausome P . M . 2033 P . G . W . Middlesex , J . A .

Hosker 2158 , Joseph Bladon 1839 , G . Millsom P . M . 2262 P . G . D . C Bucks ., James Kilt 1791 , Cuthbert R . Lee W . M . 2128 , John Loche D . D . G . M . Barbadoes , J . M . McLeod P . P . S . G . W-. Derbys ., W . T . Perkins P . M . 1928 , F . L . Gower 2095 , J . Laurence , Thos . Brown

1597 P . G . J . D . Middlesex , H . M . D . Phillpotis I . G . 1584 , Alfred Eade 15 S 0 P . P . G . A . D . C Herts ., W . M . Duckworth P . M . and Treas . 1928 , W . Hackin 1381 , J . Stephens P . M . 1425 P . G . D . Bucks ., & e , W . W . Morgan 177 , and others .

The Grand Secretary in his opening address wished the Lodge every success , and stated its worthy object was to keep up the friendly relations of Lancastrians who had left their native county to abide in London .

The usual ceremony of Consecration was observed , the whole being conducted with such regularity and precision as only the well known Brethren who hull the management oi aiiairs count have achieved . Ihe n-Ubical part

Consecration: Lancastrian, No. 2528.

of the programme was particularly fine and , indeed , the whole work of the day was carried out in a manner that has seldom , if ever , been equalled . Tlie Earl of Lathom having been installed Master , invested Brother W . E . Tomhnson , M . P ., P . P . S . G . W .

West Lane , as acting Past Master , and conferred the remaining collars on the following : Bros . Marsh S . W ., Life J . W ., Openshaw Treas ., James Livesey ( by proxy )

Sec , Peter Horrocks , M . D ., F . E . C . P ., P . M . ( by proxy ) D . C ., Eailton S . D ., Bartlett J . D ., Booth I . G ., Maguire Org ., T . Evans , J . Lawrence and John Haynes P . M . Stewards .

Lord Lathom took the opportunity of investing Bro . F . J . Hubbard as Provincial Senior Grand Warden of West Lancashire , that Brother having been unable to attend the usual Installation meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge , and then proceeded to close the business meeting of the day .

After the closing of theLodge the Brethren adjourned to the banquet , which was of an especially choice character , the service being all that could be desired , albeit perhaps a trifle slow ; but that vvas a small fault , probably more appreciated than objected to by the

majority of those present . Altogether the arrangements made by the management of the Frascati tended in no small degree to complete the success ofthe day , and we hope they will meet their reward by the increased popularity the Lodge should give their establishment among Lancashire men .

At the conclusion of the dinner grace was sung , and then Lord Lathom proposed the toast of the Queen and the Craft as he invariably did , said his lordship , without comment . The Chairman now submitted the toast of the Grand

Master . The health of H . E . H . the Prince of Wales was drunk in hundreds of places every day . In those hundreds how many were Masonic gatherings ? He ventured to say a very large number , and he also ventured to think the Prince was more respected among the

Freemasons of England than among any other class . The Grand Master took a keen interest in the Craft , and continually desired to be informed as to its progress . Whenever he was consulted in regard to any matter he was always found ready to give his heartiest consideration

to it . The Eev . J . S . Brownrigg was entrusted with the next toast , that of the Earl of Lathom , Pro Grand Master of England Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire and Worshipful Master of the Lancastrian Lodge . Wherever in the broad empire of England that

Freemasons met there was the name of the Pro Grand Master sure of a hearty welcome . Wherever Lancashire men met—whether Freemasons or not—the name of Lord Lathom was honoured . So much for the past , now let him speak of the future ; so long as that Lodge met the name of Lord Lathom would be honoured as its

first Master , and as such he had much pleasure in submitting his health on the present occasion . The Earl of Lathom replied , thanking his Bro . Brownrigg and the others prebent for the honour of their triple toast . It vvas not often a man appeared in three

parts in one play , but he had to return thanks on the present occasion as Pro Grand Master , as a Provincial Grand Master , and as Worshipiul Master of the Lancastrian Lodge . When the idea of a Lancashire Lodge was first mooted to him he thought the Brethren

founu him ready to accept it at once . It was not exactly an original idea , as there were other county Lodges in London , but he thought it a most excellent one . Many men migrated from their home county to the great metropolis and it was a happy idea to provide a Lodge

for them where they would be associated together with home ties . Lancashire men would always be welcomed in their Lodge , either if they desired to join it or if they attended as guests , and he considered the idea under which the Lodge was started was an example that

should be followed by every county in England . Not only was the Lodge likely to be of service to Lancashire men in London but he hoped it would still further cement the good feeling existing between the two

divisions of Lancashire Freemasonry , and help to increase the good work of the Craft in London . He couid dilate at considerable length on the great increases in the Older during recent years , but a single instance