The Abbey Lodge. No. 2030.

or fall , wo shall still , keeping in view tho ancient landmarks and "tho bright morning star , " go on our way rejoicing ; rejoicing in the spread of trnth , of virtue , of charity ; rejoicing in the diffusion of that peaco and goodwill which shall really conduce to the brotherhood of nations ; rejoicing in tho mitigation of human suffering , in the alleviation of human sorrow , in the

elevation of human though . Then , having passed through tho apprenticeship of hnrnan discipline , having had fellowship in tho work of restoration , having mastered tho lower passions and affections of human nature , having , in fact , finishol tho work given us to do , we shall exchango these Lodges or tents wo now inhabit for eternal mansions not made with hands , which the Groat Architect has

prepared ; and we shall enter on tho possession of that promised land , where the good and faithful workman shall rejoin tho companions of his former toils ; shall rest from his labours , and shall receive his " great reward . " The ceremony of consecration was then completed , and the W . M . doRignate duly installed in tho chair , tho appointment of Officers

took place ns follows : —Bros . W . H . Baker S . W ., F . SeagerHunt J . W ., II . Bowman Spink acting I . P . M ., J . E . Shacd P . M . Secretary , W . Sugg P . M . SD .. K . Montague J . D ., H . R . Baker I . G .. J . A . Jones P . M . D . C ., J . Gibson Asst . D . C ., R . E . H . Goffin W . S ., C . C . Piper Asst . W . S . Tho Worshipful Master addressed each of his Officers in c unplimcntiy terms , making special roferonce to tho position they

severally hold ns citizens of Westminster and refering to the associations of nearly all with the building in whioh they were assembled . On the Worshipful Master rising he said ho had a proposition to put forward , whioh he thought should take precedence of all other matters . It might have occurred to many brethren present that that day was the date of an occasion which brought joy and happiness to this country ; it was the anniversary of the marriage

of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales . Therefove he would briefly say that he thought it right and fitting that—to use the words of the Installing Officer—as he received the warrant fresh from the hands of the Grand Master , that in the open Lodge that evening they should pass a resolution congratulating His Royal Highness on this the twenty-first anniversary of that happy event . He had ventured to draw up such a resolution , which he had worded as follo' -vs : —

At the consecration ceremony and first meeting of the Abbey Lodge , Westminster 2030 , held at tho Westminster Town Hall , 10 th March 1884 , it was proposed by Brother Burdett-Coutts Worshipful Master , seconded by Brother Baker Senior Warden , and carried unanimously : — "That the brethren , rejoicing in the auspicious fact that the consecration and first meeting of their Lodge takes place on this

the twenty-first anniversary of the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales Most Worshipful Grand Master , do hereby tender their respectful and heartfelt congratulations to his Royal Highness ; and the brethren trust that the Great Architect of the Universe will be pleased to preserve His Royal Highness for many years to come to rule over the Ciaft , and with his illustrious and beloved Consort , Her Boyal Highness the Princess of Wales , to continue to diffuse happiness

amongst the faithful suhjects of the realm . " The Senior Warden said be would not spoil the effect of this happy idea of the W . M . by making a speech upon it ; ho would rather leave it to the brethren to carry it with the unanimity that their applause indicated . Tho motion was then put to the voto by tho J . W ., and carried unanimously , amid the applause of the brethren . Wo may here stato that the following reply has since been received : —

Marlborough House , 11 th March 1881 . DEAR SIR , —I am directed in Teply to your letter to reqnestyou to be so good as to convey to" tho Brethren of the Abbey Lodge , Westminster , No . 2030 , tho expression of their Royal Highnesses warm thanks for the congratulations offered by them to tho Prince and Princess on the occasion of tho anniversary of their wedding-day . I remain , yours truly , FRANCIS KNOLLYS .

A vote of thanks was next passed to the Consecrating Officer and his Assistants ; and Honorary Membership of tho Lodge was conferred on Bros . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Sir Albert Woods , Dr . Turtle Piggott , tho Rev . R . J . Simpson , Prank Richardson , Thos . Fonn , and Sir Francis Burdett . Col . Shadwell II . Clerke , on behalf of himself and his colleagues ,

having acknowledged these compliments , the rontino work of tho Lodge was proceeded with . Tho Treasurer , Bro . J . F . Washington Rogers , was elected , propositions for initiation and joining were handed in , and Lodge was closed . Tho banquet was supplied by Messrs . Bertram and Roberts , in the large hall on tho ground floor of the Westminster Town Hall . In

giving tho first toast , the W . M . said it was ono which derived an added feeling from its connection with the special circumstances of the evening . The Qncen ' s sympathies are so wide , her connections aro so numerous , so identified with the different interests in thi 3 Conntry , that it is not difficult to find on any occasion some connection between Her Majesty and the subject , of that occasion . On this day

wc find it in the fact that the Queen is tho friend of the Craft ; and she is tho mother of our Grand Master . Though it is not connected with this particular Lodge , he might remind the brethren that the Queen was born within the precincts of St . Margaret's parish ; was proclaimed Qneen within those precincts , and thcro held her first council . That fact gives the members of this Lodge , prominently representing the City of Westminster , an

appareut connection with Her Majesty to-night . He would say no more then , but commit to their loyal hands the toast of the Queen and the Craft . The next toast tho W . M . had to propose was one which he thought would receive their cordial assent—the toast of The Most Worshipful Grand Master , H . R . U . the Prince of Wales . After alluding to the happy cirenmstauces of tho day a 3 regarded his Royal Highness , Hro . Burdett-Coutts said that wherever tho name of an English gentleman is honoured , thcro , ho thought , tho nanio of

The Abbey Lodge. No. 2030.

tho Prince of Wales would bo received with pleasure and osteom . But we Masons have a higher ohnracter in which to invest him in onr thoughts , in tho character of Most Worshipful Grand Master . As such , all hero to-night are able to bear testimony to the admirable manner in which he presides over the Craft ; and the founders of this Lodge can return him on this occasion gratoful thanks

for enabling ns to form a Craft body of Masonry , and entertain our friends hero to-night . With every grateful and Loyal expression , he gave the health of His Royal Highnoss the Prince of Wales . This toast met with an enthusiastic reception , and then that of the Grand Officers was given . The W . M . thought they had a very distinguished company of Grand Officers present . He was not well

acquainted with consecration meetings , but he was told that it was raro to see such an nssemblago of Freemasons . Ho considered their presence a very great honour to himself ; but it waa a greater honour to tho Lodge over whioh he was permitted to rule . On his right ho had his cousin Bro . Sir Franois Burdett , Bro . Hopkinson , Bro . Sir J . McGarel-Hogg , Bro . Col . Croaton , Bro . Thomas Fenn ,

Bro . Richardson ( who had aided them so much in tho conduct of the ceremony that day ) , and Bro . Sir John B . Monokton ; on his left ho had Bro . General Brownrigg , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke ( of whom he would have to say something later on ) , Bro . Sir Albert Woods ( an old friend of his , and an hononred and dear friend of Lady Burdett-Coutts ) , Bro . Capt . Philips , Bro . Admiral Keppel , Bro . Burt ,

Bro . H . Jones , Bro . Sir J . Whitaker Ellis , and probably others whom his ignorance obliged him to pass over . In the name of the brethren of the Lodge be wished briefly to bid these Grand Officers a most hearty welcome . The Lodge was young—almost in the hour of its birth—he was happy to say it was not a painful process . To the Grand Officers he would say that as now , so in the future the

brethren would always welcome them and be proud of their presence . It was an honour to the Lodge that the Grand Officers had presided over the difficult bnt happy circumstances of their coming into exist , ence ; it was an honour which they were not likely to forget . With this general toast he would not mention several names . He knew they had many able and eloquent speakers among them ; but where there

were so many he must be guided by a rule , he would therefore call on Bro . Sir Franois Burdett Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , and Bro . General Brownrigg Provincial Grand Master of Surrey , to reply . After response had been made by the two brethren named , Colonel Shadwell Clerke rose ; it was his duty to propose a very important toast—a toast dear to every founder of the Lodge and one which the

visitors would receive with cordiality and pleasure . The health of the W . M ., whom he had had the honour to instal that evening . He had taken the opportunity of saying a few words to the brethren in the Lodge , and those remarks he now fully and dearly endorsed . When the founders of the Abbey Lodge conspired together to get up their Lodge they did a very wise and proper thing in selecting so good

and proper a Mason as Bro . Burdett-Coutts to be their first Master . Bro . Burdett Coutts was made , and well made , in the Apollo Lodge , a Lodge which had done perhaps more good than any other he could name . For several years , however , his way of life had thrown him out of the way of Masonry . His merits had now been recognised ; ho had been nominated the Master of a new Lodge , and they had

seen the way in which he had invested his Offioers . In that work , which was most thoroughly done , he had given a specimen of what he meant to do in his year of office . In witnessing the very pleasing ceremony which preceded tho formation of the Lodge the assembled brethren had been charmed and delighted at the presence of the noble Indy who , doubtless , would inflnonce very strongly the future

success of the Abbey Lodge . He thought he might venture to add that at the end of the year the brethren would say they could not in their Master have made a better choice ; he would now ask them to drink to the very good health of the W . M . of tho Abbey Lodge . The Worshipful Master , on rising , thanked Colonel Clerke for the way in which he had proposed the toast , and the unmistakable

warmth and cordiality with which the brethren had received it . He begged their indulgence , as he bad been performing his part that day under exceptional physical difficulties , as any brother who would kindly exchange throats with him would soon discover . He would fain explain one or two reasons why it was a very great honour and pleasure to have been chosen the first Master of this Lodge . He used

these words in no formal or merely complimentary sense . In the first place , tho circumstances that led to tho formation of tho Lodge wero fresh in their recollection . It was felt thero was a distinct want for such a Lodge , wherein might be gathered together the great interests of local self-government which concentrated themselves within this hall , as many of the workers in , and representatives of that

local self-government , belonged to the Masonic Order . We all know the value of such a basis . It means a direct personal interest on the part of every brother in the Lodge , as a creation of their own , and he thought he should not be claiming too mnch if he ventured to hope and believe that the act by which ho had been chosen first Master partook of something of tho same spontaneity , unanimity , and

personal interest which guided the brethren in the formation of the Lodge itself , lie would lay this flattering unction to his soul , for it made his appointment a double honour and pleasure . Then again there is the locality which had given a birthplace to this Lodge and the associations that hover over it . This dear old Westminster—like its traditions , lost in the mists of by-gone ages , with its modern

developments of thought aud action reaching far into the unknown future ; Westmiuster , the centre and heart of this mighty Loudon , with its swift popular emotions and its vast , eager , busy , struggling population ; Westminster , representing in a concentrated form all the characteristics of London—the home of every class , the focus of every interest , the goal of every ambition ; Westminster is the home

of this Lodge , and the Lodge itself is composed mostly of Westminster men . Nay , more ; so proud are we of the peculiar character attaching to this Lodge , so anxious to perpetuate its inseparablo connection with Westminster , that we havo hung the banner of it on our outward walls , and have named it after that stately Abboy beueath whoso holy and historic shadow wo shall always meet . Wo