The Constitutions And Lord Brassey.

THE CONSTITUTIONS AND LORD BRASSEY .

AT its last meeting the only English Lodge now meeting in Victoria—the Combermere , No . 752 , B . C . —elected His Excellency Bro . Lord Brassey as the Worshipful Master . The date , of installation in this Lodge was one upon which His Excellency was otherwise engaged , and to meet the difficulty the Lodge cabled to the Grand Secretary , England , to permit the

alteration of the date , and received in reply the information that Lord Brassey was not eligible for the office , as he had not served in the office of Warden for twelve months under that Constitution . The Lodge will , therefore , have no other option than to decline to confirm the minutes relating to this election and proceed afresh to elect a Worshipful Master . The case is an

interesting one as pointing out that conferred titles , such as Bro . Lord Brassey lately received , carry with them no other privileges , and this necessary period of probation is as inflexible in its application as were the laws of the Medes and Persians . The position suggests that some modification of the law is necessary to suit certain cases . Had Lord Brassey served as Warden and

Worshipful Master in England , he would still have been ineligible to hold office as Worshipful Master of any Victorian Lodge , as the same law prevails in that territory and in New South Wales . Some suggestions have already been made in Victoria , and notice of motion- given to except those who have served as Masters and Wardens in the Sister Constitutions of Australia , and much may

be said in favour of it . We are virtually one people in Australia , our Masonic laws in the various territories are very similar , and the . interchange of residence in the different capitals very frequent . A Past Master of one Constitution carries his rank and its recognition into another , but to obtain its privileges in affiliation with a Lodge he must again earn them by serving afresh as

W arden in the new territory .. The only reason for this service m-ust be to make him familiar with the Masonic laws of the territory in which he presides , and ,, notwithstanding those laws being identical with those prevailing whence he came , he still must go through the prescribed forms-. Thus the valuable services of an active man may be lost to the Craft , and this becomes even

more apparent when ; it applies to such an influential officer of the Crown , as ; the Vice-Eegal representative in any territory . The time appears to be quite ripe for Combermere Lodge to throw in its lot with the United Grand Lodge of Victoria , and its members might well do this b y the formation of a new . Lodge under the

Victorian Constitution , making Lord Brassey their first Worshipful Master , which can be done without previous service as Warden . Thus also Lord Brassey would be the means of removing the last , remnant of disunjqn in , Craft Masonry in Victoria .- — " Masonry . "

Masonic Oration.

MASONIC ORATION .

Delivered by Bro . Rev . J . T . Lawrence , Offg . District Grand Chaplain , at the Consecration of the Moore Lodge , Bangalore . FOE the better satisfaction of the Brethren as assembled , it is customary among Freemasons , whenever gathered together for the transaction of business , for an address to be delivered setting forth the occasions of the assembly . In events of such

comparatively frequent occurrence as the initiation of candidates a # d . the conferment of degrees , the charges and * addresses customarily delivered have been , by the usage of centuries , to

some , extent stereotyped . Upon so solemn and important an occasion as the consecration of a new Lodge , the dedication of a new temple to the name and glory of T . G . A . O . T . U ., the form and extent of the address are chiefly determined by local

circumstances . Brethren , in the circumstances that have brought us here this , evening there is happily cause for nothing but congratulation . Freemasonry was first illustrated in Bangalore in 1840 , when a Lodge called the Cantonment Lodge was formed . It was

largely composed , of soldiers : there were but few civilians in Bangalore , in those days , and it suffered from the migratory character of its members and died out in 1862 . The year following , Lodge Bangalore was formed , so that it may be said that Freemasonry has had a continuous existence in this station

for more than half a century . Never during that period did the light of Masonry burn more brightly in Bangalore than it does at this moment . Other Lodges in the district have looked with surprise , pleasure , and envy at the progress made by Lodge Bangalore in every respect in which progress is worth making ,

and . last year it attained the zenith of its fortunes when it stood at the head of the district both in numbers and work . But there must be a limit to both numbers and work . If the numbers increase , promotion stagnates and Brethren lose interest . If work increases , then the Master has no leisure to instruct the Brethren . Such being the case , it was felt that Lodge Bangalore

Masonic Oration.

was unable to cope further , by herself , with the increasing desire for enlightenment , and hence our present assembly . Let us now contemplate this evening ' s assembly from another standpoint . It is my duty to address the Master and Officers elect of tbe new Lodge both as to the , important privileges to which they seek admission and the serious

responsibilities they are about to incur . A Lodge is an assembly of earnest men , who have declared that in every emergency in life their whole faith and confidence is in God , who declare that they regard the volume of the Sacred Law as the unerring standard of truth and justice , who profess the strictest principles of morality , uprightness and equality , and who are actuated by

feelings of the purest loyalty and patriotism . All these declarations are preliminary to the obligations they have subsequently taken and which combine in rendering a Free ^ masons' Lodge a gathering adorned with every moral and social virtue . You , Brethren , have not met here simply to reaffirm these obligations , ; you seek the power to impose them on others ,

a proceeding which adds tenfold to their weight as regards yourselves . It will be your duty to determine which of your fellow citizens are worthy to be made Masons . Whilst there are Brethren who ignorantly imagine they can evade their Masonic obligations by retiring from active communion with us , you , Brethren , have voluntarily come forward to add to all others those appertaining to the teacher and guide .

As members of a Lodge you have a character to maintain before the world . Lodge Moore will be judged in time to come not by what she professes , but by what she practises , for membership of a Lodge confers upon you a character or a reputation for piety , morality and loyalty .

And these are times when Freemasons need to act upon the defensive . Just as the Craft had its origin in the necessity of protecting the operative Mason from material dangers , so we have to protect all that we hold dear , and that is now being assailed as never before . There are men of light and leading who deny the inspiration-, the authenticity , the truth of God ' s

Word . The Freemason regards it as the great light of the Order and stands or falls by it . The literature of the day teems with impurity and license . The Freemason is pledged to regard chastity both in man and woman , in thought , word , and deed , as a sacred thing . Even in the days of King David there were

those who said in their hearts there was no God . But such are not Freemasons . Among us there is no room for the infidel or the atheist , the anarchist or the traitor . To the Freemason , that glorious watchword " Liberty , Fraternity , Equality " is a true and living charter , interpreted in its highest and holiest Rensfl .

Finally , Brethren , let us exhort you not to regard this as a gathering merely for the diffusion of good fellowship . We are here to diffuse the eternal principles of Brotherly Love , Belief , and Truth , to wish God-speed to our Brethren and to ask the Almighty Father to strengthen them to . meet their responsibilities and appreciate their privileges . .

Let us trust that Lodge Moore will not be behind-hand in fulfilling the mission of Freemasonry , but that down the hew channel thus created its pure tenets and principles may i | ow unpolluted as they have done for centuries past . — " Indian Masonic Beview . "

Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

THE Provincial Grand Chaplain of Kent Bro . the Eev . A . Jackson , M . A ., P . M . has invited the Brethren of the Kentish Lodges , to divine service at All Saints' Church , Perry Street , Gravesend , on Sunday , 28 th June ,, when the sermon will be preached by Bro . the Eev . J . E . Player P . M . 2237 . It is hoped that all Brethren who can make it convenient will

assemble at the Vicarage at 10 * 30 o ' clock . As it is the desire , of the Provincial Grand Master Earl Amherst that the Brethren of the Province should contribute to the restoration of the Chapter House , Canterbury Cathedral , the offertory on this occasion will be devoted to that purpose . ,

At the Lodge of Instruction at Leicester , last month , Bro . W . H . Barrow , Mus . Doc , P . M . 523 G . Mark Organist Eng ., was presented with a set of doctor ' s robes , which had been subscribed for by a number of Brethren of the Province of Leicestershire , and the jewel in gold of his office as Grand ; Mark Organist ,, on the back of which is inscribed :

Presented to W . BBO . W . H . BABBOW , MUS . DOC , & C , Grand Organist England , as a mark of esteem from many Brethren , and an expression of thanks for

much fraternal kindness in adding to their pleasure . The presentation of the robes was made by Brother S . S . Partridge Deputy Prov . G . M . P . G . A . D . C . Eng ., says the " Minstrel , " and the jewel by Bro . H . G . Marriott W . M . .. 2028 .