Consecration Of The Osborne Lodge

near one another . It had afforded him therefore very great pleasure to recommend the petition to the M . W . G . M . There entailed a great responsibility upon the government of the Lodge , but with such good Officers as he knew those to he whom they had chosen , he had no fear but that the Osborne Lodge would be an unqualified success .

From what he could hear , the papulation on that side of the watei was increasing , and he hoped those who were anxious to join fchf Craft would be enabled to do so now that Masonry had been brought soclosehome ; but , at tho same time , ho would impress upon the brethren not to be too anxious to initiate any who would not reflect

honour on their choice . He expressed a sincere wish that tho Lodge would flourish and prosper in the future , and he assured the brerhrcn he would watch its development with great interest . Tho petition for the formation of the Lo I go was signed by the following founders , all of the Medina Lodge : —Bros . 11 . L . Roberton I . P . M ., G . A .

MursellP . M . P . P . S . G . D ., James Ualliday , J . C . Airs P . M ., F . R . Harris , Henry Halliday , H . T . Deacon , Wm . Pryer , Chas . Gregory , Edward Matthews . R . Jnmec , A . Perry , C . Stock , II . Hayes . The petition having been read , the Provincial Grand Master signified that it had been the pleasure of the M . W . the Grand Master to grant a

warrant of incorporation . He then called on the Prov . Chaplain to deliver an oration . The oration on the nature and principles of the Institution was delivered by the Rev . R . S . Wood , M . A ., Prov . Grand Chaplain , Hampshire and Isle of Wight , and Chaplain of the Albauy Lodge , 151 .

They were met together , he remarked , on a very solemn and important occasion , to dedicate a new Lodge to tho glory of God and to the good of mankind . He said " to the glory of God , " because ho was convinced that the science of Freemasonry did tend in a very marked degree to promote the greater revealed glory of tho Great

Architect of the Universe , since it referred us coutinually to Him as the Ruler and Sovereign of all j and he said also " to tho good of mankind , " for surely a society that was based upon such great principles as brotherly love , relief , and truth , must conduce to man ' s greater happiness , since it was brotherly love that sweetened life ,

relief that mitigated its sorrows , and truth that raised mankind in the scale of created beings , Remarking that he had chosen the snbject of God ' s existence and power as the theme of his oration that day , he said that in order to attune their hearts to the proper note of praise to their Creator and God , let them consider the heavens

the work of His fingers , the moon and the stars which He had ordained ; let them look at Nature in all her exquisite beauty , iu all her wonderful order , breathe in her perfumes arising from thousands of flowers , drink in with their ears the delicious sounds that fell upon them on a summer ' s evening , or feast their eves on some

lovely scene , where the varied tints of earth blended in exquisite perfection with the deep blue of a cloudless sky , producing a picture on which one felt he would never tire to gaze . Or , again , not content with a mere superficial contemplation of Nature , let them , with the aid of the telescope , view the mvriads of celestial bodies that

spangled the starry heights ; or let them go down into caves and caverns and note the various strata that upheavals of the earth displayed to their wondering gaze , and . see the fossilled glories of a by . gone age ; or , not to weary them with multiplied examples , let them note the chauges of the seasons , the climate , the ebb and flow of the

tide , the movements of the planets , and surely as they reflected upon all these leaves in the great book which Nature opened before them , they must be impressed with fcho lesson of how overpowering is the majesty of Him who created all that was so wonderful and marvel-Ions . There was a tendency in the present day to deny the

existence of God , and this tendency had even , to their great regret , crept into the Freemasonry of a connfry not far removed from our shores . Man , the crowning work of the Creator ' s hand , was doubtless great , was sometimes dignified , but when it came to defying man aud making a god of humanity , it was surely time to consider how little man

was after all , and that , in spite of his much-vannted science , his inventions , his art , his literature , his highly-artificial civilization in comparing him with bis Creator , the question arose in our minds , as it did in that of the Psalmist , " ' . V'hatis man that God should even regard him , or the sou of man that He should deign to visit him ?"

Man , it was true , had done great works , had compassed magnificent architectural achievements ; but could he lay the beams of his chambers in the waters or produce a mountain range the tops of which should ever whiten with perennial snows ? He might apply the power of steam , and travel sixty miles in as manv minutes , but

could he make the clouds his chariot , and walk upon the wing 3 of the vy ind ? Tet though the existence and the glory of the Great Architect of the Universe were seen so cloudy in all th- beauties of Nature , there were those who denied that existence , and refused io

recogniae any being whoso reality wms not clearly demonstrated bv scientific knowledge . It , seemed to him that the idea of a Deity must commend itself to the unbiassed conscience of every man as n very real conception ; ai . d yet the modern unbeliever would an-eya ! ' - to bimseli ' the only claim to inte !! i ; -enae ; md lea nine ., air : pr . / e , s- ;

pitying contmpt tor those who s ; 'i !; beia-vud in Got ! . cl . uve . v ; r . we found that , belief in God nnd woryhio of 'Jam commended ia-. J ; to the stupendous genius of a N-- ton , to the . aaaa . utic i <\< -d'i- ••; : _ < 9 , -. ) ' :, \ Faraday . Way Pi- Tsawe Xewion ;• , i ' ea ! ? Was Farad-v -i r ,: er-- < dreamer snd fanatic ? And yer .- these grctir men , with ' br . des - ¦ < ' , I vastly superior to th- como ¦••¦! jv !>< r . ; , < inv intellect of he modern I

sceptic , thought it not iiiiamsi ; -: i er . it with ! heir a / mb s to be auri' -- '<" believers in and devout ¦ ymv . hiyoy a ,-f One - . via" a th ¦/ recer .-ni-. a ] ¦ ., < their Creator and their God . In c-neiudiug ia eloqiaait -. iiu " -o-e ,,, ial j addioss—hero but briefly sinomajy ? ul _ the ivv / a-ieaker ' said rn ! regarded Freemasons , who did claim to heliovo hi God , bfc them not i be led away by everv wind of d . oclri . ' : ; , but rat a . y let tha'ci or- ¦ n ., i

volume of the Sacred Law cio .-er lo their br . aa-j . s , and declare tie in spite of the cynical indifference of some foreign h .- ' . 'thro .-i in thi- \ matter , iu spite of the sneers - > f aa impatient ; cepliaisni , in si-ite ' , ' f the seeming proofs of a perverted science , their ' tayuU . - ' uuld not be satisfied with the cold di . etriue . 'j of a negative atheism , nor v . itli " the ' hazy speculations of modern materialism , that , for their part , they I

Consecration Of The Osborne Lodge

were not ashamed to confess tho anciont faith of thoir fathers , the ancient belief of Freemasonry , aud that they , as English Masons did be ieve in and would worship the gram ! Geometrician of the Universe , whose exi-it"iice they first learned on mothers' knee 3 , when their biby lips lisped out . their infant prayer to that God whom they had

since found in b \ vhood ' s time , and in manhood's prime , in seasons of jov and in times of sorrow , to bo indeed a loving Father to them , disobedient though they had often been to nim . Yes , they would take thoir srand on the ancient principle of Masonic science , and

with truthful lins declare : "I believe in the Great Architect of the Universe , the Maker of heaven and earth , who in the beginning laid the foundations of the earth , and the heavens are the work of His hands , " and , further , that though all things changed here on earththough , as their Lanreate said ,

"Our little systems have their day , They have their day aud cease to be , " —yea , thongh the heavens and tho earth passed away , yet " Tbon Lord God Omnipotent rnigneth . Thou art the same and Thy years shall not fail . Thou remainest ono God for ever and ever , and unto

the ages of ages . " It was with this faith in the Great Architect , shown in carrying out this great law of love for man , that they would best perform their allotted task here on earth , and so finally ascend to the Grand Lodge above , there to enjoy Light , Joy , and Bliss for evermore . So more it be !

A portion of the 133 rd Psalm was sung by all present , and lessonfrom tho Old Testament were read by the chaplain . The consecras tion ceremony then proceeded , and was brought to a conclusion by the singing of the anthem " Glory to God on high . " The installation of Bro . Roberton P . M . 35 was then performed by the P . G . M ., and

the new Master invested his Officers , as follow : —Bros . G . A . Mnrsell P . M . 35 P . P . S . G . D . S . W ., J . Halliday J . W ., Airs P . M . D . C . 35 I . P . M ., E Matthews Treasurer , R . James Registrar , L . T . Wilkins Secretary , II . Halliday Director of Ceremonies , C . Gregory S . D ., H . T . Deacon J . D ., W . Pryer I . G ., Hayes Organist , A . Perry

and C . Stock Stewards , Young Tyler . Notice was given of a number of propositions for joining and initiation , and it was unanimously decided to make honorary members the P . G . M . Bro . Beaoh , the D . P . G . M . Bro . Le Feuvre , the P . G . Chaplain Bro . the Rev . R . S . Wood , M . A ., and the P . G . Secretary Bro . Goble . On behalf of Bro .

Manners W . M . of 35 a banner , which was a splendid specimen of design and workmanship , having in the centre a well executed view of Osborne Palace , was presented to the W . M . for the use of the new Lodge . After the transaction of formal business , the Lodge was closed in ancient form . At th = > close of th i ceremonies a

banquet was held at the Oddfellow ,. ' Hall , East Co we a . The W . M . of the Osborne Lodge , Bro . Roberton , presided , and he was supported by the Provincial Grand Master ( Bro . W . W . B . B ^ ich , M . P . ) , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( Bro . E . Le Feuvre ) , the Provincial and Past Provincial Officers who had been present in Lodi > e , the

Worshipful Masters of the Southampton , Albany , East Medina , Yarborough , Rvd >\ ; uid Chi tie Lolge 3 , Officers and brethren of the Medina and oth » r Lodges , to the number of about 70 in all . The dinner was supplied by Bro . Perry of the Prince of Wales hotel . The toas's of Qijeen and GV . iffc , and H . R . II . the Prince of Wales the M . W .

Grand Master were appropriately introduced by the W . M , who remarked h > w greatly the personal attachment and devotion to the " & yal Family were increased in that neighbourhood by the knowledge they had of the many generous and kindly acts of its members . Bro . Faulkner P . P . J . G . D . proposed the Pro G . M . and Officers of

Grand Lodge , and expressed his admiration at . tho exemplary way in which the Officers of Grand Lodge carried out thoir duties . It was very gratif ying to th"m , and wu 3 a great honour to the Province that three of its members had been selected as Officers of the Grand Lodge of England . Bro . J . E . Le Feuvre G . J . D . Eng . briefly acknowledged

the compliment . The W . M . introduced tho toast of the Right W . P . G . M of Hants and the I . W ., Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., by reading from the toast list , which was embellished with a nnmber of appropriately chosen poetical extracts , the quotation attached to tho subject in hand :

Iu faith he is a worthy gentleman , Exceeding well read , aud profited In strange concealments .... And wondrous affable . He said no one who had the opportunity of being brought iutocontac

with their Provincial Grand Master , could fail to be impressed with ' iia high s"nse of ju-tiee , his devoti on to and accurate performance of hia duty , aud charmed with his afl ' tbility . Bro . Beach gave expression to the pleasur ; tic had felt at coming amongst thorn in the dischai \/ 0 of tho impor . buit duty ho had that day nndartaken . The ii i

. H ' - 'Ma LH , easanry was making was a great subject tor ciui'r . it'i ! .- : a . fn iiiee- do ; ire : <> keep the new Lodge in a pa a-OOM ,,, .,. . ¦« ili ,::, ; : ]( ,-.. st ;; 0 | ! ,., _ je K ; , ,, j ; [ ,,, ( -,-,,, | , j {) U : ; tO admit 11 * men , Lev i w ; r-n 'i ; a ! ' ! k ^ ovi'Lalea ; or Lle-ir character , and a con-¦ ¦ ¦ ' < aa ' ou i .. i ,, r r , . 0 / -onid ';>> a credit , to t ' io Lodge ; tad to Masonry , o '' t : < a ; ae : fc ., weh-h : ,,., ' ¦ ¦ . a : I ladiu" v"i'i ( : V :-- ! no light matter . He ¦ ¦¦ !

'" ' ' ' . " ' " " ,, ;; ' ; a ::-r : tiu .. oo , a : ; : t . y ot maintaining thoir ¦ ' !); ' ' t ''' oa . viiai ' ae ¦ ) f ! aa , a-i ¦ air . ro'laquiahiar ; active interest in " ¦ y- "' _ . a l a- | je :, I i ., ; . . . ( , ''• ;' e .,., ¦ , .,.,,,.. ¦ . •_ ;? . .. ,,-,, i . || i : knowledge he had " ¦ " ' ¦< " "" ' " " aa Id . : aa : e aiam tii . it , the choice they had made ; . ' / . " ' : ' : : ' ' ' ¦''' " dreul M .-a'ur or . miisod well for the future ¦ ve . li-. ie : ; . , ; ^ ; : ; ! p .. -, ; , . iiy o : Mh , , i . , Lad ;/ , ; . [] a , ; 1 ; u j j ,,. 0 : lf , pleasure as ' ¦ u-iui : i . ii ,. ;; -to tho .-u :, h : toiSL of the Worshipful Master , and stictss .. o ta . j Q . jij Vi . (! r ; .,

V / liat thanka v . e owe To v . a . rk like tidnn ! Wiiiifc praise shall we bestow ? To i . iice tho . - ' oreruotfc honours are decreed . '! 'h '; uoa-: ! . v ,-a : ei . ta :. a ' a ., acadl / received . Bro . Roberton , in the course of a iiappy , p . cell , . aid he onl y hoped the future of the Osborne Lodge would bear out trie favourable promise of its inauguration