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Article DEMONSTRATION IN NEWCASTLE. Page 1 of 2 Article DEMONSTRATION IN NEWCASTLE. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Demonstration In Newcastle.
DEMONSTRATION IN NEWCASTLE .
A LL light cotneth from the east , " and on so sure f \ a dictum it is only reasonable that the light of Freemasonry should be strong in this part of the country . The Brethren of the mystic tie in the Province of
Northumberland , however , are not wont to " let their light shine before men , " they have always preferred , it seemed , to "hide their light under a bushel , " and differing from their Brethren north of the border , to figure very little in public . In Scotland processions of " Merry
Masons , " are common , for the "Craft" is sought to give eclat to the erection of public buildings , and probably the largest assembly of the kind was that which gathered to lay the foundation stone of the Glasgow Municipal Buildings . In Newcastle they have not been accustomed
to figure in such functions , otherwise they should have been asked to set their mark in yesterday ' s proceedings , not only upon their own buildings , but upon the keystone , say , of the Dean Street Railway Bridge only placed a day or two ago . Perhaps the great public
interest manifested in the demonstration yesterday may bring the Craft more outside the " tyled" Lodge Room . Yesterday ' s proceedings were in connection with the focussing of the Freemasonry of the district by providing a special building in which a large hall and numerous
rooms will give accommodation for the Lodges apart and combined on a festive or other occasion . At present the Lodges are scattered all over the town . The site at the upper corner of High Bridge and Pilgrim Street is
central and convenient . It is being built by a company of the Masonic Brotherhood and is to cost some £ 15 , 000 , but an income from the Lodges of between £ 1 , 000 and £ 2 , 000 is already assured .
The occasion of the special demonstration was the laying of the chief stone of the new buildings by the Eight Worshipful Grand Master of the Province of Northumberland , Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bait ., M . P ., the leading Giand Officers assistingin the function
being Aid . Holmes ( Deputy Provincial Grand Master ) , Rev . P . H . Moore , M . A . ( Provincial Grand Chaplain ) , the Rev . Canon Pennefather , the Eev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., and others . The general meeting place of the Brethren was the Ohmpia , a large covered space that
allowed the 2 , 000 Brethren to assemble , clothe in Masonic attire , and be mustered under their respective banners . This took place between one and two o ' clock , when the weather , which had been very wet earlier in
the day , faired , and continued fine during the whole of the proceedings . Bro . John Page was an indefatigable director-general of the procession that was formed up and marched from Olympia four deep .
Following the Brethren of the Northumberland Lodges came the Provincial Grand Officers of the other Provinces , Durham having a strong representation , and several from Scotland noted by their crimson aprons . " What's the apron for , I wonder ? " was the exclamation
of Mrs . Caudle , but had she seen yesterday s passage of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland , with the stalwart figure of the Grand Master , supported by the Grand Sword Bearers , she would at least have admired , if not envied , the valuable regalia worn by
these high Officers of Masonry . The emblems of the Craft , too , were borne by the respective Officers , the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic Lights , the cornucopias with corn , wine and oil , the open Book from which the Light of Masonry is now declared , square , level , rule , and trowel .
The procession was witnessed m Bath Eoad , Northumberland Street and Pilgrim Street by a great crowd of people , and all went easily till a counter procession was met with in Pilgrim Street , carting a big closed book , and then it came to be a question as to which was like iEsop ' s
fly that sat on the chariot wheel and said , " What adust I do raise ; " but certes , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland was lost for a while in the crowd . In due time , however , the scene of the Masonic function was reached , and the whole of the Brethren got massed
on special platforms within the barriers of the new buildings . A throne was provided for the Provincial Grand Master , and the sun glinting out on the proceedings was taken as a hopeful augury for the success of the new undertaking . The Brethren had been ordered to appear in morning dress with satin hats , and the
Demonstration In Newcastle.
fashions observable in this head-gear were comical enough ; but the presence of a choir of male voices from the Cathedral , wearing top hats , white surplices , and Masonic aprons tied over them was so grotesque as to make the most solemn Brother smile . After Mr . Amer ' s
Exhibition Baud had ceased playing , the choir sung the Ode " Hail ! Masonry , thou Craft divine . " The corner stone was then raised by four Masons , specially appointed , under the direction of the architect . The Prov . G . Master , addressing the Brethren , said :
We have amongst us , concealed from the eyes of all men , secrets which may not be revealed , and which no man has yet discovered . But the secrets are lawful and honourable , and not repugnant to the laws of God or man . Unless our Craft were good aud our calling
honourable , we had not so many illustrious members in our ranks , ready to promote our interests and to help our cause . We are assembled here to-day to erect this building to the honour and glory of the Most High—a building which we pray Him to prosper as seemeth to Him best . And as it is the custom of all Freemasons to
invoke the blessing of the great Architect of the Universe upon all their proceedings , I invite you to join the Prov . Grand Chaplain iu an address to the Throne of Grace . The Provincial Grand Chaplain ( Bro . the Rev . P . H .
Moore , M . A . ) then offered prayer , asking the blessing of the Almighty Architect of the Universe upon Masonry , and upon the work which was that day being done .
At the conclusion , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master ( Brother Aid . W . H . Holmes , Chairman of the Masonic Hall Company ) on behalf of the Directors of the Company , asked the Provincial Grand Master to lay the corner stone according to ancient custom , and presented
him with a silver trowel . He said : On behalf of the Central Masonic Hall Company , and , as chaiiman , I have to ask you , Right Worshipful Sir , to lay this chief corner stone of this Masonic temple , for which purpose I have the pleasure to hand you this trowel . It is a
work which I hope will , in the result , be glorious to Masonry , and a great temple built to the honour and the glory of the Most High , and for the use of the Brethren of this Province . I trust , Sir , that the trowel , after the ceremony has been peiformed by you to-day ,
will be preserved in your family , and handed down as an heirloom of Blagdon , a house which we all honour and esteem in this neighbourhood , and a house which has given us two , if not three Provincial Grand Masters . On behalf of the Masonic Hall Company , I beg to tender
you our most sincere thanks for having acceded to our prayer to convene this special Provincial Grand Lodge for the occasion , and for having yourself , as Right
Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , done us the honour to lay the corner stone . I have now , Sir , to call upon you to proceed to the laying of this corner stone according to the ancient custom of the Craft of
Freemasonry . The trowel , which was then handed to Sir Matthew bore the following inscription ;—
Presented By the Chairman and Directors of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Masonic Hall Company , Ltd ., to the Bight Hon . and Bight Worshipful Buo . SIK MATTHEW WHITE
RIDLEV , Bart , M . P ., Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Northumberland , on the occasion of his laying the chief corner stone of the Central Masonic Hall , Pilgrim Street , Newcastlc-on-Tyne .
25 th July 1894 . A . L . 5894 . The Provincial Grand Master said : I accept with pleasure and gratitude the trowel you have handed to me on behalf of the directors of this Company , and I can assure you it will be handed down in my family as a reminiscence of a day which I trust will be happy in
its augury for Freemasonry m this Province . In answer to your request , we will proceed , in accordance with ancient custom , to lay this corner stone . I have just to ask the Provincial Grand Secretary to read the inscription on the plate .
The Provincial Grand Secretary read the English version of the Latin inscription on the plate , which was as follows : ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Demonstration In Newcastle.
DEMONSTRATION IN NEWCASTLE .
A LL light cotneth from the east , " and on so sure f \ a dictum it is only reasonable that the light of Freemasonry should be strong in this part of the country . The Brethren of the mystic tie in the Province of
Northumberland , however , are not wont to " let their light shine before men , " they have always preferred , it seemed , to "hide their light under a bushel , " and differing from their Brethren north of the border , to figure very little in public . In Scotland processions of " Merry
Masons , " are common , for the "Craft" is sought to give eclat to the erection of public buildings , and probably the largest assembly of the kind was that which gathered to lay the foundation stone of the Glasgow Municipal Buildings . In Newcastle they have not been accustomed
to figure in such functions , otherwise they should have been asked to set their mark in yesterday ' s proceedings , not only upon their own buildings , but upon the keystone , say , of the Dean Street Railway Bridge only placed a day or two ago . Perhaps the great public
interest manifested in the demonstration yesterday may bring the Craft more outside the " tyled" Lodge Room . Yesterday ' s proceedings were in connection with the focussing of the Freemasonry of the district by providing a special building in which a large hall and numerous
rooms will give accommodation for the Lodges apart and combined on a festive or other occasion . At present the Lodges are scattered all over the town . The site at the upper corner of High Bridge and Pilgrim Street is
central and convenient . It is being built by a company of the Masonic Brotherhood and is to cost some £ 15 , 000 , but an income from the Lodges of between £ 1 , 000 and £ 2 , 000 is already assured .
The occasion of the special demonstration was the laying of the chief stone of the new buildings by the Eight Worshipful Grand Master of the Province of Northumberland , Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bait ., M . P ., the leading Giand Officers assistingin the function
being Aid . Holmes ( Deputy Provincial Grand Master ) , Rev . P . H . Moore , M . A . ( Provincial Grand Chaplain ) , the Rev . Canon Pennefather , the Eev . Canon Tristram , D . D ., and others . The general meeting place of the Brethren was the Ohmpia , a large covered space that
allowed the 2 , 000 Brethren to assemble , clothe in Masonic attire , and be mustered under their respective banners . This took place between one and two o ' clock , when the weather , which had been very wet earlier in
the day , faired , and continued fine during the whole of the proceedings . Bro . John Page was an indefatigable director-general of the procession that was formed up and marched from Olympia four deep .
Following the Brethren of the Northumberland Lodges came the Provincial Grand Officers of the other Provinces , Durham having a strong representation , and several from Scotland noted by their crimson aprons . " What's the apron for , I wonder ? " was the exclamation
of Mrs . Caudle , but had she seen yesterday s passage of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland , with the stalwart figure of the Grand Master , supported by the Grand Sword Bearers , she would at least have admired , if not envied , the valuable regalia worn by
these high Officers of Masonry . The emblems of the Craft , too , were borne by the respective Officers , the Corinthian , Doric , and Ionic Lights , the cornucopias with corn , wine and oil , the open Book from which the Light of Masonry is now declared , square , level , rule , and trowel .
The procession was witnessed m Bath Eoad , Northumberland Street and Pilgrim Street by a great crowd of people , and all went easily till a counter procession was met with in Pilgrim Street , carting a big closed book , and then it came to be a question as to which was like iEsop ' s
fly that sat on the chariot wheel and said , " What adust I do raise ; " but certes , the Provincial Grand Lodge of Northumberland was lost for a while in the crowd . In due time , however , the scene of the Masonic function was reached , and the whole of the Brethren got massed
on special platforms within the barriers of the new buildings . A throne was provided for the Provincial Grand Master , and the sun glinting out on the proceedings was taken as a hopeful augury for the success of the new undertaking . The Brethren had been ordered to appear in morning dress with satin hats , and the
Demonstration In Newcastle.
fashions observable in this head-gear were comical enough ; but the presence of a choir of male voices from the Cathedral , wearing top hats , white surplices , and Masonic aprons tied over them was so grotesque as to make the most solemn Brother smile . After Mr . Amer ' s
Exhibition Baud had ceased playing , the choir sung the Ode " Hail ! Masonry , thou Craft divine . " The corner stone was then raised by four Masons , specially appointed , under the direction of the architect . The Prov . G . Master , addressing the Brethren , said :
We have amongst us , concealed from the eyes of all men , secrets which may not be revealed , and which no man has yet discovered . But the secrets are lawful and honourable , and not repugnant to the laws of God or man . Unless our Craft were good aud our calling
honourable , we had not so many illustrious members in our ranks , ready to promote our interests and to help our cause . We are assembled here to-day to erect this building to the honour and glory of the Most High—a building which we pray Him to prosper as seemeth to Him best . And as it is the custom of all Freemasons to
invoke the blessing of the great Architect of the Universe upon all their proceedings , I invite you to join the Prov . Grand Chaplain iu an address to the Throne of Grace . The Provincial Grand Chaplain ( Bro . the Rev . P . H .
Moore , M . A . ) then offered prayer , asking the blessing of the Almighty Architect of the Universe upon Masonry , and upon the work which was that day being done .
At the conclusion , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master ( Brother Aid . W . H . Holmes , Chairman of the Masonic Hall Company ) on behalf of the Directors of the Company , asked the Provincial Grand Master to lay the corner stone according to ancient custom , and presented
him with a silver trowel . He said : On behalf of the Central Masonic Hall Company , and , as chaiiman , I have to ask you , Right Worshipful Sir , to lay this chief corner stone of this Masonic temple , for which purpose I have the pleasure to hand you this trowel . It is a
work which I hope will , in the result , be glorious to Masonry , and a great temple built to the honour and the glory of the Most High , and for the use of the Brethren of this Province . I trust , Sir , that the trowel , after the ceremony has been peiformed by you to-day ,
will be preserved in your family , and handed down as an heirloom of Blagdon , a house which we all honour and esteem in this neighbourhood , and a house which has given us two , if not three Provincial Grand Masters . On behalf of the Masonic Hall Company , I beg to tender
you our most sincere thanks for having acceded to our prayer to convene this special Provincial Grand Lodge for the occasion , and for having yourself , as Right
Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , done us the honour to lay the corner stone . I have now , Sir , to call upon you to proceed to the laying of this corner stone according to the ancient custom of the Craft of
Freemasonry . The trowel , which was then handed to Sir Matthew bore the following inscription ;—
Presented By the Chairman and Directors of the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Masonic Hall Company , Ltd ., to the Bight Hon . and Bight Worshipful Buo . SIK MATTHEW WHITE
RIDLEV , Bart , M . P ., Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Northumberland , on the occasion of his laying the chief corner stone of the Central Masonic Hall , Pilgrim Street , Newcastlc-on-Tyne .
25 th July 1894 . A . L . 5894 . The Provincial Grand Master said : I accept with pleasure and gratitude the trowel you have handed to me on behalf of the directors of this Company , and I can assure you it will be handed down in my family as a reminiscence of a day which I trust will be happy in
its augury for Freemasonry m this Province . In answer to your request , we will proceed , in accordance with ancient custom , to lay this corner stone . I have just to ask the Provincial Grand Secretary to read the inscription on the plate .
The Provincial Grand Secretary read the English version of the Latin inscription on the plate , which was as follows : ,