Consecration Of The Rahere Lodge, No. 2546.

I am Bartholomew , the Apostle of Jesus Christ . Build in my name a holy house of God in Smithfield , by ' . London , and lo I will help thee . " The sickness of Rahere passed away . The minstrel of Beauclerc was not disobedient to the heavenly vision . He devoted his life henceforth to the building of that stately church we know so well . Close by the church he placed the hospital . When these were building , men say how at the hour of evensong a strange bright lig ht from heaven would play upon the yet unfinished wallsand then would flash up

, into the sky and disappear . For several hundred years the house of prayer and the house for God ' s suffering poor stood side by side . The hospital was famous in mediaeval times for gifts of healing—as then , so now . In the stormy Reformation days , for a brief season the church and hospital were swept away ; King Henry VIII . restored the hospital and endowed it . Since then the House of Rahere has grown with the City's growth . A splendid record of noble work belongs to this great house for sorrow and sickness . It is well

known amongst us now as perhaps the greatest of our famous English hospitals . It was a noble thought to connect thisstoried house of the Royal Minstrel Rahere —which for so many centuries has been one of the blessed homes of suffering in London—with our Masonic Brotherhood . Masonry belongs to the Court and the camp , to the great centres of commerce , to the scholar's study , to the cottage of the artisan ; but its true home is where it may best assist and comfort them that mourn and are in need . Our great Order makes but little noise ; it does its quiet work . But without Masonry , surely our England would be poorer . It aids not

only its own homes , touched with sorrow , where our widows and orphans are tenderly cared for , not only its own suffering , sad-hearted brothers . Not only is it ever doing its quiet work among those specially linked to it by solemn vows , but it is ever whispering its noble maxims to many a heart . Not a few generous high-souled deeds done amongst us are due to English Masonry . Well and wisely then has it placed a garrison here in our greatest London Hospital—the hospital with a story stretching over seven centuries !

So much for our newly-founded lodge , called after Henry Beauclerc ' s Minstrel " Rahere " —the honoured founder of this famous Home for Sufferingso grandly inaugurated to-day with so much solemnity and splendour , in the presence of the illustrious Master of our great Order . Henry Beauclerc , the great Plantagenet , saw and approved Rahere ' s first design . Beauclerc ' s descendant and heir to-day gives his high sanction to the latest outcome of Rahere's enduring work .

Brother Masons of England , let me yet speak one word of our famous Order , and I am silent . Masonry has , I believe , a noble future before it . Men say dark days of bitter strife are in store for our favoured land . There are many dark and threatening clouds now overhanging Europe and England—not war clouds—the clouds I refer to are far more dangerous than war clouds . Please God the clouds will yet disperse and the gloomy shadows flee away . But if the dark days come upon us , what a mighty bulwark of order will our brotherhood of Masons be I

We form a numerous company and a strong one , a company welded together by bands forged in no earthly workshop , a company made up of all sorts and conditions of men , from the Princes of the House of England down to the artisan living on a daily wage . With us every rank and condition is amply represented . Every city has its Masonic garrison , each district its faithful lodge of Masons . What a mighty influence will the Order exercise , if days of trouble ever come upon us I Brothers , let us be ready , standing shoulder to shoulder , quietly

teaching , wherever our influence reaches—and the area of that influence is a broad one —teaching sympathy and Charity , order and obedience , reverence—so of ten no w lost sight of—reverence for all that is higher , nobler , better than ourselves , holding fast those sublime teachings we Masons know so well , living up as best we can to that high Masonic ideal which ever sets before us—self-sacrifice for others , loyalty to our Queen , patriotism to our country , and above all clinging to that pure and simple religion , which our fathers have taught us , and which has made our England free and great and strong .

Then , in coming days , whether of sunshine or of storm , will you , brothers , be the noblest , truest , patriot army of which men have ever dared to dream . Surely our English Masonry has before it a great—a blessed future I May that light from heaven which in the eventide shone on the work of Beauclerc ' s friend and servant—Rahere—shine upon Rahere ' s Lodge to-day—shed its pure white heavenly light upon all our Masonic works and days , not only in the eventide , but the long day through for ever .

The consecration and dedication of the lodge were then proceeded with , and H . R . H . the Prince of WALES himself formally constituted the lodge as follows : " By virtue of the power in me vested as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England , I hereby constitute you , my good brethren , into a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , under the name or

style of the Rahere Lodge , No . 2546 upon the register of the Grand Lodge of England ; and henceforth I empower you to meet and act as a regular lodge , to initiate , pass , and raise candidates , and perform all the rites and ceremonies in conformity with our ancient charges and regulations , and may the Most High counsel , direct , and prosper you in all your doings . "

The Grand Secretary afterwards installed Bro . Dr . Clement Godson , P . M ., Past Grand Deacon , as first Worship ful Master of the lodge . The other officers were as follows : Bros . Thomas Trollope , M . D .. P . G . D ., acting I . P . M . ; Alfred Cooper , F . R . C . S ., P . G . D ., S . W . j W . J . Walsham , F . R . C . S ., P . M ., J . W . ; D'Arcy Power , F . R . C . S ., P . M ., P . J . G . W .

Warwick , Treas . ; T . G . A . Burns , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Surrey , Sec ; Walter Gripper , M . B ., P . M ., S . D . ; Phineas S . Abraham , M . D ., J . D . ; G . H . R . Holden , M . D .. I . G . ; F . Swinford Edwards , F . R . C . S ., P . M ., D . C . ; Ernest Clarke , F . R . C . S ., Org . ; J . H . Gilbertson , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D . Herts , C . B . Lockwood , F . R . C . S ., W . M . 1150 , and C . P . White , M . B ., Stwds .: and Madden , Tyler .

Before closing the lodge , Bro . Dr . GODSON said : Brethren , I have the gracious permission of his Royal Hig hness the Grand Master to make the following proposition— "That the Prince of Wales honour the Rahere Lodge by becoming its first hinorary member . " This was seconded and carried , and the Most Worshipful Grand Masler bowed his acknowledgments .

Bro . BURNS , Secretary , thereupon read out a long list of names of intending initiates and joining members with the names of the proposer and seconder of each , and the lodge was then closed . The Grand Master and the Crown Prince of Denmark returned to Marlborough House where the Prince of Wales was to entertain the Shahzada at dinner ; the royal party were enthusiastically greeted when they left .

About 150 brethren dined together at the Albion Tavern , Aldersgatestreet , under the presidency of Bro . Dr . Godson , who had on his right Bros , the Earl of Lathom , the Earl of Euston , Viscount Dungarvan , Lord Skelmersdale , Gen . Laurie , the Rev . H . R . Cooper Smith , D . D ., and Archdeacon Sinclait , and on his left Bros . Gen . John Corson Smith , Past G . Master Illinois , Col . Le gendre N . Starkie , Dr . J . Balfour Cockburn , the Dean of Gloucester , the . - . - J- Mattyn , and the Grand Secretary . Lhebj . i . quet , which was an excellentonc , and admirably served , wasfollowed

Consecration Of The Rahere Lodge, No. 2546.

by the proposition and drinking of the usual toasts , but the Worshipful Master said there would be no " firing " as the room was not " close-tyled . " Bro . Dr . GODSON on rising to propose " The Queen and the Craft , " was received with loud and continued cheering . He said : Brethren , the first toast that I have the honour to give you is that of "The Queen and the Craft . " In all assemblages of her Majesty ' s loyal subjects the toast of her health is always received with the greatest possible enthusiasm , but in none

more so than among Masons . The Queen has just completed the fiftyeighth year of her reign , and the anniversary of her coronation was yesterday . We are happy to say that her Majesty is in the enjoyment of excellent health . Long may it continue for her to reign over us ! I give you " The Health of the Queen and the Craft . " Bro . Dr . GODSON then said : Brethren , —The next toast is that of " The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . " That is a toast of which I am

sure the reception will be especially enthusiastic ; it is always so ; but as his Royal Highness has been graciously pleased to come among us to-day , we give it , if possible , a more hearty reception . We welcomed his Roya \ Highness at St . Bartholomew ' s this afternoon in two capacities—first , as our Grand Master and , secondly , as our President . The Prince of Wales is always glad to come forward to further any good object that he considers worthy—it does not matter what it is ; but it is perfectly wonderful what he

does for our profession . Just think of the present time—the few days that are passed and the few days coming before us—his Royal Highness came down to St . Bartholomew ' s yesterday afternoon with her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales , to go among the patients with the staff ; it was done in a quiet way , just knowing how the patients would appreciate it ; and then he came before us this day to help us to consecrate this lodge . I am sure you will feel how greatly we are indebted to him for having done so .

We know the Princess of Wales was only the day before at St . Mary ' s Hospital , that the Prince is going next week to the Royal Free Hospital , and also in the week after to the Royal Medical Benevolent College at Epsom to lay the foundation-stone . AH these things in the course of a few days—it is perfectly miraculous what the Prince has to do . I give you with all heartiness the health of the Most Worshipful Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales .

THE WORSHIPFUL MASTER , Bro . Dr . GODSON said : Brethren , the next toast is that of " The M . W . Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom . " Immediatel y the warrant for this lodge was granted , his lordship said that it would be his wish to consecrate it , and I think that we must all be most grateful to him for that . The Pro Grand Master at that time was taking a voyage to the West Indies , and he

said we must wait his return j he also said he hoped to get his Royal Highness the Grand Master to give us his presence , and we have to thank him for that . The ceremony to-day was performed b y the Pro Grand Master in an admirable manner ; we had an excellent oration , and we have to thank Lord Lathom for being with us to-day . Bro . the Earl of LATHOM , in acknowledging the toast , said : Worsh ' pful

Master and Brethren , —I thank you sincerely for the kind way in which you have received this toast . I assure you that when first I heard that this 1 > dge was to be founded , I at once said , as our W . M . has told yon , that 1 should be only too happy to have the honour of consecrating it . I have felt that intimatel y connected as his Royal Highness was with this hospital , he ought to be present on this occasion , and I took the opportunity of makine the

suggestion to him , and 1 am happy to say it was received . Brethren , I congratulate you on having the presence of the Grand Master here today . I am pleased , I am not quite sure , but I believe it is only the second occasion when his Royal Highness has been present at the consecration of a lodge , and it is memorable in another way , and that is that it is the consecration—if I may use the term—of a professional lodge . On the previous

occasion it was a prolessional lodge—the Chancery Bar Lodge . Brethren , I think , and I hope you will agre j with mi—that it is an a'tmi-. ible thinn ' that what we may call these professional lodges should exist , because it brings into our ranks a number of men who would not otherwise j . iin but they would in their hearts accept the membership of a lodtrc belom . in ' . r m

their own profession where they will meet men they know where tliev will have mutual topics to discuss , and where they are all good ' fellotv . « . I will speak of my own Province of West Lancashire , and 1 find that in that I have a dramatic lodge , and there is a very good reason for having a dramatic lodge , and why ? Because as a rule dramatic artists are employed