Consecration Of The Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge, No. 2432.

having such a first Master to rule and guide in the critical period of their existence . Bro . Bullock is no novice in the position , being already a P . M . of the Northern Counties Lodge—a lodge with which I have the great privilege of being associated , because—if I remember rightly—I had the p leasure of assisting at its consecration , and being made an honorary

member of it , and therefore it is a peculiar pleasure to me to see in the chair of this lodge a brother who belongs to a lodge with which I am connected myself . I wish you and him a prosperous year of office , and feel certain that under his fostering care we need have no doubt of the continued success of the Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in response to the toastof his health , was received with much and continued applause , and said : I am exceedingly obliged to you for the way in which you have received the toast , and I am obliged to the Grand Secretary for the way in which he has proposed it . It is at all times a difficult matter to fill the mastership of a lodge . There are many things to think about and a great many people to please , and one is

subject to many criticisms . I claim your sympathy for I occupy the chair under peculiar circumstances . I was designated for the office of Secretary , a distinguished brother on my left being picked out by acclamation as first Master . Circumstances prevented that wish of yours to be carried out , and for sometime wc were in much difficulty , but like many other ventures it was bound to come back to port when we were stranded by the

defection of our friend on my left . You are aware this lodge springs from a particular trade or rather amongst men whose walk in life is of a particular class . When our distinguished brother would not take the chair , a good many suggestions were made . One was that we should secure the M . P . for Holborn , another Sir Augustus Harris , but finally , our choice fell on the distinguished brother on my right , the P . G . D . The proposal met with

general favour as he comes from a province well known as a strong supporter of Masonry . He told us , however , he could not be spared therefrom , but we gave him a fortnight to consider . We were not at all loth to meet him again , for he is rather a " good sort , " being a good exponent of hospitality and a particular friend of mine . He does not , however , know me so well as he used to do now he

has got into the Grand Lodge . To our great regret he eventually decided he could not take the office . We then fell back upon another well-known brother , and had a lot of difficulties of which you know nothing . This distinguished brother did not sec his way to accept , so we decided that the Past Masters of the founders should revert to the ballot box , and the lot fell upon myself—my very unworthy self—to occupy the chair , and it was

thus bound to go on , .-11101 this explains my presence here to-night . Having taken the office , the first thing I had to do was to look about me and select a team who would back me up . I shall , however , have to deal with the toast below , and then pay the proper amount of respect to those brethren . A considerable amount of work lies before us , and the LP . M . has just told me this is going to be one of the largest and one of the most important lodges in London . Then again , I am told that I shall have to occupy the

chair a little more than 12 months . I ask for your sympathy—you know what I have to go through . However , I shall face the matter with a good deal of equanimity , and have no doubt , if given health and strength , I shall be able to cany through , for the prospects are fairly favourable . I will say no more except to thank you very heartily and very sincerely for the way in which you have drunk my health , and shall hope and wish to have a good run of luck for the next 12 months .

The W . M . then proposed the toast of "The Visitors , " and said : One of the most responsible duties before me to-night is to propose this toast , and a very difficult duty seeing that we have 40 visitors . All cannot speak , and it is hard to choose from such an array of distinguished members of the Craft those who shall respond . I trust this lodge will always be noted for

its hospitality . We will do our best to give you a hearty reception . We will try and give you good work as well as good cheer . I shall couple with it the names of Bro . VV . Masters , P . M . and Grand Steward , a member of Lodge Co ; Bro . F . C . Frye , M . P . ; and another distinguished ornament in Masonry , Bro . Capt . Walls , who has taken a deep interest in the formation of this lodge .

Bro . MASTERS said : It gives me very great pleasure to respond on behalf of the visitors , for the kind way proposed , and very kind manner received . From my experience I am quite sure that when you say you will be very glad to receive visitors on future occasions you mean it . I have known you , W . M ., for very many years , and for the past seven or eight

in another lodge of which you have kindly made mention , that I am sure you will do very great honour to the position in which you have been so worthily placed , and as you are going to make this the largest lodge in London , I am sure you will make it not only the largest but the best , for from the very good way in which you have made a start I have little doubt of its ultimate success .

Bro . FRYE : I thank you , iu conjunction with my brother who has just spoken , for the kind response you have given to the visitors to-night . As on the menu — " let them want nothing that the housc ^ affords " —the visitors may well say they have wanted nothing in the kind way in which you have treated them to-night , and we wish you ever } - prosperity . I came hereon the invitation of Bro . Scholding , and am very delighted indeed to be present , and thank you very much for giving me the opportunity of enjoying your

hospitality . Of course , Masonry is flourishing in London , and I am one of those very glad to know that it is so , because it creates good feeling amongst men . For myself , I have received many kindnesses from men in London , who but for Masonry I might never have known . I was sorry not to be present at the working of the lodge , but , if anything like the hospitality you nave shown us , it was all perfect . I conclude by wishing you a prosperous year of office .

Bro . Capt . WALLS said : Allow me to thank you on behalf of the members of the Peace and Harmony Lodge , No . 60 , for the kind invitation given them . When two of your founders mentioned the matter to me , I said it could not be better than for you to have the recommendation of an old lodge like ours , and wc were glad to give an unanimous recommendation . I was exceedingly gratified to witness for the first lime in my life a consecration by the Grand Secretary . I have many times seen the consecration by

his precdecessor , Colonel Clerke , but if he will permit me to say so , nothing was wanting in the manner in which the ceremony was performed to-day . 1 have had the pleasure ( if knowing him for many years , in fact since he was a Master Mason , and him sure no belter brother could ( ill the high position he occupies . In forming a new lodge , many things have to be taken into consideration , and one is quality , not quantity , in the members you initiate , I am quite sure that the brother at your head , in discharging his duties to-night , is one who will carry out his duties well . On July 28 th ,

Consecration Of The Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge, No. 2432.

Taurus , the Bull , entered the Zodiac . You have a Worshipful Master whose relationship to Taurus must be very close . You are proud to have a Bullock at your head , and you will not object to be led like lambs to the slaughter . Another important matter , and the only thing I wish to differ from the Grand Secretary upon . He alluded to the lodge being named after Sir Walter Raleigh , who introduced the tobacco

plant into this country . I wish to tell him that it was Sir John Hawkins who brought the tobacco plant from Virginia , and it was Sir Walter Raleigh who had the temerity to smoke it . It is unfortunate that after dining at the table of princes , Sir Walter Raleigh became for 12 years an occupant of a dungeon in the Tower of London . He spent this time in compiling a history which unfortunately was not completed on account of

his sudden death—he lost his head . Had he lived , doubtless he would have been a good Mason . The continuance of this little historical event is that Sir Walter Raleigh ' s history of the world in consequence of his death remained unpublished , but I do hope that in years to come the history of this Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge will be for ever , when hundreds of years hence those who have assisted in this ceremony to-day will have become a mere atom in the sand . I thank you very heartily .

In proposing the toast of " The Masonic Chanties , the W . M . alluded to a work which was dear to the hearts of Bro . McLeod , the Secretary , the Head Master , and the Board of Management of the Boys' School . It was that brethren generally should interest themselves in placing the boys as they left the School out in life . Much could be done in this direction . He spoke from an experience of having two of the ex-pupils , both of whom did great credit to the Institution .

In response , Bro . MCLEOD , Sec . R . M . I , for Boys , thanked the W . M . for the very kind manner in which he had proposed the toast , and especially for the peculiar interest he had shown , in common with other members of the Northern Counties Lodge , in the placing out of boys as they left the School . He felt that the members of this lodge would be doing a good work in connection with the Charitable Institutions by following so good an

example . He was glad to know that lodges at their formation now , with but few exceptions , recognised the good work being done by the three Institutions , on behalf of which it was his privilege to plead . They knew it was only by continual voluntary gifts that the work could be carried on , and all who worked in connection with the Institutions were very grateful for the

generosity displayed towards them by the Craft during the past 12 months . He was grateful , in particular , to the W . M . for consenting to act as Steward on the occasion of the Festival in 1893 , and had no doubt that other members of the lodge would accompany him , for he recognised amongst them many of whom it could be truly said as appeared on the toast list— " 'Twere well you do so much for Charity . "

In proposing " lhc Treasurer and Secretary , " the W . M . said that Bro . Wm . Klingenstein , P . M ., had held the chair of two lodges , and it was his own fault that that he was not the first Master of that lodge . He was looked up to by them in their particular work of love as one of their " merchant princes , " but although it was a matter of regret that he did not

first take the chair , he did the next best thing , and took the post he was so well adapted to fill—that of Treasurer . They hoped the time would come when they should see him in the position he ( the VV . M . ) held that night . As to the Secretary , Bro . Scholding , no man could tell the arduous duties he had undertaken and the excellent manner in which he had fulfilled them in

connection with the formation of that lodge . The characteristic which struck him most prominently was his excellent patience , being perfectly at home with everything , and had made himself the " generally useful" man a lodge should have on its first formation—in fact , he was a perfect jewel of a Secretary . The W . M . said he anticipated all his wants , and deserved some acknowledgment , and he , therefore , asked them to give him a good response to the toast . Might those good officers be spared for the next 12 months to see him through his perilous position .

Bro . KLINGENSTEIN , Treas ., said he had to thank the W . M . for the very kind way in which he had spoken of himself and brother officers , and you , brethren , for the flattering manner in which you received it . Continuing Bro . Klingenstein said : I am quite certain that I could not have filled the chair in the same manner and to your satisfaction as the present W . M . 1 am quite certain he is the right man in the right p lace ,

but it would have been very ungrateful on my part had I not taken the office of Treasurer . 1 am sure that with the good assistance of our brother Secretary my work will be a sinecure . I feel certain that the Secretary will do all he can in the excellent manner in which he has started , and that at the end of the year we shall not only have a good balance , but he able to satisfy the requirements of our good Bro . McLeod , on behalf of the Charities .

Bro . SCHOLDING said : You have just heard rendered in a very sweet manner " Home , sweet home , " and I do not propose to keep you brethren very long from your sweet homes , but I must recognise the kind manner in which you have shown your appreciation of the services 1 have rendered 1 " the formation of this lodge . I am not going to accuse the founders of the lodge of any very great constructive energy , but must say that their free criticism kept me to the work very closely and prevented me from going very far astray . 1 feel very gratified with the kind things the W . M . Iw * said and you brethren for the hearty manner in which you have received thp snrnr *

Responding to the toast of " The Officers , " Bro . ADAM P IUSGLVI LP . M ., said .- It is not often that the LP . M . has to return thanks for the officers of the lodge , but on this occasion , being the consecration of t » , lodge , the Installing Master had preferred the duty of proposing what is usual for the LP . M . of the lodge—the health of the VV . M . I must comp liment our W . M . for the wav in whirli hr > tins rlnnp his \ vnr \ r nnrl the brethren

of the lodge for the way in which they did their share of the work , and have every reason to believe that we shall have a happy and prosperous future . 1 do not think that wc could have had a better Master than \ w have got , and , although his modesty caused him to hang back for som time , 1 am very glad indeed that he has been placed in this positionam glad to act as his LP . M ., and proud to help him in any way 1 can . The SENIOR WARDEN said : I thank you for the kind words you l | a * , 41

said for your officers , and I will do all I can to support you in the chair , in bringing any initiates of the right sort to make this lodge a strong one The J UNIOR WARDEN said : I can assure you that I will do all I ca'j ' ^ make this lodge a success . It has long been a wish on my part to ! , ave , j lod ge in connection with our business , and I trust the brethren will ra j round this Raleigh Lodge and make it the success we mean it to be . ln officers I think you have good workers who will do all they can . The Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .