Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

be divided equally between one of their great Masonic Charities—the Boys' Institutionand the poor of Plymouth . These were objects well calculated to excite their sympathies and to encourage them to put into action the grand principles of their Order . And truth , he would remind them , was an essential and fundamental quality of morality . Without truth , in word and in deed , there could be no lasting union civil , moral , or ecclesiastical . To use words they would all recognise : let them always be careful to act

on the square , and see that no deceit or double-dealing ever brought disgrace or discredit either upon themselves or upon Freemasonry . Such were the principles , and to carry out those principles to the fullest extent should be the determined aim of every genuine Freemason . In the middle ages the brotherhood consisted of guilds of operatives , under whose direction many stately cathedrals , churches , and other buildings were erected . They were now little more than a philosophic body , but it was matter for deep

thankfulness that the points of the usefulness of the Craft were in these days being extended , and that they were , as it were , combining the operative and the speculative elements of the earlier ages by the encouragement they gave to and the interest they took in the erection of stately buildings . A few years ago the Grand Master of England laid the foundation-stone of what was now a stately cathedral ; and that day , for the better inculcation of their principles they were about to lay in that great centre of

commerce and industry in that great stronghold of Freemasonry , the foundation-stone of a great Masonic Institution , the need of such an institution had long been felt , and was yearly becoming more necessary by the rapid increase of Freemasonry . For the sake of unity , precision , economy , and centralisation , it was clearly of absolute necessity . The uses of such a building were almost innumerable . It would be a great centre of information upon Masonic work and progress in all portions of the world . It would form

a new and permanent link between the Grand Lodge and the province . It would be a centre round which individual lodges might gather and harmonise and economise their labours , and a point from which would radiate a perpetual stream of benificence . Besides providing a lodge room for Crand Lodge , it would be a standing memorial of the energy , determination , and unity of Freemasons , and would form a home where the brethren

might gather in friendly meeting and social intercourse . Might the Great Architect of the Universe bless their endeavours . And finally , as citizens of the world and members of a great Brotherhood , let them each be exemplary in the discharge of every duty , religious and civil ; and let their earnest endeavour be to carry out strictly the principles of the Craft .

The collection was then made , and the Vicar having pronounced the blessing , the procession was re-formed and again went round Bedford-street and George-street , into Princess-square , and at the sonth-east corner of which the new building is to be situated . The corner house of Princesssquare and Windsor-lane has already been opened as a Freemasons' Club , and the new hall is to be built at the back of it , with an elevation facing

Windsor-lane . Bro . J . H . Keats is the architect , and the contract , which is upwards of £ 3000 , has been taken by Messrs . Lapthorn and Goad , of Eaton-place , Plymouth . Bro . Keat ' s plans show a classic elevation , three storeys high , the lower storeys being rusticated and the upper showing Corinthian pilasters . The dining-room upon the ground floor will be 68 ft . by 28 ft ., and the first floor will be occupied by lodge rooms ; ante-rooms will

be provided in a mezzanine floor between the second and third storeys ; and the whole length of the second floor will be fitted as the grand lodge room . The house in front of the site of the new hall is already occupied as a Freemasons' club . It has been very nicely fitted , there being a coffeeroom , reading-room , billiard-room , & c , and is under the able and courteous management of Mr . Symons , as steward .

Arriving at the site the brethren sang the ode commencing with " Here we meet to lay the stone , " after which the Prov . G . Chap . ( Bro . Tyacke ) read the following prayer :

May the Almighty Architect of the Universe , who has disposed all things in order , according to the excellency of his will , who made the heavens for His majesty , the sun and the stars for His glory and our comfort , and the earth as a place for our obedience to His laws , look down upon us Masons now endeavouring to build a house , according to the rules of Charity , by the bond of love . May this house , when duly consecrated and dedicated , be a habitation for worthy men meeting together for good ; may their

secret assemblies be convened lagally , proceed honourably , and end in Charity . May all Masons that enter under the shadow of its roof remember that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him . May the work done here prosper ; may the hearts of all the woikmen be comforted ; may no strife , brawling , or unseemly words be heard within its walls ; may the Master love the brethren , and the brethren honour and obey the Master ; may our going out and our coming in be blessed for evermore ; may our baskets

be filled with plenteousness , and the voice of thanksgiving abound ; may there be no or sorrow of heart ; and may the wayfareing Mason find a comfort in his journey to his home when he passeth by the gates of this house . Send Thy blessing upon these our labours , and at last fetch us home , blessed Lord , to those glorious mansions in the skies , where all things are perfect , and there is no more labour but peace and joy for evermore . So mote it be .

The inscription on the stone was then read as follows : — "This stone was laid December 28 th , 1887 , the Jubilee year of her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria , by Viscount Ebrington , M . P ., Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Devon . W . Bro . W . Derry , P . P . S . G . W ., chairman ; W . Bro . J . H . Keats , architect . "

Bro . DERRY , addressing the P . G . M ., said it had long been felt to be very desirable that there should be a Freemasons' hall erected in the town of Plymouth ; and they thought they could not take this work in hand under more favourable circumstances than in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee . The Masons of the Three Towns had joined heartily together for the purbose of building such a hall , and he now had the honour of presenting the

P . G . M . with a trowel with which he asked him to lay the foundation-stone . The trowel , which was of silver , was inscribed ; "This trowel was presented to Viscount Ebrington , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Devon , on the occasion of his laying the foundation-stone of the Freemasons' Hall , at Pi incess-square , Plymouth , December 28 th , 1887 . W . Derry , P . P . G . S . W ., Chairman of the Board of Directors . "

The PROV . GRAND MASTER said it afforded him very great pleasure to accept that beautiful trowel which he assured them would always be a cherished memofial of a very interesting day . He hoped that the fine weather and the auspicious manner in which the proceedings had thus far gone off were a good omen of the future , and that in the words of the anthem they had heard at church peace would ever be within those walls and plenteousness within their palaces , and that those who loved it would always prosper .

The stone was then lowered in its place , and declared by Lord Ebrington to be well and truly laid , after which the cornucopia containing corn and the ewers with wine and oil were handed to his lordship by Bros . Leonard Parkhouse , and Hocking , and their contents poured upon the stone with the most Masonic observances .

Bro . ROGERS , D . P . G . M ., then added a few words . He remarked that the very excellent discourse they had listened to in the church from the Prov . G . Chaplain had relieved him of much he should have said upon that auspicious occasion , Their Chaplain had explained much better than he should the duties of the Craft and the nature of Freemasonry . He would simply ,

first of all , congratulate the brethren at Plymouth on what they had been able to do to provide themselves so very desirable a home for their Craft . He assured them that the rest of the province would watch their progress with interest . The Freemasons of the Three Towns being so large a community , had facilities which it was impossible smaller towns should have . They could admire , but not follow . He could only repeat what had been

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Devonshire.

said before , that the stately fane did not make the true religion , and the goodly lodge and the perfect tools did not make the good Mason . That building would draw attention to them from the whole of England , and the honour of the Craft would henceforth to a larger extent be in their hands .

He wished to impress upon them the fact that with them rested the credit of Freemasonry . He hoped that the emblematic teaching of the oil and wine poured upon that stone would be realised ; and he trusted that the Great Architect of the Universe would bless them with all blessings , material arid spiritual , and that peace and prosperity might be their lot .

This concluded the ceremony , and the procession then re-formed and marched back to the Assembly Rooms , where the business of Prov . Grand Lodge was resumed . The PROV . G . M . said the only business remaining on the agenda paper was the conferring of Provincial rank on certain brethren in honour of the Jubilee of her Majesty the Queen . But before proceeding with that

pleasing task , he desired to thank the directors of the new Masonic building for the beautiful working tools they had presented to him , and to assure the brethren that he should always value them as a memento of a very interesting occasion . He was quite sure that he was speaking not only for himself , but for all who had taken part in the ceremony of that day , when he expressed his acknowledgments to those who had laboured so hard to make

the proceedings of the day so conspicuous a success . And he thought also that they should express their thanks to the Provincial Grand Chaplain for the admirable sermon he had preached in St . Andrew's Church . His lordship then went on to say that Devonshire , being a very large Province , there were no less than thirteen honours to be bestowed on brethren in the province , and this number was virtually increased to fourteen , inasmuch , as their highly respected Bro . Rae , whom he had wished to appoint to the

office of Provincial Grand Warden , had asked to be excused from accepting the office on account of his great age , and desired the honour to be conferred on some younger and more active brother . He was sure they would all join with him in regretting the reasons which prevented Bro . Rae from accepting the office which he ( Lord Ebrington ) had proposed to confer upon him , and at the same time he knew they would admire Bro . Rae ' s unselfishness in relinquishing the honour . The Prov . Grand Master then presented the collars to the following brethren : —

Bro . ] . Lane , 1402 ... ... ... ... P . P . G . Reo- . „ J . B . Gover , ... .,. ... p . p . G . S . „ F . B . Westlake , 70 ... ... ... P . P . S . G . D . „ C . Croydon , 18 9 ... ... ... P . P . S . G . D . „ B . B . S . Richards , 282 ... ... ... P . P . S . G . D . „ W . Harding , 440 ... ... ... P . P . S . G . D . ., W . Vellacott , A 8 O ... ... ... P . P . S . G . n .

„ C . Stevens , 1138 ... ... ... P . P . S . G . VV . „ W . J . Trethewy , 159 ... ... ... P . P . A . G . D . C . „ W . A . Gregory , 1234 ... ... ... P . P . A . G . D . C . „ W . Pile , 164 ... ... P . P . G . Std . Br . „ T . Ebsworthy , 251 ... ... ... P . P . G . Std . Br . „ F . C , Hallett , 303 ... ... ... P . P . G . Std . Br .

This concluded the formal business , and votes of thanks were given to Bro . Tyacke for his admirable sermon , to Preb . Wilkinson , D . D ., for having granted the use of St . Andrew ' s Church for the service , and to the choir for the manner in which they rendered the musical portion of the service . A request was made to Bro . Tyacke that he would allow his sermon to be printed for circulation among the brethren .

The brethren then adjourned to Mr . Rogers ' , Newmarket Hotel , in Cornwall-street , where an excellent dinner was provided , and admirably served under the direction of Mr . Woodrow . The loyal toasts having been duly honoured , Bro . W . DERRY , P . P . S . G . W ., proposed " The Health of the Prov . G . M ., Viscount Ebrington , " remarking that his lordship had been Prov .

Grand Master of Devon for over ei ght years , and during that time he had grown immensely in the estimation of the brethren , and had done much to bring Freemasonry to the high position which it now occupied in the Province of Devon . He was sure that the interesting proceedings in which they had engaged that day were approved by Masons generally in the two Western Counties , and Viscount Ebrington , by his presence , had helped materially to make those proceedings a great success .

The PROV . GRAND MASTER , in responding , saidjt was a great pleasure to him , connected as he was with Plymouth in other ways to which he need not more especially refer , to visit the town in a non-controversial capacity , and to meet around the festive board many who on another platform mi ^ ht not entertain so friendly a feeling towards him as he hoped they did that evening . One great advantage of Freemasonry was that it was

non-political , and brought all its members together on an equality whatever their position might be outside the lodge . That was one of its many recommendations , and he felt it no small honour that he had enjoyed the privilege for over eight years of presiding over so large and important a province . He had never failed to recognise the responsible nature of the duties he was called upon to perform in that capacity , and he hoped the interests of the Craft had not suffered in his hands . The proceedings of that day showed ,

he hoped , that Freemasonry was prospering under his rule , and he hoped this would continue in the future . His lordship concluded by proposing " The Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire and Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and coupled with the toast the names of Bros , the Hon . R . Dawson and J . B . Gover . Bro . Dawson , he said , had succeeded in establishing a flourishing lodge at Ashburton , and Bro . Gover was a Mason whose praise was in everybody ' s mouth . Bros . DAWSON and GOVER resoonded .

The toast of "The Earl of Mount Ed gcumbeandthe Prov . Grand Lodtr e of Cornwall " having been cordially drunk , Q The PROV . GRAND MASTER gave " The W . Bro . W . Derry , Chairma n of the Devon and Cornwall Freemasons' Hall and Club Company , and the Directors . " His lordship said he understood that the club supplied along felt want among Freemasons in the Three Towns , and he was confident from what he had seen that it would be attended with gratifying success .

He was informed that the starting of the club was largel y due to the initiative and liberality of Bro . Derry , and he was sure , therefore , that they would drink his health with very great cordiality . Forthe club itself he could wish nothing better than that Home Rule and Unionism mi ght prevail therein , for he was sure that if those two elements , opposed though they were elsewhere , were combined within its walls , contentment and prosperity would always prevail . Bro . DERRY briefly responded , and