Interesting Masonic Ceremony At Brighton.

INTERESTING MASONIC CEREMONY AT BRIGHTON .

An interesting Masonic ceremony was performed on Wednesday , the 2 Sth ultimo , at the Pavilion , Brig hton , previously to the commencement of ninety-fifth Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . It consisted in the presentation to the Howard Lodge of Brotherly

Love , No . 56 , Littlehampton , b y Bro . Salter , Prov . Senior Grand Warden of Essex , of some ancient documents connected vvith the Howard Lodge , which had come into his possession through his grandfather . The presentation vvas made through Lord Brooke to Bro . Walter Goss , the Worshipful Master of the Howard Lodge , in Lord Brooke ' s private room in the

presence of a large number of Essex brethren . Lord BROOKE said it was unnecessary perhaps tor him to detain the brethren vvith many words in describing the event , but he had very great pleasure in meeting the brethren , because he understood that a distinguished brother of his own province vvas anxious to hand over to the ancient lodg-e of Sussex—the

Howard Lodge—some most interesting records vvhich had been in his custody for a great many years . It vvas Bro . Salter ' s opinion that the present was a fitting occasion for banding over these interesting muniments of the lodge into the care and keeping of the brethren of the Howard Lodge . Bro . Salter would give an exp lanation of the reasons why the presentation vvas made and the circumstances leading up to it . He

( Lord Brooke ) was sure that the old documents would receive at the hands of the brethren of the Howard Lodge the most careful treatment . He had great pleasure in meeting the brethren of Sussex that day ; he vvas forming new acquaintances , of whom he was very proud . Bro . SALTER then said the box he now presented , which contained minute books and other records relat .

ing to the Howard Lodge , No . 56 , Sussex , vvas sent to him by some of his relations a few years after his grandfather's death ( he died in 1 S 68 ) , with instructions that it should not be opened by him until he had dived deeply into the mysteries of Masonry . It must have temained untouched in his possession for 20 years . He opened it in 1892 . After initiation into Masonry

in i 860 , he was so far removed from his mother lodge and every other , that he left Masonry virtually untouched until the year 18 90 , when they kindly asked him to become one of the founders of the Easterford Lodge , No . 2342 , which WMS subsequently established at Kelvedon , Essex . Even this was seven miles distant from his residence . However he assented ; he had the

honourofbeing made itsfirstSenior Warden in 1890 ; its second Master in 18 91 ; and taking to Masonry vvith considerable interest , he proceeded rapidly through various Degrees , and finally , was entrusted vvith one of the Wardens' chairs ol- his province , a distinction , through thc kindness of Lord Brooke , he now held . Thinking that the time had now arrived when he might ,

with propriety , open the lid of this mysterious and almost forgotten box , he did so—only to find that it contained—nothing very startling in themselves—but documents of some importance and interest to the brethren of the Howard Lod j ^ e , namely , its minute books and records from the earliest times , dating as far back as 177710 1821 . He immediately recognised the

necessity of restoring them , and having enlisted the sympath y and co-operation of his Deputy Provincial Grand Master and the Grand Recorder , Bro . Philbrick , and secondly , of his esteemed Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . T . J . Railing , and , thirdly , of their universall y beloved Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Lord Brooke , all of whom cordially acquiesced in the

suggestion started by Bro . Philbrick , that the restoration should be somewhat ceremoniously accentuated , it vvas thought to be a most fitting and opportune occasion on which to effect this , by seizing , it possible , on a small poition of the day on which the Festival for Boys should be held at Brighton , taking place as it did in [ he Howard Lodge ' s own province , and presided over b

y the Grand Master of the province from which the documents proceeded . Lord Brooke most kindly and graciousl y assented , and it was vvith great gratification and pleasure that through him he ( Bro . Salter ) now fulfilled his duly of restoring this interesting box of records to the brethren of the Howard Lodge . He wished he could have discovered among them the lod ge ' s lost charter . He iv ust confess to some

in-^ uisitivcness as he looked through these ancient books and noted the working of the lodge as years went on and the various incidents recorded therein ; indeed , he had extracted some of them , vvhich he would brieily 'ouch upon . The Howard Lodge seemed to have been ounded as long ago as February 17 , 1777 , and under [ he designation of " The Lodge of Brotherly Love , " to ive

" held its meetings first at the Blue Boar , Great . ssell-street , Bloomsbury , its principal officers then > eing Bros . Browning , W . M . ; Whitehead , S . W . ; and tir " " ' ^ W' l " l 7 S ' 2 ' A P ' - ' il removei 1 t 0 th <* edford Arms , Charlotte-street , Bedford-square , being 0 'hcered h y Bros . Moody , W . M . j Birchall , S . W . ; A " . J- W . i and Fox , Secretary . In 1784 , March 1 . ¦ "y a convention held at the sivn of the Two Blue

osts , Tottenham Court-road , the lodge was removed ™ the Bedford-square Coffee House , Great Russell-H ee f- In 1785 , June 20 th , it was held at the Buffalo ' s 178 corner ° f Newman-street , Oxford-street . In Kir , ^' ' ^ ecemher 19 th , it was again removed to the lan Head Tavern , Holborn , and then in 1789 , \ l T ? , ' l 6 lh - il was held at the R 'g Worshipful whi h ( Henle y ' ) Chambers in Clifford ' s Inn , after ch on 6 th May , 1789 , its seventh remove , it reached

Interesting Masonic Ceremony At Brighton.

Arundel , in Sussex , and took up its quarters at the Crown Inn . ln 1789 , November 2 nd , its name vvas altered to that of the Howard Lodge , in compliment , he presumed , to the Duke of Norfolk , who resided at Arundel , and whose family name is Howard . Though a Catholic family , one of the Dukes of Norfolk actuall y joined the lodge in the year 1 S 01 . Bro . Henley was

its first Master under the title . He died in 179 S . Up to this time , July 4 th , 1790 , the number of the lodge was 55 . On December 23 rd , 1791 , it was changed to No . 5 6 for the first time . On October Sth , 1798 , an interesting- event was entered on the minutes of the lodge , viz ., the subscription of two guineas from its funds " for the relief of the widows and orphans of

those brave men vvho fell in the battle of Trafalgar under Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson . " In 1 S 00 the lodge removed from the Crown Inn to the Norfolk Arms Hotel . In 1801 the then Duke ol Norfolk vvas proposed a member . In the same year the lodge vvas opened in the Degree of Mark Masons . In 1804 , as no regular warrant existed , it was resolved that a fresh

one be applied for . In 1 S 05 it removed from the Norfolk Arms to the Wheatsheaf . In 1814 the Right Worshipful Master read a letter from the Secretary of Grand Lodge stating that a Union had taken place between Ancient and Modern lodges . In 1816 , November 12 th , a Royal Arch Chapter ( Howard , No . 72 ) vvas consecrated . In 1817 this

chapter was removed to Chichester on February 14 th and back again to Arundel on August 12 th of the same year . A jubilee gathering of the lodge is mentioned in a letter from a Mr . Pocock to Mr . J . Wilson , dated October 22 nd , 1859 . Whether this refers to the jubilee of the lodge on its centenary , or a jubilee of himself ( Mr . Wilson ) , after 50 years membership , is not quite

clear . I think all the dates and incidents point to the latter , as he ( my grandfather ) was initiated in the lodge on October 20 th , 1809 , and October 22 nd , 1 S 59 , would make just 50 years , whereas the earliest records put the foundation of the lodge at 1777 , so that 1 S 59 would not accord with any celebration o the kind . Perhaps I maybe excused for making a short

notice here to my grandfather without the charge of too much Masonic conceit , it is , that having been initiated , passed , and raised in the lodge in 1809 , he vvas ( when Masonic progress was hardly so rapid as it is now , as evidenced by lengih of time vvhich sometimes transpired between the taking of the . First and Third Degrees ) made VVorshipful Master in 1812 , and

occupied that position seven times up to the year 1821 , when the records in the box cease . He was also ' / .. in 1817 , Prov . G . J . W . in 1821 , and Prov . G . S . W . from 1823 to 1825 . Those vvere days when these exalted and much coveted posts vvere not simply of . 1 year ' s existence . Novv the number of Masons has increased so enormously , that to hold them for a year is looked

upon as one of the greatest Masonic distinctions which can fall to a brother in his province . I must now express to Lord Brooke my gratitude for his great kindness in presiding over this , to me , interesting function , and to the brethren present for so attentively giving ear to these details , and I beg to offer my warm congratulations to my brethren of the Howard Lodge

on the restoration of these records of their earlier days . Bro . WALTER GOSS , VV . M . 56 , expressed the thanks of himself and other members of the lodge for the gift , but said the age of the lodge went back as far as 1736 when it was No . 151 . It met then at thc Black Dog , Castle-street , Seven Dials . ln the next 100 years the number vvas altered six times .

Lord BROOKE congratulated the Howard Lodge on the finding of these records , and he now handed them to the lodge . He was very pleased to have made the acquaintance of the Sussex brethren . It bad been a very successful day so far , and he hoped it would end as successfully as it had begun . The proceedings then terminated .

Laying The Foundation Stone Of A New Church In Stockport.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW CHURCH IN STOCKPORT .

An epoch in the ecclesiastical history of Stockport was marked on Saturday , 24 th ult ., by the laying ot the foundation stone of the new church of St . George ' s Heaviley , by Lord Egerton of Tatton . As befitting an important occasion , the bells of the Stockport Parish Church rang out merry peals throughout thc day .

Crowds of people assembled in the neighbourhood of thc new church , and many were unable to witness the interesting Masonic ceremony . The Trustees of the new church , the clergy , and gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood met at the National School , Wellingtonroad South , at three o ' clock in the afternoon , and vvere joined by the Masonicbretliren . who had assembled at the

Mechanics Institution . A procession was then formed to the church , composed of the Clergy , Trustees , brethren , and the Right Hon . Lord Egerton of Tatton , P . G . M . A large number of l \ ov . Grand Ollicers and representatives of lodges supported the Prov . G . Master , but the Dep . Prov . Grand Master , Bro Sir Horatio Lloyd , was unable to be present .

1 he brethren assembled at the Mechanics' Institution at half-past two , and half-an-bour later the Provincial Grand Master addressed the brethren on the day ' s proceedings , and a procession vvas formed to the site , Headed by thc band , the members of the junior lodges

went lirst , the rear being taken by the Provincial Grand Ofiicers and the Provincial Grand Master . Bro . George H . Browne , the P . G . D . C , officiated , assisted by Bros . H . Gordon Small , P . D . G . D . C , and W . G . Cronan , P . A . G . D . C . The vessels containing corn , wine , oil , and salt were borne b y four Masters of lodges , and a

Laying The Foundation Stone Of A New Church In Stockport.

Past Master bore the plate vvith the inscription for the corner-stone . The Provincial Grand Treasurer , had charge of the phial containing the coins , & c , to be deposited in the stone , and the Sacred Law vvas borne by four Master Masons' sons , Masters J . Bell , H . M . Smith , E . J . Lomas , and J . McGregor , and opened-at , , the ioth chapterof Numbers . When the head of " Eh ' ei * procession arrived at the site of the intended building , "

the brethren divided to the right and left and fated-inwards , forming an avenue through vvhich , thtj . rest ; 0 . frthe brethren passed , Lord Egerton being preceded byT : *? the Heralds , the Prov . Grand Standard Bearer , and the Prov . Grand Sword Bearer , and followed by a Past Master bearing the Ionic Light ; the Grand Ollicers of England , the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , . 'and'thd ' Prov . Grand Officers and brethren then followed ih ~ succession from the rear so as to invert the order of

procession . The arrival of the P . G . Master at the site was ' announced by a flourish of trumpets , and the procession then entered the enclosure . The officiating brethren took the positions assigned to them by the

P . G . Director of Ceremonies and his Assistants ,, and deposited the vessels ,, & c , borne in the procession qn ' i pedestals placed for their reception . When , all who ' . could had assembled on the site , the service , which was an exceedingly interesting one throughout , Was-com- ; " ~ , menced . , -. 4 ..

The Masonic version of the tooth Psalm having been sung . . - 1 : ••: *¦ - ¦ < ¦* - , < . Mr . ROISEKT GUISKN , on behalf of the Trifsteesof the church , asked Lord Egerton to lay the' northeast corner stone , and observed that he desired to acknowledge the great -honour that Lord Egerton had conferred upon the Trustees in coming among them to . lay the stone .

Mr . ARTHUR SVKES , J . P ., said as one of the trustees of St . George ' s Church , he had the privilege of presenting Lord Egerton with a trowel vvith vvhich ' KiSt ' . ' lordship could lay the stone . They all felt very thankful that Lord Egerton had consented to come and lay the stone , and tney were very grateful to him for it . He ( Mr . Sykes ) did not know any gentleman whom

they could have asked to perform the ceremony who would have given as great satisfaction to thc town as Lord Egerton would . They recognised in his lordship one of the pillars of the Church in the country , and his presence there that day showed ths continued interest he took in the work of the Church in Stockport . Lord ECERTON observed that he had very great

pleasure in accepting the invitation vvhich he had justreceived to lay the corner-stone of the church which , they saw rising up around them in magnificent proportions , lt cave him much pleasure to take part in that good work , not only as a member of the Church of England , but also as a Mason , and as one who vvas interested in seeing beautiful buildings raised up to the

honour and glory ol the Great Architect of the Universe . They thanked Him that He had been pleased to put it into the minds ot those vvho were his'humble servants , the promoters and builders of that church , to raise a beautiful structure lo the honour and glory of God ; and the Masons who were there were glad to be present on so interesting an occasion . They trusted that the church would be the means of benefiting the people of j

that rising suburb of the great town of Stockport . •' The town was rapidly extending in every direction , and they trusted that the building of which they were laying the lirst corner-stone might be of inestimable benefit in promoting the religious welfare of the district . He believed it vvas expected that he should say something about the part which they , as Masons , vvere called upon to perform in that interesting ceremony . His Lordship then proceeded with the ceremony in the

accustomed torm . There vvas a flourish of trumpets , and a prayer was offered by the Puov . GRAND CHAPLAIN , with the customary response to thc Craft . The officiating brethren set the stone , and the thanks of the Trustees were expressed to the Prov . Grand , Master and the Provincial Grand Lodge of Cheshire '

for their attendance . , Lord EOERTO . V , in reply , said he thanked Mr . Christie-Miller for the very kind words with which he had welcomed himself and the other Masons there . He could assure them that it had been a great pleasure to himself and the biethren to take part in such an interesting function as laying the foundation-stone of achurch which , from

the plans he had lately seen , he felt confident would be an ornament to the district , aud he trusted a lasting monument to the pious intentions of the founders , and their desire to benefit the people of that neighbourhood . He again thanked them for the kind welcome they had given the Masonic body , and assured them that it afforded them great pleasure to take an

active part in all movements which were intended to promote the real prosperity and happiness of their fellow countrymen , whether they vvere Masons or not . The National Anthem ( Masonic version ) was then sung , and this concluded the ceremony . The Masonic body , the procession of which created considerable interest , returned to the Mechanics' Institution , wherq , the brethren dispersed .

Ihe Prince and Princess of VVales and their daughters visited the Westminster Town Hall , on Monday , when the Princess of Wales opened a three days' bazaar , in aid of the Alexandra Hospital for children with the hip disease , Queen-square , Bloomsbury . When the simple ceremony vvas over , tne Koyal Party inspected the' show , and made several purchases at thc stalls , vvhich were presided over by Princess lidwarduf Saxe-Weimar , the Duchesses cf Sutherland and Wellington , the Marchioness of Ormonde , the Countess of bhannon , and others .