Consecration Of The St. Alban's Lodge, No. 2786.

possess solid qualities which will depend on and add to the reputation ot the builder . It is in the power of each Mason to mar his work , and so spoil the fair reputation of the whole . For what purpose do we now erect lodges , hold our regular assemblies , perform Masonic ceremonies , and are brought into one organised body ? Is it for the purposes of mere social and convivial society ? Every true Mason will give an emphatic , " No . " Is it to be a mere benevolent

society , which amasses vast sums to relieve the destitute and distressed of their body , whether they be orphan sons and daughters , or widows of their deceased members , or those brothers upon whom fortune has frowned ? Again the true Mason will answer " No ; this , but more than this . " Brethren , do not each of you recognise from your knowledge of the secrets and mysteries of the Craft we pursue so eagerly and love so much that there is far more than this in a true ideal

of Freemasonry . We , as our operative brethren of 12 centuries ago , are engaged in the construction of a building which demands all our energies , all our skill , a building for which we must have a skilful apprenticeship , in the erection of which we need deep instruction from a master mind , and in which we are assisted by the contemplation of other men ' s work ; a building , moreover , which we shall never complete , but which , in proportion to the excellence of our work , will preserve

our name amongst men , will be an honour to our Craftsmanship , an abiding influence on all within its sphere , and which , unlike the structures of the operative mason , massive though they be , will be eternal . For this truly Freemasonic structure is character . And character in the individual is the goodly stone of which the whole structure of our Order—the new and sublime Order of Architecture —is composed . Founded on three grand principles , illuminated by three great

lights , and supported by three grand pillars , Freemasonry furnishes all the apparatus necessary to attain this desirable object of every true Mason ' s existence . All its ceremonies , all its formula ; , point to the same end , and secrete and enshrine the great secrets which lead to success . And we do not doubt that the founders of this lodge realise the responsibilities laid upon them , the selection of proper persons for their apprentices , who , by the aid of their Masonic teaching ,

will become true Craftsmen , and , eventually , Master Masons of a noble character . And to those who are about to be entrusted with the government of this lodge —the W . M ., S . and J . Ws . —may I suggest a thought which may be helpful to them in their several capacities . Every aspirant to apprenticeship enters first by the J . W . ' s portal , and so passes by the Corinthian column , the pillar of beauty . Why is this , the highest of the orders of architecture placed here ? Surely because

it is the beauty and symmetry of the Masonic temple as displayed in the lives of its artificers which first attracts the would-be devotee , which gives the desire to be enrolled among the members of so honourable a body . And thence he proceeds to the S . W ., and passes by the Doric column , the pillar of strength , facing at once the plain rugged strength of first principles , the stern unbending requirements of B . L ., R ., and T ., and thence , by regular and instructed steps he passes

to the W . M . to the Ionic column , the pillar of wisdom , typical ot that wisdom which will enable him to assimilate all that is good and noble , and reject all that is base and degrading , and so carve for himself that most truly Masonic worka noble character . Brethren , may these worthy Masons chosen to these offices live up to and illustrate in their lives the grace , the sturdiness , and the

comprehensiveness of the pillars at their right hands , and may their successors be equally animated by the same high motives , that this St . Alban ' s Lodge , whether it becomes a massive pile or a building of ordinary proportions , may present the features of perfect work , the accomplishment of a great purpose , the strenuous development of a perfect and truly Masonic character .

The elements of consecration were earned round , and the St . Alban's Lodge was solemnly dedicated and constituted . Bro . Sumner Knyvett , P . G . D ., Prov . G . Treas ,, then installed Bro . C . Offord Burgess as the first W . M ., assisted by Bros . C E . Keyser , P . G . D .,

and J . Terry , P . G . S . B . The other officers invested were Bros . F . Dangerfield , P . M ., acting I . P . M . ; Frank Crocker , S . W . ; H . Watts , J . W . ; Francis Fisher , P . P . G . S . B ., Treas . ; E . L . Berry , P . P . G . D ., Sec . ; W . Sergeant Lee , P . M ., S . D . ; H . Burkett , I . G . ; J . T . Matthews , Stwd . ; and Everett , Tyler . Bro . W . G . Coxon was appointed J . D ., but was unable to be present .

A vote of thanks was accorded the Consecrating Officers , and they were Unanimously elected honorary members , for which the P . G . M . expressed sinctre thanks . The W . M . was elected to represent the lodge as Steward for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and a sum of 10 guineas was voted to his list . The W . M . was also elected Charity and Finance representative .

The Secretary was instructed to write a letter of condolenee and sympathy to tire widow of the late Bro . Lake . Propositions were received , and the lodge was closed . The banquet which followed clearly showed that the lodge will be well catered for by Bro . G . Rolls , the worthy host , for everything was carried out in the best style , and Bro . Rolls was thanked by the W . M . for the very satisfactory arrangements made for their comfort .

The usual toasts followed , "The Queen and the Craft" and "H . R . H the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " being first honoured .

In giving " The Grand Officers , Present and Past , the W . M . alluded to the presence of three Grand Officers . Bro . Keyser , who had assisted in the consecration , was known throughout the Masonic world . The last time they met , Bro . Keyser was installed as the first W . M . of the Aldermaston Lodge , and he could tell them that that brother was a subscribing member of 16 or 17 lodges , honorary member of 30 or 40 lodges , and was also

Treasurer of the Boys' School . Bro . Keyser s hearty enthusiasm in the cause made him always ready to offer his services wherever useful . There were also present the veteran Bro . Terry and Bro . J . J . Thomas , one of the most popular men in Masonry , and a personal friend of all . Bro . C E . KEYSER , P . G . D ., in response , said that had it not been for the calamity which overshadowed them , they would have had the presence

of the Prov . G . M . and Bros . Knyvett and Lake . Bro . Lake and he had grown up together , and been friends all their lives , and he felt deeply his loss . Bro . Lake was also a first-rate Mason , who well upheld his position , and a P . G . D . for several years . He ( Bro . Keyser ) hoped the Grand Officers felt , on their appointment , that their work was only begun , and that they must use their position and influence to the best advantage . They

could not use it better than by taking part in occasions of this kind . It was a pleasure to see new lodges formed under such auspicious circumstances , and especially to see one started in that old city . The W . M . and he had been closely connected in Masonic work , and it was a pleasure that so good and old a Mason as Bro . Burgess should now come and ally himself with the province with which he ( Bro . Keyser ) was identified .

" The Prov . G . Master and Prov . G . Officers , Present and Past , was proposed by the W . M ., who mentioned that Bro . Halsey , M . P ., had consecrated 14 lodges in Herts , with which province he had been connected for about 26 years . This lodge owed him a debt of gratitude for the admirable manner in which he had consecrated the lodge . He ( the W . M ) resided on the borders of the province , and at present knew very little of the Prov . G .

Consecration Of The St. Alban's Lodge, No. 2786.

Officers , who had , however , shown their interest by coming to support them . Bro . A . H . BOUCHER , Prov . G . W ., briefly replied . No lodge , he said , could have had a better start or under better auspices . The Consecrating Officers returned sincere thanks for their election as honorary members .

Bro . F . DANGERFIELD , P . M ., acting I . P . M ., then , in cordial terms , submitted " The Health of the W . M . " 'The founders appreciated the labours and hard work of Bro . Burgess in the formation of the lodge , for he had spared neither time , trouble nor expense to bring the brethren together and to ensure the splendid gathering they had that evening . He could not

belter express his own feelings of their W . M . 's character than by referring them to the motto on the banner , a translation of which was , " what is given will ever be your own . " The W . M . was always giving to Charity and was never appealed to in vain . He looked forward to a splendid year of office which would place this lodge on a sound basis and make it certainly not the least in Herts . He asked them with acclamation to drink to the health of

their W . M . Bro . C O . BURGESS , W . M ., thanked the I . P . M . for his kindly remarks . It was premature , however , to say anything in his praise for everything would depend upon the work to be done , before they could offer those congratulations which were so pleasant when duly earned . " Let not him who buckleth on his armour boast as he who taketh it off . " They intended to

carry on this lodge as a help to the Charities and as a help to Masonry as far as in them lay . They had seen lodges started which did not follow out those principles , but they had a strong determination that they would not only be good soldiers in Masonry but careful as to the character of those they initiated . They had been generously assisted by the Halsey Lodge , and hoped to do nothing to disgrace that introduction but be a credit to the province . There were present that evening several members of the Halsey

Lodge , including the W . M ., to all of whom they tendered their best thanks . Personally , he looked forward with great pleasure to a year of office in Herts , in which neighbourhood he had lived for some years and with which province he had wished to be identified . He hoped that Bro . Keyser would often be with them to see that their work was progressing in a manner as favourable as even he could wish . He thanked them sincerely for the excellent attention given him .

The W . M . then proceeded to propose the toast of " The Consecrating Officers , " upon whom the success of the ceremony depended . They must all have been impressed with the oration of the Prov . G . Chaplain . He did not think he had ever listened to an oration which went more deeply and more logically into the bonds which bound them together , and into those recommendations for carrying on a lodge in the proper spirit .

Bro . the Rev . Dr . COCKREM , P . P . G . Chap ., expressed the pleasure it had given the Consecrating Officers to attend . It was one of those opportunities of impressing upon the rank and file that Masonry did not consist , as one might think , of mere tradition and performance of ceremonies in a lodge . It was the high and noble ideal—that of living up to those principles of life and character towards those who were not Masons . The

success of a lodge depended upon the selection of candidates , for the admission of one unworthy member would wreck the finest lodge that ever existed . The late Dep . Prov . G . M . had been his most intimate friend , and he deeply felt the loss the province had sustained . All the Consecrating Officers knew that Bro . Terry would be th « re to put them in their places , so that they could not go wrong . They wished the W . M . a most prosperous

year , and hoped the lodge would flourish and live for years under the shadow of the great cathedral , which they had adopted as part of their insignia . For " The Visitors , " Bros . J . J . THOMAS , P . G . S . B ., and HODDIM , W . M . 1479 , returned thanks , after which Bro . J . TERRY , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I ., replied for " The Masonic Charities , " and thanked the W . M . for kindly undertaking a Stewardship for the Benevolent Institution , and

the lodge for its donation of 10 guineas . In proposing " The Treasurer , Secretary , and Officers , " the W . M . referred to the energetic Secretary , and said that if Bro . Berry had not already made a reputation to fall back upon he would have made one that night . Bro . Berry gave them the entire benefit of his experience , and brought it all to bear upon any lodge with which he was connected , so that the result was a certain success .

Bro . E . L . BERRY , P . P . G . D ., Sec , modestly assured the W . M . that his best exertions could be relied on , and Bros . CROCKER , S . W ., WATTS , J . W ., SERGEANT LEE , and DANGERFIELD also replied . Bro . GEO . ROLLS , the host , was also called upon , and expressed his pleasure that everything had gone off so well .

Bro . Herbert Schartau , P . P . G . Org . Middlesex , was ably assisted in the musical arrangements by Miss Mabel Richards and several brethren . Bro . Sergeant Lee , P . M ., gave a spirited rendering of " The Absentminded Beggar " and " The Handy Man , " and a collection for the Mayor of St . Alban's War Fund realised £ 10 . The visitors present included :

Bros . J . J . Thomas , P . G . S . B . ; J . R . Cleave , P . P . G . D . ; W . F . Pendicle , P . M . P . P . G . S . D . ; W . J . Mason , Vice-President Bd . of Gen . Purps . Rev . P . Deedes , P . P . G . C ; Rev . F . Wilcox , P . P . G . C ; E . Lockwood , J . D . 108 ; D . Redfern , P . M . 753 ; J . S . Goldstein , S . W . 2265 ; J . M . MacLarty , 1260 ; N . Dukas , 2398 ; F . H . Mansell , P . G . S . ; C . H . Phillips , Prov . J . G . D . Herts ; F . Larner , P . P . G . S . of Works ; E . Cole , 2409 ; W . Yeo , 753 ; H . J . Keen , W . M . 2473 ; C . Arnold , 2550 ; T . B . Tipton , S . W . 2550 ; L . vV . Fleck , 272 ; C . E . Betts , P . M . 865 ; T . H . Parry , S . D . 2550 ; T . S . Carter , P . P . S . G . W . ; A . H . Bouchier , Prov . J . G . W . ; F . Arnold , Prov . G . Steward ; W . O . Welsford , P . M . 1321 ; T . A .

Markland , l . M . 144 ; W . Parsons , 753 ; H . Trask , P . P . G . S . of W . ; W . P . Warren , P . P . G . W . ; W . A . Sproat , P . M . 1327 , P . P . G . S . ; W . J . James , P . M . 2218 ; W . B . Cosslin , W . M . 1 743 ; E . W . Newman , W . M . 2518 ; H . E . Smith , P . M . 1327 , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . Purrott , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . M . Wilson , W . M . 2202 ; P . Dudes , P . M . 1479 , P . P . G . C . ; F . Hedge , P . P . G . Reg . Berks ; E . Debenham , P . P . G . Reg . ; A . F . Hardyment , W . M . 26 98 ; R . J . Campbell , I . P . M . 2698 ; J . P . Taylor , P . M . 1984 , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; J . Percival , Prov . G . Tyler ; . H . W . Schartau , P . P . G . Org . ; H . Ward , 1 744 ; Otto Schuler , 2743 ; A . F . Smith , Prov . G . S . B . ; W . W . Lee , P . M ., P . P . G . D . ; and many others .

OWING TO unavoidable delays , the original date arranged for the viewing of the Maine has had to be postponed until the 17 th inst . This is the earliest and only date when it will be possible for the Maine to I 12 seen . Only those who apply for cards will be admitted on the ship , and these must be obtained from the hon . secretary , Mrs . A . A . Blow , Walsingham House , Piccadilly .