Consecration Of The Chough Lodge, No. 2264.

" Well done , good and faithful servant . " He hoped he should conduct the lodge with all the dignity which befitted his office , without any levity , but with a full appreciation of the importance of his duties . The duty of initiation , and the initiation of his own son was no light duty . He would endeavour to feel that responsibility , and if he failed it would not be for want of attention , or for want of trying ; it would onl y be for want of

capacity . If anything went wrong the brethren must put it down to his want of ability . He must say with Shakespeare "In thanks I am a very beggar . " Unfortunately we passed through life without sufficient knowledge of our friends and acquaintances , and without their knowing anything of us . These communications gave a mutual opportunity of our showing what we thought of them , and their showing what they thought of us . He thanked them heartily for drinking the toast .

Bro . Sir J B . MONCKTON , P . G . W ., in proposing " Prosperity to the Chough Lodge , " said it was now some weeks that the esteemed J . W ., Bro . Judge , called upon him and said it was proposed to start a new lodge in the city . "A very good thing too , " said he ; "What are you going to call it . " Bro . Judge said " We propose to call it Chough , " " And Crow , " said he ( Sir J . Monckton . ) "No , " said Bro . Judge , "We are going to

apply for a warrant for the Chough Lodge , and we shall crow when we get it . " A very good remark from Bro . Judge , who had proved himself in this case a good Judge . Well , the warrant had been obtained , and he hoped that the seed sown that night would grow to a tree in which the choughs of to-day and future times mig ht live in harmony and love . Let them hope that all the virtues in the Craft might be communicated through the Chough Lodge from generation to generation .

Bro . SAXELBY , Treas ., replied , and said if the Chough Lodge should be anything like the success that the Chough Musical Society had been they would in a few years have reason to congratulate themselves on achieving a great success . The Musical Society had been a success . He had been on the Committee from the beginning till now , and he knew the efforts that had been used to make the Society a success . Those efforts would be continued to make the lodi e the same success . There was among the

brethren a desire that it should become one of the first lodges in London . He knew very well that sentiment had been expressed at their meetings by every founder of the lodge , and if they could do that they would show b y doing so their appreciation of the kind terms in which this toast had been proposed . He thanked every visitor for being present , and the brethren hoped to see them amongst them again , and many of them as joining members . In a short time he trusted they would show a list of members whom they would be very glad to meet on all occasions .

The WORSHIPFUL MASTER , in proposing " The Visitors , " coupled with the toast the names of Bros . Griffiths , Michael Watson , and Charles Body . Bro . GRIFFITHS , in reply , said he could look back on his past when , 30 years ago , he was a Master in the Craft , and remembered how he had enjoyed the Craft in all its phases . He could remember when not long ago he was Master of the Earl of Mornington Lodge , a musical society , and its success had been maintained . He had visited many lodges ; he had seen

the consecration of lodges ; but he never saw a more charming performance than that by the Grand Secretary that evening . He was sure the elements of the lodge would enable it to be a success . The Orpheus Lodge he was also a member of , and the elements of that lodge were the same . Every visitor of the Chough Lodge would feel he was coming not only to an enjoyment of the duties ot the Craft , but to an enjoyment of harmony which the members of the lodge could afford .

Bro . MICHAEL WATSON said he felt that the Chough Lodge was in a great measure owing to the success of the Chough Musical Society , out of which it was formed , and therefore , as a member of the musical profession , he felt it a'compliment to the musical profession generally . He had attended the Chough Musical Society , and had enjoyed it very much . That lodge being an established thing was due in a great measure to the success of the Chough Musical Society , and the success of that society

was due mainly to the exertions of Bro . Horscroft . He could remember when the Chough Musical Society was started nine or ten years ago in a small way , and he now noticed the progress the society had made . When they looked round they saw the Chough Society occupied the foremost position of any musical society in London , and it had to be congratulated on having Bro . Horscroft . As long as the lodge had such a quartette as Bros . Horscroft , James , Thompson , and Griffiths it would goon well . It would have no need of applications for admission .

Bro . CHARLES BODY felt himself quite incompetent to respond , but yet he felt he had an exceptional privilege in doing so . As an old member of the Chough Society , and in other and more important associations with the W . M ., he had been connected with him a matter of 30 years , and he left the brethren to guess whether he and the W . M . had not an opportunity of knowing something of each other . Being there as the W . M . ' s guest was a guarantee that they were on a right footing . He congratulated the Chough

Society on having such a W . M ., and the way he was carrying on his duties would be an incentive to future W . M . ' s . It was a very proud moment for a man to be present at a ceremony of that kind . He ( Bro . Body ) was a young Mason himself , and must be excused for not saying much on Masonry , when there were competent Masons present . He had been deeply impressed with the ceremony ; no one could be present without feeling the same as he had himself felt , that there was more in Masonry than they knew before .

Bro . PHILBRICK next said it was a very difficult task indeed to interrupt harmony , and he hoped the brethren would forgive him for doing so . In the speeches that had been delivered they had been told that brevity was the soul of wit , and witty had been the speeches , but eloquent had been the songs . And now he was not about to trespass upon the time of the brethren by asking them to listen to anything that was so unmelodious as that

which was interpolated between the songs , but he must obey the commands of the W . M ., and therefore he rose to propose "The Founders and Officers of the Lodge , " who , he was sure , would fulfil all those good wishes that had been so well and eloquently expressed for them . A lodge which had its principle in harmony , surely could not be in discord with the great traditions of the Craft . Masons were a great Body which possessed an interest and a power in the community , which it was well

they should recognise ; since the Prince of Wales assumed the throne of the Craft and had directed the Order , it had been a great and an extending body . It was no sli ght responsibility to a man now who claimed to be a Mason : it was no sli ght honour ; but honour and responsibility went hand in hand ; and he was sure that no one of them who thoroughly appreciated the honour of being a Mason but felt that there •Was a responsibility and a duty attaching to his position . When a lodge

Consecration Of The Chough Lodge, No. 2264.

was founded , as this lodge had been , under auspices of a most harm nature , there was nothing which would promote Masonry as a great pow in the land more than the accession of those to the lodge who were working members , about whom the tongue of good report had been truly heard i * their favour , who might truly " and justly be said to be members of whom the Institution would be proud , and who would ultimately reflect honou

upon their choice b y the lodge . These , of course , were fair words , which they knew and had heard from their Masonic birth upwards ; but ' it \ va . their significance , the fact that they conveyed to them a real meaning , j that there was in them that' which they ought thoroughly to respect ! and which , if they truly carried on their Masonic career and thoroughl y adhered to , would lead to the success of the lodge , of which Bro . Edwards had been

installed the first W . M . that evening . It was , perhaps , a very un . welcome part which one took when he ventured to refer to such subjects as he had dealt with , but it was the kindness of the brethren that allowed him to do so •, but he was quite sure that those words of wisdom which in opening the lodge the Grand Secretary uttered would be true words , which the brethren could not too sedulously

rememoer , ana tnat ougnt to De tneir guiding star . it was now an honour to be a Freemason , and no man could thoroughly appreciate what he owed to the Craft unless he felt that an honour was conferred when a man entered the Craft , and that it was not that they wanted to see a number of adherents to their ranks so much as to see that those who came in were good men and true . He was glad to see that in that lodge there were the elements which

would ensure that the lodge should have a successful and prosperous career in the future . He was glad to see that there were those who had associated themselves with that lodge , and to whom the warrant had been granted who would truly work for its success , and give occasion for the brethren to be proud of it . He trusted that the future career of the lodge would be

equal to its beginning . All the Grand Officers , men who took deep interest in the Craft , felt that in the establishment of a lodge like the Chough Lod ge there were elements of success , elements which they wished to bring to the lodge , and which must ensure a prosperous future . It was with peculiar pleasure that he proposed the toast of " The Founders and Officers of the Lodge . "

Bro . WALTER B . MARCUS , S . W ., in reply , said Bro . Philbrick had laid down certain lines for the guidance of the brethren which coincided with what the founders of the Chough Lodge had laid down for themselves which was to make that lodge a success , the talk of the City and of the West-end also , and it the Grand Officers would onl y do as they had hinted —pav the lodge visits from time to time—he was sure they would make it

what they proposed . He could safely promise the W . M . from all the officers that they would respond to his wishes with alacrity and do all they could to make bis year of office the most successful of any W . M . For himself , he had so far endeavoured to do all he possibly could and he knew all the other officers had tried very hard , and had left nothing undone which they thought would contribute success . They hoped the success with which they had started would continue , and that they would bring forward a large

number of true men who desired to join the Chough Lodge . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER then gave "The Masonic Press , " to which he attributed the great success ol the Masonic Charitable Institutions . Before the Masonic Press took these Institutions up , lodges used to be con- ' tent with giving small sums , but now , through the discreet and judicious way in which the Masonic Press had exposed the real objects of Freemasonrv , the sums contributed were very large .

The toast was acknowledged by Bros . Massey and Morgan , and the Tyler's toast closed the proceedings . The enjoyment of the evening was greatly enhanced by the splendid execution of the beautiful programme of music which was provided by Bro . Horscroft and his choir , all of whom are members of the Chough Musical Society . The lodge was furnished by Bro . George Kenning .

Consecration Of The Hallamshire Lodge, No. 2268, At Sheffield.

CONSECRATION OF THE HALLAMSHIRE LODGE , No . 2268 , AT SHEFFIELD .

The above lodge was consecrated on Wednesday , the 3 rd inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Surrey-street , by Bro . Thomas William Tew , R . W . Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire , assisted by Bros . Henry Smith , P . M . 387 , ' P . G . D ., D . Prov . G . M . ; Robert Arnison , P . M . 296 , Prov . S . G . W . ; Chas . Wm . Keighley , J . P ., P . M . 275 , Prov . J . G . W . ; Rev . W . S . Turnbull , Chap . 1462 , Prov . G . Chap . ; Rev . Alexander B . Coombe , Chap . 1211 ,

Prov . G . Chap . ; Henry Oxley , P . M . 495 , Prov . G . Treas . ; Aulay Macaulay , P . M . 258 , Prov . G . Reg . ; Herbert G . E . Green , P . M . 1019 , Prov . G . Sec ; John E . Wordsworth , P . M . 904 , Prov . S . G . D . ; John Wm . Turner , P . M . 521 , Prov . J . G . D . ; Arthur A . Stott , P . M . 1102 , Prov . G . Supt . of Wks . ; Edmund Lord , P . M . 910 , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; Fredk . Whiteley , P . M . 61 , Prov . G . Swd . Br . ; Wm . Asquith , P . M . 1302 , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; Robert Riley , P . M , 173 6 , Prov . G . Std . Br . ; John William

Phillips , Org . 139 , Prov . G . Org . ; J . R . Welsman , P . M . 600 , Prov . G . Purst . ; John Dyson , P . M . 306 , Prov . G . Stwd . ; Alfred Stott , P . M . 1301 , Prov . G . Stwd . ; Wm . Fitton , P . M . 1783 , Prov . G . Stwd . ; Thos . Leig hton , Tyler 139 , Prov . G . Tyler ; Brittain , P . P . G . W . ; Hayes , P . P . G . W . ; Webster , P . P . G . Reg . ; Binney , P . P . G . Reg . ; Bennett , P . P . G . D . ; Pauson , P . P . G . D . ; Foster , P . P . G . D . ; Hawksley , P . P . G . Supt of Wks . ; Rootne , P . P . G . Supt . of Wks . ; and H . J . Garnett , P . P . G . Swd . Br .

The Prov . G . M ., the D . Prov . G . M ., and officers entered at 2 . 35 » and opened Prov . G . Lodge , the brethren saluting the Prov . G . Mand the D . P . G . M ., which they duly acknowledged . The ceremony of consecration was abl y performed by the PfOv " G . Master , who delivered the following

oration—Officers and Brethren of the Province of West Yorkshire , —I am called upon by tj promoters ot this new lodge , the Hallamshire , in Sheffield , to address you on t " circumstances which have necessitated its establishment at Surrey-street . It was only on the 21 st July , the Provincial Grand Lodge of this province received Bro . Col . Sh * " " well Clerke , the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England , in this hall , dedicated to Freemasonry , to consecrate the Lodge of St Leonards , and a ? ain the progress 0 ' 01

Masonry is shown barely three months later to consecrate the seventy-second lodge West Yorkshire in this same hall . It might seem hardly possible within so short a period , and in the same locality , that anothei lodge could be necessitated and establish * with a bright prospect of success within itself , and without injury to the existing lodges working in co-operation together . Yet a case was made out , and an app lication w * m de through the official channels to the Prov . Grand Master for his consideration ana recommendation to Grand Lodge for a Warrant . The application for this lodge , to 0 called the Hallamshire Lodge , was made in regular course . ! t was signed and approve