Provincial Grand Chapter Of Kent.

at a very low ebb of existence . Now they stood well in the roll of successful provinces , and that he attributed to the care , attention , and constant labour of their Grand Superintendent , arid the great interest he took in the welfare of the province ; while his work as Pro Grand Z . in Grand Chapter was acknowledged by every Royal Arch Mason under the English Constitutions . He called upon them to drink the toast heartily , and trusted

that for many years his lordship mig ht be spared to rule and govern them as iheir Grand Superintendent . ( Loud cheers , which were continued when his lordship rose to respond . ) The Earl of AMHERST said he thanked them for their very cordial reception of the toast that had been so kindly proposed by Comp . Eastes . It gave him extreme pleasure to find that the brethren and companions of the

Province of Kent always received it and him in a most pleasurable and hearty manner . Now , Comp . Butter had referred to his absence from their late Grand Lodge meeting some two weeks * ago ; but he must plead , in extenuation , that during the 2 > 9 years that he had held the office oi their Prov . Grand Master he had only on two occasions been absent . On the first occasion his absence was caused by a Royal command to attend upon

her Majesty the Queen , and the other was an important State function that required him to be in his place in the House of Lords . He was , however , very pleased to be with them once again , and in that hall , the corner-stone of which he had the honour of laying some few years ago . They had since then added two new ones to the number of their lodges and one chapter , which he trusted would be for the good ol Masonry in the province . He

did not think that the proportion of Royal Arch Masons to Craft Masons was what it should be at present , and should like to see a little more enthusiasm instilled into the minds of Craft Masons , so that they should be induced to join the Royal Arch , and so increase the strength of the Order . In the Province of Kent he had no fear . They were going on , and he trusted would go on , while he had the honour of being its head

in the province . The greater their strength the greater their opportunities for usefulness and good work . Every good recruit they brought in—and only good recruits were wanted—so much the better it would bt . They had done well in the past , and he trusted that in the future they would even increase their efforts for the good of Freemasonry and the honour of the province . ( Loud and prolonged cheering . )

The other toasts were " Comp . Jas . S . Eas'es , P . G . S . B ., Prov . G . H . , * the Prov . G . J ., and the Prov . G . Officers , Present and Past , * " " The Visitors ; " and " The Principals of the Entertaining Chapter , " all of which were well received and suitably responded to . The singing of Mrs . J . Bryceson , Madame K . Tester Jones , and

Messrs . W . R . Maxwell , Harry Death , and George Robins , was much enjoyed , the latter being a most humorous "hippo . " Comp . Sidney Horton played a violin solo , and directed the music , so he did his share of the work , and did it well . His son , Mr . Lionel Horton , played the " cello " splendidly ; and Madame K . T . Jones accompanied the singers with perfect

taste and execution . Among the other companions whom we can' remember as being present ( we cannot give a full list , as we should like to , because the Prov . G . Janitor bolted with the lists as soon as chapter was closed ) were Comps . H . Mason , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . ; E B . Hobson , P . Z ., P . P . G . Org . ; R . J . Cook , P . Z ., P . P . G . R . ; W . C . Taylor , P . Z ., P . P . G . S . B . ; G . F . Taylor , P . Z .

G . W . Mitchell , P . Z ., P . Z . 829 , P . P . G . D . of C . ; C . Jolly , P . Z ., P . Z . 1472 , P . Z . and S . E . 2184 , P . P . G . S . B . Essex ; I . Turton , H ., M . E . Z . elect ; Dr . E . Bryceson , J ., H . elect ; G . Letton , P . Z . 1472 , ist A . S . ; E . M . Taylor , and A . S . ; D . Capon , G . Hall , B . Hammond , J . Messent , W . H . Turton , and others .

Consecration Of The Charles Dickens Lodge, No. 2757.

CONSECRATION OF THE CHARLES DICKENS LODGE , No . 2757 .

" Chigwell , my dear fellow , is the greatest place in the world . Name your day for going . Such a delicious old inn opposite the churchyardsuch a lovely ride—such beautiful forest scenery—such an out of the way , rural p lace—such a sexton ' . I say again , name your day . " When Charles Dickens wrote these words in a letter dated 25 th March , 1841 , and

immortalised Chigwell in his famous scenes in Barnaby Rudge , he had no idea that his name would be further linked with the place more than half a century later in the form of a Masonic lodge . Such , however , is the case , for the Charles Dickens Lodge , No . 2757 , was consecrated at the King ' s Head Hotel , Chigwell , on Tuesday , the nth inst ., under the most

favourable auspices and bids fair to be a great success . An excellent body of founders selected Bro . J . T . Dormer , P . M . 1571 , for the coveted position of first W . M ., and with Bro . W . H . Bailey , P . G . Treas ., as acting I . P . M ., and Bro . T . R . Johnson , P . M . and Sec . 2005 , P . P . S . G . D . iiss ; x , as Sec , the W . M . will be well supported . The lodge starts financially strong , all the furniture and accessories having been presented by the founders .

The Consecrating Officer was the Right Hon . the Earl of Warwick , Deo G M ., Prov . G . Master of Essex , assisted by Bros . R . Woodhouse , Prov S . G . W ., as S . W . ; Col . London , Prov . J . G . W ., as J . W . ; Rev . Canon Quennell , P . P . G . Chap ., as Chap . ; Thos . J . Railing , P . A . G . D . C , Prov . G . Sec , as Sec . ; Albert Lucking , P . G . P ., Prov . G . D . C , as D . C . ; and 1 . 1 . C . Turner , P . P . S . G . W ., as I . G .

The founders are Bros . J . T . Dormer , P . M . 1571 , tec , W . M . ; W . H . Railev P . M . 624 , P . G . Treas . Eng ., & c „ I . P . M . ; Alfred Ford , S . D . -AoAS . W . ; G . J . Vanderpump , S . W . 1803 , J . W . ; Rev . J . Lewthwaife Chap . ; A . T . Dale , P . M .. P . P . G . S . Essex , Treas . ; J . R . Johnson PM and Sec . 2005 , P . P . S . G . D . Essex , Sec ; Arthur Ford , I . G .

ni S . D . ; J . H . Bridgman , W . M . 2255 , See ., J . D . ; G . H . Clark , J . W . 200 c ; DC ; Percy G . Heibage , I . G . 2005 . & c , LG . ; L ' eut . M . H . Clarke R . N . R- 30 , Charles Webster , 917 , F . Lehmkuhl , S . W . 2005 , W . M athieson , I . G . 1803 , S . Cook , S 61 , G . R . Blades , Stwd . 1 , and T . Hughes , 1421 , Stewardss

There was a large attendance of visitors , including liro . K . Clowes , P G S B .. bringing the total of those present up to 80 . ' -fhe Prov . G . Sec . opened the lodge , and the Consecrating Officers entered in procession . After a hymn , the Prov . G . Master said they had assembled on an interesting occasion , in an antiq ie house , fir the purpose of lonsecrating a new lodge , and he had been commanded by the M . W . G . M . to act as his Deputy pro tem .

Consecration Of The Charles Dickens Lodge, No. 2757.

The founders signified their approval of the officers named in the warrant , and Bro . Canon QUENNELL then delivered the followting oration ; The duty devolves upon me , in obedience to command , to speak of the nature and principles of our Institution . It is a theme familiar to us all ; we endeavour to study and practice them . -Yet there are occasions when ive recite them , as in a certain solemn service the ten words are recited—the commandments of the

sacred law which we all know by heart and acknowledge ourselves bound to know and to do them . It is dillicult , when all are familiar with the theme , to present it with any air of freshness . But to-day , meeting as we do in this house , I may say in this room which has become historic , and under a banner which bears the name and effigy of him who made it so , I may be forgiven if I wander a little from the beaten track and ask you to accompany me into those realms of

fancy , observing , as we linger there , how the principles of the Craft , those social , moral , and religious foundations on which it rests , are represented in the delineations of life and character that we have as a possession of the English tongue from the brilliant imagination and facile pen of Charles Dickens . Was he , then , a Mason ? There is no evidence that he was , and that in itself is presumptive evidence to the contrary . Some have thought that the grotesque scene in which

he describes the apprentice ' s initiation into the secret Society of the 'Prentice Knights under the command of the valorous Master Simon Tappertit was intended as a travesty of our solemn proceedings , and , therefore , implies some acquaintance with them ; but the scene appears to me rather to smack of those fanciful imaginings which the uninstructed world conjures up about our mysteries and secrets , and , moreover , I feel quite sure that though

Charles Dickens could hold up the foibles and weaknesses of life to keen ridicule and lash with the bitterest invectives its meannesses and wrongdoings , he was of far too generous a disposition wantonly to attack a noble institution , or by mis . representation to wound the feelings of any of his fellowmen . There are some ot us who can remember the delight of those charming stories coming into our hands fresh from the author with eager expectation waiting from month to month

for the new part . And while we may now think there is in his style a certain exaggeration ; a rather strong flavour to the dish which he serves us when compared with the delicacy of eome other of his contemporaries or more recent popular authors , though he may appear to us to present rather caricatures than portraits , comparable with the drawings by which Browne and Cruickshank embellish his first editions rather than with the

finished photographic picture of the modern illustration , yet—and here is the point to which I have been coming—in his writings there is always the great realities of the Masonic charter—the laudation of benevolence , the denunciation of wrong-doing , the relief of suffering merit , the unmasking of hyprocrisy and selfish greed , the ultimate happiness of deserving loving hearts . To take an illus : ration . The exuberant charity of the Brothers Cheeryble may move a

smile , as we acknowledge that , notwithstanding the statement that they were drawn from life , no men exactly like them could have ever lived ; but the principles of good feeling and beneficent action which they exemplify find an echo in every good man ' s heart , and are particularly consonant to the character of the ideal Mason , and the conduct which he is bidden to pursue . Only in passing will I refer to the convivial side of the Dickens' story—the ample provisions , the

mingled viands , the ( sometimes unmingled ) liquids , which his scenes set before us . There , too , is the exaggeration I referred to . Who can read without laughing at the contents of Dick Swiveller ' s hamper , or without a shudder the unlimited capacity of Mr . Pickwick for milk punch ? Our author does not always depict the most comfortable and enjoyable form of social intercourse , such as quiet sober Masons delight in , but the

social side is always to the fore , and when the more serious parts of Masonic work have been well and worthily performed the true Mason is always found to be a sociable man , and the virtues of good fellowship are rightly fostered by the enjoyment of a common meal and the agreeable conversation that accompanies it . We have almost a spice of our author ' s exaggeration about it when we invariably call it a banquet ! Brethren , 1 have tried , I hope I have not exhausted your

patience by this excursion into the regions of fiction , yielding to the genius loci . Can we wish better for the Charles Dickens Lodge than that it may long prosper and illustrate the great Masonic virtues of " Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth , " with all the richness of expression , with all the steadiness of purpose , with all the zeal for the triumph of good over evil , and with all the graces of fancy , wit , and bonhommc which characterise the genius of him whose honoured name it bears .

The lodge was then solemnly dedicated and constituted with the usual formalities , every part of the ceremony being well and ably carried out by the Consecrating Officers . Owing to the unavoidable absence of Bro . Col . Lockwood , M . P ., Dep .

Prov . G . M ., Bro . A . Lucking , Prov . G . D . C , at the request of the Prov . G . M ., assumed the chair , and installed Bro . J . T , Dormer , P . M . 1571 , The officers , with the exception of Bros . Dale and Blades , who were unable to be present , were invested with the collars of the various offices mentioned in the foregoing list of founders .

On the proposition of the W . M ., seconded by the SECRETARY , a cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Consecrating Officers , and they were unanimously elected honorary members . An appropriate souvenir of the occasion in the form of a silver snuff box was to have been presented to each of the Consecrating Officers , but as these had not arrived , the fortunate recipients will receive them later on .

The PROV . G . M . returned thanks , and said he did not propose to detain them with a long speech . He rejoiced most heartily at the manner in which Freemasonry was progressing in Essex , and thought they had added considerably to their strength by this lodge . When he was first installed as Prov . G . M . there were only 18 lodges , and now Essex numbered 44 , this

being the fifth Iodge consecrated this year . He wished the new W . M . every luck and was sure he would be supported by the members . He felt sure they would have before them the true princi ples of Masonic charity and that this lodge would not be behind the other lodges in the province in that respect .

The W . M . was elected as a representative of the Essex Charity Committee , and a committee was appointed to frame the by-laws . Letters of regret were announced from Bros . Lord Stradbroke , Archdeacon Stevens , the Grand Secretary , Sir John Monckton , James Terry , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . B . I . ; and many others .

The W . M . had the pleasure of proposing his son as the first initiate and other propositions followed . The SECRETARY gave notice of motion to vote 10 guineas to bc placed on the W . M's . list as Steward forthe Royal Masonic Bsnevolent Institution . All business having been transacted , lodge was closed , and the brethren had an opportunity of enjoying the garden and grounds , which are beautifully laid out .

The banquet was held in a new hall which had just been completed and which is replete with every comfort , and was a great success . Bro . Lewis , the worthy host , spared no trouble to attain success , and was heartily congratulated by the brethren on the result of his efbrts . The usual toasts followed , and in proposing " Thi Grand OHksrs . " the