Consecration Of The East Lancashire Centurion Lodge, No. 2322.

' had been done he read the petition of the founders and also the warrant which had ' : been granted by the M . W . G . M ., authorising the formation of the East Lancashire Centurion Lodge in answer to the prayer of the petition , and designating Bro . * Col . Le Gendre N . Starkie , P . G . M ., as W . M . ; Bro . Col . H . L . Rocca , P . M . 815 , P . P . J . G . D ., as S . W . ; and Bro . Col . John Eaton , P . M . 430 , P . P . G . Supt . of Wks ., as J . ' W . The CONSECRATING OFFICER enquired of the brethren ranged before him whether they approved of the officers named in the warrant ?

The brethren having signified their approval in Masonic form , the Chaplain , Bro . E . BIGOE BAGOT , delivered the following oration : A hunting party in the shires had passed a brook ancl were mounting- an incline when a cry vvas raised that one of the party had fallen into the stream . The master , hearing a noise , and perceiving that a disaster had happened to some one , stopped , and said " Who ' s that ? We rau-t help him out . " "Oh , no , " vvas the cool response of several pressing eagerly on , "It ' s onlv the parson , and we shan't want him till next Sunday . " It vvas

quite evident that Freemasonry could not wait till Sunday for the Chaplain . The ceremony in which they were engaged demanded his presence and co-operation in a very marked degree , and the most cursory glance at the programme of the consecration revealed the largeshare vvhich the Prov . Grand Chaplain vvas called upon to perform . Masonry was distinctly a religious Institution , and all the ceremonies were conducted on religious lines , and had a distinct and emphatic religious colouring . He did not intend to . waste any time in regrets at the duty that had befallen him which might not be sincere , as

he heartily rejoiced in the privilege of taking part in such a ceremony •nor would he enlarge on so trite a topic as the difficulties of his task , for if there was any reality in Freemasonry there should be no difficulty in setting forth the " nature and principles of the Institution . " He would select three aspects of Masonry—three of its salientcharacteristics—and briefly point out their power and influence in the busy , active , varied , and diverting paths of life . These points were , the high ideals running through its ceremonies and principles , the power of kinship and union it promoted , and the

upward progress inculcated in all her scope and operations . " A man s power in England , " said an eminent judge , " will depend upon his knowledge , his eloquence , and his moral worth . " The last is the crown and completion of the whole . Eloquence may degenerate into vapid declamation or skilful rhetoric if there be no moral force or earnestness as it mainspring . It is the character which gives the power to man . This has been recognised in one of the noblest anecdotes of modern days . When a distinguished patriot in another land vvas obliged to turn his back on home and country , a

penniless exile , some one asked , " What is now left you—when riches , influence , and ' favour are gone—what is now left ? " " Myself , " was the reply . It was a true and noble answer . VVhen the true self is left and preserves untainted its priceless treasure , the character , then all remains that need remain , for then man ' s moral power is left hi p and character , which is his true glory . Genius is a gift , but character is self-discipline ; genius belongs to a man , character is the man himself ; genius is the colour of the robe of life , character is its texture . The fading of the colour will not rob the robe of its use , but when the texture is frayed or worn the most imperial purple becomes a rag , and not a

. robe . Character is the glory of man , and Masonry devotes itself to this aim . Every member of the Craft vvas taught to be upright , honest , temperate , and just ; to be a loyal member of the State ; to uphold the fabric of social order and decorum ; to be just , brave , and prudent ; to love the brethren ; to fear God ; to honour the king . It was only . the persistent negligence of the precepts of Masonry and the constant ignoring of its charges and exhortations that led to imperfect moral character or weak , defective , jellyfish depravity . The culture of the character is a noble aim , and most needful to check the wild actions of impulse or the whim or fancy of passionate and foolish desire .

"The purest treasure mortal times afford Is spotless reputation -. That away , Men are but gilded loam or painted clay . " In the next place , mankind craves for kinship , for some cementing bond among the jars and contentions of life , and the spirit of Charity which Masonry supplies affords the much felt need . " We have all one human heart , " although we differ outwardly in circumstances , habits , modes of thought , and manner of life : we are one in the common

aspirations and yearnings , sorrows and anxieties of humanity . The true Charity taught by the Craft brushes aside all the surface distinctions which separate us one from another , and goes down to the depths of the central identities to which we are all alike . If " one touch of nature makes the whole world kin , " far more truly may it be said that one touch of Charity makes the diverse classes and sectional characteristics of mankind one . What constant experience we have of her power to remove the sting from suffering . How little are the sacrifices which Charity inspires felt as sacrifices ' How lightly have poverty

and the other ills of life been found to press when borne in company with brave and loving hearts , and when joy comes , how are its pleasures ten thousand fold enhanced when ¦ it brings with it more merely solitary happiness ; but , like a light placed in the centre of mirrors , is multiplied by being reflected from the hearts of other sharers in our joys ! When the * Compagna Della Misericordia passes along the streets of Florence on its errands of tenderness and pity , the Florentines raise the hat , and the military present

arms . It is a tribute to the immortality and sweetness of Charity , the strongest link in drawing men together , and the strongest magnet in attracting their noblest powers and developing kinship , unity , and co-operation . Amidst all the faults and failings of Freemasonry , the defective practice of her members , the abuse of her liberties , and the overstraining of her privileges , this one central idea has ever survived , like a lighthouse in a stormysea , throwing its fair beams upon the troubled waters , and irradiating the darkness of their toil and

tumult" Each other gift , which God on man bestows It ' s proper bounds and due restriction knows ; To one fixed purpose dedicates its power , And , finishing its act , exists no more . Thus in obedience to what heaven decrees , Knowledge shall fail , and prophecy decrease ; But lasting Charity ' s more ample sway ,

Ne er bound by time , nor subject to decay , In happy triumph shall for ever live , And endless good diffuse , and endless praise receive . " In the third place , there is found in the ceremonies of Freemasonry the idea of progress and advancement ; a distinct recognition of moral perfection as our conscious aim—we are daily to increase in Masonic knowledge , in intellectual and moral growth—our highest condition is not the attainment of perfection , but the recognition of heights above us

which are yet unreached . Such recognition is the condition of all progress . The artist that is satisfied with his transcript of his ideal will not grow any more . There is a story told of a modern sculptor , who was found standing in front of his masterpiece , sunk in sad reverie , and when they asked him why he was so sad , he answered , " Because I am satisfied with it . I feel that the limit of my growth is reached . " So it is ever . Unless we saw an ideal far above us the actual vvould never approximate towards it . If man could rest , he could not grow or advance in knowledge or powerand so from generation .

, to generation , for the individual and the species the condition of our progress is a distance beyond us and a feeling of imperfect attainment and insufficient accomplishment . AU the ceremonies of Masonry point to a higher reach , and an advancing perfection—the love of the beautiful , the thirst for the true , the study of the liberal arts , the training of the intellectual faculties , all meet and coincide vvith the yearning after progress which exists in every true and earnest heart ; the upward spirit which moves in all the ritual ceremonies and principles of the Craft quickens and inspires this presence .

In hand it bears , ' mid snow and ice , The banner with the strange device , Excelsior !' The occasion of the consecration of this Centu ion Lodge was one of unusual interest in the history of Masonry . It commemorates the union between the peaceful tenets of the Craft and the sterner aspect of military service—between the bond of brotherly union and the antagonisms of warfare and contentions . How can we reconcile the two ? "Can two walk together unless they be agreed ? " The idea of warfare , we are told , is irreconcilable with modern progress . We look forward to the period when

The war-drum shall throb no longer , And the battle-flag be furled , In the parliament of man , The federation of the world . " But there seems small probability of this beatific vision being realised or that Othello ' s occupation shall ever be gone . While passion [ and ambition govern the hearts of men , our over-ruling God , who out of evil can find means of . good , employ the man of battles

Consecration Of The East Lancashire Centurion Lodge, No. 2322.

in the defence of His beloved and as a scourge against the unrighteous . He has ordained and appointed and sanctioned the divisions of mankind by national boundaries , and has given to every one of the nations whom He has appointed its own place in progress , civilisation , and advancement . The God of Battles sanctions lawful wars—wars undertaken not for plunder or selfish aggression , but for the protection of national rights and the spread of civilisation , humanity , equity , and truth . The Volunteer Service

represents the principle of the sanctity of home , and our right to guard and defend it . The mediatorial function which pervades the entire field of providence , by which men suffer for each other , consecrates the idea of warfare , makes the military profession a lawful , moral , and salutary calling , and sets every branch of the British Army , Navy , and Reserve to witness to our faith in the God of Nations , to the position and destiny He has assigned to us in His divine economy , and to our distinct and emphatic duty to maintain

and defend ( even at the cost of cruel war , if necessary ) those great principles of progress , humanity , and lofty idealism set forth in the principles of the Craft , vvhich England seems so signally called up < in by the finger of God never to abandon or let slip . Masonry pleads vvith the passing instincts of nations and communities . " Sirs , ye are brethren ; why do ye wrong one with another ? " She seeks to maintain unity among them ; but a honourable war is better than dishonourable peace , and principle requires at times that

military force be enrolled to quell the aggressions of ambitions , and to maintain the life of our country and the sanctity of our hearths and homes . The spirit of Masonry should lessen the horrors of warfare , mitigate its atrocities , and console its sufferers . We in the province of East Lancashire gladl y hail and welcome the inauguration of the Centurion Lodge . We commence our career vvith every augury of hope . The Field Marshal of the combined armies of Masonry in

this province condescends to command us . Under his firm but genial and kindly sway vve would show forth the true Masonic spirit , and we will ! Nil desperandum , Teucro duce , et auspice Teucro . The spirit which animates our breasts this day is one of generous emulation that each may be the first in the endeavour to stir up and keep ever ringing in clear melodious strains those chords which have in every age won for Freemasonry a place in the hearts and affections of the good and wise . Some travellers once

vainly tried to awaken a wonderful echo . Then a rough bugler by the roadside played a simple scale down the instrument . At once the echo answered , peal on peal , chime on chime , the music sounded on the hills , and melted away into the enchanted distance . Let us play the simple old scale . All the magic is in the echo—that makes the old sounds new . The well tried principles of brotherly t love , relief , and truth will ever waken the best and noblest echoes of the past and rouse us in the present to the active exercise of a well spent and upright life .

" What is our duty here ? to tend From good to better , thence to best '; Grateful to drink life ' s cup , then bend Unmurmuring to our bed of rest , Gathering the flowers that round us grow . Scattering their fragrance as vve go .

And so to live , that when the sun Of our existence sinks into night , Memorials sweet of mercies done May shrine our lives in memory ' s light , And the blest seeds we scattered bloom A thousand fold in days to come .

The anthem was rendered" Behold how good and joyful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity , " Then followed the first portion of the dedication prayer , after which the CON - SECRATING OFFICER delivered the invocation . The PROV . GRAND CHAPLAIN ( Bro . A . T . Wigg ) read the portion of Scripture appointed for the occasion .

The lodge board was uncovered , and the Presiding Officer and his Wardens , bearing the elements of consecration , marched in procession to solemn strains of music round the lodge three times , halting in the East after each circuit . The Presiding Officer commenced the dedication of the lod ge , and the brethren sang an

anthem—The Chaplain proceeded three times round the lodge with the censor , after vvhich the second part of the dedication prayer was offered up , and the Presiding Officer then proceeded to constitute the lodge , after which the musical brethren sang the anthem . ( Dedication Prayer of King Solomon . ) The impressive ceremony vvas brought to a close with patriarchal Benediction , and

The PRESIDING OFFICER said : The consecration of the lodge being complete , it is now my duty to install the distinguished brother whose name is given to me as the first VVorshipful Master . Bro . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie vvas then installed into the chair of K . S . in the presence of 181 Installed Masters , the ceremony , of course , being performed by Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , the Consecrating Officer .

In handing to the Worshipful Master the warrant of the lodge , the INSTALLING MASTER said : You have the honour of receiving this warrant direct from the Royal hands of our Most Worshipful Grand Master , and , in placing it in your charge , I do so vvith the fullest conviction and belief that , pure and unsullied as you have now received it , so you vvill hand it to your successor at the close of your year of office .

Bro . Col . STARKIE proceeded to invest his officers , of whom the following is a list : Bros . Col . H . Rocca , S . W . ; Col . J . Eaton , J . W . ; Col . Clark , S . D . ; Capt . Andrew , J . D . ; Col . Aspland , Sec . ; Major Allison , Treas . ; Rev . E . Bigoe Bagot , Chap . ; Capt . McDowell Smith , D . C . ; Capt . Booth , Org . ; Major Hopkins , I . G . ; Capt . Henry Thomas and Capt . Gilbody , Stwds . ; and Sergeant-Major Hardy , Tyler .

After the delivery of the customary addresses by the Installing Officer to the newly-installed Master , Wardens , and brethren , The SENIOR WARDEN proposed that the two Wardens , the Secretary , and the two Deacons form a Committee to frame the by-laws of the lodge . Col . ASPLAND , Sec , seconded the motion , vvhich was passed .

Bro . Capt . R . MCDOWEL SMITH proposed a vote of thanks to Bro . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke for his presence and his services as Installing Master . Bro . Col . ASPLAND seconded . The WORSHIPFUL MASTER : It is proposed and seconded that the thanks of the brethren here assembled be given to Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Grand Sec . of England , for coming here to perform the ceremony of consecration and installing myself as Master of the Centurion Lodge . The resolution was carried unanimously .

Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , in reply , said : I thank you exceedingly for the kind vote you have passed , and I can assure you that it has been an extreme pleasure to me to have been able to come here to-day to perform this ceremony . There were several gentlemen proposed as candidates for initiation , and several brethren as joining members . The lodge was then closed . The musical arrangements were conducted by Bro . Walter O . Pettitt , P . M ., Prov . G . Org ., to whom great praise is due for the admirable and masterl y manner with which he presided at the organ and took the cues from the Director of Ceremonies .

The usual loyal and Masonic toasts were proposed , and were heartily received , and in every case briefly but cleverly responded to . We cannot , without injustice , neglect to draw attention to the sp lendid arrangements carried out at the head-quarters of the 5 th V . B . Manchester Reg iment for the convenience of the visitors . By the kind permission of Bro . Col . H . L . Rocca , the

spacious buildings had been beautifully and tastefully decorated , and the ornamen of the lodge so adjusted that each individual member could distinctly see and hea the whole of the ceremony . The large assembly of brethren and the ^ " ' uniform of the military officers , mingled with the evening dress and the han " f or ? regalia of the Grand and Provincial clothing , formed , vve venture to say , one ot finest and most unique si ghts ever seen in a Masonic lodge on such an occasio