Consecration Of Tee Army And Navy Lodge, No. 2738.

"The Queen and the Craft" and "The M . W . G . M . " receiving true Masonic attention . Then followed that of "The Grand Oflicers , Present and Past , " for which Bro . Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG , P . G . C , responded , recalling with pride the fact of his ancestors being distinguished military men .

The W . M . next proposed " The Consecrating Officers , " the GRAND SECRETARY replying . He thanked the brethren for the manner in which the G . Officers had been received , and congratu ' ated the Iodge upon its prospects and its first W . M . Bro . Mclnerny was a very worthy Mason , and had been a member of lodges in all parts of the world , receiving honours in

the Dist . G . Lodge of Gibraltar . He ( the G . Secretary ) had had the pleasure of previously meeting him upon a similar occasion at the consecration of the Warrant Officers Lodge , and before sitting down would take the opportunity of asking them to drink " The Health of theW . M ., " a toast that was most cordially honoured .

Bro . M . A . MCINERNY , W . M ., said that whilst thanking the Grand Secretary for his kindly remarks , he felt that he scarcely deserved all the nice things that Bro . Letchworth had said about him . The very natural pride he experienced at being their first W . M . was greatly increased when he viewed the splendid band of officers he had , who he knew would aid him in his endeavours to make the Army and Navy Lodge renowned in Masonic circles .

Consecration Of Tee Army And Navy Lodge, No. 2738.

The W . M . then gave " The Visitors , " to which brief and congratulatory responses were made by Bros . J . GRAPES , W . M . 1331 , I . P . M . 2736 ( who had acted as I . P . M . during lodge ); J . D . LIDBURY , W . M . 2346 ; C . H . FERRYMAN , W . M . 239 S ; Surgeon-Captain R . J . MAITLAND-COFFIN , W . M . 25 S 1 ; F . WILLIAMS , W . M . 2484 ; G . H . LISTER , P . M . 2444 , P . P . G . S . B . Surrey ; Dr . W . A . GREENE , P . M . 2346 ; J . BLACK , P . M . 706 ; B . GRIST , W . M . 2697 ; and H . SADLER , G . Tyler .

For " The Officers , " proposed by the W . M ., Bros . E . G . FARLEY , S . W and C S . BURDON , Treas ., suitably replied .

The Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings . Besides the brethren wha responded for " The Visitors , " tbere were present amongst others Bros . A . Best and J . M . Cunningham , 1604 ; Al W . Letts , 2509 ; Ii . Hartley and W . Peck , 127 S ; Jno . Fitch , 2599 ; A . Grist , 2523 ; E . C Hartford , 2444 ; Jno . Drew , 1676 , - E . C . Collins , 903 ; and H . Johnson .

Some well-drawn sketches of the consecration ceremony , by Bro . H . Johnson , appeared in the Daily Graphic of the 16 th instant , with a brief account of the proceedings . The requisites for the above lodge were supplied by Bros . George Kenning and Son , London .

An Initiation In King Solomon's Quarries.

AN INITIATION IN KING SOLOMON'S QUARRIES .

Thes . y . Argonaut sailed for cruise No . 30 from Marseilles on January nth , when it was soon found that many Masons had taken advantage of the arrangements notified to the different Masonic lodges by Bro . Dr . H . S . Lunn . An early opportunity was sought for an informal gathering of the brethren , which took place in the saloon , when W . Bro . Berridge , P . G . D . England , was voted to the chair , and W . Bro . T . Woods , P . M . 448 , Halifax , and the first W . M . of Doric Lodge , Harrogate , undertook the duties of Secretary .

V . W . Bro . Canon BULLOCK , P . G . Chap . England , stated that he had been in communication with the lodges at Jerusalem and Cairo , requesting , if possible , for a lodge meeting to be called , to enable the brethren to visit the same , and see their working . As a result of this timely forethought , on arriving at Jerusalem , we ascertained that a Iodge meeting had been called , and a ballot taken for Mr . Connop F . S . Ptrowne , who was unanimously elected , and a special lodge of emergency

had been called in King Solomon ' s Quarries to initiate him on January 25 th , at three o ' clock in the afternoon , to which all the brethren on the cruise were very cordially invited .

Special arrangements were made in order to secure the necessary secrecy , and full possession of the Quarries forthe brethren . The S . W ., who is Chancellor to the British Consul , had specially arranged for two gendarmes to be in attendance to keep guard outside the entrance to the Quarries .

Special arrangeirents were made at the hotel to obtain the signature of every brother intending to be present , with the name and number of his lodge ; and on arrival at the Quarries , each visiting brother was specially proved by the Senior Warden of the Royal Mother Lodge , and Bro . P . M . Craig , of the Grand Lodge of Scotland .

This having been done , lighted tapers were handed to the brethren , who were then conducted about a quarter of a mile to a spacious and convenient spot , where ample room was found for conducting the ceremony . The lodge was opened in the First Degree by the W . M ., Bro . Palmer , the other officers present being Bros . C . M . Tadross , S . W . ; Chas . Hoemschein , J . W . ; Dand Jamal , S . D . ; A .

Abrahamson , J . D . ; D . Domian , I . G . ; Dr . K . Saadeh , Sec ; loshua Lyons , P . M . ; and Allen , Tyler . After the candidate had been properly prepared , he was duly admitted for initiation , and thc sight on his entrance into the particular part of the Quarry where the lodge was being held—all the brethien standing round with lighted

An Initiation In King Solomon's Quarries.

tapers in their hands , and the remembrance ofthe associations connected with the place—created an impression not likely to pass away from the memory of those present . The ceremony of initiation was then impressively performed by the W . M ., and each of the ofiicers being able to speak our mother tongue , in which the ceremony was conducted , it was pleasing to find that the working was practically the Emulation working of England .

After the lodge had been closed , the brethren departed with a deep sense of gratitude that it had been possible , ir . their Masonic career , to attend a lodge meeting in so historic a place . In the evening , the brethren and offi : ers of the lodge dined together at Howard ' s Hotel , when V . W . Bro . Canon Bullock took the chair .

After dinner , the toast of ' The Queen was enthusiastically honoured , W . Bro . WOODS , P . M ., Worshipful Master of Doric Lodge , West Yorkshire , proposed " The Prince of Wales and the Grand Officers of England , " to which Bro . BERRIDGI : responded .

V . W . Bro . BULLOCK proposed "The Grand Lodgeof Canada and the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge , Jerusalem , " coupled with the name of the Worshipful Master . In doing so he said he had visited Canada , and was in a position to state that the working of the Grand Lodge there was excellent . The W . JL , in replying , returned thanks , and said that it cheered them to see

brethren from across the seas ; it encouraged them to go on and keep alight ths sacred flame of Masonry , and they would continue faithfully to do so . The S . W . also added his sincere thanks .

W . Bro . CHAS . CURTIS , P . P . G . S . B . Gloucestershire , proposed " The Grand Lodge of Scotland , " and in doing so said that in Masonry th-jre was no jealousy or rivalry , our only desire being to advance its great interests . He believed that in the autumn of life Masonry was one of the greatest helps , and he had only ventured upon the present cruise because he knew that he should meet many brethren with whom he could associate .

Bro . CRAK * , of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , replied , and stated that during his 30 years of . Masonry he had seen many Grand Alasters of Scotland , but none better than the present one . V . W . Bro . Canon BULLOCK then proposed "The Health of the newlyinitiated candidate , Bro . Perowne . " Hc said he had been 40 years a Mason , but had never during all that time been present at so unique a meeting , He had found Bro . Perowne to be " one of thu best" outside Masonry , and he had no doubt that he would prove himself a worthy brother .

In replying , Bro . PEROWNE stated that this day would stand out in his life more than any other . He appreciated the honour done him in initiating him in King Solomon ' s Quarries , and offered his heartiest thanks to all the visitors for supporting him . After " The Health of the Chairmiri " hid been honoure-I , the brethren dispersed , b ^ ing unanimously of opinion thit the day had been a mo it interesting and successful one .