Opening Of A Masonic Hall At Braintree, Essex.

OPENING OF A MASONIC HALL AT BRAINTREE , ESSEX .

There was a large gathering of brethren at Braintree , Essex , on Monday , the 15 th instant , on the occasion of the opening of a suite of rooms which , from plans of Mr . F . Whitmore , architect , Chelmsford , have been adapted for Masonic purposes , and will in future be known as the Masonic Hall . By invitation of the W . M . and members of the Lodge of St . Mary , No . 1312 , the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Lord Warwick , had kindly undertaken to perform

the opening ceremony , and , as far as accommodation would allow , the leading brethren of the province were invited to meet him , but a telegram was received from Lady Warwick to the effect that' the Earl was suffering from ulcerated throat , accompanied by feverish symptoms , and that his doctor had ordered him to bed , and positively refused to permit his travelling . This was a great disappointment to all concerned , as special preparations had been made to give the Earl a very hearty reception .

In the absence of Lord Warwick , the ceremony was undet taken by the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . Railing , the other brethren present including Bros , the Revs . H . L . Norden and C . C . Naters , Prov . G . Chaplains ; W . Gower , Prov . G . Treas . ; R . Galpin and J . M . Knight , Prov . G . Deacons ; A . Lucking , P . G . P . ' Prov . G . D . C ; Wm . Chapman , Prov . G . S . B . ; W . H . Ham and W . Rudrum , Prov . G . Std . Brs . ; John J . C . Turner , P . P . S . G . W . ; F . H . Bright , P . P . S . G . W . ;

W . E . Dring , P . P . G . D . ; R . Woodhouse , W . M . 2651 ; A . J . Marden , I . P . M . 1817 ; G . W . Pascall , P . M . 276 ; E . J . Drake , P . M . 433 ; with the W . M . ' of the Lodge of St . Mary , 1 3 , Bro . F . H . Crittall , Prov . G . D ., and the following , amongst other members of the lodge : Bros . T . Malyn , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; J . Fuller , P . M ., P . P . G . P . ; W . Johnstone , P . M . ; A . Piggin , P . M . ; T . E . Pilgrim , Sec ; W . J . Johnstone , S . D . ; W . B . Lake , J . D . ; J . Newman , Org . ; T . H . Bennett and H . W . West , Stewards ; N . Orfeur , G . T . Bertram , and others .

The lodge having been duly opened , the Masonic hymn " Hail , Eternal ! " was sung , and prayer offered by Bro . the Rev . C . C . NATERS , Prov . G . Chap . The W . M ., Bro . F . H . CRITTALL , then addressed the brethren . Having first expressed his great regret and the regret of allot them at the absence of their much-loved Prov . Grand Master and wishing his lordship a speedy recovery , he proceeded to give a brief history of Freemasonry in Braintree and Bocking . The first record they could trace of a Masonic lodge at Braintree was in 1737 , when a

lodge numbered 156 was formed at the Horn Inn . It , however , only lived for 17 years , and was erased in 1754 . Masonry appears to have been dormant for 23 years , when , in 1777 , the Social Lodge , No . 505 , was founded at the Horn . At that time it was noticeable how frequently the numbers of lodges were changed , the Social Lodge being altered in 1780 to 410 , in 1781 to 411 , and 1797 , to 332 , Meanwhile ( in 1784 ) the lodge had removed its place of meeting to the White Hart , Bocking ; it ceased to make returns in 1791 , and finally lapsed about 179 8 ,

Before that time , however , it would appear that a second lodge had arisen , for they found that on November 3 rd , 1786 , the Lodge of Good Will , No . 491 , was warranted to meet in private rooms in Braintree . Residents in Braintree would know that on the premises of Bro . Bartram was a room which had been known always as the Masonic Hall , and they had been not a little puzzled to know how that designation had arisen . It appeared to him now clear that it was there that that Lodge of Good Will held its meetings . The number of that lodge was

altired twice , viz ., 401 and 485 . In 1785 the lodge removed to the Bull , but , as most of them could well understand , its stay there was a brief one , and after four years it again returned to the private rooms . The warrant of this lodge was returned in 1823 , and nothing more was done till 184 8 , when the North Essex Lodge , No . 817 , was warranted , and was consecrated early in the following year . This lodge also had but a brief tenure and was erased in 1861 . The present Lodge , St . Mary , No . 1312 , was consecrated at the White Hart . Bocking , October

13 th , 1870 . He knew that Bro . Railing was one of those present on the occasion . The lodge had been carried on with varying fortunes , and was now perhaps as prosperous as at any time since it was started . For some time a desire had been lelt that provision should be made for their meeting in private rooms , and when the property in which they were now assembled came into the market a private company was formed and the freehold purchased . Under the competent advice of Bro . Whitmore the best had been made of everything , and they felt that they had

got a very useful building . In addition to the lodge room in which they were now assembled and adjoining dining-: oom , they had ample kitchen accommodation and a caretaker's house , whilst there was a nice Committee room , ante-rooms , and the necessary offices . One feature he considered to be a satisfactory one , viz ., that the shares in the new hall were all held by Freemasons , all of whom , with the exception of one , were members of the lodge , The W . M . then called on Bro . Railing to open the hall in the name of the Earl of Warwick .

THE PROV . GRAND SECRETARY said he deeply regretted the chain of adverse circumstances which had placed him in his present position . The telegram he had received from Lady Warwick was to the effect that the Prov . G . M . was suffering from ulcerated throat , with fever , that his doctor had ordered his lordship to bed , and positively refused to allow him to travel . The Deputy Prov . Grand Master , had he been present , would have ably filled the gap , but his honour had written regretting much that his official duties prevented his being present . The

next officer in rank was the Senior Prov . Grand Warden , but he had been called away by domestic affairs , and the Prov . Junior Grand Warden—saddest of allwas dead . All be could say was that whilst he could not possibly make up to them for the exalted brethren he had named , he would do his best under the circumstances . And first , he should like to congratulate the brethren of the Lodge of St . Mary upon the possession of a home of their own . He had not a word to say against the hotels which had for many years afforded accommodation

to Alasonic lodges , but the advantages of a hall like this were obvious . The old lodges scattered throughout the country possessed many valuable and interesting documents , & c , which could not be allowed to lie about in a public builjing , whereas in a Masonic hall provision could be made so that the brethren might have access to these documents , & c . Another advantage which he thought wouli follow the step they had taken was that they would gain the support of many good

men who held aloof because of their objection to attending meetings at hotel * . They could also meet more frequently together for instruction , and for other matters connected with Freemasonry . The Prov . Grand Secretary then read one or two extracts from the life of Thomas Dunckerley , at onetime Prov . Grand Master of Essex , in reference to Masonic meetings at Braintree in the year 1787 , and concluded by declaring the hall opened for Masonic purposes .

The anthem " Behold , how good and joyful " was then sung , " prayer being offered by Bro . the Rev . H . L . NOKDKN , Prov . G . Chap . The Masonic hymn " Glory to God on high " concluded the opening ceremony . The PROV . G . SECRETARY then announced that the Prov . Grand Master had made the following appointments : Bro . C . J . Dale , W . M . 2005 , to be Prov J . G . W . in the place of Bro . Alfred Wallis , deceased .

Past rank in commemoration of the 60 th anniversary of the Accession of bur Majesty : Bros . E . W . Dring , P , M . 2318 , P . P . S . G . W . ; G . W . Pascall , P . M . 27 6 , P . P . A . G . D . C . j A . J . Marden , I . P . M . 1817 , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; C . Jolly , P . M 2184 , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; and E . J . Drake , I . P . M . 433 , P . P . G . S . B . In the course of the afternoon the following telegram was received from Bro Lord Warwick : " Much the same—still in bed with bad throat . Please express great regret at absence , and hope brethren will have pleasant meeting . "

Our Portrait Gallery.

Our portrait Gallery .

BXO . SYDNEY T . KLEIN , F . L . S ., F . R . A . S ., W . M . 2076 . The accornpnnyirfr portrait is that of Bro . Sydney T . Klein , F . L . S ., F . R . A . S . who was installed W . M . of Ihe Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 2076 , on Monday , the Sth inst ., and as the career of the head of this great lodge will be of interest to many of our readers we now give the speech made by Bro . R . F . Gould , P . G . D ., when proposing the W . AI's . toast at the banquet after the installation meeting .

"Brethren , You will be alreidy aware from the formalities which have just been exchanged between the Wardens and myself , thit the toast of the evening is about to be proposed , and I shall now ask our newly-installed Master to submit with what patience he can command , to a short account of his previous career , as a citizen of the world , as a votary of science , and as a Freemason , which it will be my pleasing task to unfold to you . Our brother was born in 1853 , and though

at a comparatively early nge admitted a partner in the extensive business carried on by his late father ( and at the present time by his brother and himself ) , in London , Cork , and Dundee , has been a great , traveller in all quarters of the globe . In 1876-7 , he was in Spain , where he saw a little of the Carlist War , and a great deal of the mode of life and habits of the Gitanos , or Moorish Gipsies / many particulars of which were given to us last year , in his paper on the Law of

Dakheil . In 1 S 77 ai , d 1 S 7 S , he was in Turkey , where he witnessed the last episode of the war with Russia—the fall of Plevna . He then went to Asia , Minor , and studied the customs of the Dervishes , or magic-men , who control the principal caravans coming down from the interior . After this he went to Southern Russia and Roumania , and has been more than

once to Italy , Switzerland , Germany , and Hungary . In 1881 , and again 10 years later , he paid long visits to the United States of America and Canada , and in both these countries , from the reputation he had acquired as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society of this country , was heartily welcomed at the principal observatories . On the last occasion he was in America , viz ., in 1891 , he

travelled right across to the Pacific slope , visiting on his way several of the Indian Reservations , and studying the customs of the Aborigines of North America . After this , he gladly accepted an invitation to Mount Hamilton , where , by the courtesy of Professor Holden , he enjoyed the privilege of using the great Lick telescope for more than one night . Before leaving Mount Hamilton , our brother was elected an honorary member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific . He has always been greatly interested in the Physical Sciences , and is a

Fellow of the Linrean , the Astronomical , and a large number of other Societies . It was at his private house the Natural History and Science Society for the County of Middlesex was formed , the Committee of which comprised such eminent men as the late Sir Richard Owen and Professor Huxley , Sir John Lubbock , and others . The two Honorary Secretraies were Bros . S . T . Klein and W . Mattieu Williams , and among the names of members of the Council is to be found that of Bro . William Simpson , one of the most honoured Past

Alisters of this lodge . As might naturally be expected , Bro . Klein , who was initiated in the Watford Lodge , No . 404 , in 1888 , soon heard of the Quatuor Coronati from Bros . Williams and Simpson , and in the following year he was admitted a member of the Inner Circle , together with our late lamented Bro . Sir Benjamin Richardson . In 1893 he was appointed Steward , and has since filled all the other progressive offices in the lodge , except that of Senior Warden , which he has not done , simply because the pressure of public duties prevented our Bro .

Purdon Clarke from moving up as we had hoped and expected ; though as the S . W . promised to accept the Master ' s gavel should it be proff jred him in l 8 p 8 , we wire all highly gratified that the Junior Warden consented to und rtake the responsibilities of the chair a year sooner than they would have devolved upon him in his regular turn . But 1 must here stop to explain that , even before his appointment to office in 1893 , ourpresent W . M . had established a strong claim on our regard . In the summer oi 1890 we had our usual excursion , and beginning with Edgware and Canon ' s Park , concluded the day by enjoying the agreeable

hospitality of Bro . and Mrs . Klein at Staninore , where indeed a number of us remiined the night , and so anxious WAS Bro . Klein to keep the brethren of the lodge as his guests for a day or two , that the whole sleeping accommodation of the hotel at Staninore was especially bespoken , in order lo supplement the resources of his own establishment . Our brother has read a great many papers before the learned Societies , and two of particular iutere it - " The Law of Dakheil and other curious customs of the Bedowins , " and " The Great Symbol , " before this lodge , We have also had a very recent specimen of his literary dexterity .