Consecration Of The Fitz Roy Chapter, No. 569.

found . But not only in regard to the great body and mind of man , but also in regard to the great body of men , and communities , and nations , this liberty was priced ; and , again , we have to thank God for the constitutional liberty which we possessed . It would be useless for him to attempt to depict the happy results of constitutional liberty in this land . It had been already done in far better words than he could possibly frame .

It had been said by an ancient forensic orator : " I speak in the spirit of British law , which makes liberty commensurate with , and inseparable from British souls , and which proclaim even to the stranger and sojourner that the moment his foot touches British earth the land on which he treads has been wholly and ever consecrated by the genius of universal emancipation . No matter in what language his devotions may have

been pronounced , no matter what complexion he may be , the moment his foot treads upon a stone his bod y is free , his chains burst off him , and he stands redeemed , regenerated , and unenthralled by the universal emancipation . " And when we come to that Divine will which first gave to all of us free will , it evidently was with the high purpose of using that free will for the benefit of our fellow-men , but subject to the greatest

sovereign will which must still -rule over men and nations . But as law without liberty would be intolerable despotism , so liberty without law would be confusion and anarchy . And hence we came to that clear and undoubted right inherent in mankind from the family of patriarchal times through the various other developments and communities of men who found the necessity of law . Our own chapters and lodges were , he trusted , fair , good , and just

specimens of that benefit of law in regard to our own community ; and when wc extended that still further to the community of nations it became a positive necessary of life in order that they might go on and prosper . We found the law in the first place in nature , in air , and sea ; we found it from the smallest insect to the mightiest animal , still the order of Providence . Going on from that wc found a law implanted in the heart of man—the law of

conscience—to which he had already alluded , and from that wc went on to the law of nations , to which Masons were bound in every country they went to to conform . Every law was ordained or permitted by God ; and it was our duty so long as the law existed to set a bri g ht example , both as men and Masons , of loyalty to constituted authority ; and finally , when wc came to that highest of all laws , in comparison with which all laws must be a most

imperfect counterpart , we found , as Masons that law in our lodges as the centre stone on which our building was erected ; this law conduced to the order of the proceedings , to the blessings of our hearts , and to the happiness of our lives . And when the li ght of nature , of which wc heard so much , was put before us as the Great Li ght to guide us along the path of life , one was naturall y inclined to say , " Whence comes even this light of nature 1 Even the

material sun so often quoted in our beautiful ceremonies—whence came that sun with its glorious light , and by whose command did it first arise ? And then , true it was , that the light of conscience also was a light which they must never ignore . The } ' read in the sacred volume of a law written on the hearts of men , even those who might not have been led to the highest considerations of religion ; and he believed that the light of conscience—ay ,

even in the savage , —became a mighty law in guiding him to that which was right and good . But passing on from the light of conscience to the light of history , there we had a mighty guide , because if the past was worth anything it ought to be with a view to lighten our path to the future . And when we looked at the past of Freemasonry , and Royal Arch Masonry in this country , he was sure that the history of that period would be one that

we might look upon with great satisfaction , but one also that should lead us to be still more strong and also conscientious in the discharge of those principles of which these symbols were but a shadow , and thus make Masonry what it ought to be , so long as its principles and history were adhered to , "a praise upon the earth . " Lastly , when we came to the Divine light , there again naturally these poor lights below all " grated their ineffectual fires . "

The brethren must feel at once that in the eyes of a pure and holy God , and by the light of the Holy Law , the lives of the very best of them were but imperfect and sinful ; and therefore it was that the nearer they came to that light—that great light which should shine upon them beyond the grave—the more should they try to become as children of that

light—and be worthy of that great Being who once said " Let there be light . " And when they did come to that lime when they passed over that line which divided that faint lights of the earth from the bright light of heaven—when no longer seeing " through a glass darkly , " they should sec " face to face "—then might they be able , in the words of the old poet of England , to say —•

And at that hour when all aghast I stand A trembling candidate for Thy compassion On this world ' s brink , and look into the next—When my soul , starting from the dread unknown , Casts back a wistful look and fondly clings To its frail props and all its ' customed joys ,

And all the lovely relatives of life ; Then shed Thy comforts o'er me , then put on The gentlest of Thy looks , then deign to cheer My fainting heart with the consoling hope Of mercy at Thy hand ; yet deign to smooth The ' restless bed of sickness and of pain .

Forgive the tear that nature drops ; calm all her fears ; Fix her firm trust on Thy unfailing word ; Wake all her hope and animate her faith ; Till my rapt soul , anticipating heaven , Hursts from the thraldom of encumbering clay , And on the wings of ecstasy upborne Springs into liberty , and life , and light .

1 he ceremony of consecration was then proceeded with , and at its termination the following companions were installed : Comps . H . J . Adams , P . M . 56 9 and P . Z . 11 and 1237 , as M . E . Z . ; A . Durrani , P . M . and P . Z . 11 S 5 , as H . j and F . J . Stohwasser , W . M . 5 69 , as J . Comp . Bateman was invested as Scribe E . j Comp . W . H . Honey , P . M . 11 and 569 , and P . Z . n ,

as Scribe N . j Comp . W . Birdseye , as P . S . j Comp . Pash , as 1 st A . S . j Comp . Hawkins , as 2 nd A . S . ; and Comp . Goddard , as Janitor . After candidates for exaltation and joining had been proposed and seconded , votes of thanks were passed to the Consecrating Officers , and the chapter having been closed in due form , the companions adjourned to the large room to an excellent banquet . The customary toasts followed .

I he toast of " The Oueen and Royal Arch Masonry , " "The Prince of Wales , M . E . Z ., " "The Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Z . " having been honoured , the M . E . Z . gave "The Grand H . and J „ and the rest of the Grand Officers . " Sir JOHN B . MONCKTON , in repl ying , said no one who held , or had held < jrand office—in fact , no Royal Arch Mason- had other than Masonry at neart . A new Royal Arch chapter was a new element of strength ; but the

Consecration Of The Fitz Roy Chapter, No. 569.

Fitz Roy Chapter was connected with a lodge which was second to none in all its component parts . He did not know that it was necessary to talk about the Hon . Artillery Company , which had a world-wide reputation . So had Masonry , and a Royal Arch chapter connected with the Fitz Roy Lodge was most interesting , and would be most useful to Royal Arch Masonry . Personally , it had been to him a great privilege to be nresent that dav .

Although he had been some time in London , this was his first connection with the Hon . Artillery Company . He hoped , however , he would be there again . The M . E . Z . next gave "The Consecrating Officers , " and those companions who had been kind enough to assist . ThejTrnust all regret the illness which . prevented Col . Shadwell Clerke from attending to consecrate the chapter , but they had him to thank for the verv efficient- snhst-itntP « , rm

had taken his place . That substitute had had , however , to leave in order to catch his train , and so had Sir John Monckton . There was , nevertheless , another Consecrating Officer present , the Rev . R . J . Simpson , to whose eloquence they had the pleasure of listening . He onl y wished he had half the power of that companion , and if even he ( the M . E . Z . ) had the pleasure of attending to consecrating a chapter he trusted he min-fit have ihp . nlpasnrp

of listening to as fine an oration as that delivered b y Comp . Simpson . The gifts of speech were not given to all men . For himself , he ( the M . E . Z . ) rather prided himself on works than words . In proposing the present toast he must not forget Comps . Long and Terry . Comp . Terry had acted as D . C ., an office which was to be held b y Comp . Long had he arrived sooner . On this occasion Comp . Terry , though always an efficient Assistant D . C ., had outshone himself .

1 he Rev . R . J . SIMPSON , after regretting the absence and illness of Col . Shadwell Clerke , said , he was sure every one who had taken part in the ceremony must heartily wish success to the Fitz Roy Chapter . The reception the companions had met with had been most hospitable , and every companion present would remember it . The chapter had sprang from a lodge which had a glorious history , which had existed

for years , and which was connected with a force which dated back more than two centuries . The principles of R . A . and Craft Masonry verc thoroughly carried out in it . The Fitz Roy Chapter ought to be one of the first chapters in England for loyalty , good feeling , and brotherl y love , and for all those virtues which adorned the Masonic character . He was quite sure , judging from what he had seen that it would carry out true Masonic principles .

Comp . JAMES TERRY proposed " The M . E . Z ., " and congratulated him on having obtained to such a distinguished position as President for the first time of a new chapter . The chapter was an esDecial chapter , from the simple fact that no one could be a member of it unless he was a member of the Honourable Artillery Company . It had given him much pleasure to perform the duties of D . C . to a chapter which had such a distinguished

companion at its head . He was himself somewhat associated with it , for during the past two or three weeks his son had become a member of the Honourable Artillery Company , and he hoped in a short lime to see him a member of the Fitz Roy Lodge and Fitz Roy Chapter . The M . E . Z . responded , and trusted that during his year of office he would show his zeal on behalf of the chapter . He would spare no trouble , expense , or exertion to fulfil the duties of his office with satisfaction to the

companions . The M . E . Z . next proposed " The Health of the Visitors . " Comp . LETCHWORTH replied , and attributed the fact of his being called upon to respond to the circumstances that for many years he and the M . E . Z . had been closely connected . Twenty years ngo they were fellow officers in a volunteer corps , in which the M . E . Z . showed the same energy as he would bring to bear on the business of the chapter . The evening had been a most enjoyable one , and nothing could have been done better ' than what they had seen from the beginning to the end .

Ihc M . E . Z next proposed "The Charities , " in which he had always taken a great interest . He rarely got a holiday , but when he did he would go and look over them . He was glad to see Comp . Binckes and Comp . Terry present . The success of the Institutions was largely due to the exertions of the Secretaries , and Comp . Binckes and Comp . Terry were

constantly going all over the country . He believed Bro . Hedges had not dene so . He could not say , but perhaps he had not the same power as the other two brethren , and perhaps he rested on the fact that the Girls' Institution was too well known to require it . At the same time they ought to pay their thanks to the Secretaries who were active in advocating and maintaining the success of the Institutions . °

Bro . BINCKES replied , and felt proud to have his name associated with the toast in a chapter which was connected with a lod ge which had for many years enjoyed a slate of prosperity—a state which he hoped would be repeated in the chapter . He knew it would do all it could in support of the Charities . The M . E . Z . had alluded to his own want of eloquence , but certainly his language had been well chosen , and he ( Goran . Binckesl onlv

hoped there might be many who would sec the li ght of Arch Masonry in the Fitz Roy Chapter and tread in his footsteps , and become like him , a Vice-Patron of all the Masonic Institutions . He was sorry Comp . Adams had not been able to visit those Institutions , for he was sure he would be " -ratified with what was to be seen there . The M . E . Z . had alluded to the absence of the representative of one of the Institutions . That

subject had been very much discussed—whether it was necessary , or essential , or desirable that the Secretaries of the various Institutions should from time to time inflict their presence on gatherings such as that . If he was spared health and strength he should continue to do so . Now , one of the representatives never did appear . The Christy ' s Minstrels never performed out of London . Well , that was an absurd operation . There were

constitutional States and nations ruled under various circumstances , and he believed a certain amount of loyalty and allegiance were rendered to the head . But there was the head of one nation , called the Mikado of Japan , who was never seen , and he was revered because he was not known . He thought he mi « ht almost say that , from a Masonic point of view , the Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was the Mikado of Freemasons . But , nevertheless , he ( Comp . Binckes ) and Comp . Terry would continue to visit lodges and chapters if only for the sake of trying to stimulate the brethren . 'Tie

hoped that what the Fitz Roy Lodge had done in the past the Fitz Roy Chapterwould do in the future . Personal contact and personal presence was far better than any amount of correspondence , and he ( Comp . Binckes ) liked to be brought into personal communication with all those good friends—and he had made an enormous number in the thirty years of his humble Masonic life—and he should continue to do so , and try to do what he could for the benefit of the Institutions . The other toasts were well given , and the Janitor ' s toast closed a very pleasant and successful evening .