Consecration Of The Concordia Lodge,

Telegrams of congratulation were received from Bro . Robert Wylie , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M . West Lancashire ; Bro . Capt . J . 1 ) . Murray , P . G . Treas ., who had sent apologies for inability to attend ; as well as Bros . T . T . II . Roberts and Sherman .

The WORSHIPFUL M ASTER announced that he was going to be Steward for the lodge at the forthcoming Festival of the Girl's School , and in connection with this subject it may be mentioned that later in the evening , through the unflagging energy of Bro . James Stephens , who canvassed everyone at

the banquet table , the sum of £ 55 2 s . 6 d ., was placed on Bro . Burgess ' s list . After the closing of the lodge , the brethren , to the number of about 90 , sat down to a well appointed banquet , provided by Bro . Holland , and afterwards honoured a long list of toasts .

Bro . ROBERT WILI . OUGIIISY , G . Std . Br ., responded to the toast of " The Grand Officers , " and in the course of his remarks he expressed the great pleasure it afforded him to see Bro . Hubbard , whose guest he was p laced in the S . W . ' s chair . With regard to the Concordia Lodge , everyone knew that opened under such auspices as it had been that day , it would be something for the advance of Masonty and of Benevolence , which went together .

Bro . BURGESS , in proposing " The Provincial Grand Master for Bucks , and the Provincial Grand Officers , " spoke in high terms of the work of Lord Carrington as a Mason , a very good illustration of which had been had when his lordship was in Australia . Bro . Burgess said he visited Australia in 1880 when the different jurisdictions placed Masonry in great confusion . When

the late Earl of Carnarvon went out there he poured oil on the troubled waters , and a United Grand Lodge was established , with Lord Carrington as the first Grand Master . When Lord Carrington was installed as Provincial Grand Master of Bucks , at Aylesbury , by the late Duke of Clarence , he well remembered his Royal Highness in proposing his health ,

faying" I ask you to stand up and drink the health of one of my father ' s oldest friends . " Bro . Burgess then referred to the services of Bro . Brownrigg , in consecrating the lodge , and the other Provincial Grand Officers who had come to assist—Bros . Williams , Bowen , Martin , and James Stephens . The brethren of the lodge were grateful to them for what they had done , and were delighted that they had accepted the position of honorary members .

Bro . the Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG replied , and said first of all he was charged by the Provincial Grand Mister to assure the brethren how much he regretted not being present to perform the ceremony of consecration . His lordship would have been present if it had been possible , but he gave the lodge hearty good wishes for the future . The office of Deputy Provincial

Grand Master really had a great many advantages , as he had found during a period of 21 years . It had made for him many personal friends , which he should ever consider one of the greatest privileges of his life . There was no brother , however humble his position in life might be , who could not help the Provincial Grand Afaster ; there was no brother who was not always ready

to assist ; but while he accepted those offices as they were meant , and with good humour , he always thought that when those young Masons who tried to teach the Grand Master grew to be old , and in their turn found their juniors trying their ' prentice hands upon them , they would not perhaps take it so good humouredly . There were difficulties , as well as advantages , connected

with the office . The Province of Bucks had iS lodges , and he would remind the brethren that there was only one Provincial Senior Gra ^ d Wardcnship to be given away every year , but every W . M . thought , and a good man ) ' Past Masters , too , that that was the only office they could possibly accept . He had to recommend to the Provincial Grand Master , but , as he was unable to

recommend everybody for S . G . W ., he hoped those who got a subordinate office— say J . G . W . —would bear with him in his infirmities , and if they would set him right , and show him how to do it , he would thank them . He had , however , privileges as well as advantages , and difficulties , and one privilege was on the present occasion to take the gavel

from the W . M . He was the only person to do that . He thought that the first time the Master ' s health was proposed in his own lodge was , and it was always looked back to as years rolled by as , a great honour . He knew how much tiouble Bro . Burgess had taken , and how much work he had gone through , in forming that lodge . He knew , too , that in all parts of the work

Bro . Burgess had proved himself a distinguished Mason : in the far east , in the far north , and now in the centre of the whole country he had proved himself a competent Mason . He ( Bro . Brownrigg ) had had the hippiness of consecrating the Concordia Lodge and installing Bro . Burgess as its first Master , and he would in the future , in the position of Master , be mo t willing both to learn and to teach .

Bro . BURGESS , in reply , said he hoped that after a longer acquaintance he should prove himself worthy of the kind terms in wlveh Bro . Bro mri gg had spoken of him . He was onl y one of the founders , and he would just as soon have been Juni-ir . Steward as W . M . They were all of the same mind , to further the interests of Freemasonry and to make the Concordia

Lodge a great success—to use their own words—to be one in concord , peace , and unity . They had had great success , but it was not in the first , the second , or the third year ; they must think Wendover was a small town ; the local people might come to support them ; many brethren from town might secide ; it was a very difficult thing to keep a lodge

going ; but he th night there was ever ) - reason for their succ-eding . It was very pleasing- to inform the brethren that there wure several unwritten laws in the lodge , one of which was that the W . M . was expected to lake the pos tion of Slew . ird for one of the Masonic Charities during his year of office . They did not intend to do the three Charities in one year . He

had himse'f served the three , but he took one now , and commenced with the oldest—the Girls' School , and had had his name registered that day as representing the Concordia Lodge . He asked the brethren to assist him and make a record that would never die in Freemasonry . If the brethren visited the Board of Benevolence they would see the advantage of assisting the Charities . A brother who had subscribed to the Masonic Charities got

Consecration Of The Concordia Lodge,

better assistance from the Board . No one knew how soon he might be reduced to having to ask for assistance . On the previous Wednesday he attended , and nearly £ 700 was g iven away . He , on that occasion , appealed for the widow of a brother who had been a jolly good fellow , but he had never subscribed to the three great Masonic Charities . The list would be passed round to the founders of the Concordia Lodge and he trusted they

would all put down 100 guineas each and support the W . M . for the Girls School , and show they really meant to carry out the unwritten laws of the Concordia Lodge . They had adopted the name of Concordia . He first saw the light of Freemasonry in Bombay ; he went to Suez ; he went to Liverpool and worked there , thinking he was going to rest in the old woman ' s corner ; but now he was in the chair he would endeavour to do Viis duty and

make those who followed him do theirs . Concordia intended to live in harmony with the other lodges in the Provinces of Berks and Bucks . If they worked as the large provinces did they would band themselves together and if they had an unfortunate case for the Charities , an old man or woman , a boy or a girl , they would carry it in the first time by working en bloc , as they did in the large provinces of England .

Bro . BURGESS next proposed " The W . M . and Wardens of the Recommending Lodge , the Buckingham Lodge , No . 591 , Aylesbury , " and said he could testify to the kind manner in which the promoters of the lodge were received when they went to that lodge with their petition , and the cordial way in which the brethren signed the petition and wished them success . The Concordia Lodge was not formed to do the Buckingham Lodge any injury .

Unfortunately , the W . M . of the Buckingham Lodge was not present , but he wished them Godspeed and every enjoyment . But Bro . Martin , the Secretary of the lodge , P . P . J . G . W ., was present , and he was a brother who was alway ready to assist in the furtherance of Freemasonry . The brethren of the recommending lodge thought there ought long ago to have been a lodge at Wendover , and they would be pleased to see Concordia prosper , and become a shining light in the province .

Bro . MARTIN responded , and regretted that the W . M . of his lodge was too ill to attend . He was very glad to hear Bro . Burgess say that the Buckingham Lodge was not at all jealous of the Concordia . It was anabsolute fact , and if proof were needed it would be found in the number of brethren of that lodge who had attended the consecration . The Buckingham was a sort of old hen in the province which looked on her chicks with great

attention . Although it was not a good parallel , he never knew a chicken with so many young ones as the Concordia . Everyone of the brethren at Aylesbury wou'd be happy to offer them any hints and help them forward . He thanked the lodge very much for making him an honorary member . He thought the lodge was well-named , and he hoped that concord , goodwill , peace and amity , would always characterise its proceedings .

Bros . WILLIAMS , LOVETT , BURGESS ( Anglo-American Lodge ) , and J . J . THOMAS ( founder of the Carrington Lodge ) , also responded . Bro . HUBBARD , S . W ., in reply ing to the tost of " The Officers , " in wh ' ch the W . M . spoke of him in highlv eulogistic terms , said he only wished he deserved half the praise bestowed on him . There was one thing he hoped

he should do , as he was willing to do , assist the W . M . in the well-ruling of the lodge during his year of office . He trusted that on the foundation-stone laid that eveningthey mig ht raise a superstructure honourable to the builders in the province to which they belonged . The other Officers also replied .

Bro . BURGESS , in proposing " The Charities , " strongly exhorted the brethren to support the Institutions . Bro . J AMES STEPHENS , in acknowledging the toast , said he had had an honour conferred upon him that day which he should never forget , that of being elected an honorary member . The W . M . wore on his breast what might be called the Victoria Cross of Freemasonry ; he wore as many as ten

bars , which showed he had served at least a dozen Stewardships . The Masonic Chariiies had more than 500 boys and girls in their schools , and nearly 500 old men and widows on the books of the Benevolent Institution , the women having £ 32 a year each , and the men £ 40 a year each . No other institution could hold a candle to them . Every penny Bro . Burgess had he had had to work for , but he had not lorgotten those who were

in distress . Bro . Burgess had alluded to his ( Bro . Stephens' ) good wife in connection with the Institutions . Mrs . Stephens had taken up at two successive festivals something like £ 640 . She was one of the best creatures that ever broke God ' s bread , and she was going to qualify this year as Vice-Patron of the Girls' School . He wished the brethren to know that Bro .

Burgess had been nominated by West Lancashire to serve on the Board of Management of the Boys' School , and he asked the brethren who were liff subscribers to attend at Freemasons' Hall , on April 13 , to vote for him , . and he would maintain and uphold the splendid management of that Institution . After the Tyler ' s toast , the brethren returned to town , having spent a most agreeable day .

Consecration Of The Prince Of Wales Mark Lodge, No. 466.

CONSECRATION OF THE PRINCE OF WALES MARK LODGE , No . 466 .

Bro . the Rig ht Hon . the Earl of Lathom , Prov . Grand Mark Master , visited St . Helens on Monday , the 29 th ult ., to consecrate the first lodge of Mark Masons of the St . Helens district . The nearest lodges of the Order hitherto have been those at Liverpool , Southport , and Wigan , and the

interesting ceremony in the Masonic buildings , Hall-street , St . Helens , under such circumstances was a most p leasurable function to the numerous local members of the Order . The new lodge will be known as the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 466 , Province of Lancashire .

There was a large gathering of Present and Past Prov . Grand Officers , ind of Mark Masons generally . Bro . the Karl of Lathom , P . G . M ., was assisted by Bros . W . J . Thomson ,

Past Grand Std . Br . Eng ., acting Dep . Prov . G . M . ; Wal . Simpson , Prov S . G . W . ; Dr . ] . Murray , Prov . J . G . W . ; T . Whitehead , Prov . G . M . O . J . C . Christian , Prov . S . G . O . ; C . H . Wood , Prov . J . G . O . ; J . J . Hamer Prov . G . l . G . ; and ) . C . Robinson , P . P . G . D . C , acting Prov . G . D . C .

The founders of the lodge were Bros . D . M . F . Gaskin , J . L . Wolfenden , J . J . Tickle , W . J . Thomson , R . G . Brook , W . Goodacre , W . Piatt , and J . C . Robinson . After the consecration ceremony , Bro . W . Simpson , Prov . S . G . W ., installed Bro . D . M . F . Gaskin , I . P . M . 383 , P . G . Treas ., as W . M . of new lodge , and Bro . Gaskin subsequentl y invested his officers as follows