Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Chapter, No. 1839.

were very happy in having such a prince to rule over them , and he also thought his Royal Highness must be very happy in having such a loyal body of men to rule . The M . E . Z . then said the next toast was one that he approached with considerable diffidence , though it afforded him the greatest possible pleasure

to propose it , it was "The Grand Officers of Grand Chapter . " It was a very important and comprehensive one , comprising as it did the working officers of Grand Chapter , Present and Past . He did not know a more distinguished or more disinterested body of men than they were , for they were distinguished both in rank and talent , and disinterested , for they found them

giving the best of their time and talents unsparingly ; and for what?—for honour , fee , or reward ? No , companions , but for the good and welfare of their fellow-creatures . The M . E . Z . took that opportunity of thanking the

Grand Officers present for the part each had borne in the ceremony of consecration , and coupled with the toast the name of M . E . Comp . Philbrick , Grand Superintendent for Essex , who replied in an eloquent and earnest speech .

The M . E . Z . proposed "The Consecrating Officer , M . E . Comp . Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke , G . S . E ., " and said he then claimed the attention of the companions for this most important toast , in fact the toast of the evening . They would readil )** understand to whom it referred , and give it that cordial and hearty reception which it deserved . He felt some difficulty in proposing

the toast , as Comp . Clerke was present , and he felt that he could not say before his face all that he should like to say . If there was anyone to whom their lodge and chapter owed anything , they owed it to him . It was he who did them the honour to consecrate their lodge , and he had now done them the further honour of consecrating their chapter , and on both occasions

he was indebted to him for much valuable assistance and advice . He did not know a more indefatigable companion in his work than their G . S . E . As an instance he would mention that during the recent holidays , when thc Grand Secretary ' s office was closed , Comp . Clerke from his home was in correspondence with several Grand Officers and himself respecting the

arrangements for the consecration of the chapter . He had letters from him bearing date for Good Friday , Saturday , and Monday . He mentioned this to show that they were indebted to him for much thought and labour during holiday time before the consecration ceremony could be successfully

arranged . And now they were consecrated and met in their own chapter it was their duty , and to him a great pleasure , to acknowledge in the fullest manner the debt of gratitude they owed to him . They tendered their best and most cordial thanks for all that he had done for them , and for the

beautiful and perfect rendering of the ceremonies of consecration and installation . It was no easy task which he had performed that evening , for in addition to the ceremonies which they had witnessed there were others which himself and colleagues only were witnesses of , and the fact that neither of the three having been installed into their chairs before entailed a further amount

of work upon him . His colleagues he was sure felt highly honoured by having been placed in their present positions by him ; and for himself he must say he considered it the greatest honour to have been the first installed into the chair of the lodge , and also into the three chairs of the chapter by

the Grand Secretary of England , and he begged to tender him on behalf of the chapter and himself their sincere thanks for the kindness they had invariably received at his hands , and for the honour he had conferred upon them .

Comp . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , G . S . E ., replied in a short speech , to the effect that he and all other members of the Grand Chapter were at all times most happy to help forward the cause of Masonry , and especially Arch Masonry ; indeed , it seemed almost as yesterday that he had replied to the same toast after consecrating the Duke of Cornwall Lodge , and

installing their M . E . Z . as its first Master . He had watched the progress of the lodge year by year , and considered the present was only the natural outcome of so remarkable a success . He concluded by wishing the chapter the greatest success and proposing "The Health of the M . E . Z ., Comp . J . W . Brooke . "

Comp . J . W . BROOKE then proposed " The Health of the M . E . Z . " who in reply thanked the G . S . E ., Col . Shadwell H . Clerke for the flattering terms in which he had been pleased to propose it , and the companions for their cordial reception , and said he felt deeply the kindness of his brother founders in assisting him to form this chapter , and the honour they had done

him in placing him at their head ; but while he felt how high and honourable his position was , he was also fully conscious of the responsibilty of that position . It was only since the ceremonies of that evening that he was aware how great the responsibility was , but he assured the companions that he would do all in his power during his year of office to make the chapter a complete success .

" Thc Visitors " were given by the M . E . Z ., who in the course of his speech referred to the kindly feelings which should at all times characterise a Mason , stated that the visiting was the great element by which uniformity of working was obtained , and friendship formed and perpetuated , and lhat visitors would ever find a ready welcome at the Duke of Cornwall Chapter . Comp . VV . HOLLINGWORTH , P . Z ., and Comp . CORPE responded .

* 'The Masonic Chanties were proposed by the M . E . / ,., as follows ; This toast , of which I have the honour to propose , is one that appeals to the heart of every Freemason . Lotus ask ourselves what is Masonic Charity ? or rather first what is Freemasonry ? We know what our ritual tells us it is , but to that I think should be added Freemasonry is . thc essence

of charity ; and by charity I do not mean only the mere giving of alms , but charity in its higher and nobler sense , the charity which prompts one brother to bear with another , the charity which vaunteth not itself , but the charity which is always ready to assist and advise . What is it that binds princes , nobles , and peasants together , but charity ? What is it that takes a

Consecration Of The Duke Of Cornwall Chapter, No. 1839.

victorious general from London to Manchester , and who lends his illustrious name to a new lodge but charity ? There was once a wise man whose ambition it was to place a girdle round the earth , but he did not succeed ; what he failed in doing , Freemasonry has accomplished , for round the whole earth , from north to south , from east to west , Freemasonry

has placed this girdle of charity , this bond of universal brotherhood . But companions , there is another form of charity ; we are honoured to-night by the presence of a representative of Masonic Charity in ils practical and tangible form , Comp . Binckes , Secretary of the Boys' School . I had hoped to be honoured also by the presence of Comps . Terry and Hedges , the

Secretaries of the other two Masonic Charities , but unfortunately prior engagements prevented their coming . These three companions spend their lives in the most praiseworthy of all objects in working for the happiness and welfare of their fellow creatures , and who periodically remind us that , in the words of the psalmist , " The needy shall not always be

forgotten . " Those companions practically carried out the psalmist's instructions , for are not our old men and old women comfortably provided for ? are not our orphan boys and our orphan girls educated , clothed , fed , and given a fair start in life ? All honour to those companions who spend their lives in these self-denying efforts ! They congratulated them on the success of their respective Institutions , and wished them continued prosperity .

In reply Comp . I < . BINCKES said in rising to respond to the toast which had just been proposed , he was happy to say that the whole of the Charities were at least in a sound position , and undoubtedly largely supported ; but he must say that that support could , nay , should , be greater and more universal , that every Mason should contribute something , be it ever so little . If

this were done the executive would be able to extend their benefits to a much greater number than their present means , great though they were , enabled them to assist . He would not trouble them with a long history or statistics of the Charities , but , as one who had worked for over 25 years in the cause of practical Masonic charity , let him say these Institutions can never be too

well supported , doing the great good theyjdid , and proving to the world their charity was more than words . Therefore , he asked their aid , their sympathies to extend these Charities , which were justly the boast of the Craft ,

aiding and sustaining as they did the aged Mason and the widow , in feeding , clothing , and educating the orphans , and placing them as they advanced in life in good situations , so demonstrating to the whole world lhat their bond of Masonry is that sweet charity that blesseth him that gives and him that

re-. 'Ihe remaining toasts were "The H . and J ., " "The Treasurer and Scribe E . " "The Scribe N ., " " The P . S ., and the remaining Officers of the Chapter , " " The Musical Companions , " and the Janitor's loast . In addition to the Consecrating Officer , the companions assisting him ,

and the officers mentioned in the early part of the report , the following companions were present : Comps . F . Binckes , P . Z . 10 ; T . Gallery , M . E . Z . 51 ; S . P . Catterson , M . E . Z . 79 ; W . Catterson , P . S . 548 ; G . T . Carter , 145 ; R . Clowes , A . S . 19 ; T . C Corpe , United Pilgrims ; VV . Hollingsworth , I . P . Z . 63 ; J . Hodges , 19 ; A . Kenningham , 19 ; Lawler , Moira :

Captain A . Nicols , P . Z . 782 ; F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , P . G . S . Essex ; H . Sadler , P . Z . 169 , G . Janitor ; T . G . Smith , 890 ; and VV . Willey , Jerusalem . The musical arrangements during the consecration and banquet were under the direction of Comp . G . F . Smith , A . R . A . M ., I ., and were

admirable in selection and performance ; Comp . Carter ' s rendering of Blumenthal's " Message " calling for special notice . VVe cannot close this report without commenting on the general completeness that , prevailed , even to the slightest detail , and prognosticate for this new chapter a most successful career .

RAMSAY , ANDREW MICHAEL . —Mostly called Chevalier Ramsay , was born at Ayr , in North Britain , in 1668 , and died in 1743 . He seems to have been converted to Roman Catholicism in 1724 , and became tutor to the two grandsons of James II . Thus he was mixed up greatly with the Jacobite interest . When or where he was made a Mason is not known , but

probably at Paris . It has been said that he came to London in 1728 , and endeavoured to induce the Grand Lodge to adopt his new system . But we are not aware of any good evidence of this assertion . Neither is it at all clear that he had anything to do with Dermott . The theory that our Royal Arch comes from Ramsay is , we believe , an utter mistake . In 1740 Ramsay

delivered a famous address , m which he discarded the operative and gave a knightly origin to Freemasonry . If a section of Stuart partizans was then using Masonry for its own purposes , we can easily understand how this multiplication of knightly grades and princely names would chime in with the feelings and objects of the party . We fear that to Ramsay must be

attributed lhat wondrous amplification of Masonic grades which has again led to Rites ; so that Ragon , it is said , had formed a list of 1400 grades . VVe do not wish to blame Ramsay too much . He was a learned and cultivated man , and seems to have been truly respected in private life , He is known by his "Travels of Cyrus" and other works—all interesting and welt

written . A Masonic tract , which was burned at Rome in 1739 , called " Relation Apologique et Historique , " published at Dublin by Patric O'Donoky , has been attributed generally to Ramsay ; but we confess we doubt the fact on various grounds , despite the high authority of KIoss and others . —Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .

Saturday , being the twenty-sixth anniversary of the Princess Beatrice ' s birthday was observed with the customary honours . In the evening the Prince and Princess Christian gave a grand dinner party , at which several members of the Royal Family were present .