Consecrations.

CONSECEATIONS

— : o : — ST . THOMAS LODGE .

ON Wednesday afternoon an interesting event in the history of Freemasonry in Derbyshire took place at Tibshelf , when a new Lodge of the Ancient aud Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons was consecrated in solemn form . The headquarters of the new Lodge are at the Crown Hotel , Tibshelf . The Lodge was dedicated to St . Thomas , and will be known by

that title , its number on the roll of the Grand Lodge of England being 2583 . There was a large and distinguished company of Masons present from all parts of the Midland counties . The

Provincial Grand Master of Derbyshire his Grace the Duke of Devonshire was not able to be present , and , as usual , the work was performed by Brother Haughfcon Charles Okeover P . J . G . W . of England Deputy Provincial Grand Master .

After a Lodge had been opened the Assistant Prov . Grand Secretary , in the absence of Bro . Naylor , read the Petition and Warrant of Constitution .

The ceremony of Consecration was impressively performed , Bro . Dr . Hills Junior Grand Chaplain of Derbyshire delivering the oration . Bro . W . A . Staniford P . Prov . G . Swd . Bearer was installed

first Master of theLodge , and he invested his Officers as follow : J . E . Fielding Acting Past Master , Eev . C . S . Hayward S . W ., T , B . Smith J . W ., Eev . S . 0 . Hayward Chaplain , J . S . Sampson Treasurer , S . Eayner Secretary , E . A . Christian S . D ., T . N , Turner P . M . P . Z . P . P . S . G . D . J . D ., Holland Eowbottom P . M

P . P . G . S . B . Director of Ceremonies , J . T . Woolley I . G ., and G . Bunting Tyler . The Brethren afterwards sat down to banquet , served by Brother J . T . Woolley , of the Crown Hotel . — " Nottingham Guardian . "

Buluwayo Lodge.

BULUWAYO LODGE .

THE inauguration of the Buluwayo Lodge , No . 2566 , took place in the Court House , Buluwayo , on Saturday , 5 th October , Bro . R . Hovell being installed as the first Master . The inauguration banquet was held at Slater ' s Tattersall Hotel , where an excellent repast was provided , to which nearly sixty sat down .

In due course the Master proposed the usual loyal toasts , and then called on Bro . J . Dawson to propose the Hon . 0 . J . Ehodes , which he did in a brief speech .

Bro . Vincent then proposed the W . M ., in an excellent speech , in which he congratulated the Lodge on having been started , and Bro . Kennedy did the same in his toast of the newly invested Officers .

Bro . Hovell responded to the former in a good speech , in which he felt the honour of being the first Master , and hoped he would carry out the duties so as fco be a credit to the Craft . Bro . Trevor responded for the Officers . Sister Lodges was proposed by Bro . Howard , who stated

that it gave the members great pleasure to meet so many representatives of other Lodges there , and now that they could greet these in fche Lodge there would be an additional bond of fellowship . There were representatives from all parts of the globe ; but wherever they came from they were all members of the same great Order .

Bro . Vincent , in responding , spoke of the necessity of a District Grand Lodge for South Africa , and thought that every member of the new Lodge would be in favour of it . Bro . Kennedy responded for the Rhodesia Lodge . The Tyler ' s toast having been given , the Brethren dispersed .

Petitions for the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , with a view to the April election of 1896 , must reach this office by the 5 th December next , at latest , but it is desirable that they should be sent in as much earlier as possible .

It cannot be very pleasant for the Pope to learn that so many of the members of the last new French Cabinet are Freemasons . The Premier is an enthusiastic Mason ; the Minister of Finance was last year on the Council of the Order ;

the Minister of Commerce is the President of the Grand Symbolical Lodge of France . The Ministers of Justice , of War , of Education , and of Agriculture , all belong to the Brotherhood ,

and M . Eicard , the Chancellor , is Master of a Lodge modestly calling itself the Temple of Virtue . Evidently no young Frenchman who hopes to succeed in politics should remain outside the Craft . — " Eealm . "

Cambridgeshire.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE .

rjnHE annual Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Monday , at JL the Masonic Hall , Cambridge , Col . E . Townley Caldwell Prov . Grand Master presiding , supported by his Deputy Brother Eev . J . H . Gray , and the various Officers . About seventy Brethren attended .

The number of members in the six Lodges of the Province was reported to be 437 , against 430 last year . The financial report was of a satisfactory character , there being a good balance in hand .

The Provincial Grand Master appointed and invested the Officers for the year as under : — Bro . J . V . Pryor 88 Senior Warden H . T . Trevor-Jones 859 - - Junior Warden Rev . H . S . Cronin 859 - - ) „ , „ . „ . „ Rev . A . C . Crossfield 809 859 - - \ P lains

W . W . Rouse Ball 8591492 - - Treasurer J . Taylor 441 - Registrar Oliver Papworth 88 - - - Secretary R . P . P . W . Simpson 859 - - Senior Deacon J . R . Bambridge 809 - - - Junior Deacon J . Catling 441 ... - Superintendent of Works

Frederick Dewberry 441 - - Director of Ceremonies J . G . Chennell 2107 - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . J . H . Moyes 88 Sword Bearer H . Davis 809 - - - - Organist T . B . Hope 859 ... Pursuivant

A . T . Grain 88 . W . R . Roper 441 E . B . Bellairs 809 - - - Stewards . A . P . Higgins 859 ... C . O . E . Nicholson 859 - - '

Wiltshire.

WILTSHIRE .

THE Provincial Grand Master held his Lodge at Warminster on Wednesday of last week . The large room at the Town Hall was used as a Lodge Boom , and had been beautifully decorated with flowers , plants , banners , & c , presenting a charming effect .

All the Lodges of the Province were represented , and nearly one hundred Brethren obeyed the summons of Lodge Eadnor , who was well supported by many eminent Masons of the county , whose names are as household words .

Subsequently about ninety Brethren sat down to a banquet , which was served in the Magistrates' Court Eoom , the caterer being Mrs . Down , of the Bath Arms Hotel . On Lord Eadnor vacating the chair at 7-30 , it was ably filled by Brother Captain Chaloner , M . P .

Unity In Canada.

UNITY IN CANADA .

THEEE was a large gathering of the Craft at a recent meeting in Toronto , and the utmost enthusiasm prevailed over the final settlement of the unpleasantness that has so long existed in the Province . The Grand Lodge of Ontario , by the terms of agreement with the Grand Lodge of Canada , goes out

of existence , its members in Toronto affiliating with Harmony Lodge , and those outside the city with Lodges in their own district . At the conclusion of the instituting ceremony the Brethren adjourned to the banqueting hall , where an hour was profitably spent in speech-making congratulatory to the occasion .

Bro . W . W . B . Beach , who , besides enjoying the honour of being one of the best known , as well as one of the oldest of our Provincial Grand Masters , is also one of fche oldest members of the House of Commons , had a narrow escape in the hunting-field on Tuesday of last week , and he returned to London only just able

to limp along . He was badly kicked just below the top of his hunting-boot . Bro . Beach , says the " St . James ' s Gazette , " is a prominent member of the Masonic body , has sat for a division of Hampshire uninterruptedly since the general election of 1857 ,

and has represented the same constituency for a longer period than any other member , except Mr . Villiers , " the Father of the House of Commons , " though Sir John Mowbray has sat at Westminster a longer time , he having been first returned in 1853 .

It has been arranged that at the meeting of the Hornsey Lodge of Instruction , No . 890 , to be held on Thursday , the 28 th inst ., at the Masonic Rooms , White Hart Hotel , Lewisham , the Symbols of the Graft Degrees will be illustrated with Limelight Diagrams by Bro . Walter Clement Tyler S . D . 862 ,

and their meanings expounded by Bro . James Stevens P . M . P . Z ., and it is hoped a large number of Brethren will be present . The proceedings will commence at 8 o ' clock prompt , and be open to Master Masons only , who are requested to wear Masonic clothing .