Shropshire Masons In London. Consecration Of The Wrekin Lodge, No. 2883.

Shropshire Masons in London . Consecration of the Wrekin Lodge , No . 2883 .

THE consecration of this , the latest of the county lodges , Avhich will in future meet at the Masonic Temple , Hotel Cecil , Strand , W . C ., took place , by dispensation , at Freemasons' Hall on January 29 th . The ceremony was performed by Y . W . Bro . Edward Letchworth , Grand Secretary , in the deeply impressive manner with which London Masons are now familiar . He

Avas assisted b y Bros . C . E . Keyset * , P . G . D ., as S . W . ; A . C . Spaull , P . D . G . D . C , as J . W . ; the Right Rev . the Bishop of Barking , P . G . Chaplain , as Chaplain ; Frank Richardson , P . D . G . Reg ., as D . C . ; and V . C . L . Crump , P . G . Std . Br ., as Inner Guard . The founders , many of Avhom are prominent members of

the Shropshire Society , Avere : —Bros , the Right Hon . Lord Barnard , P . G . W ., Prov . G . M . Durham ; Ralph R . Benson ; Charles E . Birch , P . P . J . G . W . Herts ., P . P . J . G . D . Kent ; G . Darlington , F . H . Dayus , Ed . Eaton ; Capt . G . Williams Freeman , P . G . S . B ., P . GAV . Egypt , P . P . S . G . W . Shropshire ;

Edward John Gittins , P . P . G . Std . Br . Herts . ; T . Juckes , J . Mellings ; J . H . Redman , P . P . G . W . Shropshire ; A . Middleton Richards , T . J . Sahvey ; John DOAVUCS Southam , P . P . G . S . of Works Shropshire ; Charles R . Valentine ; the Hon . and Rev . Gilbert H . F . Vane , P . G . Chaplain ; Thomas M . Vaughan , Walter H . Webb , Samuel Withers , and William M . Worrall .

1 here was a large concourse of visitors , including se \* eral Masons of high rank in Shropshire Avho had come to London to witness the ceremony . The Consecrating Master , in his brief opening address , said that this lodge , the Wrekin , which would be the home for Shropshire Masons in London , took its name from the

celebrated mountain of that name , Avhich Avas principally owned b y the Right Hon . Lord Barnard , Provincial Grand Master for Durham , and he congratulated the founders upon having secured him as their lirst Master . In the course of the ceremony the Right Rev . the

Bishop of Barking delivered an oration Avith deep feeling and eloquence . He said : " No one who had been in close touch nitli Freemasonry for many years could fail to recognise the stead y advance it had made , it was easy to prove by statistics that there had been an advance all along the line . Not only had the increase in numbers

been phenomenal , but in other respects it had progressed upon the lines upon which Masonry Avas based , not onl y with the ceremonial , which all over the country Avas

now performed in a better and truer manner , but their great principles were more universally acted upon and understood . They were a secret Society because they held some things which the Avorld must not know and which it Avould be wrong to disclose , but the outer world could and did judge the Society by its fruits , and should thus be able to know Avhat

it professed . Its secrecy did not exist for any bad purpose ; they had no plots or conspirators . From the Grand Master downwards , their conduct had never given just grounds for the slightest suspicion upon that head . Every new lodge iormud was a proof of their vitality , and it was for them to be anxious that the good opinion now existing might be

strengthened by their individual conduct with the outer world as Avell as in the lodge . The ceremony they were taking part in was a very solemn one , and should be regarded as such , otherwise it would be a mockery , and an outward form only . Masonry at the present time was teaching every brother the valuable lesson that each must work in his place as workmen rearing a majestic building , some doing inferior work , some the higher , each doing his part that the design

might be carried out perfect . The founders of this lodge connected as they Avere > by local influences were naturall y anxious to join in cementing their friendships in the Masonic bond . Might the Wrekin Lodge do its part in rearing the great edifice . At the conclusion of the consecrating ceremony , Bro .

appointed Letchworth installed Lord Barnard as W . M ., who and invested his officers as folloAvs : —Bros . Capt G . Williams Freeman , P . G . S . B ., S . W . ; R . B . Benson , W . M ., J . W . ; the Hon . and Rev . G . H . F . Vane ( brother of Lord Barnard ) , Chaplain ; C . E . Birch , P . M ., P . P . J . G . W . Herts .,

P . P . J . G . D . Kent , Treasurer ; A . Middleton Richards , Secretary ; J . H . Redman , P . M ., P . P . G . W . Shropshire , I . P . M . ; E . J * . Gittins , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . Herts ., S . D . ; T . M . Vaughan , J . D . ; E . Eaton , I . G . ; C . R . Valentine , P . M ., D . C . ; and F . H . Dayus , G . Darlington , P . M ., and T . Juckes ,

Stewards . The Consecrating Officers were elected lion , members and a founder ' s jewel presented to the Consecrating Master . Many letters of regret at inability to attend Avere read , including one from Bros . Sir OfHey Wakeman , Bart ., P . G . M .,

Shropshire , and the Right Hon . Lord Harlech , P . M . G . North Wales . After further business the lodge Avas closed and the brethren adjourned to a banquet . After the usual loyal and Masonic toasts had been duly honoured , Bro . J . H . Redman , P . P . G . W . Shropshire , proposed the toast of " The Grand Officers . "

Bro . V . A . v \ ilhamson , P . G . W ., AA * as pleased to have been present as the guest of their W . M ., Lord Barnard , Avho occupied the chair of Pro \* incial Grand Master , which had been filled for many years by a very dear friend of his , and whose mantle had fallen upon an excellent Mason . He could not claim to be a Salopian , but his nepheAV , Col . Herbert ,

Avho AA * as at present on active service , Avas owner of that part of the Wrekin not owned by their W . M . He thanked them for the evident heartiness with which they had received the toast of the Grand Officers .

The next toast , a somewhat unusual one in a London lodge , Avas proposed by the Worshipful Master : " The R . W . Provincial Grand Master of Shropshire , Sir OfHey Wakeman , Bart . ; the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , R . G . Venables , P . A . G . D . C . ; and the rest of the Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past . " The lodge had arisen out of one of those

county societies so popular in London . The Shropshire Society had been founded about IAVO years ago , and was one of the most successful . The lodge might be regarded as the inner circle , and could not fail to extend the object the Society had in vieAV , which was to promote the good of

Shropshire men in London . Although he principally resided in another county , he regarded Shropshire as typical of their beautiful English counties . The county had nobly clone its duty to the nation during the Avar , having sent out detachment after detachment of yeomanry and regular forces . He was proud to be a Shropshire man , and knew nothing would be

left undone by the members of the lodge to make it worthy of the admiration of the Masons of their province . Bro . R . G . Venables , Deputy Provincial Grand Master , responding , thanked the W . M . for his kind thought for the Masons of Shropshire . The members of the Provincial Grand Lodge would be proud of their child in London , and

he hoped it would prosper . In fact , they had no doubts upon the subject . This Avas the second lodge bearing that name , but the lirst had but a short life , having been born in 1788 and expired in 1799 .