Grand Stewards' Lodge, to learn somewhat more of the principles and tenets of the order than are generally developed in private Lodges. GRENADIER LODGE, No. 79.-This Lodge held its first meeting for the season on Thursday, the 28th October, under very flattering auspices. Bro. Fredrick Bigg, W. M., had the honour of proposing and initiating the following five gentlemen:-Anthony Peck, Esq., Actuary of the Engineers', Masonic, and Universal Mutual Life Assurance Society; James Johnson, Esq., of Gravesend, surgeon; William Bellingham, of Beaufort Buildings, wine-merchant; Alfred Bingham, Esq., of the Stock Exchange; and Alfred Williams, Esq., of the Stock Exchange. The ceremony was very ably performed by the W. M., who bids fair to emulate the zeal and ability so prominently displayed by his lamented father, the late Bro. John Bigg, P. M., of the Moira Lodge. At the banquet, Bro. Peck returned thanks for the Entered Apprentices in a neat and humorous speech. Officially connected as this gentleman is with the Engineers' and Masonic Assurance Society, in which the late Bro. Crucefix took so prominent a part, it is not to be wondered at that he should desire to be enrolled among the members of the Craft, or that his advent among them should be otherwise than interesting. In the course of the evening the W. M. alluded to the all-absorbing topic of the day, in the following terms: "Before proceeding to what may be regarded as the domestic toast of the Evening, I hope the worthy P. M. of the Grenadier Lodge will pardon me for departing from the ordinary routine, and permit me to submit to you and them a sentiment which, as a military Lodge, it becomes our mournful duty to drink, with all the solemnity it necessarily inspires. Brethren, since we last had the pleasure to meet at this festive board, it has pleased the G.A.O.T.U. to withdraw from us that great pillar of the constitution, our illustrious Brother, the Duke of Wellington, whose very name was a tower of strength to the land and I conceive that we should hardly be justified in meeting together after the loss of the Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, without devoting a glass to his immortal memory. Of the merits, valour, and judgment of this distinguished hero, I feel thoroughly incompetent to speak, but we may sing of them, and when it is remembered that we have the happiness to number amongst our body, our amiable and musical Bro. P. M. Stanbridge, who never sings Moore's immortal couplet to Wellington's Name without rendering both the song and the singer more popular, I now call upon him to gratify us with this composition, after we have drunk in solemn silence to "the Immortal memory of our Brother, the Duke of Wellington." The proceedings of the evening were much enlivened by the musical talents of Bro. Bellingham, and other newly initiated Brethren. EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT.-This most respectable and thoroughly regular Lodge of Improvement held its anniversary meeting on Monday, November 29, when upwards of eighty members were present. Bro. W. F. Beadon, P. J. G. W., in the absence of Bro. Rowland Gardiner Alston, P. J. G. W., who was prevented being present from having met with a severe accident, occupied the chair, to the entire satisfaction of the Brethren. The work was performed in that highly efficient manner, which has made this Lodge so deservedly celebrated throughout the Craft, and the Lectures on the Tracing Boards were given by Bros. Stephen Barton Wilson and John Hervey, with an accuracy which produced universal satisfaction. After labour" the Brethren retired to "refreshment," and spent a delightful evening, under the presidency of Bro. Beadon, the entire proceedings being conducted in peace, harmony, and Brotherly love." ROYAL ARCH. ON Tuesday, October 26th, a very interesting ceremony took place at the Freemasons' Tavern, in the constitution and consecration of a new Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, under a warrant from the Grand Chapter of England, in connection with the Enoch Lodge of Craft Masonry. The Enoch Lodge has long been distinguished as one of the most numerous and influential in the order; and therefore, upon an application to the Grand Chapter, the very unusual honour was accorded them of a warrant for a new Chapter to be attached to their Lodge. The ceremony of consecration being very rare, it attracted a number of visitors from other Chapters, including Comps. Rowland Alston, G. J. and P. G. M. for Essex; A. Dobie, G. R. and P. G. M. for Surrey; R. G. Alston, P. J. G. W. and Pres. B. G. P.; J. Biggs, P. G. S. &c. The ceremony of consecration was performed by Comp. J. Savage, P. Z., assisted by Comp. Biggs. The ceremony commenced by a voluntary upon the organ, during which a procession was formed, consisting of the grand officers, the principals, the officers of the new Chapter, and the members and visitors, who proceeded to their appointed places in the Chapter. The acting Principals having been saluted, an ode was sung by the choristers. The petition to the Grand Chapter for the warrant, and the warrant of constitution, having been read, the jewels and collars of the new Chapter were presented to the acting first Principal; after which, the Principals named in the warrant were presented in due form. The ceremony of consecration was then proceeded with, and when brought to a close, Bros. Temple, Bird, Kennedy, and Gurton were exalted into the order, the ceremony being most ably performed by Comps. P. Matthews, Z.; G. Friend, H.; R. S. Williams, J.; D. Watts, E.; and W. Young, N. The whole of the business having been brought to a conclusion, the Companions sat down to a very elegant banquet; and in the course of the evening a number of toasts were given and responded to-Comps. R. G. Alston and Dobie taking occasion to refer to the very excellent working of the Principals, and more especially of Comp. Friend. The whole of the music at the ceremony of consecration was arranged by Comp. Genge, who presided at the organ, and was assisted by Comps. Ransford, T. Young, and Turner. 504 PROVINCIAL. CHESHIRE.-MACCLESFIELD.-Wednesday, Oct. 27, being the day appointed for the holding of the Prov. G. L. of Cheshire, was quite a gala day in this town. The morning was ushered in by merry peals from "the bells of St. Michael's tower," which continued to 66 ring out their joyous notes up to the time of divine service. From the tops of St. Michael's and Christ Church towers floated "the flag that braved a thousand years the battle and the breeze;" and throughout the route that the procession was expected to take, very many descriptions of our time-honoured flag, together with many pretty banners, waved in front of the houses of a considerable portion of the inhabitants. In front of the hotel, a lofty triumphal arch of evergreens was erected, from which depended banners bearing the inscriptions -"Welcome, Combermere," "Torres Vedras," "Oporto," and "Salamanca," the whole surmounted by an enormous Union Jack. A pretty arch of evergreens, also decorated with flags, &c., was erected on Park Green. The first movement of those who were to take part in the day's proceedings was the arrival of the splendid band of the 82nd regiment (which by the way is a Cheshire regiment, raised in 1793). The day being beautifully fine, as the time announced for the procession to take place wore on, the streets became densely thronged with people anxious to witness the procession. The band met his Lordship and Lady Combermere on their entrance into town in a carriage and four from Capesthorne, where the noble couple had been on a visit to Lord and Lady Hathertou. An appropriate air was played up to the hotel, where his Lordship was received by the Brethren. The Craft Lodge having been opened immediately on the P.G.M. arriving, the Grand Lodge was formed, assisted by the visiting Grand Officers from the neighbouring Provinces, and the Lodge proceeded to church. On their arrival there, the Brethren opened right and left, leaving room for the P. G. Master, preceded by his standard and sword-bearer, to pass up the centre, the P. G. Officers and Brethren following in succession from the rear. The organ pealed out the national anthem, and the service commenced by the choir singing the 100th Psalm. Prayers were read by the Rev. G. Dowty, P.G.C. East Lancashire. Full cathedral service was performed under the able direction of Bro. Twiss, W.P.G. Organist of the Province. The sermon was preached by the R.W.P.G. Chaplain, the Rev. J. W. Newell Tanner, who took his text from Acts vii. 26: “And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye wrong one to another?" The rev. gentleman introduced the subject of his discourse by observing, that It was the desire of many of the uninitiated to become acquainted with the great secret that united in one undivided chain of love and good-will the members of the Grand Royal Order of Masonry,- —a fraternity whose influence was felt and whose precepts were known and acknowledged by people of every nation of the earth. And because that great secret was known only to the initiated, some persons were splenetic enough to speak evil of the Craft. Masonry, however secret it had been kept since its ancient formation, had nothing in it that was opposed to the Word of God, but all its rites and precepts were strong incentives to the veneration and support of our holy religion. No one could understand the sacred mystery of the Trinity; and though there might be much mystery in the Unity, would any one deny that the sacred Three had had great and holy effects upon mankind? Masonry had its mysteries, too, and those who were not acquainted with those mysteries could not by any possibility comprehend the ties that bound the Brethren in an indissoluble bond of love and secrecy; and they should not declaim against it because they were ignorant of the principles of the royal and sacred Order. The reverend Brother urged the Brethren to a scrupulous attention to the precepts of the Order, that they might not "give the enemy occasion to blaspheme,' nor give those who came among them an opportunity to think or say that they were not what they pretended to be. He wished them to bear in mind the solemn engagement they had entered into before God and the Brethren. There was nothing more sacred, nothing more binding, than those engagements, and if they did not fulfil them as Masons, they would be the worst of men as men. The preacher warmly advocated the claims of the Provincial Fund of Benevolence and the Macclesfield Dispensary upon their support, and concluded an eloquent and Masonic discourse by praying that the Almighty might approve of their benevolence in the support they would give to the Institutions whose claims he had advocated, that the contributions might bring down "the blessing of those who were ready to perish," and cause the orphan's heart to sing for joy, thus demonstrating the truth of the remark, "Sirs, ye are Brethren." The "Dead March in Saul" was then very feelingly played on the organ, at the special request of Lord Combermere, in memory of his much-revered and lamented commander and companion in arms, Brother the late Duke of Wellington. A collection was made in aid of the Benevolent Fund of the Province and the Macclesfield Dispensary, which amounted to £33. The benediction having been pronounced, the Brethren adjourned, in the same order as they had entered the church, to the hotel, when the Grand Lodge was closed, and the Brethren proceeded to the banquet in the Town Hall Assembly-room. Ladies were provided with accommodation in the orchestra and on a platform at one of the extremities of the room. The hall was decorated with Masonic emblems and evergreens, among which was distinguished a beautiful bust of Viscount Combermere, R.W.P.G.M., by Bro. Macbride, of Liverpool, in which the artist has been very successful in catching the features of that celebrated cavalry general, the hero also of Bhurtpore, who has recently been deemed worthy by the Queen to succeed the Great Duke as Constable of the Tower of London, and Lord Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets. In the course of the evening, the noble Pro. G. M. in returning thanks for the proposition of his health, made the following allusion to his late lamented chief's (the Duke of Wellington's) connection with Masonry, which at once sets at rest the question of that immortal hero having been a Brother Mason. "Another year," said the noble Pro. G.M., “had rolled over, and many changes had taken place. Amongst the foremost to be regretted was the death to the nation of his commander, the Great Wellington. He had been associated with him since 1793. Perhaps it was not generally known that the Duke was a Mason; he was made in Ireland ;* and often when in The Duke of Wellington was initiated into Freemasonry, December 7, 1790, in the Lodge, No. 494, then held at Trim, Ireland, and of which Brother VOL. III. 3 U Spain, where Masonry was prohibited, in conversation with his Lordship, he regretted repeatedly how sorry he was that his military duties had prevented him taking the active part his feelings dictated; for it was his (the Duke's) opinion that Masonry was a great and royal art, beneficial to the individual and the community. Could they then," added the noble lord, with feelings of deep emotion-" could they then depart from that great edifice without drinking to the remembrance, Masonically, of their late Bro. the Duke of Wellington, in solemn silence?" The toast was duly honoured. Presentation of the Bust of the P. G. M. to Lady Combermere.-On Thursday, Oct. 28, a deputation of the Brethren proceeded to Combermere Abbey to present to her ladyship the bust of Lord Combermere. The gentlemen forming the deputation, were Bro. S. Moss, P. P. J. G. W. of Gloucestershire; Bro. J. Smith, P. P. G. R. and W. M. of 334; Bro. Lewis, P. P. S. G. D.; Bro. Rampling, P. P. G. S.; Bro. W. H. Dixon, P. S. G. D.; Bro. J. Fenton, P. J. G. D.; Bro. J. H. Brown, P. G. Steward; Bro. J. Griffith, W. M. of 701; Bro. W. L. Greene, W. M. of 785, and were accompanied by Bro. W. P. Macbride, of Liverpool, the sculptor. They arrived at Combermere about two o'clock, and were received very cordially by the noble host, and having been introduced to Lady Combermere, were invited to partake of an elegant luncheon. The presentation of the testimonial subsequently took place in the library, when the following address to Lady Combermere was delivered by Bro. S. Moss, P. P. J. G. W., of Gloucestershire, Hon.. Secretary of the Testimonial Committee : MY LADY COMBERMERE,-As members of a Fraternity, over which your noble husband has so ably presided for many years in this Province, we approach your Ladyship with sentiments of the most profound respect. The Presidency of Lord Combermere over us, as our Provincial Grand Master, claims the special regard of the Fraternity, who have now the honour of offering this address. By his paternal care and attention to preserve the tenets of our Craft in all their integrity,-by his courtesy and affability to every member, he has added dignity to our Order, elevated the character of our Lodges within his Province, and has rendered our noble institution still more noble in the estimation of society. But while we are desirous of embracing every opportunity to pay honour to the worth of our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master, we are not insensible to the many virtues, which adorn and add lustre to your Ladyship's distinguished position. To you the sound of distress, the appeal of the widow or orphan, are never made in vain. Your support has always been freely extended to charitable institutions, and your honourable name is ever foremost in the list of their benevolent contributions. Our grateful remembrances are especially due for the many acts of liberality and deep interest, which you have evinced towards our Fraternity. In order to present you with a suitable memorial of our gratitude, we applied to Lord Combermere, who kindly consented to allow his Bust to be taken, and having engaged the services of an eminent sculptor for its accomplishment, we have now the gratification of presenting to your Ladyship the result of his labour, which we are induced to hope will prove satisfactory to you and the members of your noble family. William Elliott was W. M. His signature, "A. Wesley," is still extant. The |