MASONIC CELEBRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5020, 18 December 1877, Page 3

MASONIC CELEBRATION.

INSTALLATON OP GRAND LODGE OFFICERS. November 30 being St. Andrew's Day and the day appointed for opening the District Grand Lodge, E.G., Auckland District, and the Provincial Grand Lodge for the. North Island, S.C., as well as the installation of officers, it was observed as a gala day. Not only were all the Lodges in the city fully represented, but the Corinthian. Sir Walter Scott, and Lodge of Light, Thames ; the Beta Lodge, Waikato; Lodge Manukau, Oneliunga; Lodge Rodney, Manukau; and others in various districts were fully represeated ; but many other brethren who have not yet become affiliated with either of those Lodges, turned out on this occasion. The various Lodges having held early meetings, assembled at the Choral Hall, and at 12 o clock sharp the doors were tiled. The Hall was beautifully decorated. Banners and streamers were suspended from the ceiling, the platform was ornamented most tastefully with flowers and evergreens, and the handsome Masonic furniture, principally the property of the Lodge Sir Walter Scott, was arranged to the greatest advantage. Two massive pillars faced the entrance to the Hall, and the three grand chairs were fixed on the platform. A beautiful painting of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, M.W.G.M., E.C., in full regalia, and beneath this wa3 a portrait of the Queen. Everything was done which could tend to make the ceremonies striking and impressive, but perhaps the moßt impressive sight of all was the veteran Mason, Brother Lazar, R.W. District Grand Master of Westland, who, notwithstanding his advanced age, consented to leave his home on the West Coast to preside on this occasion, and the impressive manner in which he performed the ceremonies could not fail to please the large body of Masons present. About six hundred brethren attended. DISTRICT GRAND LODGE, K.C. No sooner were the doors tyled than the organ, played by Brother Brown, organist of St. Matthew's, played a voluntary, and then the Lodge Waiteuoata, No. GS9, E.C., the senior English Lodge in Auckland, was opened in form in the first degree, Brother Warren, W.M. of the Lodge, presiding, after which the Lodge was opened in the second decree, aud subsequently in the third or sublime degree of Master Masons' Lodge. Brother P.M. Graham, the District Grand Master Elect, was then admitted, aud under a canopy formed of velvet, borne on four ornamental posts, and extended by the roils of the stewards, he inarched to the front of he platform, after being received by the brethren according to Masonic usage by a graud flourish on the organ. The K.W.D.G.M. of Westland, the Installing Ollicer, accompanied by the officers of the Proviucial Graud Lodge of Ireland, were then announce;!, and entered in state, heralded by a flourish of music, and passed to the platform under the canopy, taking his seat in the Master's chair. He then addressed the assembled brethren, aud then proceeded to open the Graud Lodge in due form, and the ceremony of consecration proceeded.

The It. \V. District Grand Master-elect was then duly announced, and admitted, and invested and installed. Brother Lazar then proceeded to invest the following oflicers with their jewels and regalia, addressing to each a suitable chargeßrother E. T. Wildman, D.D.G.M.; Brother Lodder, i'.G.S.W. ; Brother Warren, D.G.J.W.; Brother the ltev. Charles M. Nelson, D.G. Chaplain; Brother C. F. Goldsbro', D.G. Treasurer; Brother Kissling, D.G. liegistrar ; Brother Wade, D.G. Secretary; Brother Skinner, D.G.S. D. ; Brother Moat, D. D. J.D. ; Brother Brassey, D.G. Superintendent of Works ; Brother Willcocks, D.G. Director of Ceremonies; Urother Dawson, D.G. Assistant Director of Ceremonies ; Brother Cole, D.G. Swordbearer ; Brother Hesketh, D.G. Organist; Brother Dyer, D.G. Pursuivant; Brothers Nathan, Bell, and George, D.G. Stewards; Brother Porter, D.G. Tyler.

Congratulations were offered by the representatives of the various Lodges in New Zealand.

The It. W. D. G. M. addressed the assembled brethreu, and concluded by closing the District Grand Lodge in form. The Grand Lodge then retired, and the Waitemata Lodge oflicers resumed their chairs in order to close their lodge, in accordance with the customary ritual. PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE, S.C. After a short half-hour's delay for refreshment, the brethreu again assembled for the purpose of installing Brother the Hon. F. Whitaker as K. \V.l J .G. M. of the North Island of New Zealaud, Scottish Constitution, and establishing a Provincial Grand Lodge. An emergency meeting of the Lodge St. Andrew was first opened by the It.W.M. Brother Walker, and his oflicers, and raised to the third degree in order to receive the li. W. D.G. M. of Westlaud, Installing-Master, and his officers. The ceremonies were similar to those of the preceding installation.

The P.G. Lodge beiug duly opened and consecrated, the K. W. P.G.M. elect entered under the canopy, aud having been addressed by the R. W. the Installing Master, lie subscribed to the rules and regulations of the Order as read by the Secretary, aud was then duly obligated aud invested with the regalia and jewels of his ollice. The following officers were then duly invested, the ceremonials aud addresses beiug very similar to those of the preceding installation : — Brother P. M. Anderson, P.G.S.M.; Brother P.M. Brodie, P.G.S.W.; Brother P.M. Dewar, P.G.J.W. ; Brother W. M. T. L. Murray, P.G. Treasurer; Brother P.M. Tyler, P.G. Secretary; Brother the Rev. Mr. Gould (who Has requested to take office during the absence of the P.G. Chaplain-elect, the Rev. J. Hill, aud upon liis expressing his consent he was invested P.G. Chaplain); Brother Martin was temporarily invested with the ollice of P.G.S.D. in the absence of Senior Deaconelect, aud Brother Ellison was iustalled as P.G. Junior Deacon; Brother Captain Eraser, P.G. Director of Ceremouies, Brother W. Wilkinson, P.G. Marshal; Brother W. Erriugton, P.G. Architect; Brother Captain Goldsmith, P.G. Swordbearer ; Brother 11. Brett, P.G. Director of Music ; [iu investing Brother Brett, the R. W.D.U.M. of Westland congratulated nitn on the manner in which the musical uortion of the ceremony had been conducted durin" the day. He had frequently officiated, and he had never heard the music more scientifically and pleasingly conducted than it had been that day.] Brother Hendry, P.G., President of the Board of Stewards; Brother J. Home, P.G., Inner Guard; Brother T. Rawdon, P.G., Tyler. I he installation beiug completed, the I{. W. the Installing Ollicer addressed the U. W.P.G. M. and the Brethren. Congratulations were offered on behalf of the other Grand Lodges and Lodges. Provincial Grand Master WiirrAKF.u then said : Right Worshipful Past Master and brethren, —The time is now come when it is customary that I, as Master, should address a few words to you, and iu doiug so I shall be very concise, because we have already gone through two ceremouiijs of considerable length, and I do not think it would be proper now to occupy a great deal of your time. I will, however, avail myself of the opportunity to say a few words, and then 1 will dose this Lodge. We are all aware that Masonry is of two characters, operative and symbolical. Our Order was founded at the ouilding of Solomon's Temple, when it rested, on operative masonry ; but, siuce then, a great change has taken place in its character. That, no doubt, is an advantage to some of us ; for, I hardly think it would suit me at the present time to be a builder, nor would it suit you to be cutting cedars on Mount Lebanon, or shaping stones at Tyre. But what have we established? An institution of the grandest possible character. Upon that foundation which was laid 3000 years ago, there has flourished ever since an institution which now extends to every quarter of the globe. Brethren, the institution of Freemasonry acknowledge as brethren all who desire to seek entrance into it, and there are but two qualifications reouired —that of character, and the acknowledgment of a Supreme Being. These, and these alone, are the qualifications required. The jurisdiction if) as wide as the world, being established in Asia, Africa, Europe, America, and Oceana, aud extending to New Zealand —the part most distaut from the ancient civilised world —and, indeed, iu every spot where civilised man has put his foot there will be found Masons in all their glory. Amongst Masons all are on an equality, except so far as authority is conferred for the guiding of the

installation. Masonry makes no distinction as to creed or colonr, Jew or Gentile; character alone, and the recognition of the Divine being as the great Architect of the Universe, are the only qualifications for admission. This is a theme upon which I might discourse at great length, but I stated at lirst that I should endeavour to be brief. A few words, however, are required from mvself, and I feel impelled to say them for these reasons : The first reason is because many here present have recently arrived in this colony, and are not aware of the position I formerly held in Masonry ; and the second is, because many of those now present were not then born, [he document which I hold in my hand reminds me that on the 23rd of Jnly, 1539, I was initiated as an apprentice Mason ; and in October, 1839,1 was raised to the position of a Master Mason, and enrolled as a i member of the Grand Lodge of England, upon whose books my name stands at the present time. Siace that time I have taken part in several Masonic ] ceremonials. In the first place, having arrived in New Zealand, I took part in the institution of the Ara Lodge of Auckland, and was also appointed at that time the first Master. I recollect at that time that a gentleman came down from Sydney to institute the Lodge ; and I may say that that gentleman, like our brother Lazar and many other eminent Masons, was a Jew. He was also like Brother Lazar in the mode of conducting the ceremonies—most perfect and complete. Subsequently to that, I assisted in laying the foundation-stone of St. Paul 8 Church. That event took place thirty-five years ago. Afterwards, as no doubt a great many of you recollect, I, as a Master Mason, laid the foundationstone of the Supreme Court building. In IS/6, one of the most pleasant incidents of my life in connection with Masonry occurred, when I was invited to the Thames to become initiated in the Scotch Constitution, in the Sir Walter Scott Lodge. I spent a very pleasant time on that occasion, and I believe it was then it wa3 mooted that I should become the first Provincial Grand Master of the Scottish Constitution for the North Island. That is now concluded, and with this ceremony to-day I am duly appointed. And here I am, an Englishman, and never having been in Scotland in my life, accepted as the Provincial Grand .Master, under the Scottish Constitution ; and here is Brother Graham [turning to that gentleman], who, I believe, is a Scotchman, District Grand Master under the English Constitution. [District Grand Master Graham here made some protest as to the speaker's assertion about his nationality, and, after some conversation to settle the point, carried on amidst some laughter from thebrethren, Provincial Grand Master Whitakerresumed.] I believe Brother Graham is of Scotch parents, but born in Ireland, and perhaps half an Irishman, and half a Scotchman makes a good Englishman. I most sincerely wish him a long and happy reign in the ofllce to which he has been appointed. I have now to say in conclusion that 1 return my most hearty thanks for the honour you have conferred upon me. I assure you that I will do my utmost to conduct the business of the olfice in a manner satisfactory to all the brethren. With the advice and assistance of those appointed to aid me, nothing shall be wanting on my part faithfully to fulfil the duties of the office you have been pleased to confer upon me. You are all aware that the Master has as great an authority within the Lodge as the Autocrat of Russia, but I can promise that I will act with moderation, aud that all my decisions will be guided by justice and truth.

The .Provincial Lodge having retired, the Loilge St. Andrew was closed in the customary form by W.M. Walker and his officers, and the brethren dispersed t"> make ready for the further celebration in the evening. THE BALL. The ball was one of the best attended that ever took place in Auckland, and was certainly tlio most splendid in the important respect of the dresses of the ladies. Many of the gentlemen were in Masonic regalia, while one was dressed with the mantle of a Knight Templar, one of the highest degrees in the Order. There were 200 couples in the room, and, large as is the Choral Hall, this number could not all at once be accommodated on the floor. THE SUPPER. At 12 o'clock the company adjourned to the supper-room, Brother Whitaker, Provincial Grand Master, leading in Mrs. G. S. Graham; Brother Lazar, P.G.M., Westland, leading in Mrs. Whitaker, these two high officers of the craft being escorted by Brother G. S. Graham, D.G.M.P.D.A., KC.; Brother Wildman, D.D.G.M.P.D.A., E.G.; Brother Lodder, D.G.S. W.P.D.A., E.G. ; Brother Warren, D.G.J. W. P. D.A., E.C. Brother Whitaker was conducted to the post of honour at the head of the table.

The cloth being removed, the usual loyal toasts were drunk and responded to. after which the company returned to the ballroom, and the dance was resumed.