Masonic.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 22

Masonic.

The installation of Bro. , Thomas Sherlock Graham as Right Worshipful District Grand Master of Otago and Southland took place on Thursday evening in the Temperance Hall,' Moray, place, Dunedin, in the presence of one of thetlargest assemblages of the craft yet witnessedhere. Several years have elapsed since the last installation of so important an officer as the District Grand Master is— a functionary possessing in his jurisdiction powers .only secondary, to- those, of 'the.M.W. Grand Master, .H.R.H. the' Prince' of Wales j and therefore the ceremony of. Teursday may justly be considered worthy of being marked with' l a ."red. letter .in the annals of the district of Otago and .Southland. The preparations, .made by the Board of General Purposes for the .event were most complete, every part of the ceremonials being carried out withthe utmost precision by those officers entrusted with the details. The last event 1 of the .kind in connection with English Craft Masonry took place in the old Masonic Hall, in Manse street, on the 11th August, 1864, when the late and lamented R.W. Bro. John Lazar installed Bro. John Hyde Harris, and invested the officers of the then Provincial Grand Lodge, with great eclat. But the ceremony of Thursday was of a still more brilliant character, and was witnessed by representatives of- every) craft lodge in the distriot, who attended to pay homage to their new ruler. The proceedings commenced at 5.30 p.m., when the brethren who had assembled in the Masonic Hall marched in procession to the adjoining building,- the upper hall of which had been .specially fitted •up for the occasion, and the W.M. of the Lodge of i Otago proceeded to open the lodge. This' being done, the District Grand Lodge of Otago and Southland, E.G., was announced, and reoeived with appropriate honours., v • ; > The,,®. W. Bro. H. S. ,Fish, .D.D.G.M., then s'openedj his, lodge in due form, 1 and the D.Gj^Secretary,' Vv\ ;Bro. iS. James, proceeded to call the roll of lodges, those represented being—TheO Otago,. iDuriedhi, Port >CKalmers Mamie,! LakeLodge of SOphir, Southern Cross;* Waitaki, 1 St< I George, Palmerston, and , Her* ' oolesjt'ii >i' ••'/.' iij (•; ' sit 'k i.iii ! •>'.' !*•' i -> ! The'<ibdges; ofc sister i constitutions present. were-4iKilwinning Otago, St. Andrew, Clutha, Celtic, Oamaru.Kilwinning; St. John's jt Invercargill' \ ' Cargill ! /Eilwinning ; ■ St.. i John's, NXi Valley ; Scotch' Constitution arid St. Patrick. Irish Constitution. . • ■''■ "

TheiVisiting -District, and Provincial. Grand Lodges, were, afterwards announced and-re-ceived, the grand officers i being' conducted to seats*' on -the dais.. At this time the hall presented a.most brilliant appearance^ the pale blueiand silve'rifclojihingof , theiEnglish Masons contrasting with ithe varied! colours, worn. fcy> their.iScdttish.,brethren4iha'ving-a great effect $< added,ito):these,,the rich cldthing. worn by the grand officers of tthe different constitutions ren--dereddt.a scene difficult !to depict. -..The dais was occupied by the following exalted brethren : • -G. W.i Harvey, ViTyke; JviGore, L. / Court;! and J.iMillß, together with a' large' number, of. pasbandi presentigrand officers. of) both Scotch and -English, Constitutions ; while ■ hvthe h6dyl of the hall on either side were ranged in their ordet. of i precedence (the various craft lodges, special seats .being reserved for the Board of Grand Stewards and the masters and past masters of lodges. The musical arrangements were under the direction of W. Bro. J. Riedle, W.M. ,of ■ the Lodge' of. Dunedin and District Grand Organist, who was ably assisted by the W. JBros: Marsden, Ferguson, Braid, • and Bros. ,G. .Israel, . A. , R. Kelsey, F. Lewis, G. Pallettj M./j MendershaußVn, W. Kneen, R. Greig.Fi R. Smith, W. Harold, J. Horsburgh, W. Hoffland, R. 1 Rae, and. Signor RiccardL The whole. of the ceremonial was carried out underithe supervision of W. Bro. 0. de Longueville{Graham,iD.G. 'Director of Ceremonies, Bro. W. :L. Buchanan acting as assistant director' of ceremonies, Bros. C. Coombs andA. George as heralds. The R.W. Bro. George P. Pierce, R.W.P.G. Master of. New Zealand, Irish Constitution, was then announced and received, taking the chair- as installing officer ; and the approach of the new District Grand Master was announced by sound of trumpet, in answer to which tlie W. Bro. C. de Longueville Graham, G.D.C., proceeded to bring into Grand Lodge. the patent granted by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales appointing the W. Bro. Thomas "Sherlock Graham District Grand Master of Otago and Southland, which he handed to the installing officer, .who directed the W. Bro. S. James, D.G.S., to read it.- The patent having been read,-a' deputation composed of six past masters, .with the Board of Grand Stewards, the Grand Swordbearer, W. Bro. H. F. Dench, and'l}he G. Director of Ceremonies, with his assistant, waited on the District Grand Master, preceding and attending him into the- 'Grand Lodge, the organ playing an appropriate march, and the choir chanting the anthem, "Incline, thine ear." ' The R.W. Bro. Pierce, then addressed tho D.G. Master ; and the Rev. Bro. Lichtenstein, District Grand Chaplain, offered a prayer appropriate to the occasion, the choir chanting the responses. After being obligated and invested, the R.M. District Grand Master was placed on the throne, and, preceded by his heralds, the District Grand Director of Ceremonies thrice proclaimed that the R.W. Bro. Thomas Sherlock Graham had been duly installed as District Grand Master of Masons of Otago and Southland, i Prior to each proclamation the heralds madeJa nourish of trumpets. The brethren present then paid the customary homage to the District Grand Master, and the choir chanted the ode, "Lead, kindly light,- amid the encircling gloom." The W Bro. E. Nathan was then presented and duly invested as W. Deputy District Grand Master, the Grand Director of Ceremonies, again attended by the heralds, proclaiming that W. Brother as Deputy Grand Master with similar honours ; and the choir chanted "I will lift up mine eyes." * ' The Grand Treasurer for the ensuing yoar was thon elected, the choice of tho Grand Lodes falling on W. Bro. Julius Ifyman, P.a.S.W.andt\G.T. The following grand officers wore then presented to the R,W»l>. Grand Master, who

invested them t-Wor.. "Bros. S. de ; Leon, G J W. ;B. Lichtenstein, G. chaplain: J. Hyman, G. treasurer: J. A. D. Adams, G. registrar: S. James, G. secretary; 0. deLongueville Graham, G.S.D. ;D. Cameron, G.J.D ; J. Ross, G.5.0.W. ; 0. Braid, G.D.0.0. ; Bro. W. li. Buchanan, G. 5.8 .; Wor. Bros. J. A X. Riedle, G. organist ; R. Bamfield, G. pursuivant; Bro. H. W. Meyer, G. tyler; Bro W. G. Downes, 0. J. Hodge, F. Lewis, Broomhall, I. R. Carter, W. G. M'Kenzie, grand stewards. The District Grand Chaplain having offered prayer, the choir chanted an anthem, and the 1 District Grand- officers received .the salute due to their! rank from the' brethren present, led by the Wor. G.D. of Ceremonies. The R.W. District Grand Master then delivered an inaugural address to the brethren under his jurisdiction. Afterwards he received congratulations from the,-R.W. District • and Provincial Grand Masters present, with those' of the Masters of the lodges under his rule, and from visiting Masters, to each of which he made suitable renlies '• • '

The "Old Hundredth Psalm" was then rendered, by the choir, and "'Farewell till again we shall welcome the time "was sung. 1 The District! Grand Lodge closed in due form.. , - , • ■ ■ i • '■•' ;

We must not omit to mention' that the whole of the beautiful ceremony of installation was composed by theW. President 1 of the Board of General Purposes, Bro. E. Nathan, D.D.G.M. Prior to closing the Lodge an audit committee, consisting- of ■ the WV Bros. Burton, Fordyce, and W. Asher, and a committee to revise .the 1 bye-Ilaws. of the Grand Lodge, consisting of >W.«; Bros. Nathan, Hyman, James, and Burton,* were appointed ; while the District Grand Master specially thanked the choir for the very great musical treat they had afforded them. '

THE BALL. ' A ball to celebrate the installation of the District Grand Master was given in the Garrison Hall on Thursday evening. The interior of the building was appropriately decorated, while the corridors beneath the galleries were fitted with lounges and chairs for the accommodation of the dancers ; appropriate retiring-rooms were provided for the • ladies ; and there was an excellent card-room on the main floor. The Austrian Band discoursed some^ of their sweetest music during the evening; and the whole of the arrangements were admirably carried out by the Board of Stewards, headed by the District Grand Master himself. The supper and other refreshments were of the most recherche character, and were provided in Bro. Waters' well-known and liberal style. Dancing was kept up with great spirit during the evening, and the whole of the persons present (fully 400 in number) thoroughly enjoyed themselves.