A MASONIC JUBILEE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7232, 19 October 1901, Page 6

A MASONIC JUBILEE.

THE UNANIMITY LODGE. The celebration of the jubilee of the Unanimity Lodge, No. 3, Lyttelton, to take place on Wednesday next, will be unique in the history of Freemasonry in New Zealand, the first function of the- kind held in the colony. It is true that there are two Masonic lodges in New Zealand senior to the Unanimity, the Ara, No. 1, at Auckland, and the Pacific, No. 2, at Wellington, but these, when their fiftieth anniversaries arrived, did not, for various reasons, celebrate tthem. So to the Unanimity Lodge has been left the honour of holding the first Masonic jubile-a gathering in New Zealand. The brethren of the Lodge, led by the energetic W.M., Bro W. H. Dale, and an actively enthusiastic secretary, the Rev E. Eliot Chambers, have determined that the celebration shall be worthy of the occasion, and have not only arranged a fitting programme, but have invited the attendance of all Masonic dignitaries in the colony, from the Grand Master of the New Zealand Constitution to the Masters and Wardens of subordinate Lodges of all constitutions. A large number of these gentlemen have notified their acceptance of the invitation. The principal function "in connection with the jubilee will : take place on the evening of Wednesday next, Oct. 23, the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the Unanimity Lodge. On that day the officers and members of the Lodge will assemble in ■their Lodge room at 7 p.m. At 7.30 visitors are. to be admitted, and various Past Masters of the Lodge and other brethren, will read short papers dealing with its history. Music appropriate to the proceedings will be rendered by a choir under W. Brq E. U, Just. A banquet, for which elaborate preparations ihave been made, will follow the meeting. It is to take placa in the Oddfellows' Hall, "Winchester Street, and Mr Buggey has been selected caterer. Though the wives and families of members are, of Masonic necessity, excluded from the aforementioned functions, they have not been overlooked. On the following evening, Thursday, Oct. 24, an entertainment; will bs' given to the ladies in the Oddfellows' Hall, where Bro A. J. Merton will conduct, and some of the best Christchurch talent, including a full orchestra, will participate in a concert of a high class. Refreshments are to be provided for the guests. The turn of the children i-s to come on the evening of Friday, Oct. 25, when, in the Oddfellows' Hall, Bro T. Crook will exhibit a number of limelight views, comprising representations of scenes in the early days of Canterbury, and music will bo rendered -under the direction of Bros Just and Barbour. HISTORY OF THE LODGE. The following interesting summary of the history of the Unanimity .Lodge, theoldest Masonic Lodge in this Island, ; (has 'been kindly supplied by the present secretary the , Rev E. Kiot Chambers, P.M. : — ' j The inauguration of the Unanimity Lodge dates' from Oct. 23, 1851, when it was opened by warrant held from Pacific Lodge, Wellington, No. 758, E.G. Tie three brethren named in the warrant were Messrs Alport, Donald and Marshman, who» associating with them Bros Wonnald, Dobbs, Mollett, Allez and Lander, proceeded to oipen' a Lodge to be known by the'n'aihe of. Unanimity, of Lyttelton, and numbered 879 on the roll of Grand Lodge of England. The Lodge was held for the first few years in the storey of Bro A-lport, who nominated the following officers on the first night of meeting: — Augustus James Alport, P:M., W.M. ; William Donald, S.W. ; Arthur Acheson Dobbs, J.W. ; Thomas Mollett, S.D. ; Charles Allez, J.D. ; Richard Wormald, 1.G. ; John Marshman, secretary. Of tie above brethren 'several at- , taiced the chair of Worshipful Master, Br'ds ; i Alport and Donald on four different occasions, while Bro Donald as D.Gr.M. : attained the highest office possible in New Zealand under the English Constitution. Although it was early in the settlement of Canterbury, yet the Lodge in. these- days grew fast in numbers, and. the first admitted after those mentioned was ' Cyril Mountfort,' who arrived in the. eclony an. E.A., receiving his other degrees in 'Unanimity. Among those who were initiatejd; or affiliated in the " fifties " were J., Jjfes- i wick, C. Davie, J. Le Cren, J. Birch; '„'% ' Gee, E. C. Latter, T. Cass, J. Cuff, XSuiH dry, D. A. Britten, E. A. Hargreaves,^. ' M. Heywood, F. F. Paul, F. Polhili, B. Buchanan. J. C. Marcharit, G. Tayler, Croabie Ward, J. D. Bamford and J. S. Wilcox. In September, 1853,- the plot of ground was purchased on which the Lodge at present stands, and steps were at once taken for the collection of a fund to erect a building. September, 1863, brought about another change, inasmuch as the Grand Lodge of England, on revision 'pT f their register of Lodge numbers, changed the number to 604. by which number the Lodge was ever after known under the E.C., only changing in 18S0 when it joined the New Zealand Constitution. • Going back for a moment to the " fifties," it is found that on Oct. 25, 1855, the brethren of the Lodge assembled and marched in order to the temporary building used by the Church of England in Lyttelton, where- a service was held by the Revs Paul and Mathias. The former brother preached a sermon suitable to the occasion, which was the laying of the .foundation stone of the Lodge, the brethren marching to the site (after service in the church), the W.M. Bro W. Donald conducting the ceremony, and afterwards addressing the assembled spectators on "The End and Advantages of Masonry." The usual banquet was held in the afternoon, at which many toasts were given and responded to, songs were sung, and fraternity and harmony presided. The old records state that on the brethren separating that evening it was felt by all that the day had been well *pent. In July. 1859, Unanimity jointd with St Augustine, and Southern Cross in the inauguration of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Canterbury, the first ProGrand Master being Right Worshipful Bro the Hon John Charles Watts Russell. During the "fixties" another batch of early colonists apptnir on the register, viz.: — E. Reew, G. Godfrey, R. Chisholm, R. Lanauze, William Reeves, Dr Rouse, A. Louis* sois, Dr Mcttley, T. Bacon, R. Downing, j. E. Graham, T. E. Priest, I. N. Fairliurst A. Rose, H. N. Nalder, H. M'Lenn:m, T. M'Clatchie-, H. Hawkins, W. Pitciitlily, A; Cuff, G. TaJbot, Dr H. Macdonald, P. Cunningham and. A; J'oyc;. From the last-mentioned date until 1883 r-olhing of .much importance seems to ha.ye taken place, the Lodge pursuing the even tenor of its way, gradually growing in I strength and importance, and surely be- : coming worthy of its position as Senior Lodge in the South Island. On August 9, 1888, a Royal Arch Chapter was consecrated under" the Supreme Grand Chapter of England, the First, Second and Third Priu cipals being respectively Most Ex. Ccmm. H. Thomson, W*. Deamer and R. JJ. Thomas. In- the year 1890, and on April 13, Unanimity severed its connection with the Grand Lodge of England, and became No. 3 on the roll of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, the Charter members bsing Past Masters S. Derbidge, H. F. ArnoM, C. Cook, R. Griffiths, J. Thompson, H. W. Baker and E. Eliot Chambers. The Albert Edward Royal Arch Chapter went over to the Supreme GTand Chapter of New Zealand on January 9, 1892, the following Comps. being in office: — H. F. Arnold, Z. ; J. Thompson, H. ; N. Schumacher, J. ; S. Derbidge, Treas. ; H. Baker, S.E. ; W. F. Mitford, S.N. ; E. Eliot Chambers, Prin. Snj. ; T. L. Smith, Assis. ; A. Gor-

don, Janitor. The Chapter now has 4 membership of 60, and works tb* Threfl degrees Mark, Excellent and Royal Arch, as well as the side degrees of the Red Cross Knights and Royal Ark Mariners. In the year of the late Queen Victoria's Jubilee, the Lodge built and opened th« splendid refectory adjoining the main builds ing. It but remains to state that Unanimity is now the Premier Lodge in the Colony in respect to numbers — viz., 128 members being good on the books. Since the formation of the Lodge in 1851, 513 members have affiliated or been initiated, and from the roll of Wor. Masters it will be seen how fortunate Unanimity has bear in the selection of her rulers. The following is the list of tie Past Masters of the Unanimity Lodge: — W. Bra A. J. Alport, 1855-56-62-64; W. Bro W« Donald, M.D.. 1854-58; W. Bro A. A. ; Dobbs, 1855; W. Bro H. E. Alport, 1857 1; W. Bro T. Gee, 1859-60; W. Bro J; 0. Balestie, 1861; W. Bro J. S. Wilco^ 1863 ; W. Bro H. Rensbaw. 1865 ; W. Bra J. T. Rouse. M.D., 1866-67; W. Bro H. N. Nalder, 1868-69 ; W. Bro W. Mills,, • 1870-71; W- Bro H. M'Lellan, 1872-73 ;i W. Bro R. Anderson. 1874-75 ; W. Bw> P. Cunningham. 1876-77; W. Bro C. A« Rich. 1878; W. Bro W. B. Allwright, 1879-80 ; W. Bro T. Pritchard, 1881 ; W. BroS Derbidge. 1882; W. Bro TV. Hamson, 1883; W. Bro H. F. Arnold, 1884-85;; W. Bro S. W. Mitchell, 1886"; W. Bro C. : E. Curtis, 1887-88; W. Bro J. H. Schmidt^ 1889; W. Bro J. Thompson, 1890 ; W. Bro Colin Cook, 1891 ; W. Bro. R. M. Griffiths, 1892; W. Bro H. W. Baker, 1893; W, Bro T. L. Smith, 1894---95: W. Bro C. H. Agar, 1896; W. Bro E. Eliot Chambers, R_N.,,1897j W- Bro T. M. Lewington, 1898; W. Bro A, Bates, 1899; W. Bro J. A. , Suiter, 1900 j W. Bro W..H. Dale, 1901. The present officers axe:-— W» H. Dale, W.M. ; J. A. Suiter, LP.M. ; D. Jack, S.W. ; . W. Cleary, J.W. ; A. Henderson,, Treas. ; E. Eliot Chambers, P.M. Sect. ;, H. SmithY S.D. ; C. Flavell, J.D. ; J. Furneaux, D.C. ; H. Davis, 1.G. ; N^ Neville, Tyler. Portraits of the Masters of the Lodge,, and a view of the Lodge building will be given' in next week's "Canterbury Times.'*