The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-07-04 00:00:00

FREEMASONRY.
THE INAUGURAL CONSECRATION ADDRESS AT
PORTLAND.

1-- - -- -
odlosr."—Mujor .. _
Wows :—Qoartor-rusator
you IS about to leave '
with this testiasosial r
and edam its which •

-

astray: It was twat.
that • f

Mgraven.


S 4

The whole of the officer' and non-commbsioued
officers of the B battery, A brigade, Royal Horse
Artillery, were assembled on the 11th ult., to
witneen a presentation to Quarter-master Sergeant
Hobert Lethbridge, of a magnificent gold inkstand
and tray, made in the shape of a horse's hoof. The
fallowing inewiption was ingraved on the cover :
" waintod to Quartermaster Sergeant R. Lath-
by hie C- Major H. G. Paget, on his
Artillery, after a service of
_ which as a non-commissioned
Paget addressed the recipient as
' Sergeant Lethbridge, as
the service, I present you
as a token of the high sense
I held you as Quarter-master
you were under -• command,

and instruction, they also lead us in humility of heart
and purity of intention to the footstool of His mercy,
from whence we learn to be happy ourselves, and to
communicate that happiness to our fellow,reateres, by
extere inc to them the Blame mercy, forg•veur i,, and
loving.kiedness we so constantly receive at hi. hreiel
this, to 'elite° the distressed. to soot ii alamitv.
ellevi itii.forteoe, ciampa-siar.te inhere, and restore
eases to tie troubled mind,is the grand alai of the true
5448011 ; for he is here taught that we are a'l sprung
from the game amok, are partakers of the sa
Gat ore, and sharers of the Fame hope. But
while he seeks to exercise in their true sense Uwe°
benign principles of Faith and Charity, be does not
forrpt that every other qualification for good that the
hawse mind can receive, must also contribute to form
the characteristic of the true Mason—if to love and
adore God within unrivalled and iiitinterested erre:Con,
to acquiesce in the dispensations of Divine Providenoe
with a joyful resignation, afford him that peace which
ible'eart''broiden"lanignedeithfoer he t triveperofror tamk
lying upon him, and here those grand principles in
nmeo away,
oafy.s o
every wildl
duty
Masonry, BrolhiTly Love, Relief, nadarriotA, will have
their share in biz doily exercise. Truth is the founds-
tim stone of all that is virtuous, honourable, and dig-
nified in human society, and thud the true Mama
becomes en honour to his country, • glory to humanity,
a satisfaction to himself, and a benefactor to the whole
world. Freemasonry then by • sincere and honest ex-
ercise of it, in • true and lively faith in God, a striot"
obedience to His laws, and a uuivereol charity t-,wards
all mankind, stands tenth as the fairest handmaid of
true religion, unshackled by any particular dogma,
beyond that one all prevailing principle—Divine Truth.
In the ceremonials now before us there is much of re-
ligious and moral truth conveyed; and elide we look to
the externals, we should not entirely disregard their
true value and meaning; for the true riches of Masonry
lie concealed as it were in a c isket—we in at
with our att iinmente as fares the general ritual is con-
cerned, and if we are capable of discharging some of
our duties here, and acquainted somewhat with our
lectures, we too Often conclude that we have done all
that is required of us, it is, therefore, wily on particular
occasions, and on such as the present, that we hove an
opportunity of unfolding them to ascertain their re al
worth, and of searching out much that is valuable, and
thereby drawing around us tighter those cords of
brotherly love which unite us together more firmly in
one Faith, oar) Hope, one Charity. Faith, Hope, and
Charity form the moving spring in Masonry as every
tarn we take, and in the present ceremonials of this
day they will also engage our attention. If we dedicate
our lodge, in the Brit instance, to Freemasonry, we use
the utmost caution that no one shall partake of our
privileges until he has openly acknowledged before us a
true faith and trust in the one Great Creator—the
Governor and bountiful disposer of all ; if we dedicate
It to piety and virtue, we are assured there can be no
true piety of heart or mind without • firm hope in the
Divine promisee; and when we dedicate it to universal
benevolence, we here set forth that greatest of all
virtues—Charity—in its most enlarged sense. While
engaged with our corn, our wine, and our oil, those
great theological virtues shine forth again in all their
lustre; and in the three grand offerings we have to con-
sider they form a prominent part. Faith practically
receives the Divine testimony concerning invisible
things, and looking to Him whom the beloved son of
Abraham prefigured, relies with confidence on Him, and
on the Divine promises concerning Him; Hopepractipally
awaits and expecte the promised blessings to be perfected
maternal life; and Charity is the active motion and prin.
eiple of Divine fellowship and walking with God, and
of all those willing services of brotherly kindness and
charity, which, as Masons, we endeavour so particularly
to cultivate. (He then alluded to those Masonic
traditions whence we learn that it was on holy ground
our first Lodges were established, and then proceeded.)
The committing or dedicating of any person or thing
for pious purposes, is not only of Divine appointment,
but they engage the affections in • hearty thankfulness
for past benefits, and confident expectation of future
blessings. The whole Hebrew nation was consecrated
to be the peculiar people of God. To commemorate the
destruction of-the first-born of the Egyptians when the
Israelites were preparing to go forth from Egyptians,
the
first-born of man and beast were ever after dedicated to
the service of God. The Tabernacle of Moses, and the
Temple of King Solomon were dedicated at the com-
mand of God, and feasts were provided for the people.
The wall encompassing the City of Jerusalem, when it
was finished, was solemnly dedicated with prayers,
praises, and thanksgivings, and with much singing and
music; so also in our Masonic arrangements this
custom has been continued down to us through many
ages, nor should we consider our Lodges fairly estab-
lished without it. The use of corn, wine, and oil is of
the earliest date, and rendered symbolically to represent
the goodness and mercy of God towards his creatures,
Out only in temporal things, but in spiritual blessings
also. The ancient prophets referred to them to
encourage the people in a true faith and dependance on
the bountiful Giver of all good, for all his blessings,
and bounties towards them, as a reward for their
faithful obedience to his haws • and to express the
judgments of God for their disobedience, the corn, wine,
and oil should be with-held. It was from a similar idea
that our ancient brethren have transmitted down to us
their custom in laying the foundation stones of buildings
dedicated to the service of God, in pouring corn, wine,
and oil thereon, in acknowledgement of the great good-
ness and mercy of God towards his people, they erected
those temples to show forth his praise, while at the
saute time they are expressive of their faith, and hope,
and dependence upon him for the completion of the
great work. But in the consecration of Masonic
Ledges, where alone the Sacred Mysteries of Masonry
are unfolded, they will appear to early with them a
mush higher signification, and one well worthy of our
attention; for, on a close examination, it will be found
to be that which forms the ground-work of Masonry
itself, and that whioh our ancient Brethren, when they
left Jerusalem, at the destruction of the Holy City and
Temple, anxious to perpetuate the memorial of that
great work on the Holy Mount, sod the subject of those
sacrifices offered there, • veiled them so carefully to
preserve theindelvestrom persecution at the hands of
the heitheri sealed them, that they left it open to all
who should afterwards join them, to discover its truths
by telling ue in tee very words of Him who was the ,
very centre and Divine perfoction of wisdom, to seek
and ye shall find, ask and ye shalt receive, to knock,
and the door of Divine wisdom awl knowledge will
be opened to us ;" and this Diviiie instruction is to be
traced threugh all the degrees of Masonry. In the cere-
monials now before us, with a little carefal attention, we
cannot fail to discover those scrod and Divine truths,
which to a mind ewbued with the v.dusble and beautiful
principles of Masonry, will render the institution
worthy of the utmrat reverence and esteem. In
the trial or Abraham's faith and obedience, the
offering for sacrifice of his only and beloved sou Isaac,
was • a hole offering; the knife was firmly grasped; the
hand upiaiserh but the fetal blow was not given, the
fire had not been applied, the socrifice was not con-
smiled—it was accepted, and a more agreeable victim
provided; whi h retires. nt the fulness, the suitableness,
and all suffici, ncy of that great and stupendous plan
devised in the divine eounsele for the restoration of
fallen man to the favour and complete acceptance of his
offended Maker. Tile stem itioe of King David VIM a sin
offering as well as • peace offering, a lamb for an offering,
whore body was broken end blood poured out, which
point out tee hope as well as faith of David that his sin
would be pardoned ; it was accepted, and the pestilence
raging ausong.t his people immediately °eased. The
sacrifices of King Solowou at the dedication of time
Temple, were chiefly peace offerings, to testify his
thankfulness and praise at the completion of the great
work, and at the bringing up of the Ark of God, and
placing it in the Tabernecle provided for it, and in those
numerous and wetly offerings were set forth his benevo-
lence and charity, in his profound love to God and
non—they also were accepted, when the Most High in
his beneficence and regard to his favoured people,
descended visibly in his glory, and rested and dwelt
there in the glorious Shekinah on the Mercy Seat. (Here
some important parts of the services of the day were
commented upon which we cannot explain, and con.
fleeting them with the subject of those sacrifices, the
most profound and beautiful Christian truths and
doctrines were laid open to view, and in continuation of
this part of his address, he proceeded to fix the &item
tion of the brethren.) We have here in our very midst
and standing before us, the very same laws as written
by the finger of God on the two tables of stone, given
to Moses on Mount Sinai, and which were then in the
Ark of which King Solomon was celebrating the bringing
up into the Temple, and by the same Divine Spirit
written there also, as an encouragement to our faith,
an assurance of hope, for the establishment of a never'
ceasing charity, his gracious and benevolent assurance
to his people, "Ye are the Temple of the living God,"
and then in the same manner as the Divine glory rested
and dwelt in the Jewish Temple, "And the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you, for the Temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are," wherein the Divine Spirit is
abundantly poured forth in all the variety of his gifts
and graces. And thus in this very simple, primitive,
and ancient Masonic ceremonial, we have a practical
illustration of the great theological virtues; wherein we
express our faith and dependanoe on the bountiful Giver
of all good, our hope in his present and future blessings,.
and our brotherly kindness, benevolence, and charity,,
to all mankind; while those Hoke grand offerings, with
which ins Masonic sense, they appear so intimately con-
nected, pourtray the great work of a Triune Deity in all:,
his offices, in his mercy and loving kindness to man.
Such are the subjects which the present ceremonials
present for our consideration. And while in Masonry
we are instructed to engage ourselves in the study ofd
the libeled arts and sciences, which tend to enrich the
mind, and contribute so much to the comfort tisk
eleganoies of life, and the convenience and w,II-beimgofi
mankind; and also in the exercise of all those religious
and moral virtues which promote the happiness, and
constitute the safeguard of human society; yet we do
not neglect or despise those precious truths and divine
promieee, and the historical record, contained in that
holy volume presented to us at our initiation as • guide
to our faith, end why? beeame they fill us with joy
and peace in believing. With minds thus prepared for
the solemnities of the day, I trust we may all derive
some light and instruction from this as from the other
ceremonies of the order, wherein the divine truths
Freemasonry is intended to convey to us are 80 beauti-
fully set forth; and being so engaged, I pray that a ray
of divine mercy and heavenly light may no rest upon
us, that at the conclusion of our labours, we may each
be ready simultaneously to exclaim, as it were in our
own minds, in the language of those holy men of old
upon the mount, "It is good for us to be here."

PORTLAND POST-OFFICE
Postmaster—Mr. Harvey, chemist, Fortune's Well.

Letter-box closes for the dispatch of letters, per
Western mails, viz. :—Chippenham, Bath, Bristol,
South Wales, Birmingham, Worcester, Glom:meter, and
North of England, daily at 3.30 p.m.
For London, Salisbury Line, South-Western Bail,
and all towns served by day mails from London, the
Continent and Colonial ports at 7 p.m.
On Sundays at 11.30 only.
DELIVERY OF Ltrrgas.
At 7.30 a.m. daily from London, Salisbury Line,
South-Western Bail, the Continent and Colonial ports,
acc.

At 1 pm. from Sherlbome, Yeovil, Bristol, North
and South Wales, North of England, Scotland, and
Ireland, daily, Sundays excepted.
Money orders are lamed and paid daily from 9 a.m.
until 5.30 p.m. On Saturdays until 8 p.ra.

The following is the discourse delivered by Brother
Jacobs, P.P.G., Supt. of the Who, of Dorset, at the
Grand Ceremony of Consecration of Lodge No. 1037-
for which we oould not find space in our last:-
Brother Jacobs, addressing the assembled Lodges,
said: We are assembled together this day, for the
discharge of a very important and interesting duty,
that of dedicating a new Lodge for the purposes
of Freemasonry, and solemnly consecrating the same for
the performance of those ancient and snored duties eon.
seated with it, in the initiation of candidates through
the sublime mystriee of our Order, in the discharge
of our 111E80;1k duties when, in the prayer of, faith we
seek for divine assistance, and supplicate the aid of that
Omnipotent Light- the Great Geometrician of the
Universe-on behalf of ourselves and of those who may
kneel before Him, that the work begun in His name,
may be continued to His glory, and be evermore firmly
established by obedienoe to His precepts, we may hope to
receive out of His fulness such a portion of divine
WISDOM, as will enable us to pursue that path in life
.4. foremen omesion them wherein the divine blessing will accompany us in all
measly - , *Me sionsil vs- good remelt our undertakings, affording us STRENGTH to support us
might be , , ~fieee ewes =IA Aid we sustare, under every difficulty, and for the discharge of all those
. 4,, ~.. . legiltlip tie allow the prepaid to moral and religions duties here set before us for our
be . • ' • , Celia if Qualm Rensieas, with a guidance and instruction, so that, in that BEAUTY OF
view Is ;14,4"*„.. ' ' ' , HOLLNIAS which hiasonr7 holds out for our acceptant..,
- lirsismeni bob., my lae6, our path way be as a shining light which shineth more and
'trig! Yeur Lerdship's sniffiest servants, more unto that perfect day, which will open to us the
B. R. * ~, esd Haim of Worsham. commencement of a never-ceasing bliss and fellowship,
14 •*:'4. . ef =riztwitis ?name. through the countless ages of eternity. The records of
Bcdmaii• '' 4.
...,,..„ a our proceedings will bear in mind for many years to
DOOM ''''. . - Et BIEBBEEP• come, the day wherein the benign rays of Freemasonry
loeter first abed their calm and peaceful light on this now
Ms & • eitiggraialle. favoured Island; we may therefore congratulate our.
W. '' ' •N. , , llPPileallilestim selves on the increase and spread of Masonry not only in
OIVISI &
....• '. ' • of Caw* Londe. this country but in every part of the world, and
William' "1„.7- Rosner of inn Stoke. partioulerly at a time when a bold and determined
William - A; ' ' ef Illeagie with nimbu, front against every liberal and enlightened institution
IL a:. '''''' "'"- Viler of eitah. daring the six years y..._ _ -..er my e being upraised by the powers of darkness, and
Geo. V. i• l boa at . for your trustworthy oondnot and integrity as a non- Masonry in particular is openly denounced by them as
To the -7'l.7iVi- , the Leta commissioned officer, and I enjoin all now present, needful to be swept from the face of the earth, it would
• ofteuQuartn.tbat
forealgOONiti:"brinet.own
pan
he
was
szeinellOyokOf watodmfollanowyourinnyoueorlatep.dier ::,. to take you as an appear tiniest as • providential design of holding sacred.
The and inviolable within the Mason's Lodge, those sacred
greatly(Mtir to Yr. Gedseal for this The following day, on !?ffinrizif the aommaad ties/urea of Divine Truth, which have been carefully
matter fontsia. ' It we. moil-sisimbie Mist of the battery, ifijor thw handed down to us from their first prouiulgation in
Wiese** he breadth to bears Mae who (unwell „ureic, which rw.lll..pcmixoca he afo Judea to the present day, through the instrumentality
vent onwrictOd mime, not only w In the gaol; pcmui ek.& A.
:44
- of Freemasonry. Freemasonry undoubtedly partakes
bat oleo OW, repines
41=Frty. He. --Y* Aft'''. "lakeilitlishilPiewlijit_/' ot the character of a Divine !neat • f li'cli ntion that or w i
however Wilt that Mit ' ID tar..l"art, 'th"" kw "oil hie sialli"dil'd ........* our earlleat Brethren worked wadi for a divine purpose
the first pew AMMO at the lease time every hiprt woalfaled with Lis principles and moral troths are all drawn from-a
to report thereon ermiskabilemions, .1101 TOW at the lam they omislaill la Wing him. divine setuee--all its oeremoniee partake of a divine
Mr. GaiennirjrCandin inves.incoo4ll6 was Moen Sire Mao given for Mrs. Pig* whose on. abareoter, for while they. illptetrate the wisdom the
taanhaelig ' rater Oona for the welfare ad the Married listia, and imokids sic the Meet Sigh * Our **lift
,