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do ask of you and of your company, if you know yourself, at this time, to have done any thing contrary to the laws of masonry, which has not been told to the Provincial Authorities, and whereby you should be suspended from your work ?

W. M.We are good Masons at this very time.'

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D. P. G. M. Have you amongst your company any brother guilty of brawlings, strife, and disobedience in open lodge?'

W. M.We have none, Right Worshipful Master.'

D. P. G. M. Have you any brother who in open lodge is guilty of drunkenness, common swearing, or profane words?'

W. M. We have none, Right Worshipful

Master.'

D. P. G. M. Have you authority to do this day's work?'

W. M. We have, Right Worshipful, and, with your permission, will here read it.'

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The authority was then read, after which the D. P. G. M. resumed, Masters, Wardens, Deacons, and all working Masons, all is right and as it should be; and I give you all joy of this day's work. It has begun in zeal-let it end in charity; and let us give due praise to the Master and Brothers of the Humber Lodge for wishing to raise a temple to Masonry. May the blessing of Heaven be with us all; and may the new Lodge increase in virtue, harbour the poor brethren, and console the rich. Amen and amen.'

The Ark of the Covenant was now introduced and furnished, and the veil was consecrated with the usual ceremonies; after which the procession was formed to the site of the intended building, in Osborne-street, in the following order :

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Masons, not being members of any Lodge, two and two.
Visiting members of neighbouring Lodges, two and two.
The Foundation-stone carried by four Masons.
Banner of the Humber Lodge.

Deacons with Staves

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Deacons Members of the Humber Lodge. with Staves Two Stewards with Wands.

A Banner.

Royal Arch Masons, in sashes and aprons, two and two.
The Corn, Wine, Oil, and Salt, borne by Master Masons.
Chaplain of the Humber Lodge.
Past Masters.

The Bible, Square, and Compasses, on a crimson velvet cushion, borne by a Master Mason.

The Ark, with its covering, borne by four Master Masons.
Secretary and Treasurer with their Jewels.
Senior and Junior Wardens with their Pillars.
Master of the Humber Lodge.

Steward with a Wand

Marshal with a Baton.

Steward Swith a Wand

The Globes, borne by two Master Masons.
Banner of the D. P. G. M.

Acting Provincial Grand Sword Bearer.
Provincial Grand Secretary.

Provincial Grand Architect, with a plan of the building.

Two
Sword

Bearers

Two Marshals with Batons.

Brother R. M. BEVERLEY, Esq., D. P. G. M.
in his robes, under a canopy of silk, borne
by six Master Masons.

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Two Sword Bearers

Brother Rev. G. OLIVER, P. G. C. for Lincolnshire, in his robes,
attended by four Master Masons with Wands.
Banner of the Apollo Lodge, Grimsby.
Two Tylers with Swords.

On arriving at the ground, the brethren formed themselves into a square about the foundation, although they were somewhat incommoded by the immense concourse of people who had assembled to witness the ceremony. The canopy of the D. P. G. M. was placed to the east of the foundation stone, and before the ceremonies commenced, he addressed the spectators as follows:

'Men, women, and childen, here assembled to-day, to behold this ceremony, know all of you that we are lawful Masons, true to the laws of our country, and professing to fear God who is the Great Architect of all things, to confer benefits on our brethren,

and to practice universal benevolence to all mankind. We bave amongst us, concealed from the eyes of all men, secrets which may not be revealed, and which no man has discovered. But these secrets are lawful and honourable, and are placed in the custody of Masons, who alone have the keeping of them to the end of time. Unless our craft were good and our calling honourable, we should not have existed for so many centuries; nor should we have had so many illustrious brothers in our order, ever ready to sanction our proceedings, and contribute to our prosperity. To-day we are assembled in the face of you all to build a house for masonry, which we pray God may prosper, if it seem good unto him; that it may become a house for great and worthy men to practice beneficent actions, and to promote harmony and brotherly love till the world itself shall end.'

The plan was then produced by the architect, which was handed round to the brethren, after being inspected by the D. P. G. M., who anointed the tools of masonry with oil, and delivered them to the Master of the building Lodge, who transferred them to the architect. When the foundation stone was lowered into its bed, the D. P. G. M. struck it three times with the gavel, and the following Prayer of Benediction was recited by the Provincial Grand Chaplain for the county of Lincoln::

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May the Almighty Architect of the Universe, who has disposed all things in order according to the excellency of his will, who made the heavens for his majesty, the sun and stars for his glory and our comfort, and the earth as a place for the exercise of our obedience to his laws, look down upon us Master Masons, now endeavouring to build a house according to the rules of charity, in the bond of love. May this house, of which we have placed the first stone in the earth, be a habitation for worthy men to meet together to do good; may their secret assemblies be convened in law, proceed in honour, and end in charity; may all Masons that enter under the shadow of its roof, remember that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. May the work done here prosper; may the workmen be comforted; may no strife, brawling or unseemly words be heard within its walls; may the master love the brethren, and the brethren honour and obey the master; may our going out and our coming in be blessed for evermore; may our baskets be filled with plenteousness, and the voice of joy and thanksgiving abound; may there be no mourning nor sorrow of heart, and may the wayfaring Mason find comfort in his journey to his home when

he passetli by the gates of this house. O Lord, prosper thou our work, yea, prosper thou our handy work, and teach us at all times, and in all places, to build up in the beauty of holiness that temple of our souls which thou hast given us to adorn with all good works, till we arrive at that glorious mansion in the skies, where all things are perfect, and there is no more labour, but peace and happiness for ever and ever. Amen.'

1'he D. P. G. M. then anointed the foundation stone with oil, and strewed upon it some grains of wheat and salt, and drops of wine, repeating the one hundred and thirty-third Psalm; after which the procession returned in the same order to the Neptune Inn, where about one hundred brethren sat down to an excellent dinner, and the evening was spent with the greatest harmony and brotherly love.

The building was completed in the ensuing September, when Brother R. Mackenzie Beverley, the Grand Superintendent of the Province, issued his summonses for a Grand Provincial Arch-Chapter, to be held at the new Masonic Hall, at which time the Lodge was dedicated with the usual ceremonies.

After the death of H. R. H. the Duke of York, the Prince of Wales's Lodge continued to receive a more than ordinary meed of honour and distinction. H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex, G. M..convened an especial Grand Lodge on Friday, the 22nd of February, 1828, for the purpose of securing to that Lodge a continuance of the royal patronage, which it had hitherto enjoyed. The Grand Lodge, numerously attended, was opened in ample form at the Thatched House Tavern. The following distinguished Brethren were present:

H. R. H. Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex,
M. W. Grand Master, on the Throne,
His Grace the Duke of Leinster, Grand Master of Ireland.
The Right Honourable Lord Dundas, D. G. M.
Gen. Sir John Doyle, Bart., G.C.B., D. P. G.M.

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Richard Percival, Esq., S. G. W.

William W. Prescott, Esq., PSG. W. as J. G. W. D The Right Hon. Lord Yarborough, P. G. M. Isle of Wight, Charles Tennyson, Esq., M.P., P.G. M. Lincolnshire.bo C. K. K. Tynte, Esq., M.P., P. G. M, Somersetshire, Rev. S. S. Colman, Past P. G. M. Norfolk, and G. C. te Sir William Rawlins, P. S. G. W.] [ TN7076 Sir Frederick Fowke, Bart., P. S. G. W.

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· Rev. Barnard Hanbury, G. Chaplain.

Rev. Lucius Coghlan, D.D., Past G. Chaplain. JRA
William Meyrick, Esq., G. Registrar.

William H. White,

Edwards Harper,

} GIS.

With the rest of the Grand Officers, the Grand Stewards for the year, and the Masters, Past Masters, and Wardens of the Grand Stewards, and many other Lodges.

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The Grand Master observed, that, feeling it to be of the first importance to obtain the sanction and protection of the members of the Royal Family to the proceedings of the Craft, and being anxious that the Prince of Wales's Lodge, No. 493, which had for so many years past been honoured by the presidency of the Royal Family-first, in the person of his present Majesty when Prince of Wales, and afterwards by his late Royal Highness the Duke of York-should still continue to have a royal personage at its head,-for this purpose, he had solicited his illustrious relative, the Duke of Clarence, the Lord High Admiral, a Past Deputy Grand Master of the Craft, to take the command of that Lodge, and he had now the satisfaction to announce to the Grand Lodge that his solicitation had met the desired result, his Royal Highness having been graciously pleased to accede to the request. Feeling that this important occurrence and manifestation of regard towards the fraternity by H. R. H. the Duke of Clarence, should be met by the Craft with every demonstration of respect, gratitude and duty; and considering also, that the Master's jewel of the Prince of Wales's Lodge,

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