FREEMASONRY IN NELSON.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1301, 21 May 1878, Page 3

FREEMASONRY IN NELSON.

[From the " Morning Advertiser" of May 16.] On Monday at one o'clock p.m. a special train left Nelson for Wakefield, containing about thirty-fivo members of the Masonic fraternity, who had been invited by the Forest Lodge to the annual installation of its Worshipful Master. Lodge was opened in due form at three o'clock, and the Worshipful Master, officers and brethren of the Southern Star Lodge of Nelson were reported and admitted, together with visitors from various other Lodges of the colony. The installation ceremonies were impressively administered by Bro. Dr. W. B. Sealy, P.M., and Bro. Richard Ohattock was proclaimed Master of the Forest Lodge, who, thereafter, invested his officers for the current year, Bro. W. G. Sealy officiating as organist for the occasion. At six o'clock the brethren sat down to a banquet provided at the Forest Inn in Bro. R. M. Smith's excellent style. After the usual loyal and Masonic toasts, Bro. Gowland, the retiring master, gave the toast of " The Worshipful Master and Brethren of the Southern Star Lodge," to which Bro. W. M. Stanton, as master, responded, reviewing the masonic events of the past year, not only as relating to Now Zealand, but to the world at large, and as the deduction from that retrospect, earnestly invited the brethren to circumspection in the acceptance of candidates, that the order might suffer no reproach from tho careless admission of unworthy members. "The Board of Installed Masters," "The Present and tho Retiring Master," " Tho Visiting Brethren," and other toasts in special character were drunk, and the proceedings were enlivened by music and songs. At 10 o'clock Bro. Dr. Boor gave tho " Tyler's toast," which terminated an exceedingly pleasant afternoon and evening, and the Nelson Brethren returned by rail. At the Southern Star Lodge, last evening, the Worshipful Master proclaimed the verdict of the Grand Lodge of England in reference to the recent action of tho Grand Orient of France, the purport of which is that henceforth masters of English Lodges are directed "not to admit any foreign brother as a visitor, unless, Ist: He is duly vouched for, or unless his certificate showed that he lias been initiated according to tho Ancient rites and ceremonies in a Lodge professing belief in T.G.A.O.T.U. And, 2ndly i Not until he himself shall acknowledge th"' this belief is an eeaential landmark <?? the Order,"