Page 4 - Book 1_Neat

CONSECRATION MINUTES pp 1-2

Treasurer, Charity Steward and Tyler were elected by ballot. W Bro Raybould invested
Officers of the Lodge. There are some interesting points. The Lodge was resumed in the
various Degrees without closing one first. The IPM had never actually been the WM of the
Lodge. The Treasurer, Charity Steward and Tyler were elected in the usual way but the first
Master was not elected. He was only referred to as the master Designate.

The By-Laws of the Lodge were approved and adopted. Sadly, there is no copy appended to
the Minutes nor is there a copy of the Summons calling the meeting. It was proposed that
the Consecrating Officers be made Honorary Members. Surprisingly this did not include the
Wardens or the Organist. Five brethren were proposed as joining members and four candidates
were proposed.

The Provincial Chaplain, W Bro Rev S P Rowcroft, was to play a part in the early meetings of
the Lodge. At the first Regular Meeting of the Lodge on 15 March 1951 Bro W H Hampton,
who became a joining member that evening, presented the Lodge with a VSL. The Provincial
Chaplain blessed it. The WM then read a passage from it - 1 Kings chap6 v7 about the stone
used in the building of the Temple at Jerusalem.
"7. In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel
or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built."
This explains part of the way in which the Initiate is prepared.

At the third Regular meeting on 3 October 1951 W Bro Y W Reeves, who was not a member
of Shenstone but was Junior Warden of Lapal Lodge and Steward of Perseverance Lodge
presented the Lodge with the Banner that he had made. The Provincial Chaplain blessed it.