Prov. Grand Lodge Of Sussex.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF SUSSEX .

A N especial Provincial Grand . Lodge of Sussex was _ 0 ^ held in tho Music Room , Royal Pavilion , on Satur . afternoon , tho 1 st inst ., when Bro . tho Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , Q . C ., M . P ., Judge Advocate-General , Past

Grand Steward and Past Provincial'Senior Grand Warden , was installed as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . There was a largo gathering of Sussex Freemasons and distinguished visiting brethren . Bro . Colonel Shad well H . Gierke Grand Secretary , deputed by the Provincial Grand

Master the Duke of Oonnaught , presided . Tho WardenV chairs wero occupied by Bros . Lieutenant-General 0 . W . Randolph and T . Billing . Among the Grand Officers present were Bros . Sir J . B . Monckton Past Grand Warden , F . A . Philbrick , Q . G ., Grand Registrar , Lient .-Colonel

Somorville Burney Past Grand Deacon , J . S . Bastes Past Grand Deacon Deputy Provincial Grand Master Kent , F . West Past Grand Deacon Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( in charge ) Surrey , E . Letchworth Past Grand Deacon , G . F . Matier Past Grand Standard Bearer , A . H .

Moyes Past Grand Standard Bearer Deputy Provincial Grand Master Cambridge , Aug . Harris Grand Treasurer . The distinguished visitors also included the Worshipful the Right Hon . the Lord Mayor of London , Brother Henry A . Isaacs , W . M . Drury Lane , and Lord Walter G .

N . Lennox . There was also a very largo muster of present and past Prov . G . Officers and members of the Province . Tho Provincial Grand Lodge having been formally opened , the acting Provincial Grand Master , who was supported on the right by Bro . Sir J . B . Monckton , Past Grand

Warden and acting Deputy Provincial Grand Master , having called upon tho Provincial Grand Secretary to read , the notice convening tho meeting , said that three years since be presided over the Provincial Grand Lodgeon the death of the late Bro . John Henderson Scott . He

then had the high honour of installing as their Deputy Provincial Grand Master their late excellent and worthy Brother Gerard Ford , whoso services for three years were beyond all praise . He was happv to feel that those

services were duly and gratefully recognised by resolutions lately passed in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he would add his own humble , personal testimony to the zeal of one whoso whole time had been devoted to the advancement

aud prosperity of Freemasonry in Sussex . Bro . Gerard Ford had been called away to his last rest , and , again , he ( Bro . Shadwell H . Gierke ) by the gracious appointment of their Provincial Grand Master , tho Duke of Connaught , was in the chair to instal yet another good brother , Sir

W . T . Marriott , as Deputy Provincial Grand Master . Ho felt sure that the latter appointment would meet with general approval , and that their distinguished brother would bring io bear upon his office all those various attributes of zeal and energy which had so amply characin

u's ^ oil his work other departments outside Freemasonry , ami as years rolled on he believed he would prove a worthy successor to his eminent predecessors . The patent of Bro . Sir W . T . Marriott ' s appointment having been read , h ' . ' was duly obligated , invested , and installed , aud took the

chitir amidst hearty applause . Addressing the brethren , thw newly-installed Deputy Provincial Grand Master expressed his deep feelings of thankfulness for the kind manner in which his appointment had been received . Many words were not expected from him . All he wonld

say was that two feelings affected him—gratitude to their Provincial Grand Master , the Duke of Connaught , for having deemed him worthy of the high office conferred upon liim , and fear lest he should not be found equal to the duties that office required . He would , however , do his utmost to merit tho confidence reposed iu him , aud to per-

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Sussex.

form the various duties entrusted to him . Ho then invested Bro . Crawford J . Pocock as Provincial Grand Senior Wardvm . The Provincial Lodge having been duly closed , the brethren adjourned to the banqueting room , where they sit down to an elegant banquet , served up in

inimitable style by Bro . J . Savers . The newly-instilled Deputy Provincial Grand Master presided , and was supported by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of

Loudon and the Officers of Grand Lodge . Tho Chairman opened the toast list by proposing tho Queen and the Craft , and the Most Worshipful Grand Master H . R . H . tho Prince of Wales . He then

gave the Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master the Right lion , tho Earl of Carnarvon , tho Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master tho Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , and the Officers of Grand Lodge present and past . It was well-known , he said , how admirably the Grand Officers

performed their duties , and he was pleased to see so many present . Ho wished to couple with the toast the name of Bro . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C ., whom ho had known as a friendly opponent for twenty yeara , and who , at great inconvenience , had only just arrived—too late for tho

banquet . In Bro . Philbrick they had one who had always been ready to exert himself and to make sacrifices for tho good of Freemasonry . Bro . Philbrick , in responding , said tho Chairman , like an experienced huntsman , had acted upon the old advice , " Hunt your hounds hungry . " Their

Deputy Provincial Grand Master could , however , do no wrong , particularly on the first occasion of his occupying his throne . Tho choice made by H . R . H . the Duke of

Connaught was , he believed , a good one , and he wished Bro . Sir W . T . Marriott health , happiness and prosperity in his reign of office . He trusted it would be a Jong one , and that under his care the Province would continue to

make substantial progress . The Chairman next proposed the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . He said he had no need to sing the praises of one who , they all knew , had the interests of Freemasonry in Sussex thoroughly at heart . In tho

Jubilee year their Provincial Grand Master embraced the opportunity of visiting Sussex , and of assisting in the consecration of the Earl of Sussex Lodge . The Duko was coming homo this year , and , though it was dangerous to predict , he ( Bro . Marriott ) felt that one of the first things

he would do would be to pay a visit to tho Freemasons of Sussex , and they , he was sure , would give him tho warmest and heartiest of the receptions ho would experience iu England . Bro . Shadwell H . Gierke then proposed tho Wor . Deputy Provincial Grand Master ( in charge ) , tho

Right Hon . Sir W . T . Marriott , Q . C ., M . P ., Judge Advocate-General Past Grand Steward . In submitting the toast , he said ho did so with mingled feelings , for he could not help casting his thoughts and memories back to old days . The past was , however ,

gone , never to return ; and , as men of the world , they must look to tho future . Occupying the proud position of Installing Officer in the afternoon , he had great pleasure in proposing the toast—a toast which would come homo to the hearts of the Freemasons in Sussex . Tho

worthy brother appointed by H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught was , he said , in many phases a distinguished man , He was a member of Her Majesty ' s Privy Council , a Counsel learned in the Law , senior M . P . for Brighton , and in Masonry had served as Provincial Senior Grand

Warden . Some twenty years since Brother Sir W . T . Marriott had been initiated into one of the most distinguished of Lodges , and , twelve years ago , had received the appointment of Grand Steward . He had secured tho appreciation of Sussex Masons , and was a member of three

Sussex Lodges . It was such a worthy aud distinguished man and Mason that had been appointed to preside over them . They had heard his promise to perform to tho utmost tho duties of his high trust , and he ( Bro . Gierke ) believed that promise to bo sincere . All present would , ho

was sure , join him iu congratulating Sir W . 1 . Marriott upon bis appointment to tho high oilice of Deputy Provincial Grand Master . Bro . Sir W . T . Marriott , on rising to respond , was received with hearty and prolonged applause . He said he could not find words to thank the brethren

sufficiently for their kindness towards him . Ho esteemed highly the honour conferred upon him by the Duko of Connaught , and appreciated sincerely tho cordial manner in which that appointment had been accepted by tho Masons of Sussex . Tho Duke , doubtless , had not relied upon his own judgment , but had consulted tho Grand