Kent.

Grand Master . They trusted he might live to continue to preside over the Province for many years yet to come . Earl Amherst announced that H . R . H the Grand Master of England had been pleased to say that he would allow Kentish Masons to wear their Charity badge in connection

with the recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls so long as they remained subscribing members of a Kentish Lodge . This His Royal Highness had permitted as a recognition of the very handsome sum contributed at the Festival , and the record contribution of the Brethren of the Province .

An adjournment was then made while the Brethren attended divine service , which was held at the Parish Church of St . Mary the Virgin , the sermon being preached by the Provincial Grand Chaplain . On the resumption , the Provincial Grand Master had

much pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to the Mayor and Corporation , for the use of the Town Hall ; to the Vicar , for permission to use the Church ; and to the Prov .

Grand Chaplain for his excellent sermon ; all of which were unanimously approved . The amount of the offertory at the church was ^ n 3 s 8 d . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed .

The Annual Festival was afterwards celebrated under the presidency of the Provincial chief who , at the conclusion of the dinner , submitted the toast of the King and the Craft , followed by that of the Grand Master H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught . The Chairman said he thought they might

look forward to a continuance of the prosperity the Craft had enjoyed under the rule of the present chief's royal brother , as the new ruler had already shown his interest in the Brotherhood . At all events , the Brethren were ready and willing to give the Duke of Connaught a hearty greeting at the start .

The toast of the Grand Officers was next given and responded to , and then the new Senior Warden of the Province rose . The Prov . G . M . had kindly handed over the gavel to him , which was an intimation that he had the honour of proposing what he was sure would be regarded as

the toast of the evening—the health of the Provincial Grand Master Earl Amherst . He felt quite inadequate to express the sentiments they all felt as Kentish Masons towards Earl Amherst . He could say many pretty things of his lordship , but in his presence it would be somewhat out of place .

There was an old saying that if one was talked about , one ' s ears burnt—if that were so then Earl Amherst ' s ears must be continually burning , for his Brethren in Kent were continually singing his praises . The splendid way in which Earl Amherst carried out his duties , not only as Provincial

Grand Master of Kent , but as Pro Grand Master of England were well known , and spoke for themselves . It would not be right on the present occasion , in the presence of the ladies , to go into details—nor was it necessary in such an assemblage of Kentish Masons . The toast was most heartil y received , and was accorded a ringing " Kentish fire . "

Earl Amherst , m his reply , thanked his Senior Warden that he had not said to his lace ail the good things he had explained were said behind his back ; at least he felt in a better position than he would in thinking that all the unkind things were said in his absence . He had had the privilege

of replying to the toast for many years , and he felt he should not have deserved the thanks that had been expressed on so many occasions if he had not really striven to make the Province of Kent what it had come to be—one of the first in the country , Masonically speaking . Pie felt they had

some occasion to be proud of themselves . They had made an effort which had ended in a result no Province had ever equalled—on behalf of the Charities—and which he thought it would take a long time for any other Province to equal . He was particularly gratified the Grand Master had acceded

to his request to recognise that success by according the Kentish Stewards the privilege of wearing their Charity badges as long as they remained members of Kentish Lodges . It was an honour onl y twice before accorded in connection with the Charities—on the occasion of the

Centenaries of the Girls and the Boys Institutions . They could not have expected to rival the totals received on either of those occasions , but they had done their best and , although Kent was by no means the most important Province of England , they had succeeded in overtopping all previous

Kent.

efforts . On ordinary occasions the Stewards' jewels were probably passed over to the ladies as brooches or other ornament , but on this occasion they would continue to adorn the manly breasts of the men of Kent . Generally , he might say that Freemasonry had gone on with the usual

prosperity of the Province of Kent . They had not consecrated any new Lodges in the past year , and only one new Chapter , but they had done so much in extending the Order during the last twenty-five years that he felt there was little more to accomplish without treading on the ground covered

by the existing Lodges , and that he would never agree to . He felt that not once in his time had a new Lodge been created likely to interfere with older ones ; rather the new ones had added to the prosperity of the older ones , and advanced the practice of Freemasonry generally . They had

to maintain their prestige m Kent—a high and lofty one ; and he could but asK them to keep Kent where she wasthe admiration of the Provinces of England . They heard no sounds of dissention such as were heard in some parts , and he hoped the same spirit would always prevail among

them , so that they might always be found in the spirit of the proud motto on their jewel—Invicta . At the end of forty years of Mastership he was told the Brethren desired to offer him a testimonial . He replied no better compliment could be paid him than a bumper Festival for the Institution

he had promised to preside over . The Brethren of his Province gave him that bumper , and for that and all the support they had rendered him in the past he desired to tender his very hearty thanks to his good Brethren of Kent . The next toast was that of Bro . James S . Eastes P . G . D .

D . P . G . M ., and m proposing it Earl Amherst said he was very sorry to ask the Brethren to honour it on an occasion when there would be no response , but the Brethren of Kent had so often honoured the toast of the Deputy Provincial Grand Master in his presence that for once they might do

the same in his absence . Bro . Eastes had recently suffered a family bereavement which rendered it impossible for him to join in their festivities that day , but like the good Mason he was he had attended the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge , and done his share of the work thereof . When he

pitched on Bro . Eastes as Deputy Grand Master he certainly made a most happy selection ; for nearly thirty years he had well occupied his position at or near the right of the Prov . Grand Master . He had never regretted taking the advice

of such a Brother , and the members of the Province had never had occasion to find fault with any of the rulings or advice he had given . They all regretted the cause of his absence . The toast was heartily received .

The Chairman next proposed the health of the Provincial Grand Officers present and past , who , he said , never spared any effort to keep up the reputation of Freemasonry in the Province .

Bro . W . H . East Prov . S . G . vV . replied , tendering thanks for the toast . He assured the Chief that the Officers appointed that day would be proud of following in the footsteps of their predecessors . He was especially proud of the

honour conferred upon himself , during the term when he had been re-elected to fill the Office of W . M . in the Centenary year of his Lodge . The toast was also acknowledged on behalf of the Past Provincial Grand Officers .

Major V . H . Stallon Prov . J . G . W . proposed the next toast . At the command of the Prov . G . M . he had in ask

the Brethren to drink the health of the visitors . For the Province of Kent to entertain visitors was no unusual thing , and he could safely say that such would always receive a hearty welcome among them . They had that night , in

addition to the ordinary guests to their Lodge , a number of fair visitors who , although prevented from participating in the regular work of Freemasonry , yet gave it cordial and great help , and that being so he had additional pleasure in coupling with the toast the health of the Ladies .

Bro . Painter replied . When he arrived there that day he felt a very young member of the Order indeed , but being saddled with the response to the toast of the visitors made it a \ ery different matter . He tendered hearty thanks for the reception accorded the visitors .

' The Provincial Grand Master again rose . Before they left he was sure they would not like it if they did not drink to the toast of the Masonic Charities . They honoured them on that occasion , and they had shown that they sometimes thought of them at other times . They should endeavour to