Ar00902

f ^^^^^^^^ W23 GREAT QUEEN STREET , W . C .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SURREY .

THE Freemasons of this Province assembled on the 14 th instant , at tbe Masonic Hall , Woking Station , nnder the presidency of the R . W . Bro . General Stndholme Brownrigg , C . B ., the Provincial Grand Master . There was a very large attendance of the Craftsmen of the District , the whole of the tvvent . y . fonr Lodges being repre . sented . After tbe formal opening of Provincial Grand Lodge , the

first business of the day was the consecration to Masonic purposes of the new Hall , which has just been erected by the members of the Weyside Lodge , No . 1395 , which meets at Woking Station . This waa done , with the ceremonial usual on such occasions , the proceedings being conducted by the Provincial Grand Master , assisted by tbe Rev . C . W . Arnold , M . A ., Deputy Prov . Grand Master Surrey , Past

Grand Chaplain of England , who officiated as Consecrating Chaplain . After the roll of Lodges in the Province had been called—which , ns already stated , were fully represented—the Report of the Finance and Audit Committee was presented . This showed there was a balance of £ 162 5 s 5 d at command of Provincial Grand Lodge , aud the Committee recommended the following grants : —To the Royal

Masonio Institntion for Girls , Fifteen Guineas ; to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , Ten Guineas ; to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institntion for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons , Ten Guineas . The Committee likewise recommended that Ten Guineas be voted to the St . John ' s Church ( Woking ) Enlargement Fund . These recommendations received the universal support of those

members of Prov . Grand Lodge who were in attendance , and the Report was unanimously adopted . Bro . J . M . Clabon's proposal to increase the fees to the Fund of Benevolence , was next , on reference from Grand Lodge , brought under consideration , but the opinions gathered were decidedly in opposition to any such increase being made . Amongst other matters that claimed attention , was the cir .

onlar issued from Grand Lodge as to the precedence of Grand Officers , and some suggestions were elicited . as to the desirability of the status of Prov . Grand Officers being move adequately defined at head - quarters . On the proposition of the Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Geo . Price was re-elected Grand Treasnrer , and graceful recognition was made of the zeal he displayed in the fulfilment of his duties . The ser . vices of Bro . C . Greenwood , who for upwards of twenty-five years

has held the office of Prov . Grand Secretary , were also acknowledged , the Prov . Grand Master announcing that he bad . decided to appoint this zealous brother to be tbe Senior Grand Warden , being the only honour it waa in his power to confer . General Brownri gg announced that he would continue to avail himself of the services of Bro . Rev . C . W . Arnold as Depnty Prov . Grand Master . The invest , inents were then made , the following being the list of those appointed to the several offices for the year ensning : —

Bro . Rev . C . W . Arnold P . G . C . ... Deputy Prov . Grand Master Charles Greenwood P . G . S . B . ... Senior Warden James E . Barton 1395 Junior Warden Rev . Richard Milner 1616 ... Chaplain W . A . Barrett 1920 Registrar Charles Greenwood jun . 410 ... Secretary J . B . Boucher 1872 Senior Deacon

W . Youldon 1638 Junior Deacon A . E . Taylor 1851 Superintendent of Works H . E . Frances Director of Ceremonies J . H . Askham 1564 ... ... Asst . Director of Ceremonies

Compton 1929 Organist George Westall 1714 Sword Bearer W . J . Kemp 1362 Pursuivant F . A . Manning 1861 Standard Bearer C . T . Speight Tyler

_ General Brownrigg then briefly addressed the brethreu . The condition of Freemasonry in the Province was satisfactory ; true , they had lost one Lodge dnring the year—the Stndholme—which , for the convenience of its members , had shifted into the Metropolian district . Personall y , he had no desire to lose any Lodges ; at the same time , OB thought the twenty . four they possessed was amply sufficient , with respect to the Charity Organisation of the Province ; hitherto ujey

nad co-operated with the adjoining Province of Berks and ¦ Bucks , but it was now deemed advisable that the two Committees shonld manage their own affairs , and though the most amicable relationshi p would continue between the two Provinces—and each would render to the other every assistance in its power—the ioint organisation

would cease , nnd each Committee confine itself to its own operations . The Prov . Grand Master in conclusion urgently pressed " 0 claims of the Institutions , which it was most desirable should be unstained in their present efficiency . The bnsiness was cnm-? i n by tbe re -aPPointment of the Audit and Finance Committee , and Provincial Grand Lodge was closed .

m ,. wetbren attended divine service at Christ Church , Woking Ration , where the Rev . C . W . Arnold officiated . The sermon was preached by the Worshipfnl Brother the Provincial Grand Chaplain , Kev - - Milner , who took his text from 1 Kings vi . 12 : — walk °° nC ? miDg this honse which tboa art in bui , din g > if thoa wilt iu My statutes , and execute My judgments , and keep all My

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

commandments to walk in them ; then will I perform M y word with thee , whioh I spake unto David thy father . " Brethren , to us Masons , and it is you whom I speciall y address to day , " uninitiated " is not an infrequent word . But speaking here , in the house of the Great Architect of the Universe , and before a mixed congregation , it is right that I should especially bring before

yon , and before them , how the one object of Masons , initiated , and the one object of the other part of the congregation , who do not partake with ns in what we call the mysteries of Freemasonry , are really so closely allied , that when brethren first become acquainted with the mysterious secrets which more especially belong to our Order , they learn that the chief object of Freemasonry is but the greatest object

of onr mortal existence , namely , to serve God better , and to bring the whole course and tenour and actions of onr life into closer relationship with Him . For myself , this is my experience of Freemasonry . I confess , brethren , hearing of the luxury too often associated iu the popular mind with the word Freemason , that it was with a certain amount of

misgiving , and some hesitation , thai . I entered the Order , whioh hitherto to me had been a sealed book . But , once past the safeguards which always surround a Masonic Lodge , the atmosphere waa one of reverence , of peace . I found r . i' -n , who five minutes before were busying themselves with all tbe affairs and anxieties of the world , now standing in solemn silence , thinking of something higher ,

something better . They seemed to have left behind them , more completely than any other body of men I have ever encountered , for the moment at any rate , the anxieties , and the difficulties , and the dangers of the world . The atmosphere was an atmosphere of peace . Charity—or as we have it now in our revised version , Love—was pre . sent in strong force ; Charitr towards man , and love and reverence

towards God . This was the principle that ruled them . This the lodestone on which their contemplation was fixed . Yet , brethren , there is , I fear , a danger in this , as in all other mundane affairs . There is too much tendency to follow the lead of fashion , because it is the fashion , and because the greatest in the land give countenance to onr Order , to lose sight of the first grand

principles on which it is fonuded ; to forget that it was without the hope of earthly advantage that we entered its ranks , to forget that the essence of it is the glory of God ; and the earthly manifestation of it , the noblest work in which man can engage—Charity . And with Charity we unite Fidelity . Brethren , Fidelity does not only mean that because a man can show you that he is a Mason

that he is to be fed with bread and relieved with money , but it does mean that you are to be his friend—to be hia friend in the very highest sense ; that to you he can communicate those thoughts which have given so great a power to superstition in all ages—that with you he can be perfectly frank ; that from you , he , the weak brother , can demand strength and counsel , and so prevent that torture of mind

and agonising self examination whioh might otherwise have rendered his inner life , his spiritual life , every part in him worthy of the name of life , from being a continual misery . Brethren , we Masons are peculiarly members of a body one of another ; and when one member suffers , all the members suffer with him ; or one member be honoured , all the members rejoice with him .

Such being the feeling of Freemasonry , it is very necessary that its highest aspect , and its highest aspiration , shonld not be lost sight of . And in this Province it is not lost sight of . By request , we are met together to-day , in this church , to show our love and reverence towards God , and our love and fellowship towards man . For concerning this honse which thou art in building , if thou

wilt walk in My statutes , and execute My judgments , and keep all My commandments to walk in them ; then will I perform My word with thee , whioh I spake unto David thy father . The good thought of King David was bearing fruit , the great temple was silently rising in all its glory , and the word of the Lord came unto King Solomon to teach him that the reward would only be the

result of perseverance ; that his labour would be lost unless in him and in his people the great Architect of the Universe was continually building the house . I have chosen this text , on which time does not allow me to enlarge , because your alms and offerings , the tangible expression of yonr charity , are desired concerning a house of God whioh is in

building , dedicated to St . John , in this large and scattered parish , that so it may become a parish church with a parish of its own . God builds with those who build in Him and for Him . This is the day for joining our work and His . This is the day in which each one of us conscious of our personal responsibility , must do his part and leave the result with God .

At the close of the service a collection was made , which realised £ 3 18 s , and was appropriated to tbe Enlargement Fund . The banquet was served at the Goldsworth Hall , the arrangements being carripd out nnder the direction of Bro . 0 . T . Tyler . The Provincial

Grand Master presided , and on the removal of the cloth gave the usual toasts . The first , the health of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen and the Craft , was heartily received . In speaking of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , General Brownrigg stated that the Grand Master devoted a vast amount of attention to the business of the

Craft ; with the toast he would associate the names of the Grand Officers , and would call on Bro . Rev . C . W . Arnold P . G . C . to reply . Bro . Arnold , after thanking those present for the kindness they had exhibited in their reception of the toast , regretted tbe absence of many Grand Officers who he had hoped would have joined them . The Lord Mayor , Bro . Sir John Whittaker Ellis , Grand Junior Warden , was a resident in the neighbourhood , but other engagements prevented

his coming . Again , Lord Onslow was a member of the Lodge , and they had hoped he would ba able to attend on the occasion . The health of General Brownrigg was proposed by the D . P . G . M ., who stated that nnder the rule of its present Provincial Grand Master Freemasonry had made rapid strides in Surrey . Each of the Lodges was vioing tho one with the other to maintain a state of efficiency . This showed that they had a chief who knows bow to govern men . All