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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 3 of 17 →
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Provincial.
Bro . SPIERS rose and said— " Right AVorshipful Sir and Brothers , indeed you have done me but justice in saying how much I desire the prosperity of the two Lodges , which , it has been truly said , in feeling are but one . Although I desire so much that Masonry may flourish , not only in my own Lodge , but also in the sister Lodge , I cannot take credit for doing all that you have assigned to me . I have endeavoured to follow the example set me by my predecessors bimitating their zeal
y , but being called on to take the chair of this Lodge when it was in a state of unexampled prosperity , it was no slight task to keep it in that proud position ; it has , however , been my earnest endeavour to merit your approbation , and nothing is more gratifying to me than to see so large a number of the Brethren present on this occasion . I take it as a personal compliment , which is heightened by the presence of several distinguished Brethren , whom the members of the Alfred Lodge , in
common with myself , are delighted to come forward to honour . Although we commenced the year most auspiciously , I hope that the future will show that we have still more prosperous days in store ; and with such support and countenance as I receive , and with such favourable circumstances around me , it will be my own fault if Freemasonry does not prosper in my Lodge as it deserves . I thank you again for the complimentary manner in which you have received my namehowever
, little I deserve it , and beg to assure you that I will do all that I can to repay the great kindness which I have ever received at your hands . " ( Loud cheers ) . ' The AV . M . again rose and said— "AVe have the great pleasure of welcoming within our walls one who returns after many years of
absenceone who was initiated in our sister Lodge , and served several important offices in it in a manner highly satisfactory to the Brethren , and with great credit to himself . As a further proof of the esteem which was entertained for Bro . Alston ( loud cheers ) , I may be permitted to mention that he was selected to preside over the Apollo Lodge at the time when he was hut an Undergraduate , which you are aware is not an . ordinary occurrence . On leaving this university , he proceeded in his
Masonic course , and was promoted to other offices , which he discharged with equal zeal and fidelity , and , after a useful career , was selected by . the Grand Master for the distinguished office of Junior Grand Warden of England . I have had the honour of seeing him act in that capacity , and also the great gratification of witnessing his exertions in his own province , where he spoke in terms of affectionate regard of the Apollo and Alfred Lodges . This was in the presence of above a hundred Brethren , and it was with extreme delight I heard him speak of days spent in Oxford , of his initiation in the Apollo Lodge , and ofthe lessons he
had learnt in the Alfred Lodge . It is with great pleasure I remember those words , because they were spoken with such sincerity ; and I call on you to show how grateful you feel for this recognition , and how happy we ere to have him once more amongst us , and proud that so distinguished a Mason has emanated from this province . The AV . M . then gave the health of Bro . Alston , which was received most enthusiastically .
Bro . ALSTON— " I do assure you I am using no idle form of words when I tell you how incompetent I am to express my feelings at this , moment . It is a very easy matter to say , ' I thank you , and to express how grateful I am for the kindness you have shown me ; ' but it is not so easy to tell you what I feel , when , after au absence of eleven years ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
Bro . SPIERS rose and said— " Right AVorshipful Sir and Brothers , indeed you have done me but justice in saying how much I desire the prosperity of the two Lodges , which , it has been truly said , in feeling are but one . Although I desire so much that Masonry may flourish , not only in my own Lodge , but also in the sister Lodge , I cannot take credit for doing all that you have assigned to me . I have endeavoured to follow the example set me by my predecessors bimitating their zeal
y , but being called on to take the chair of this Lodge when it was in a state of unexampled prosperity , it was no slight task to keep it in that proud position ; it has , however , been my earnest endeavour to merit your approbation , and nothing is more gratifying to me than to see so large a number of the Brethren present on this occasion . I take it as a personal compliment , which is heightened by the presence of several distinguished Brethren , whom the members of the Alfred Lodge , in
common with myself , are delighted to come forward to honour . Although we commenced the year most auspiciously , I hope that the future will show that we have still more prosperous days in store ; and with such support and countenance as I receive , and with such favourable circumstances around me , it will be my own fault if Freemasonry does not prosper in my Lodge as it deserves . I thank you again for the complimentary manner in which you have received my namehowever
, little I deserve it , and beg to assure you that I will do all that I can to repay the great kindness which I have ever received at your hands . " ( Loud cheers ) . ' The AV . M . again rose and said— "AVe have the great pleasure of welcoming within our walls one who returns after many years of
absenceone who was initiated in our sister Lodge , and served several important offices in it in a manner highly satisfactory to the Brethren , and with great credit to himself . As a further proof of the esteem which was entertained for Bro . Alston ( loud cheers ) , I may be permitted to mention that he was selected to preside over the Apollo Lodge at the time when he was hut an Undergraduate , which you are aware is not an . ordinary occurrence . On leaving this university , he proceeded in his
Masonic course , and was promoted to other offices , which he discharged with equal zeal and fidelity , and , after a useful career , was selected by . the Grand Master for the distinguished office of Junior Grand Warden of England . I have had the honour of seeing him act in that capacity , and also the great gratification of witnessing his exertions in his own province , where he spoke in terms of affectionate regard of the Apollo and Alfred Lodges . This was in the presence of above a hundred Brethren , and it was with extreme delight I heard him speak of days spent in Oxford , of his initiation in the Apollo Lodge , and ofthe lessons he
had learnt in the Alfred Lodge . It is with great pleasure I remember those words , because they were spoken with such sincerity ; and I call on you to show how grateful you feel for this recognition , and how happy we ere to have him once more amongst us , and proud that so distinguished a Mason has emanated from this province . The AV . M . then gave the health of Bro . Alston , which was received most enthusiastically .
Bro . ALSTON— " I do assure you I am using no idle form of words when I tell you how incompetent I am to express my feelings at this , moment . It is a very easy matter to say , ' I thank you , and to express how grateful I am for the kindness you have shown me ; ' but it is not so easy to tell you what I feel , when , after au absence of eleven years ,