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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 6 of 25 →
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Provincial.
now tho case . At the recent consecration of the Cherwoll Lodge at Banbury , their Pr . G . M . Bro . Ridley eloquently ancl poetically remarked that "the river Cherwoll , limning as it did from Banbury to Oxford , connected tho two towns , and was emblematical of Masonry , which united them hy ono continuous link ; that while the river flowed , ancl fertilized as it glided on , so Masonry woidd unite them in closer ties , and diffuse harmony and happiness amongst them . " He woidd carry on the illustration , and would express a hope that tho noble river into which the Choi-well flowed at Oxford , bounding as it did for
many miles tho counties of Oxford and Berks , might thus , in one continuous link , perpetuate their union . ( Cheers . ) It bore upon its stream aspirations of good-will from the Cherwell Lodge of Banbury , from the Alfi-ed and Ajiollo Lodges of Oxford , and from their little rural Lodge , the Churchill , on the river ' s bank at Nuneham . If ho and his friends now present representing those Lodges were inclined on this happy day to speak to them in tho language of reproach , he would remind them that they had not yet repaid the visit made by the Oxford Lodges four years ago . Perhaps they might aptly reply , that as the river flowed from Oxford to Reading , it was easier to go with the stream
than against it . Let them , however , hear in mind that in these clays they were practical men ; and wMle they despised not that " silent highway" which had in olden time , as now , conferred such signal benefit upon all witMn its reach , let them not forget that "the iron road , with its giant power of steam , " annihilated time and space , and brought them within a short hoiu- of each other . He and his friends had shown them how delighted they were to visit their Brethren here . They wished them to reciprocate this Masonic feehng , to visit the Oxfordshire Lodges , and to assist in encouraging that good fellowslnp which it was desirable to see subsisting between the two Provmces . ( Cheers . ) He
begged to thank tho noble President for the flattering compliment with which he had honoured him ; and , on the part of Ms friends , to acknowledge the great courtesy and kindness wMch they had experienced during then- visit on the present occasion . ( Loud cheers . ) The Pr . GRAND MASTER proposed , in complimentary terms , the health of
the Pr . G . Chaplain , the Rev . Bro . Roberts , to whom they were all so much indebted for his able , eloquent , and valuable discourse , which he sincerely hoped he would allow to be published . ( Loud cheers . ) Bro . the Rev . A . ROBERTS , on rising , was received with loud cheers . He said , had he any doubt remaining on his mind as to the satisfaction which his share in the day ' s proceedings might have given , the very warm ancl cordial reception he had just received woidd entirely dissipate such a thought . He was not aware that it would have been more than necessary for Mm just to have acknowledged the compliment paid him ; but the request made by their
W . M . would render it imperative upon him to say a few words . That wish was so kindly expressed , and so warmly responded to , that perhaps it woidd appear discourteous were he to refuse . However , he w ould just remind his BretM-en of the Craft that there were many better sermons already in print upon . the subject —( "no , no" ); and a discourse , wlrich , although very pleasing to the ear when delivered , sometimes fell very far short of then- expectations when printed . He could not , nevertheless , under all the circumstances , but accede to the request . ( Loud cheers . ) The task of returning thanks was at all times most irksome , and it was rendered more difficult on that occasion by the
presence of ladies in the upper gallery . ( Laughter . ) He was extremely glad to see them there , nevertheless , and regretted that the manners and customs of their Craft precluded them from associating more amongst them . ( Loud applause . ) He rejoiced to see them present , and regarded it as an omen of the future prosperity of their institution to see thoir festive board graced by the presence of those who were the happiness and ornaments of their homes , and the glory and pride of their lives . ( Loud cheers . ) He felt it would he too much to ask any of them in the gallery to favour them with a song ; but if any of those kind-hearted creatures could be prevailed on to do soit would aff jrd
, the BretM-en infinite delight . ( Loud cheers . ) After the lapse of a feAv moments a lady descended from the gallery , accompanied by one of the Brethren , and the noble President and others Avent up the room and stood by the piano-forte until she had sung most exquisitely a little air , amidst the most enthusiastic applause .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
now tho case . At the recent consecration of the Cherwoll Lodge at Banbury , their Pr . G . M . Bro . Ridley eloquently ancl poetically remarked that "the river Cherwoll , limning as it did from Banbury to Oxford , connected tho two towns , and was emblematical of Masonry , which united them hy ono continuous link ; that while the river flowed , ancl fertilized as it glided on , so Masonry woidd unite them in closer ties , and diffuse harmony and happiness amongst them . " He woidd carry on the illustration , and would express a hope that tho noble river into which the Choi-well flowed at Oxford , bounding as it did for
many miles tho counties of Oxford and Berks , might thus , in one continuous link , perpetuate their union . ( Cheers . ) It bore upon its stream aspirations of good-will from the Cherwell Lodge of Banbury , from the Alfi-ed and Ajiollo Lodges of Oxford , and from their little rural Lodge , the Churchill , on the river ' s bank at Nuneham . If ho and his friends now present representing those Lodges were inclined on this happy day to speak to them in tho language of reproach , he would remind them that they had not yet repaid the visit made by the Oxford Lodges four years ago . Perhaps they might aptly reply , that as the river flowed from Oxford to Reading , it was easier to go with the stream
than against it . Let them , however , hear in mind that in these clays they were practical men ; and wMle they despised not that " silent highway" which had in olden time , as now , conferred such signal benefit upon all witMn its reach , let them not forget that "the iron road , with its giant power of steam , " annihilated time and space , and brought them within a short hoiu- of each other . He and his friends had shown them how delighted they were to visit their Brethren here . They wished them to reciprocate this Masonic feehng , to visit the Oxfordshire Lodges , and to assist in encouraging that good fellowslnp which it was desirable to see subsisting between the two Provmces . ( Cheers . ) He
begged to thank tho noble President for the flattering compliment with which he had honoured him ; and , on the part of Ms friends , to acknowledge the great courtesy and kindness wMch they had experienced during then- visit on the present occasion . ( Loud cheers . ) The Pr . GRAND MASTER proposed , in complimentary terms , the health of
the Pr . G . Chaplain , the Rev . Bro . Roberts , to whom they were all so much indebted for his able , eloquent , and valuable discourse , which he sincerely hoped he would allow to be published . ( Loud cheers . ) Bro . the Rev . A . ROBERTS , on rising , was received with loud cheers . He said , had he any doubt remaining on his mind as to the satisfaction which his share in the day ' s proceedings might have given , the very warm ancl cordial reception he had just received woidd entirely dissipate such a thought . He was not aware that it would have been more than necessary for Mm just to have acknowledged the compliment paid him ; but the request made by their
W . M . would render it imperative upon him to say a few words . That wish was so kindly expressed , and so warmly responded to , that perhaps it woidd appear discourteous were he to refuse . However , he w ould just remind his BretM-en of the Craft that there were many better sermons already in print upon . the subject —( "no , no" ); and a discourse , wlrich , although very pleasing to the ear when delivered , sometimes fell very far short of then- expectations when printed . He could not , nevertheless , under all the circumstances , but accede to the request . ( Loud cheers . ) The task of returning thanks was at all times most irksome , and it was rendered more difficult on that occasion by the
presence of ladies in the upper gallery . ( Laughter . ) He was extremely glad to see them there , nevertheless , and regretted that the manners and customs of their Craft precluded them from associating more amongst them . ( Loud applause . ) He rejoiced to see them present , and regarded it as an omen of the future prosperity of their institution to see thoir festive board graced by the presence of those who were the happiness and ornaments of their homes , and the glory and pride of their lives . ( Loud cheers . ) He felt it would he too much to ask any of them in the gallery to favour them with a song ; but if any of those kind-hearted creatures could be prevailed on to do soit would aff jrd
, the BretM-en infinite delight . ( Loud cheers . ) After the lapse of a feAv moments a lady descended from the gallery , accompanied by one of the Brethren , and the noble President and others Avent up the room and stood by the piano-forte until she had sung most exquisitely a little air , amidst the most enthusiastic applause .