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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 11 of 21 →
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Provincial.
a blessing on the undertaking , at the conclusion of which the brethren heartily responded— " So mote it be . " Music was then played by the band , during which the upper stone was raised by the engine . The P . G . Aiaster requested the P . G . Treasurer to deposit various coins of the present reign on the plate , which was accordingly done ; and the P . G . Aiaster descended to the stone .
The cement was then presented to the P . G . Al . by an entered apprentice of the Ringwood Lodge , and the P . G . Al . laid the same on the lower stone . The upper stone was then let down slowly , making three regular stops—solemn music playing . The P . G . Al . gave the several implements for the builder ' s use ; and the plan of the work was presented by tbe architect . The P . G . Al .
approved it , and gave it to the builder for his guidance . The PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPLAIN offered up an appropriate prayer . Bro . RANKIN STEBBING , Grand Secretary ofthe province , ascended the stone which had just been laid amidst much applause , and delivered the masonic oration at the request of tlie Grand AIaster . * The VICAR again stood forward , amidst hearty plaudits , and said : — Sir Lucius and gentlemen , —It now becomes my grateful duty to thank
you for the share you have taken in this day ' s proceedings . In my ' own name , and that of the committee who have done me the honour to appoint me their chairman , —in the name of those whom I am proud to call my fellow-townsmen , —I have to make our best acknowledgments for the kindness with which you have elected to hold your annual benevolent meeting in our quiet and humble town , ancl to honour us by laying the first stone of our national school —( cheers)— -with all the solemn
ceremonies which the rules of your society prescribe . Your presence in this town would at any time have been a source of gratification to its inhabitants , assured as we are , that where the bond and brotherhood of Alasons is assembled , that there the works of Christian love and charity are in active operation —( cheers ) . The high and honourable post which you , Sir Lucius , hold in her Majesty ' s service ; the well-known philanthropy of the society to which you belong , and of which you are a distinguished member;—a society , whose sphere of active benevolence is carried to the utmost extremes ofthe habitable world—are well calculated
to shed a lustre on the proceedings of this day , and to make a lasting impression upon the minds of all who have witnessed them —( great applause ) . On the occasion of your former meeting in this place , the foundation stone of the building before us was laid under the auspices of your society . It was the benevolent wish of its founder to provide a home for a limited number of his fellow-townsmen , who , from misfortune or other cause hael failed to make a comfortable provision for their declining years . Herea . fortunate few are sheltered from those
over-, whelming trials to which so many are exposed towards the close of their earthly career , if not in comfortable ease , at least in peaceful security , calmly to contemplate the arrival of that great change , when the mystery of our existence shall be more fully revealed to us—( hear , hear ) . There , the memory of the deceased founder is enshrined , as it were , in the grateful hearts of the occupants of his-bounty . This building , while it
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
a blessing on the undertaking , at the conclusion of which the brethren heartily responded— " So mote it be . " Music was then played by the band , during which the upper stone was raised by the engine . The P . G . Aiaster requested the P . G . Treasurer to deposit various coins of the present reign on the plate , which was accordingly done ; and the P . G . Aiaster descended to the stone .
The cement was then presented to the P . G . Al . by an entered apprentice of the Ringwood Lodge , and the P . G . Al . laid the same on the lower stone . The upper stone was then let down slowly , making three regular stops—solemn music playing . The P . G . Al . gave the several implements for the builder ' s use ; and the plan of the work was presented by tbe architect . The P . G . Al .
approved it , and gave it to the builder for his guidance . The PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPLAIN offered up an appropriate prayer . Bro . RANKIN STEBBING , Grand Secretary ofthe province , ascended the stone which had just been laid amidst much applause , and delivered the masonic oration at the request of tlie Grand AIaster . * The VICAR again stood forward , amidst hearty plaudits , and said : — Sir Lucius and gentlemen , —It now becomes my grateful duty to thank
you for the share you have taken in this day ' s proceedings . In my ' own name , and that of the committee who have done me the honour to appoint me their chairman , —in the name of those whom I am proud to call my fellow-townsmen , —I have to make our best acknowledgments for the kindness with which you have elected to hold your annual benevolent meeting in our quiet and humble town , ancl to honour us by laying the first stone of our national school —( cheers)— -with all the solemn
ceremonies which the rules of your society prescribe . Your presence in this town would at any time have been a source of gratification to its inhabitants , assured as we are , that where the bond and brotherhood of Alasons is assembled , that there the works of Christian love and charity are in active operation —( cheers ) . The high and honourable post which you , Sir Lucius , hold in her Majesty ' s service ; the well-known philanthropy of the society to which you belong , and of which you are a distinguished member;—a society , whose sphere of active benevolence is carried to the utmost extremes ofthe habitable world—are well calculated
to shed a lustre on the proceedings of this day , and to make a lasting impression upon the minds of all who have witnessed them —( great applause ) . On the occasion of your former meeting in this place , the foundation stone of the building before us was laid under the auspices of your society . It was the benevolent wish of its founder to provide a home for a limited number of his fellow-townsmen , who , from misfortune or other cause hael failed to make a comfortable provision for their declining years . Herea . fortunate few are sheltered from those
over-, whelming trials to which so many are exposed towards the close of their earthly career , if not in comfortable ease , at least in peaceful security , calmly to contemplate the arrival of that great change , when the mystery of our existence shall be more fully revealed to us—( hear , hear ) . There , the memory of the deceased founder is enshrined , as it were , in the grateful hearts of the occupants of his-bounty . This building , while it