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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 18 of 21 →
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Provincial.
The speaker enumerated some of its moral objects , and he thought he might say of it " Emollit mores nee sinit esse feros . " It softened many of the asperities of life ; it brought the higher and lower classes together in friendly union ; it placed the peasant in the same lodge with the knightthe nobleand the prince ; and brought all
, , parties together on neutral and peaceful ground , apart from faction , prejudice , malice and uncharitableness —( cheers ) . Masonry was no leveller ; it respected the ranks and gradations of society , so necessary for its preservation ; but at the same time , it gently smoothed the crest of human pride , and taught the honourable of the earth to remember that all men are equal in the sight of the Great Creator , and therefore not to look down
" With insolent disdain on those unbless'd by rank andstate . " It encouraged the charities , courtesies , antl amenities of life ; thus it increased the blessings of peace , while it tended to mitigate the horrors of war . It reminded the sailor and the soldier of Dibdin ' s words in his fine old song" In me let the foe feel the paw of a lion—The battle once ended , the heart of a lamb . "
This heroic feeling had been many times exhibited in our navy and army , but never more strikingly or gloriously than at the siege of Gibraltar , when the brave and good father of their Grand Master rescued the drowning Spaniards from destruction ; when , amidst the blaze of a burning flotilla , the bursting of magazines , and the presence of death in every frightful form , he boarded a Spanish ship , and fount ! two officers in tlie darkened cabin , with a crucifix and two candles before them , expecting immediate death . He brought them out against their willfor
, they knew not the generosity of the English character , and had a great horror of being made prisoners . However , the noble-hearted British captain brought them off safely in his boat , which had not moved many lengths from the Spanish vessel before the latter went into the air . To this heroic act the Laureat of the day referred , when ( speaking of Britain ) he
saicl" She snatch'cl in victory ' s moment , prompt to save , Iberia ' s sinking sons , from Calpe ' s glowing wave . " The speaker declared that he did not know whether the late Sir Roger Curtis was a Mason or not—The Prov . Grand Master here said , "Hewas . " . —( Immense cheering ) . Bro . Holmes exclaimed , I am glad to hear it ; he acted like a faithful one . He acted in the true spirit of chivalry , though that institution has
not survived like Alasonry , but has dwindled away ; and though Tom Paine said Mr . Burke had dressed himself for the funeral , I am proud to « iy chivalry is not dead entirely ; its soul still lives , ancl will always be most lively and active when most wanted . The speaker then assured the Prov . Grand . Master that he was proud in having an opportunity of telling the son of a fearless but merciful sire that his father ' s generous conduct was not forgotten on earth , and would be remembered above . He once more returned thanks in the name of his brethren and for himself , and concluded with drinking to their health and prosperity , amidst the most vehement applause .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
The speaker enumerated some of its moral objects , and he thought he might say of it " Emollit mores nee sinit esse feros . " It softened many of the asperities of life ; it brought the higher and lower classes together in friendly union ; it placed the peasant in the same lodge with the knightthe nobleand the prince ; and brought all
, , parties together on neutral and peaceful ground , apart from faction , prejudice , malice and uncharitableness —( cheers ) . Masonry was no leveller ; it respected the ranks and gradations of society , so necessary for its preservation ; but at the same time , it gently smoothed the crest of human pride , and taught the honourable of the earth to remember that all men are equal in the sight of the Great Creator , and therefore not to look down
" With insolent disdain on those unbless'd by rank andstate . " It encouraged the charities , courtesies , antl amenities of life ; thus it increased the blessings of peace , while it tended to mitigate the horrors of war . It reminded the sailor and the soldier of Dibdin ' s words in his fine old song" In me let the foe feel the paw of a lion—The battle once ended , the heart of a lamb . "
This heroic feeling had been many times exhibited in our navy and army , but never more strikingly or gloriously than at the siege of Gibraltar , when the brave and good father of their Grand Master rescued the drowning Spaniards from destruction ; when , amidst the blaze of a burning flotilla , the bursting of magazines , and the presence of death in every frightful form , he boarded a Spanish ship , and fount ! two officers in tlie darkened cabin , with a crucifix and two candles before them , expecting immediate death . He brought them out against their willfor
, they knew not the generosity of the English character , and had a great horror of being made prisoners . However , the noble-hearted British captain brought them off safely in his boat , which had not moved many lengths from the Spanish vessel before the latter went into the air . To this heroic act the Laureat of the day referred , when ( speaking of Britain ) he
saicl" She snatch'cl in victory ' s moment , prompt to save , Iberia ' s sinking sons , from Calpe ' s glowing wave . " The speaker declared that he did not know whether the late Sir Roger Curtis was a Mason or not—The Prov . Grand Master here said , "Hewas . " . —( Immense cheering ) . Bro . Holmes exclaimed , I am glad to hear it ; he acted like a faithful one . He acted in the true spirit of chivalry , though that institution has
not survived like Alasonry , but has dwindled away ; and though Tom Paine said Mr . Burke had dressed himself for the funeral , I am proud to « iy chivalry is not dead entirely ; its soul still lives , ancl will always be most lively and active when most wanted . The speaker then assured the Prov . Grand . Master that he was proud in having an opportunity of telling the son of a fearless but merciful sire that his father ' s generous conduct was not forgotten on earth , and would be remembered above . He once more returned thanks in the name of his brethren and for himself , and concluded with drinking to their health and prosperity , amidst the most vehement applause .