Provincial Grand Lodge Of Isle Of Man.

, c well as in Suffolk . ( Applause . ) The compliment paid , to me is a very hVh one , because I do not think there is any other Provincial Grand AiVxiter who has two provinces under his care . ( Applause . ) Formal business came next , and Bro . F . C . Poulter , the Prov . G . Sec ., cordially thanked for the able and comprehensive report which he ubmitted , and which was adopted on the motion of the DEI * . PROV . G . MASTER , seconded by the PROV . G . REGISTRAR . . A suggestion , made by the Prov . G . Secretary , as to the creation of a ew form of Benevolent Fund , was referred to the General Purposes

Amidst general acclamation , on the motion of the PROV , S . G . W ., a vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . the Rev . C . J . Martyn for his services ,, Installing Master . . Bro . the Rev . C J . MARTYN , in response , said the work of the installation 'vas but small , but he was sure the results would be important . They knew in Suffolk the value of Lord Henniker , and he was sure that the Freemasons oi the Isle of Man would be highly pleased with the selection made Z , H R H . the Prince of VVales . This was the first time he ( Bro . Martyn )

had visiied the Isle of Man . He was charmed with the beauties ot tne island , and would carry back with him the warmest feelings for all he had met . ( App lause . ) On the motion of the PROV . G . MASTER , seconded by Bro . the R ^ v . R B . B ARON , a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Canon Savage for allowing the church service to be held in St . Thomas' Church , and to the Prov G . Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . A . S . Newton , for delivering to the

brethren such an excellent discourse . Prov . G . Lodge was then closed with the usual formalities . After transacting the business of Prov . G . Lodge , which , owing to causes named , was unusually heavy , the brethren , to the number of about So , adjourned to Castle Mona Hotel , where , in the grand saloon , dinner was of diners

served . Considering the rush upon the hotel , the number being largely in excess of those expected , the catering of Miss Mawdsley , the manageress , was very successful , Had the diners been fewer , the catering was still appreciable ; but she coped with the extra number very satisfactorily . The service was excellent , and was in the hands of the head waiter , Mr . T . W . Jackson .

The toast of " The Queen and Craft" was given by the PROV . G . M ASTER , and greeted with cheers and musical honours . "The Health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., and the Officers of Grand Lodge , " was proposed by the D EI * . PROV . G . MASTER , and coupled with the name of Bro . TRACT , who , in reply , paid testimony to the beautiful climate and scenery of the Isle of Man .

" TKe R . W . the Provincial Grand Master and the Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge" was the toast placed in the able hands of Bro . A . W . MOORE , Speaker of the House of Keys . He looked to Lord Henniker and his Deputy to bring great success and prosperity upon Freemasonry in the Isle of Man .

The P . G . M . and P . J . G . W . responded . " The Installing Master" was fittingly proposed by Lord HENNIKKII , and greeted with much enthusiasm , accompanied by the honours ol the Order . The INSTALLING MASTER replied in an impressive and eloquent address . He spoke as an old Freemason , and said that the day should be regarded

by Isle of Man Freemasons as a very marked day . In the selection of the Lieut .-Governor of the Island to be the Masonic chief , a very great step had been taken . Lord Henniker was one of the best known men in Freemasonry . He had been Grand Mnster of the Mark Order , and it was owing to his persuasive eloquence that the Prince of Wales consented to become Grand Alaster of that branch of Freemasonry . The position , of the Governor as Provincial Grand Master was unique . In one sense , as

Governor , he lived , as it were , in the clouds ; but as a brother Mason he met his fellows , not in State , but was amongst them . ( App lause . ) It was in that respect that Freemasonry excelled in the colonies , and did so much good in drawing people together . The more we rubbed up against one another the better . Thc Governor was the better for meeting his fellows apart from State , and his fellows were the better from meeting the Governor apart from State . ( Applause . )

" The Health of the Visitors " was placed in the hands of the P . S . G . W ., who backed up the remarks of the Installing Master as to the effect of Freemasonry bringing people together . He congratulated Lord Henniker on his restoration to health , and said that now that his Kxcellency had become an active member of the Craft , a great deal of good would result . Bros . TRACY , STI : AVI * NSON , MCGEALIIIN , and HARTWKLL JONES responded .

The Deputy Prov . G . M . presented the following address to Lord Henniker :

J o his Excellency the Right Honourable Lord Henniker , Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man , Past Senior Grand Warden of United Grand Lodge of A . F . and A . M . uf lingland , R . W . Prov . Grand Masterof Suffolk . May it please your Excellency , —The Provincial Grand Lodge of Ancient ,

1 'rce , and Accepted -Masons of the Isle of Man , as the recognised ollicial representative ol Insular lodges , takes this the earliest available opportunity of tendering its most respectful and fraternal congratulations upon your Excellency ' s appointment to the position of Lieutenant-Governor of this Island—the representative of lier Most Gracious Majesty th' ; Oueen , the Lady of Man .

As a distinguished member of United Grand Lodge , and one eminently qualified to maintain and uphold Ihe traditions of Freemasonry in their noblest and purest aspects , the members of Provincial Grand Lodge hail your Excellency ' s advent to this Island with feelings of sincere pleasure . Without entrenching upon the general principles and tenets inculcated by I ' rcenvdsonry , Provincial Grand Lodte is assured that your Excellency will not

neglect any opportunity of carrying out any beneficent reform which may tend to place upon a more solid foundation the interests and welfare of the inhabitants , and tie members of the Insular Masonic body sincerely trust that in the exercise of the important duties which pertain to your appointment , your Kxcellency may be abundantl y blessed with health and prosperity , to enable you to satisfactorily execute and administer the affairs of this Island . Given at Douglas , this 15 th day ol -. larch , ISIJS , A . L . 5 8 9 8 .

J . S . GOLUIE-I . MTIIMAN , Speaker of the House of Keys , P . M ., VA / .., Provincial Grand Master . J A . BROWN , P . M ., 1 ' . / ... Deputy Provincial Grand Mastei T . H . Nusiurr , P . M ., P . Z ., P . D . P . G . M ., Provincial Grand Secretary .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Isle Of Man.

The DEP . PROV . G . MASTER , after reading the address , referred to the causes of the delay in its presentation . An interesting fact in connection With Lord Henniker ' s Masonic career ( said Bro . BROWN ) was that when he was the Grand Master of the Mark Degree he signed the Charter of the only Mark lodge in the Isle of Man , the Peveril .

Lord HENNIKER said he was very grateful for the address , and would rank it highly amongst his many Masonic mementoes . He valued it as bearing the signature of the late Sir John Goldie Taubman . ( Applause . ) " The Health and Prosperity of the Insular Lodges " was proposed by

the PROV . GRAND SECRETARY , and responded to by Bro . RITCHIE , it being stated that the Insular lodges generally were in a very satisfactory condition . The DEI * . PROV . GRAND MASTER gave the Tyler ' s toast , and a record Provincial Grand Lodge meeting ended with cheers for the Right Worshipful and his Deputy , and for the Provincial Grand Lodge .

An Address.

AN ADDRESS .

The following address was delivered by Bro . the Rev . George Joseph Emanuel , B . A ., Prov . Grand Chaplain , at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Warwickshire , which was held at Birmingham , on April 30 th : The Worshipful Provincial Grand Master in the Chair and Brethren , —I know not how other Provincial Grand Chaplains have regarded the duty I am about attemptinsr to perform ; but I confess I view it with a painful sense of disproportion between its requirements and my powers . I have heard it said that Masonry

is an institution inferior only to revealed religion . I have heard it said again—Masonry is a natural and direct introduction into such religion . I maintain Masonry is itself a religion , distinguished from those systems of doctrines and rules , usually termed religions , by its freedom from doctrine and rule . One dogma only it knows —God the Father of all , and so all brethren . One law only it lays down—just and kindly treatment to all , not brother Masons , but brother men Masonry is the religion of humanity , not the hideous , obscene travesty which

marked the maddest excesses of the French Revolution , when a beautiful courtesan was worshipped as a divine being , but that religion of humanity which the prophet Malachi might have had in mind when he said ( ii . 10 ) : " Have we not all one Father ? Did not one God create us ? " Freemasonry has another feature which distinguishes it from religions—so-called—besides its freedom from dogma and law , and resulting from that freedom—its universalism . Every man who sees in this mighty and beautiful world evidences everywhere of a master-mind

, the work , glorious and beneficent of a Great Architect—every God-believer may be a Freemason . Every man who recognises in his fellow-creature a man like himself , with like hopes and feelings , with the same desire of fair treatment and hate of oppression—every such man may be a Freemason . Nay , every man who regards God as his Father , and other men as his brothers , that man is a Freemason , whether he has been initiated , passed , and raised , or knows naught of our mysteries . Who can exaggerate the intrinsic value of Masonry ? Who can

realise its possibilities ? Consider what would be the condition of this world of ours if its one dogma were accepted , its one rule obeyed ! In the past men have slaughtered men—thousands , myriads , millions—in the vain attempt to impose creeds and services , articles ot belief , and forms of worship . With Freemasonry universal , all men acknowledging God as Father of all , religious wars would never recur , and the wars that are fought without sword or gun—religious persecutions , sectarian strife , hate , suspicion , and distrust .

With Freemasonry universal , all men regarding all men as brothers , treating them with justice and kindness , hostilities between nations would be impossible and conflicts between men . No more would race grapple with race , urged on by lust of glory ; nor , moved , by greed of gain , individuals with individuals . The rivalry of great nations would be in the arts of peace and civilisation , and men would strive to excel by loftiness of character and nobility of action . Freemasonry , universally accepted , would change the face of the world . Does not

this indicate to us what is the work before it , and , before us , who are its exponents ? The task before Freemasonry is to make itself universal , and the task before every Freemason , however humble he may be , is to help to spread the Order north and south , and east and west , until it is co-extensive with the habitable globe . It is related of a great ( Persian ) monarch that , on reviewing his two millions of ' soldiers ( the mightiest army ever assembled ) , while his breast swelled with pride the tears streamed from his eyes as he remembered that , in a few years , not one

of that splendid host would be in existence , all sleeping the sleep of death . Freemasons now form a mighty army , with illustrious chiefs . The kings of the earth are with us . Princes are among our leaders . Scholars , lawyers , clergymen merchants , manufacturers , all sorts and conditions of men swell our ranks . Bur , ' whero will they be—rulers and ruled—in a few years ? Gone from life I We must constantly recruit , or we should cease to exist . But merely to exist , or to exist in undiminished numbers , is not enough ; we must increase if we be true to our duty . then lo attract and

How , , are we more more worthy men into our ranks ? Ours isa secret Order ; how are outside laymen to know of its worth ? There are the splendid Masonic Charities , of which we are all so proud ; the great schools in which sons and daughters of poor Masons are housed and nurtured , clothed educated and trained , to play well their part in the world ; there is the Home ' where aged , decayed Masons , their wives or widows , buffeted and beaten by the storms of life , find calm peace , repose and gentle happiness in their declining

years . The Masonic Charities are noble testimony to the worth of Masonry . They put forth an eloquent appeal , inviting worthy men to join it . So do all the " philantropic efforts—and they are not few nor trivial—made by Masonic bodies tor objects outside . Fieemasonry . But it is our duty , and it is in our power to exhibit a nobler testimony to the worth of Freemasonry , and to urge a more eloquent invitation to enter its ranks than any presented by benevolent work , My brethren 1 A Mason should be a man distinguished not b y symbolical

ornaments , nor by tricks of manner , nor by signs and gestures , but by the possession of manly virfies . He must be priest and teacher to his fellow-men as Malachi describes teacher and priest : " Thc law of truth is in his mouth and iniquity is not found on his lips . He walks with God in peace and equity ' and turns many away irom iniquity . For the priest ' s lips should keep knowled ge , and they should seek the law at his mouth , for he is the messenger of ' the Lord of Hosts . " The tongue that reluses utterance of an untruthful

word , an unkind thought ; the eye that Hashes fire at the sight of oppression , but melts into pity when looking on suffering ; the hand that shrinks back from contact with dishonourable gain , but which ' takes firm hold of falling or fallen brother man ; that tongue , eye and hand must be recognised as the tongue , eye and hand of a Freemason . Yes ! The recruiting agencies on which we must most depend are not our graceful hosp italities not the social inlluence of members

our , ncreven our special and general philanthropic work , but our character and our conduct , the loftiness of our nature , and the nobleness of our life . These will make good men eager tq _ join us . Then let us go forth , my brethren ; missionaries of Freemasonry , striving to gain converts but striving , by efforts which will make ourselves better men , truer , juster kinder to our fellow-men , and worthier to be regarded as works of the Great Architect of thc Universe , children of the loving Father of mankind .