Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
were not to propose " Success to the Surrey Masonic Hall and the Health of the Chairman and Committee , who had carried out the work . " No doubt they had all had very hard work to do ; indeed they had had an uphill game to play . Now they had rolled the stone
to the top of the hill he hoped they would have an easy descent , and finally arrive at the place whicli would place them in a comfortable position , so that hereafter they must say "We assembled here on a certain day , we had a great deal to do before that ; here weare floating
comfortably , and have succeeded in getting not only the support of the brethren at large , but the public generally as well . " ( Hear , hear . ) He did not believe that it was possible for men to have exerted themselves more energetically than the Chairman and Committee of this company , and he thought no one could accuse them of any
deficiency in their duty , therefore he had very much pleasure in proposing " Prosperity to the Surrey Masouic Hall Company , " and of coupling with it the name of " The Chairman of the Company , Bro . James Stevens . " ( Applause ) . Bro . James Stevens said that on behalf of those who were interested in the Masonic Hall
Company he begged to return very sincere thanks for the support which had been accorded that day to the endeavours that had been made to bring the business of laying the memorial stone to a successful issue . He trusted , as he had said before , that the work commenced that
day would be added to , and cemented together , and become of lasting use to the Craft , and the neighbourhood , and to all with whom they must be associated in respect of their Masonic Order . To the chairman , as well as to those who had attended , they were very much indebted for the
eclat that had attended the proceedings , and he hoped that the result would be to prove to many of the brethren who were present that they had to support members of the Order who stood in an exalted position in regard to Freemasonry , lo follow whom could be no small honour , and
and other brethren whom they met in the social world , for whom they entertained the highest regard , and who had arrived at such a position in the attainment of civic and other distinctions as to be of great aid to the company in carrying on their work . But great as they might be ,
desirous as they might be to help , this was more ofa universal matter , this Masonic Hall , and the directors had to look to the suffrages , not of the few but of the many , and it was in order to make it the success they wished that they now asked the assistance of Masons who desired to carry out
the principles that they all shared in respect to such matters . The Directors had shewn that there really was something like a body in the undertaking they had in hand . They did not ask for any large amount ; they had a certain number of shares which they were desirous
should be taken up by the Masonic world , and they would rather that the shares should be taken up by units , rather than by tens and scores . What they wanted was to obtain the sympathy of the greatest number of the Craft that they could . He would not say that they
would think more highly , because that would be stupid flattery , of the man who held one share , than the man who held a dozen ; but they thought quite as highly of him . They wanted the individuals to take the shares . They would rather have 10 , 000 shareholders than 5 , 000 ,
and ke oould assure them if they would support the undertaking they would not be losers b y it . In a Masonic sense they ought not perhaps to expect anything ; but in a commercial sense , added to the Masonic , he could perhaps say they would be able to give from 5 to 9 per cent . At
all events they would give what they could . The want of some such place in the nei ghbourhood for other than Masonic purposes had not been lost sight of , and when this hall was completed he believed there would be a great demand for the accommodation they could afford , to an
extent which must pay the shareholders a good percentage . ( Cheers . ) Ihis was clear by the evidence of those men who had attempted to give entertainments in this particular nei ghbourhood . With regard to the Masonic conveniences which would be provided , the hall would be a great advantage in removing their meetings
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
from the influence of taverns and public-houses , which alone ought to be duly appreciated by the wives and sweethearts of Masons . ( Hear , hear . ) There were but very few people who had any mind at all who would be likely to sneer at this , very few indeed among Masons , and those who
might be tempted to do so were surely not imbued with what we consider the first point among Masons , the desire to be good , moral , and social men , to do all that they could in regard to matters in connection with the Masonic Order , but at the same time not to
forget that they had homes and wives and children ( cheers ) . It was because they believed that they could form an institution like this that they should be able to succeed in taking our Masonic ceremonies away from taverns , that they should be doing good to their own
kind as far as the men were concerned , and only what was just and proper , and their duty to do as far as their kindred were concerned in doing it as a matter of commercial duty ( hear hear ) and separating Masonry from the connection he had alluded to . He therefore trusted that the
enterprise would be supported warmly , and it would be a great pleasure to the board of directors to find at their next meeting a large number of application for single shares , even in preference to applications for greater numbers of shares . He assured them that this was rather a proud
moment for him . He did not pretend to arrogate to himself any particular position in regard to the undertaking , but as he had been connected with the first endeavour to form the hall , which failed and the second endeavour to form the hall , which failed also , finding himself connected with the third in which
they had at last , arrived at laying the memorial stone , he had reason , he thought , to feel a little bit satisfied . He felt that what he had endeavoured to do in connection with the other undertakings of the last ten years was meeting with something of a reward by the
proud position of himself and his co-directors . He was proud to see Sir John Bennett present , as well as the Colonel of his own regiment , to whom the company were indebted for the presence of the band , and as sure as his name was Stevens , there would , please God , be a meeting
in that large room before eight months were over of a large namber of Masons . The way to hel p them was to fill up the share list , and he was happy to say that the Chairman , Bro . Beard , and several others who were present , had just sent in applications for shares . He
then proposed " The Civic Authorities , " coupling with the toast the names of Sir John Bennett and Bro . Beard . Bro . Beard replied , although much had been said , not only by their esteemed Chairman , and others , about the perseverance and assiduity with
which the committee had carried on their duties , he thought too much encouragement could not be given them by praising them for what they had done . They were indebted to Bro . Stevens for the success of this affair , for , to the present time ; and he was speaking without intending
the slightest compliment when he expressed the fervent hope that his health might be spared to exercise his talents and usefulness to such an extent as to render the present a successful undertaking . ( Applause . ) The very happy
way he had of placing the case before them would induce any one to give it support by taking a little money from his pocket , although , when he came there , he ( Bro . Beard ) had not thought of taking shares in the Company , when he found men at the head of affairs with such a
pilot to guide them , if he had been asked to double the number of his shares he should have done so . He believed tha undertaking would turn out a successful one . Bro . Stevens had frequently made some excellent remarks on the duty of charity , and when the civic authorities had their health drunk , it would not be out of
place when the person who responded ¦ for the toast said , that nothing gave the civic authorities more pleasure than to assist in thc work of charity . ( Cheers . ) Bro . J . T . Moss proposed "The Press , " and said that every one in England felt proud of it . Whenever there was anything done , there was always a satisfaction in finding that it was
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
recorded by gentlemen connected with the press . Bro . Massey responded for The Freemason . Bro . Stevens proposed " The Health of the Chairman , " who was one of those Masons who had endeared himself thoroughly to every
brother who knew him in his own province of Middlesex , Surrey , in Ireland , and elsewhere . It was therefore peculiarly gratifying to have him as their Chairman on an occasion like the present . Masonic ceremonies like that they had just observed were far more frequent in the provinces
than in London . By the dispensation of the Grand Master they were allowed in the country , and as a rule countrymen had a greater opportunity of seeing Masonic ceremonies than we of the metropolis . The Grand Master only granted his dispensation to those brethren who
he thought would see that the ceremonies were properly carried out . If anything went wrong the Grand Master would be to blame , and so he looked after the character of the person to whom he granted the dispensation . Without their Bro . Colonel Burdett there would have
been little chance of their meeting as they had done , and with the knowledge they had themselves of his ability in Masonry and his fitness to sec the ceremony properly performed , it was a duty they owed him to pass a vote of thanks to him for what he had done . He would
therefore ask them to drink his health . The Chairman said he was greatly obliged for the brethren ' s kindness . They were so much indebted to their Bro . Holden , who had acted as Chaplain , that he should now propose his health ,
as one who had that evening offered a suitable and appropriate prayer on the laying of thc foundation stone of this Masonic Hall . They ought to be very much indebted to him for coming to assist , and for thc very eloquent way in which he had performed his duties .
The Rev . P . M . Holden said—Bro . Colonel Burdett , ladies and gentlemen , it has bitn quite an unexpected pleasure for me to have my health proposed this afternoon . I have done so very little that I have hardl y deserved the mention of my name . However , I beg to thank you
very much indeed for the warm and kind mantlet in which you have responded to the toast . There is one other toast , if the toasts are now supposed to be at an end , which with your permission I will now propose . I ask to propose it because in former days a knight and a gentleman was
considered , and he was said to be the champion of God and the ladies ; and I really do not know that a clergyman could be spoken of in better terms than calling him a champion of God and the ladies . Most of you know very well that by thc rules of precedence , those who
are of the very highest rank should always go last , and it is upon that rale of precedence that we generally propose" The Health of the Ladies " as one of the last , though not the very least of the toasts . It is an acknowledged fact that in all pleasures and amusements lhe ladies take a
first and foremost place . It is their fascinating presence , their bewildering beauty , and their graceful assistance , which lends a charm , and the greatest charm to all our public meetings , and to all our pleasant and social gatherings . I do not think we of the rougher sex are at all
sufficiently aware of tlie very great debt we owe to the ladies , and it occurs to me at the present moment that in reading ( this i true all the world over ) the travels of Mungo Park , he particularly says that though a homeless stranger , though very often cruelly ilu
treated by the men , whenever he was in distress , whenever lie stood in need of any assistance , he always found the hearts of the women not near so black as their faces —( cheers)—whatever illusage he met with , he tells us that he was
always sure to find assistance from the women of the village wherever he happened at that time to be . Now , of course the ladies of England cannot for a single moment compete in complexion with those ladies who were so -rood and kind
to Mungo Park ; but still 1 will venture to sav that their hearts are as warm , and still warmer hythe cultivation of their minds ; and there fore , gentlemen , I should say , without detaining you any longer , I give you " The Health of Ladies , " who are present on this occasion , and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
were not to propose " Success to the Surrey Masonic Hall and the Health of the Chairman and Committee , who had carried out the work . " No doubt they had all had very hard work to do ; indeed they had had an uphill game to play . Now they had rolled the stone
to the top of the hill he hoped they would have an easy descent , and finally arrive at the place whicli would place them in a comfortable position , so that hereafter they must say "We assembled here on a certain day , we had a great deal to do before that ; here weare floating
comfortably , and have succeeded in getting not only the support of the brethren at large , but the public generally as well . " ( Hear , hear . ) He did not believe that it was possible for men to have exerted themselves more energetically than the Chairman and Committee of this company , and he thought no one could accuse them of any
deficiency in their duty , therefore he had very much pleasure in proposing " Prosperity to the Surrey Masouic Hall Company , " and of coupling with it the name of " The Chairman of the Company , Bro . James Stevens . " ( Applause ) . Bro . James Stevens said that on behalf of those who were interested in the Masonic Hall
Company he begged to return very sincere thanks for the support which had been accorded that day to the endeavours that had been made to bring the business of laying the memorial stone to a successful issue . He trusted , as he had said before , that the work commenced that
day would be added to , and cemented together , and become of lasting use to the Craft , and the neighbourhood , and to all with whom they must be associated in respect of their Masonic Order . To the chairman , as well as to those who had attended , they were very much indebted for the
eclat that had attended the proceedings , and he hoped that the result would be to prove to many of the brethren who were present that they had to support members of the Order who stood in an exalted position in regard to Freemasonry , lo follow whom could be no small honour , and
and other brethren whom they met in the social world , for whom they entertained the highest regard , and who had arrived at such a position in the attainment of civic and other distinctions as to be of great aid to the company in carrying on their work . But great as they might be ,
desirous as they might be to help , this was more ofa universal matter , this Masonic Hall , and the directors had to look to the suffrages , not of the few but of the many , and it was in order to make it the success they wished that they now asked the assistance of Masons who desired to carry out
the principles that they all shared in respect to such matters . The Directors had shewn that there really was something like a body in the undertaking they had in hand . They did not ask for any large amount ; they had a certain number of shares which they were desirous
should be taken up by the Masonic world , and they would rather that the shares should be taken up by units , rather than by tens and scores . What they wanted was to obtain the sympathy of the greatest number of the Craft that they could . He would not say that they
would think more highly , because that would be stupid flattery , of the man who held one share , than the man who held a dozen ; but they thought quite as highly of him . They wanted the individuals to take the shares . They would rather have 10 , 000 shareholders than 5 , 000 ,
and ke oould assure them if they would support the undertaking they would not be losers b y it . In a Masonic sense they ought not perhaps to expect anything ; but in a commercial sense , added to the Masonic , he could perhaps say they would be able to give from 5 to 9 per cent . At
all events they would give what they could . The want of some such place in the nei ghbourhood for other than Masonic purposes had not been lost sight of , and when this hall was completed he believed there would be a great demand for the accommodation they could afford , to an
extent which must pay the shareholders a good percentage . ( Cheers . ) Ihis was clear by the evidence of those men who had attempted to give entertainments in this particular nei ghbourhood . With regard to the Masonic conveniences which would be provided , the hall would be a great advantage in removing their meetings
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
from the influence of taverns and public-houses , which alone ought to be duly appreciated by the wives and sweethearts of Masons . ( Hear , hear . ) There were but very few people who had any mind at all who would be likely to sneer at this , very few indeed among Masons , and those who
might be tempted to do so were surely not imbued with what we consider the first point among Masons , the desire to be good , moral , and social men , to do all that they could in regard to matters in connection with the Masonic Order , but at the same time not to
forget that they had homes and wives and children ( cheers ) . It was because they believed that they could form an institution like this that they should be able to succeed in taking our Masonic ceremonies away from taverns , that they should be doing good to their own
kind as far as the men were concerned , and only what was just and proper , and their duty to do as far as their kindred were concerned in doing it as a matter of commercial duty ( hear hear ) and separating Masonry from the connection he had alluded to . He therefore trusted that the
enterprise would be supported warmly , and it would be a great pleasure to the board of directors to find at their next meeting a large number of application for single shares , even in preference to applications for greater numbers of shares . He assured them that this was rather a proud
moment for him . He did not pretend to arrogate to himself any particular position in regard to the undertaking , but as he had been connected with the first endeavour to form the hall , which failed and the second endeavour to form the hall , which failed also , finding himself connected with the third in which
they had at last , arrived at laying the memorial stone , he had reason , he thought , to feel a little bit satisfied . He felt that what he had endeavoured to do in connection with the other undertakings of the last ten years was meeting with something of a reward by the
proud position of himself and his co-directors . He was proud to see Sir John Bennett present , as well as the Colonel of his own regiment , to whom the company were indebted for the presence of the band , and as sure as his name was Stevens , there would , please God , be a meeting
in that large room before eight months were over of a large namber of Masons . The way to hel p them was to fill up the share list , and he was happy to say that the Chairman , Bro . Beard , and several others who were present , had just sent in applications for shares . He
then proposed " The Civic Authorities , " coupling with the toast the names of Sir John Bennett and Bro . Beard . Bro . Beard replied , although much had been said , not only by their esteemed Chairman , and others , about the perseverance and assiduity with
which the committee had carried on their duties , he thought too much encouragement could not be given them by praising them for what they had done . They were indebted to Bro . Stevens for the success of this affair , for , to the present time ; and he was speaking without intending
the slightest compliment when he expressed the fervent hope that his health might be spared to exercise his talents and usefulness to such an extent as to render the present a successful undertaking . ( Applause . ) The very happy
way he had of placing the case before them would induce any one to give it support by taking a little money from his pocket , although , when he came there , he ( Bro . Beard ) had not thought of taking shares in the Company , when he found men at the head of affairs with such a
pilot to guide them , if he had been asked to double the number of his shares he should have done so . He believed tha undertaking would turn out a successful one . Bro . Stevens had frequently made some excellent remarks on the duty of charity , and when the civic authorities had their health drunk , it would not be out of
place when the person who responded ¦ for the toast said , that nothing gave the civic authorities more pleasure than to assist in thc work of charity . ( Cheers . ) Bro . J . T . Moss proposed "The Press , " and said that every one in England felt proud of it . Whenever there was anything done , there was always a satisfaction in finding that it was
Laying The Memorial Stone Of The Surrey Masonic Hall.
recorded by gentlemen connected with the press . Bro . Massey responded for The Freemason . Bro . Stevens proposed " The Health of the Chairman , " who was one of those Masons who had endeared himself thoroughly to every
brother who knew him in his own province of Middlesex , Surrey , in Ireland , and elsewhere . It was therefore peculiarly gratifying to have him as their Chairman on an occasion like the present . Masonic ceremonies like that they had just observed were far more frequent in the provinces
than in London . By the dispensation of the Grand Master they were allowed in the country , and as a rule countrymen had a greater opportunity of seeing Masonic ceremonies than we of the metropolis . The Grand Master only granted his dispensation to those brethren who
he thought would see that the ceremonies were properly carried out . If anything went wrong the Grand Master would be to blame , and so he looked after the character of the person to whom he granted the dispensation . Without their Bro . Colonel Burdett there would have
been little chance of their meeting as they had done , and with the knowledge they had themselves of his ability in Masonry and his fitness to sec the ceremony properly performed , it was a duty they owed him to pass a vote of thanks to him for what he had done . He would
therefore ask them to drink his health . The Chairman said he was greatly obliged for the brethren ' s kindness . They were so much indebted to their Bro . Holden , who had acted as Chaplain , that he should now propose his health ,
as one who had that evening offered a suitable and appropriate prayer on the laying of thc foundation stone of this Masonic Hall . They ought to be very much indebted to him for coming to assist , and for thc very eloquent way in which he had performed his duties .
The Rev . P . M . Holden said—Bro . Colonel Burdett , ladies and gentlemen , it has bitn quite an unexpected pleasure for me to have my health proposed this afternoon . I have done so very little that I have hardl y deserved the mention of my name . However , I beg to thank you
very much indeed for the warm and kind mantlet in which you have responded to the toast . There is one other toast , if the toasts are now supposed to be at an end , which with your permission I will now propose . I ask to propose it because in former days a knight and a gentleman was
considered , and he was said to be the champion of God and the ladies ; and I really do not know that a clergyman could be spoken of in better terms than calling him a champion of God and the ladies . Most of you know very well that by thc rules of precedence , those who
are of the very highest rank should always go last , and it is upon that rale of precedence that we generally propose" The Health of the Ladies " as one of the last , though not the very least of the toasts . It is an acknowledged fact that in all pleasures and amusements lhe ladies take a
first and foremost place . It is their fascinating presence , their bewildering beauty , and their graceful assistance , which lends a charm , and the greatest charm to all our public meetings , and to all our pleasant and social gatherings . I do not think we of the rougher sex are at all
sufficiently aware of tlie very great debt we owe to the ladies , and it occurs to me at the present moment that in reading ( this i true all the world over ) the travels of Mungo Park , he particularly says that though a homeless stranger , though very often cruelly ilu
treated by the men , whenever he was in distress , whenever lie stood in need of any assistance , he always found the hearts of the women not near so black as their faces —( cheers)—whatever illusage he met with , he tells us that he was
always sure to find assistance from the women of the village wherever he happened at that time to be . Now , of course the ladies of England cannot for a single moment compete in complexion with those ladies who were so -rood and kind
to Mungo Park ; but still 1 will venture to sav that their hearts are as warm , and still warmer hythe cultivation of their minds ; and there fore , gentlemen , I should say , without detaining you any longer , I give you " The Health of Ladies , " who are present on this occasion , and