Constitution Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Sussex.

CONSTITUTION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF SUSSEX .

The Earl of Limerick , M . W ., Deputy Grand Mark Mason , acting as R . W . Grand Master in the unavoidable absence of the Earl Percy , on Friday last , presided over a Moveable Grand Lodge , having on his right Colonel Burdett , M . W . Provincial Grand Mark Master of

Middlesex and Surrey , as V . W . Deputy Grand Master , and on his left the M . W . Bro . G-. Raymond Portal , M . A ., R . W . Past Grand Mark Master , Col . A . W . Adair , Past Grand Senior Mark Warden , as S . G . W ., and Bro . J . Gilbert Smallpiece ( Guildford ) , G . T . W ., as Grand Junior Warden ,

Bro . J . Binckes , Grand Secretary , Bro . C . Wadham Wyndham ( Wimborne , Dorset ) , Grand D . of Ceremonies , Bro . Rev . W . Mortimer Heath ( Lychett Rectors , Poole ) , Grand Chaplain , Bro . E . Dubose ( London ) , Grand S . B ., as Grand Sword Bearer , Bro . Thos . Cubitt ( London ) , P . A .

Grand D . of C , as Grand Deacon ; Bro . S . R . Ade , Grand Standard Bearer . The Moveable Grand Lodge was opened in form , and the Earl of Limerick explained the nature of the meeting in a neat and effective speech , which contained a considerable amount of information

respecting the origin , progress , present position and future prospects of the degree in this country , and its connection with several foreign Grand Districts . His Lordship also dilated upon the necessity of union among all the Mark Lodges , and the advantages to be derived from

the formation of a Provincial Lodge . The only other business before the Moveable Grand Lodge , except the constitution of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex and installation of the R . W . P . Grand Mark Mason , was the nomination of a brother for election at the half-yearly

communication of Grand Mark Lodge in December next , as Grand Treasurer , in the room of Bro . J . R . Stebbing , of Southampton , whose death , which took place a few months ago , caused a vacancy in the office of Grand Treasurer . Bro . T . J . Sabine then nominated Bro . F . Davison

Deputy Grand Mark Master of Middlesex and Surrey , as a candidate for election to that office , and took occasion to point out the special qualifications of Bro . Davison , who , as a good and trusty worker in Freemasonry for many years , especially in the Mark Degree , had won the

esteem and respect of all who knew him . The business of the constitution of the Mark Province of Sussex was then proceeded with ; the petition for the formation was then produced and read . It was quite a work of art , being emblazoned with the arms of Sussex , Brighton ,

and Hastings at each corner ; a keystone with the names and numbers of the lodges now open in Sussex , viz ., Royal Sussex Lodge , No . 75 , Brighton ; Southdown Lodge , No . 164 , Hayward's Heath ; East Sussex Lodge , No . 166 ; Hastings and the Keystone Lodge , No . 168 ,

Brighton . The petition was signed by nearly ninety subscribing and honorary members of the lodges mentioned . The Patent of appointment of Bro . Sir John Cordy Burrows was then read , and he was regularly obligated and installed , upon

which he announced that he desired to appoint an old and very able Mason as his Deputy , naming Bro . J . M . Cunningham , who was duly installed as Deputy G . M . M . M . The R . W . P . G . Master then invested his

officers for the ensuing year , as follows : — S . G . W . Bro . Dr . Trollope ( St . Leonards ) , W . M . No . 166 Mark Lodge . J . G . W . Bro . W . Hudson ( Hayward ' s Heath ) , P . M . 75 , and 164 Mark Lodge , P . G . Mark A . D . of C . G . M . O . Bro . John Robinson ( Brighton ) , P . M .

75 Mark Lodge . G . S . O . Bro . Thomas Cook ( Brighton ) , P . M . 75 Mark Lodge . G . J . O . Bro . J . Pearson ( Brighton ) , P . M . 164 Mark Lodge . G . Treasurer Bro . Braithwaite ( Keymer ) , S . D . 164 Mark Lodge .

G . Secretary Bro . Thomas J . Sabine ( Brighton ) , W . M . 75 Mark Lodge , Treasurer 168 . P . A . G . ( Mark ) D . of C .

Constitution Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Sussex.

G . Assistant Sec . Bro . S . R . Ade ( Brighton ) , S . W . 164 Mark Lodge . G . Registrar of Marks Bro . W . Kirkland ( Eastbourne ) , S . W . 166 Mark Lodge .

G . S . D . Bro . W . R . Wood ( Brighton ) , S . W . No . 168 Mark Lodge . G . J . D . Bro . J . N . Stoner ( Brighton ) , J . W . 168 Mark Lodge . G . D . of C . Bro . C . J . Smith ( Cliftonville ) ,

Sec . 168 Mark Lodge . G . Assistant D . of C . Bro . C . W . Duke ( Hastings ) , J . W . 166 Mark Lodge . G , S . of W . Bro . G . R . Lockyer ( Brighton ) , P . M . 75 Mark Lodge .

S . S . B . Bro . G . Smith ( Brighton ) , J . W . 75 and 164 Mark Lodge . G . Standard Bearer Bro . G . Emery ( Brighton ) , Treas . 75 Mark Lodge . G . Organist Bro . A . Croucher ( St . Leonards ) ,

No . 166 Mark Lodge . G . I . G . Bro . G . Moren ( Heathfield ) , M . O . 166 Mark Lodge . G . Stewards Bro . J . Donan ( Hastings ) , Sec . 166 Mark Lodge .

Bro . W . J . Kemp ( Cliftonville ) , M . O . 164 Mark Lodge . Bro . J . R . Hawkins ( Preston ) , No . 16 S Mark Lodge . G . Tyler Bro . Thomas Hughes .

As each officer was conducted by the acting Grand Director of Ceremonies totheR . W . P . G . M . he , investing with the collar of office , addressed them in appropriate terms on the duties they should perform , and pointed out briefly the reasons , which had induced him him to give the

respective appointments to those he was then investing . The bye-laws were considered and approved , other formal business was transacted , and the Provincial Grand Lodge was closed . The jewels were manufactured by Bro . George Kenning , of London , Liverpool , and Glasgow .

THE BANQUET . Was subsequently held in the spacious Assembly Room of the Old Ship Hotel , an apartment , which in " the good old times , " was wont to be ever and anon , devoted to the

Masonic fraternity . Tlie brethren felt at home in their old familiar quarters , and were fully prepared in anticipation to enjoy the feast of good things which Mr . Bacon had so well prepared for them . Nor were they in the leastwise

disapppointed , for the banquet was of the true Old Ship type , leaving nothing to be desired for , but reflecting the highest credit on all engaged in its preparation and serving . The newly-installed R . W . P . Grand M . M . M .,

Bro . Sir John Cordy Burrows , J . P ., presided , supported by the R . W . Dep . G . M . M ., the Right Hon . the Earl of Limerick , on his right , and the M . W ., Bro . Cunningham , Deputy Provincial Grand M . M . M ., on his left , also by the other

officers of Grand Lodge , altogether about roo brethren . The banquet ended , the Prov . G . M . M ., proposed the first toast , —that of the Queen , —a toast he remarked , dear to every Englishman . He coupled with the toast " Mark Masonry , "

and congratulated his brethren that we lived under a constitutional Government of which every Englishman ought to be proud—proud of his country , proud of his Queen . ( Applause . ) The R . W . P . G . M . M . M ., next gave " His

Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Family . " The Prince of Wales , who took a great interest in Freemasonry , and would soon be Grand Master of the Masonic body in England , would , he trusted , endear

himself to the Masonic body by becoming a Mark Mason , a member of this degree . ( Applause . ) He was sure that no man , no prince living , had a greater hold on the affections of the people of his country than had our noble Prince of Wales .

He might have run a little wild at first—so much the better if it made him a better man in after life . He also referred in glowing terms to the Duke of Edinburgh and his amiable consort ,

and concluded by saying , " I love my Queen , I love the Royal Family , and above all the rest I love the Prince of Wales . " ( Applause . ) The next toast from the Master was that of " the M . W . Grand Mark Master Mason , the

Constitution Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Sussex.

Right Hon . Earl Percy , M . P . " Earl Percy , the . head of the Mark Master Masons , and presumptive heir to the Duke of Northumberland , one of the oldest of England ' s nobility , had given his best attention to the promotion of Mark Masonry throughout the country , more

especially in the north . They must always reverence the head and chief of such a body as theirs : in all his relations of life Earl Percy had won the esteem and love of all his countrymen , more especislly the Mark Master Masons . ( Applause . )

The R . W . Prov . G . M . M . next gave "the M . W . Past Grand Mark Master Masons , the Right Hon . Lord Leigh , the Earl of Carnarvon , Viscount Holmesdale , M . P ., W . W . Beach , Esq ., M . P ., and the Rev . George Raymond Portal , M . A . " The proposer of the toast observed

that most of those names were well known to them all as those of men of note , not as Mark Masons alone , but as men of mark who had done good service for their country . He desired esspecially to couple with the toast , the name of the only Past Grand Master Mark Mason then

with them , Bro . the Rev . George Raymond Portal . ( Applause . ) He was pleased to see a clergyman of the Church of England acting in that capacity , because , without desiring to say anything condemnatory of the order to which he belonged , he feared there was a want of

liberality towards Masonry too often exhibited among them . But if the clergy , as a body , were not all they ought to be , Bro . Portal was all he ought to be , —how pleased they must all be to know that they had a Past Master who was a Minister of the Church of England . ( Applause . )

. The M . W . Past Grand M . M . M ., Bro . the Rev . G . Raymond Portal , who was received with the warmest Masonic demonstration responded . He remarked that he had great pleasure in so doing . In the first place , because he thought it to be one of the peculiar privileges of the Degree of

Mark Masonry that they should have a large body of Past Grand Mark Master Masons . ( Hear , hear . ) In other orders when the Chief got on to the throne , he stuck there for the rest of his natural life : in this degree , the Chief , following out their old landmarks , was changed

every three years , new blood being thus introduced to office , and in the event of the death or failure of one Grand Master , another well acquainted with the duties was prepared to take temporarily the reins of office , and to advise and assist his successor . ( Hear , hear . ) He also

thanked them for proposing the toast , because in the body of Past Grand Mark Master Masons , they had such distinguished men , notably the Earl of Carnarvon , the Deputy Grand Master of Craft Masonry , and who would soon be the Pro-Grand Master . ( Hear , hear . ) In other

orders the Grand Masters , partly from the decrees of fate , and partly from the decrees of the Vatican were of a rare character , something like the Brighton octopus , few and far between . ( Laughter . ) A great deal had been talked about the matter to which he had been

incidentally referring , and one would almost be led to think that the Masonic body were at a loss to find a distinguished man to preside over them . But such , he could assure them , was far from being the case , for if the Prince of Wales , whose acceptanceof the post of honour he was proud of , haddeclinedittherewereotherwell-ntted and

illustrious men reaay to occupy it . Howgreat was the contumely heaped upon the body by the Roman Catholic press ! Masonry did not profess to be an antagonistic profession to that of any religious body ; its simple claim upon all men was that it opened its doors to men of all religions , and of

all politics , setting an example of universal brotherhood to men of all religion and of all politics . And they might depend upon it that despite the opposition from the Romanists , all persons who were worth having in the fraternity would come to them on these

terms—( Applause ) . In the crisis that was approaching , men of all religions and politics would be glad to come to them , knowing that in Freemasonry , whatever else might happen , they would have one place within the four seas of Britain where men could meet without differences , or desiring to cut each others' throats , and this alone would