Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

the heartiest expressions of approval . He would have been glad if the task had been committed to a brother more capable of doing justice to it than himself , but still no one could do it with more sincerity , and it was with the knowledge of this feeling that he took upon himself the duty with so much confidence . He would

propose Bro . Jack Sutcliffe , the son of their Provincial Grand Master , as the Provincial Grand Treasurer . He was glad to say that in Bro . Jack Sutcliffe they would have a brother who would emulate his father in the discharge of those duties which were attached to the office he proposed they should confer upon him .

Bro . H . Watson , of Lincoln , in seconding the nomination , said he fully endorsed ail the expressions concerning Bro . Jack Sutcliffe , which had fallen from Bro . Radley , and he believed the Grand Lodge would also endorse them . Bro . Jack Sutcliffe was then unanimously

elected Provincial Grand 1 reasurer . The Provincial Grand Master thereupon proceeded to invest the undermentioned brethren with their collars and jewels of office : — W . H . Radley S . G . W . Frederick Watson J . G . W . T . H . Oldman G . M . O .

Joseph Bellamy G . S . O . Wm . Watkins G . J . O . Rev . D . Ace , D . D G . Chaplain . Jack Sutcliffe G . Treas . R . C . Carline G . Reg . Robert Gough G . Sec . Bland GS . D .

Hy . Watson G . J D . Moore G . D . C . Judd G . A . D . C . E . J . Hayward G . I . of Works .

Captain Locock G . Sword Bearer . Jacobson C . Std . Bearer . Robinson ( Gainsboro' ) G . Organist . E . J . Cullen G . I . G . Charles Scorer

A . Kirk ) 0 Cl , n „ , }•G . Stewards . R . Goodman J Charles Mann G . Tiler . All these officers having been duly saluted on their appointment , a committee was nominated , on the motion of Bro . Oldham , seconded by

Bro . Canine , to frame the provincial bye-laws . The Prov . Grand Master then rose and said ; It now devolved upon him to perform a very pleasing duty , and he regretted exceedingly that he had not the power of speech to give to the resolution he was about to propose the force

which it deserved . They had all heard the very excellent and superior style in which their greatly beloved Bro . Binckes had discharged the duties of Installing Master . The ceremony had been performed with a talent which could not be exceeded even by Bro . Romaine Callender ,

whose absence they so much regrettea . The announcement , which was made in lodge during Iiis ( the Prov . Grand Master ' s ) absence from the lodge , had filled all the brethren with deep sorrow , for when Bro . Callender agreed to perform the ceremonies the brethren of

Lincolnshire felt highly honoured . This sore disappointment , however , was in some measure cured by the efficiency of Bro . Calender ' s representative , Bro . Binckes , who always brought to the discharge of his duties the greatest ability mingled with an earnestness of purpose which

could not fail to render them acceptable to the brethren . He ( the Prov . G . M . ) spoke as he felt , and he could not refrain from saying he appreciated the service Bro . Binckes had rendered , and which the lodge had been fortunate enough to secure . He would therefore ask the brethren to join with him in passing a vote of

thanks to Bro . Binckes for his kindness in conducting the business of the day , and for the very clever manner in which he had performed the ceremonies they had had the pleasure of witnessing . He felt quite certain that every brother would agree with these remarks , and that the resolution would be carried with

acclamation . The motion having been seconded and carried unanimously , Bro . Binckes said , in acknowledging the compliment , that he should occupy the time of the lodge for a very few seconds , as he should have an opportunity later in the afternoon of speaking ,

Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

at greater length . He would simply say that he would rather this resolution had taken the form it was originally intended to take , of a vote of thanks to Bro . Romaine Callender . He regarded himself as only the locum tenens of that brother , and he looked upon it as a highly

regretable circumstance that Bro . Callender , who was such an excellent worker of the ceremonies , was not present . For he himself felt very acutely the disappointment they must all have experienced , and he was heavily oppressed with the responsibility of his position in having to

take the place of such a distinguished brother . Nevertheless , he felt most grateful for their recognition of his services . The Deputy Prov . G . M . said that he had great pleasure in informing the brethren that the

aprons , jewels , and collars had been presented to the Provincial Grand Lodge by the esteemed Prov . Grand Master , and he would therefore move the thanks of the Grand Lodge to Bro . Sutcliffe , and that they be recorded on the

minutes . The Prov . S . Grand Warden seconded the motion , which was put by Bro . Binckes , and carried unanimously . A vote of thanks was also passed to Bro . Fred . Watson , the chairman of the Committee of

Management , for the loan of the organ , and to the Committee of Management ; and the Prov . Grand Master said that for several weeks past Bro . Watson had been devoted to the duties which had fallen upon him as chairman . Very

few knew the amount of work he had had to do . It had been most arduous , but it had certainly been discharged in a most efficient manner . Whatever Bro . Watson undertook to carry out he carried out with a will , and if it had not been for him the brethren would not then have been

together . Bro . F . Watson , in reply , said that on behalf of himself and the committee he had to thank the Prov . Grand Master and the brethren for their kindly-expressed vote of thanks . Although the labours of the committee had been very arduous , the brethren were amply repaid by

seeing the eminent brother they had recommended to the Grand Master as Provincial Grand Master installed in the provincial chair . He was highly esteemed , and could not fail to bring honour upon the province . Any services the Committee of Management had performed were well compensated for by such a result .

1 his closed the business of Grand Lodge . The Provincial G . Master , before closing the lodge , rose and said that he would take that opportunity of thanking from the chair the brethren who had come such long distances , at such great inconvenience , to do him honour as

they had done that day . It was , indeed , a proud moment to him to see so very many brethren . From all parts they had conic , from London , from Lancashire , from Cheshire . From Yorkshire , also , he was glad to see such a handsome muster . He could assure them all that he

should ever remember it as a great honour they had done him , and he was sorry it was not in his power to recognise the obligation in any other way than by these words of thanks . The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge was then

closed , and the brethren were entertained , to the number of over 400 , by the Provincial Grand Master at a splendid banquet in the concert room cf the beautiful Masonic hall , provided by Bro . Traffbrd of the Spread Eagle Hotel , Lincoln .

At the termination of the jbanquet the "Non Nobis " was sung , and the Prov . G . M . proceeded with the toasts ; and in giving the toast of " The Queen and Mark Masonry , " referred to the wellknown loyalty of Masons in the Mark Degree , and to the bright example that Her Majesty set

as a Queen and a Mother . The Prov . G . Master next gave " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and the members of the Royal Family . " Whenever they drank the health of the Prince of Wales in Masonry it was in the

double capacity of head . of the Royal Family and the head of Masonry . He was not , however , a Mark Mason , but it was extremely gratifying to Mark Masons that he should be ruler of the Craft . With reference to the late Grand Master of the Craft , whom they all had honoured , he

Consecration Of The Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Lincolnshire.

would simply say , " Requiescat in pace . " They were sorry that there should have been a secession from the Masonic ranks , as they would have been if even the humblest man in Masonry had seceded ; but when the head of the fraternity left them , he thought " the least said the soonest

mended . " But there flowed from it this happy result , the development and bringing out of the Prince of Wales , the Heir Apparent of Great Britain , as Grand Master . Now , they would give spontaneous and undivided loyalty to His Royal Highness , and they did not want among

their ranks any who would give but a divided loyalty either to the throne , the altar , or the cottage . The Prince of Wales had shown himself a first-rate fellow , and had taken the opportunity of informing himself on all matters which were likely to be of service in the

position in life he was called on to fill . His duties as heir apparent had been discharged satisfactorily , and also those which he had performed for the Queen . He had made himself beloved wherever he went , and he was well imitated by the Duke of Edinburgh , the Duke of Connaught ,

and Prince Leopold . At the formation of this new Provincial Grand Lodge it was but right that the loyalty of the brethren composing it should be displayed , and it was with the greatest pleasure he gave them the opportuuity of doing so by proposing " The Health of the Prince of

Wales and the Royal Family . " The toast was enthusiastically responded to . The Prov . G . Master next gave " the M . W . Grand Mark Master Mason , the Rt . Hon . Earl Percy , M . P ., " and as time was getting short for the brethren from Manchester and the West ,

joined with it " the M . W . Past Grand Mark Master Masons , the Rt . Hon . Lord Leigh , Rt . Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , Viscount Holmesdale , M . P . ; W . W . B . Beach , Esq ., M . P . ; and the Rev . George Raymond Portal , M . A . " Earl Percy had made his mark in Masonry , or he

would not now have been in the position he was in . He ( the Prov . G . M . ) could not say the same thing for himself ; for although he was an old and experienced officer in the Craft he was not an old Mark Master . Under the peculiar privileges granted by the Mark Degree , which

the Craft did not , the Grand Master and the Provincial Grand Masters retained their offices only for a limited time , to give an opportunity for other brethren who were ambitious and desirous of getting into office to do so . There were in the Craft manv enthusiastic men who worked

for years and did not get high position . In the Mark it was not so , for there was a better opening for such brethren . They had , therefore , what was not to be found in the Craft , a good roll of Past Grand Masters , and what was more , they obtained the cream of the Craft . He then

called upon the brethren to drink tho toast . Bro . Thos . Chadwick , Prov . Grand Secretary , Lancashire , said he did not know why a humble brother like himself should be entrusted with the proposal of toast No . 5 , " The R . W . Dep . Grand Mark Master Mason , the Right Hon .

the Earl of Limerick , and the Grand Officers past and present , " but the Rig ht Worshipful Master had made the duty comparatively easy by showing them that short speeches were the best . Again , the toast was so good a one that no words were necessary to recommend it to

notice . The Earl of Limerick was well known to them all as a good worker in Masonry and a good Mason . Those who had had the opportunity of seeing him do the work knew this , and to those who had not he would only say they had missed a treat , for he was one of the best

working Masons he ( Bro . Chadwick ) ever knew . The Provincial Grand Masters were always ready to do their work and any duty which might devolve " upon them , —and the Grand Officers generally seized every opportunity that offered , to assist the Grand Master in the duties ' of his

office . Bro . Small piece , in thanking the brethren for the toast , assured them that it was the intention and wish of all the Grand Officers to give their support to the Grand Master and to further the

interests of Mark Masonry in every way . He would not detain the brethren by any lengthened remarks , but he would refer to the success of Mark Masonry as evidenced by the great desire of brethren to join it , and by the [ establishment