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Article INAUGURATION OF THE PROVINCE OF BEDFORDSHIRE. ← Page 3 of 4 Article INAUGURATION OF THE PROVINCE OF BEDFORDSHIRE. Page 3 of 4 →
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Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.
Bro . Col . STUART , who was again received with loud cheers , said he always thought that the hardest task that could be thrown upon any one was to return thanks for his own health . It was easy sometimes to say what you might hope , and that you would try to do your best in any cause you undertook ; but when one had to speak of oneself it always seemed to him to be an invidious task : either one ' s modesty made him say he was not
worthy of anything that had been said of him , or he might take ali and assume he was right . It was hard to draw the mean between those two points and to say he was thoroughly grateful for the honour conferred , and to say at the same time he was well aware that the kindness of those who were speaking his praises were beyond his merits . He had known Freemasonry from the time he was a schoolboy . He had never been out of it ,
except when he was travelling abroad and was not able to attend foreign lodges from the time he was an Eton boy , when he first entered the Order . He then took office at Cambridge and worked hard in the subordinate offices . At all events , he had identified himself with Masonry and was always only too glad to live among the brethren . He had not the good fortune to be an original member of the Stuart Lodge , because he was
abroad at the time it was started : he could only join it six months afterwards , but when he joined it he came as often as he could . He had ,, however , other lodges elsewhere to attend to , and he did so as well as he could . But now he had to think not so much of his own lodges in particular as of the lodges in the country which were now brought in connection with him personally . How far he might make himself acquainted with all the
brethren he could not tell , but he would endeavour to do so and would hold a Grand Lodge in different parts of the county , so that there might be as far as possible a successful endeavour to bring Grand Lodge home to all the brethren , and thebrethren be all acquainted in the Grand Lodge . One thing there must be in the commencement of a province—a good many brethren well fitted to hold Grand office , and very few offices to give away , so that it
would be three or four years before brethren who had worked hard for years could get office . It was an invidious task sometimes to make a selection , and he hoped the brethren would all be charitable in their action if any one was passed over . When he had to select out of several he must be guided by the advice of those who were best acquainted with all the circumstances . He would promise to act fairly and fearlessly , and all he had to remember
was that when the gavel was placed in his hand that day it was not only a sign of honour but a sign of responsibility . He was responsible to the brethren and to the Grand Master of England equally , and also to the authorities over him and the laws by which Masons were governed , for the due and fit discharge of the duties of Provincial Grand Master . There might be times when difficulties and troubles might arise which might require
some courage , and possibly some hard heartedness , to get through , but , though some of the brethren might disapprove ofthe line he might take , he thought in the long run if they were spared they would admit that what he did he did honestly and conscientiously . This being their first meeting in Provincial Grand Lodge " be did not want to say much , because there might be some things floating in the minds of the brethren of what they might
get out of Grand Lodge . One of these was to promote the Masonic Charities and to carry out the Masonic attributes of Charity—not only one or two Charities individually to subscribe to , but what they had to do was really to promote true Charity throughout the Masonic body , to make them willing to help each other in lime of trouble , and say a good word when it
might be of use . 1 hey should carry the-. ; e feelings more into their private life than was usually lhe case , and not only confine them to public acts . He had been a great many years in Freemasonry ; he had not so many left to him , but he hoped that in those which he had left to him he should continue to use his best efforts on behalf of Freemasonry .
Bro . Col . STUART next proposed "Success to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bedfordshire . " This was the first time that toast had ever been given . He only hoped the brethren generally would receive it well , and that in another year the brethren might be able to say that the honour had well been earned . He was going to ask the brethren to diink the health of the Provincial Grand Officers . Being first appointments , the duties
would be arduous . Some of the brethren would have much to learn , and there would no doubt be some difficulties in giving up the time necessary to attend to the duties . The honour conferred carried a responsibility with jt and it was expected that thc Grand Officers would be ready to assist and instruct the brethren who were younger and less experienced . The very sight of a purple apron in a room might sometimes settle and smooth down
differences that had arisen . The natural tendency was to pay respect to the purple , and to look up to and reverence those who wore it from the fact that they were supposed to have greater experience fromiheir longer service to the Craft . He was sorry that the Deputy Prov . Grand Master was not well enough to have stayed to the banquet ; he was a very old Mason and had been a good many years in the Craft , and had had a great deal to do
in founding the St . Andrew ' s Lodge at Biggleswade . No man could do service better than by increasing the number of lodges . He who was the pioneer might perhaps be a better Mason than the one who sat in his own lodge . There were present numerous representatives of other lodges in the province . The largest number he believed was in the Stuart Lodge , which he believed was actually the most numerous , but the St . John the Baptist
Lodge at Luton he believed was the oldest , and it was also a very large and influential lodge . One of the highest officers of Grand Lodge came from that lodge . They had other lodges of the country representatives , and altogether there was a very fair sprinkling present compared with the number of members of the lodge . Someof them came at great inconvenience , and would have been put to still greater inconvenience if they had stayed ,
therefore they had to leave . One misfortune in the country was that they were not able to get from one side of it to the other so well as they ought . The railway , unfortunately , was not laid out by Freemasons . But they must get over the difficulty if they could , and if they could not they must try to visit each other as much as possible . He would take care that the Provincial Grand Lodge should not be a fixed body , but always on the move , and he
hoped by that course they would keep up communication between the lod ges and Provincial Grand Lodge . Bro . J CUMBERLAND , S . W ., in reply , after expressing his regret at the absence of Bro . Col . Lindsell , congratulated the county of Bedford on being formed into a Masonic province . The object so many of them had at heart had been accomplished under the most favourable circumstances ,
and they had also to be congratulated on Bro . Col . Stuart being chosen to preside over them—a gallant gentleman who was respected wherever he had been and wherever he was known . Bro . Col . Stuart had been exceedingly P ^ ^ in in conferring upon him the high honour of lhe position of Prov . « . b . W . He had not expected such a distinguished position , although he Was the oldest Mason in the province next to Bro . Col . Stuart and Bro .
Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.
Phillips , of Luton , whose age prevented him taking the position of G . S . W . He trusted that all the good expectations of the brethren of the benefits to be derived from associating together in Bedfordshire would be realised , and that they would be attended with every possible succcess . He trusted that
the brethren would be brought together , know each other , respect each other , and in every little matter that arose confer together and seltle everything amicably . He hoped , moreover , that the province would not be behind all the other lodges and provinces in England , in performing those acts of Charity which had so distinguished the Masons of the present day .
Bro . Col . STUART next proposed " The Health of the Installing Officer , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec , " who had come forward most readily that day to help the brethren of Bedfordshire in their difficulties . With Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had rested a great deal of responsibly * in assisting the province in its formation . Grand Secretary held a very important office in England , because he might be considered the adviser of'the
Grand Master as he also was his mouthpiece , and it was necessary that he should be able to know and to keep up the communication wilh every part of the country and every part of the British Empire . Wherever the English colonies went—indeed , wherever the English language was spoken—the Grand Secretary had something to say . In all our English colonies Grand Lodge had lodges , if not under Grand Lodge of England at least in
affiliation to it . In America , though they were independent of us in the States , yet they treated us with respect and looked upon us as cousins and as their ancestors , and tr-e Grand Secretary knew this , and had communications in every part of the world constantly going on . Those of the brethren who had relations abroad knew that Freemasonry was considerably progressing of late years , and with that progress more work fell on the
officials . He supposed no official in Grand Lodge knew so well what the work was as his friend Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke . No difficulty arose in any part of the world where the British Grand Master ' s name was respected which was not referred sooner or later to Great Queen-street , and when it went there they knew who had to deal with it . " Grand Secretary had to dress it up for presentation to the Grand Master , who expected to be
fully advised upon it , and to have it put before him perfectly . From his position and his very great rank , and the many things he had to do , lhe Prince of Wales could not be expected logo into detail ' s himself , and Grand Secretary had to do it . Now , this required great knowledge of human nature and of the whole working of Masonry . Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had been many years in the Craft , he was well known to many of thc
brethren as a Freemason long before he held his present office ; but he was selected b y the Grand Master because it was known he had great tact arid judgment , as well as great Masonic knowledge , and he had the confidence and respect of the brethren wherever he was known . He supposed there was no lodge in the country or in the colonies where the Grand Secretary ' s name was not known , and in the greater part of the lodges in England he was known to be spoken to . The brethren of Bedfordshire had to thank
him for coming down with such able coadjutors as Bros . Richardson , Stanhope , Cumberland , and Butler Wilkins , to instal the Provincial Grand Master . But such kind assistance of these brethren jn high rank evinced the true spirit of Masonry , and he hoped that the Installing Officer would carry back with him the feeling that he had done a good act . and he might rest assured that the brethren of Bedfordshire would be glad to see him among them at any time he felt incline to favour them wilh a visit .
Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary , responding , said he felt great difficulty in returning lhanks for the lar too flattering remarks which lhe Provincial Grand Master had been good enough to use about him , and he must also thank the brethren most sincerely for the fraternal way in which they had received his name . It was quite true that he had the honour to hold a very important and onerous office . His time was fully occupied by
the affairs of the Order ; but his whole heart and soul were in it , and if he could only in the honest performance of his duty as Grand Secretary obtain the approbation of his brethren , he was fully and entirely rewarded for anything he might do . As he had already said , his work was very heavy . For instance , Col . Stuart was the third Provincial Grand Master he had installed in a week . He had installed Sir Offley Wakeman as Provincial Grand
Master for Shropshire , and the next day he installed Lord Harlech as Provincial Grand Alaster for North Wales . These were great honours to fall on any working brother in the Order , and he felt very proud at being the humble representative of the M . W . G . M . on any such important occasion . He could assure the brethren that all his efforts were given towards the good of the Order , and he looked and watched over the interests of the
various bodies and lodges , numbering over 2000 Craft lodges and 1000 Royal Arch chapters , which he had to supervise , and he took the greatest possible interest in the individual welfare of all of them . The correspondence he had every day at his office would probably surprise the brethren . He had from all quarters of thc world 150 or 200 letters every morning at his office , and probably in half a dozen different languages . That was no light
matter . However , he thanked the brethren very much for their kind reception . It had given him great pleasure to come down and start the province , which was starting so well , and he could only say that he would watch over it with very great interest . He hoped to see it progress , as he was sure it would , year by year , and he felt sure lhat in a few short years the Province of Bedfordshire would hold a high position among the provinces of England .
Col . STUART then proposed " The Visitors . " After referring to the advantages of visiting lodges , and the pleasure there always was in seeing visitors , he continued that it must be a pleasure for brethren to come from a neighbouring province to witness the first stages of the infancy of a province . No doubt the visitors would be glad to see what an infantile lodge was like .
Bro . BUTLER WILKINS , G . Std . Br ., replied , and said it had given him great pleasure to be present , because it had been a matter of surprise to him for a long time that Bedfordshire was not a province . He was pleased to find that at last the brethren and the lodges had combined for obtaining this desirable object . Four or five years ago the subject was mooted , and intimation was made—he would not say where from—to the Duke of
Manchester that the lodges of Bedfordshire should be included in the Province of Norths and Hunts , and that steps should be taken to petition Grand Lodge for that purpose . When that came to his knowledge , and his Grace mentioned the matter to him , he at once told his Grace that he did not think it would answer , for one or two reasons . One reason was , that it would
spread the province over such a large area that no Provincial Grand Master or his Deputy could work it with satisfaction to all concerned , and that it might raise a certain amount of jealousy between the old Province of Norths and Hunts and the brethren of Bedfordshire . He strongly advised his Grace to take no steps in the matter , because , for another reason , he was perfectl y
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.
Bro . Col . STUART , who was again received with loud cheers , said he always thought that the hardest task that could be thrown upon any one was to return thanks for his own health . It was easy sometimes to say what you might hope , and that you would try to do your best in any cause you undertook ; but when one had to speak of oneself it always seemed to him to be an invidious task : either one ' s modesty made him say he was not
worthy of anything that had been said of him , or he might take ali and assume he was right . It was hard to draw the mean between those two points and to say he was thoroughly grateful for the honour conferred , and to say at the same time he was well aware that the kindness of those who were speaking his praises were beyond his merits . He had known Freemasonry from the time he was a schoolboy . He had never been out of it ,
except when he was travelling abroad and was not able to attend foreign lodges from the time he was an Eton boy , when he first entered the Order . He then took office at Cambridge and worked hard in the subordinate offices . At all events , he had identified himself with Masonry and was always only too glad to live among the brethren . He had not the good fortune to be an original member of the Stuart Lodge , because he was
abroad at the time it was started : he could only join it six months afterwards , but when he joined it he came as often as he could . He had ,, however , other lodges elsewhere to attend to , and he did so as well as he could . But now he had to think not so much of his own lodges in particular as of the lodges in the country which were now brought in connection with him personally . How far he might make himself acquainted with all the
brethren he could not tell , but he would endeavour to do so and would hold a Grand Lodge in different parts of the county , so that there might be as far as possible a successful endeavour to bring Grand Lodge home to all the brethren , and thebrethren be all acquainted in the Grand Lodge . One thing there must be in the commencement of a province—a good many brethren well fitted to hold Grand office , and very few offices to give away , so that it
would be three or four years before brethren who had worked hard for years could get office . It was an invidious task sometimes to make a selection , and he hoped the brethren would all be charitable in their action if any one was passed over . When he had to select out of several he must be guided by the advice of those who were best acquainted with all the circumstances . He would promise to act fairly and fearlessly , and all he had to remember
was that when the gavel was placed in his hand that day it was not only a sign of honour but a sign of responsibility . He was responsible to the brethren and to the Grand Master of England equally , and also to the authorities over him and the laws by which Masons were governed , for the due and fit discharge of the duties of Provincial Grand Master . There might be times when difficulties and troubles might arise which might require
some courage , and possibly some hard heartedness , to get through , but , though some of the brethren might disapprove ofthe line he might take , he thought in the long run if they were spared they would admit that what he did he did honestly and conscientiously . This being their first meeting in Provincial Grand Lodge " be did not want to say much , because there might be some things floating in the minds of the brethren of what they might
get out of Grand Lodge . One of these was to promote the Masonic Charities and to carry out the Masonic attributes of Charity—not only one or two Charities individually to subscribe to , but what they had to do was really to promote true Charity throughout the Masonic body , to make them willing to help each other in lime of trouble , and say a good word when it
might be of use . 1 hey should carry the-. ; e feelings more into their private life than was usually lhe case , and not only confine them to public acts . He had been a great many years in Freemasonry ; he had not so many left to him , but he hoped that in those which he had left to him he should continue to use his best efforts on behalf of Freemasonry .
Bro . Col . STUART next proposed "Success to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bedfordshire . " This was the first time that toast had ever been given . He only hoped the brethren generally would receive it well , and that in another year the brethren might be able to say that the honour had well been earned . He was going to ask the brethren to diink the health of the Provincial Grand Officers . Being first appointments , the duties
would be arduous . Some of the brethren would have much to learn , and there would no doubt be some difficulties in giving up the time necessary to attend to the duties . The honour conferred carried a responsibility with jt and it was expected that thc Grand Officers would be ready to assist and instruct the brethren who were younger and less experienced . The very sight of a purple apron in a room might sometimes settle and smooth down
differences that had arisen . The natural tendency was to pay respect to the purple , and to look up to and reverence those who wore it from the fact that they were supposed to have greater experience fromiheir longer service to the Craft . He was sorry that the Deputy Prov . Grand Master was not well enough to have stayed to the banquet ; he was a very old Mason and had been a good many years in the Craft , and had had a great deal to do
in founding the St . Andrew ' s Lodge at Biggleswade . No man could do service better than by increasing the number of lodges . He who was the pioneer might perhaps be a better Mason than the one who sat in his own lodge . There were present numerous representatives of other lodges in the province . The largest number he believed was in the Stuart Lodge , which he believed was actually the most numerous , but the St . John the Baptist
Lodge at Luton he believed was the oldest , and it was also a very large and influential lodge . One of the highest officers of Grand Lodge came from that lodge . They had other lodges of the country representatives , and altogether there was a very fair sprinkling present compared with the number of members of the lodge . Someof them came at great inconvenience , and would have been put to still greater inconvenience if they had stayed ,
therefore they had to leave . One misfortune in the country was that they were not able to get from one side of it to the other so well as they ought . The railway , unfortunately , was not laid out by Freemasons . But they must get over the difficulty if they could , and if they could not they must try to visit each other as much as possible . He would take care that the Provincial Grand Lodge should not be a fixed body , but always on the move , and he
hoped by that course they would keep up communication between the lod ges and Provincial Grand Lodge . Bro . J CUMBERLAND , S . W ., in reply , after expressing his regret at the absence of Bro . Col . Lindsell , congratulated the county of Bedford on being formed into a Masonic province . The object so many of them had at heart had been accomplished under the most favourable circumstances ,
and they had also to be congratulated on Bro . Col . Stuart being chosen to preside over them—a gallant gentleman who was respected wherever he had been and wherever he was known . Bro . Col . Stuart had been exceedingly P ^ ^ in in conferring upon him the high honour of lhe position of Prov . « . b . W . He had not expected such a distinguished position , although he Was the oldest Mason in the province next to Bro . Col . Stuart and Bro .
Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.
Phillips , of Luton , whose age prevented him taking the position of G . S . W . He trusted that all the good expectations of the brethren of the benefits to be derived from associating together in Bedfordshire would be realised , and that they would be attended with every possible succcess . He trusted that
the brethren would be brought together , know each other , respect each other , and in every little matter that arose confer together and seltle everything amicably . He hoped , moreover , that the province would not be behind all the other lodges and provinces in England , in performing those acts of Charity which had so distinguished the Masons of the present day .
Bro . Col . STUART next proposed " The Health of the Installing Officer , Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , G . Sec , " who had come forward most readily that day to help the brethren of Bedfordshire in their difficulties . With Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had rested a great deal of responsibly * in assisting the province in its formation . Grand Secretary held a very important office in England , because he might be considered the adviser of'the
Grand Master as he also was his mouthpiece , and it was necessary that he should be able to know and to keep up the communication wilh every part of the country and every part of the British Empire . Wherever the English colonies went—indeed , wherever the English language was spoken—the Grand Secretary had something to say . In all our English colonies Grand Lodge had lodges , if not under Grand Lodge of England at least in
affiliation to it . In America , though they were independent of us in the States , yet they treated us with respect and looked upon us as cousins and as their ancestors , and tr-e Grand Secretary knew this , and had communications in every part of the world constantly going on . Those of the brethren who had relations abroad knew that Freemasonry was considerably progressing of late years , and with that progress more work fell on the
officials . He supposed no official in Grand Lodge knew so well what the work was as his friend Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke . No difficulty arose in any part of the world where the British Grand Master ' s name was respected which was not referred sooner or later to Great Queen-street , and when it went there they knew who had to deal with it . " Grand Secretary had to dress it up for presentation to the Grand Master , who expected to be
fully advised upon it , and to have it put before him perfectly . From his position and his very great rank , and the many things he had to do , lhe Prince of Wales could not be expected logo into detail ' s himself , and Grand Secretary had to do it . Now , this required great knowledge of human nature and of the whole working of Masonry . Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke had been many years in the Craft , he was well known to many of thc
brethren as a Freemason long before he held his present office ; but he was selected b y the Grand Master because it was known he had great tact arid judgment , as well as great Masonic knowledge , and he had the confidence and respect of the brethren wherever he was known . He supposed there was no lodge in the country or in the colonies where the Grand Secretary ' s name was not known , and in the greater part of the lodges in England he was known to be spoken to . The brethren of Bedfordshire had to thank
him for coming down with such able coadjutors as Bros . Richardson , Stanhope , Cumberland , and Butler Wilkins , to instal the Provincial Grand Master . But such kind assistance of these brethren jn high rank evinced the true spirit of Masonry , and he hoped that the Installing Officer would carry back with him the feeling that he had done a good act . and he might rest assured that the brethren of Bedfordshire would be glad to see him among them at any time he felt incline to favour them wilh a visit .
Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary , responding , said he felt great difficulty in returning lhanks for the lar too flattering remarks which lhe Provincial Grand Master had been good enough to use about him , and he must also thank the brethren most sincerely for the fraternal way in which they had received his name . It was quite true that he had the honour to hold a very important and onerous office . His time was fully occupied by
the affairs of the Order ; but his whole heart and soul were in it , and if he could only in the honest performance of his duty as Grand Secretary obtain the approbation of his brethren , he was fully and entirely rewarded for anything he might do . As he had already said , his work was very heavy . For instance , Col . Stuart was the third Provincial Grand Master he had installed in a week . He had installed Sir Offley Wakeman as Provincial Grand
Master for Shropshire , and the next day he installed Lord Harlech as Provincial Grand Alaster for North Wales . These were great honours to fall on any working brother in the Order , and he felt very proud at being the humble representative of the M . W . G . M . on any such important occasion . He could assure the brethren that all his efforts were given towards the good of the Order , and he looked and watched over the interests of the
various bodies and lodges , numbering over 2000 Craft lodges and 1000 Royal Arch chapters , which he had to supervise , and he took the greatest possible interest in the individual welfare of all of them . The correspondence he had every day at his office would probably surprise the brethren . He had from all quarters of thc world 150 or 200 letters every morning at his office , and probably in half a dozen different languages . That was no light
matter . However , he thanked the brethren very much for their kind reception . It had given him great pleasure to come down and start the province , which was starting so well , and he could only say that he would watch over it with very great interest . He hoped to see it progress , as he was sure it would , year by year , and he felt sure lhat in a few short years the Province of Bedfordshire would hold a high position among the provinces of England .
Col . STUART then proposed " The Visitors . " After referring to the advantages of visiting lodges , and the pleasure there always was in seeing visitors , he continued that it must be a pleasure for brethren to come from a neighbouring province to witness the first stages of the infancy of a province . No doubt the visitors would be glad to see what an infantile lodge was like .
Bro . BUTLER WILKINS , G . Std . Br ., replied , and said it had given him great pleasure to be present , because it had been a matter of surprise to him for a long time that Bedfordshire was not a province . He was pleased to find that at last the brethren and the lodges had combined for obtaining this desirable object . Four or five years ago the subject was mooted , and intimation was made—he would not say where from—to the Duke of
Manchester that the lodges of Bedfordshire should be included in the Province of Norths and Hunts , and that steps should be taken to petition Grand Lodge for that purpose . When that came to his knowledge , and his Grace mentioned the matter to him , he at once told his Grace that he did not think it would answer , for one or two reasons . One reason was , that it would
spread the province over such a large area that no Provincial Grand Master or his Deputy could work it with satisfaction to all concerned , and that it might raise a certain amount of jealousy between the old Province of Norths and Hunts and the brethren of Bedfordshire . He strongly advised his Grace to take no steps in the matter , because , for another reason , he was perfectl y