Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Middlesex And Surrey.
lodges was reported , viz ., the Davison and the Kintore . In June , 1885 , your Secretary reported the addition of the Temperance-in-the-East and the Royal Savoy as new lodges , and also that the members of the province had during the past year the pleasure of being present at the revival and enrolling of the Prince of Wales Mark Lod ge , No . 4 . In June , 1 S 86 , we reported the addition of the Chiswick and the Onslow as new lodges , and in 1887 , 18 SS , and 1 S 89 the addition of onc new lodge only—the King Solomon . In January , 1890 , this Provincial Grand Lodge was called upon
to record our loss by death of Bro . F . Davison in the previous year . He had been our Deputy Provincial Grand Master for 19 years . At that meeting Bro . C . Hammerton was installed Deputy Provincial Grand Master . At the annual meeting in June , 1 S 90 , your Secretary reported the addition of the Euston and Egerton of Tatton as ncw lodges , and at the annual meeting in June , 1891 , the addition of the Bisleyand Ubique Lodges during
the previous year was duly reported , bringing the grand total of the lodges in this province to 37 , with a membershi p of 822 . For years past we have been able to subscribe to the Mark Benevolent Fund , besides giving relief to the distressed of our own members ; we have considerably over ijioo in hand , which is quite as much as we need or ought to have ; we have all necessary furniture , and are free from debt . The above are the facts and
figures hastily culled from the minute book at an hour ' s notice this morning , and , owing to the fact that from the date of the constitution of this Provincial Grand Lodge we have had but one Provincial Grand Master , Colonel Sir Francis Burdett , to rule over us , and his record is that of one who has ruled with firmness , and yet with gentleness , one who has been most just , yet always kind , and one who has always evinced the keenest interest in the affairs of this province—these are the causes which make our history one of
steady successful advance , but otherwise uneventful . As I turned over the pages of the minute book I saw the names of those who , in early days , had upheld the hands of our Provincial Grand Master , and , year by year , as they fell out of the ranks , by death or other causes , their places have been filled by worthy brethren , and it must now be a pleasure to our Provincial Grand Master to preside at the goodly gathering of the past few years . Long may Sir Francis Burdett live to be our Provincial Grand Master and share in the prosperity of this Provincial Grand Lodge . "
It was moved by the DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER , duly seconded , and carried unanimously , that the history just read be printed and circulated among the members of the province and also be entered on the minutes .
This being the festival of the province , it having existed upwards of 21 years , the arrangements for the remainder of the meeting were in the hands of a Special Committee , of which Bro . Capt . C . J . Knightley , P . P . G . O ., was President , and Bro . W . A . Scurrah , P . P . G . R ., was the Honorary Secretary . The rest of the proceedings were carried out by the Committee , who had prepared two testimonials for presentation within this Provincial Grand Lodge .
The first was an illuminated address enclosed in a silver gilt casket of elegant design , which also bore a suitable inscription . These were presented to Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., in the name of the Committeeand brethren b y Col . COOK in a most suitable speech , and the PROV . GRAND MASTER , in acceptinir these nresents . exnressed the irreat
pleasure he had always felt during the past 21 years in presiding over this Provincial Grand Lodge , and asserted that it was due more to the assistance lie had received not only from the Present and Past Deputy Provincial Grand Masters and Secretaries but from all thc officers aud brethren of the province than from any merit of his own .
Lhe PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER then , in the name of the Committee , officers , and brethren , presented thc Provincial Grand Secretary with a silver inkstand of the most elegant design , expressing the pleasure he felt at having Bro . Bri ghten for his Provincial Grand Secretary , and adding words of kindness and approval of services rendered during the past 17 years . '
'lhe inkstand bore the following inscription : " Province of Middlesex and Surrey Mark Master Masons . Presentation to Worshipful Bro . William Orcen Brighten , P . G . J . W ., P . P . G . S . W ., Provincial Grand Secretary , by the brethren of thc Province as a mark of esteem and regard . 1892 . " Numerous letters of regret for enforced absence were read , after which irovmcial Grand Lodge was closed , and thc brethren adjourned to a banquet and concert .
Before the banquet Sir Francis and Lady Burdett received the ladies and urethral in the drawing-room , where the Stewards presented magnificent Jouquetsto Lady Burdett , her daughter , Mrs . Knightley , and Mrs . Brighten . Hie banquet was served in Spiers and Pond ' s best style , while an excellent string band gave forth sweet music . M flcl V tl , c banquet 'be usual 103 'al toasts were given , and then thc ladies i » iu brethren adjourned to the concert room .
( Copy of Address . ) Provincial Grand Lodge Mark Master Masons Middlesex and Surrey . To the Right Worshipful Brother Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master . tli e ' ' le mem ' ) ers ° f 'he Provincial Grand Lodge , congratulate you on e twent y . first year of your rule over this province . We are proud of being to
welTli a C '" * w ** ° *^ so mucn honour Freemasonry , and who so and w , f ** F / eemasonry means . It is impossible to over-estimate the esteem priviT 8 ard , entertain fd for you , and it is most gratifying indeed for us to have the we ha ^ f assem ^ wg this day to offer to you some tangible proof of the respect a trie rf ° * ** ° ^ * eare ( * himself not only by his Masonic virtues , but as end , a neighbour , a public man , and an officer in her Majesty's Army . rulin-f ^ ° i ! - ° man / years to come continue to be a shining light in Freemasonry , 'ast tw ° T P ° vince with the same zeal and assiduity you have shown for the found w it 01 "' 3 * ears i and when called off from your labours here may you be Holy T ° Y receive the reward promised to those who work diligently in His
g . " So mote it be ! " lgned * on behalf of the 800 members of this Provincial Grand Lodge , C . J . KNIOIITLEV , President ; GEORGE PRICE , Treasurer ; W . A . SCURRAH , Hon . Secretary Festival Committee .
( Copy of inscription on casket . ) Th * Prov ' <"* e of Middlesex and Surrey Mark Master Masons . C ° l- Sir ? Sket ! ° ntain ing an address , was presented to the Right Worshipful Bro . 'he 21 st vea " * ? urdett ' Bart- > Provincial Grand Mark Master , to commemorate 't has been J , ' -stence of the province , during the whole of which period under his guidance and direction . 1892 .
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
JUBILEE FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
lhe Festival to celebrate the jubilee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons was held on Wednesday evening at Covent Garden Theatre under the presidency of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Deputy Grand Master , and Provincial Grand Master for Cornwall . A gathering of nearly 1800 brethren and ladies was one of the results of the strenuous endeavours put forth b 3 ' the executive of
the Institution , more especially Bro . Terry , its Secretary , to make the Festival a great success , and worthy of the great Craft which it ennobles . The theatre was well suited for a grand display , and it afforded plenty of scope for an artistic mind to design a picturesque show . Such a mind was found equal to the occasion , and the arrangement of the tables and the disposition of the company formed a most attractive spectacle . The brethren's
dinner tables were on the ground floor of the building , while the ladies were formed into dinner parties in the several tiers of boxes on the stage , which had been specially prepared for the occasion , and in the saloon . The band of the Grenadier Guards , by permission of Col . Trotter , under the conductorship of Bro . Lieut . Dan Godfrey , 2190 , played a beautiful selection of music during the dinner , and the dinner itself was one of thc finest productions of Messrs . Spiers and Pond , Limited .
The company included Bros . Col . N . Money , P . G . M . Surrey ; Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W . ; J . Lewis Thomas , P . A . G . D . C . ; R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L ., P . A . G . D . C ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . G . D . ; Rev . C . VV . Spencer Stanhope , P . G . C ; T . J . Railing , Prov . Grand Secretary Essex ; Col . A . Thrale Perkins , P . G . D . ; Alderman Frank Green , P . G . D . ; Col . H . Somerville Burney , P . G . D . ; F . Sumner Knyvett , P . G . D . ; Lennox Browne , Vice-President Board of Gen . Purps . ; Dr . Strong , [ . A . Farnfield , Georire
Everett , Grand Treas . ; S . V . Abraham , A . G . P . ; Thos . Fenn , Pres . Bd . Gen . Purps . ; Robert Grey , Pres . Board of Benevolence ; J . Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . East Lancashire ; F , R . W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . Girls ; J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . I . Boys ; C . F . Hogard , Chairman Executive Committee ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C ; W . F . Smithson , P . G . D . ; C . Belton , P . D . G . D . C ; H . Brooks Marshall , P . G . Treas . ; R . Eve ,, P . G . Treas . ; R . Berridge , R . Clowes , G . Std . Br . ; Admiral Markham , J . H . Matthews , P . D . G . D . C ; and others .
lhe brethren commenced dinner punctually at six o ' clock , and atthe termination of , the repast , which was admirably served , the usual toasts followed thc saying of grace . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing the toast of " The Queen , " said he must ask the brethren ' s indulgence , as it was difficult to speak in so large a hall . It was impossible to propose thc toast which now ,
as ever , stood first upon the list , without feeling the cloud of that sorrow which cast its shadow upon the happiness of their Sovereign and her family ; but that sorrow had tended only to make their feelings of loyalty more personal , more loving , and more real . They could not forget the words of that letter , so touching in its sympathy , in which her Majesty thanked the people for their sympathy , or the impression which those words made upon the brethren's own minds . That letter was read by millions of their fellow
subjects , and by thousands of their brethren in thc Craft in every quarter of the globe , and it must have awakened a feeling of personal sympathy towards Queen Victoria in the minds of many to whom lhat name till then had been little more than an abstract idea , the symbol of the majesty of England , that he believed they could hardly imagine that there had ever been a more striking exemplification of thc poet ' s words , " Onc touch of nature makes thc whole world kin . "
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " said that the remarks hc had just made applied equally or even more strongly to the present toast . On H . R . H . tne Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales the blow he had spoken of fell with thc greatest force . H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales was connected wilh each one of the brethren by the ties of Masonry , as well as by the
allegiance which they owed to him as thc Grand Master of their Order . The Prince of Wales was associated especially with the object of thc Festival , and that day as the Grand Patron of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Thc sympathy of the Craft at large had been duly conveyed to his Royal Highness by the Grand Lodge of England , and the brethren now bore upon their Masonic clothing the badges of mourning for
a . brother Mason in the person of the lamented young Prince , the Duke of Clarence and Avondale . A doubt was felt at lirst whether , under thc circumstances , the date of this Festival should be postponed , but he ( thc Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ) decided otherwise , because he felt in the first place that the Festival was not less a work of mercy than an occasion of festivity , and also because he was sure that the deep interest always
entertained by the Grand Master in the great Masonic Chanties would lead him to think only of what would be best for the success of that meeting . He believed nothing would give the Prince of Wales greater pleasure than to have communicated to him the result of thie Festival . Bro . the Rev . C . J . MARTYN , P . G . Chap ., proposed the toast of" The Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of
Mount Edgcumbe ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Bro . Col . NOEL MONEY , Prov . G . Master for Surrey , Ut responding , said it was with great diffidence he rose to return thanks . Both the Earl of Lathom and himself took the highest degrees in Masonry on thc same day . The Provincial Grand Master was the connecting link between Grand Lodge and the lodges of England , and hc hoped it was because
they , to the utmost of their ability , carried out the duties of their high office that they might look for such an assembly as they saw that night . If the connecting links did not do their duty there would not be that vital energy existing from the head and front of the Institutions down to their very lowest foundation . The officers of Grand Lodge did their duty in every way when they were called upon , and in returning thanks for them he could onlv say they did it to the utmost of their power , and were glad to
see the body of Masons in general considered that the Grand Officers attempted to do their duty . Hc felt that he ought to say a word as regarded the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe in his position of Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , but he need say very little . The name of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe had been associated with Masonry for a long time , and the position of President of this Festival was one that did not require words from him to call forth the brethren's feelings .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Middlesex And Surrey.
lodges was reported , viz ., the Davison and the Kintore . In June , 1885 , your Secretary reported the addition of the Temperance-in-the-East and the Royal Savoy as new lodges , and also that the members of the province had during the past year the pleasure of being present at the revival and enrolling of the Prince of Wales Mark Lod ge , No . 4 . In June , 1 S 86 , we reported the addition of the Chiswick and the Onslow as new lodges , and in 1887 , 18 SS , and 1 S 89 the addition of onc new lodge only—the King Solomon . In January , 1890 , this Provincial Grand Lodge was called upon
to record our loss by death of Bro . F . Davison in the previous year . He had been our Deputy Provincial Grand Master for 19 years . At that meeting Bro . C . Hammerton was installed Deputy Provincial Grand Master . At the annual meeting in June , 1 S 90 , your Secretary reported the addition of the Euston and Egerton of Tatton as ncw lodges , and at the annual meeting in June , 1891 , the addition of the Bisleyand Ubique Lodges during
the previous year was duly reported , bringing the grand total of the lodges in this province to 37 , with a membershi p of 822 . For years past we have been able to subscribe to the Mark Benevolent Fund , besides giving relief to the distressed of our own members ; we have considerably over ijioo in hand , which is quite as much as we need or ought to have ; we have all necessary furniture , and are free from debt . The above are the facts and
figures hastily culled from the minute book at an hour ' s notice this morning , and , owing to the fact that from the date of the constitution of this Provincial Grand Lodge we have had but one Provincial Grand Master , Colonel Sir Francis Burdett , to rule over us , and his record is that of one who has ruled with firmness , and yet with gentleness , one who has been most just , yet always kind , and one who has always evinced the keenest interest in the affairs of this province—these are the causes which make our history one of
steady successful advance , but otherwise uneventful . As I turned over the pages of the minute book I saw the names of those who , in early days , had upheld the hands of our Provincial Grand Master , and , year by year , as they fell out of the ranks , by death or other causes , their places have been filled by worthy brethren , and it must now be a pleasure to our Provincial Grand Master to preside at the goodly gathering of the past few years . Long may Sir Francis Burdett live to be our Provincial Grand Master and share in the prosperity of this Provincial Grand Lodge . "
It was moved by the DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER , duly seconded , and carried unanimously , that the history just read be printed and circulated among the members of the province and also be entered on the minutes .
This being the festival of the province , it having existed upwards of 21 years , the arrangements for the remainder of the meeting were in the hands of a Special Committee , of which Bro . Capt . C . J . Knightley , P . P . G . O ., was President , and Bro . W . A . Scurrah , P . P . G . R ., was the Honorary Secretary . The rest of the proceedings were carried out by the Committee , who had prepared two testimonials for presentation within this Provincial Grand Lodge .
The first was an illuminated address enclosed in a silver gilt casket of elegant design , which also bore a suitable inscription . These were presented to Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., in the name of the Committeeand brethren b y Col . COOK in a most suitable speech , and the PROV . GRAND MASTER , in acceptinir these nresents . exnressed the irreat
pleasure he had always felt during the past 21 years in presiding over this Provincial Grand Lodge , and asserted that it was due more to the assistance lie had received not only from the Present and Past Deputy Provincial Grand Masters and Secretaries but from all thc officers aud brethren of the province than from any merit of his own .
Lhe PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER then , in the name of the Committee , officers , and brethren , presented thc Provincial Grand Secretary with a silver inkstand of the most elegant design , expressing the pleasure he felt at having Bro . Bri ghten for his Provincial Grand Secretary , and adding words of kindness and approval of services rendered during the past 17 years . '
'lhe inkstand bore the following inscription : " Province of Middlesex and Surrey Mark Master Masons . Presentation to Worshipful Bro . William Orcen Brighten , P . G . J . W ., P . P . G . S . W ., Provincial Grand Secretary , by the brethren of thc Province as a mark of esteem and regard . 1892 . " Numerous letters of regret for enforced absence were read , after which irovmcial Grand Lodge was closed , and thc brethren adjourned to a banquet and concert .
Before the banquet Sir Francis and Lady Burdett received the ladies and urethral in the drawing-room , where the Stewards presented magnificent Jouquetsto Lady Burdett , her daughter , Mrs . Knightley , and Mrs . Brighten . Hie banquet was served in Spiers and Pond ' s best style , while an excellent string band gave forth sweet music . M flcl V tl , c banquet 'be usual 103 'al toasts were given , and then thc ladies i » iu brethren adjourned to the concert room .
( Copy of Address . ) Provincial Grand Lodge Mark Master Masons Middlesex and Surrey . To the Right Worshipful Brother Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Provincial Grand Master . tli e ' ' le mem ' ) ers ° f 'he Provincial Grand Lodge , congratulate you on e twent y . first year of your rule over this province . We are proud of being to
welTli a C '" * w ** ° *^ so mucn honour Freemasonry , and who so and w , f ** F / eemasonry means . It is impossible to over-estimate the esteem priviT 8 ard , entertain fd for you , and it is most gratifying indeed for us to have the we ha ^ f assem ^ wg this day to offer to you some tangible proof of the respect a trie rf ° * ** ° ^ * eare ( * himself not only by his Masonic virtues , but as end , a neighbour , a public man , and an officer in her Majesty's Army . rulin-f ^ ° i ! - ° man / years to come continue to be a shining light in Freemasonry , 'ast tw ° T P ° vince with the same zeal and assiduity you have shown for the found w it 01 "' 3 * ears i and when called off from your labours here may you be Holy T ° Y receive the reward promised to those who work diligently in His
g . " So mote it be ! " lgned * on behalf of the 800 members of this Provincial Grand Lodge , C . J . KNIOIITLEV , President ; GEORGE PRICE , Treasurer ; W . A . SCURRAH , Hon . Secretary Festival Committee .
( Copy of inscription on casket . ) Th * Prov ' <"* e of Middlesex and Surrey Mark Master Masons . C ° l- Sir ? Sket ! ° ntain ing an address , was presented to the Right Worshipful Bro . 'he 21 st vea " * ? urdett ' Bart- > Provincial Grand Mark Master , to commemorate 't has been J , ' -stence of the province , during the whole of which period under his guidance and direction . 1892 .
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
JUBILEE FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .
lhe Festival to celebrate the jubilee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons was held on Wednesday evening at Covent Garden Theatre under the presidency of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , Deputy Grand Master , and Provincial Grand Master for Cornwall . A gathering of nearly 1800 brethren and ladies was one of the results of the strenuous endeavours put forth b 3 ' the executive of
the Institution , more especially Bro . Terry , its Secretary , to make the Festival a great success , and worthy of the great Craft which it ennobles . The theatre was well suited for a grand display , and it afforded plenty of scope for an artistic mind to design a picturesque show . Such a mind was found equal to the occasion , and the arrangement of the tables and the disposition of the company formed a most attractive spectacle . The brethren's
dinner tables were on the ground floor of the building , while the ladies were formed into dinner parties in the several tiers of boxes on the stage , which had been specially prepared for the occasion , and in the saloon . The band of the Grenadier Guards , by permission of Col . Trotter , under the conductorship of Bro . Lieut . Dan Godfrey , 2190 , played a beautiful selection of music during the dinner , and the dinner itself was one of thc finest productions of Messrs . Spiers and Pond , Limited .
The company included Bros . Col . N . Money , P . G . M . Surrey ; Sir J . B . Monckton , P . G . W . ; J . Lewis Thomas , P . A . G . D . C . ; R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L ., P . A . G . D . C ; Baron de Ferrieres , P . G . D . ; Rev . C . VV . Spencer Stanhope , P . G . C ; T . J . Railing , Prov . Grand Secretary Essex ; Col . A . Thrale Perkins , P . G . D . ; Alderman Frank Green , P . G . D . ; Col . H . Somerville Burney , P . G . D . ; F . Sumner Knyvett , P . G . D . ; Lennox Browne , Vice-President Board of Gen . Purps . ; Dr . Strong , [ . A . Farnfield , Georire
Everett , Grand Treas . ; S . V . Abraham , A . G . P . ; Thos . Fenn , Pres . Bd . Gen . Purps . ; Robert Grey , Pres . Board of Benevolence ; J . Chadwick , Prov . G . Sec . East Lancashire ; F , R . W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . Girls ; J . M . McLeod , Sec . R . M . I . Boys ; C . F . Hogard , Chairman Executive Committee ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C ; W . F . Smithson , P . G . D . ; C . Belton , P . D . G . D . C ; H . Brooks Marshall , P . G . Treas . ; R . Eve ,, P . G . Treas . ; R . Berridge , R . Clowes , G . Std . Br . ; Admiral Markham , J . H . Matthews , P . D . G . D . C ; and others .
lhe brethren commenced dinner punctually at six o ' clock , and atthe termination of , the repast , which was admirably served , the usual toasts followed thc saying of grace . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing the toast of " The Queen , " said he must ask the brethren ' s indulgence , as it was difficult to speak in so large a hall . It was impossible to propose thc toast which now ,
as ever , stood first upon the list , without feeling the cloud of that sorrow which cast its shadow upon the happiness of their Sovereign and her family ; but that sorrow had tended only to make their feelings of loyalty more personal , more loving , and more real . They could not forget the words of that letter , so touching in its sympathy , in which her Majesty thanked the people for their sympathy , or the impression which those words made upon the brethren's own minds . That letter was read by millions of their fellow
subjects , and by thousands of their brethren in thc Craft in every quarter of the globe , and it must have awakened a feeling of personal sympathy towards Queen Victoria in the minds of many to whom lhat name till then had been little more than an abstract idea , the symbol of the majesty of England , that he believed they could hardly imagine that there had ever been a more striking exemplification of thc poet ' s words , " Onc touch of nature makes thc whole world kin . "
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing " H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., " said that the remarks hc had just made applied equally or even more strongly to the present toast . On H . R . H . tne Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales the blow he had spoken of fell with thc greatest force . H . R . H . thc Prince of Wales was connected wilh each one of the brethren by the ties of Masonry , as well as by the
allegiance which they owed to him as thc Grand Master of their Order . The Prince of Wales was associated especially with the object of thc Festival , and that day as the Grand Patron of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Thc sympathy of the Craft at large had been duly conveyed to his Royal Highness by the Grand Lodge of England , and the brethren now bore upon their Masonic clothing the badges of mourning for
a . brother Mason in the person of the lamented young Prince , the Duke of Clarence and Avondale . A doubt was felt at lirst whether , under thc circumstances , the date of this Festival should be postponed , but he ( thc Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ) decided otherwise , because he felt in the first place that the Festival was not less a work of mercy than an occasion of festivity , and also because he was sure that the deep interest always
entertained by the Grand Master in the great Masonic Chanties would lead him to think only of what would be best for the success of that meeting . He believed nothing would give the Prince of Wales greater pleasure than to have communicated to him the result of thie Festival . Bro . the Rev . C . J . MARTYN , P . G . Chap ., proposed the toast of" The Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of
Mount Edgcumbe ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Bro . Col . NOEL MONEY , Prov . G . Master for Surrey , Ut responding , said it was with great diffidence he rose to return thanks . Both the Earl of Lathom and himself took the highest degrees in Masonry on thc same day . The Provincial Grand Master was the connecting link between Grand Lodge and the lodges of England , and hc hoped it was because
they , to the utmost of their ability , carried out the duties of their high office that they might look for such an assembly as they saw that night . If the connecting links did not do their duty there would not be that vital energy existing from the head and front of the Institutions down to their very lowest foundation . The officers of Grand Lodge did their duty in every way when they were called upon , and in returning thanks for them he could onlv say they did it to the utmost of their power , and were glad to
see the body of Masons in general considered that the Grand Officers attempted to do their duty . Hc felt that he ought to say a word as regarded the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe in his position of Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , but he need say very little . The name of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe had been associated with Masonry for a long time , and the position of President of this Festival was one that did not require words from him to call forth the brethren's feelings .