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Grand Festival.
ship ful the Grand Master of England . " M y brethren , we do not want new Grand Masters ; we have one who lives in the hearts of all his brethren . We do not want to have another , as
long as it will p lease him to occupy the high position in which we , by our unanimous votes , have this day placed him again . It is a very great thins ; for us as Freemasons—it is a great thing
for the benefit of our Order—that we should have a nobleman holding the high and honourable position which he does , occupied as he is with many onerous official duties , nevertheless
coming to these , which are to us the most miportant of all duties , and presiding here , and in Grand Lodge , as our Most Worshipful Grand Master . It may not be known to many , though
it is no doubt to some here , that our Most Worship ful Grand Master was absent on Tuesday at Southampton . He started I believe , at 9 o ' clock on Tuesday morning , was engaged the whole of
the day in very onerous duties there in I < reemasonry , and came back again to this city at one o ' clock this morning . He then appeared in Grand Lodge , after going through his daily
official duties , and has come to preside over us . I need not say more than assure you that it is my opinion , and I am sure it must be the opinion of all of vou , that any brother who performs the
duties he performs in the same distinguished way he always does , deserves that love , honour , and esteem , which , it is my firm belief , he gains from you , and every Mason in the kingdom .
( App lause . ) I will not detain you longer , but I shall simply implore you to rise and drink with all your heart , " The Health of the Right Worship ful the Grand Master . "
The toast was received with every demonstration of gratification . The Grand Master : Brethren , I beg to thank you for the manner in which you have received
the toast which has just been proposed to you by my rig ht worshi p ful friend on my right . I can assure you that it affords me great satisfaction to be present at this Grand Festival , when I
recollect that I have been unable , since my election to the high office which by your choice I have now the honour to fill , to attend as I should have wished , upon this annual occasion . But you - 'ire
aware , brethren , ot the various circumstances which have prevented me from being here , and I am well aware , by the many proofs that I have received , that you have been pleased to pardon
my unavoidable absence . Aow , I rejoice to be able to congratulate you , to-night , upon the flourishing condition of Masonry in this country . When , two years ago , I received at your hands
the high office that I have entered upon again to-day for a third period , I had the good fortune to succeed to one who , through a long Masonic reign , had raised the Craft to the highest state
of efficiency and prosperity , and who could look back upon the quarter of a century during which he had ruled over the Masons of England , and feel that that lengthened period had been one of
ever-increasing progress of Masonry in this country , and that he resigned the chief position jn the Craft at a time when Masonry had
attained to a position in this land unknown before . Brethren , I could not hope to do more than feebly to tread in the steps of my distinguished predecessor ; but I am glad to be able
Grand Festival.
to point , as I think , to satisfactory proofs that during the last two years the Craft has not gone back in its position in this country or in the estimation of our fellow-countrymen , but that that
progress which was commenced before has since been steadily maintained . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I find that during the last two years there have been added to the Craft no less a
number than eighty-eight lodges . Now , I do not mean to say that the real prosperity of the Craft is to be measured by the number of new lodges which are added to it every year . ( Hear ,
hear . ) The prosperity of the Craft to be worth anything must be a real and sound prosperity . The new lodges and new members are of no value if they be not good lodges and good
Freemasons . It is not numbers , it is character , which makes the strength of the Craft , and therefore it is only because I have the utmost confidence that a judicious control over the increase of lodges
has been exercised by . my right worshipful friends tlie Provincial Grand Masters throughout the country , as I , so far as falls to my province , have endeavoured constantly to exercise it myself
—it is only because I have that conviction that I point with satisfaction to the fact that not far short of too lodges have been added to our Masonic roll in the course of so short a period .
My right worshipful friend , who proposed this toast in terms so flattering to me , made allusion to the fact that I was engaged yesterday in a
visit to the important town of Southampton . I rejoice to be able to tell you , brethren , that I found there the most satisfactory proofs of the sound and flourishin" - condition of
Masonry in the important province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wig ht , so ably presided over as that province is by my Right Worshi p ful friend , Bro . Beach , on my ri'i-ht . Now , I doubt
not that the majority of those whom I address , to-nig ht are connected with London lodges , yet I am sure that none of you will differ from me when I say that the Craft could not flourish ,
could not hold the position that it does in public estimation , if it were not that its condition was most prosperous and sound , in all the various provinces of the country ; and I rejoice to find that
in the south of England , of which hitherto I have personally known little , Masonry was no less successfully cultivatedthanintho . se more northern parts , with whicii I am more immediately
connected . Therefore , brethren , 1 feel myself , to-night , in a position in which I am able heartily to congratulate you upon the condition of the Craft at the present time . I trust that you will all feel
with me that the existence of that condition of prosperity , while it affords us doubtless a subject of congratulation , imposes upon us also fresh duties . The wider we spread , the more
numerous are our lodges , the greater is the strength of our members , thc more it behoves every one of us to see that we uphold in the eyes of our neig hbours thc reputation of this ancient fraternity .
If I , brethren , can do anything , in the position to which you have again called me , to promote that important end , it will be to me a subject of the heartiest satisfaction . I am well aware how
much other occupations necessarily engross my time , and take away perhaps from that which I ought to devote to the interests ofthe Craft , but this at least I can truly say , that so long as I feel
Grand Festival.
that I can discharge the duties of this office ; and so long as it may please you to call me to it , I shall devote myself to those duties with the utmost zeal . I shall not continue to hold this
great position one hour after the time that I find that , from any circumstances , I am conscious that I am unable to devote to it as much of my time and attention as I am bound to give . Brethren ,
I heartily thank you for the honour that you have done me . And now , brethren , I beg to ask you to drink a toast which I am confident you will receive with hearty enthusiasm , when I tell you
that it refer to two persons so eminent as H . R . H . ' the Prince of Wales , and our Bro . the Earl of Zetland . I ask you to drink " the Health of the Past Grand Masters of
Enyland . " I have spoken to you already of the Prince of Wales ' s interest in Masonic matters , and of his zeal for the Craft . It is almost impertinent that I should say anything in recommendation of the
Masonic career of my nobl « brother Lord Zetland . You who accordedtohim for so lengthened a | periodyour confidence , are the best judges of the spirit in which he acted , and I know well that
those addresses which you voted to him with so much unanimity , when he ( pitted the throne of the Craft , were no temporary expressions of the feeling of the moment , but that they embodied
the deep and heartfelt gratitude of every true Mason for one who , during the whole of his Masonic career , had at heart , and deeply at heart , the best interests of the Craft . I rejoice to be ¦
able to tell you that I have good accounts at the present time of the state of our noble brother ' s health . I trust that he is now better than he was during tlie year which has passed away , and I am
sure that you will all unite with me in an humble prayer to the Great Architect of tlie Universe , that his valuable life may long be spared to us .
( Hear , hear . ) I give you " the Health ofthe Past Grand Masters of England . " The toast liaving been drunk ,
The Grand Master said : I rise now to ask you to drink " The Health of the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers . " I regret extremely the absence on this occasion of
our right Worshipful Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon . Many of you , doubtless , are aware that he has , during the past spring , been suffering from illness ; but I am glad to tell vou , having seen him
a few days ago , that 1 find he is now far on his way towards recovery . At the same time , it is necessary , to secure and complete that recover } -, that he should abstain from taking part in public
proceedings . Consequently , he is unable to come here to-night , which' otherwise I know well would have given him the greatest pleasure . I have then to couple with this toast the health of
my noble friend and Bro . the Senior Warden , Lord Tenterden . M y noble brother has now for a lengthened period devoted himself zealously to the duties of the lodge to which he belongs , and
I believe that I am correct when I say that he has held office in that lodge for no less a period than fifteen years . Now , when you recollect that gentlemen connected with the Foreign
office in this country , have not , in these modern times , enjoyed a sinecure , you will , perhaps , understand what is the zeal for Masonry which must have prompted our bt other to have devoted so much of his time as is implied in the zealous
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Grand Festival.
ship ful the Grand Master of England . " M y brethren , we do not want new Grand Masters ; we have one who lives in the hearts of all his brethren . We do not want to have another , as
long as it will p lease him to occupy the high position in which we , by our unanimous votes , have this day placed him again . It is a very great thins ; for us as Freemasons—it is a great thing
for the benefit of our Order—that we should have a nobleman holding the high and honourable position which he does , occupied as he is with many onerous official duties , nevertheless
coming to these , which are to us the most miportant of all duties , and presiding here , and in Grand Lodge , as our Most Worshipful Grand Master . It may not be known to many , though
it is no doubt to some here , that our Most Worship ful Grand Master was absent on Tuesday at Southampton . He started I believe , at 9 o ' clock on Tuesday morning , was engaged the whole of
the day in very onerous duties there in I < reemasonry , and came back again to this city at one o ' clock this morning . He then appeared in Grand Lodge , after going through his daily
official duties , and has come to preside over us . I need not say more than assure you that it is my opinion , and I am sure it must be the opinion of all of vou , that any brother who performs the
duties he performs in the same distinguished way he always does , deserves that love , honour , and esteem , which , it is my firm belief , he gains from you , and every Mason in the kingdom .
( App lause . ) I will not detain you longer , but I shall simply implore you to rise and drink with all your heart , " The Health of the Right Worship ful the Grand Master . "
The toast was received with every demonstration of gratification . The Grand Master : Brethren , I beg to thank you for the manner in which you have received
the toast which has just been proposed to you by my rig ht worshi p ful friend on my right . I can assure you that it affords me great satisfaction to be present at this Grand Festival , when I
recollect that I have been unable , since my election to the high office which by your choice I have now the honour to fill , to attend as I should have wished , upon this annual occasion . But you - 'ire
aware , brethren , ot the various circumstances which have prevented me from being here , and I am well aware , by the many proofs that I have received , that you have been pleased to pardon
my unavoidable absence . Aow , I rejoice to be able to congratulate you , to-night , upon the flourishing condition of Masonry in this country . When , two years ago , I received at your hands
the high office that I have entered upon again to-day for a third period , I had the good fortune to succeed to one who , through a long Masonic reign , had raised the Craft to the highest state
of efficiency and prosperity , and who could look back upon the quarter of a century during which he had ruled over the Masons of England , and feel that that lengthened period had been one of
ever-increasing progress of Masonry in this country , and that he resigned the chief position jn the Craft at a time when Masonry had
attained to a position in this land unknown before . Brethren , I could not hope to do more than feebly to tread in the steps of my distinguished predecessor ; but I am glad to be able
Grand Festival.
to point , as I think , to satisfactory proofs that during the last two years the Craft has not gone back in its position in this country or in the estimation of our fellow-countrymen , but that that
progress which was commenced before has since been steadily maintained . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I find that during the last two years there have been added to the Craft no less a
number than eighty-eight lodges . Now , I do not mean to say that the real prosperity of the Craft is to be measured by the number of new lodges which are added to it every year . ( Hear ,
hear . ) The prosperity of the Craft to be worth anything must be a real and sound prosperity . The new lodges and new members are of no value if they be not good lodges and good
Freemasons . It is not numbers , it is character , which makes the strength of the Craft , and therefore it is only because I have the utmost confidence that a judicious control over the increase of lodges
has been exercised by . my right worshipful friends tlie Provincial Grand Masters throughout the country , as I , so far as falls to my province , have endeavoured constantly to exercise it myself
—it is only because I have that conviction that I point with satisfaction to the fact that not far short of too lodges have been added to our Masonic roll in the course of so short a period .
My right worshipful friend , who proposed this toast in terms so flattering to me , made allusion to the fact that I was engaged yesterday in a
visit to the important town of Southampton . I rejoice to be able to tell you , brethren , that I found there the most satisfactory proofs of the sound and flourishin" - condition of
Masonry in the important province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wig ht , so ably presided over as that province is by my Right Worshi p ful friend , Bro . Beach , on my ri'i-ht . Now , I doubt
not that the majority of those whom I address , to-nig ht are connected with London lodges , yet I am sure that none of you will differ from me when I say that the Craft could not flourish ,
could not hold the position that it does in public estimation , if it were not that its condition was most prosperous and sound , in all the various provinces of the country ; and I rejoice to find that
in the south of England , of which hitherto I have personally known little , Masonry was no less successfully cultivatedthanintho . se more northern parts , with whicii I am more immediately
connected . Therefore , brethren , 1 feel myself , to-night , in a position in which I am able heartily to congratulate you upon the condition of the Craft at the present time . I trust that you will all feel
with me that the existence of that condition of prosperity , while it affords us doubtless a subject of congratulation , imposes upon us also fresh duties . The wider we spread , the more
numerous are our lodges , the greater is the strength of our members , thc more it behoves every one of us to see that we uphold in the eyes of our neig hbours thc reputation of this ancient fraternity .
If I , brethren , can do anything , in the position to which you have again called me , to promote that important end , it will be to me a subject of the heartiest satisfaction . I am well aware how
much other occupations necessarily engross my time , and take away perhaps from that which I ought to devote to the interests ofthe Craft , but this at least I can truly say , that so long as I feel
Grand Festival.
that I can discharge the duties of this office ; and so long as it may please you to call me to it , I shall devote myself to those duties with the utmost zeal . I shall not continue to hold this
great position one hour after the time that I find that , from any circumstances , I am conscious that I am unable to devote to it as much of my time and attention as I am bound to give . Brethren ,
I heartily thank you for the honour that you have done me . And now , brethren , I beg to ask you to drink a toast which I am confident you will receive with hearty enthusiasm , when I tell you
that it refer to two persons so eminent as H . R . H . ' the Prince of Wales , and our Bro . the Earl of Zetland . I ask you to drink " the Health of the Past Grand Masters of
Enyland . " I have spoken to you already of the Prince of Wales ' s interest in Masonic matters , and of his zeal for the Craft . It is almost impertinent that I should say anything in recommendation of the
Masonic career of my nobl « brother Lord Zetland . You who accordedtohim for so lengthened a | periodyour confidence , are the best judges of the spirit in which he acted , and I know well that
those addresses which you voted to him with so much unanimity , when he ( pitted the throne of the Craft , were no temporary expressions of the feeling of the moment , but that they embodied
the deep and heartfelt gratitude of every true Mason for one who , during the whole of his Masonic career , had at heart , and deeply at heart , the best interests of the Craft . I rejoice to be ¦
able to tell you that I have good accounts at the present time of the state of our noble brother ' s health . I trust that he is now better than he was during tlie year which has passed away , and I am
sure that you will all unite with me in an humble prayer to the Great Architect of tlie Universe , that his valuable life may long be spared to us .
( Hear , hear . ) I give you " the Health ofthe Past Grand Masters of England . " The toast liaving been drunk ,
The Grand Master said : I rise now to ask you to drink " The Health of the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers . " I regret extremely the absence on this occasion of
our right Worshipful Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon . Many of you , doubtless , are aware that he has , during the past spring , been suffering from illness ; but I am glad to tell vou , having seen him
a few days ago , that 1 find he is now far on his way towards recovery . At the same time , it is necessary , to secure and complete that recover } -, that he should abstain from taking part in public
proceedings . Consequently , he is unable to come here to-night , which' otherwise I know well would have given him the greatest pleasure . I have then to couple with this toast the health of
my noble friend and Bro . the Senior Warden , Lord Tenterden . M y noble brother has now for a lengthened period devoted himself zealously to the duties of the lodge to which he belongs , and
I believe that I am correct when I say that he has held office in that lodge for no less a period than fifteen years . Now , when you recollect that gentlemen connected with the Foreign
office in this country , have not , in these modern times , enjoyed a sinecure , you will , perhaps , understand what is the zeal for Masonry which must have prompted our bt other to have devoted so much of his time as is implied in the zealous