Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
History Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 256.——(Continued).
Provinces . It was no unusual thing for Provincial Preceptors to be present at the meetings of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , with the view of studying and making themselves perfect in the ritual and competent to teach it in their Lodges in the Provinces . Moreover , the committee frequently got letters from abroad—in fact , he might say
literally that ' From Greenland ' s Icy Mountains to India ' s Coral Strand' they received requests for information as to the Lodge ' s teaching on this or that point of Masonic ritual and procedure . One word more , and he had clone . They were encouraged very much by the presence , in spite of the
prevailing epidemic , of so many Grand Officers and so large an assemblage of brethren , and they felt sure that if they adhered faithfully to their trust , if they maintained—absolutely unaltered—the traditions which had come down to them they should certainly have a continuance of the success which
had characterised that Lodge from its very foundation . " On the ioth of May the following letter from Bro . Thomas Fenn was read by the Secretary and ordered to be entered on the minutes : — " DEAR BRO . RUSSELL ,
" I beg that you will convey to the Brethren of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement my grateful thanks for their kind and fraternal Address on my resignation of the office of Treasurer .
" I shall value it always , not only for its artistic merits , but as a proof of the fraternal regard of my Brethren , which it affords me the greatest gratification to believe I carry with me into my retirement . " On looking back over the long period of my connection with the Lodge alluded to in the Address , I am impressed with
the conviction that I owe far more to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement than it owes to me . It is to that Lodge I owe my love of Masonry and my devotion to its interests , and , as a consequence , my advancement and all the Honours that have been conferred upon me during my somewhat active
and varied Masonic career . It is from that Lodge , Masonically speaking , I have derived my ' infant nurture , ' and to it I feel , and ever shall feel , ' an indissoluble attachment . '
" It is a great consolation to me to know that I have left the Lodge in the hands of very worthy and thoroughly competent Brethren , and in the confident belief that the teaching which has been handed clown to them by their predecessors will be rigidly maintained and transmitted pure and unsullied to their successors .
" Permit me to add , to you personally , my thanks for the kind expressions in your letter which heralded the arrival of the Address .
" I remain , " Yours very truly and fraternally , " THOS . FENX . " At the meeting of the Lodge on the 7 th of June a vote of sympathy and condolence to Bro . Thomas Fenn on the death of his wife was proposed by Bro . Sucllow , seconded
by Bro . Rushton , and carried unanimously . On the 28 th of June a letter from Bro . Fenn in acknowledgment of the vote of sympathy was read by the Secretary and duly entered on the minutes . At the same meeting , " the V . W . Bro . Edward Letchworth ,
Grand Secretaiy , on behalf of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , addressed Bro . W . G . Kentish , alluding in eloquent terms to the great services rendered by him during his seven years' tenure of the office of Secretary , and to the systematic ability and marked courtesy displayed by him in conducting
its varied duties , also eulogising the manner in which Bro . Kentish had developed and organized the Annual Festivals , the effect of which had been , not only to render them a conspicuous success , but had contributed so largely to create an interest in the Craft generally , as to the aims and scope of the work undertaken by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement .
" The Grand Secretary concluded by begging Bro . Kentish ' s acceptance of a Jewel and an Illuminated Address offered to him by a large number of the members of the Lodge , as a small testimony of their appreciation of his work ,
and of their Brotherly Love and high regard for one who had endeared himself to all his brethren and thoroughly carries out the True and Eternal Principles of Masonry . " " Bro . W . G . Kentish , witli evident emotion , acknowledged the Presentation made to him , referred to his long and happy connection with the Lodge , and to the aid and encouragement
he had received during his Masonic career . It had been his pleasure and privilege to be able to devote much of his time to Masonic work and organization . For this he had always felt amply rewarded by the appreciation shewn , for his labors , by the brethren , and the enduring friendships he had formed ,
which , but for Masonry , might never have been . Bro . Kentish concluded by thanking the brethren most heartily for thengifts , which , while life lasted , he should ever treasure amongst his most precious heirlooms , and as a happy reminder of those
glorious clays of service under the banner ot the G . A . of the Universe . " On the 4 th of October Bro . Sudlow proposed , and Bro . Rushton seconded , a Vote of Sympathy and Condolence to the Widow of the late Bro . W . H . Kirby , a very promising and much esteemed brother who had recently lost his life
owing to an explosion of gas at his residence . It is hardly necessary to add that this vote was carried unanimously . On the 18 th of the same month a letter from Mrs . Kirby was read , acknowledging the Vote of Sympathy . 1896 . The Committee and Executive Officers were
re-elected on the 3 rd of January . The Annual Festival was held on the 28 th of February , W . Bro . R . Clay Sucllow presiding as W . M . ; W . Bro . F . T . Rushton , P . G . Steward , acting as I . P . M . ; and Bros . Charles Lewis and E . P . Debenham , as Wardens .
About 370 brethren , including many Grand Officers , were present . The Second Lecture was worked by Bros . Major R . L . S . Badham , No . 21 ; D . D . West , P . AI . No . 108 ; A . AI . Barnard , S . W . No . 196 4 ; Charles Lewis , W . M . No . 2508 ; and S . G . Bucld , W . AI . No . 181 S .
VI . SL'OUXT DUNGAIiYAX , I'UOV . GUAM ) . MASTEIt I'Olt SO . M KltSET , Chairman of the 1 ' efl ' u-al in 181 ) 5 . At the conclusion of the Lecture , the usual vote of thanks to the workers was proposed by the R . W . Lord Skelmersdale , P . G . Warden , seconded by the V . W . F . A . Philbrick , Grand
Registrar , and suitably responded to by the W . Master , who took occasion to explain the general scope and aim of the Lodge . The names of 74 brethren desirous of membership having been handed to the Secretary , the Lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to the banquet , at which the R . W . Lord Skelmersdale ably presided . The after-dinner
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
History Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement, No. 256.——(Continued).
Provinces . It was no unusual thing for Provincial Preceptors to be present at the meetings of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , with the view of studying and making themselves perfect in the ritual and competent to teach it in their Lodges in the Provinces . Moreover , the committee frequently got letters from abroad—in fact , he might say
literally that ' From Greenland ' s Icy Mountains to India ' s Coral Strand' they received requests for information as to the Lodge ' s teaching on this or that point of Masonic ritual and procedure . One word more , and he had clone . They were encouraged very much by the presence , in spite of the
prevailing epidemic , of so many Grand Officers and so large an assemblage of brethren , and they felt sure that if they adhered faithfully to their trust , if they maintained—absolutely unaltered—the traditions which had come down to them they should certainly have a continuance of the success which
had characterised that Lodge from its very foundation . " On the ioth of May the following letter from Bro . Thomas Fenn was read by the Secretary and ordered to be entered on the minutes : — " DEAR BRO . RUSSELL ,
" I beg that you will convey to the Brethren of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement my grateful thanks for their kind and fraternal Address on my resignation of the office of Treasurer .
" I shall value it always , not only for its artistic merits , but as a proof of the fraternal regard of my Brethren , which it affords me the greatest gratification to believe I carry with me into my retirement . " On looking back over the long period of my connection with the Lodge alluded to in the Address , I am impressed with
the conviction that I owe far more to the Emulation Lodge of Improvement than it owes to me . It is to that Lodge I owe my love of Masonry and my devotion to its interests , and , as a consequence , my advancement and all the Honours that have been conferred upon me during my somewhat active
and varied Masonic career . It is from that Lodge , Masonically speaking , I have derived my ' infant nurture , ' and to it I feel , and ever shall feel , ' an indissoluble attachment . '
" It is a great consolation to me to know that I have left the Lodge in the hands of very worthy and thoroughly competent Brethren , and in the confident belief that the teaching which has been handed clown to them by their predecessors will be rigidly maintained and transmitted pure and unsullied to their successors .
" Permit me to add , to you personally , my thanks for the kind expressions in your letter which heralded the arrival of the Address .
" I remain , " Yours very truly and fraternally , " THOS . FENX . " At the meeting of the Lodge on the 7 th of June a vote of sympathy and condolence to Bro . Thomas Fenn on the death of his wife was proposed by Bro . Sucllow , seconded
by Bro . Rushton , and carried unanimously . On the 28 th of June a letter from Bro . Fenn in acknowledgment of the vote of sympathy was read by the Secretary and duly entered on the minutes . At the same meeting , " the V . W . Bro . Edward Letchworth ,
Grand Secretaiy , on behalf of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , addressed Bro . W . G . Kentish , alluding in eloquent terms to the great services rendered by him during his seven years' tenure of the office of Secretary , and to the systematic ability and marked courtesy displayed by him in conducting
its varied duties , also eulogising the manner in which Bro . Kentish had developed and organized the Annual Festivals , the effect of which had been , not only to render them a conspicuous success , but had contributed so largely to create an interest in the Craft generally , as to the aims and scope of the work undertaken by the Emulation Lodge of Improvement .
" The Grand Secretary concluded by begging Bro . Kentish ' s acceptance of a Jewel and an Illuminated Address offered to him by a large number of the members of the Lodge , as a small testimony of their appreciation of his work ,
and of their Brotherly Love and high regard for one who had endeared himself to all his brethren and thoroughly carries out the True and Eternal Principles of Masonry . " " Bro . W . G . Kentish , witli evident emotion , acknowledged the Presentation made to him , referred to his long and happy connection with the Lodge , and to the aid and encouragement
he had received during his Masonic career . It had been his pleasure and privilege to be able to devote much of his time to Masonic work and organization . For this he had always felt amply rewarded by the appreciation shewn , for his labors , by the brethren , and the enduring friendships he had formed ,
which , but for Masonry , might never have been . Bro . Kentish concluded by thanking the brethren most heartily for thengifts , which , while life lasted , he should ever treasure amongst his most precious heirlooms , and as a happy reminder of those
glorious clays of service under the banner ot the G . A . of the Universe . " On the 4 th of October Bro . Sudlow proposed , and Bro . Rushton seconded , a Vote of Sympathy and Condolence to the Widow of the late Bro . W . H . Kirby , a very promising and much esteemed brother who had recently lost his life
owing to an explosion of gas at his residence . It is hardly necessary to add that this vote was carried unanimously . On the 18 th of the same month a letter from Mrs . Kirby was read , acknowledging the Vote of Sympathy . 1896 . The Committee and Executive Officers were
re-elected on the 3 rd of January . The Annual Festival was held on the 28 th of February , W . Bro . R . Clay Sucllow presiding as W . M . ; W . Bro . F . T . Rushton , P . G . Steward , acting as I . P . M . ; and Bros . Charles Lewis and E . P . Debenham , as Wardens .
About 370 brethren , including many Grand Officers , were present . The Second Lecture was worked by Bros . Major R . L . S . Badham , No . 21 ; D . D . West , P . AI . No . 108 ; A . AI . Barnard , S . W . No . 196 4 ; Charles Lewis , W . M . No . 2508 ; and S . G . Bucld , W . AI . No . 181 S .
VI . SL'OUXT DUNGAIiYAX , I'UOV . GUAM ) . MASTEIt I'Olt SO . M KltSET , Chairman of the 1 ' efl ' u-al in 181 ) 5 . At the conclusion of the Lecture , the usual vote of thanks to the workers was proposed by the R . W . Lord Skelmersdale , P . G . Warden , seconded by the V . W . F . A . Philbrick , Grand
Registrar , and suitably responded to by the W . Master , who took occasion to explain the general scope and aim of the Lodge . The names of 74 brethren desirous of membership having been handed to the Secretary , the Lodge was closed and the brethren adjourned to the banquet , at which the R . W . Lord Skelmersdale ably presided . The after-dinner