Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex .

THE annual meeting of the above was held at the Holborn Restaurant on Saturday , July nth , when the Provincial Grand Master , the Right Hon . Lord George Hamilton , M . P ., Secretary of State for India , P . G . W ., occupied the chair , and was supported by representatives from each lodge in the province .

The meeting was made particularly interesting by reason of the presentation to the Provincial Grand Master by Bro . Sir M . M . Bhownaggree , M . P ., Hon . Past Grand Master Depute of " All Scottish Freemasons in India , " of the collar and jewel of an honorary member of that Grand Lodge . In

addressing the Provincial Grand Master , he said the Right Worshipful Grand Master of Bombay , Lord Northcote , had deputed him to invest him with the collar and jewel . He had the greatest pleasure in conferring honorary membership

on an English statesman . They were proud to enroll his lordship ' s name on their list , and they were proud of his acceptance of the honour . It was not merely the badge of Masonic office , but was meant to exemplify the high regard and esteem in which His Majesty ' s Secretary of State for India was held by the Masons of India . No more fitting occasion

could have been chosen than at the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex . It was not the place to mention the services he had rendered to India . He could speak personally of the work that Freemasonry was doing there , for the door of the lodge was open to all , and within the lodge the hearts of all

were drawn together . Its tenets had been well carried out , welding the hearts of all distinctive classes in one grand circle of brotherhood . He hoped his lordship would live long to wear the collar and jewel , and that they would remind him that he was bound up with the destinies of India .

Bro . Lord George Hamilton thanked Bro . Bhownaggree for the honour and the kindly terms in which he had spoken of his services both in Freemasonry and other walks in life . He had not looked for such an honour . This proved that the Craft acknowledge no distinction of race , religion , or colour , and he might add ( it being exceedingly hot ) of

climate . Lord Northcote was a very old friend who had worked ably in Freemasonry . He felt that this honour should influence him to help those in distress . It was a special delight to him that the honour was conferred in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and he hoped his thanks and

appreciation and that of the lodge would be conveyed to the brethren in India . The annual banquet was afterwards held in the King ' s Hall . The usual loyal toasts having been honoured , the

Provincial Grand Master , in proposing "The Grand Master" " and The Grand Officers , " said no one was better qualified for the position of Grand Master than H . R . H . the Duke of Connanght . He had shown the greatest capacity in all he had undertaken . Unless capable men were placed at the head , no institution could increase in popularity , and there

was no greater power than a capable executive . Bro . Loveland Loveland , K . C ., replying , was sure the labour they gave was a labour of love . There was an idea that when a brother took " the purple " he was then on the shelf . He could assure them no greater mistake was possible ,,

for he found that , where before he attended Grand Lodge but once a quarter , he had now to attend four or five times a . week . In proposing " The Health of the Provincial Grand Master , " he called for a bumper toast . It was a great

privilege to propose his health . He had known him intimately since 1868 , and he had never had a kinder friend either in or out of Freemasonry . Moreover , he was one of the best Provincial Grand Masters he had met . The Provincial Grand Master , in reply , thanked most cordially his friend , with whom he had been associated

somany years . This reminded him that he was getting on in years , in fact , he thought there were only two before him tobecome " Father" of the House of Commons . He wasappointed Provincial Grand Master when in an independent position , but since then other work had been added . He

found that the province was not an easy one to manage , being ; so near London and yet not in it . They had the honour to receive brethren from other parts of the world . He interpolated the toast of " All Scottish Freemasonry in India" ' in appreciation of the honour they had conferred on him .

The Hon . Dr . John Pollen , in a very happy speech , said they were present to represent Bro . Lord Northcote , an Englishman born and bred . He was an Irishman by birth , a Scotchman in Masonry , and an Indian by residence , while Bro . Sir M . M _ Bhownaggree , an Indian born , was about as good an Irishman as a Parsee could produce . English and Scotch Masons

worked together in perfect harmony , but that could not be said thirty years ago ; since the then Prince of Wales's visit it had been different , both now working under the same roof-His Majesty the King was present when Bro . Bhownaggree was installed as Master of his lodge in Bombay .

The chairman then retired and his place was taken by Bro . Dr . A . E . Sansom , P . G . D ., P . P . G . W ., who proposed the toast of "The Visitors , " to which Bro . ColvilleSmith , P . G . D ., briefly replied . The Tyler ' s toast closed the proceedings .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk .

HpHE annual meeting of the above Provincial Grand Lodge I was held at the AtheiKeum , Bury St . Edmunds , on the 17 th July , the Provincial Grand Master , the Earl of Stradbroke , presiding . The Provincial Grand Officers were duly appointed and invested , and Bro . Owen Turner , P . M . 11 4 was elected Provincial Grand Treasurer .

, Bro . P . Colville Smith , Secretary to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , thanked the brethren for the support accorded to that institution at the festival some months since . On behalf of the Committee , he presented to the Provincial Grand Master a handsomely-bound and illuminated copy of a

resolution of thanks for presiding at the anniversary of the institution in February last , when subscriptions were received amounting to ^ 27 , 025 , this being the largest amount ever received , save in Jubilee year . The gift was duly acknowledged , and the Provincial Grand Master thanked the Stewards and the brethren generally for their assistance .

After the presentation , the brethren attended divine service at St . James ' s Church , where an excellent sermon was preached by Bro . Rev . T . Searle , Provincial Grand Chaplain , who took for his text the words "A good name , " Prov . 22 , i . On resuming the business of the Provincial Grand Lodge , the Provincial Grand Master addressed the brethren . He

said he thought they would agree with him that the report of the General Purposes Committee was a very satisfactory one . Referring to the loyal and generous support accorded at the Festival , when he was in the chair , he said they would concur with him when he said the result was very satisfactory .

He appreciated very much the personal reference in the report . They had , continued his lordship , given him the most loyal and hearty support , and he had every confidence that they would work harmoniously for the good of Masonry . Provincial Grand Lodge was then closed . Lord Stradbroke afterwards presided at a banquet held in the Abbey grounds .