Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

the Surrey Province . There had been great changes , he need hardly say , in that time , more than had fallen to the lot of the majority of the provinces . He had , indeed , witnessed the entrances and exits of four Grand Masters . None of their reigns , although of short duration , had been inglorious . There had been much trepidation when Sir Thomas Bucknill

SUTTON MASONIC HALL . — ( Hi , permutioii of " The Surrey Count : / JIwilil . " )

had been approached in connection with the Provincial Grand Mastership , for it was well known that he had many great claims on his time , and it was also known that Bro . Bucknill would not take the position if he could not give it his time . But all ended well , and brethren were now able

to see the fruits of their Provincial Grand Master ' s first year of office . Geniality of manner , easiness of address , justice tempered by mercy , and wisdom guided by benevolence ,

WOKIXG ORIENTAL INSTITUTE . were all represented in their Provincial Grand Master . It had been no easy matter to take up the reins of office at a time when there was a vacancy in the Deputy Grand

Mastership of the Province , and their old and valued Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . Tyler , was laid on a bed of sickness ; but they would agree with him that those difficulties had been so well surmounted that the province stood well at the end of Bro . Bucknill's first year of office . In his choice of a deputy how well had their Provincial Grand Master ' s wisdom been exemplified . He trusted he

( Bro . Bucknill ) would not but feel impressed by the number of brethren present that evening , the more so that he knew that he had their unbounded loyalty , founded on the warmest feelings of respect and love . R . W . Bro . Sir Thomas Bucknill , who was received with an ovation , said he met them with different feelings than

those which filled him a year ago . Then he looked to them , expecting something the nature of which he had not proved , and they looked towards him also as a doubtful quantity . But now all this was changed . They could depend on him to do his best , and he had found in them a body of willing

helpers only too ready to prove their loyalty . Theirs was one common purpose , the furthering of Freemasonry in Surrey , and so long as they were so good to him , Masonry would , he believed , continue to thrive there . No Provincial Grand Master could be a failure with such assistance as they

had given him . The lodges he had already visited had been very generous to him , and they had received him not from personal regard , but with the regard of brethren to their Provincial Grand Master . To those lodges he had not yet been able to witness the working of , he would say he was

coming ! Anyhow , they had been able to do something during the year . They had formed a Senior Grand Officers ' mess . He had heard laughter proceeding from one quarter of the room . Let them not misunderstand the mission of that Grand Officers' mess . It had been formed as a place of meeting where the Senior Officers could talk over at

leisure the affairs of the province . Let all the brethren qualify themselves for membership of that mess . When he was a poor briefless barrister as his son now was , he looked forward to the time when he should become , well—something else . So it was when he was in a humbler position in

Masonry . But it was not altogether selfish , this wish for preferment , for there was a time in the life of every man when his connection , however humble with society , brought about some good . A matter of great importance had arisen during the past year , the appointment of a Deputy Provincial

Grand Master . He hoped that office had been filled to their satisfaction . Well , he for his part felt very well satisfied with affairs in the province . Having done his best during the past year , he felt he should be able to continue to do so . He felt in a very happy state of mind regarding their future .

Let them live with an idea in being happy and in communicating that happiness . If they did that , their account , when they came to render it , would compare favourably with those who had not that gospel . Let them remember they were