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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 13 of 36 →
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Provincial.
whether I fulfilled its duties or not , I should then be ranked amongst the most distinguished of the Craft , the Bast Masters ; but my idea has ever been that , when I did reach this pinnacle of distinction to which you have raised me , I would not only place myself in a position to deliver the whole of the ceremonies , but that I would endeavour to conduct the business altogether in such a manner as would maintain the honour and dignity of the Craft , and of this Lodge in particular . Brethren , in working out these ideas I shall require your support , for a
Master can do little without the support of his Brethren , but , in my opinion , still less without the co-operation and support of his Officers . I would here observe , that I have every confidence in the Officers I have appointed , from the S . W . down to the J . W . I feel sure they possess that amount of talent that will enable them to discharge their respective duties in a creditable , I may say masterly , manner . By their willingness in accepting the offices , by the zeal and anxiety they have evinced to promote Freemasonry in its purest form , I feel perfectly satisfied they will materially assist me , and that they will acquit themselves in
such a manner as will reflect honour on the choice I have made , and merit your general apprSval . I cannot close my observation on this head without referring to the office of D . C ., which has hitherto been vacant , and to bear my testimony to the kindness shown to me by Bro . Howarth , in accepting the office . You are aware that he was J . W . last year , consequently , as had previously been the custom , was entitled to be S . W . this year ; but , at the suggestion of a few friends and myself , he willingly stepped aside , to allow the advancement of other Brethren , who were anxious to aspire . I have more particularly appreciated this kindness
in Bro . Howarth , because I hold an opinion , that it does not follow that a Brother who has served the office of J . W . ought , the year following , to be S . W . ; but that , when he has once gained the eligibility to the chair , he ought , in deference to his younger Brethren , to retire , and allow those who are qualified to be promoted . And I have no doubt the result of this kindness in Bro . Howarth will ultimately change the order of things in this department . Brethren , if I obtain support from you and my Officers , I feel sure this Lodge will be distinguished
for its good working before the expiration of my year of office ; it will stand second to none in the province . In conclusion , Brethren , I sincerely trust that , in the discharge of my duties , I shall be guided by those great principles which have subsisted from time immemorial—I mean those great principles by which all Freemasons are actuated ; and so long as these exist , I fervently hope that the rays of Heaven may continue to shed their benign influence over us , to enlighten us in the paths of virtue and science . "
The S . W . proposed " The Bast Masters , " in a very complimentary speech , and characterized them as the pillars of the Lodge . The toast was ably responded to by Bro . Fitznewton , the immediate P . M . Bro . Bellitt , Brov . G-. Beg . then proposed , "Brosperity to Lodge No . 268 , " stating that , as a Manchester Mason , he had , previously to his appointment as a
Prov . Gr . Officer , a very high opinion of his own district , believing no part of the province equal to it ; but , on his coming to Bolton , he soon found his mistake ; he discovered that in four Lodges in Bolton there were more members than in eight in Manchester ; and that in the working of the Lodges Bolton could not be surpassed . Speaking of this Lodge in particular , he felt bound to say , that its
C C w > .- «^ . r . » -. ^ -fc .- « k—*~ w ' ' - « Tr-i- *\ r ~ i r \ in r \ Hi- « hhnh /\ yl 4 At * * i- . 4- l- » m ^ . 4- ¦*¦* - »¦ i 4-1 » 4- K /^ nil - »~ v \ | - \^ - \ - »» r \ 4- l 4 " C * f \ / ir ^ 1 T f \ ITkrAl " prosperity " was an established fact ; that , with the number of its active , intelligent members , the ability and experience brought to bear in the excellent appointments of the Lodge in all the various departments , convinced him that the highest standard of Masonic reputation was in store for this Lodge . He begged distinctly to be understood , that he spoke not in the spirit of flattery , but as
the result of his deliberate conviction from observation ; that amongst all the Lodges he had visited , and he visited a good many , this Lodge , for its excellent working and appointments , stood certainly pre-eminent , and he should always , wherever he visited , quote it as a Lodge worthy of imitation by those who seek to improve and perfect themselves in the ceremonies .
Bro . Smith , B . M ., proposed , "The Wardens and Officers of the Lodge , " and spoke of each Officer separately in terms of the highest commendation . lie spoke of the Wardens as good men and worthy Masons ; the Senior Warden as an
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
whether I fulfilled its duties or not , I should then be ranked amongst the most distinguished of the Craft , the Bast Masters ; but my idea has ever been that , when I did reach this pinnacle of distinction to which you have raised me , I would not only place myself in a position to deliver the whole of the ceremonies , but that I would endeavour to conduct the business altogether in such a manner as would maintain the honour and dignity of the Craft , and of this Lodge in particular . Brethren , in working out these ideas I shall require your support , for a
Master can do little without the support of his Brethren , but , in my opinion , still less without the co-operation and support of his Officers . I would here observe , that I have every confidence in the Officers I have appointed , from the S . W . down to the J . W . I feel sure they possess that amount of talent that will enable them to discharge their respective duties in a creditable , I may say masterly , manner . By their willingness in accepting the offices , by the zeal and anxiety they have evinced to promote Freemasonry in its purest form , I feel perfectly satisfied they will materially assist me , and that they will acquit themselves in
such a manner as will reflect honour on the choice I have made , and merit your general apprSval . I cannot close my observation on this head without referring to the office of D . C ., which has hitherto been vacant , and to bear my testimony to the kindness shown to me by Bro . Howarth , in accepting the office . You are aware that he was J . W . last year , consequently , as had previously been the custom , was entitled to be S . W . this year ; but , at the suggestion of a few friends and myself , he willingly stepped aside , to allow the advancement of other Brethren , who were anxious to aspire . I have more particularly appreciated this kindness
in Bro . Howarth , because I hold an opinion , that it does not follow that a Brother who has served the office of J . W . ought , the year following , to be S . W . ; but that , when he has once gained the eligibility to the chair , he ought , in deference to his younger Brethren , to retire , and allow those who are qualified to be promoted . And I have no doubt the result of this kindness in Bro . Howarth will ultimately change the order of things in this department . Brethren , if I obtain support from you and my Officers , I feel sure this Lodge will be distinguished
for its good working before the expiration of my year of office ; it will stand second to none in the province . In conclusion , Brethren , I sincerely trust that , in the discharge of my duties , I shall be guided by those great principles which have subsisted from time immemorial—I mean those great principles by which all Freemasons are actuated ; and so long as these exist , I fervently hope that the rays of Heaven may continue to shed their benign influence over us , to enlighten us in the paths of virtue and science . "
The S . W . proposed " The Bast Masters , " in a very complimentary speech , and characterized them as the pillars of the Lodge . The toast was ably responded to by Bro . Fitznewton , the immediate P . M . Bro . Bellitt , Brov . G-. Beg . then proposed , "Brosperity to Lodge No . 268 , " stating that , as a Manchester Mason , he had , previously to his appointment as a
Prov . Gr . Officer , a very high opinion of his own district , believing no part of the province equal to it ; but , on his coming to Bolton , he soon found his mistake ; he discovered that in four Lodges in Bolton there were more members than in eight in Manchester ; and that in the working of the Lodges Bolton could not be surpassed . Speaking of this Lodge in particular , he felt bound to say , that its
C C w > .- «^ . r . » -. ^ -fc .- « k—*~ w ' ' - « Tr-i- *\ r ~ i r \ in r \ Hi- « hhnh /\ yl 4 At * * i- . 4- l- » m ^ . 4- ¦*¦* - »¦ i 4-1 » 4- K /^ nil - »~ v \ | - \^ - \ - »» r \ 4- l 4 " C * f \ / ir ^ 1 T f \ ITkrAl " prosperity " was an established fact ; that , with the number of its active , intelligent members , the ability and experience brought to bear in the excellent appointments of the Lodge in all the various departments , convinced him that the highest standard of Masonic reputation was in store for this Lodge . He begged distinctly to be understood , that he spoke not in the spirit of flattery , but as
the result of his deliberate conviction from observation ; that amongst all the Lodges he had visited , and he visited a good many , this Lodge , for its excellent working and appointments , stood certainly pre-eminent , and he should always , wherever he visited , quote it as a Lodge worthy of imitation by those who seek to improve and perfect themselves in the ceremonies .
Bro . Smith , B . M ., proposed , "The Wardens and Officers of the Lodge , " and spoke of each Officer separately in terms of the highest commendation . lie spoke of the Wardens as good men and worthy Masons ; the Senior Warden as an