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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Metropolitan
conduct through life , and of the admirable manner in which he had discharged the duties of his year of office . He said ; "Worshipful sir , Brethren and Officers of the Grand Lodgej Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the St . John ' s Lodge , I must for a few moments claim your silence ^ and I trust , when I have done , you will not consider your time thrown away . I ask the indulgence of your silence , not out of respect to me , but out of respect to the subject to which I have now to call your
attention . I seek no conditions when presenting to your notice the conduct of Bro . Aldrich , for that conduct is stereotyped in the breast of each one of you . I ask , I repeat , no indulgence for him ; but I do ask it for myself , because to the majority of you I am entirely unknown . I say , then , that if you sow broadcast the atoms of our worthy Brother ' s character , you will find that they '' . will again unite themselves into the three beautiful principles upon which our Order is founded , and I shall show to you briefly , and I trust convincingly , how these
three principles adorn the conduct of the Brother whose name I have already mentioned to you . I have had the satisfaction and the fraternal pleasure of knowing Bro . Aldrich for many years , or I would not now undertake a task , difficult in only one aspect—that I possess not the talent to do it justice . I have said that the Brother who is to receive this beautiful present at your hands has united in his own conduct those principles which adorn the Masonic character . I will commence with his brotherly love . If you search north , south , east , or west , you will
find but one undivided opinion with regard to his character and excellent conduct as a man and as a Mason , by which he has carried out the principle of brotherly love in every way that it is possible for a Mason to do . With respect to relief , although I am aware that I tread upon the heels of many , I would have you understand that Masonry does not entirely consist of eating and drinking , but mainly consists in charity and other heaven-born essences . Not only do we afford comfort to ourselves and Brethren , but we never forget the needy Brother
whom in the hour of distress it is our pleasure to relieve . It is one of those glorious characteristics which attach to him , that in respect to relief , Bro . Aidrich has never been found wanting . In page after page of the Freemasons Magazine , we find him inculcating this principle , and asking your advice how best to secure the comforts of the aged Freemasons and their widows . If his whole Masonic career rested but upon this , you would accord to him the claim of having lived a . life of benevolence . In one passage of a recent letter in the Magazim ,
alluding to the miserable pittance which each of the inmates of the asylum at Croydon receives ( £ 20 a year , without coals or candles ) , he tells you when you meet at your festive board , to remember with how small a sacrifice of your own creature comforts you may be able to secure a supply of coals during the winter to those unfortunate Brethren , and to the widows of those who once belonged to our Order . I will ask you , does not that one suggestion bear the mark of its origin , and show that it springs from a benevolent heart ? ( Hear , hear ) . Belief is then a virtue
which he has almost made his own ; may it ever abide with him , and whenever he may be summoned to the Grand Lodge above , may it still crown his grave . ( Hear , hear . ) I now come to speak of his truth , but it is unnecessary for me to dwell upon it , for his truthful character is fully known to you all , and appreciated by you . He has been during his whole life a tried man , and he has done his utmost to promote the welfare of his fellow-creatures . Thus you see how the elements of the Masonic character , thrown broadcast , unite in Bro . Aldrich . I
shall now speak of his services to the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 196 . Before Bro . Aldrich joined us , we had in this Lodge * the atoms of a good social body , but somehow they did not conglomerate . We felt that something was wanting ; but we found in him when he came among us , a ready and good adjutant , and he has made the Lodge a sound and an efficient one . Look to the gathering before you , for it is a sign that what I state is not incorrect . ( Hear , hear . ) Ever since he came
amongst us , he has been , both in the time of our gloom as in that of our sunshine , labouring and striving for the good of the Lodge , and I am happy to add that victory has crowned his efforts , for a more flourishing Lodge than this does not at the present moment exist . Hence it is that I have this evening to ask him to accept from us a memorial of our fraternal regards . It was well considered what should be the form of that memorial , and it was thought that the silver tea-service
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Metropolitan
conduct through life , and of the admirable manner in which he had discharged the duties of his year of office . He said ; "Worshipful sir , Brethren and Officers of the Grand Lodgej Past Masters , Officers , and Brethren of the St . John ' s Lodge , I must for a few moments claim your silence ^ and I trust , when I have done , you will not consider your time thrown away . I ask the indulgence of your silence , not out of respect to me , but out of respect to the subject to which I have now to call your
attention . I seek no conditions when presenting to your notice the conduct of Bro . Aldrich , for that conduct is stereotyped in the breast of each one of you . I ask , I repeat , no indulgence for him ; but I do ask it for myself , because to the majority of you I am entirely unknown . I say , then , that if you sow broadcast the atoms of our worthy Brother ' s character , you will find that they '' . will again unite themselves into the three beautiful principles upon which our Order is founded , and I shall show to you briefly , and I trust convincingly , how these
three principles adorn the conduct of the Brother whose name I have already mentioned to you . I have had the satisfaction and the fraternal pleasure of knowing Bro . Aldrich for many years , or I would not now undertake a task , difficult in only one aspect—that I possess not the talent to do it justice . I have said that the Brother who is to receive this beautiful present at your hands has united in his own conduct those principles which adorn the Masonic character . I will commence with his brotherly love . If you search north , south , east , or west , you will
find but one undivided opinion with regard to his character and excellent conduct as a man and as a Mason , by which he has carried out the principle of brotherly love in every way that it is possible for a Mason to do . With respect to relief , although I am aware that I tread upon the heels of many , I would have you understand that Masonry does not entirely consist of eating and drinking , but mainly consists in charity and other heaven-born essences . Not only do we afford comfort to ourselves and Brethren , but we never forget the needy Brother
whom in the hour of distress it is our pleasure to relieve . It is one of those glorious characteristics which attach to him , that in respect to relief , Bro . Aidrich has never been found wanting . In page after page of the Freemasons Magazine , we find him inculcating this principle , and asking your advice how best to secure the comforts of the aged Freemasons and their widows . If his whole Masonic career rested but upon this , you would accord to him the claim of having lived a . life of benevolence . In one passage of a recent letter in the Magazim ,
alluding to the miserable pittance which each of the inmates of the asylum at Croydon receives ( £ 20 a year , without coals or candles ) , he tells you when you meet at your festive board , to remember with how small a sacrifice of your own creature comforts you may be able to secure a supply of coals during the winter to those unfortunate Brethren , and to the widows of those who once belonged to our Order . I will ask you , does not that one suggestion bear the mark of its origin , and show that it springs from a benevolent heart ? ( Hear , hear ) . Belief is then a virtue
which he has almost made his own ; may it ever abide with him , and whenever he may be summoned to the Grand Lodge above , may it still crown his grave . ( Hear , hear . ) I now come to speak of his truth , but it is unnecessary for me to dwell upon it , for his truthful character is fully known to you all , and appreciated by you . He has been during his whole life a tried man , and he has done his utmost to promote the welfare of his fellow-creatures . Thus you see how the elements of the Masonic character , thrown broadcast , unite in Bro . Aldrich . I
shall now speak of his services to the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 196 . Before Bro . Aldrich joined us , we had in this Lodge * the atoms of a good social body , but somehow they did not conglomerate . We felt that something was wanting ; but we found in him when he came among us , a ready and good adjutant , and he has made the Lodge a sound and an efficient one . Look to the gathering before you , for it is a sign that what I state is not incorrect . ( Hear , hear . ) Ever since he came
amongst us , he has been , both in the time of our gloom as in that of our sunshine , labouring and striving for the good of the Lodge , and I am happy to add that victory has crowned his efforts , for a more flourishing Lodge than this does not at the present moment exist . Hence it is that I have this evening to ask him to accept from us a memorial of our fraternal regards . It was well considered what should be the form of that memorial , and it was thought that the silver tea-service