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Article PROVINCIAL ← Page 11 of 18 →
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Provincial
worth , representative of the Grand Lodge of England to Switzerland ; Bro . Randolph , D . Prov . G . M . for Somersetshire , & c . ; and on his left by the W . Prov . G . Ghaplainy tHo-Rev , Bro . Gwynne ; and the Assist . Prov . G . Chaplain , the Rev . Bro . Downes ; Bro . Dawes , P . Prov . S . G . W . for Lancashire ; Brt > . Vigne , P . Prov . S . G . W . for Somersetshire , & c ., & c . The Prov . Grand Lodge was then opened in due form , and the minutes of the last Lodge were read and confirmed . The interesting
ceremony of consecrating the Staffordshire Knot Lodge was then most beautifully and impressively performed by the Prov . G . M ., assisted by his Deputy , Chaplains-> and other officers . The warrant from the Grand Lodge of England , and ^ the minutes of the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , showing the business transacted since January last , whilst acting under a dispensation , were then read by the Prov . G
Sec , and duly confirmed by the Prov . G . M . Owing to the length of the ceremony of consecration and other business of importance , the Prov . G . M . informed the Brethren he was under the necessity of foregoing the usual custom of attending divine service at the church , but that their esteemed Assist . Prov . G . Chaplain would favour them with a discourse , and that afterwards the usual collection would be made in aid of Masonic charities .
The Assist . Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . James Downes , then delivered a lengthy and eloquent address to the Brethren assembled , basing his remarks on several remarkable passages in the volume of the sacred law appropriate to the noble Craft and to the proceedings of the day , viz ., on Hosea , xii . 10 , " I have . multiplied ; visions , and used similitudes ; " Psalm cxxvii ,, 1 . ' 'Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain who build it ; " and 1 Cor . ix . 24 , "So run ; that ye may obtain . " Referring to the first paragraph , he asked
if the Most High , the great Architect of the heavens , had not used an abundance of similitudes to the Brethren , to all , as well as to sin-bound Ephraimand were these similitudes not apparent in all his works ? The rotation of the orbs of heaven , the changes of the times and seasons , cold and heat , summer and winter , day and night— " the teeming womb of nature , the return and the flight of the playful swallows , the garnerings of the busy bee , the provident antthese , and many others were all similitudes proclaiming to us in language which could not be misunderstood that an ever-watchful Providence was over us , a
Providence both bountiful and benevolent . Nature was full of similitudes , and every one of these pointed to " nature ' s God , " the head and Omnipotent Grand Master . At this part of his address the reverend brother introduced many beautifully appropriate poetical illustrations , concluding with the following : —
a Ye noble few , ye good distrest , who here unbending stand Beneath life ' s pressure—yet bear up awhile ; And what your bounded view ( which only saw A little part ) deemed evil , is no more . The storms of wintry time will quickly pass , And one unbounded spring encircle all . "
Upon the ' second passage he remarked , that they had that day builded a house , and having x ^ rayerfully and faithfully invoked the Master Builder of the immensity of space and all within it , as His humble children and labourers , they hoped he had condescended to lay His hands upon the work , and to bless their endeavours . But they must keep before their eyes the important fact that the aid which they had prayed for in building the house must , in humble faith and sure reliance upon its efficacy , be again invoked in keeping the city ; well knowing that the watchmen Would be as dumb dogs to guard it and them , except the Lord himself
vouchsafed His propitious ear to their prayer . Was their house builded upon a sure foundation ? Were they fully prepared for the winter of their days ? Were they humble , faithful , zealous of good works , seeking to know the will of their heavenly Master and how to do it ; or were they vainglorious , themselves building their own house , and themselves keeping their own city ? Might their heavenly Father and merciful Judge so rule their hearts and control their actions as to enable them in true faith and confidence to reply to these momentous questions . Lest any of the Brethren should fold their hands and sit down in a blind and unfounded reliance upon that blessing and increase upon the talents . which are
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial
worth , representative of the Grand Lodge of England to Switzerland ; Bro . Randolph , D . Prov . G . M . for Somersetshire , & c . ; and on his left by the W . Prov . G . Ghaplainy tHo-Rev , Bro . Gwynne ; and the Assist . Prov . G . Chaplain , the Rev . Bro . Downes ; Bro . Dawes , P . Prov . S . G . W . for Lancashire ; Brt > . Vigne , P . Prov . S . G . W . for Somersetshire , & c ., & c . The Prov . Grand Lodge was then opened in due form , and the minutes of the last Lodge were read and confirmed . The interesting
ceremony of consecrating the Staffordshire Knot Lodge was then most beautifully and impressively performed by the Prov . G . M ., assisted by his Deputy , Chaplains-> and other officers . The warrant from the Grand Lodge of England , and ^ the minutes of the Staffordshire Knot Lodge , showing the business transacted since January last , whilst acting under a dispensation , were then read by the Prov . G
Sec , and duly confirmed by the Prov . G . M . Owing to the length of the ceremony of consecration and other business of importance , the Prov . G . M . informed the Brethren he was under the necessity of foregoing the usual custom of attending divine service at the church , but that their esteemed Assist . Prov . G . Chaplain would favour them with a discourse , and that afterwards the usual collection would be made in aid of Masonic charities .
The Assist . Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . James Downes , then delivered a lengthy and eloquent address to the Brethren assembled , basing his remarks on several remarkable passages in the volume of the sacred law appropriate to the noble Craft and to the proceedings of the day , viz ., on Hosea , xii . 10 , " I have . multiplied ; visions , and used similitudes ; " Psalm cxxvii ,, 1 . ' 'Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain who build it ; " and 1 Cor . ix . 24 , "So run ; that ye may obtain . " Referring to the first paragraph , he asked
if the Most High , the great Architect of the heavens , had not used an abundance of similitudes to the Brethren , to all , as well as to sin-bound Ephraimand were these similitudes not apparent in all his works ? The rotation of the orbs of heaven , the changes of the times and seasons , cold and heat , summer and winter , day and night— " the teeming womb of nature , the return and the flight of the playful swallows , the garnerings of the busy bee , the provident antthese , and many others were all similitudes proclaiming to us in language which could not be misunderstood that an ever-watchful Providence was over us , a
Providence both bountiful and benevolent . Nature was full of similitudes , and every one of these pointed to " nature ' s God , " the head and Omnipotent Grand Master . At this part of his address the reverend brother introduced many beautifully appropriate poetical illustrations , concluding with the following : —
a Ye noble few , ye good distrest , who here unbending stand Beneath life ' s pressure—yet bear up awhile ; And what your bounded view ( which only saw A little part ) deemed evil , is no more . The storms of wintry time will quickly pass , And one unbounded spring encircle all . "
Upon the ' second passage he remarked , that they had that day builded a house , and having x ^ rayerfully and faithfully invoked the Master Builder of the immensity of space and all within it , as His humble children and labourers , they hoped he had condescended to lay His hands upon the work , and to bless their endeavours . But they must keep before their eyes the important fact that the aid which they had prayed for in building the house must , in humble faith and sure reliance upon its efficacy , be again invoked in keeping the city ; well knowing that the watchmen Would be as dumb dogs to guard it and them , except the Lord himself
vouchsafed His propitious ear to their prayer . Was their house builded upon a sure foundation ? Were they fully prepared for the winter of their days ? Were they humble , faithful , zealous of good works , seeking to know the will of their heavenly Master and how to do it ; or were they vainglorious , themselves building their own house , and themselves keeping their own city ? Might their heavenly Father and merciful Judge so rule their hearts and control their actions as to enable them in true faith and confidence to reply to these momentous questions . Lest any of the Brethren should fold their hands and sit down in a blind and unfounded reliance upon that blessing and increase upon the talents . which are