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Article PEOVIFCIAL. ← Page 12 of 23 →
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Peovifcial.
Bro . Ellistcrn having been unanimously re-elected as Prov . G . Treasurer , The R . W . D . G . M . said that the first act of Bro . Henderson , under the patent which bad been read , was to reappoint him ( Bro . Martin ) as D . Prov . G . M . He felt highly honoured at the confidence which had been reposed in him ; and having hitherto gained the applause of the Brethren in the discharge of his duties , he would not promise much , but assure them that he would ever exert himself to merit a continuance of their good opinion . ( Applause . )
The Prov . G . Officers were then appointed , and invested as follows : —Bros . W . P . Mills , S . W . ; N . Tracy , J . W . ; W . Elliston , Treas . ; Rev . E . Neale , Chap . ; J . K . Sidgwick , Reg . ; E . Dorling , Sec . ; J . Richmond , S . D . ; W . Ludbrook , J . D . ; T . Downes , Supt . of Works ; J . Tracy , Dir . of Cers . ; H . Harding , Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; E . Fitzgerald , Sword-Bearer ; A . Bowles , Org . ; H . Golding , Purs . ; A . Robertson , Tyler ; Findley , Harris , Randall , Bowler , Dallenger , and Girling , Stewards .
The Lodge having been closed in due form , and the working tools , jewels , & c , carefully put by , a number of ladies and gentlemen , friends of the members , were admitted by tickets , when an Oration was delivered by the Rev . Bro . Poore , Assist . G . Chap ., in consequence of the unavoidable absence of the Prov . G . Chap ., Bro . Neale , Bro . Poore having only been requested to undertake the duty at six o ' clock on the previous evening . Bro . Poore said : — "Right Worshipful Master and Brethren , —It is in accordance with a timehonoured and very laudable custom that we assemble , once at least in the course
of every year , to receive instruction upon some one of the great fundamental principles of our Order . We need scarcely be reminded , that , as a single virtue does not constitute a good Christian , so neither does a single virtue make a good Mason . Many good qualities are necessary to the perfection of the Christian character ; and as all the Christian virtues are Masonic , consequently a good Mason is a good Christian ; and if we may presume to appropriate any credit to ourselves as a body of men , it is because we are bound as Masons to practise to its full extent every Christian virtue . I therefore rejoice that it is in our power to make
this profession publicly , as it may tend to get rid of some of the prejudices which exist in the minds of many to our discredit ; for I may with confidence assert that Freemasonry has no part , or point , or secret , which does not emanate from , above , -and tend to make us wiser and better men , and better Christians ; and that , whatever we may be in the practice of the Art we profess , we are at all events practical as regards the Christian virtues . In other words , our traditions are wholesome and sound , our signs and symbols are significant , our doctrines are wise , pure , and beneficent , and our practice is guided by the spirit of that charity
which is the bond of peace and of all virtue . In-these matters of practical morality we court inquiry , we challenge discussion , certain that nothing can be discovered which will not invest our Order with new dignities , new honours , and make it so to shine before men , that they may see our good works , and glorify our Father which ^ is in heaven . A minister of the Gospel , therefore , cannot act more in accordance with the duties of his high calling than by advocating , and by his
example illustrating , the cause , the principles , and the practice of Freemasonry . I shall now say a few words on the subject selected for the Oration to be delivered on the present occasion ; viz ., Charity . We Masons search the Scriptures for rules of conduct on all occasions . In them we read , 'that pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this : to visit the fatherless and widows in
their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . '—( James i . 27 . ) 1 , the end of the commandment is charity , out of a pure heart , and of a good conscience , and of faith unfeigned . '—( 1 Tim . \ . 5 . ) And our blessed Lord , in the 25 th chapter of Matthew , tells us that those who clothe the naked , feed the hungry , visit the sick , and those in prison , shall at the last day be greeted with
the glad summons , 'Come , ye blessed of my Father , and inherit the kingdom prepared for you ! ' We Masons endeavour to follow Jesus Christ our Lord and Master , and learn from him how to sympathize with the suffering , to aid the distressed , and to gladden the hearts of the fatherless and widows . How he raised the widow of Nam ' s sou—how he wept at the tomb of Lazarus—how he took little children into his arms and blessed them—how he constantly went about
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Peovifcial.
Bro . Ellistcrn having been unanimously re-elected as Prov . G . Treasurer , The R . W . D . G . M . said that the first act of Bro . Henderson , under the patent which bad been read , was to reappoint him ( Bro . Martin ) as D . Prov . G . M . He felt highly honoured at the confidence which had been reposed in him ; and having hitherto gained the applause of the Brethren in the discharge of his duties , he would not promise much , but assure them that he would ever exert himself to merit a continuance of their good opinion . ( Applause . )
The Prov . G . Officers were then appointed , and invested as follows : —Bros . W . P . Mills , S . W . ; N . Tracy , J . W . ; W . Elliston , Treas . ; Rev . E . Neale , Chap . ; J . K . Sidgwick , Reg . ; E . Dorling , Sec . ; J . Richmond , S . D . ; W . Ludbrook , J . D . ; T . Downes , Supt . of Works ; J . Tracy , Dir . of Cers . ; H . Harding , Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; E . Fitzgerald , Sword-Bearer ; A . Bowles , Org . ; H . Golding , Purs . ; A . Robertson , Tyler ; Findley , Harris , Randall , Bowler , Dallenger , and Girling , Stewards .
The Lodge having been closed in due form , and the working tools , jewels , & c , carefully put by , a number of ladies and gentlemen , friends of the members , were admitted by tickets , when an Oration was delivered by the Rev . Bro . Poore , Assist . G . Chap ., in consequence of the unavoidable absence of the Prov . G . Chap ., Bro . Neale , Bro . Poore having only been requested to undertake the duty at six o ' clock on the previous evening . Bro . Poore said : — "Right Worshipful Master and Brethren , —It is in accordance with a timehonoured and very laudable custom that we assemble , once at least in the course
of every year , to receive instruction upon some one of the great fundamental principles of our Order . We need scarcely be reminded , that , as a single virtue does not constitute a good Christian , so neither does a single virtue make a good Mason . Many good qualities are necessary to the perfection of the Christian character ; and as all the Christian virtues are Masonic , consequently a good Mason is a good Christian ; and if we may presume to appropriate any credit to ourselves as a body of men , it is because we are bound as Masons to practise to its full extent every Christian virtue . I therefore rejoice that it is in our power to make
this profession publicly , as it may tend to get rid of some of the prejudices which exist in the minds of many to our discredit ; for I may with confidence assert that Freemasonry has no part , or point , or secret , which does not emanate from , above , -and tend to make us wiser and better men , and better Christians ; and that , whatever we may be in the practice of the Art we profess , we are at all events practical as regards the Christian virtues . In other words , our traditions are wholesome and sound , our signs and symbols are significant , our doctrines are wise , pure , and beneficent , and our practice is guided by the spirit of that charity
which is the bond of peace and of all virtue . In-these matters of practical morality we court inquiry , we challenge discussion , certain that nothing can be discovered which will not invest our Order with new dignities , new honours , and make it so to shine before men , that they may see our good works , and glorify our Father which ^ is in heaven . A minister of the Gospel , therefore , cannot act more in accordance with the duties of his high calling than by advocating , and by his
example illustrating , the cause , the principles , and the practice of Freemasonry . I shall now say a few words on the subject selected for the Oration to be delivered on the present occasion ; viz ., Charity . We Masons search the Scriptures for rules of conduct on all occasions . In them we read , 'that pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this : to visit the fatherless and widows in
their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . '—( James i . 27 . ) 1 , the end of the commandment is charity , out of a pure heart , and of a good conscience , and of faith unfeigned . '—( 1 Tim . \ . 5 . ) And our blessed Lord , in the 25 th chapter of Matthew , tells us that those who clothe the naked , feed the hungry , visit the sick , and those in prison , shall at the last day be greeted with
the glad summons , 'Come , ye blessed of my Father , and inherit the kingdom prepared for you ! ' We Masons endeavour to follow Jesus Christ our Lord and Master , and learn from him how to sympathize with the suffering , to aid the distressed , and to gladden the hearts of the fatherless and widows . How he raised the widow of Nam ' s sou—how he wept at the tomb of Lazarus—how he took little children into his arms and blessed them—how he constantly went about