Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation Of A Testimonial To Bro. Robert Bryce, Secretary Rifle Lodge, Edinburgh.
PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO BRO . ROBERT BRYCE , SECRETARY RIFLE LODGE , EDINBURGH .
On Monday Evening , the 26 tli June , a general meeting of the Lodge ivas held in tho Lodge . Room , Frcemascms' Hal ! , St . George Street , Edinburgh , for tho purpose of presenting Bro . Bobert Bryce , Secretary of the Lodge , with a Testimonial , in recognition of his valuable services , and as a mark of their respect and admiration .
There was a large attendance of brethren , the Lodge Room was crowded , and amongst those who were present to do the honour to Bro . Bryce , were tho following .- — J . T . Douglas , Right Worshipful Blaster , who was in the Chair ; Bros . Thomas Ford , AVorshipful Depute Master ; George Edwards , AYorsliipful Substitute Master ;
Thomas IL Douglas , AA'orshipful Past Master ; A . T . Apthorpc , Senior 'Warden ; James Reid , Junior Warden ; Ii . Miller Bryce , Treasurer ; James M . Mackay , Architect ; Alexander Hay , Grand Jeweller , Grand Lodge of Scotland ; AVilliam Smith , C . E ., Editor of the " Freemasons' Maga :. ine ; "Loudon , and Member ofthe Grand Lodgo of England , &( ..: Thomas Cairns , M . D ., P . M ., and
Member . of Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Lodgo having boon properly opened , and called in duo time to refreshment , thc brethren proceeded to the banquet hall , when thc Bi ght Worshipful Master intimated that apologies for non-attendance had been received from Bro . Frederick Binckes , Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodgo of Mark Masters of EnglandBro .
, General Griffiths . Bro . the Rev . 11 . Story , and others . Tho usual loyal toasts were then proposed and most heartily responded to , after ivhich the Right Worshipful Master craved a bumper to the three Grand Lodges , thc Grand Lodge of Scotland , the Grand Lodge of England , and thc Grand Lodge of Ireland , with the health of thc respective Most AYorsliipful Grand Masters , and for
which Bro . John Laurie , Grand Clerk , replied on behalf of the Grand Lodgo of Scotland , and Bro . AA * . Smith for tho Grand Lodge of England , and both of whom expressed tho terms of great cordiality ivhich existed between tho two Grand Lodges , and the very harmonious manner in ivhich they worked together .
Bro . Thomas Ford , Depute Master , in an eloquent speech , proposed tho health of thc Eight AYorsliipful Master , Bro . James T . Douglas , and in doing so , referred to the strong feeling of affection and esteem in which the brethren hold their worshipful Master , tho great and unfailing interest ivhich at all . times Bro . Douglas had exhibited towards furthering tho interests
of thc Lodge , and seeing that he had so decidedly informed the brethren that it was intention to retire from tho chair when tho next election came on , wished him iu his own name and on behalf of the brethren all health and happiness , and assured him that he should retire into private life , that he ivould retain in as strong a maimer as ho now did thc just esteem and admiration of all thc members , not only of this Lodge , but of tho Province of Edinburgh .
Thc Eight Worshipful Master , amidst tho enthusiastic applause of the brethren , replied , thanking Bro . Ford and thc brethren for the great compliment they had paid to him . Ho had now been for seven years Master of tho Lodge , and would not have hold office so long but for tho pressing maimer in which the brethren bad requested him to continue in tho chair . In doing this lie thought the members did not act fairly , as it was keeping back other and younger brethren from that promotion ivhich their merits justified , and he expressad
the hope that when tbe time came for the brethren to elect a new Master , they would consider the claims of that brother who had worked for them so well , and that they would mark their appreciation of his services by elevating him to tho chair of the Lodge .
Bro . AVilliam Smith proposed the health of the Past Master of the Lodge , Bro . Thomas H . Douglas , and in doing so expressed the great pleasure he felt in having assigned to him the honour of proposing that brother ' s health . Bro . Douglas , as all the members would know , was tho founder of the Rifle Lodge , and since its consecration in the year i 860 had ever taken a deep interest in all matters pertaining to it . He was a sterling
man and a most worthy Mason , and as a proof he had just to remind the brethren that at present , besides being Past Master of this Lodge , Bro . Douglas had the honour of being Right Worshipful Master of another Edinburg Lodge , the Lodge Caledonian , at tho earnest request whose members he had once moro felt himself
constrained to go into harness . Bro . Douglas replied in a suitable manner , thanking the brethren for their kind reception , and more particularly Bro . Smith for the high eniogium he had passed upon him .
The Right AVorshipful Master , thereafter proceeded to present Bro . Robert Bryce with the testimonial . It was altogether unnecessary for him to refer to the great and devoted attention Bro . Bryce had shown to his duties these wore known to all the members of the Lodge and anything ho might say could not , he was assured , raise Bro . Bryce any higher in their estimation than ho at
present stands . Besides peiforming his own dutes as Secretary , and these were very onerous , Bro . Bryce had relieved him ( the Right Worshipful JIaster ) very much in his duties ; he had now for several years conferred tho degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow-Craft , and Master Mason 0 : 1 every initiate , and he felt it a duty to Brother liryco to say that never in his experience had ho soon
these degrees given with greater empressment , or in a better style , and bo was sure that in regard to working tho Lodge Bro . Bryce stood second to none , either in the Province of Edinburgh , or even in the United Kingdom . It afiorded him groat pleasure to pay this tribute to Bro . Bryce ' s abilities , but he had always given his services so willingly , so ungrudgingly , and had ever entered into tho working of the Lodge so heartily , that iii common fairness ho was bound to do so .
Tho applause having subsided , Brother Bryee returned thanks us follows : — Eight AVorshipful Master , Worshipful Wardens and Brethren , Tho very generous and graceful manner in which yon havo been pleased to refer to my first connection with the Eillc lodge , and the more than handsome way in .
whicli you havo marked your approbation of any little services I may havo had the happiness to render it , completely deny me the possibility of expressing anything like suitable terms my deep sense of your groat kindness and consideration . I am as you know , sir , but a novice in tho art of public speaking and must therefore crave your indulgence on this point . Nevertheless
, if my words are but poor iu tho expression of my gratitude , I beg you to believe that xr . y feelings are jiono the less deep and sincere on that account , and that I feel proud and grateful for the honour you have done me , and for your very flattering allusion to my Masonic career . I may say , Worshipful sir , that I was iu a manner born and reared in Masonry , and that
as far back as memory will carry me , was ever animated with the loftiest conceptions of the craft ; and I will over remember how when my age first permitted application for admission to its mysteries , I passed through
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Presentation Of A Testimonial To Bro. Robert Bryce, Secretary Rifle Lodge, Edinburgh.
PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO BRO . ROBERT BRYCE , SECRETARY RIFLE LODGE , EDINBURGH .
On Monday Evening , the 26 tli June , a general meeting of the Lodge ivas held in tho Lodge . Room , Frcemascms' Hal ! , St . George Street , Edinburgh , for tho purpose of presenting Bro . Bobert Bryce , Secretary of the Lodge , with a Testimonial , in recognition of his valuable services , and as a mark of their respect and admiration .
There was a large attendance of brethren , the Lodge Room was crowded , and amongst those who were present to do the honour to Bro . Bryce , were tho following .- — J . T . Douglas , Right Worshipful Blaster , who was in the Chair ; Bros . Thomas Ford , AVorshipful Depute Master ; George Edwards , AYorsliipful Substitute Master ;
Thomas IL Douglas , AA'orshipful Past Master ; A . T . Apthorpc , Senior 'Warden ; James Reid , Junior Warden ; Ii . Miller Bryce , Treasurer ; James M . Mackay , Architect ; Alexander Hay , Grand Jeweller , Grand Lodge of Scotland ; AVilliam Smith , C . E ., Editor of the " Freemasons' Maga :. ine ; "Loudon , and Member ofthe Grand Lodgo of England , &( ..: Thomas Cairns , M . D ., P . M ., and
Member . of Grand Lodge of Scotland . The Lodgo having boon properly opened , and called in duo time to refreshment , thc brethren proceeded to the banquet hall , when thc Bi ght Worshipful Master intimated that apologies for non-attendance had been received from Bro . Frederick Binckes , Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodgo of Mark Masters of EnglandBro .
, General Griffiths . Bro . the Rev . 11 . Story , and others . Tho usual loyal toasts were then proposed and most heartily responded to , after ivhich the Right Worshipful Master craved a bumper to the three Grand Lodges , thc Grand Lodge of Scotland , the Grand Lodge of England , and thc Grand Lodge of Ireland , with the health of thc respective Most AYorsliipful Grand Masters , and for
which Bro . John Laurie , Grand Clerk , replied on behalf of the Grand Lodgo of Scotland , and Bro . AA * . Smith for tho Grand Lodge of England , and both of whom expressed tho terms of great cordiality ivhich existed between tho two Grand Lodges , and the very harmonious manner in ivhich they worked together .
Bro . Thomas Ford , Depute Master , in an eloquent speech , proposed tho health of thc Eight AYorsliipful Master , Bro . James T . Douglas , and in doing so , referred to the strong feeling of affection and esteem in which the brethren hold their worshipful Master , tho great and unfailing interest ivhich at all . times Bro . Douglas had exhibited towards furthering tho interests
of thc Lodge , and seeing that he had so decidedly informed the brethren that it was intention to retire from tho chair when tho next election came on , wished him iu his own name and on behalf of the brethren all health and happiness , and assured him that he should retire into private life , that he ivould retain in as strong a maimer as ho now did thc just esteem and admiration of all thc members , not only of this Lodge , but of tho Province of Edinburgh .
Thc Eight Worshipful Master , amidst tho enthusiastic applause of the brethren , replied , thanking Bro . Ford and thc brethren for the great compliment they had paid to him . Ho had now been for seven years Master of tho Lodge , and would not have hold office so long but for tho pressing maimer in which the brethren bad requested him to continue in tho chair . In doing this lie thought the members did not act fairly , as it was keeping back other and younger brethren from that promotion ivhich their merits justified , and he expressad
the hope that when tbe time came for the brethren to elect a new Master , they would consider the claims of that brother who had worked for them so well , and that they would mark their appreciation of his services by elevating him to tho chair of the Lodge .
Bro . AVilliam Smith proposed the health of the Past Master of the Lodge , Bro . Thomas H . Douglas , and in doing so expressed the great pleasure he felt in having assigned to him the honour of proposing that brother ' s health . Bro . Douglas , as all the members would know , was tho founder of the Rifle Lodge , and since its consecration in the year i 860 had ever taken a deep interest in all matters pertaining to it . He was a sterling
man and a most worthy Mason , and as a proof he had just to remind the brethren that at present , besides being Past Master of this Lodge , Bro . Douglas had the honour of being Right Worshipful Master of another Edinburg Lodge , the Lodge Caledonian , at tho earnest request whose members he had once moro felt himself
constrained to go into harness . Bro . Douglas replied in a suitable manner , thanking the brethren for their kind reception , and more particularly Bro . Smith for the high eniogium he had passed upon him .
The Right AVorshipful Master , thereafter proceeded to present Bro . Robert Bryce with the testimonial . It was altogether unnecessary for him to refer to the great and devoted attention Bro . Bryce had shown to his duties these wore known to all the members of the Lodge and anything ho might say could not , he was assured , raise Bro . Bryce any higher in their estimation than ho at
present stands . Besides peiforming his own dutes as Secretary , and these were very onerous , Bro . Bryce had relieved him ( the Right Worshipful JIaster ) very much in his duties ; he had now for several years conferred tho degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow-Craft , and Master Mason 0 : 1 every initiate , and he felt it a duty to Brother liryco to say that never in his experience had ho soon
these degrees given with greater empressment , or in a better style , and bo was sure that in regard to working tho Lodge Bro . Bryce stood second to none , either in the Province of Edinburgh , or even in the United Kingdom . It afiorded him groat pleasure to pay this tribute to Bro . Bryce ' s abilities , but he had always given his services so willingly , so ungrudgingly , and had ever entered into tho working of the Lodge so heartily , that iii common fairness ho was bound to do so .
Tho applause having subsided , Brother Bryee returned thanks us follows : — Eight AVorshipful Master , Worshipful Wardens and Brethren , Tho very generous and graceful manner in which yon havo been pleased to refer to my first connection with the Eillc lodge , and the more than handsome way in .
whicli you havo marked your approbation of any little services I may havo had the happiness to render it , completely deny me the possibility of expressing anything like suitable terms my deep sense of your groat kindness and consideration . I am as you know , sir , but a novice in tho art of public speaking and must therefore crave your indulgence on this point . Nevertheless
, if my words are but poor iu tho expression of my gratitude , I beg you to believe that xr . y feelings are jiono the less deep and sincere on that account , and that I feel proud and grateful for the honour you have done me , and for your very flattering allusion to my Masonic career . I may say , Worshipful sir , that I was iu a manner born and reared in Masonry , and that
as far back as memory will carry me , was ever animated with the loftiest conceptions of the craft ; and I will over remember how when my age first permitted application for admission to its mysteries , I passed through