Untitled Article

1 st of October , 1830 , a Prov . Grand Lodge meeting was summoned at Carlisle by the Prov . GkM . ^ for the purpose of laying the foundation-stone of the Infirmary , In 1833 , Bro . F . L . B . Dykes was appointed Dep . Prov . G . M . at the Prov . G-. L . meeting , held at Wigton on the 27 th of December ; and in 1854 , Bro . W . T . Greaves was appointed Dep . Prov . G . M . by Sir James Graham , and installed into office by Bro . Wickham , at the Prov . Grand Lodge meeting , held at Carlisle in September , in the same year .

The Provincial QrantL Lodge was held at Bro . Grays , the Crown and Mitre Hotel , Carlisle , on the 5 th of September . It was a meeting which had been anxiously looked forward to by every Brother in the Province who had the welfare of Freemasonry at heart , as was evinced by the large muster of Brethren , and the unity of sentiment which pervaded the gathering . The Prov . Grand Lodge was opened at high twelve , when the business of the Province was disposed of ; after which , the Prov . Grand Lodge was closed in due form , and the Brethren adjourned to the assembly-room of the Crown and Mitre ,

where was prepared by Bro . Gray to an excellent dinner , the party consisted of from fifty to sixty . In the absence of Sir James Graham , the Dep . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Greaves presided , and was supported by Bro . Robinson . Grace having been said by the Rev . S . J . Butler , Prov . G . Chap ., and the cloth removed , The Dep . Prov . G . M . said , that as Masons were all loyal men and true , he had great pleasure in rising to propose to them " The Queen , " the daughter of a Mason .

The usual routine of Masonic toasts having been duly honoured , the V . W . D . Prov . G . M . then rose to propose a toast , in which he was sure all the Brethren would heartily support him , " The health of their Prov . G . M ., Sir James Graham , " whose absence was owing to his indifferent state of health ; however , had he been present , he would not have felt otherwise than proud in presiding over so influential an assemblage ( hear hear ) . *

Bro . Robinson then called on the Brethren to join him in a bumper , "To the health of our Dep . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Greaves . " From his own knowledge of Bro . Greaves , and from what the Brethren there present had witnessed of his conduct in the chair , his gentlemanly feeling , conciliatory manner , his zeal for Masonry , and his knowledge of the duties of the post he held , he ( Bro . Robinson ) , trusted that his appointment as Dep . Prov . G . M ., had given satisfaction to the Brethren , and would give a stimulus to Masonry in the Province .

Bro . Greaves , in rising to return thanks , said that he never felt himself less prepared with language to express himself as he could wish for the compliment he had just received ; nevertheless , he felt it as he ought , most gratefully . It occurred to him , however , that their excellent Bro . Robinson had introduced the toast and himself to their notice rather as he ought to be than as he was , and

under that impression he would endeavour to keep before his mental vision the character he had described for imitation , that he might feel more worthy of the encomiums which Bro . Robinson had been so good as to pay him . Irrespective of that , he might well feel proud at having presided at so large and influential a Lodge meeting of the Province as assembled that day , and so numerous a body as at that moment surrounded the table to celebrate with him their annual

festival . Their last year ' s meeting was an unusually large one , but this was a larger , and gave the best assurance that Masonry in the county was being better appreciated and on the increase ; and sure he was , that had our Prov . GLM . been there to-day , he would have been proud to have found himself so well supported . The Dep . Prov , G . M . in due course , proposed "The Lodges of the Province , " naming them according to seniority , commencing with the Whitehaven Lodge , No . 138 . He was very glad to see so large a muster from that distant part of the Province , and he was sure the Brethren would support him in welcoming them , and wishing that they might meet again on many future occasions .

Bro . Fletcher , W . M ., responded on behalf of himself and Brethren of the Whitehaven Lodge . "The Union Lodge , Carlisle , " was acknowledged by the W . M . Bro . Sherrington 4