Untitled Article

" The Wigton Lodge , No . 409 , " though not the first Lodge in the Province as regarded numbers , was certainly the first in the Province in respect of Masonic lore . It also set the other Lodges of the Province an example , inasmuch as the members subscribed to the whole of the Masonic charities . Bro . Roper , W . M ., of the Wigton Lodge , was proud to meet such a body of

men on the present occasion . It was the best Prov . Lodge that had ever been held . Although the Wigton Lodge was small in numbers , they subscribed to all the Masonic charities , and he hoped the example set by them would be followed by all the other Lodges in the Province . It would not fail to be a source of gratifying reflection to any man to think that he belonged to a body of men who contributed , as they had done that day , to dry the tears of the widow , and soothe the distress of the orphan .

The Dep . Prov . G . M . said , that in his present capacity , he might perhaps be allowed to divest himself for a moment of his connection as a member with the Lodge he was about to propose . It was "The Master and Brethren of the Lodge of Unanimity , No . 424 . " He could assure the Brethren that a more honourable and worthy body of Masons could not be met with , and he had no doubt but the Brethren would assist him in doing honour to them .

Bro . Walker , W . M ., of No . 424 , begged to return thanks on behalf of himself and the Brethren of his Lodge , for the very flattering terms in which No . 424 had just been introduced , and for the kind manner in which the toast had been received by so large an assemblage of Cumbrian Masons . He saw around him many distinguished Brethren , who would have been much more able than himself to respond to the toast . He had only known the Lodge of Unanimity since 1848 , in which year he became a Mason , but this he would say , that the affairs of

the Lodge were now m a much more flourishing condition than when he became a member ; they had improved not only in numbers , but in funds , and everything else likely to conduce to their permanent well-being ; and for this prosperity , which he believed was unparalleled in the annals of the Lodge of Unanimity , they were chiefly indebted to the indefatigable exertions of a worthy member of that Lodge , whose zeal in promoting the welfare of Freemasonry was beyond all praise , and that Brother was none other than the Dep . Prov . G . M ., Bro . Greaves .

It had been remarked , and very properly , that the Wigton Lodge was the only one in the Province which subscribed to all the Masonic charities , and it was his duty to inform the Brethren that the subject had been discussed in the Lodge of Unanimity , and he believed it was the intention of that Lodge to imitate the noble example of their Brethren at Wigton . He was sure that he was speaking the sentiments of the members of the Lodge of Unanimity , when he said that they had experienced the greatest possible pleasure in coming to Carlisle that day to join their Brethren from other parts of the Province at the festive board . No meeting

could possibly have passed off with greater eclat than the present Provincial gathering of Freemasons ; this unity of sentiment augured well for the future prosperity of the Craft in the Province , to which that day ' s proceedings could not fail to give a powerful impetus . He hoped that the defunct Lodges would speedily be resuscitated , and that the existing Lodges would be bound , firmly bound together in an indissoluble tie ; so that Masonry in Cumberland might look up and exemplify to the world the benign principles which were inculcated in its doctrines ( hear hear ) .

Next followed " The Master and Brethren of the Longtown Lodge , No . 595 . The Longtown Lodge , and especially Bro . Foster , had never failed to put in an appearance at their . Prov . G . L . meeting . Bro . Foster responded . He had great pleasure in forming a part of so numerous an assemblage ; many Brethren from Longtown would have been present on that occasion had they not been particularly engaged .

The Dep . Prov . G . M ., in proposing "The Victoria Lodge , Carlisle / said , though not numerous , ho hoped they would ere long become so , so that each year might add to their prosperity . Bro . Bell , W . M . of the Victoria , hoped that next year they would be able to niuster in larger numbers ; for his part—and ho was sure he might say the same on behalf of the Brethren of the Victoria- —ho should always be happy to do all in