Address.

more than to take a- retrospective review of the progress we have made , and to elicit therefrom that which in my judgment may be beneficial for our guidance in the future . Exclusive of our assembly to-day , we have during my Mastership

held five meetings , in the course of which , with the assistance of nay officers , I have had the pleasure ¦ of advancing eight regular members to the degree , besides two who have been admitted as servingbrethren . Two other Mark Masons have been

received as joining members since our commencement . Iu Craft Masonry , as is well-known , we are enjoined not to solicit gentlemen to join our Eraternity , for obvious reasons , and when ¦ Candidates do voluntarily present themselves , it

-should be " from a favourable opinion preconceived of the Institution , a general desire of knowledge , and a sincere wish to render themselves more

extensively serviceable to their fellow creatures . When once however any one has completed his reception into the Order by taking the three Craft degrees , while the two motives last named held good as incentives to farther progress , the first

should have been rendered a certainty in the mind from the Masonic experience which has been gained . The character aud purposes of a candidate having been necessarily thoroughly scrutinized before initiation , we as Mark Masons are to

that extent relieved from a responsibility , having a guarantee that he has been found worthy , and thus the same amount of caution is not needful in

future steps , nor are there the same reasons lor avoiding solicitations to brethren to join this or any other department . Though my limited knowledge of the province has prevented great success in increasing our numbers , I have done

what I could , ancl this leads me to the remark , that I have not found the same efforts made by my brethren to obtain accessions to our body ; indeed I think there has been scarcely an instance of a candidate for Mark Masonry in our lodge

having been obtained by any one than myself . Allow me to urge attention to this point , not only for the sake of the prosperity of the lodge , but out of the respect you have for your new W . M ., who is eminently entitled to your most cordial

assistance and support , on account of his talents , his sacred profession , his zeal and regularity in the performance of his duties , his attachment to our Order , his kind and courteous demeanour to all of us . Let each one make up his mind to bring two candidates during the next year , and you will

soon have a strong lodge , and money to spare for Masonic or charitable purposes ; nor is such a course difficult , since several neighbouring towns have Craft Lodges , whose members have no opportunity of obtaining the Mark degree nearer than Totnes .

The next point to which I desire to allude is the provision of the requisite furniture and other appliances conducive to the satisfactory working of the lodge . The cost of the warrant was , as you are aware , defrayed by the W- M . and

Wardens . By the kindness of the Craft lodge we are permitted the use of the pedestals , with other fixtures . The working tools we purchased ab the commencement of our operations . Your W . M . provided pedestals for the Overseers , and the

necessary books for the records , but there yet remains the most important article to mention , namely , the wicket , which I may say , is superior to any I have seen elsewhere , and which is the generous gift of Bro . Stafford , J . D . The only

things now required are the collars and the jewels for the officers . I did hope that our surplus this year would enable us to purchase these , ancl that thus I should have the pleasure of handing-over the management to my successor without any

deficiency . I confess that in this respect I am disappointed , ' and I trust that the present formal notice of it will lead to measures for speedily making the requisite provision referred to in the report of the audit committee . The W . M . elect

will perhaps excuse me if I add , that as lie finds so much prepared in the first year , I trust that he will feel it incumbent upon him to spare no efforts to continue the work and to bring it to a happy conclusion in this respect .

Brethren , you have heard the balance sheefc read , and thus it is unnecessary for me to enlarge on our financial position , which , considering our limited number and the low rate of subscription , will , I presume , be deemed satisfactory , for out of

an income of £ 15 lis ., including a donation of 21 s . from Bro . Stafford , we have nearly £ 2 in hand . We owe nothing , and the subscriptions for the second year are all due . Permit me to call attention to the fact , that more than one-half

of the income of the past year has been paid in fees to Grand Lodge and Provincial Grand Lodge . This seems a very large proportion , and it is but right to state that at a meeting of the latter body , held last year , I gave my vote in favour of the abolition of dues to it for each member of the