Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

Brother Bentley Shaw a piece of plate , which you have provided for that purpose . I sincerely congratulate myself on being selected to discharge this pleasant duty , inasmuch as it enables me , whilst speaking your sentiments , to express my own sense of the great and lasting obligations which Brother Shaw has laid upon us all by the manner in which he has discharged his various and important duties

whilst holding the position of Deputy Prov . Grand Master of this province during the period of eleven years just expired . Any words of mine are inadequate to the faithful description of tho feelings of respect and admiration with which wo all regard Brother Shaw ; and the only circumstance of regret with which the assumption of my present office was associated was the fact that those services , found to

he so useful and valuable to my predecessor , could not be continued to my advantage . Bro . Shaw ' s exertions in promoting the best interests of our noble institution aro well-known , both in tho province and in other parts of England . During eleven long years he has exercised his fraternal — nay , even paternal — supervision of the business of this great province , and has seen the Lodges and the

members thereof increase in numbers and influence . He has also aided and directed the great current of practical charity which has so greatly increased the means and spheres of usefulness of the several charities of our Order ; and it is no figure of speech , nor unwarrantable statement of facts , to say that in all these great movements the name of Brother Shaw has been so indelibly impressed

upon the minds of West Yorkshire Masons as to be admired by the present and futuie generations of the brethren of the Craft . Brother Shaw , permit me , therefore , to tender for your acceptance this token of the respect and admiration which the brethren of this province desire to confer upon you ; and also permit me to say , on their behalf , that , beautiful as it is as a work of art , it possesses a far higher value than its material worth ten thousand times told . It is the freewill

offering , and also the symbolical expression of tho affectionate regard of a body of men intimately and agreeably associated with you in the business of the province , —men whose only regret , while making this presentation , is that they will , in the future , lose the advantage they have long enjoyed , and appreciated in the past , of working under the influence of your general character and conduct

as their Deputy Prov . Grand Master . I trust that you will live long to look on this beautiful gift , which I am sure is a token of the good feeling that exists between you and the brethren of the province of West Yorkshire . ( Loud cheers . ) Deputy Prov . G . Master Bro . Tew said he cordially responded to the sentiments expressed by the Provincial Grand Master .

Although he had only known Bro . Shaw since he ( the speaker ) was appointed a Prov . G . Lodge Steward in 1864 , he could bear testimony to his indefatigable zeal . He was possessed of great urbanity of character , and this had endeared him to all . His unwearied zeal and untiring industry—which was tho foundation of great blessings —in the cause of Freemasonry , was such that only once throughout

the eleven years ho had been Deputy Provincial Grand Master in 1864 , had he missed attending the Provincial Grand Lodgo . Then it was through domestic affliction . It became now his ( Bro . Tew ' s ) privilege to respond to the sentiments of the Prov . Grand Master in offering him ( Bro . Shaw ) the substantial sympathy of the 59 Lodges of the West Yorkshire province . Tho speaker concluded by hoping

he would take with him into his voluntary retirement , as he was sure ho would , the best wishes of the Masons of West Yorks-hiro— a body which , ho trusted , Bro . Shaw would live long to adorn . ( Cheers . ) Bro Bentley Shaw , who was visibly affected on rising to respond , after the cheering that greeted him had subsided , said : — Most Worshipful Sir , Officers and Brethren , —You have often heard my

voice ; often have I had tho privilege of addressing you , but I have never had so much difficulty before the present time iu making my sentiments known to you . Your generous gift—your generous memento of my connection with the Masons of West Yorkshire has almost overwhelmed me . You must not measure my thanks by any words I may use , as I feel unequal to the task . I have often asked myself ,

—what have I clone to deserve this signal of your favour P I have often asked , —what have I done to warrant such a proof of your love and esteem ? All the answer that I can find is , that , while I had the approval of my conscience and of my God , I have striven to do my dnty and all I possibly could to preserve Freemasonry . ( Cheers . ) Yet I feel how utterly unworthy I am to be the recipient of such a mark

of your favour . ( No , no . ) I never dreamed of it . I may truly say that I never worked for this beautiful piece of plate ; and in answer to the many questions which I have this day put to myself , I can find bnt one reply , and that is—a deep consciousness that I am unworthy of it . ( No , no . ) But let me endeavour to thank you for tho valuable

present yon have given me—a present which is a beautiful work of art . I shall always value it—not only for its worth , its classic , and , at the same time , its chasteness of design , its rich ornamentation and its general beauty , but more than this , I shall value it because of the genuineness of feeling yon have displayed towards me . I cannot fail to value it because it is an expressive symbol of generous hearts . " - ***"' - * 1 " * ii " 7 "i i a ... — ... — ¦ , - ., . .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

Yours and mine are " Hearts bound up together , Firm bound in fraternal love . " It will help me to think of the eleven years connection with you . It will also assist me in making me do my duty . My family will always prize it for my own sake , as well as yours . ( Cheers . ) I shall take

care that it is handed down as a sacred heirloom . I take the liberty here of thanking the committee of selection for the handsome present ; and yourself , Most Worshipful Grand Master , as well as Lady Edwards —( cheers)—who , if I am correctly informed , have greatly assisted the committee in their choice . ( Hear , hear . ) I desire to say here that it is a matter of congratulation that the present has

been made to me in the good old town of Dewsbury—( cheers)—the town where Dr . Fearnley , my predecessor , lived , was loved , was honoured , and died . I am glad , too , that it has been your province , Most Worshipful Grand Master , to present me with this handsome gift ; for , eleven years ago , I well remember , when your Right Worshipful ' s predecessor conferred the honour of Deputy Provincial

Grand Master , you , sir , were on my right land . I am glad that you are present to-day . I accept the gift with gratitude and deep humility . I trust that , as Sir Henry Edwards has said , I shall never cease to promote Freemasonry until my heart has ceased to beat and my breath has left me . Let my last words be that you will show affection to the Grand Master of England , His Royal Highness the Prince of

Wales—( cheers)—to Sir Henry Edwards —( cheers )—and to his coadjutor , Bro . Tew . May this great and influential province of the West Riding ever stand first and foremost in all that is beautifnl and good , useful aud happy in Freemasonry . May that noble column , symbolised by wisdom and strength and beanty , whose pedestal , shaft and capital have been founded , upraised and crowned by the

indomitable skill , energy and self-denying efforts of her numerous sons stand inviolable amid the raging billows and rude shocks of time , seeing that it has its fonndations , as I trust it ever will have , in heaven-born and heaven-approving charity . Bro . Shaw , who at periods evinced great emotion , and consequently was but indistinctly heard , then resumed his seat , amidst immense cheering .

The Right Worshipful Grand Master announced that Bro . Bentley Shaw had received from tho Grand Master of England a patent appointing him a P . G . D . of England—a remark which elicited a hearty outburst of cheering . Some routine business having been transacted , the Prov . Grand Lodge and the Lodge of the Three Grand Principles were closed .

At tho close of the Lodge Business the brethren adjourned to the Church of England Boys' School , where a banquet was served up In the most recherche style . The arrangements were well carried out by the Stewards , and the cusinary department reflected great credit upon the ability of Bro . and Mrs . Petty , both of whom succeeded in winning high encomiums for the way the dinner was placed on the table . The

edibles were such as would satisfy tho most fastidious , while the wines were of the choicest vintage . The Right Worshipful Prov . G . Master , Sir Henry Edwards , occupied the chair , and he was supported by the before-mentioned , ns well as a large number of influential members of the Craft . After the repast , the health of her Majesty the Queen waa proposed by the Chairman , and this having been duly honoured , a

similar compliment was paid to Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and the rest of tho Royal Family . Sir Henry Edwards , in very eulojiistic and Masonic terms , gave the toast of the Most W . G . Master of All England , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., and the Most W . Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , and this was received in a very enthusiastic manner . The health of the R . VV .

Deputy G . Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Skelmersdale , and the Officers of Grand Lodge Present and Past was the next toast given by the Chairman , and then the W . D . Prov . G . Master , Bro . Tew , proposed the health of the R . W . Prov . G . Master , Sir H . Edwards , who responded in suitable terms ; and in conclusion gave the toast of the W . D . Prov . G . Master , whose name was received with loud cheers .

Alter a suitable response , Bro . Sir H . Edwards gave the health of the W . Past D . Prov . G . Master , Bro Bentley Shaw , J . P ., P . G . D . of England ; who , in a speech of some length , again thanked the province for the presentation made to him . Bro . Manoah Rhodes P . M . paid a high compliment to Mrs . Bentley Shaw , whose health was drunk . Bro . Shaw responded iu feeling terms . The remaining toasts were

The Masonic Charities , proposed by Bro . Jo . Ibberson , and responded to by Bro . Henry Smith P . M . Prov . G . Sec , Wakefield ; "the W . Mastcr .-i and P . Masters of Lodges , " proposed by Bro . B . Shaw , and acknowledged by W . Bro . Thos . Wells W . M ., Dewsbury , and W . Bro . Cocker P . M ., " The Visiting Brethren" and "Lady Edwards and the Ladies . " The speeches , which were truly of a Masonic character

were interspersed with selections of vocal music rendered by Bro . B Watson , 974 , Bro . H . Mitchell , 387 , Bro . Thornton Wood , 1018 , and Bro . J . L . Atherton , 439 : —Bro . F . W . Nicholson , Prov . G . Organist , presiding at the pianoforte . The proceedings terminated between six and seven o ' clock . The next Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Sheffield . —Dewsbury Chronicle .

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