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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 24 of 36 →
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Provincial.
The W . M . said it would be affectation on his part to say that he did not rise with feelings of extreme diffidence and embarrassment , and he should be sorry if any one went away without believing that he fully appreciated the honour which they had conferred on him . He assured them that he would use his best exertions , so that the Cherwell Lodge , which , in two short years , had risen to such an eminence , should not decline in their estimation ; and although he could not hope to rival his predecessors in office , he would endeavour to emulate their example ,
and relying on the support of his officers , trusted that they would make up for any deficiency on his part . He felt the difficulty of succeeding a Brother ( Capt . Bowyer ) who had gained the esteem and reigned in the affections of every Brother , both as a man and a Mason , but he would endeavour to profit by his example , for his earnest desire was to preserve the fair fame of the Cherwell Lodge , and to hand it down to his successors untarnished and unimpaired ( cheers ) . The W . M . then proposed " The healths of the Visiting Brethren , " and expressed his deep obligations to Bro . F . Thomas for conducting the installation , as well as
to Bro . Randall , AV . M ., Bro . Martin , P . M ., and the Brethren of the Alfred and Apollo Lodges , who had come from Oxford to attend this festival ( cheers ) . Bro . THOMAS said he was called specially to express his gratitude to them for so kindly drinking his health , and for the flattering manner in which the W . M . had * oeen pleased to speak of him on the present occasion ; he did not in the least expect that his name would have been mentioned . He came there to perform a pleasing duty , for he owed to this Lodge a debt of gratitude , inasmuch as when the VV . M . Bro . Paul was obliged to leave this locality , he did him the honour to request him to take the office of W . M . pro tern . From the great desire which he had , that this and another Lodge formed in Oxford should progress under the
wings of the Pro . G . M ., he had put himself out of the way to advance the interests ofthe Brethren ofthe Cherwell . He could assure them he had greater pleasure in presiding over their Lodge than he had experienced in bis Masonic life , and was so gratified by the evident desire to prosecute and carry out the principles of the Craft , that the small exertions which he had made were indeed a labour of love , and he was pleased to come here to perform a ceremony and to assist those who had always been so kind and indulgent to bim . The seed of Freemasonry had been sown in good soil in Banbury , and had produced its fruit , for he had now the
pleasure of not only seeing a Master but of installing a Master who was initiated in this Lodge ; and although it was the first time he had performed the ceremony , he never had his feelings so strongly wrought on , because he felt that he was installing one who was initiated in this Lodge , educated in this Lodge , and disposed to devote his energy and ability to promote its interests . AVithout disparagement to those excellent and worthy Masters who had preceded him , for it was impossible not to feel the highest regard for Bros . Paul and Bowyer , it was impossible for tbe members ofthe Banbury Lodge to have fixed on a more energetic
Brother , or one who was more devoted to its interests , than Bro . Blake was . This was his parent Lodge , and as a child felt that all the services it could render were due to its parent , so Bro . Blake felt that all his talents and energies were to be devoted to that Lodge in which he was initiated . For himself , he could not express the gratitude he felt for this warm manifestation of their kindness , and for their flattering reception ; they had over-rated his humble services , which had been rendered cordially and readily , and if at any future time he should not be too far distant , and it be within the length of his cable-tow , he should consider no labour too onerous to promote the welfare of a Lodge , in which he felt so strong an interest , and in which he had been received with such strong marks of kindness and approbation ( cheers ) .
Bro . RANDALL also replied to the toast , and complimented the Brethren on having officers who were not only arduous in their respective stations , but who were imbued with a full appreciation of the merits of Masonry and the duties it enjoined . He reminded them that Masonry had its duties and responsibilities , and that by rendering to society those kind offices which were required of them , they would not only experience happiness at the time , but comfort also in the closing hours of their existence ( cheers ) .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
The W . M . said it would be affectation on his part to say that he did not rise with feelings of extreme diffidence and embarrassment , and he should be sorry if any one went away without believing that he fully appreciated the honour which they had conferred on him . He assured them that he would use his best exertions , so that the Cherwell Lodge , which , in two short years , had risen to such an eminence , should not decline in their estimation ; and although he could not hope to rival his predecessors in office , he would endeavour to emulate their example ,
and relying on the support of his officers , trusted that they would make up for any deficiency on his part . He felt the difficulty of succeeding a Brother ( Capt . Bowyer ) who had gained the esteem and reigned in the affections of every Brother , both as a man and a Mason , but he would endeavour to profit by his example , for his earnest desire was to preserve the fair fame of the Cherwell Lodge , and to hand it down to his successors untarnished and unimpaired ( cheers ) . The W . M . then proposed " The healths of the Visiting Brethren , " and expressed his deep obligations to Bro . F . Thomas for conducting the installation , as well as
to Bro . Randall , AV . M ., Bro . Martin , P . M ., and the Brethren of the Alfred and Apollo Lodges , who had come from Oxford to attend this festival ( cheers ) . Bro . THOMAS said he was called specially to express his gratitude to them for so kindly drinking his health , and for the flattering manner in which the W . M . had * oeen pleased to speak of him on the present occasion ; he did not in the least expect that his name would have been mentioned . He came there to perform a pleasing duty , for he owed to this Lodge a debt of gratitude , inasmuch as when the VV . M . Bro . Paul was obliged to leave this locality , he did him the honour to request him to take the office of W . M . pro tern . From the great desire which he had , that this and another Lodge formed in Oxford should progress under the
wings of the Pro . G . M ., he had put himself out of the way to advance the interests ofthe Brethren ofthe Cherwell . He could assure them he had greater pleasure in presiding over their Lodge than he had experienced in bis Masonic life , and was so gratified by the evident desire to prosecute and carry out the principles of the Craft , that the small exertions which he had made were indeed a labour of love , and he was pleased to come here to perform a ceremony and to assist those who had always been so kind and indulgent to bim . The seed of Freemasonry had been sown in good soil in Banbury , and had produced its fruit , for he had now the
pleasure of not only seeing a Master but of installing a Master who was initiated in this Lodge ; and although it was the first time he had performed the ceremony , he never had his feelings so strongly wrought on , because he felt that he was installing one who was initiated in this Lodge , educated in this Lodge , and disposed to devote his energy and ability to promote its interests . AVithout disparagement to those excellent and worthy Masters who had preceded him , for it was impossible not to feel the highest regard for Bros . Paul and Bowyer , it was impossible for tbe members ofthe Banbury Lodge to have fixed on a more energetic
Brother , or one who was more devoted to its interests , than Bro . Blake was . This was his parent Lodge , and as a child felt that all the services it could render were due to its parent , so Bro . Blake felt that all his talents and energies were to be devoted to that Lodge in which he was initiated . For himself , he could not express the gratitude he felt for this warm manifestation of their kindness , and for their flattering reception ; they had over-rated his humble services , which had been rendered cordially and readily , and if at any future time he should not be too far distant , and it be within the length of his cable-tow , he should consider no labour too onerous to promote the welfare of a Lodge , in which he felt so strong an interest , and in which he had been received with such strong marks of kindness and approbation ( cheers ) .
Bro . RANDALL also replied to the toast , and complimented the Brethren on having officers who were not only arduous in their respective stations , but who were imbued with a full appreciation of the merits of Masonry and the duties it enjoined . He reminded them that Masonry had its duties and responsibilities , and that by rendering to society those kind offices which were required of them , they would not only experience happiness at the time , but comfort also in the closing hours of their existence ( cheers ) .