Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

On the proposition of Bro . J . H . HAWKINS , Prov . G . D . C , Bro . Walter Dennis , P . M . 2473 , was unanimously elected Prov . G . Treasurer . The following Prov . G . Officers were then appointed and invested -.

Bro . VV . Soper , 2095 ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Cde Bertodano , 1616 ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Rev . W . Horan , 452 \ Prov . G . Chaps . „ Rev . A . C . Acworth , 370 ... ... 3 r „ Walter Dennis ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ J . M . Newuham , LL . D ., 1556 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ C T . Tyler , 1395 ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ T . Cookes , 1 347 ... ... '( pm „ cr . ric

„ J . W . Palmer , 1148 ... ... ¦¦¦) " " w JTV f ] Prov . J . G . Ds . „ W . G . Goode , 2096 ... ... ... J „ G . H . Fellows Prynne , 1 S 26 ... ... Prov . G . S . of Wks . ,, J . H . Hawkins , 410 ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ A . W . Smith , 4 G 3 ... ... Prov . D . G . D . C

„ C . J . Slade , 1046 ... ... ... ) „ H . S . Folker , 2234 ... ... ... > Prov . A . G . D . Cs . „ J . J . Lamigeon , 1929 ... ... ... ) „ R . Mossop , 1395 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ J . M Parsons , 1564 } Prov . G . Std . Brs . ,, J . Ellinger , 2222 ... ... ... )

,, A . Toop , 1929 ... ... ... rrov . G . Org . „ VV . A . Latham , 410 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Sec . „ H . G . Herbert , 2101 ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ C . E . Oldridge , 1638 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . „ F . Ho / me Sumner , 2 756 ... ... " J „ J . S . Poinlon , 1861 ... ... ... 1 » ? - - / T \ r \ lo r Prov . G . Stewards . „ C . J . Parke , 19 S 2 ... ... ... { „ S . T . Baker , 1892 ... ... ... | „ G . W . Saul , 1 S 51 ... ... ... J „ R . F . Potter ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The PROV . G RAND MASTER , addressing the brethren , then made an

important announcement . He said that for the last few years he had felt that the very many calls upon his time had prevented him devoting the time and attention which he felt the Prov . G . M . of Surrey ought to do to the duties of that important office . He had felt that to such an extent that he had thought it his duty to petition his Royal Highness the M . W . G . M . to relieve him of the duties of Prov . G . M . His Royal Highness had been

pleased to accept his resignation , and had nominated Brigadier-General Davis to succeed him . General Davis resided at Farnham , and was a distinguished soldier , being A . D . C . to her Majesty , being now at Gosport holding a very important command of Militia . As General Davis ' s time was now fully occupied , his Royal Highness had requested him ( Loid Onslow ) to occupy the chair until such time as General Davis should be able

to take over the duty . Having said that , they would understand that in making the appointments of Deputy Prov . G . M . and Prov . G . Secretary , they would only be for the rest of his tenure of office , as he wished to leave his successor free to make any appointments he wished . Bro . Rev . E . R . PARR , P . G . Chap ., in moving that a suitable record be placed upon the minutes expressing the deep regret of Prov . Grand Lodge

at Lord Onslow ' s resignation , said that when Lord Onslow was appointed it was generally felt that he would prove a worthy Prov . Grand Master . They had sceti how well that had been carried out , for the duties had been performed with courtesy and efficiency . The more they had known of the Prov . Grand Master the more they had liked him . Their best wishes went

with him , and they hoped that in the far future not the least of the honours that would give Lord Onslow satisfaction would be that of filling for five years the position of Prov . Grand Master of Surrey . Bro . J . H . HAWKINS , Prov . G . D . C , seconded the proposition , remarking that Lord Onslow had been an eminent successor to two distinguished Masons , and now left with the good wishes , and love and affection of every member of the province .

Bro . FRED WEST , Dep . P . G . M ., before putting the resolution to the vote , re-echoed what had been so well said by the two brethren . He sincerely regretted they were to lose the services of their Prov . G . Master , but as Lord Onslow has made up his mind all they could do on the present occasion was to carry this proposition . The PROV . G . MASTER said he felt deeply the manner in which they

had been pleased to record on the minutes their appreciation of his humble services . He could assure them he had felt very keenly the fact that he followed in the footsteps of two eminent Masons who were thoroughly conversant with the work of the Craft and whose time was entirely their own to devote to the interests of Freemasonry . It was for those reasons he thought H . R . H . had exercised a wise discretion in selecting as his successor a distinguished brother who had ample time and leisure and who would , he

was satisfied , devote himself to Surrey with the success which had characterised the two Prov . G . Masters who had preceded him . He severed his connection with the deepest regret , but he was far from severing his connection with Freemasonry . He hoped in a less conspicuous capacity to render some service to the province and county to which he belonged . He could only assure them that if at any time they called upon him those s . rvices would be rendered with pleasure .

Bro . J . D . Langton was re-appointed Charity Secretary , and the Prov . Grand Lodge was closed . Bro . the Earl of Onslow presided at the banquet which was subsequently held , and at which the usual loyal toasts received hearty recognition . In giving "The Grand Officers , " the PROV . G . MASTER said his Royal Highness was fortunate in being able to call upon the services of the very

best men in the country to undertake the duties of Pro G . Master and Dep . G . Master . In that respect they were exceedingly fortunate , because , as they were aware , Freemasonry held a position which it held in no other country in the world . Frenchmen , Italians , or Spaniards were disposed to wonder that so responsible a person as his Royal Highness should belong to so discredited an Institution . In England Freemasonry was the highest and most sought after of all the societies . No man could say they had not

at the head of Freemasonry all that was best and the most leading among Englishmen in all parts . They were fortunate that evening in having present the G . Chaplain of the year , Bro . the Rev . H . W . Turner . He knfw something of that rev . brother's work in his own parish , and of his woik as a Freemason and on his own behalf ; and on behalf of the Freemasons of Surrey he could say they were honoured by the selection made in Bro . Tut ncr for Grand office , There was also present one who had done

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Surrey.

yeoman service in a distinguished position in the adjoining county of Sussex . As Prov . G . Master of Sussex they had another son of her Majesty , and that son was worthily and well represented by Sir William Marriott , his Dep . Prov . G . Master . Bro . the Rev . H . W . TURNER , G . Chap ., said he responded with much

gratification at heart but no little sense of difficulty and embarrassment . He then referred to the services rendered by Earl Amherst and the Earl of Warwick , the latter of whom had kindly consented to preside at the Old People ' s Festival next year . They in Croydon had a territorial attachment to that Institution .

Bro . Sir WM . MARRIOTT , Q . C , M . P ., Dep . Prov . G . Master Sussex , also replied , and said the Prov . G . Master had struck the right chord when he suggested the difference between Freemasonry in this country and abroad . Abroad it was looked upon as a secret society , always plotting against the monarch on the throne or the Government . In this country it was the chief bond between the country and the throne . The reason why Englishmen were so disliked was jealousy , because there was no country

where the government worked so easily , and where all were on such good terms , and Freemasonry was no small factor in bringing that about . The G . Officers always tried to keep up tha : good feeling which ought to exist between class and class . Knowing there must be rich and poor , they wanted them all to work together for the common good , and that was the foundation of their prosperity and the cause they were envied . If this continued , they would remain the happy nation they were now .

Bro . b . WEST , D . P . G . M ., then proposed "The R . W . Prov . G . M ., " which , he said , he was afraid was for the last time . He had proposed that for many years with pleasure , but on the present occasion it was with a great deal of regret . If they were to have a last occasion for that toast to be proposed , they could not have had a better one . The Prov . G . M . could not have had a better reception , and Bros . Woodward and Lambert had worked

so hard for that meeting , which had been crowned with success . It was a matter of great regret that their Prov . G . M . was leaving them , for they had got to know him and had worked with him , and he ( Bro . West ) had done his best to support him . The matter had been referred to in Prov . Grahd Lodge , and it was , therefore , unnecessary for him to go over the ground again . He sincerely doubted whether they could find anybody who could preside over such a gathering in the same happy way as Lord Onslow had

always done , and especially that night . Their Prov . G . M . was . sucha loyal man , that although they might be parting with him , yet he was sure he would give them the benefit ot his distinguished position and experience in Freemasonry . In conclusion , he would bring home to them what was said of the great Wren , for whenever Lord Onslow wanted evidence of the respect in which he was held in Surrey , he had only to look round him at the meeting of the province held on that and other occasions .

Bro . the Earl of ONSLOW , Prov . G . M ., responded . He said that in this country when a corpse was placed in its last resting place they contented themselves with the beautiful words of the Liturgy which applied to all . In other countries it was the practice to pronounce the funeral oration over the corpse , and he thought the Deputy that night had pronounced a funeral oration . He was not aware that even a continental corpse had ever been

known to respond to the oration , and he was in that difficult position . Immediately after their meeting that day he should cease to be their Provincial Grand Master , and as a corpse he was called upon to make some observations on the speech of the Deputy . One thing about the corpse was that he felt certain that if called upon by the Freemasons of Surrey to do anything for the advantage , either for the

Masonic province or the county , he would respond to that call S 3 long as he was able . He hoped no one would think that because other duties—duties which ought to have prevented him coming there—prevented him from giving that attention which was only right and due to the Province of Surrey and thereby compelled him to place his resignation in the hands of the M . W . G . M ., it would in any way diminish the interest he had in the province

and county . He did not know what they would see in their newspapers next morning , but it was extremely probable a great constitutional crisis might have arrived . The noble lords who came from Ireland mustered upon occasions in great force , and if her Majesty's Government had been defeated , upon the brethren of Surrey would be the blame . His duties were manifold and in various places and he had felt for some time that it

was scarcely compatible with the exalted position H . R . H . had conferred upon him that he should be compelled to absent himself from the discharge of those duties . He cordially and entirely accepted the very grateful and kind expressions used by the Deputy and endorsed by all the members of Prov . Grand Lodge , and this he could say without the slightest hesitation that the time during which he had been their Prov . Grand Master had been

one of unalloyed happiness , made so by the universal courtesy and kindness of every Freemason in the Province of Surrey . In parting from them as Prov . Grand Master , he < ould not help feeling that his place would bs taken by one who , perhaps , might be little known to the vast majority of Freemasons in this , the Eastern part of the county , but was none the less an experienced and capable Mason , who commanded the entire confidence of

H . R . H . and of her Majesty to whom he was A . D . C Having the time at his disposal General Davis would devote it ungrudgingly to their interests . It was always a sad and sorrowful moment to say " goodbye " to anyone . " Good-bye " was an old English word , but comprised a great deal . It meant the severance of many old ties and many associations , severance from those who had stood by you and helped you in times of trouble and difficulty , and there had never been a time when he could

not turn to his friend on the right ( the Deputy ) or his friend on the left ( the Prov . G . Secretary ) and get their ready help . There had never been a time when he had not been most loyally supported by every Freemason in the whole of the Province of Surrey . He thanked then most heartily for the assistance given him during his term of ollice , and he thanked them for the cordial and regretful way in which they had been pleased to express their sense of his resignation , which he had felt it his duty to place in the hands of the M . W . Grand Master .

"The Visitors" was acknowledged by Bro . G . J . ALLEN , P . M ., Diputy Mayor of Croydon , after which the PROV . G . MASTER proposed " The Dep . Prov . G . Master and Prov . G . Ollicers , " lo wnich Bro . Sofiat , Prov . S . G . W ., replied . Bro . F . WEST , Dep . Prov . G . Master , who alsj responded , said he had

served under three Prov . G . Masters . In tne presence of representatives of other provinces he could say they were proud of their province . They understood something of Freemasonry , and a visit througa the proving would show they had an excellent lot of lodges , which did their work and ritual well under the guidance of many distinguished Preceptors , including