Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

that the organisation of the province can be maintained at its proper standard . Thoug h the matter is so simple and the trouble so slight , yet , year by year , the neglect continues . Then , as to quarterages , the law distinctly says " 6 d . P quarter or any portion thereof . " Yet it frequently happens , when an initiation takes place towards the end of a quarter the necessary 6 d . is not paid , costing a letter and postage to obtain what is legally due . Let me also remind Worshipful Masters that an interval of 28 days must intervene between an

initiation and a passing , or between a passing and a raising , and no dispensation can shorten that interval . In respect to the necessary inquiry ( By-laws 30 and 31 ) in the case of candidates for initiation and joining , there seems to be some laxity . The law is very clear and precise , and states that in the case of a candidate seeking admission to the Craft , or wishing to enter a lodge as a joining member , inquiry shall be made of the lodges in the town from which the candidate comes , and nroper printed forms are provided for that purpose , which may

be obtained of the Provincial Grand Secretary at a nominal cost . Throug h the publicity given to accounts of lodge meetings in other than Masonic papers the outside world knows more of our proceedings than is at all necessary or expedient , and many are doubtless attracted to our ranks by the advantages which they think they can thereby oblain . I would , therefore , say suffer no reports 0 f your lodge gatherings to appear in non-Masonic papers , and when it becomes necessary to make inquiry as to anyone from another town wishing to join you ,

see that such inquiry is fully and amply made , and if there is a doubt then give not the candidate , but the Craft the benefit of that doubt . Where a lodge is not progressing , or is not in affluent circumstances , there is perhaps a temptation to lightly interpret this law ; but it should be remembered that by admitting an unworthy member—though it may be a temporary gain to the lodge in question—it is a permanent and serious injury to the whole Craft . After what I said at Leeds in April , and at Bradford in October of last year , on the subject of exclusionsit is not

, necessary I should add anything to-day . I have reason to hope that those words were not without effect , and the time is not far distant . I trust , when there will exist no lodge in this province to which such remarks can have any possible app lication . Brethren , it is not my intention to trespass upon the ground of the Chairman of our Charity Committee , but I may venture to state that our three Masonic Institutions are in a flourishing condition . Last year we largely concentrated our donations on behalf of the " Old People , " and purchased " The Thomas

William Tew Presentation" for men at a cost of ^ 1155 . This year we propose to give our chief support to the Girls' School , and , as Treasurer of that noble Institution , I am glad to hear that no less a sum than 1100 guineas has been already subscribed and mainly paid , and the votes used for the election last week . This being our annual meeting , it is my pleasing duty to confer Provincial rank upon sundry deserving brethren . But the pleasure is largely discounted by its extreme difficulty . When I tell you that our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand

Master has on his list upwards of 200 selected brethren , everyone of whom he would , if he could , thus honour , and that he has only 24 collars at his disposal , you may form some slight idea how hard is the task imposed upon him . It is true it is four more than formerly , owing to the new regulations j but what are these amongst so many deserving brethren ? I can only ask you to believe that we have done our best , and can assure you that I , knowing their merits , feel as keenly as themselves the disappointment of those

whom the exigencies of our Provincial Grand Master ' s position have compelled him to pass over . I cannot close my remarks without offering my hearty thanks to the Worshipful Masters , and Past Masters , and brethren of the three Wakefield Lodges for the excellent arrangements they have made for our comfort and convenience to-day . Wakefield has long been a nursing mother to Freemasonry . Within its precincts there is one of the oldest existing West Yorksire lodges ; and we cannot forget that this city was the original cradle and home of the

Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire as at present constituted . To the Wakefield Masons , distinguished as they are by their brotherly concord , their generous hospitality , and their ardent zeal in all that concerns the best interests of the Craft , our gratitude is due , not for the present visit only , but for many pleasant sojourns which we have on previous occasions made amongst them . In my own name , and in that of my officers , I thank you , also , brethren , for your cordial salutations , and for your kindness and patience in listening to this my address .

The address , which was most impressively delivered , was followed with the closest interest , and called forth many expressions of sympathy from a most attentive audience .

The ACTING PROV . GRAND MASTER then called upon Bro . T . Bateman Fox , P . M . 208 , Chairman of the West Yorkshire Charity Committee , to present his report . Previous to doing so , Bro . Fo . v claimed the indulgence of the brethren in order to make a few preliminary remarks . He said—Brethren , —We have listened with great interest to our worthy Deputy ' s most excellent address , and we heartily endorsu every word he has said in relation to oeioved

uur frovmcial Grand Master , Bro . Thomas Wm . Tew . We have clung to the hope that for some time at least we should not lose our distinguished chief •--that we should see him again in our midst—that we should be cheered b y his genial presence , and enlightened by his wisdom . It has pleased T . G . A . O . T . U . to order otherwise , and we can only submissively bow to that decree . 't would not become me to take up your time in the attempt to add to the eloquent eulogium which Bro . Henry Smith has pronounced upon our excellent

' rov , u . Master ; I will only say that in my humble opinion it is not one whit too strong , and I will venture to add that wherever and whenever West Yorkshire Masons meet , the name of " Tew" will always be received with reverence and respect . But if words of mine cannot add to or improve upon Bro . Henry fc'iiith s judicious expressions , yet they may supply a deficiency which his „™ aracteristic modesty would have ignored . Brethren , I want to remind you that , ° - " enry Smith , too . has left his mark upon Freemasonry in West Yorkshire . . -j - * ......., . ww , ...... » Wfc 1 . 1 . i . iu . n » f «» - « ww ....--w ... j ... i . w ^ b . uinailll ^ ,

want to point out to you that his has been a valuable and distinguished Masonic a ' ?— ' '"' fi ^ t almost say unrivalled in our annals—I will go further , and assert "at I don ' t think there is a man living whose Masonic experience has been more extensive , or whose attention to the interests of the Craft has been more devoted . ., ' Henry Smith was initiated in the Hope Lodge , Bradford , in the year 1852 , so nat he is a Mason of 41 years' standing . That in itself is worthy ot note , but it Dy no means all . Prp . vinin tn iR ^ n hp rendered crreat assistance tn tUf » rh *» n

rov ' Grand Secretary , Bro . Richard Reed Nelson , and on his death in that year b as appointed by the Earl de Grey and Ripon to succeed him . We all know , 11 ni " ' "le or ^er ' ' method , the system , the business precision which exist in toR ° ^ " ? rov ' Grand Secretary to-day ; that organisation we owe entirely Hi ' ^ y Smith . On his appointment he was able to see what our condition

tint •a w '' S nt be made to become , and his comprehensive grasp , his in mT > u ^ PP '' ti ° ) his unceasing attention to and mastery ot detail , have resulted Gr ° Ii , S perhaps the best organised Masonic province under the banner of the Sir H Sf of England . On the retirement of the Marquess of Ripon ^ in 187 s , _ Henry Edwards , his successor , recocnisinir the canacitv and zeal of the Prov .

m " Secretary , gladly retained his services , and down to 1885 Bro . Henry Smith ser : ^ "iciently discharged the duties of that office . For 15 years he faithfully p •. ' province in that capacity . In 1885 , after the installation of our present ftt L " !? * ' anc * Master , amid the applause of the numerous brethren assembled Prov ' ° n t'lat occas'on > Bro . T . Wm . Tew made Bro . Henry Smith his Deputy Ww " li ' ' ^" rant * Master . Eight years he has held that office , and you , brethren , 183 , well and ably he has done his duty in that most responsible post . In ' re ccived Jubilee rank as G . D , of England . Throughout all his Masonic

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

career—41 years a Mason , 15 years Prov . Grand Secretary , and eight years Deputy —perhaps there is no portion in which Bro . Henry Smith has shown greater interest , or displayed more marvellous energy than in his connection with the Charity Committee of this province . From its foundation , in 1859 , in which he took an active part , down to to-day , our worthy Deputy's zeal has ne ver flagged . Always present at its meetings , never absent from the elections in Lo ndon , active

in securing new votes and in collecting and judiciously exercising existing onesit is largely through his efforts that the work of our Charity Committee has resulted so successfully , and that we stand forth possessing a voting strength and an organisation second to none in the Craft . Out of consideration to Bro . Henry Smith , brethren , I will not say more—1 might call attention to his personal donations to our Charities , and to the appreciation in which he is held by the

Managers of our Charitable Institutions , of one of which he holds the important office of Hon . Treasurer , and to other matters—but I am sure you will agree with me that if at the same time that we lose our Prov . Grand Master we are also to be deprived of the services of our Deputy , less I could not have said , and I feel confident that the circumstances in which we are likely so soon to be placed will

be considered ample justification for these few and imperfect remarks . Some definite resolution of appreciation of his services will no doubt be moved on some future occasion , and I also hope a permanent and fitting recognition of those services will be tendered . I will now turn to the business of the meeting . " Bro . Fox then announced the successes which had attended the labours of

the Charity Committee since the last annual meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge , pointing out that two girls , one widow , and three men had been elected ; also , that in addition to this , they had by presentations secured the benefit of the Charities for one g irl , one boy , and one man ; that for next month ' s election they had two men candidates and one widow , the election of all of whom they were hopeful of securing , and that they were fortunately able in the last election to assist a last chance case of the sister

Province of North and East Yorkshire . After alluding to the successes obtained by the Boys and Girls in the Cambridge Local and other examinations , results which proved the efficiency of the Schools , Bro . Fox concluded a most interesting statement by thanking the brethren and the Charity members for the prompt return of the voting papers , and was pleased to find that the leakage had been the smallest on record . He then formally moved the adoption of the report .

Bro . W . C . LUPTON , P . M . 974 , Vice-Chairman , seconded . He thoroughly agreed with all that had been said by Bro . Fox . He announced , for the information of the Charity members , that complete lists of lodge and individual votes for the annuitants' elections ' next month were already prepared by the Prov . Grand Secretary , and would be sent out to them in the course of the following day ; that the collection of the papers would thus be greatly facilitated ; and that he trusted every possible effort would be made to secure their col ection .

On being put to the meeting , the report was unanimously adopted . Bro . J . GIBBS , P . M . 904 , Prov . G . Treasurer , then presented his balance sheet . In moving its adoption , it already having been printed and circulated , he called the attention of the brethren to the increased balance , notwithstanding extraordinary expenditure during the year . Bro . J . BOTTOMLEY , P . M . 275 , acting Prov . G . Reg ., seconded , and ^ the balance-sheet was adopted nem . con .

Bro . C . GOTT , P . M . 302 , acting Prov . G . S . of W ., presented an inventory of the regalia and other property of Provincial Grand Lodge , and , on his representation , it was duly received . Bro . J . MATTHEWMAN , P . M . 1019 , Prov . A . G . Sec ., was then called upon and said : Prov . Grand Officers and Brethren , —Through the courtesy of the W . Deputy now acting in the chair of K . S ., lam permitted to announce

that our R . W . Prov . Grand Master , Bro . T . W . Tew , has great pleasure in presenting to each lodge in West Yorkshire a copy of my book of his Masonic Addresses . In cases where a lodge library already exists , he trusts the volume will be a welcome addition to its shelves , and where such collections are not to be found , that it may be a nucleus round which other Masonic works , from time to time , may cluster . The books are here ,

and if at the close of this meeting Worshipful Masters or other representatives will come forward and sign in the name of their respective lodges , copies will be handed to them . Brethren , within the covefs of that volume will be found not only a reproduction , with notes and explanatory circumstances ) of most of the very valuable Masonic Addresses which Bro . Tew , during the last 30 years , has delivered , but also a record of his stainless and

honourable Masonic career . No printed page , no effort of mine is needed , I know , to keep the memory of our Prov . Grand Master fresh and green in the minds of the West Yorkshire brethren whom I see before me ; but I am proud to think that my name is associated with the production of a work which may , I trust , hand down to future generations of Freemasons the record of the life , the character , and the virtues of Thomas William Tew .

I thank you , W . Deputy , for affording me the opportunity of making , in our Prov . Grand Master ' s name , this presentation to the lodges , and you , brethren , for the more than kind way in which you have heard me . Bro . WILLIAM WATSON , P . AI . 61 , P . P . G . S . of VV ., and Honorary Librarian of the Province , then presented his report . He would not , he said , make a long speech , but would remind them that it was just five years

since his appointment , and that during that time the library had increased beyond his most sanguine expectations , and that they stood that day in the proud position of possessing a collection of MSS ., books , and curios , second perhaps to only one other in Europe . He moved that , the library report be taken as read , printed , and circulated . This was seconded by Bro . I . R . DORE , P . M . 750 , and carried .

The election of Bro . W . Fisher Tasker , P . M . 296 , as Provincial Grand Treasurer , was proposed in most complimentary terms by Bro . JOHN GIBBS , P . M . 904 , seconded by Bro . WILLIAM GAUKROGER , P . M . 6 i , supported by Bro . CARR , P . P . G . O ., on behalf of Bro . C . L . Mason , and carried with acclamation .

Bro . PLSIIER IASKER , whose election was apparently a very popular one , duly thanked the brethren . Bro . RICHARD WILSON , P . M . 289 , then rose to propose "That a cordial vote of thanks be given to the Rt . VV . Prov . Grand Master , Bro . Thomas William Tew , for his gifts to the library and for his present of a copy of Masonic Addresses to the various lodges . "

After some discussion as to this being the suitable time or not to add the expression of regret of Prov . Grand Lodge at the announcement of the Prov . Grand Master ' s coming retirement , and deciding that at present it was premature , this was seconded by Bro . J OSEPH BINNEY , P . M . 139 , and carried with great applause .

Bro . J . ROBERTSHAW , P . M . 1239 , on rising to propose that the brief address of the Chairman of the Charity Committee be printed , was told that that request had been anticipated by him , and would be carried out . The retiring Prov . Grand Officers then advanced and gave up their collars ,