Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.

Col . S HADWELL H . CLERKE , addressing Col . Stuart , said he had already announced to the lodge that H . R . H . the Grand Master had been p leased to appoint him as the first Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Bedfordshire . He could assure him that the manner in which his name had been received by the brethren present was most satisfactory . Colonel

Stuart was a very old and tried Mason , dating back for over 40 years as a member of the Craft , and having held no less high and proud a position than that of Senior Grand Warden of England . He had , therefore , been well tried and trusted in the Order , and it required no words from his ( Col . Shadwell H . Gierke's ) lips to explain to him the duties he would have to

carry out in the future as a Provincial Grand Master . Not onl y did he represent in himself a large amount of long and valuable services , but he brought down from his honoured father , whose acquaintance he ( Col .

Shadwell H . Clerke ) had had the happiness of having , a further addition of Masonic work and excellence . It would be a great distinction and honour to the province to have such a worth } ' brother to preside over the brethren .

After Colonel Stuart had gone through the next ensuing formality , he was invested with the elegant apron , chain , and jewel of office , and placed in the chair , and the Installing Master took his chair on the left of the

Provincial Grand Master . The salute followed , and the Prov . Grand Master having informed the brethren that he had appointed Lieut .-Colonel Henry Lindsell as Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Lindsell observed the customary routine , and was also invested and saluted .

Bro . James Fisher , P . M . and Treasurer of the Stuart I . odge , was elected as Provincial Grand Treasurer . The following brethren received the other appointments :

Bro . Col . William Stuart , P . G . S . W . Eng ., P . M . 2 , *) D _ .. 404 , 540 , 803 ... .... ... ( Prov . G . M . „ Col . Robert Henry Lindsell , P . M . S 03 ... Prov . Dep . G . M . „ John Cumberland , P . M . 475 ... ... Prov . G . S . W . „ Frederick Gotto , P . M . 1057 ... ... Prov . G . J . W . „ Rev . Chas . Brereton , P . J . W . 540 ... ... Prov . G . ' Chao .

„ James Fisher , P . M . 540 ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ Mark Whyley , P . M . 540 ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Charles Edward Prior , P . M . 540 ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ Frederick Howell , P . M . 1470 ... ... Prov . G . S . D . „ A . J . Hills , P . M . 803 ... ... ... Prov . G . J . D . „ William R . Phillips , P . M . 475 ... ... Prov . G . S . of W .

„ Alfred Cookson , P . M . 540 ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ John W . Green , P . M . 475 ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ Edward F . Green , P . M . 475 ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ Edmond R . Green , P . M . 540 ... ...-,

„ Arthur Knox Lindsell , P . M . 803 ... , „( . „ „ , „ Alexander Grafton , P . M . 1087 ... ... f Prov * G * Stwds * „ James Gladwell , P . M . 1470 ... ... J „ Charles Weston ... ... ... Prov . G . Tyler . The officers having been saluted , a Committee was appointed to draw

up the bye-laws . A BROTHER suggested that it might be an instruction to the Committee that the bye-laws should contain provisions for the formation of a Charity Fund for the province , with regulations for its dispensation , but The PROV . GRAND MASTER said he had no power to give such an instruction . No doubt , however , the Committee would have the bye-laws of

other provinces before them , and as most of the provinces had a schem e for the management of a Charity Fund , the subject would be in the mind of the Committee . Before closing the Grand Lodge he wished to thank Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Bros . Frank Richardson , and the Rev . C . VV . Spencer Stanhope , for their kindness in coming to Bedford on this occasion . In forming a new province of course there were many difficulties in the way

both in nominating and in appointing proper officers . Before a province was started the lodges had not been so much in communication as he hoped would be the lodges of that province in future . They had now . for the first time a province in Bedfordshire , which had been launched under favourable auspices . They had a brother to give them advice , and he had to thank the Grand Secretary personally for having given him every assistance in his

power , even to coming down to installing him . He had also to thank other brethren , who had many of them come from long distances , and travelled through dangers and difficulties many miles to do honour to him . It was a pleasure to him to see so many of them , and he hoped to have the pleasure to see one or more of the Consecrating Officers at the meetings in the

province from time to time . From the Grand Secretary they could obtain instruction and advice which might not be otherwise easily available . He had known the Grand Secretary many years— indeed , long before he was Grand Secretary . He would like to have seen Bro . Philbrick present , who was a member of his own lodge .

Colonel SHADWKLL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary , in reply , thanked the Provincial Grand Master for the fraternal reception the Grand Officers had had . It had given him great pleasure to be able to come to Bedford to take part in this most interesting ceremony . The Grand Officers congratulated the Province of Bedford very heartily upon its establishment . As to the absence of Bro . Philbrick , he hnd expected him by the same train ; but on his arrival at Bedford a telegram was awaiting him , saying he could not be present .

Bro . BUTLER WILKINS said the Province of Berks and Bucks would be happy to lend the Bye-laws' Committee a copy of their bye-laws . Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to banquet at the Swan Hotel , under the presidency of the Provincial Grand Master . The arrangements by the Provincial Grand Stewards were everything that could be desired .

Alter banquet , grace was said , and the usual toasts were proposed . In proposing " The Queen and the Craft , " Col . STUART said that Masons wherever they were assembled showed thc greatest loyalty to all constituted authorities , and therefore they dedicated their first toast to the ruler of thc countrv in which they resided .

In giving the next toast , Col . STUART said that the name of the Prince ot Wales was always received with pleasure , and with peculiar pleasure as that of the M . W . G . M . of England . The toast was always understood as Masonic . There was a time when the Order was not represented by the highest in the land ; but now they had a person of the highest rank in this f-puntry after her Most Gracious Majesty to represent them as Grand Mas-

Inauguration Of The Province Of Bedfordshire.

ter , and most of his family were in the Craft . They knew it was his wish as far as possible to promote Freemasonry , both in this country and elsewhere . The Prince of Wales ' s father never was a Freemason ; but his grandfather was and all his uncles . There had been Masonry in the Eno-. ish Royal Family now certainly since the time of William III ., who was made y Sir Chr istopher Wren . The same gavel was used on that occasion by Sir Christopher Wren as he ( Col . Stuart ) used when making the late

lamented Prince Leopold . The Prince of Wales had shown by his zeal and attention that he was fitted in every sense to be Grand Master , and had not allowed the title to be a mere idle decoration . His Royal Highness had done his best to be among the brethren , though he told them when he was installed that he knew he had many duties to perform , and therefore c 6 uld not come among them as often as he could wish . Still , when he could come he would come .

Col . STUART , in giving "The Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , " said " those who had known the Craft for many years were aware that the life of a Grand Officer was not a sinecure . The Pro Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master had a great deal of work on their hands at all times , and there was a great deal to be done in a short time . The Grand Officers were as a

body as zealous as any body of officers could be . The old ones who worked hard in times gone by rested upon their oars ; but the younger ones' life was a life of endless motion . Lately they had been four days running engaged in installations , and went from north to south , and from east to west . Grand Lodge thus kept a constant supervision of the whole body , and it would be a bad day for the Craft if there was a want of communica - tion between the purple and the blue . He had heard that charged against

them , and he remembered when in Grand Lodge the blue was not thought of by the purple . That was not the case now . The purple and the blue understood each other . The purple always helped the blue as far as they could , and the blue looked up to lhe purple . As a proof that the purple assisted the blue , he might mention that the Grand Secretary , a Past Grand Deacon , a Past Grand Chaplain , and the present Grand Standard Bearer , had joined in the ceremony of the day—inaugurating Provincial Grand Lodge and installing him .

The Rev . C . VV . SPENCER STANHOPE , P . G . C , replying , said that during the last few days this was the fourth time he had been on his legs to return briefly thanks for this toast , and wherever he had done so the toast had been most heartily received , but nowhere more heartily than in this old town of Bedford , which was new to him that day . He congratulated the brethren on being formed into a province under the rule of such a genial , kind , and

beloved Grand Master as Col . Stuart . As to the blue reverencing the purple , that was perfectly true , because to those who aspired to the purple the work was getting very hard indeed—harder and harder every yearbecause as time went on the number of lodges was monthly increasing , and since the time when the Prince of Wales became Grand Master the lodges in England had nearly doubled themselves . Besides the Prince of Wales ,

two most beloved noblemen ruled over them , one of them the ablest statesman in the land—the Pro Grand Master . Whenever hia presence was seen in Grand Lodge they always knew some good words of counsel , or some good advice , were sure to be given . As he had said at Shrewsbury , the words that the Earl of Carnarvon uttered on the question of the Grand Orient of France and the late Papal Allocution would be remembered by

all the brethren who heard him . In the same way the Earl of Lathom , as the Deputy Grand Master , was always welcome , because it was always a notice that the meeting would be one of peace , goodwill , and friendship . He hoped that Col . Stuart would be spared to preside over the Province of Bedfordshire for many years to come , and that the Grand Officers mighibe able to make it convenient to come down and be honoured by again being received in the same hearty , kind way as they had been that day .

Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary , in proposing " lhe Health of Col . Stuart , " said he should preface his observations with the remark which they had before heard—that this was the toast of the evening . That was nevertheless quite an original remark . Although it was said in joke , it was so in earnest , because he was going to ask them to join him in drinking very cordially the healih of that good , worthy , and distinguished

brother , who had been unusually honoured by the Grand Master , not only in being appointed Provincial Grand Master of a province , but the first Provincial Grand Master of a new province . He had the opportunity in the Provincial Grand Lodge of speaking to the brethren at some little length before the R . W . Provincial Grand Master came in as to the particular points of advantage of a new province , and he need scarcely now repeat

them . He would say , however , that it was a great advantage to be drawn together by this new Masonic bond , for they would meet together in Provincial Grand Lodge and know each other better . Moreover , they would be able to start some benevolent and charitable association , by which they could not only assist locally cases of distress , but would be able to put their shoulders to the wheel and assist all those great Masonic Institutions in

London , which Masons were so proud of . The brethren of Bedfordshire ought to be very proud of having such a worthy brother as Colonel Stuart appointed as thsir head . Colonel Stuart came to them with great hereditary claims . As he ( Colonel Shadwell H . Clerke ) knew Colonel Stuart's father when he was Grand Master of a neighbouring province ( Herts ) , he had seen his virtues were fully inherited by his son . All the brethren most

heartily and thoroughly congratulated Colonel Stuart on attaining the position to which the Grand Master ' s patent had appointed him . From h ' own personal conviction he could say that hc was the right man in the rig ht place , and that he would rule the province with that " suaviter in modo for which he was well known , and that his rule would be a genial , kind , an " fraternal one . Although he had said that Col . Stuart was the first P . G . M *

of the Province of Bedfordshire , he was able to inform the brethren thi 1 ' Col . Stuart was not the first Provincial Grand Masterof Bedfordshire . ' 11 ' fact was that he was the third . He had been examining the records <*( Grand Secretary ' s Office , and he found that in 1799 a Bro . William Gill , ^ Penley Hall , Herts , was appointed Prov . Grand Master of Bedford . "' appeared to have gone on for seven years , when l , iis name disappeared from Grand Lodge books . He found again that Bro . Andrew Dennis O'Kelly '

of Cannons , in Middlesex , was appointed , and he went on till he died 1 " 1820 . But although there has been two Prov . Grand Masters of Bedford " there was not all that time a single Masonic lodge in the country ; * J whether those brethren died of the hard Masonic work they had he did not know . However , times had changed , and the present Provincial Graiw Master of Bedfordshire had not got quite such an easy time of it as had nij predecessors . Although Bedfordshire was not a large province , Col . St uaI . would have as much Masonic work as he could take , and he would , dp it m ° thoroughly .