Provincial.

of you . During the interregnum between the resignation of the late Prov . G . M . and the appointment of the present , the G . Reg . of England wrote and asked me to take upon myself the duties of Deputy G . M . for this province . As , by doing so , I thought I might perhaps control the choice and inclination of the new G . M ., I hesitated to accept the office , but the proposal was made with so much kindness that after consulting wifch several brethren , I consented . When his lordshiwas appointed GMit wasof course

p .., , , very gratifying for me to find that , though he was unaware I had been already appointed b y the Grancl Registrar , lie had determined to name me as his deputy . ( Cheers . ) As far as I am individually concerned , I have now for a long time—indeed , with the exception of two years , ever since I have joined the lodge to which I belongheld an important post . I can appeal to my brethren whether I have ever betrayed their confidence , whether I have acted other

than as a man and a Mason ; and from my past antecedents , I trust yon will be assured that nothing shall induce me to transgress the landmarks of our Order , but that ifc will ever be my earnest endeavour to promote the welfare of Masonry throughout the province . ( Loud cheers . ) There are one or two observations I wish to make . You will doubtless look-upon me somewhat in the light of a Prime Minister , as his lordship ' s various avocations must of

necessity take him frequentl y from the province ; but I am more at home , and if masters of lod ges in the province require aid or advice in any way , I shall always be most willing and happy to render it to the best of my ability . ( Cheers . ) I hope also to visit frequently the various lodges of the province , and to make myself acquainted with the individuals of whom they are composed , so that I ' may be enabled to tender to the ProvGMfrom personal knowled such

. .. ge , advice in the selection of Prov . GrandOfficersas shall conduce alike to the promotion of Masonry , and the credit of the Prov . Grand Loclge . ( Cheers . ) There is another subject on which I would say a few words . Social qualities are all very well in their way . No one can nioreheartil y desire than myself that such qualities may always remain a prevailing feature of Masonry , so long as they do not interfere with other ancl higher virtues . The brethren of my own

lodge will tell yon that I have ahvay upheld the dispensation of hospitality to our brother Masons of the province—we always keep a shot in the locker for that purpose—and we are proud to have the opportunity of thus entertaining you to-day . ( Cheers . ) But don't let social qualifications interfere with the hi gher virtues of brotherly charity and love . There are many ways of looking at this . It frequently happens that a P . M . is presented with a jewel by the loclge to which hejbelongs . He wears it on his breasthut

, perhaps it is scarcely treasured by him . Now , this is what we have done , and which I would recommend for your adoption . When we were disposed to show the regard wo entertained for Bro . Ashley , who sits _ there —( cheers)—after a long period of office , instead of giving him a bauble which he could wear for a few years , we contributed enough to purchase a governorship in one of the Masonic charities , giving to Bro . Ashley the right of presentation during his

life , with reservation to the lodge afterwards . ( Cheers . ) It was called the " Ashley Testimonial , " and as such it was registered with the Masonic . Charity . There it will remain inscribed till time is no more , for I believe the Masonic charities , based as they are upon the principles of truth and virtue , will exist as long as this earth shall last , so that you prove but true to the great principles upon , which they are founded . ( Cheers . ) Let me hold that out as an exaniplar for other lodges , and instead of wasting—for I cannot term it otherwise—your funds upon baubles whicli only appertain to

individuals , and which are no use to them or others after their owners have passed through the valley of tho shadow of death —instead of this , I say , when you are desirous of evincing your esteem for a worthy brother , let your testimonial take the shape 1 have suggested , so that , while it is the means of assisting the noble charities in connection with the order , it will also survive as long as Masonry exists . ( Cheers . ) To turn to another matter , I am afi-aid that Freemasonry is often made an excuse for

very neglecting your domestic duties—that very many of you say at home you are obliged to attend some meeting of the lodge , when such is not the fact . ( No , no . ) You may think that no harm is done—that it is only an excuse for the moment—but you don't see tlie depth of it , or consider the way in whicli ifc works . A prejudice is created against Masonry—and , God knows , there is enough prejudice against it in the outer

worldbut a prejudice is created against our Craft in a place which should be _ one of its most sacred shrines—your own homes . ( Cheers . ) This ought not to be—your wives should feel as glad and as proud that you are Freemasons as you are yourselves . ( Hear , hear . ) And if you did not make such excuses as those to whicli I have hinted—which are made by brethren in this town , and by other brethren in the province—there is no reason on earth why , witli such hi gh and holy institutions as ours , the domestic circle should not become one of the strongholds of Freemasonry . ( Cheers . ) Let me also impress upon you the great importance of

establishing lodges of instruction , in connection with your various provincial lodges . ( Hear , hear . ) For a long time we went on without a loclge of instruction , and it is a positive fact that for three years after I was a member of the loclge , I never saw the closing clown in the third degree . But now , since the establishment of a lodge of instruction , the business is gone through in a proper and orderly manner . Nothing can prove more beneficial to the Craft than the establishment of these lodgeswhich make the

, members practical working Masons , unfolding" to them the secret depths of Masonry , and explaining the hidden beauties which it veils . ( Cheers . ) In Gravesend fche effect has been to increase the number of members from forty or fifty to an . hundred ; ancl under the genial rule of his lordship , with the impetus which this clay's proceedings will give to us , I have no doubt that even that number will soon be largelincreased . ( Cheers . ) You must excuse me

y if I have touched upon tender points , some of you may feel hard hit—atl I can say is , let those wear the cap whom it fits . ( A laugh . ) Those who are acquainted with me know that while I never flinch from pointing out faults , I am always ready to recognise the merits of a brother . The same rule will guide my conduct as Deputy Grand Master ; and if I visit a Provincial Grancl Lodge , ancl observe thing which I do nofc think worthof imitation or continuance ,

any y I shall not hesitate to declare my opinion . ( Hear , hear . ) In the discharge of the duties of my office , ifc will always be my enr deavour to render Freemasonry conducive to the glory of God , to promoting the welfare of all mankind , and contributing ^ far as possible to the social comfort of tlie bretlu-en here , and their efcernat happiness hereafter . ( Loud cheers . ) The Pnov . GRAND MASTEE then proposed a toast which all would

be desirous to honour—it was the health of the Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . Hill . ( Cheers . ) Those brethren present who had attended church in the morning would bear him out in the remark that many and eloquent as had been the sermons preached at various provincial grancl festivals , few equalled none could excel , the sermon delivered by Bro . Hill that day . ( Cheers . ) Few sermons to which , he had ever listened were batter calculated than this to set forth

the intimate connection which existed between Masonry and Christianity—few discourses proved more convincingly that the principles on which Masonry was founded were identical with tho highest interests of mankind . ( Cheers . ) "Without further preface , then , I call upon you to drink the health of the Provincial Grand Chaplain . ( Loud cheers . ) „ The PEOV . GEAND CHAPLAIN said :--In acknowledging the complimentI mustindeedhaveheen of a very cold andindifferent

tempera-, , . ment if I could have looked upon the scene at the church to clay untouched ancl unmoved . ( Hear hear . ) A more attentive congregation I never had the pleasure of preaching to , and ifc was a welcome sight to see so many Masons gathered together from all parts of the province uniting in the solemn services of the Church and offering their devotions to the G . A . 0 . T . U . ( Hear hear . ) Ancl here we are this evening , assembled around the social board ,

and I could almost wish that the outer world might be allowed a glanco within this hall to witness fche many happy countenances , and the brotherly harmony observable on all sides . Their estimation of Freemasonry could not fail to be elevated by the scene . ( Cheers . ) 1 may be excused if I say that ifc has afforded ice great pleasure to listen to the remark of our worthy Deputy Grand Master—containing so much of truth and knowledge expressed in such flowing eloquence that I was reminded of Nestor of old . ( Cheers . ) I hope and trust that all present will consider carefully ancl well tlie words

of wisdom to which Bro . Dobson gave utterance , and though the medicine my be bitter at the moment , ifc will assuredly work a good effect in the end . ( Cheers . ) Then , instead of the Order to which we are all proud to be long sinking in the estimation of those who are dear to us as our own fives , our wives and children shall say to us— "We honour you , father—I honour you , husband—because you are a Freemason . " ( Loud cheers . ) From the events of this clay I hope ancl believe that a lorious future is dawning upon us ,

g and that ere long the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent will be second to none in the kingdom . ( Loud cheers . ) Tlie PROV . GRAND MASTER requested the brethren to drink a bumper to the health of one who had come amongst them that day at no small personal inconvenience—he referred to the Right Worshipful the Prov . G . M . of Cambridgeshire , who was kind enough to perform the ceremony of installation . ( Cheers . ) This was a ,

ceremony which seldom occurred , and the impressive manner in . which it had been performed that clay by Bro . Hall almost made him regret that Provincial Grand Masters were nofc like triennial parliaments or other ephemeral creations , so that ^ the brethren might enjoy more frequent opportunities of witnessing this graceful ceremonial . ( A laugh . ) Seriously speaking , all must have been highly pleased afc the manner in which the duties of installing master were discharged by Bro . Hall , and he now begged to propose his good health . ( Cheers . ) Bro . HALL , Prov . 0 . M . for Cambridgeshire , in reply , said : My