Freemasonry In East Lancashire Under The Right Worshipeul Bro Stephen Blair.

by his Provincial Grand Wardens , Bros . J . S . Hine and J . M . Wike , and the rest of the Provincial Grand officers , proceeded to open a Provincial Grand Lodge in form . The warrant or patent of appointment whereby Bro . William Romaine Callenderjun . was constituted

, , Deputy Provincial Graud Master of the province of East Lancashire , was then , by the order of the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , read by the Provincial Graud Secretarv . The constitutions

relating to the duties of the office , and the ancient charges having been in like manner repeated , the obligation was duly administered by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , and the ceremony of installation regularly completed . The Provincial Grand Lod ge was then closed in due form .

The guests were conducted to the banqueting room , where covers were laid for one hundred brethren , and an elegant and copious dinner was supplied by Bro . Wright . Plans of the tables were served to each guest , and the whole arrangements reflected the highest credit upon Bro . J . S . HineProvincial Grand

, Warden , and Bro . William Birch , Provincial Graud Senior Deacon , to whom the Provincial Grand Master had intrusted this department . Among the quests we noticed : —Bros . L . G . Starkie , P . Prov . S . G . Warden , High Sheriff of Lancashire ; H , Blair ; Benjamin , St . John the Baptist Lodge ; George Mellor

, P . Prov . S . G . W . ; W . H- Wright , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; R . Veevers , P . Prov . G . Warden ; J . W . Pickup , P . Prov . J . G . W . ; J . L . Figgins , P . Prov . G . Cbap .-. J . E . Woffc , P . Prov . G . Eeg . ; J . H . P . Leresche , P . Prov . G . Reg . ; J . S . Hine , Prov . S . G . W . ; J . M . Wike , Prov . J . G . W . ; John Littler , Pz-ov . Gr . Chap . ; B . McDowell Smith , Prov . G . Treas . ; G . BrettProv . G . RegJohn SuunahProv

, . ; , . G . Sec . ; John Ghadwiok , Prov . S . G . Deacon ; W . Birch Prov . J . G . Deacon ; . Henry Oarrig , Prov . G . Snpfc . of Works ; A . Sbellard , Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . ; S . Tifcmus , Prov . Assist . G . Dir . of Cers . ; H- Maiden , Prov- G . Std . Bearer ; N . Nicholls , Prov . P . Purst .

After the cloth had been drawn the Right Worshipful Grand Master rose and was received with repeated applause , and truly Masonic demonstrations of good will . He said he had to thank the brethren for accepting his invitation . He felt it scarcely possible to assure them what great pleasure and

satisfaction he experienced in seeing them . He then proceeded to say that as they were all met for enjoyment and pleasure , he did not propose to offer them many toasts . One , however , always popular in every gathering of Englishmen and of Masons , he would bring before them . In some graceful sentences the

Provincial Grand Master proposed "The Health of the Queen , the Prince and Princess of Wales , and the rest of the Royal Eamily , " to which due honour was rendered by the company . The Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . John LittlerM . A ., then speke as follows : BrethrenI

, , have the jirivilege of proposing to you a toast in which I am sure you will most heartily join . In proposing that toast I regret that I am unable to do it justice . Our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master has now presided over our Order in this province for more than twenty yearsand during his

, presidency Freemasonry has flourished and extended itself in the province more than at any former period within the memory of any of us . I am sure he cannot view the largo assembly of Masters of lodges be f ore him , and reflect that each one represents on an average about thirty-six Masons , men like themselves , without feelina

proud of his high position as the head of such a body of men , and I am sure you will agree witli me when I say we are proud of him . I will not admit that you . will drink his health more heartily on the present occasion , because assembled round his hospitable board , thau on former occasions . I will not admit the circumstance of our being bidden guests entertained most sumptuously at his will not

expense . I admit that any amount of hospitality he can show us will cause us to think better of him than we have done ; at the same time I am sure I express the feeling of you all when I say , that we appreciate his kindness on this occasion at its full value . Brethren , I will not spoil your demonstrations by adding anything on this subject . Our Riht Worshiful Master

g p has referred to the occasion of his calling to us together ; the appointment of a successor to our late Bro . Newall , whose removal from among us we all so deeply deplore . Prom the manner in which you received the name of that successor , it is evident that the appointment meets your approbation . It is always pleasing to see appointed

to a public office like this , the man whom everybody supposed beforehand would , or ought to be , appointed ; towards whom all eyes are turned as the man . for the place . Before entering this hall I knew not on whom the choice of our Right Worshipful Master would fall , yet I had my thoughts , so had others , and the event justified my anticipation . Now this is as it ought to be .

I will not say that our Right Worshipful Master acted on this principle when he selected me to fill the office of Chaplain , I being "little and unknown , " and not having had the honour of a personal acquaintance with him , but I suppose some brother told him that I was an honest clergyman , trying quietly to do my duty , also a Mason good and true ; wellI will not attempt to lead nob

, p guilty to this charge . I respect your Order , I love your Order , and am persaaded that if it were better known it would be more appreciafcsd and more extended . My parochial duties , however , are too heavy to admit of my mixing mu-h with yon . I have great pleasure in proposing " The Health of our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master . "

The Bight Worshipful the Provincial Grand Master , in the course of his reply , observed '• I have long thought over the idea of bringing about a meeting such as this , and I am delighted to find that ) I have been able to realise it at last . I have had two reasons for asking you to meet me here to-day ; first , that instead of my visiting the lodges in this province ( which , from their number ,

their local situation , and the days of their regular meetings , is almost impracticable within any reasonable time ) the lodges should do me the favour of visiting me . I am delighted that the result has been such as I now see . To-day I have personally made the acquaintance of nearly every Worshipful Master of East Lancashire , and exchanged the Masonic grasp with him . BrethrenI am

, proud of tho acquaintances I have formed . I am proud of the province over which I have been called to preside , seeing of what material it is composed . And this brings me to my second reason . Being proud of East Lancashire , I want her to take the lead in every Masonic good work , and everything which is in accordance with the true spirit of Masonry . Such a gathering as this isI

, believe , unexampled , but I hope it will become a good precedent . It is a good thing , I believe , and in all good things let Bast- Lancashire talce the lead . I thought this , too , a good opportunity for appointing your new Deputy Provincial Grand Master , and introducing him to all the Worshipful Masters of your province . I hope you all like him .

Bro . J . L . Figgins , M . A ., rector of St . James ' , Manchester , Past Provincial Grand Chaplain , on rising was received with prolonged cheering . When this had subsided , ho said : Brethren , I accept with gratitude and pride , the very hearty reception which you have accorded mo while I rise to propose the toast with which our Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master has been