Provincial.

Brighton but throughout the country ; indeed , he stood par excellence as a working Mason . He had attended many London Lodges , and had never seen the work better performed than by Bro . Charles Scott . The father of their present AV . M . was also an excellent Mason , who had filled the chair of their Lodge alike to its advantage and his own honour . Bro . Win . Scott was for nearly fifty years a member of their Lodge , and it had been proposed to celebrate his jubilee , when it pleased the G . A . O . T . U . to call him away a few weeks before the time . He had

alluded to these facts to show what were the antecedents of their AV . M ., who he was happy to see following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather , and who he knew enjoyed the respect and love of the Brethren . He begged then to drink to the good health of their AA . M . The toast having been drunk the AV . M . said" Brethren , I am indeed very much obliged to you for the kind welcome you have given me on this occasion , particularly to Bro . Furner , for the touching allusion he has made to my ancestors . It is at all times very gratifying to receive the

congratulations and the assurance of good will and respect from any large body of men , but other feelings beyond those of mere personal ambition have stimulated me in my desire to fill this chair . I believe that we are all anxious to tread in the footsteps of those whom we have known to love , or whom we have been taught to reverence , especially when those footsteps have trod the pathway of honour and virtue ; and when I repeat what Bro . Turner has told you , that not only my grandfather , but my father and my uncle have severall y filled this chair ,

with honour to themselves , and with credit to the Lodge , you will understand some of the feelings which have induced me to aspire to this office . You will acquit me of vanity when I say that it is a source of very great gratification to . me to stand here as AV . M . of the Royal Clarence Lodge . Brethren , I begin my year of office very hopefully , although , for reasons which I endeavoured to explain in December , I believe that this and the next few succeeding years will be of considerable moment to the interests of this Lodge in determining its future position . I then pointed out to you that we were at the present time differently

circumstanced to any former period of our history ; that whereas Freemasonry in Sussex had for years been labouring under difficulty , depression , and gloom , now a bright season of prosperity was opening out before it , that whereas we , as a Lodge , had hitherto stood comparatively alone in our excellence , we were now surrounded by Lodges of equal zeal , equal intelligence , and shavers of equal advantages to ourselves . The very fact that we have for so many years maintained a high character in the Craft , is one which , though redounding with credit to ourselves , may nevertheless prove a , serious obstacle to future it induce us to

progress ; may slumber on in a state of fancied superiority , to rest satisfied with the reputation wo have gained , forgetful how far that reputation may be hazarded by want of energy and determination ; for societies—if they would maintain their usefulness and standing—must ever be ou the alert , ever awake to a consciousness of what is going on around them . It is very natural for an individual , after years of honourable toil , to look forward to a short season of tranquillity aud ease , before he passes away from this busy world for ever ; but societies can never afford to

cease from their labours ; and if , asthe old members drop off—these old members , who by their vigour and their wisdom have gained for their society the reputation it enjoys—there _ bo no younger brethren to step into their places and guide the state of affairs with the same energy and discretion , that society , instead of enjoying honourable repose , will sink into a state of decay , a position all the more humiliating , because the result not of disastrous circumstances over which it had no control—not of difficulties with which it was impossible to contend—but of the indolence

, the sloth , the apathy of its members . But , brethren , do not think that I am picturing the future of my Lodge ; much as we have reason to . bo grateful to those who have gone before , we have equal cause to rejoice that there are still amongst us brethren who devote their time , their talents , and their solicitude , to the well being of the Lodge—brethren who , whether it bo a season of prosperity or gloom , one big with advantage or disaster , are determined to prove to the Lodges of Sussex—to the Masons of Brighton—to the Craft in general—that as fatas the Clarence Lodge is concerned , the sun is always at its meridian . Before sitting down , I should like to offer two pieces of advice—we may indulge in N