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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 18 of 26 →
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Provincial.
Oxfordshire . Presented by the Apollo University Lodge , No . 460 , to Bro . the Rev . G . It . Portal , M . A ., ox Christ Church ' , Past Prov . S . G . W . of Oxfordshire , in testimony of the valuable services rendered by him to the Lodge during his year of office , as its Worshipful Master , in 1850 . " Bro . PORTAL said , —I will not make use of the hackneyed expression that this is the proudest moment of my life , an expression which is used by the highest
as well as tho lowest , from the Lord Chancellor down to tho parish constable . ( Laughter . ) At no timo have I received , nor coidd I receive , a token more acceptable to my feelings than this Jewel , which has been presented to me by those friends I valued so deeply , my Brethren of the Apollo Lodge . I am well aware , that to no merit of mine am I indebted for this , but to the kindness of that Lodge . So long as I occupied tho chair , it was my earnest desire to perpetuate goodwill and good feeling between the two Lodges of Oxford , and I regard this token as a testimony that my endeavours to accomplish that have not altogether failed . It is gratifing to me on revisiting my own Lod although
y ge , I see so many new friends , to find that the unanimity existing between the two Lodges is the same , and that your welcome is the same . I see many around me whom I value , not only on account of the pleasure which I experience in receiving this Jewel from them , but because it affords me the opportunity of renewing that agreeable and friendly intercourse which has subsisted between us . We cannot fail to see the kindly feeling which Freemasonry engenders
between rich and poor , and how much it diminishes the distinctions between different religions ; in fact I know of no link which binds people together , and religions together , so much as Freemasonry . I may be told that Christianity may do so ; but it does not to the same extent as Freemasonry ; and I will tell you why it does not . Christianity is not so widely diffused as Freemasonry , and thoso who disagree on religious questions carry their enmity so far , that if the Papists had the chance , they would burn tho Protestants ; and if the Protestants could do so , they would give the Papists a poke ; and in that respect I consider one sect is quite as bad as the other . As Masons , we meet men of all
opinions , we are brought into contact with each other , and the result is , that we treat each other with toleration , which is a feeling that I wish to encourage . We hold our own opinions with rigour , yet we tolerate those who entertain different views , and we give them credit for the same sincerity which we claim for ourselves . I do think , as a clergyman of the Church of England , that it is a matter of congratulation , that Masonry is progressing in eveiy part of the world , because it is the only thing that I know of that carries out to the fullest extent that charity which never faileth . In conclusion , I beg again to thank my Brethren of the Apollo Lodge for that gratifing testimonialand to
y , acknowledge the kind feeling , which has ever been evinced towards me by the brethren of the Alfred Lodge , and I gladly avail myself of this opportunity of giving "Unity and Prosperity to the Apollo and Alfred Lodges . " ( Loud cheers . ) Several other appropriate toasts were given , and a very agreeable evening was spent by the Brethren .
SUFFOLK . —IPSWICH . —The annual Prov . G . L . of Suffolk held their meeting at the New Assembly Rooms , Ipswich , on the 14 th October , for the purpose of installing the new Prov . G . M . , Sir E . S . Gooch , Bart . The Lodges met in great strength to testify their esteem for a Brother whose connection with the county peculiarly fits him to hold this high and responsible situation . The lamented death of the late Prov . G . M ., the Lord Rendlesham , for a while obscured the light of Masonrybut its beacon now burns brihtly under the
guar-, g dianship of one of England's senators . Long may it continue . The day was not so bright as could have been wished , and a small drizzling rain in the morning kept a great many of the Fraternity away , although the neighbouring Provinces contributed a full share . Essex sent her D . G . M ., the R . W . Capt . S . Skinner ; J . Burton , Prov . VOL . III . 3 Y
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
Oxfordshire . Presented by the Apollo University Lodge , No . 460 , to Bro . the Rev . G . It . Portal , M . A ., ox Christ Church ' , Past Prov . S . G . W . of Oxfordshire , in testimony of the valuable services rendered by him to the Lodge during his year of office , as its Worshipful Master , in 1850 . " Bro . PORTAL said , —I will not make use of the hackneyed expression that this is the proudest moment of my life , an expression which is used by the highest
as well as tho lowest , from the Lord Chancellor down to tho parish constable . ( Laughter . ) At no timo have I received , nor coidd I receive , a token more acceptable to my feelings than this Jewel , which has been presented to me by those friends I valued so deeply , my Brethren of the Apollo Lodge . I am well aware , that to no merit of mine am I indebted for this , but to the kindness of that Lodge . So long as I occupied tho chair , it was my earnest desire to perpetuate goodwill and good feeling between the two Lodges of Oxford , and I regard this token as a testimony that my endeavours to accomplish that have not altogether failed . It is gratifing to me on revisiting my own Lod although
y ge , I see so many new friends , to find that the unanimity existing between the two Lodges is the same , and that your welcome is the same . I see many around me whom I value , not only on account of the pleasure which I experience in receiving this Jewel from them , but because it affords me the opportunity of renewing that agreeable and friendly intercourse which has subsisted between us . We cannot fail to see the kindly feeling which Freemasonry engenders
between rich and poor , and how much it diminishes the distinctions between different religions ; in fact I know of no link which binds people together , and religions together , so much as Freemasonry . I may be told that Christianity may do so ; but it does not to the same extent as Freemasonry ; and I will tell you why it does not . Christianity is not so widely diffused as Freemasonry , and thoso who disagree on religious questions carry their enmity so far , that if the Papists had the chance , they would burn tho Protestants ; and if the Protestants could do so , they would give the Papists a poke ; and in that respect I consider one sect is quite as bad as the other . As Masons , we meet men of all
opinions , we are brought into contact with each other , and the result is , that we treat each other with toleration , which is a feeling that I wish to encourage . We hold our own opinions with rigour , yet we tolerate those who entertain different views , and we give them credit for the same sincerity which we claim for ourselves . I do think , as a clergyman of the Church of England , that it is a matter of congratulation , that Masonry is progressing in eveiy part of the world , because it is the only thing that I know of that carries out to the fullest extent that charity which never faileth . In conclusion , I beg again to thank my Brethren of the Apollo Lodge for that gratifing testimonialand to
y , acknowledge the kind feeling , which has ever been evinced towards me by the brethren of the Alfred Lodge , and I gladly avail myself of this opportunity of giving "Unity and Prosperity to the Apollo and Alfred Lodges . " ( Loud cheers . ) Several other appropriate toasts were given , and a very agreeable evening was spent by the Brethren .
SUFFOLK . —IPSWICH . —The annual Prov . G . L . of Suffolk held their meeting at the New Assembly Rooms , Ipswich , on the 14 th October , for the purpose of installing the new Prov . G . M . , Sir E . S . Gooch , Bart . The Lodges met in great strength to testify their esteem for a Brother whose connection with the county peculiarly fits him to hold this high and responsible situation . The lamented death of the late Prov . G . M ., the Lord Rendlesham , for a while obscured the light of Masonrybut its beacon now burns brihtly under the
guar-, g dianship of one of England's senators . Long may it continue . The day was not so bright as could have been wished , and a small drizzling rain in the morning kept a great many of the Fraternity away , although the neighbouring Provinces contributed a full share . Essex sent her D . G . M ., the R . W . Capt . S . Skinner ; J . Burton , Prov . VOL . III . 3 Y