United Grand Lodge Of England.

United Grand Lodge of England .

Slection of Brand treasurer , On Wednesday , the 2 nd of March , 7 $ 0 % .

W . BRO . GEORGE FREDERICK EDWARDS

.WE publish below a portrait of W . Bro . George Frederick Edwards , one of the Candidates for the Office of .. Grand Treasurer at the forthcoming Election . 1 ~ Bro . Edwards was nominated by W . Bro . Lewis Ferguson , P . M . 1997 , who , in the course of his remarks , said : " At the instance ; o £ a large

number of Brethren , I have the honour to nominate Brother George Frederick Edwards , Past Master and Treasurer of the

William Preston Lodge , No . 766 , in which he was initiated some twenty years ago . In that

Lodge , from the moment of his Entrance , he was successful in not only gaining , but also in retaining the

esteem and affectionate regard of the Brethren , as well as the admiration of all who came in contact

with him . " In the Royal Arch he has been First Principal of four Chapters and founder of oneand he has

, also held office in the Provincial Grand Lodge of Kent . I have no cluubt that he is known either

personally or by repute to a verv large number of the Brethren present ; but for the information of those to whom

he may not be so known , I may perhaps be allowed to state , in indication of his

Commercial and Social Status , that he is the Senior Partner in the firm of Newbon , Edwards & Shephard , which has long borne an honourable reputation in connection with Transactions in Real Estate in this City—a Firm in which the spirit and practice of Benevolence are not mcrely instinctive but traditional . He is ( he present Master of" one City Company and Liveryman of another ; he is a Governor

of live London Hospitals , and for many years has been a liberal and steady supporter of a long series of Philanthropic and Charitable Institutions , with the names of which I will not weary you . " That he has been a liberal and willing contributor to the Masonic Charities I can personally vouch

for , and I am confident that it will be counted rather to his credit than otherwise , that he has not regarded his Masonic Benefactions as so

many stepping stones to Masonic distinction , or bids for Masonic favour , and has consequently preferred to enlist the sympathies

of the lady members of his family in the cause of Masonic Charity by making them conjointly with himself Life Governors of all the institutions .

" If , as I apprehend , the privilege of nominating for the office of Grand Treasurer has been vested in the Rank and File of

Masonic Laymen for the purpose of enabling them to confer distinction on some one of their number

whose claims might otherwise perhaps have escaped recognition . And if here I seem to address

myself more particularly to the Brethren of the Light Blue , it is for the purpose of saying

that Brother Edwards comes here essentially as one of yourselves , relying solely upon the spontaneous and unbiassed support of his Fellows , and that that support will be valued by him only in proportion to the degree that it is prompted by the sincere belief of the Brethren that he is the Brother best calculated to advance and promote their best aims and interests . "