-
Articles/Ads
Article THE MONTEFIORE CENTENARY CELEBRATION. ← Page 2 of 3 Article THE MONTEFIORE CENTENARY CELEBRATION. Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Montefiore Centenary Celebration.
wbich Iwillconclnde—that they wonld have ske t ched forth in eloquen t and tonchine terms the love to which we have now alluded . These lines were written in reference to » very dear friend of mine , and I happened many years ago to be present on the occasion of his coming of age ; and I copied the lines from his mother ' s own manuscript ;
but the other day he sent me this copv for private circulation , from which I now read the lines of Lady Dufferin to her dear son on his 21 st birthday , and piven to him with a silver lamp ; and I want to read them , not only beennso they arc appropriate on this occasion , bnt because they deal with what is of interest to ns Masons—Light .
How shall I bless thee ? Hnman love Is all too poor in passionate words ! The heart aches with a sense above All language that the lip affords ! Therefore , a symbol shall express
My love ;—a thing nor rare nor strange , Bnt yet—eternal—measureless—Knowing no shadow of a change !
Light ! which of all the heavenly shows , To onr poor world of shadows given , The fervent Prophet-voices chose Alone—as attribute of Heaven !
At a most solemn panse we stand ! From this day forth , for ever more The weak—bnt loving human hand Mast cease to guide thee as of yore ! Then as throngh life thy footsteps stray ,
And earthly beacons dimly shine , " Let there be licht " upon thy way , And holier guidance far than mine . " Let there be light " in thy clear soul , When passion tempts , ancl donbts assail ; When grief ' s dark tempests o'er thee roll ,
« ' Let there be light" that shall not fail . So—angel-gn & vded— mayst thou tread The narrow path , which few may find—And at the end look back—nor dread To count the vanished years behind !
And pray—that she whose hand doth trace , This heart-warm prayer—when life is past , May see and know thy blessed face , In God's own gloiions light at last ! At the conclusion of the Past Grand Chaplain ' s oration
Bro . L . Jacobs P . M . and Treasurer seconded the motion , saying- that , after the eloquent address of the proposer , it would ill-become Wm to -make a lengthened speech . Although mentally and heartily reciprocating every word that , had fallen from ihe proposer , he lacked the ability to
adequately express himself . It was sufficient honour to him to be allowed to second the proposition , which be accordingly did . Bro . Gartley , W . M . of the Lodge of Israel , on behalf of his Lodge , tendered thanks to the Past Grand Chaplain for so eloqnently expressing tbe
thoughts of their hearts . The vote was most , cordially agreed to , and then the W . M . j proceeded to close the Lodge . Before doing so the Secretary ( Bro . Matthew Levy ) read a dispensation from the M . W . G . M . H . E . H . the Prince of Wales , authorising the
members of tbe Jewish Lodges of London ( the Montefiore ISo . 1017 , the Tranquillity No . 185 , the Joppa No . 188 , the Israel No . 205 , the Samson No . 1668 ) and their friends , to hold a banquet away from their regular places of meeting , and to wear Masonic clothing thereat .
The banquet took place at the Criterion , Piccadilly , under the presidency of the W . M . of the Montefiore Lodge , Bro . N . Hyam Benjamin . Among those present , were the Rt . Bon . the Lord Mayor of London Junior Grand
Warden of England , Rev . John Bobbins , D . D ., Grand Chaplain , Horace Brooks Marshall Grand Treas ., several Provincial Grand Officers , Past Masters , Officers and brethren of Craft Lodges , the whole company numbering about two hundred .
Having proposed the toasts of the Queen , and of the Grand Master H . E . H . the Prince of Wales , the "W . M . gave that of the Pro Grand ' Master , the Deputy Grand Master and the rest of tho Grand Officers ; Past and Present . It was a self-evident fact , and one of whicb they l shonld be very proud that they were honoured that night by the j
presence of so many Grand Officers . As Masons they were taught to respect their rulers , and not only this , but tbe Grand Officers themselves , by the way in wbich they worked for the good of . the Craft , commanded resprct frrm the brethren . First among their gnests was the Grand Junior Warden , who at the present moment occupied
the proud ptsition of first magistrate of the greatest city in the world . The W . M . deemed it a most happy coincidence that he was present among th ( -m that evening , as the distinguished brother tbey bad met to honour bad also in years gene by been associated with the Corporation of the City , having , in 1837 , occupied thepoEtof
Sheriff of London . The other Grand Officers he was pleased to see . The W . M . conpled with the toast the names of the Lord Mayor and Bro . Dr . Bobbins Grand Chaplain . The former , in reply , said that happening for that moment to hold the high position of Grand Junior Warden of England , it v / as his privilege on tbe present occasion to
The Montefiore Centenary Celebration.
respond for the Officers of the Grand Lodge . As for himself , he thanked tie brethren for tho way in whieh his health had been ib-nnk , whde as regarded the Grand Officers generally , he thanked them as the very unworthy represent , tive of a most worthy body of men . The Pro G . M .. the Deputy G . M . and the other Officers were men who held hi ' L'h office outside Freemasonry as well as in it—men
who had secured the confidence of the general public , and thereby proved their ability for other appointments . EIo believed that all tho Grand offices were we || filled . Flo mnst not forget that they were met on an occasion of very peculiar interest . They had met nnder the Lodf e which Vioro tbe nam » of a most honoured brother , to celebrate the occasion of his having lived a centnry . Fie thought that
was a matter of v ^ ry great interest mankind . A very eminent man whom he conld ha-rlly describe as of former days , because he had only been gone from among them some twenty years , Sir Gecrge Cornowall Lewis , n <* ed to maintain that thero was no authentic evidence that any man bad lived to 100 . Ho thonght there had been authentic cases of women bavins lived to over 100
years , and they had now authentic evidence of an eminent Englishman attaining a centnry . And when he referred to that eminent man be wished to join with those in paying his tribute of honour and respect to that illnstrions gentleman . He had the pleasure that evening of addressing an assemblage of gentlemen , mostly by race connecter ! with Sir Moses Montefiore . They were most of them
connected with that race to which England was deeply indebted , and of which Sir Moses Montefiore was a most honoured representative . Now nn man who looked at t he progress of the world could fail to feel how mnch thev owed to the Jewish race . They were the earliest civilised people in the world . In later times that race had fallen into misfortune , and sometimes no donbt owing to persecution . They
knew that misforfnn" led sometimes into degradation , and he was aware that the Jews fell into ways which might be attributed to their misfortune than their fanlt . On this subject he would refer to words of a very illnstrions man , a contemporary of Sir Moses Montefiore , Sir Rob rt Peel , who said if the iron had entered into their sonl could yon wonder , conld yon blame them for their degradation ?
Conld rnn wonder if they sat down by the waters of a strange land , and if they wept when tbey remembered Zion P Well , it was owing to their misfortnnes and to the despicable conduct of those who unfortunately had borne tbe name of Christians that the Jewish race had in some instances become degraded . Bnt it had been the work of the illnstrions philanthropist in whose honour they
were assembled to raise the brethren from the position they had been placed in by those bearing tbe name of Christians , to lift them to their proper p ' ae . e and to make them stand forth as the most illustrious citizens of any conntry to which they belonged . They had heard in former times—and he was sorry to say within the last two or three years—of great persecutions towards the Jewish rao « among
nn'ions which ought to be tho most civilised in tho world . As records this , he might say that he vvas proud to feel that England had always given towards the Jewish race in later centuries their proper place j they deplored the acts of former times , but in later times they gave to the Jewish race a warm welcome . And they had had their reward , the English Jews were amongst tlie most illnstrions
citizens—men who did most to contribute to the prosperity and happiness of the country . He had yesterday bail the privilege of hearing Dr . Adler . nnd he had been struck with tho tribute of loyalty he paid to their Sovereign . If they in England had now to thank the Jewish race for all they had done for the country , and if we had a feeling that they lived here as our most honoured citizen !' , we owed
this verv much to that illnstrions man whose statue stood opposite to thim . Tbey wonld all be united in thanking tho great Architect of ¦ the Universe that He had sparer ! their illustrious friend to this adi vanced period of life , and should be united in the prayer that he might be spared for some time to come for the good , not onlv of bis own race , but of mankind gen » rallv . Brother Eev . J . Bobbins
followed . Of all the d'fficnlt tasks that had fallen to his lot , because of the distinL'iiished office which he held , tbe most difficult was to follow st speaker so distinguished , nnd nn orat--r so accomplished , as the Lord Mayor . As to the persecution of the Jews by Chri « tians , he said that if so-called Chris "' ans had attended to the teachings of that real Jew who was their founder , none of tho deeds referred to
wonld have been committed . But if the iron had entered into their sonl , most urdoobtedly the gold had entered into their pockets . If they knew it—and he believed they did—they wore the most im . porfcant factor in questions of peace or war , for no nation dared to go to war without consulting the heads of the race . As regards that other nnble Jew , whom they were there to honour , it was the earnest
wish of tbe Grand Officers that he might yet be spared for some time to continue his good works . Bro . Eev . E . J . Simpson , in answer to continued appeal rose . He felt deeply grateful for the very kind call that hacl been made upon him . It would ill become him to return with ingratitude the kindness which he had received that night , the attention which he received in Lodge
for twenty minntes when he endeavoured to set forth the resolution proposed in Ihe Lodge . The very elrquent address by the Lord Mayor , seconded by Dr . Bobbins , Grand Chnplain of England , be was sure wns quite Fnffieient to reply to the toast that had been proposed , bnt he wonld simply add to what had been s n'd , if anything conld be added to the exalted speeches they had made , that he felt
well assured that the presence of the first Magistrate of England in that assembly , paying the eloquent tribute he bad done to one of tleir noblest citizens , wonld not , be forgotten as a part of the history of this centnry , and thafc when in ibe years to come , and tbey perhaps hnd fallen asleep , their posterity might be made to quote from < be speeches wade that day that tbe wame of Israel bad not
only been held in Inch esteem by the people and tho rulers of this land , but that they shonld take part in producing the results of good government , of true order , dne loyalty , and of that peace and happiness wbich alone conld bring peace to a nation . As far as his humbl « experience had gone he believed that among the truest and most loyal friends to tbe Sovereign and tbe Government of England
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Montefiore Centenary Celebration.
wbich Iwillconclnde—that they wonld have ske t ched forth in eloquen t and tonchine terms the love to which we have now alluded . These lines were written in reference to » very dear friend of mine , and I happened many years ago to be present on the occasion of his coming of age ; and I copied the lines from his mother ' s own manuscript ;
but the other day he sent me this copv for private circulation , from which I now read the lines of Lady Dufferin to her dear son on his 21 st birthday , and piven to him with a silver lamp ; and I want to read them , not only beennso they arc appropriate on this occasion , bnt because they deal with what is of interest to ns Masons—Light .
How shall I bless thee ? Hnman love Is all too poor in passionate words ! The heart aches with a sense above All language that the lip affords ! Therefore , a symbol shall express
My love ;—a thing nor rare nor strange , Bnt yet—eternal—measureless—Knowing no shadow of a change !
Light ! which of all the heavenly shows , To onr poor world of shadows given , The fervent Prophet-voices chose Alone—as attribute of Heaven !
At a most solemn panse we stand ! From this day forth , for ever more The weak—bnt loving human hand Mast cease to guide thee as of yore ! Then as throngh life thy footsteps stray ,
And earthly beacons dimly shine , " Let there be licht " upon thy way , And holier guidance far than mine . " Let there be light " in thy clear soul , When passion tempts , ancl donbts assail ; When grief ' s dark tempests o'er thee roll ,
« ' Let there be light" that shall not fail . So—angel-gn & vded— mayst thou tread The narrow path , which few may find—And at the end look back—nor dread To count the vanished years behind !
And pray—that she whose hand doth trace , This heart-warm prayer—when life is past , May see and know thy blessed face , In God's own gloiions light at last ! At the conclusion of the Past Grand Chaplain ' s oration
Bro . L . Jacobs P . M . and Treasurer seconded the motion , saying- that , after the eloquent address of the proposer , it would ill-become Wm to -make a lengthened speech . Although mentally and heartily reciprocating every word that , had fallen from ihe proposer , he lacked the ability to
adequately express himself . It was sufficient honour to him to be allowed to second the proposition , which be accordingly did . Bro . Gartley , W . M . of the Lodge of Israel , on behalf of his Lodge , tendered thanks to the Past Grand Chaplain for so eloqnently expressing tbe
thoughts of their hearts . The vote was most , cordially agreed to , and then the W . M . j proceeded to close the Lodge . Before doing so the Secretary ( Bro . Matthew Levy ) read a dispensation from the M . W . G . M . H . E . H . the Prince of Wales , authorising the
members of tbe Jewish Lodges of London ( the Montefiore ISo . 1017 , the Tranquillity No . 185 , the Joppa No . 188 , the Israel No . 205 , the Samson No . 1668 ) and their friends , to hold a banquet away from their regular places of meeting , and to wear Masonic clothing thereat .
The banquet took place at the Criterion , Piccadilly , under the presidency of the W . M . of the Montefiore Lodge , Bro . N . Hyam Benjamin . Among those present , were the Rt . Bon . the Lord Mayor of London Junior Grand
Warden of England , Rev . John Bobbins , D . D ., Grand Chaplain , Horace Brooks Marshall Grand Treas ., several Provincial Grand Officers , Past Masters , Officers and brethren of Craft Lodges , the whole company numbering about two hundred .
Having proposed the toasts of the Queen , and of the Grand Master H . E . H . the Prince of Wales , the "W . M . gave that of the Pro Grand ' Master , the Deputy Grand Master and the rest of tho Grand Officers ; Past and Present . It was a self-evident fact , and one of whicb they l shonld be very proud that they were honoured that night by the j
presence of so many Grand Officers . As Masons they were taught to respect their rulers , and not only this , but tbe Grand Officers themselves , by the way in wbich they worked for the good of . the Craft , commanded resprct frrm the brethren . First among their gnests was the Grand Junior Warden , who at the present moment occupied
the proud ptsition of first magistrate of the greatest city in the world . The W . M . deemed it a most happy coincidence that he was present among th ( -m that evening , as the distinguished brother tbey bad met to honour bad also in years gene by been associated with the Corporation of the City , having , in 1837 , occupied thepoEtof
Sheriff of London . The other Grand Officers he was pleased to see . The W . M . conpled with the toast the names of the Lord Mayor and Bro . Dr . Bobbins Grand Chaplain . The former , in reply , said that happening for that moment to hold the high position of Grand Junior Warden of England , it v / as his privilege on tbe present occasion to
The Montefiore Centenary Celebration.
respond for the Officers of the Grand Lodge . As for himself , he thanked tie brethren for tho way in whieh his health had been ib-nnk , whde as regarded the Grand Officers generally , he thanked them as the very unworthy represent , tive of a most worthy body of men . The Pro G . M .. the Deputy G . M . and the other Officers were men who held hi ' L'h office outside Freemasonry as well as in it—men
who had secured the confidence of the general public , and thereby proved their ability for other appointments . EIo believed that all tho Grand offices were we || filled . Flo mnst not forget that they were met on an occasion of very peculiar interest . They had met nnder the Lodf e which Vioro tbe nam » of a most honoured brother , to celebrate the occasion of his having lived a centnry . Fie thought that
was a matter of v ^ ry great interest mankind . A very eminent man whom he conld ha-rlly describe as of former days , because he had only been gone from among them some twenty years , Sir Gecrge Cornowall Lewis , n <* ed to maintain that thero was no authentic evidence that any man bad lived to 100 . Ho thonght there had been authentic cases of women bavins lived to over 100
years , and they had now authentic evidence of an eminent Englishman attaining a centnry . And when he referred to that eminent man be wished to join with those in paying his tribute of honour and respect to that illnstrions gentleman . He had the pleasure that evening of addressing an assemblage of gentlemen , mostly by race connecter ! with Sir Moses Montefiore . They were most of them
connected with that race to which England was deeply indebted , and of which Sir Moses Montefiore was a most honoured representative . Now nn man who looked at t he progress of the world could fail to feel how mnch thev owed to the Jewish race . They were the earliest civilised people in the world . In later times that race had fallen into misfortune , and sometimes no donbt owing to persecution . They
knew that misforfnn" led sometimes into degradation , and he was aware that the Jews fell into ways which might be attributed to their misfortune than their fanlt . On this subject he would refer to words of a very illnstrions man , a contemporary of Sir Moses Montefiore , Sir Rob rt Peel , who said if the iron had entered into their sonl could yon wonder , conld yon blame them for their degradation ?
Conld rnn wonder if they sat down by the waters of a strange land , and if they wept when tbey remembered Zion P Well , it was owing to their misfortnnes and to the despicable conduct of those who unfortunately had borne tbe name of Christians that the Jewish race had in some instances become degraded . Bnt it had been the work of the illnstrions philanthropist in whose honour they
were assembled to raise the brethren from the position they had been placed in by those bearing tbe name of Christians , to lift them to their proper p ' ae . e and to make them stand forth as the most illustrious citizens of any conntry to which they belonged . They had heard in former times—and he was sorry to say within the last two or three years—of great persecutions towards the Jewish rao « among
nn'ions which ought to be tho most civilised in tho world . As records this , he might say that he vvas proud to feel that England had always given towards the Jewish race in later centuries their proper place j they deplored the acts of former times , but in later times they gave to the Jewish race a warm welcome . And they had had their reward , the English Jews were amongst tlie most illnstrions
citizens—men who did most to contribute to the prosperity and happiness of the country . He had yesterday bail the privilege of hearing Dr . Adler . nnd he had been struck with tho tribute of loyalty he paid to their Sovereign . If they in England had now to thank the Jewish race for all they had done for the country , and if we had a feeling that they lived here as our most honoured citizen !' , we owed
this verv much to that illnstrions man whose statue stood opposite to thim . Tbey wonld all be united in thanking tho great Architect of ¦ the Universe that He had sparer ! their illustrious friend to this adi vanced period of life , and should be united in the prayer that he might be spared for some time to come for the good , not onlv of bis own race , but of mankind gen » rallv . Brother Eev . J . Bobbins
followed . Of all the d'fficnlt tasks that had fallen to his lot , because of the distinL'iiished office which he held , tbe most difficult was to follow st speaker so distinguished , nnd nn orat--r so accomplished , as the Lord Mayor . As to the persecution of the Jews by Chri « tians , he said that if so-called Chris "' ans had attended to the teachings of that real Jew who was their founder , none of tho deeds referred to
wonld have been committed . But if the iron had entered into their sonl , most urdoobtedly the gold had entered into their pockets . If they knew it—and he believed they did—they wore the most im . porfcant factor in questions of peace or war , for no nation dared to go to war without consulting the heads of the race . As regards that other nnble Jew , whom they were there to honour , it was the earnest
wish of tbe Grand Officers that he might yet be spared for some time to continue his good works . Bro . Eev . E . J . Simpson , in answer to continued appeal rose . He felt deeply grateful for the very kind call that hacl been made upon him . It would ill become him to return with ingratitude the kindness which he had received that night , the attention which he received in Lodge
for twenty minntes when he endeavoured to set forth the resolution proposed in Ihe Lodge . The very elrquent address by the Lord Mayor , seconded by Dr . Bobbins , Grand Chnplain of England , be was sure wns quite Fnffieient to reply to the toast that had been proposed , bnt he wonld simply add to what had been s n'd , if anything conld be added to the exalted speeches they had made , that he felt
well assured that the presence of the first Magistrate of England in that assembly , paying the eloquent tribute he bad done to one of tleir noblest citizens , wonld not , be forgotten as a part of the history of this centnry , and thafc when in ibe years to come , and tbey perhaps hnd fallen asleep , their posterity might be made to quote from < be speeches wade that day that tbe wame of Israel bad not
only been held in Inch esteem by the people and tho rulers of this land , but that they shonld take part in producing the results of good government , of true order , dne loyalty , and of that peace and happiness wbich alone conld bring peace to a nation . As far as his humbl « experience had gone he believed that among the truest and most loyal friends to tbe Sovereign and tbe Government of England