Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
great position , and like the glorious sun that has shone in the firmament with undimished splendour during a long summer day , sinks down at evening resplendent in the western sky , so we have seen that old man honourable , who had distinguished himself in the Craft for the
greater part of his life , go down to his retirement which he has so well earned , with the hi g hest aspiration from every Mason that his latter days may be prolonged with comfort and pleasure to himself , and with the highest gratitude of the great and noble order which he ruled , and with the assurance that he was one of the greatest men
that has ever presided over them . ( Cheers . ) Brethren , we have nothing more to hope from that noble old man ; but though we have nothing more to hope from him , let us now express , as we ought to express , the tleep gratitude which every Mason feels for the great service he has rendereel to the neible Craft of
which we are members , and to him who lias done so well , and who ought to be loved so well b y every member of the Masonic body . The other Past Grand Master is one from whom we hope much . He is young in years , young in Masonry ; but he has given a promise by what
he has done of what he will do ; and we may hope he will emulate , even if he does not surpass , those who have gone before him in doing honour and credit to the Masonry of thiscountiy . It is a proud thing for us to have to call the heir to the throne of England a Past Grand Master of the
Craft . I trust the day may come when we may have the King of Fingland a Past Grand Master of the order ( applause ) . To both of those Past Grand Masters , to liim who has served us se ) long and done so well ; to him who is now the
rising sun , and one to whom we look for the effulgence of dayli g ht in Masonry—te ) both let us wish prosperity , length of days and health , and let us drink as we ought to tlo " The Health of the two Past Grand Alasters of tlie Grand
Lodge of England , the Earl of Zetland and the Prince of Wales . " ( Cheers . ) The toast was drunk with the customary honours . The Chairman—The next toast that I have to call to your notice is " The Health eif the Deputy
Grand Master , and the Officers of the Granel Lodge , uresent and past .. ' * We have all of us been extremel y sorry to finel that our Deputy Grand Master , who is one of the most distinguished members of our oreler , has not heen able to be present in Granel Lodge . We regret it the more because we know it is from ill health
that that noble lord the Earl of Carnarvon , has not been able to attend to our numerous meetings ; for we know well that when the present Grand Master was obliged te ) be away from England , his p lace was more than filled , ami his eluties more than performed b y the Deputy Granel
Master , the Fiarl of Carnarvon ; and 1 know that every Mason , whether he comes from the west of England , where Lord Carnarvon se > efficiently presides over au important province , or whether he has been r . member of the Granel Lodge and seen Lord Carnarvon occupy the chair , must
bear testimony te > the great ability with which ihe duties of the chair have been performed , anel must also bear testimony tt ) the great zeal that Lord Carnarvon lias always shown for the prosperity anel the efficiency of the Freemasonry ol this country . I do believe , and I am sure all
that know htm must believe , lhat the good of Freemasonry is at the heart eif the Deputy Grand Master , and that no one is more capable of advancing its interests , and no one more do-irons of doing so , than the Deputy Grunt ! Master of Fin-gland , and Provincial Grand Master eif the *
important province of Somerset . Those who have been brought in contact with him as I have been , officially , must know lhat al all limes , early and late , convenient anel inconvenient , Lorel Carnarvon has devoted himself to forwarel the interest of the' Craft ; anil il was a verv great pleasure- to all of us to finel that he' was pi .:, 'eel in
the position he now occupies . The' emly regret that we feel is this , that his health has pivvc-nled him from performing the eluties of that ollice as he woulel have elejne , neit eml y to his own satisfaction , but to the great advantage eif the Craft ol this country . Brethren , on this occasion we haveseveral ofthe Grand Officers present . One who has served us long and well in a distant country , —
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
I mean our Brother Rawson , Past District Grand Master of China , who knows more perhaps of Masonry in our colonies than any who are now present , anel perhaps than any man who is a member eif the Craft . We have our distinguished brother—1 would say our old brother , though he
lt ) e ) ks so young , I dare not say old brother—Benjamin Head . Although eild in Masonry he is young in constitution ; although he is not young in years , yet he has also the full vigour of a man of thirty , anel he is also a distinguished member of the Craft . Our Brother Brackstone Baker is
also well known ; I am not sure whether better in this country or in the colonies , for he has distinguished himself in both , and lias made a name that will not soon be forgotten in Canada . We must not forget our Brother Ransford , Past Granel Organist , who neit onl y has elone goeiel
things in days gone by , but has shown on this present occasion that he is a most efficient supporter of Masonry by the lovel y strains of his voice and the purity of his melody . 1 give you therefore , "The Health of the Deputy Granel Maste-r of England , the Earl of Carnarvon , and
the Officers of the Granel Lodge present and past ; " and I couple with that toast the name of the Senior Granel Officer present , Brother Rawson , District Grand "Master of China . ( Cheers . ) The tetast having been drunk ,
Bro . S . Rawson said- —I beg to return you the best thanks of myself anel the other Granel Oflicers for the toast you have drunk , anil am much pleased at the good opinion you haveexpressed of their services . In rising lo respond , I elo neit think 1 do so in such goeiel ri ght as many others woultl whom I see around me .
What your Chairman has said o [ the Deputy Granel Master ' s qualifications I must thoroughly endorse ; but in alluding te ) the Granel Ollicers he spoke more of theise Past Granel Officers who are present with us , than the actual Granel Odicers . In any case I will sav that they are worthv eif tlie rank the Grand Master has
conlerred em them . further than that I will not attempt te > sav , as it woulel onl y be detaining you unnecessarily , but I congratulate you on the success of the loilge * ant ! I reiurnyoumv thanks and theise of the brethren who stanel up with me for the honour YOU have conferreel e ; ii us b y elrinkiiitr our health .
The Chairman : —The toast which I have now te ) propose is very appropriately elesignated the toast of the evening , anel I am quite sure that every brother who has come into this room for the purpose of seeing what the Stability Lodgeof Instruction can elei , anel of hearing what onr
esteemetl Bro . Muggerielge can perform , has ne ) t been disappointeel by what he has see-n anel he' . irel this evening . Brethren , I have not eiccttpieel this chair for very many years , but 1 have been here upon seve-ral occasions ; anil upon every occasion that I have been here I have foiinel a great
gathe-ring anxious to do honour to the eli . stinguished brother who has given the instruction to this most aelmirable loelge ' . 1 feel certain that whatever may be the- shortcomings of the presie ' ent who may come among you from time to time vou will never forget the great debt of
gratitude vou owe to the elistinguisheel Bro . Henry Muggerielge , who has maele this lodge what it is anel who continues to tlo his dot )* , anil more than his duty to the Craft at large . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , 1 see upon the paper that is now before me that this is the jfith
anniversary of the meeting eif this loilge . 1 am well aware that freim the juvenile appearance of my esteemed frienel who sits upon my lelt that he was neit present on the lirst occasion ; but I know thai as semii as he coulel come among von—I be'lieve ihe ; very elay alter he was inilialee ! into
Freemasonry , or the tlav but on . — I am Uilel the next elay after he was mitiali'ei iuto Fre-i-masonr ** , —he- wanteel to know what Freemasonry was anel he- saiel " I have- le-arneil something lrom what has been lolel me bv the Aliisiei * in the Chair : I elo not mieli i stan . l it very well , " b . cau-e 1 have
no eleiiiht thai lrom his extreme nervousness — which he has not got over at the- present linn — ( laughter)—he did not exactl y know the s erel lhat hatl been imparted to him ; but he thought he woultl finel it emt , and he took the earliest opportunity of pursuing his studies in Freemasonry , and finding out that secret . Hc said
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
" that is only half a secret to me , or the third of a secret , and I must go a little further . " And he tried tt ) find out where there was a Lodge of Masons or a botl y of Masons who could give him further instruction . He found that in the old established Stability Lodge of Instruction ,
which was uneler the direction of Brei . Peter Thompson—whose apron I think I have seen on my Bro . Muggeridge ' s body—it is worn out now ; but though he cannot wear it , it is hung up in his house as an emblem of the great advantage he has derived from Bro . Peter Thompson ' s
tuition : and he shewed the great spirit of enquiry which has existed in him ever since . Having placed himself among the great teachers of the Craft , be found , like a very ardent scholar that he caught it ]) his instructors ; anel I think I may venture to say without fear of contradiction
in this room , that he surpassed all of them , and went far beyond all that they ever taught him . In saying so I mean that where they were perfect he is perfect ; where they , perhaps having grown old anel having forgotten somewhat of the perfection of their knowledge anel gone ast .-ay ,
he never has gone astray ; but ha hands down to us the practice of Freemasonry , the rites anel ceremonies eif our Oreler , in as pure and perfect a way as he received it in his early youth . We ought to be most thankful to him , because although the outer woiltl may think that in the
rites and ceremonies of Freemasonry , in what we teach , it is emly the " dry bones" without any flesh anel blocd em them , I am quite sure if they coulel have the good fortune of hearing Bro . Muggerielge expound what the princi ples of Freemasonry are , and eif receiving the advantage
of his explanations they would see how on those "' dry bones " he conhl put living flesh ami ( lowing blood , and woulel learn that Freemasonry is a living science feir benefiting mankind , and making man more desirous of" having fellowshi p with his nei ghbour , anel every man more anxious
to be a good citizen ami a good subject . We are teild anel we know that Freemasonry is a science that is " illustrated by symbols . " It is most beautifully illustrated b y the symbols of Bro . Muggeridge' ; who in those symbols teaches i . s that as Freetnaseins vve ought to be good men ,
anel ought te > elo th . it which will make us loved of all men . II we followed that which he teaches us and which is taught not only by him , but b y other gooei and loyal Freemasons we shoulel be better citizens of the world , better neighbours to each other , anel better subjects of
our Sovereign Lael y and Queen . Brethren , at this late hour I am not going to make a long dissertation : 1 have spoken already too long , ancl have occupied te ) o much of your time , because I am preventing you from hearing Bro . Muggerielge , who is as eloquent he-re ' as he is when he teaches Freemasonry . 1 shall therefore conclude
by giving you " Prosperity te ) the Stability Lodge eif Instruction , " of which 1 have been a member for a gootl many years , anel eif which I have learned so much , and I couple with that toast the nameof Bro . Aluggerielge . ( Great applause ; alter which a first-rate Alasonic lire was given ) .
hro . Muggerielge—It is with great pleasure I rise on the present occasion to thank you for the kind ami hearty manner in which the last toast has been proposed and responded to . Having had the : satisfaction of returning thanks for the same teiast so many years , it is quite impossible for me
to say anything elillerent tei the old story , but as we have a number of young Masons here for the lirst time , I trust the older brethren will kindl y excuse me if I repeat a little of what they have heard se > often . This Lodge of Instruction was founded in 1 S 17 b y Bros . Broadfoot , Satterley ,
I'eter Thompson , Ileareler and other good brethren of lhat periotl , I joined it on the Sth November , 1 S . j-y , the ni ght after my initiation , nnd I have been a regular attendant since ( nearl y thirty-four years ago ) the last twe-nty-two years of which it has b -en uneler mv m inagvmeut . I am liappv tei say it has bevn very prosperous anil a
source of great pleasure to me . I am greatl y p leaseel at the gootl anel successful meeting we have hael this evening , anil the admirable manner in which my friends anel pupils ' * the working brethren" have performed their duties . I trust the visitors are satisfied anel pleased . I thank you for the kind reception you have g iven me , and bid you farewell till the first Friday in September
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
great position , and like the glorious sun that has shone in the firmament with undimished splendour during a long summer day , sinks down at evening resplendent in the western sky , so we have seen that old man honourable , who had distinguished himself in the Craft for the
greater part of his life , go down to his retirement which he has so well earned , with the hi g hest aspiration from every Mason that his latter days may be prolonged with comfort and pleasure to himself , and with the highest gratitude of the great and noble order which he ruled , and with the assurance that he was one of the greatest men
that has ever presided over them . ( Cheers . ) Brethren , we have nothing more to hope from that noble old man ; but though we have nothing more to hope from him , let us now express , as we ought to express , the tleep gratitude which every Mason feels for the great service he has rendereel to the neible Craft of
which we are members , and to him who lias done so well , and who ought to be loved so well b y every member of the Masonic body . The other Past Grand Master is one from whom we hope much . He is young in years , young in Masonry ; but he has given a promise by what
he has done of what he will do ; and we may hope he will emulate , even if he does not surpass , those who have gone before him in doing honour and credit to the Masonry of thiscountiy . It is a proud thing for us to have to call the heir to the throne of England a Past Grand Master of the
Craft . I trust the day may come when we may have the King of Fingland a Past Grand Master of the order ( applause ) . To both of those Past Grand Masters , to liim who has served us se ) long and done so well ; to him who is now the
rising sun , and one to whom we look for the effulgence of dayli g ht in Masonry—te ) both let us wish prosperity , length of days and health , and let us drink as we ought to tlo " The Health of the two Past Grand Alasters of tlie Grand
Lodge of England , the Earl of Zetland and the Prince of Wales . " ( Cheers . ) The toast was drunk with the customary honours . The Chairman—The next toast that I have to call to your notice is " The Health eif the Deputy
Grand Master , and the Officers of the Granel Lodge , uresent and past .. ' * We have all of us been extremel y sorry to finel that our Deputy Grand Master , who is one of the most distinguished members of our oreler , has not heen able to be present in Granel Lodge . We regret it the more because we know it is from ill health
that that noble lord the Earl of Carnarvon , has not been able to attend to our numerous meetings ; for we know well that when the present Grand Master was obliged te ) be away from England , his p lace was more than filled , ami his eluties more than performed b y the Deputy Granel
Master , the Fiarl of Carnarvon ; and 1 know that every Mason , whether he comes from the west of England , where Lord Carnarvon se > efficiently presides over au important province , or whether he has been r . member of the Granel Lodge and seen Lord Carnarvon occupy the chair , must
bear testimony te > the great ability with which ihe duties of the chair have been performed , anel must also bear testimony tt ) the great zeal that Lord Carnarvon lias always shown for the prosperity anel the efficiency of the Freemasonry ol this country . I do believe , and I am sure all
that know htm must believe , lhat the good of Freemasonry is at the heart eif the Deputy Grand Master , and that no one is more capable of advancing its interests , and no one more do-irons of doing so , than the Deputy Grunt ! Master of Fin-gland , and Provincial Grand Master eif the *
important province of Somerset . Those who have been brought in contact with him as I have been , officially , must know lhat al all limes , early and late , convenient anel inconvenient , Lorel Carnarvon has devoted himself to forwarel the interest of the' Craft ; anil il was a verv great pleasure- to all of us to finel that he' was pi .:, 'eel in
the position he now occupies . The' emly regret that we feel is this , that his health has pivvc-nled him from performing the eluties of that ollice as he woulel have elejne , neit eml y to his own satisfaction , but to the great advantage eif the Craft ol this country . Brethren , on this occasion we haveseveral ofthe Grand Officers present . One who has served us long and well in a distant country , —
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
I mean our Brother Rawson , Past District Grand Master of China , who knows more perhaps of Masonry in our colonies than any who are now present , anel perhaps than any man who is a member eif the Craft . We have our distinguished brother—1 would say our old brother , though he
lt ) e ) ks so young , I dare not say old brother—Benjamin Head . Although eild in Masonry he is young in constitution ; although he is not young in years , yet he has also the full vigour of a man of thirty , anel he is also a distinguished member of the Craft . Our Brother Brackstone Baker is
also well known ; I am not sure whether better in this country or in the colonies , for he has distinguished himself in both , and lias made a name that will not soon be forgotten in Canada . We must not forget our Brother Ransford , Past Granel Organist , who neit onl y has elone goeiel
things in days gone by , but has shown on this present occasion that he is a most efficient supporter of Masonry by the lovel y strains of his voice and the purity of his melody . 1 give you therefore , "The Health of the Deputy Granel Maste-r of England , the Earl of Carnarvon , and
the Officers of the Granel Lodge present and past ; " and I couple with that toast the name of the Senior Granel Officer present , Brother Rawson , District Grand "Master of China . ( Cheers . ) The tetast having been drunk ,
Bro . S . Rawson said- —I beg to return you the best thanks of myself anel the other Granel Oflicers for the toast you have drunk , anil am much pleased at the good opinion you haveexpressed of their services . In rising lo respond , I elo neit think 1 do so in such goeiel ri ght as many others woultl whom I see around me .
What your Chairman has said o [ the Deputy Granel Master ' s qualifications I must thoroughly endorse ; but in alluding te ) the Granel Ollicers he spoke more of theise Past Granel Officers who are present with us , than the actual Granel Odicers . In any case I will sav that they are worthv eif tlie rank the Grand Master has
conlerred em them . further than that I will not attempt te > sav , as it woulel onl y be detaining you unnecessarily , but I congratulate you on the success of the loilge * ant ! I reiurnyoumv thanks and theise of the brethren who stanel up with me for the honour YOU have conferreel e ; ii us b y elrinkiiitr our health .
The Chairman : —The toast which I have now te ) propose is very appropriately elesignated the toast of the evening , anel I am quite sure that every brother who has come into this room for the purpose of seeing what the Stability Lodgeof Instruction can elei , anel of hearing what onr
esteemetl Bro . Muggerielge can perform , has ne ) t been disappointeel by what he has see-n anel he' . irel this evening . Brethren , I have not eiccttpieel this chair for very many years , but 1 have been here upon seve-ral occasions ; anil upon every occasion that I have been here I have foiinel a great
gathe-ring anxious to do honour to the eli . stinguished brother who has given the instruction to this most aelmirable loelge ' . 1 feel certain that whatever may be the- shortcomings of the presie ' ent who may come among you from time to time vou will never forget the great debt of
gratitude vou owe to the elistinguisheel Bro . Henry Muggerielge , who has maele this lodge what it is anel who continues to tlo his dot )* , anil more than his duty to the Craft at large . ( Cheers ) . Brethren , 1 see upon the paper that is now before me that this is the jfith
anniversary of the meeting eif this loilge . 1 am well aware that freim the juvenile appearance of my esteemed frienel who sits upon my lelt that he was neit present on the lirst occasion ; but I know thai as semii as he coulel come among von—I be'lieve ihe ; very elay alter he was inilialee ! into
Freemasonry , or the tlav but on . — I am Uilel the next elay after he was mitiali'ei iuto Fre-i-masonr ** , —he- wanteel to know what Freemasonry was anel he- saiel " I have- le-arneil something lrom what has been lolel me bv the Aliisiei * in the Chair : I elo not mieli i stan . l it very well , " b . cau-e 1 have
no eleiiiht thai lrom his extreme nervousness — which he has not got over at the- present linn — ( laughter)—he did not exactl y know the s erel lhat hatl been imparted to him ; but he thought he woultl finel it emt , and he took the earliest opportunity of pursuing his studies in Freemasonry , and finding out that secret . Hc said
Annual Festival Ofthe Stability Lodgeof Instruction (No. 217).
" that is only half a secret to me , or the third of a secret , and I must go a little further . " And he tried tt ) find out where there was a Lodge of Masons or a botl y of Masons who could give him further instruction . He found that in the old established Stability Lodge of Instruction ,
which was uneler the direction of Brei . Peter Thompson—whose apron I think I have seen on my Bro . Muggeridge ' s body—it is worn out now ; but though he cannot wear it , it is hung up in his house as an emblem of the great advantage he has derived from Bro . Peter Thompson ' s
tuition : and he shewed the great spirit of enquiry which has existed in him ever since . Having placed himself among the great teachers of the Craft , be found , like a very ardent scholar that he caught it ]) his instructors ; anel I think I may venture to say without fear of contradiction
in this room , that he surpassed all of them , and went far beyond all that they ever taught him . In saying so I mean that where they were perfect he is perfect ; where they , perhaps having grown old anel having forgotten somewhat of the perfection of their knowledge anel gone ast .-ay ,
he never has gone astray ; but ha hands down to us the practice of Freemasonry , the rites anel ceremonies eif our Oreler , in as pure and perfect a way as he received it in his early youth . We ought to be most thankful to him , because although the outer woiltl may think that in the
rites and ceremonies of Freemasonry , in what we teach , it is emly the " dry bones" without any flesh anel blocd em them , I am quite sure if they coulel have the good fortune of hearing Bro . Muggerielge expound what the princi ples of Freemasonry are , and eif receiving the advantage
of his explanations they would see how on those "' dry bones " he conhl put living flesh ami ( lowing blood , and woulel learn that Freemasonry is a living science feir benefiting mankind , and making man more desirous of" having fellowshi p with his nei ghbour , anel every man more anxious
to be a good citizen ami a good subject . We are teild anel we know that Freemasonry is a science that is " illustrated by symbols . " It is most beautifully illustrated b y the symbols of Bro . Muggeridge' ; who in those symbols teaches i . s that as Freetnaseins vve ought to be good men ,
anel ought te > elo th . it which will make us loved of all men . II we followed that which he teaches us and which is taught not only by him , but b y other gooei and loyal Freemasons we shoulel be better citizens of the world , better neighbours to each other , anel better subjects of
our Sovereign Lael y and Queen . Brethren , at this late hour I am not going to make a long dissertation : 1 have spoken already too long , ancl have occupied te ) o much of your time , because I am preventing you from hearing Bro . Muggerielge , who is as eloquent he-re ' as he is when he teaches Freemasonry . 1 shall therefore conclude
by giving you " Prosperity te ) the Stability Lodge eif Instruction , " of which 1 have been a member for a gootl many years , anel eif which I have learned so much , and I couple with that toast the nameof Bro . Aluggerielge . ( Great applause ; alter which a first-rate Alasonic lire was given ) .
hro . Muggerielge—It is with great pleasure I rise on the present occasion to thank you for the kind ami hearty manner in which the last toast has been proposed and responded to . Having had the : satisfaction of returning thanks for the same teiast so many years , it is quite impossible for me
to say anything elillerent tei the old story , but as we have a number of young Masons here for the lirst time , I trust the older brethren will kindl y excuse me if I repeat a little of what they have heard se > often . This Lodge of Instruction was founded in 1 S 17 b y Bros . Broadfoot , Satterley ,
I'eter Thompson , Ileareler and other good brethren of lhat periotl , I joined it on the Sth November , 1 S . j-y , the ni ght after my initiation , nnd I have been a regular attendant since ( nearl y thirty-four years ago ) the last twe-nty-two years of which it has b -en uneler mv m inagvmeut . I am liappv tei say it has bevn very prosperous anil a
source of great pleasure to me . I am greatl y p leaseel at the gootl anel successful meeting we have hael this evening , anil the admirable manner in which my friends anel pupils ' * the working brethren" have performed their duties . I trust the visitors are satisfied anel pleased . I thank you for the kind reception you have g iven me , and bid you farewell till the first Friday in September