Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The M. W. Pro Grand Master, The Right Honourable The Earl Amherst.
The M . W . Pro Grand Master , The Right Honourable The Earl Amherst .
rpHE M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . Earl Amherst , whose j country house is at Montreal , Sevenoaks , was born on the 26 th March , 18 3 6 , entering the House of Commons in 1859 , when twenty-three years of age , holding the seat for West Kent , and subsequently for Mid-Kent , without a break for twenty-one years , until 1880 , when , on the death of his
father , he was summoned to the House of Peers as Baron Amherst . Earl Amherst's Masonic career is of no recent date , and is characterised by the good work whicli he hits clone for the Craft . He was initiated in the Westminster and Keystone
Lodge , No . 10 , with the late M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , on the 5 th February , 18 5 6 . He was , at that time , Captain the Hon . W . A . Amherst , of the
Coldstream Guards , and had not long previously returned from the Crimea , where he had served with distinction at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman and the seige
of Sebastopol , being amongst those who were dangerously wounded . In 185711 c was appointed Senior Deacon of his mother lodge , and
in i 860 he joined the Invicla Lodge , No . 709 , Ashford . In the course of the same year , on the resignation of Bro . C . Purton Cooper , Prov .
Grand Master of Kent , his lordship—for he had then become , by courtesy , Viscount Holmesdale—was , at the unanimous wish of the Kentish brethren , appointed
to the high olhce of Provincial Grand Master , a position which he has retained ever since . He was installed in office at a provincial grand meeting at the
New Falcon Hotel , Gravesend , by Bro . Thomas Hall , then Grand Registrar and Prov . Grand Master of
Cambridgeshire , on the 20 th October , i 860 , amidst the congratulations and good hopes of ( lie brethren ; these good hopes of his successful government of the province , it is needless to say , have been amply fulfilled . So much so , that on the 13 th July , 1881 , when his lordship had held office for twenty-one years , an immense gathering of our Kentish brethren was
held at Rochester , whereat the Prov . Grand Master was presented with a handsome testimonial of plate , consisting of three vases of the value of live hundred guineas , accompanied by a handsome gold bracelet for Lady Holmesdale , At the Grand Festival of April , 18 9 6 , Earl Amherst was chosen to fill
the office of Deputy Grand Master of England , which had become vacant by the resignation of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe . On the lamented death of the Earl
Tin : ir . W . Piio Ginxii M ASTIIB , Tin : Hir . iiT llox . THE EA 1 VL AM 11 E 1 TST .
of Lathom , in 18 99 , he was appointed Pro Grand Master of English Freemasonry . In Royal Arch Masonry , to which he was exalted in the Alfred Chapter , No . 340 , Oxford , in May , i 860 , and was appointed Grand H . in 18 9 6 , becoming Pro Grand Z . on the
death of the Earl of Lathom in 18 99 . He has been Grand Superintendent of Kent since 1877 , while , in the Mark Degree , to which he was advanced in the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 7 , on the 17 th March , i 860 , he was Deputy Grand Master under the Earl of Carnarvon from i 860 to 186 3 and M . W .
, G . M . from 186 3 to 1866 . His lordship has always exhibited the greatest sympathy with our Charitable Institutions . In 1862 , when Lord Leigh was prevented by illness from fulfilling his engagement as Chairman of the Boys' School Festival ,
his place was taken by Lord Holmesdale , while , in 188 3 , his lordship was in the chair when the same Institution held its memorable festival , at which a sufficient
amount was obtained to erect a Preparatory School by means of subscriptions , which exceeded £ 22 , 000 . He w ; ts Chairman also of
the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution in 18 91 , when the amount subscribed was not far short of . £ 16 , 000 . It should be added that his lordship has recently consented to become a Trustee
of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . In the course of a speech made by him , in reply to the toast of his health '' as Pro Grand Master , at the Grand
Festival of 1899 , when he was appointed , Earl Amherst said that the first time he presided in Grand Lodge an old Mason had told him that lie would find he had to preside over a turbulent assembly . His experiences had been the other
way ; he never knew a more orderly body than an assembly of members of the Masonic Craft . In that spirit he hoped to continue to conduct the affairs of Gntnd Lodge , in a manner consistent with the credit of the Grand Lodge , and in the interests of the Craft . R . W . Bro . Lt .-Gen . J . Wimburn Laurie , Provincial Grand Master for South Wales ( W . D . ) , had at one
time described him as " sharp , short , and decisive . " He did not wish to be short except as regarded his speeches , notsharp , except ; ts regarded his wits , that he might carry on the business of Grand Lodge satisfactorily ; but he must be decisive if he was to be worth his stilt in the Masonic
Parliament . And in this brief review of his career it will be perceived tlvat the zealous services which Earl Amherst hits so cheerfully rendered have been of great value to Masonry .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The M. W. Pro Grand Master, The Right Honourable The Earl Amherst.
The M . W . Pro Grand Master , The Right Honourable The Earl Amherst .
rpHE M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . Earl Amherst , whose j country house is at Montreal , Sevenoaks , was born on the 26 th March , 18 3 6 , entering the House of Commons in 1859 , when twenty-three years of age , holding the seat for West Kent , and subsequently for Mid-Kent , without a break for twenty-one years , until 1880 , when , on the death of his
father , he was summoned to the House of Peers as Baron Amherst . Earl Amherst's Masonic career is of no recent date , and is characterised by the good work whicli he hits clone for the Craft . He was initiated in the Westminster and Keystone
Lodge , No . 10 , with the late M . W . Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , on the 5 th February , 18 5 6 . He was , at that time , Captain the Hon . W . A . Amherst , of the
Coldstream Guards , and had not long previously returned from the Crimea , where he had served with distinction at the battles of the Alma and Inkerman and the seige
of Sebastopol , being amongst those who were dangerously wounded . In 185711 c was appointed Senior Deacon of his mother lodge , and
in i 860 he joined the Invicla Lodge , No . 709 , Ashford . In the course of the same year , on the resignation of Bro . C . Purton Cooper , Prov .
Grand Master of Kent , his lordship—for he had then become , by courtesy , Viscount Holmesdale—was , at the unanimous wish of the Kentish brethren , appointed
to the high olhce of Provincial Grand Master , a position which he has retained ever since . He was installed in office at a provincial grand meeting at the
New Falcon Hotel , Gravesend , by Bro . Thomas Hall , then Grand Registrar and Prov . Grand Master of
Cambridgeshire , on the 20 th October , i 860 , amidst the congratulations and good hopes of ( lie brethren ; these good hopes of his successful government of the province , it is needless to say , have been amply fulfilled . So much so , that on the 13 th July , 1881 , when his lordship had held office for twenty-one years , an immense gathering of our Kentish brethren was
held at Rochester , whereat the Prov . Grand Master was presented with a handsome testimonial of plate , consisting of three vases of the value of live hundred guineas , accompanied by a handsome gold bracelet for Lady Holmesdale , At the Grand Festival of April , 18 9 6 , Earl Amherst was chosen to fill
the office of Deputy Grand Master of England , which had become vacant by the resignation of the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe . On the lamented death of the Earl
Tin : ir . W . Piio Ginxii M ASTIIB , Tin : Hir . iiT llox . THE EA 1 VL AM 11 E 1 TST .
of Lathom , in 18 99 , he was appointed Pro Grand Master of English Freemasonry . In Royal Arch Masonry , to which he was exalted in the Alfred Chapter , No . 340 , Oxford , in May , i 860 , and was appointed Grand H . in 18 9 6 , becoming Pro Grand Z . on the
death of the Earl of Lathom in 18 99 . He has been Grand Superintendent of Kent since 1877 , while , in the Mark Degree , to which he was advanced in the Carnarvon Lodge , No . 7 , on the 17 th March , i 860 , he was Deputy Grand Master under the Earl of Carnarvon from i 860 to 186 3 and M . W .
, G . M . from 186 3 to 1866 . His lordship has always exhibited the greatest sympathy with our Charitable Institutions . In 1862 , when Lord Leigh was prevented by illness from fulfilling his engagement as Chairman of the Boys' School Festival ,
his place was taken by Lord Holmesdale , while , in 188 3 , his lordship was in the chair when the same Institution held its memorable festival , at which a sufficient
amount was obtained to erect a Preparatory School by means of subscriptions , which exceeded £ 22 , 000 . He w ; ts Chairman also of
the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution in 18 91 , when the amount subscribed was not far short of . £ 16 , 000 . It should be added that his lordship has recently consented to become a Trustee
of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . In the course of a speech made by him , in reply to the toast of his health '' as Pro Grand Master , at the Grand
Festival of 1899 , when he was appointed , Earl Amherst said that the first time he presided in Grand Lodge an old Mason had told him that lie would find he had to preside over a turbulent assembly . His experiences had been the other
way ; he never knew a more orderly body than an assembly of members of the Masonic Craft . In that spirit he hoped to continue to conduct the affairs of Gntnd Lodge , in a manner consistent with the credit of the Grand Lodge , and in the interests of the Craft . R . W . Bro . Lt .-Gen . J . Wimburn Laurie , Provincial Grand Master for South Wales ( W . D . ) , had at one
time described him as " sharp , short , and decisive . " He did not wish to be short except as regarded his speeches , notsharp , except ; ts regarded his wits , that he might carry on the business of Grand Lodge satisfactorily ; but he must be decisive if he was to be worth his stilt in the Masonic
Parliament . And in this brief review of his career it will be perceived tlvat the zealous services which Earl Amherst hits so cheerfully rendered have been of great value to Masonry .