Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial .
Bro . BKYCE proposed " The P . Prov . G . Officers of Sussex , " coupling with the toast the name of their esteemed friend , the Rev . Bro . Taylor . Song— " Good-bye , sweetheart , good-bye , " by Bro . Carter . Bro . TAYLOR ( late Grand Chaplain ) , responded , — " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , " but his heart was too full to talk . He thanked them for the toast , ancl congratulated them on the appointment of their reverend brother as
his successor . He felfc it was time for him to retire from the post he had filled , ancl which the first it hacl been a source of great gratification for him to hold . From his youth he had Avished to become a Mason , bufc ifc was nofc till a late period of his life that his Avish was gratified , and then he regretted that he hacl not ¦ become a Mason in his early youth . He had witnessed how they Avere bound together in brotherly love and truth , but he felfc , much as he wished them prosperity , thafc it was time for him to
give up , for he felt the growing infirmities of ago , and he knew that others were coming forward ; ancl though he never ventured to suggest any brother to succeed him , he was convinced that his brother that day appointed ivould most efficiently perform the duties . They had that day heard his sentiments , ancl he ivould appeal to fchem whether he was not right in his judgment . On the part of his the past officers he thanked them for the compliment paid , ancl he trusted the institution would become
what it was intended to be an institution for the promotion of . good will towards men , and glory to Gocl on high . The remaining toasts consisted of " The W . M . ' s and AVardens of the various Lodges in the Province , " acknowledged by Bro . Fabian ; " The Masonic Charities ancl Bro . Patten , " and " The Stewards , " proposed by Bro . Tatham , and acknowledged by Bro . Challen . Bro . Dyson sang fche beautiful song of " Excelsior , " most pleasingly , ancl with his compeers executed " Spring ' s delights , " "Come let us join the roundelay , " and "AVhen evening's twilight , " very prettily , and were warmly applauded . Thus terminated the Provincial Grand Meeting of Sussex of 1862 .
India.
INDIA .
BRO . J . BUCKLEY , V . C . From the Indian Freemasons' Friend . When the ivovld was sfavtled out of its humdrum ways of thinking and acting by the appalling news of the outbreak of -the native troops at Meernt ancl Delhi in May , 1857 , the horrid scene presented to the imagination of fiends in human shape
revelling in the blood of helpless women and children , was relieved by one of the most brilliant exhibitions of heroism which have ever lighted up the pages of history . We well remember what feelings of pride and admiration were evoked in those days of darkness ancl uncertainty by the tidings of the defence of the Delhi magazine by Lieutenant "Willoughby and his comrades , and its destruction by them when there were no further means of resistance .
One of those who shared in the defence was the brother whose name we have placed at the head of this article . He wears the proud distinction of the Victoria Cross , ancl is now about to leave India after a very long period of service . AVe propose to take the opportunity to renew our impression of a scene in which Bro . Buckley was a prominent figure , ancl the details of which have probably faded from the recollections of our readers .
The scene Is in Delhi . The enemy have come up to the magazine , reeking with slaughter , and thirsting for more Christian blood . AVilloughhy ancl Raynor are actively going from post to post . Guns , gates , barricades , and checaux-de-frise are well looked to . Edwards , Crow , and Shaw , each with a grape-loaded gun under his charge , and a lighted match in his baud , are stationed at the Park ancl River Gates , ivith orders not to five until those gates are forced . Four field pieces at the principal
gate are manned by Forrest ( one of the oldest Masons in India ) and Buckley , Several trains have been laid to the magazine , and the deA'oted Scully ( another member of the Masonic Craft ) stands calmly by , till he receives the fatal signal , Avhich is to be given by Buckley raising his hat . The blood-thirsty mutineers are swarming on all sides , and demanding the surrender of the magazine in the name of their king . The reply is prompt ; but it comes in the shape of grape
from Bros . Forrest and Buckley . Then bursts a leaden sleetstorm of musketry from the infuriated multitude , and a rush is made to the Avail with scaling ladders . Two guns at a time are fired by Forrest and Buckley , two being always kept loaded in reserve . Nothing is done hurriedly , but with the same steadiness as on parade . Four rounds of grape have been fired from each gnn , when the ammunition for field-pieces comes to an end . Buckley has been Avounded in the arm , and Forrest
has received two musket balls in his left hand . Hindoo and Mussulman are thronging in dense masses , ancl the magazine is entered in two places . At last the dread moment has arrived ! Willoughby gives tbe order to fire the trains , and Buckley , turning round , lifts his hat , which Soully receives as a signal . A blinding flash—deafening thunder—a heap of ruins—ancl hundreds of murderers sent to their final account ! Such were the results ! Fragments of the building are said to have been
thrown to the distance of half a mile . Of those who succeeded in escaping from beneath the ruins , Lieutenant Raynor ivas one . He also contrived to save his family . On the road to Meernt , they met Bro . Buckley . They Avere attacked by ruffians ; and what did Bro . Buckley do to save the lives and the honour of the females of his party ? He offered to sacrifice his own life , and suffered his head to he laid four times on the ground , with fche fo ' ot of the man who was to
behead him resting upon it . Such devotion struck even tho ruffians with some compassion ; and Bro . Buckley and his companions , after being stripped , were permitted to proceed on their way . "I am told by Lieutenant Raynor and his family , " wrote a person shortly after those events , "that hacl it not been for this man's brave and gallant conduct , tbey believe they should never have reached Meernt in safety . " Here was chivalry ; here was a true Paladin !
On Bro . Buckley announcing his intention to leave India , the companions of the Royal Arch Chapter Ramsay at Luckrfow presented him with the following extract from the proceedings of the chapter , neatly printed on parchment : —
"ROYAL AECE CHAPTER 'RAMSAY , ' LUCKNOW . "Fxlracl of the Proceedings of a Quarterly Convocation of Chapter ' Ramsay , ' held at the Chapter Rooms on Tuesday , the Sth April , A . D . 1862 , A . L . 5862 . "Present . —M . E . Comp . J . Buckley , V . C ., P . Z . ; M . E . Comp J . FitzOwen MacGrennan , P . P . Z . and P . H . ; M . E . Comp . Edward R . H . Hoff , S . E . and P . P . H ., officiating as P . J . ; E .
Comp . Frederick Griffin , P . Prov . H ., P . Soj . ; E . Comp . C . H . Pickering , Assist . Soj . ; E . Comp . W . H . AVard , Janitor ; and E . Comps . Neserwanjee Moclie , Momtaz-ood-Dowlah , C . B . Goode , ancl M . Clarke . " Previous to the closing of the chapter , M . E . Comp . Buckley intimated that , as he was about to leave India shortly , he was obliged to tender his resignation of the office of P . Z . of the Chaptermaking over charge of the same to fche P . H . ;
where-, upon " M . E . Comp . MacGrennan rose to express , on behalf of himself and the companions of the chapter , how grateful one ancl all felt towards M . E . Comp . Buckley for his past and present services to Chapter 'Ramsay . ' Ifc was true thafc he ( M . E . Comp . MacGrennan ) hacl first bestirred himself , when on a short leave in Calcutta , in 1860 , to obtain a Warrant or
Charter to attach a Chapter to Lodge Morning Star of Lucknow ; it was not , however , until August or September last that a special Dispensation was received from the Grand Superintendent of Bengal , authorising the opening of the chapter ; and all the companions could bear witness as to the indefatigable zeal ancl exertions evinced by M . E . Comp . Buckley , on all occasions , to push the chapter forward , ancl which exertions have happilbeen crowned with eminent success . But for all
y lie had done , both in arranging ancl working hard and incessantly for them , it was doubtful whether the chapter could , within the very brief period of less than one year , have attained its present prosperous position . The chapter owed all to M . E . Comp . Buckley , and to him alone . It ivas , indeed , but a poor return th'ey were now making for such disinterested and valuable services , yefc , such as ifc was , M . E . Comp . Buckley of
might rest assured that his name as the First Principal Chapter Ramsay will ever he dearly cherished by all its members , and they now ivished him and his family a safe return to his native land , after all his toils for nearly forty years in the seri'ice of the State , his brave and distinguished services at Delhi , ancl his honourable career in India , both as a Craffc and Royal Arch Mason . M . E . Comp . MacGrennan was sure he
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial .
Bro . BKYCE proposed " The P . Prov . G . Officers of Sussex , " coupling with the toast the name of their esteemed friend , the Rev . Bro . Taylor . Song— " Good-bye , sweetheart , good-bye , " by Bro . Carter . Bro . TAYLOR ( late Grand Chaplain ) , responded , — " Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh , " but his heart was too full to talk . He thanked them for the toast , ancl congratulated them on the appointment of their reverend brother as
his successor . He felfc it was time for him to retire from the post he had filled , ancl which the first it hacl been a source of great gratification for him to hold . From his youth he had Avished to become a Mason , bufc ifc was nofc till a late period of his life that his Avish was gratified , and then he regretted that he hacl not ¦ become a Mason in his early youth . He had witnessed how they Avere bound together in brotherly love and truth , but he felfc , much as he wished them prosperity , thafc it was time for him to
give up , for he felt the growing infirmities of ago , and he knew that others were coming forward ; ancl though he never ventured to suggest any brother to succeed him , he was convinced that his brother that day appointed ivould most efficiently perform the duties . They had that day heard his sentiments , ancl he ivould appeal to fchem whether he was not right in his judgment . On the part of his the past officers he thanked them for the compliment paid , ancl he trusted the institution would become
what it was intended to be an institution for the promotion of . good will towards men , and glory to Gocl on high . The remaining toasts consisted of " The W . M . ' s and AVardens of the various Lodges in the Province , " acknowledged by Bro . Fabian ; " The Masonic Charities ancl Bro . Patten , " and " The Stewards , " proposed by Bro . Tatham , and acknowledged by Bro . Challen . Bro . Dyson sang fche beautiful song of " Excelsior , " most pleasingly , ancl with his compeers executed " Spring ' s delights , " "Come let us join the roundelay , " and "AVhen evening's twilight , " very prettily , and were warmly applauded . Thus terminated the Provincial Grand Meeting of Sussex of 1862 .
India.
INDIA .
BRO . J . BUCKLEY , V . C . From the Indian Freemasons' Friend . When the ivovld was sfavtled out of its humdrum ways of thinking and acting by the appalling news of the outbreak of -the native troops at Meernt ancl Delhi in May , 1857 , the horrid scene presented to the imagination of fiends in human shape
revelling in the blood of helpless women and children , was relieved by one of the most brilliant exhibitions of heroism which have ever lighted up the pages of history . We well remember what feelings of pride and admiration were evoked in those days of darkness ancl uncertainty by the tidings of the defence of the Delhi magazine by Lieutenant "Willoughby and his comrades , and its destruction by them when there were no further means of resistance .
One of those who shared in the defence was the brother whose name we have placed at the head of this article . He wears the proud distinction of the Victoria Cross , ancl is now about to leave India after a very long period of service . AVe propose to take the opportunity to renew our impression of a scene in which Bro . Buckley was a prominent figure , ancl the details of which have probably faded from the recollections of our readers .
The scene Is in Delhi . The enemy have come up to the magazine , reeking with slaughter , and thirsting for more Christian blood . AVilloughhy ancl Raynor are actively going from post to post . Guns , gates , barricades , and checaux-de-frise are well looked to . Edwards , Crow , and Shaw , each with a grape-loaded gun under his charge , and a lighted match in his baud , are stationed at the Park ancl River Gates , ivith orders not to five until those gates are forced . Four field pieces at the principal
gate are manned by Forrest ( one of the oldest Masons in India ) and Buckley , Several trains have been laid to the magazine , and the deA'oted Scully ( another member of the Masonic Craft ) stands calmly by , till he receives the fatal signal , Avhich is to be given by Buckley raising his hat . The blood-thirsty mutineers are swarming on all sides , and demanding the surrender of the magazine in the name of their king . The reply is prompt ; but it comes in the shape of grape
from Bros . Forrest and Buckley . Then bursts a leaden sleetstorm of musketry from the infuriated multitude , and a rush is made to the Avail with scaling ladders . Two guns at a time are fired by Forrest and Buckley , two being always kept loaded in reserve . Nothing is done hurriedly , but with the same steadiness as on parade . Four rounds of grape have been fired from each gnn , when the ammunition for field-pieces comes to an end . Buckley has been Avounded in the arm , and Forrest
has received two musket balls in his left hand . Hindoo and Mussulman are thronging in dense masses , ancl the magazine is entered in two places . At last the dread moment has arrived ! Willoughby gives tbe order to fire the trains , and Buckley , turning round , lifts his hat , which Soully receives as a signal . A blinding flash—deafening thunder—a heap of ruins—ancl hundreds of murderers sent to their final account ! Such were the results ! Fragments of the building are said to have been
thrown to the distance of half a mile . Of those who succeeded in escaping from beneath the ruins , Lieutenant Raynor ivas one . He also contrived to save his family . On the road to Meernt , they met Bro . Buckley . They Avere attacked by ruffians ; and what did Bro . Buckley do to save the lives and the honour of the females of his party ? He offered to sacrifice his own life , and suffered his head to he laid four times on the ground , with fche fo ' ot of the man who was to
behead him resting upon it . Such devotion struck even tho ruffians with some compassion ; and Bro . Buckley and his companions , after being stripped , were permitted to proceed on their way . "I am told by Lieutenant Raynor and his family , " wrote a person shortly after those events , "that hacl it not been for this man's brave and gallant conduct , tbey believe they should never have reached Meernt in safety . " Here was chivalry ; here was a true Paladin !
On Bro . Buckley announcing his intention to leave India , the companions of the Royal Arch Chapter Ramsay at Luckrfow presented him with the following extract from the proceedings of the chapter , neatly printed on parchment : —
"ROYAL AECE CHAPTER 'RAMSAY , ' LUCKNOW . "Fxlracl of the Proceedings of a Quarterly Convocation of Chapter ' Ramsay , ' held at the Chapter Rooms on Tuesday , the Sth April , A . D . 1862 , A . L . 5862 . "Present . —M . E . Comp . J . Buckley , V . C ., P . Z . ; M . E . Comp J . FitzOwen MacGrennan , P . P . Z . and P . H . ; M . E . Comp . Edward R . H . Hoff , S . E . and P . P . H ., officiating as P . J . ; E .
Comp . Frederick Griffin , P . Prov . H ., P . Soj . ; E . Comp . C . H . Pickering , Assist . Soj . ; E . Comp . W . H . AVard , Janitor ; and E . Comps . Neserwanjee Moclie , Momtaz-ood-Dowlah , C . B . Goode , ancl M . Clarke . " Previous to the closing of the chapter , M . E . Comp . Buckley intimated that , as he was about to leave India shortly , he was obliged to tender his resignation of the office of P . Z . of the Chaptermaking over charge of the same to fche P . H . ;
where-, upon " M . E . Comp . MacGrennan rose to express , on behalf of himself and the companions of the chapter , how grateful one ancl all felt towards M . E . Comp . Buckley for his past and present services to Chapter 'Ramsay . ' Ifc was true thafc he ( M . E . Comp . MacGrennan ) hacl first bestirred himself , when on a short leave in Calcutta , in 1860 , to obtain a Warrant or
Charter to attach a Chapter to Lodge Morning Star of Lucknow ; it was not , however , until August or September last that a special Dispensation was received from the Grand Superintendent of Bengal , authorising the opening of the chapter ; and all the companions could bear witness as to the indefatigable zeal ancl exertions evinced by M . E . Comp . Buckley , on all occasions , to push the chapter forward , ancl which exertions have happilbeen crowned with eminent success . But for all
y lie had done , both in arranging ancl working hard and incessantly for them , it was doubtful whether the chapter could , within the very brief period of less than one year , have attained its present prosperous position . The chapter owed all to M . E . Comp . Buckley , and to him alone . It ivas , indeed , but a poor return th'ey were now making for such disinterested and valuable services , yefc , such as ifc was , M . E . Comp . Buckley of
might rest assured that his name as the First Principal Chapter Ramsay will ever he dearly cherished by all its members , and they now ivished him and his family a safe return to his native land , after all his toils for nearly forty years in the seri'ice of the State , his brave and distinguished services at Delhi , ancl his honourable career in India , both as a Craffc and Royal Arch Mason . M . E . Comp . MacGrennan was sure he