The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-05-01 00:00:00

unanimous
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, wish, brethren, that I should occupy the ehair as
your Grand Master, and you have this day installed me It
Is difficult for me to find words adequate to express my deep
thanks for the high honour that has been bestowed upon me,
an honour which has already been bestowed on several mem-
bers of my family—my predecessors and brethren; and
it will always be my most ardent and sincere wish to
walk in their footsteps, (bear, hear), and by God's help to
fulfil the duties of the high office which I have been called
to fill to-day in the same manner which those filled the
office who preceded me. The Pro-Grand-Masterhas told you,
brethren, and I feel convinced it is so, that such an assem-
blage in grand lodge has never been known, and when I look
round me in this vast and spacious hall and see those who
have come from the north and the south, from the east and
the west, it is, I trust, an omen of good. (Hear, hear). The
various duties I have to perform in my position lam afraid
will not enable me so frequently as I could wish to attend to
my many duties connected with the craft. But you,
brethren, may be sure that whenever I have the time I shall
do my utmost to maintain the high position in which the
craft now is, and to do my duty by it and my duty by you on
every possible occasion. (Hear, hear.) It would, brethren,
I feel sure, be useless for me on such an occasion to recapitu-
late anything which has been so ably told you by the pro. Grand
Master relative to freemasonry. Every Englishtnan knows that
the two watchwords I may say of the craft are loyalty and
charity. (Hear, hear, and applause) Those are their watch-
words, and as long as they never mix themselves up in politics
so long will, I am sure, this great and ancient order flourish,
and will maintain the integrity of the Throne and of our
great Empire. (Hear, hear.) I thank you once more,
brethren, for your cordial reception of me to-day, and I
thank you for having come such immense distances to wel-
come me on this occasion. I assure you I shall never forget
to-day. (Great applause).

The M. W. G. M., after another ceremony, was
conducted to the right hand of the throne, when the
Pro-Grand Master invested his Royal Highness with
the insignia of his high office and conducted him into
the chair of the Grand Master. The Pro-Grand
Master was then conducted to his chair on the left of
the M. W. Grand Master.

- - -
The Grand Director of Ceremonies afterwards pro-
claimed the installation after sound of trumpet, and
called upon the brethren to salute the Most Worship-
ful Grand Master, according to ancient form.
When this had been done, the Earl of Carnarvon
addressed the Most Worshipful Grand Master in the
name of the craft, and his Royal Highness having
replied,
The March from " Eli " was performed on the
organ.
- - - - - -

Deputations from the Grand Lodges of Scotland,
Ireland, and Sweden were then presented to his Royal
Highness.
The Grand Master then appointed the Earl of Car-
narlion Pro• Grand Master and Lord Skelmersdale
Deputy Grand Master.

After another masonic ceremony with respect to the
Earl of Carnarvon, on his being appointed Pro-Grand
Master, he was proclaimed after sound of trumpet,
and saluted according to ancient form, another per-
formance on the organ followed, and the Grand
Master then proceeded to appoint the Grand Warden
and other Grand Officers for the year ensuing, who
i
were severally invested with the nsignia of their
offices and saluted.
The Grand Lodge was then closed.

A congratulatory address was presented to his
Royal Highness from the Masons of Rome.