I thank you for the honour you do for me in asking me to come here and repeat the few remarks I made at my installation as Master of Lodge Erewhon; but what appeared suitable on that occasion does not seem to fit in very well with the present.
At best my remarks to-night must be a kind of hash-up of what I said in Ashburton, with Lodge Erewhon of necessity very much in evidence.
You, Worshipful Master, asked me to prepare a paper embodying the gist of that speech; but, although I certainly had thought out what I wished to say, and made a few headings for my guidance, I could not aspire to produce a paper suitable for reading before a meeting of the Masters' and Past Masters' Lodge.
We are taught that the three grand principles upon which the Order is founded are Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
Brotherly love and beautiful sentiment truly, and one which, I think, embraces all the others.
If we have brotherly love and exercise it we practically fulfil all our Masonic obligations.
But how many of us take this matter seriously?
How many of us act up to our professions and exercise this brotherly love?
