Bi-Centenary Of St. Paul's Cathedral.

BI-CENTENARY OF ST . PAUL'S CATHEDRAL .

ONE of the most imposing gatherings that has ever been known in connection with the English Brotherhood took place on Thursday , when St . Paul ' s Cathedral was filled with representative Brethren from all parts of the country , to take part in a special service to mark the Bi-Centenary of the re-opening of the Cathedral .

Every schoolboy knows that the Church of St . Paul , which stood upon the site of the present Metropolitan Cathedral , was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1666 , and that the re-building was given to the celebrated architect

Wren . No less than thirty-seven years were occupied in completing the structure , though it is often declared that it is never finished , and on 2 nd December 16 97 the choir was opened for divine service by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs with great state . .

Seeing that Sir Christopher Wren , as he subsequently became , was Worshipful Master of the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 2 , London , held at the celebrated Goose and Gridiron , in the Cathedral Close , and the fact that the greater

portion of the workmen employed were Freemasons , who established their Lodges in the vicinity of their work , it was decidedly appropriate that the . celebration of the Church ' s two hundredth anniversary should take the form

of a special Masonic service . It happens curiously enough that at the present time both the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs are distinguished members of the Craft , while the Corporation of the City numbers several members of the

Grand Lodge of England among them ; so the ceremony of two hundred years ago could be repeated , though with greater magnificence as the entire building is now available . No sooner had the idea been promulgated than

applications to attend were received from all parts of the Kingdom , and it became painfully apparent that a large number must be excluded . However , the Committee , with the Venerable Archdeacon William Sinclair at their

head , apportioned the 5 , 100 seats in such a manner that every Province was represented , while the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , together with several Colonial Lodges furnished representatives . It was perhaps somewhat unfortunate that our Grand Master was unable to be

present , but it was stated that 250 Grand Lodge Officers and about 1 , 500 Provincial Grand Officers attended the ceremony , and the scene presented was undoubtedly a grand one . Opinions differed greatly as to whether it

surpassed the brilliancy of the Albert Hall gathering , but the surroundings were vastly different—besides " comparisons are odious , "—and it is sufficient to say that the festival will rank high among the important functions associated with our noble Order .

•Attention must be called in the first place to the admirable arrangements made for the comfort and convenience of the visitors . Each Steward ' , had his place

Bi-Centenary Of St. Paul's Cathedral.

and the tickets were so arranged that not the slightest confusion existed inside the building , though some confusion occurred at the doors , which might have been opened half an hour earlier , and so prevented much crushing .

Punctually at half-past three the procession of the Lord Mayor , Sheriffs , Aldermen , and members of the Common Council entered by the west door , preceded by a large number of Grand Officers , and took their seats in the Choir . They were followed by the Bishop's procession , consisting of a largely increased choir and the clergy .

At the special request of the Grand Master Bro . W . W . B . Beach represented His Royal Highness , being supported by Lord Portarlington S . G . W . and Robert Grey acting J G . W ., and were seated immediately in front of the Choir , with the sword in front of them .

The usual service of Evensong was used , with special Hymns . The service was intoned by Bro . the Archdeacon of London , Canon of St . Paul's , Past Grand Chaplain . The very appropriate . Psalms ( cxxii , cxxxii and cxxxiii ) were sung by the choir .

The' Special lessons were taken from Haggai 11 , 4-10 , and Revelations xxi , and were read by the Dean of St . Paul ' s .

The sermon was preached by the Lord Bishop of London , who took his text from I . Chronicles xxii ., 5 : — '' The house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical , of fame and of glory throughout all countries . "

The musical arrangements were-under the direction of Bro . Sir George Martin , Mus . Doc , and voluntaries were played on the organ previous to the service by Bro . G . F . Smith Grand Organist .

A collection was made towards the £ 100 , 000 required for the completion of Wren's work on the decoration of the Cathedral . After the Benediction had been given by the Bishop the entire congregation joined in singing the National Anthem .

Among distinguished members of the Craft present were : Provincial Grand Masters . —Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Hants and I . of W ., Ool . Lyne , Monmouthshire , T . F . Halsey , M . P ., Herts ., W . A . F . Powell , Bristol , Lord Ampthill , Beds ., Lord Geo . Hamilton , M . P ., Middlesex , J . Balfour Cockburn , M . D ., Guernsey and Alderney , A . F . Godson , M . P ., Worcestershire .

District Grand Masters . —C . J . Egan , M . D ., South Africa Eastern Division , Kear Admiral A . H . Markham , Malta , G . Bichards , Transvaal , Lieut .-Col . Aubrey W . O . Saunders , Madras .

Grand Wardens . —Lord Portarlington , Sir F . B . Alston , Bonamy Dobree , Victor Williamson , R . Cunliffe , Hon . W . Vernon , Sir John B . Monckton , Sir R . Hanson , Viscount Valentia , Sir John Gorst , M . P ., Sir H . A . Isaacs , Thomas Fenn , Bobert Grey , Sir W . Wilkin . Grand Chaplains . —Ven . Archdeacon W . M . Sinclair , D . D ., Veu . Archdeacon Stevens , Very Bev . E . B . Currie , Bevs . W . K . B . Bedford , B . J . Simpson , 0 . J . Martyn , W . F . Short , J . S . Brownrigg , H . A . Pickard , H . G . Morse , J . Bobbins , D . D ., J . Nelson Palmer , W . M . Heath , B . Evans , T . B . Spencer , O . J . Grace , Henry Lansdell , D . D ., H . B . Cooper Smith , D . D ., F . W . Macdonald , 0 . J . Bidgway , C . Henton Wood .

Grand Treasurers . —Aid . Vaughan Morgan , Major J . W . Woodall , Eichard Eve , E . Terry , Capt . J . D . Murray , S . Cochrane , Aid . Sir J . C . Dimsdale , W . M . Stiles , W- H . Bailey . Deputy Grand Registrars . —B . Horton Smith , Q . C ., B . D . M . Littler , Q . C ., T . L . Wilkinson , John Strachan .