Dedication Of A New Masonic Hall At Shipley.

prestigo of a Lodge . A settled homo was a source of continually gathering new history , aud lie hoped tho new homo of the Airedale Lodgo would bo the means of additional attractions to its members . ( Loud applause . ) The ceremony of dedication was then proceeded with , accovding to ancient Masonic style , by tho W . D . Prov . Grand Master Bro . Tew in an able manner , after which tho Pro Gr . ind Master declared the

Lodgo duly and properly dedicated to God and His glory , and to Masonry . After the business of tho Lodgo had been brought to a close , a snmptnous luncheon , under tho superintendence of Bro . R . Brewer , of the Bello Yue Hotel , Bradford , was served iu the banquetingrooni , after which tho usual Loyal and Masouic toasts wero giveu and honoured .

In response to tho toast of tho Right Hon . tho Earl of Carnarvon , M . W . Pro Grand Master , which was most enthusiastically received with loud and continuous cheering , His Lordship said it was no common feeling of satisfaction to find himself there to-day ; it was also a satisfaction to meet with so hearty a welcome , lie thanked the Airedale Lodge for their

invitation , and also the representatives of other Lodges who had joined in his reception . His knowledge of Yorkshire was small , yet it was such as to teach him that there were no plainer , franker speaking peoplo than tho Yorkshire people , and nono who could give so hearty a welcome . ( Applanse . ) Tho county possessed some of the best temporal gifts which God conld send . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho could not

lay claim to an extended ago in Masonry , yet ho had taken considerable interest in its welfare , lie could truly say ho had never known the Craft so prosperous . They wero wealthy , powerful , and i ' vee from strife ; and that was a condition that all who were in authority ought to bo proud of . Yet here ho would givo one word of counsel . Our strength lies not in the numbers , or the wealth of tho Craft , but

in maintaining intact , collectively and individually , tho great principles of our Order , in being steadfast to its great and good landmarks . His timo with them was now short , but he trusted at no distant day to renew his acquaintance —( loud cheers)—and speaking , not as a half stranger , but as an old frieud . One reason for his leaving them so hurriedly was that he was going to pay a visit to an old and dear

friend of his , their tried and honoured late Prov . Grand Master—Lord Ripon . ( Cheers . ) It would bo some satisfaction to him to know that though his Masonic brethren disagreed with the action he took in seceding from them , he had not forfeitod their esteem . ( Loud cheers . ) His Lordship then briefly proposed Success to tho Now Hall , which ¦ was duly received .

Miss Florence Smart's Evening Concert.

MISS FLORENCE SMART'S EVENING CONCERT .

ON Tuesday , tho 1 st instant , at tho Athenrenm , Camden-road , Miss Florence Smart gavo her first Evening Concert , in tho preseuco of a numerous and fashionable audience . The first item in tho programme had to be postponed for the arrival of Mr . Petiir , and the Concert opened , somewhat late , with the duet " l would that my love , " by Mendelssohn , executed by Miss Mary Davies and MissEniilv

Doues . Mr . Coates followed , with Arthur Sullivan ' s " Stars in tho Summer Night , " which he was called upon to repeat , and subsequently followed with song by tho same author , " The distant shore . " The excellent manner in which this gentleman rendered his songs , caused ns to regret extremely that he was not permitted to complete the programme , with "Oft in the Stillv Night . " Madame Antoinette

Sterling is so well known , nnd likewise appreciated , that we need merely mention her singing of "Thou art weary" and "Caller Herrin , " —with encores , ' •' The better Laud" and "The Old Sailor ' s Wife ; " and say these pongs were charmingly rendered , as may well be itnaaitied . Mr . Victor Biv / iiuv ' s solo on the violin , " Cavatina" by J . Raff , was listened to with breathless attention , and was , of the

instrumental portion , the -jiii ' co de rrsistfinre of the evening . Miss Mary Davies followed , with . Eaton Farring ' s song , " When the Gorso is in blossom , " which wns encored , and when wo . say this lady is a rising artiste wo mean no idle compliment . Miss Emily Dones gavo "The Green Trees Whispered , " by Balfe , and IlnUah ' s " Storm , " both of which we havo heard this lad } ' execute more effectivel y on

other occasions ; however , we most not omit to state that she was suitoring from hoarseness . The second part opened with Beethoven ' s Trio in G , for pianoforte , violin , and violoncello , by Miss Smart , Mr . Victor Bnziau , and Mr . Waiter Pcttif . This was a severe test on the powers of the executants , aud the time it occupied , 25 minutes , proved too great a strain on the attention of tho audience . If we

may be permitted to be facetious , wo would suggest that the first of Madame Stirling ' s songs , " Thou art weary , " might have been appropriately sung at tbo close of the Trio , such lengthy mnrceam , however skilfully executed , are too much for mi . st audiences , and the words might havo been truthfully addressed to not a few of the listeners . Mr . Walter Pottifc played with much skill , 1 Solo for

violoncello , " Caprice Hongrois , by Emile Dnnklnr , but in truth it must be told that the audience , though so appreciative of the songs , had no special liking for instrumental music after Air . Buziau ' s performance ; a buzz of relief could be heard throughout tho room atthe conclusion of the piece . Atiss Florence Smart presided at the piano with great ability , and tho Solo "La Rogalta , " by Liszt , was thoroughly appreciated . Altogether the Concert was a success , and

wo wish the promoter may secure pupils and increased prosperity ; we know her to be a talented lady , and thoroughly deserving " of public support . We understand that this Concert is to be repeated on the 5 th Nov ., at the Athenaium , Camdeii-rond . and w hope the lady ' s friends may not on this occasion enc . ug _ e themselves for domestic pyrotechnic displays ,

The Masonic Funeral Service.

THE MASONIC FUNERAL SERVICE .

FROM THE " VOICE OF MASONRY . " TII E ceremonies performed by Master Masons when they commit the body of a deceased bmhhev to the grave do nob constitute a religions service , in tho proper meaning of tho term . When , therefore , a church , as is sometimes the case , opposes the performance of

theso services by a Masonic Lodge , on the ground that it is an interference with a sacred function that should bo administered only by a priest or a clergyman , it commits a very serious error , which conld bo easily corrected by a knowledge of tho true character of the Masonic

rite . Tho whole system of Freemasonry being founded on the science of symbolism , every rite and ceremony that it practises is of a symbolic character . The funeral service which it performs over its deceased members is , therefore , a , symbolic service . It has nothing to do with a religious rite . It does not offer itself as a substitute for the

Church Service . It does not propose to substitute its own rites as a necessary supplement to any form of " Christian burial . " What tho Church docs is altogether of a religious character . The death and burial of a Christian affords to his surviving brethren an opportunity of enforcing , by this instance of mortality , the religious lessons that refer to tho uncertainty of life aud tho certainty of death , and serves

as tho occasion for reminding tho irreligious and tho unconverted of the necessity of coming into that sacred communion where , alone , it is taught that tho grave is robbed of'its victory and the sting is taken from death . Now , to none of this docs the Masonic funeral ceremony over a deceased Mason mako any pretence . It is not tho most superstitious and

ignorant , alette , who are impressed with the opinion that funeral rites aro necessary , if not to the future welfare of tho dead at least , to tho consolation of the living . Christianity , of course , docs not maintain tho old pagan belief that tho unburncd dead hover for a hundred years on the banks of tho Styx , before they aro permitted to enter tho boat of Charon and be transported to the Elysiau fields . Aud yet

fcbero is no one , even in this enlightened day , who does nob look with repugnance on tho thought that the loved ono should be consigned in almost the contempt of silence to the last resting place of all . " Chiistian burial" is , therefore , something that almost every Christian looks to as a fitting termination of life . " To bo buried out of Christian burial , " as Goodman Delver has it—that is , to be consigned to the

grave without tho sanction of the Church ' s forms and ceremonieshas been considered as being , in away , dishonouring and ignominious . Then , as the greater portion of the Masonic Fraternity is composed of Christians , imbued with Christian views , and affected by Christian prejudices , it is preposterous to suppose that any such Mason would desire , by the rites of his Order , to supplant or supersede the burial

services of the Chnrch . And no clergyman nor professor of the Christian faith would ever entertain such a supposition if ho knew what was tho real meaning of tho Masonic service . Speculative Masonry is , I have already said , a symbolic institution , and its whole system is founded on the science of symbolism . It is the only secret institution of tho present day that pretends to such a

character . All its initiations aro symbolic ; all its ri ghts and ceremonies are symbolic ; everything that it does inside or outside of the Lodge is symbolic . If it dedicates a hull , or lays tho corner-stone of some public edifice , or celebrates , iu procession , tho festival of a , pitron saint , the clothing of tho members , the implements , and decorations and bauners which arc borne , are all grounded ou the symbolic

idea and have a symbolic meaning . And when it joins in corns going a brother to his narrow home , and gives to his mortal remains a last farewell , of all tho acts of symbolism which aro peculiar to the ) . Institution this burial service is not the least symbolic . x \ . nd how do we sustain this proposition , which to what Masons call tho j'rafanu world must be very novel ?

Prominent among the symbols of Masonry , perhaps we should rightly say most prominent , is the symbolic death of the Third degreo . To every Mason , however imperfectly instructed ho may bo on other points , the symbolism of the Third degree is very familiar . He knows that it teaches the resurrection of the dead , one of the two dogmas which constitute tho orthodox Masonio creed , tho other bein ^ tho

existence of a personal God . As wo stand around the remains of onr brother as they aro about to bo consigned to the dust , wo ouly con . summate this symbolism of death which was begun in the Lod ge whon be was initiated into the sublime mysteries of a Master Mason . " Every Master Mason , " says Hutchinson , "represents a man saved from the grave of iniquity and raised to tho faith of salvation . "

Arouud every Master Mason other brethren have gathered atone time to witness with solemn awe the simulated death and resurrection , which , by this affecting symbol , inspired them with the conviction of n future life . And when this symbolic death and resurrection , so mystically represented in the Lodge , are to bo replaced bv tho real death and resurrection ton higher I if ' . ; , Masons again assemble around

the spot whoio lies the senseless body of their beloved one , aud prepare to perfect the symbolic idea which had been first presented iu the Third degree . Th < ' Masonic fuii"ial service is , then , not a rt li .. ious beta , strictly symbolic rite . And thus received wo are enabled to understand many tilings connected with its administration , which wonld be otherwise iin-xplidble .

In the first place , none but Master Masons hav 0 a right to Masonic burial . '' Fellow Crafts or Apprentices , " says Pro .-ton , to whom wearo indebted for the first formula of the service , " aro not entitled to funeral obsequies . " Why is this a regulation ? Simply because to the Apprentice , or to the Fellow Craft , there is , in his initiation BO ,

symbolism of death which is awaiting for its perfection the time and place of the real death and the ical grave . To those who have received only the initiation of the First and Second degrees , thesymbolism of the mystical death , which is implicitly preserved in the ceremony of burying a Muster Mason , would be wholly unintelligible .. As the ceremony is a symbolic one we must obey , in ita adminiafc ra