Patriotic Masons.

in the name of the Lord of Hosts , to win England back for England and for God . All true patriotism is based on religion of some sort . It may be a true or only a partly true religion , but underlying all real love of country there is a belief in its permanent and

enduring life growing out of immortal principles . And Judas Maccabasus and King Alfred represent for evermore the faith that believes supremely in a nation ' s God , the hope that trusts supremely in a nation ' s destiny , and the love that sacrifices itself supremely for a nation ' s good .

Brethren , our Order is not without splendid examples of true patriotism . Men known and men nameless have again and again done honour to the Craft by their glorious devotion to God and country . The two foremost leaders in England ' s

present struggle for what she believes will make for unity , based on justice and freedom , after they had laid their victory at the altar of God and sent their homage to their sovereign , attended the Masonic Lodge in Bloemfontein and showed that true Brotherhood which underlies all differences of

nationality and religion in the principles of Freemasonry , and it should be a subject of loyal and Masonic congratulation that during the whole siege of Mafeking , our Brethren did not fail to hold Lodge under the presidency of its Worshipful Master . The Temple riddled with the shells of the enemy resounded with

the eternal principles of the Brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God—principles which are at once the sanction and the substance of all true patriotism , the justification of our

Order , and its highest and deepest , its first and final inspiration , summed up in the words of the text , " Honour all Men . Love the brotherhood . Fear God . Plonour the King . "— " Clapham Observer . "

Bro . Rev . E . L . C . Clapton , M . A , Chaplain of the Clerkenwell Lodge and Vicar of St . Michael ' s , Wandsworth Common , has been appointed to the rectorate of St . Margaret ' s , Lee . The Rector-Designate is himself a native of the parish , having been born in 186 3 at Bles ' sington Road , Lee . Pie was educated

at Plarrow and New College , Oxford , taking the degree of B . A ., and subsequently that of M . A . He was ordained deacon in 1886 , and priest in 1887 by the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol . Bro . Clapton ' s first curacy was at Lydney , Gloucester . From July 1888 , to November 1889 , he was curate of St . Peter ' s ,

Bayswater , and he was curate-in-charge of St . Matthew ' s , Lavender Hill , till Canon Erskine Clarke presented him to the living of St . Michael ' s , Wandsworth , in 1891 . He was for one year elected Guardian of the Poor in the Clapham and Wandsworth Union , for three years Plon . Secretary of the Battersea

Church Sunday School Association , and for many years has been and is now , a manager of a group of Board Schools and also of evening classes . In the parish of St . Michael ' s there are large and flourishing Sunday Schools , a Juvenile Temperance Guild , and a smart company of the Church Lads' Brigade .

During Bro . Clapton ' s incumbency in a parish the reverse of rich over £ 600 has been raised for a new organ , £ 100 to renovate and clean the church , and over £ 100 for new heating

apparatus and other improvements . This money has been raised locally . Bro . Clapton is married , his wife being a daughter of Mr . G . W . Keeling , J . P ., of Cheltenham , and he has two children .

An erroneous impression has been caused by an announcement that the Gostling Murray and Roll Call Lodges are now without a home , consequent on the closing of the Oddfellows Club and Institute at Hounslow , which has been in existence

the past ten years ; but an official points out that this is not the case . It appears the bar and billiard room have been closed , but this in no way affects any of the meetings , which are taking place as usual .

* * * The members of the Confidence Lodge of Instruction , No . 193 , are arranging for the working of the Fifteen Sections at an early date , at their regular quarters , the Bunch of Grapes Leadenhall Market . ^ '

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

''A SPRIG OF ACACIA . ''

THE death is announced of Bro . F . J . Snell , of Dunmow , of whom the " Essex Weekly News " says : No man led a busier life , and no Essex solicitor was better known He was liked By all classes , and had long held the esteem and confidence of the various public bodies with which he was

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

connected . Besides his clerkship to the Board of Guardians and the Rural District Council , he was Superintendent Registrar of births , marriages , and deaths ; Clerk to the School Boards of Lindsell , Stebbing , Little Dunmow , and Felsted ; and Registration Agent for the Conservative party

in the Epping Division . Pie was also captain of the Fire Brigade , and in that capacity rendered valuable service . For many years he had been the life and soul of social functions at Dunmow . As a young man he joined the old Essex Rifle Volunteers early in the fifties , and had as comrades-in-arms

his old friends Major Smoothy and Major Holmes , of Bramtree , and many others still living . Bro . Snell was one of the founders and a Past Master of the Rosslyn Lodge , and Past Master of the Chelmer Lodge . Pie also assisted to found the Dunmow Lodge of Mark Masons , and was Treasurer of

the local Lodges . Years ago , when Dunmow boasted a charter of incorporation , Bro . Snell was a burgess , and once filled the office of bailiff—the nearest approach the town could make to Mayoral dignity . Pie was , to the time of his death , Chairman of the Dunmow Sports and Flitch Committee—a body

which was constituted in the Jubilee year , 1887 , to carry out the local celebrations of that historic event . Every year since then the Committee have organised a fete on August Bank Ploliday , the chief features of which are , of course , the Flitch trials and , in a lesser degree , the horse and pony races . Bro .

Snell succeeded to the chairmanship of the Committee on the death of Dr . R . C . Lyle . He also acted as judge of the races . Among his many other social and public duties , Bro . Snell found time to act as one of the elected lay representatives on the ruridecanal and diocesan conferences . He was a staunch

Churchman and a thorough-going Conservative . Pie served his party well in organising and registration , as the results of the last four contested elections in the Epping Division have shown . Pie was always kind and courteous to everybody , and to the poor he has often proved himself a good friend . There

is a very general and genuine feeling of sympathy with' the widow and her young family in their great and sudden bereavement . The funeral took place on Tuesday , 28 th ult ., a large number of the deceased ' s Brother Masons being present .

WE deeply regret to announce the death of Bro . Alfred Green P . M . St . xnichael , No . 211 , which occurred on Wednesday , 29 th ult , at his residence at Ilford . Brother Green , who was the father of the Lodge , had been in delicate health for some time past , owing to which he was obliged to

resign the post of Treasurer to the Lodge in February last , when , to mark their high appreciation of his services and their respectful esteem , the Brethren presented him with a very beautiful jewel . The funeral took place on Monday at the

Parish Church Cemetery , and was attended by the W . M . and several members of the St . Michael Lodge , who journeyed to Ilford to pay the last respects to their departed Brother and friend , and lay a wreath upon his grave .

THE Noel Money Lodge has just lost one of its founders , in Bro . William Stephens , who died from the effects of an accident on the 16 th ult , at the age of 6 9 years . Several members of the Lodge were present at the funeral , which was largely attended by other friends and relatives .

* * * During the eight months which have passed of the year 1900 there has been sad fatality among Officers of the Grand Lodge of England . Death has seized two Provincial Grand Masters , the Earl of Radnor ( Wiltshire ) Past junior Grand

Warden , and Sir Hedworth Williamson ( Durham ) Past Senior Grand Warden . The Earl of Portarlington Senior Grand Warden in 1897 , also died on Friday last . The Rev . Robert James Simpson Past Grand Chaplain is another Grand Officer deceased in the present year , which likewise claims Bro . Richard

Eve Past Grand Treasurer , Charles Barry , F . S . A ., Past Grand Superintendent of Works , Lemuel Frederick Littell and Geo . Graveley Past Grand Pursuivants , and Walter Martin Past Assistant Grand Pursuivant Lord Portarlington was a distinguished Freemanson . In April 1897 'he received the

highest distinction in Grand Lodge of England , next to that of Deputy Grand Master , by the Prince of Wales appointing him to the office of Senior Grand Warden ; in the following month he received

Past Grand rank in Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons as Grand Scribe N ., an office which takes similar precedence with that of Senior Warden in Grand Lodge . His lordship was also a Past Senior Grand Warden in Grand Lodge of Mark Masons , — " Morning Advertiser . "