Church Services.

Brethren of our Ancient Order , let us " each take heed how we build . " See to it that our brotherly love is no mere profession , but becomes daily and increasingly the energising principle of our individual lives—that love which thinketh no evil , bruiteth no scandal , " the worst suggested , still believes the best , " dissolves all elements of discord , anger , rivalry , and ever

conciliates true friendship . Love buildeth up . God is love , and we are to be fellow labourers with God . " Charity edifieth . " Charity , again , in the more modern and restricted sense of relief of suffering or distress—Charity , that distinguishing characteristic of our Fraternity , which commands the admiration of the world—Charity , which in a few days will dazzle it , by the munificence

of liberality towards one only of our great Institutions . But , while the world wonders and admires , let us each still take heed how we build—each with all reverence and humility look up to the Great Architect and Divine Giver of all , " lest we forget , lest we forget , " that love which is secret , humble , fragrant in the purity of its motive , so easily soiled in the beauty of its bloom .

Day by day let us remember not only to give as we are able , with liberal hand , but with warm heart and kindly word to soothe the unhappy , compassionate their miseries , and restore peace to the troubled mind . Charity edifieth . Love buildeth up . Love which , yet once more , rejoiceth . in the Truth . That Truth which makes us free . That Truth herein revealed—the Word of God

ever open , the Word which makes us true , upright , sincere , as we build up character , according to the divine plan , herein laid down for our pursuit . Brethren , forgive me if I have thus outlined principles so elementary , basal , familiar to us in our beloved Craft . But what we want—do we not ?—is by example rather than by precept , not in passive self-complacency , still less

in vainglory of the prosperity and dignity of our Order ; but by the secret silent , active influence of that love which buildeth up , to lift the world around us to a higher level , as we encourage others to the practice of those sublime teachings we know so well , and should prize so highly . But as through the visible and material in allegory and symbol God teaches us , so back through the visible aud material , the beauty and the grandeur of stately

structure , we may strive to express our gratitude to the Great Architect Divine for all His favour , goodness , love . Hence it is that as Freemasons we are gathered here to-day—not only for the conduct of our business , for spiritual service , for speculative study , but also for operative , practical work ; to help forward , so far as we may be able , the restoration of this glorious Abbey , most solemn and impressive of the Parish Churches of our Province .

How swiftly there flash before the imagination the stirring scenes of English story of which this grey and mighty pile has been the centre . First , however , we seem to see the holy hermit and brave missionary crossing the Welsh border , building his little chapel , and giving to the spot his name of Theoc , passing into the modern Tewkesbury . Then , that day of solemn function ,

bishops , and ecclesiastics , nobles gathered for the consecration of the new and stately church , with these vast round pillars and arches , reared by Fitzhammon , the warrior kinsman of the Normam Conqueror . On to the civil wars of the Roses , to the battle fought beneath the shadow of these walls ; the massacre of the fugitives seeking shelter within them , andyon hallowed

pavement stained with fratricidal blood . King Edward of York himself scarce stopped in his vengeful fury at that very door by the sight of the sacred host uplifted by the Lord Abbot of this Holy House . Then the murder of the ill-fated young Prince of Wales , who lies beneath the lantern of the tower . Onward still to the Reformation , and the spoliation and destruction of the vast

pile of monastic buildings , cloisters , library , chapter house , refectory , which clustered round this Abbey , and the grand church itself doomed to be destroyed—doomed , but saved , ransomed , to their undying honour , by the good citizens of Tewkesbury , by payment of a large sum to the King ' s Highness , and under covenant to bear and find the reparation of this church perpetually . And then all the vicissitudes of neglect and bare

repair , strange disfigurement and tasteless defacement ofitsinternal beauty . The grey old pile , hoar with the age of the Norman days , waiting , waiting through ten long generations , waiting for this , when once more the holy enthusiasm for building and restoring the houses of God , which glowed in those minster builders of the 12 th century has again burst forth , and this historic Church , under the care of loving hands , stands again to-day restored to nign all its pristine glory and its ancient beauty .

Brethren , the appeal is made by the descendants and successors of those good citizens of Tewkesbury , —who , in the distant past , ransomed and saved this Abbey from the hands of the destroyer , and covenanted for its perpetual reparation , — an appeal to us as the descendants and successors of those great

Masons , architects and builders who first reared this glorious church to the honour and glory of the Most High , —an appeal that we will help in the completion of its restoration . That appeal cannot be made in vain to the Freemasons of this Province , and we are gathered here to respond to it ; for it is at once our dutv ,

Church Services.

as we are true to our traditions , and our privilege , as we are faithful to our principles . Let our response , therefore , to-day , despite the urgency this year of other claims , be no mere conventional offering , but a Masonic gift from each Brother of the Craft ; while from each of you also , my friends , who are present with us to-day , may I not ask an individual gift ? For Tewkesbury

guards , for England one of her noblest shrines , and those responsible for its custody require help in the completion of their work . And may God grant to each one of us an entrance and a place in that great Church of the first-born above ; for him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God , and he shall go no more out .

NOTWITHSTANDING many misconceptions concerning the work of those associated with Masonry , the public cannot help but now be convinced that they have many worthy objects in view and to which tbey subscribe liberally . One of the most beneficent of their Institutions is the Masonic School for Boys ,

where the sons of members of the Craft who have met with reverses in life are maintained , clothed , and educated in such a manner as to equip them for the avocations of life they are best suited for . The Brethren of the Caradoc Lodge , Rhyl , have always taken a keen interest in the various Charities connected

with the Order , and the 10 th of this month being the Centenary of the Boys School , it is intended to rebuild the school buildings on a new site , for which Masons throughout the kingdom hope to raise , at their Annual Festival , which will be presided over by the Prince of Wales , the sum of £ 100 , 000 . Towards this the local

Craftsmen hope to forward a substantial amount , the Stewards from the town being the Worshipful Master Bro . F . J . Gamlin , and the Treasurer Bro . H . A . Steer P . P . J . G . D . To further aid the object a Masonic Service was held at St . Thomas ' s Church , Rhyl , on Wednesday evening , 1 st inst .

Proir to the service the Brethren met in the Lodge Room in Market Street , and there held a Lodge of Emergency . After the Lodge was opened the Brethren formed into procession and marched to Church , preceded by four boys carrying the " Volume of the Sacred Law " —the bearers—all sons of Masons—being

Masters Gamlin , Steer , Clews , and Amos . At the Church a special Service was held , the preliminary portion being conducted by the Rev . Michael Jones , whilst the lessons were read by the Rev . J . Howell Thomas . The Anthem was Psalm cxxxiii , " Behold how

good and joyful a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity . " The solo was taken in excellent style by Bro . F . J . Gamlin Worshipful Master of the Lodge . The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were both sung to Wood ' s music , the Organist being Brother Vinning .

The sermon was preached by P . P . G . Chaplain Brother Dan Edwards ( Vicar ) , who appeared in the pulpit in the clothing of his Provincial Grand Office . Taking his text from I . Kings , vi , 7 , " And the house , when it was in building , was built of stone made ready before it was

brought thither ; so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house , while it was in building . " The preacher said he felt it a great privilege to be called upon to address that congregation that evening as Vicar of the parish , and to welcome to that Service the Brotherhood of Freemasons . That

church was associated in their minds with the Brotherhood , as thirty-seven years ago , on Whit-Monday 1861 , the foundation stone of that edifice was laid in the north east corner with Masonic ceremony , conducted by the Provincial Grand Master of Wales , as testified by the inscription on the stone . Those

associations that night made the Service more homely to the members of the Brotherhood , and brought them nearer to each other and tightened the bond of sympathy between them . As a fitting coping stone to the former Service they were assembled that evening to celebrate the Centenary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

He asked to be allowed to take that opportunity of reminding those who were in that noble Order as to the objects of the Brotherhood , and at the same time it would perhaps make those who were outside their ranks think more highly of their Order . There were many misconceptions both within and without

the Masonic circle about Masonry . What with the fulminations of ecclesiastics and the sneers of various cynics in the world , ' there was no wonder that there was confusion as to what Masonry really was . It was a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols , but as they were not operative but

contemplative , or tree and accepted Masons , they applied the rules of architecture by which a structure gained its figure , strength and beauty , to their morals . They learned to rule and direct their passions , and to act upon the square ; to keep a tongue of good report , and to practice that greatest of virtues : charity .

Masonry was so interwoven with religion as to lay upon them the strongest obligations to pay homage to the Great Architect of the Universe , which constituted not only their duty but their happiness , and the Volume of the Sacred Law which they saw before them was the centre pin around which all . their actions