Confusion At St. Paul's.

CONFUSION AT ST . PAUL'S .

W HEN we wrote our report last week of the special Masonic service at St . Paul ' s , to mark the Bicentenary of the opening of the Cathedral , we knew but little of the unfortunate state of affairs that existed outside , when several hundred Brethren were unable to

gain admission , although in regular possession of tickets which stated on the back that seats would be reserved for all who were invited ; but a few hours afterwards we

were in receipt of many letters of complaint , while the daily press was for the time besieged with letters from Brethren who were justly indignant at the treatment they had received .

The authorities of St . Paul ' s took the earliest opportunity of explaining their position , Archdeacon Sinclair addressing a letter to the "Times" and other papers , a few hours after the service , in which he tendered apologies , and explained that the confusion arose from the

fact that the organising Committee , was advised , on what was considered reliable authority , that they might safely allow for one third of the invited Brethren being absent

from the Service , whereas , in-point of fact , it would seem that nearly every ticket was used , and there is pretty good evidence that a number of persons were present without tickets . The result was an amount of confusion—and even

worse—that will long remain a disgrace and a scandal in connection with the event . Archdeacon Sinclair has since published a second letter of regret , and , in this direction , everything that is

possible has been done to heal the grievances of those who were excluded . On that account it may be somewhat ungracious to direct further attention to what occurred ,

but we believe that every one of those who suffered from the error on this memorable Thursday will be in great measure compensated , if they know that ultimate good has resulted from the disasters of that day .

As is known to our readers , we are strongly averse to these Masonic displays in connection with Church Services —which seem to us about as bad a form of trading on Masonry as can well be imagined , for the majority of

them are arranged in the hope of securing an augmented collection , rather than as a compliment or a special act of grace towards the Masonic Brotherhood . It is quite time these Church parades were discontinued ,

and now that so grave a scandal has occurred in connection with the one that should have been a pattern of good order and regularity , the authorities—many of whom regard such public Masonic displays with disfavour

—will be strengthened in their opposition to them , and we may hope the practice will come to an end , or at least will only be continued under the most exceptional circumstances . We know many Brethren will not like their processions

Confusion At St. Paul's.

compared with those of the Oddfellows , Foresters , Bands of Hope , and Trade Societies , but if they do not wish to be pointed at in the same category they must not lay themselves open to the charge—and after all there is very

little to choose between most of them , for in the majority of cases order is preserved , and last Thursday ' s gathering proved conclusively that Freemasons can express themselves pretty stongly when the occasion arises .

We have heard from more than one source that there was every possibility of a riot , which , however , was happily averted , more by the good sense of the Brethren , than the tact of the police , who seemed to think they

were dealing with an east end mob , and acted accordingly . Our only surprise is that some of the constables have not been proceeded against for the wholly unnecessary violence they used on this occasion , but that and many other most

regretable occurrences of the gathering had best be overlooked , and the whole affair relegated to the memories of the past , serving as an object lesson and a guide for the future .

Queen's Lodge.

QUEEN'S LODGE .

ON Tuesday afternoon , 7 th inst ., the interesting ceremony of Consecrating a new Lodge took place in the Skelmersdale Hall , Westminster Road , Kirkdale , Liverpool , in the presence of a large gathering of Worshipful Masters , Past Masters and other members of the different Lodges of . the . Province of West Lancashire . The name given to the

new Lodge is The Queen ' s , No . 2681 , and the function was carried out with all the impressive ceremonial attaching to it , the consecration being conducted by Bro . John Houlding P . P . S . G . W . ( Lord Mayor of Liverpool ) , assisted by Bro . Goodacre Past G . S . B . Prov . G . Sec . West Lancashire , the

Prov . G . Chaplain , and other Grand Officers of the Province . After the ceremony Bro . Goodacre took the chair , and duly installed Bro . J . E . Williams P . M . as first Worshipful Master of the new Lodge , and subsequently the following Officers were invested : —Bros . T . A . Jackson P . M . P . P . G . S . as S . W ., H . Douglas J . W ., H . E . Williams Treasurer , J . A .

Milroy Secretary , W . Gibson S . D ., W . Wallace J . D ., R . Foote P . M . P . P . G . Tr . D . C , W . Peel I . G ., A . I . Barr and

A . Strettell Stewards . A committee to frame the by-laws having been appointed , the Lodge was closed , and the company afterwards dined . at the Bear's Paw , Lord Street .

Wiltshire.

WILTSHIRE .

THE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Laverton Institute , Westbury , on the 1 st inst ., under the banner of the White Horse Lodge , No . 2227 . There was a good muster of members , the whole of the Lodges in the Province being represented , the Right Hon . Earl of Radnor Provincial Grand Master presiding .

The usual business of the meeting was transacted , and a sum of fifty guineas was voted towards the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , the Earl of Radnor consenting to be

Steward for the Centenary Festival . From the collection of alms a sum of £ 4 was given to the Westbury Cottage ^ Hospital . Dinner was afterwards served in the Oddfellows' Hall .