Staffordshire.

these matters he desired to say a few words with regard to the reason which had brought them to God's house . And first they thought it a happy thing for them to be assembled in the Cathedral Church of the Diocese , as thereby they openly recognised the truth that whatever they did they should do to the glory of God . They felt that their annual meeting was a joyous

festival , and felt also , as religious men , that it would not be complete unless they had the blessing of the great Architect of the Universe . Their society had spread over the four quarters of the world , but it never could have attained its present extent and usefulness without the Divine blessing . Their truest wisdom , as well as their greatest happiness , was to acknowledge God's hand in everything .

Some further observations having been made on this point , the preacher said that brotherly love was the first grand principle upon which the Order was founded . This was the fragrance with which all the actions of their life should be perfumed , so that they might be made acceptable unto God . This was the

bond , too , which united them together , and the idea which they tried to realise when they met together , and they felt that , so far as their society was helping forward the carrying out this great principle and the ends they had in view , they were carrying out the teaching of the Gospel , and that therefore they must be doing that which was acceptable in God's sight .

The preacher then proceeded to examine the rules laid down in the text , and which he said were enforced by their Craft , observing with regard to the first of these , " Honour all men , " that the emphasis was upon " all . " They were told to honour all men , and not simply the great , or even the good . It was their duty to honour all men—to see that every Brother had his due ,

because there was something in every man which was worthy of their reverence . They must not think lightly of any one single person for whom Christ died . There was , if they had the grace and the skill to find it out , something by which the soul of the most sinful might be laid hold of . But they could not do good to anyone by treating him with supercilious contempt . The rule

which they should observe was that which the Saviour gave to His disciples when he said , " Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you , so do ye to them . " Were not the words of the charge to the Brethren of their Craft identical in spirit with this divine law ? But besides the brotherhood of nature they had also the brotherhood of association . Human nature compelled people to associations of every variety . It made association

almost a part of their being , and people joined a society scarcely understanding , perhaps , at the time , that henceforth it would be something round which their affections would cling , and that they would be filled with pride and happiness when it was prosperous , and distressed when misfortune overtook it , and that its badge would be a symbol which would awaken their strongest affection , the emblem of friendship and brotherly love .

Some remarks having been made , also , upon the brotherhood of grace , the preacher observed that this love for the Brethren would lead those who were blessed with it to take every opportunity of doing good to their brother ' s souls as well as their bodies . It would lead them to spare a brother ' s reputation , to close their lips against all calumny , and make them anxious in

all things to do their Brethren good . This love must be shown not so much by words as by actions arising out of the spirit of Christ , and they knew that the principles of their Craft encouraged them to do these good actions . They did not wish to hide from others that they desired to guide their lives in this way , and that they promised to guard the reputation of their Brother as jealously as they would their own .

Speaking of the practical proof which the Brethren gave of this Brotherly love , the Eev . Brother said that he had mentioned the large sums which they raised annually for charitable purposes . By the kindness of a Brother , highly esteemed , he had been furnished with some short statistics which would show this . They provided , in round numbers , a sum of £ 55 , 000 for

the support of their three central charities , their schools for boys and girls , and the relief of aged Masons and widows . In their schools about 600 children were clothed and maintained , and given an excellent education , whilst about £ 16 , 000 was paid to aged Brethren and to widows . But this sum , large as it was , was , as they must remember , exclusive of the fund administered

by their Graud Lodge . Thus in Staffordshire they raised annually upwards of £ 1 , 000 to help towards the relief of their Brethren . In addition they had purchased , at tbe cost of over £ 700 , during a comparatively short term , a perpetual right to have one child at the Wolverhampton Orphan Asylum . All this money was raised by absolutely voluntary subscriptions .

They were not a benefit society , and never tried to induce any man to join them in the hope of gain . It was in no spirit of pride or boastfulness that they dwelt upon these things . It was simply to remind them of the way in which they endeavoured to carry out the divine precept of love to the Brethren , believing that in so doing they were taking their Saviour as their pattern . The preacher then dwelt on the second rule—Fear God .

Staffordshire.

Honour the king , and in the course of his remarks on the latter portion , said that God had given them a Sovereign whose life and conduct during the Ust sixty years had been an example to all . The prayers which had been offered day by day in her behalf had been so visibly and abundantly answered that they

leit tnat tnis great mercy and blessing ought to be acknowledged by them with continual thanksgiving to God . But suppose the ease had been otherwise . It would still have been their duty to honour the Sovereign , no matter what that Sovereign ' s character might be . It would be so because God had said so . But as he had said God had given them a Sovereign whose life and conduct

had been an example to all her subjects , and they had therefore that day most sincerely offered their congratulations and expressed their unalterable loyalty and devotion . They made bold to say , in fact , that of all Her Majesty ' s many millions of subjects none would thank God more fervently for the blessings they had enjoyed , or pray more earnestly that she may long be spared , than the members of the Craft .

After the banquet , and the usual preliminary toasts , Bro . Frank James P . D . P . G . M . Staffs . proposed the health of the Prov . G . M . of Staffordshire Bro . the Earl of Dartmouth . In doing so he said he regarded his selection to perform that duty as a very great honour . In connection with Freemasonry in Staffordshire

, it had been his privilege to be under some eight , or nine , or ten Provincial Grand Masters , if they included the time when the Province was in the hands of the Grand Eegistrar of England . He recognised fully the truth of the words which had been spoken that day . They had never had a Provincial

Grand Master but who had been actuated by a desire to do the best for Freemasonry , and he was quite satisfied their present Master was no exception to the rule . " Long may he continue to reign over us . " When be was in that noble pile where the service was held he could not help thinking that if instead of being speculative Masons they were operative Masons , capable

of raising such a building , they would be worthy of their predecessors . They heard alike from the reading desk and from the pulpit a definition of those duties which ought to animate all Freemasons . As an old Mason , one ardently attached to the Order , especially in connection with the Province of Stafford , he asked them to drink with the heartiest sincerity to the health of the Provincial Grand Master .

The Prov . Grand Master said : I beg to thank you most sincerely for the kind reception accorded to me . I beg to thank Bro . James for the manner in which he has proposed this toast , and for the kind expressions made use of in submitting ifc to you . When I remember—I do not altogether remember , but

when I realise—that Bro . James has served his fifty years as a Mason ; that the Lodge of which he is so distinguished an ornament is celebrating its Jubilee ; and when we realise that Bro James is again the W . M . of that Lodge , then anything he may say will be received with attention and respect by every

Mason in the Province , and I feel it very much an honour that this toast should be proposed by him . I need hardly tell you that I realise the high honour you have paid me in receiving me as your Provincial Grand Master . I know there are many shortcomings on my part , and no one is more aware of that fact than

I am myself . It is only by the kind and continued support and assistance of the Brethren of the Province that I can hope to do anything to justify the honour conferred upon me . Bro . James claims to be the oldest Mason present , and I may claim to be tbe youngest—well , one of the youngest . For a time I regretted having

undertaken the duty , after realising the responsibilities of the position I occupy . I can only assure you once more , as long as I continue to keep your confidence I shall endeavour to carry out the duties of the office to the best of my ability and to the interest of the Province as a whole . —" Lichfield Mercury . "

There are 800 Lodges , with an aggregate membership of 100 , 000 , in the State of New York . o o o THE " Quiver " for this month contains a special article , entitled " Tho Queen to Her People : a Record of Sympathy , " profusely illustrated with portraits and wood engravings . Sir Lewis Morris has written a Jubilee Poem for the number , entitled " Victoria Victrix . "

MESSRS . Cassell and Company are publishing a popular edition , at 6 d , of " The Queen's Pictures , " illustrating the chief events of Her Majesty ' s life ( reproduced by special permission ) , with descriptive notes by Richard R . Holmes , F . S . A ., Librarian , Windsor Castle . The original edition of this work was issued at ls 6 d , and the price was raised to 5 s shortly after publication .

THB second part of Messrs . Cassell ' s new serial , " The Queen s Empire , " contains a series of photographic reproductions with descriptive text , showing " How the Queen and the Queen's Subjects Travel , " including Her Majesty in her carriage-and-four , Motor Cars , Cycling in Hyde Park , the Royal Yacht , an odd Irish Railway , Sledging in Canada , a Burmese Ox-cart , Cable Tramcar in Melbourne , Crossing a South African Drift in a Bullock-wagon , a Caravan in the Khyber Pass , and various other methods of travel now in vogue in different parts of the Empire .