Church Services.

The first part of the Service consisted of the second Litany from the form of Intercession , which was said by Bro . the Rev . T . Redfern . Bro . R . G . Venables read the first , and Bro . Lord Harlech the second lesson . The remainder of the Service was taken by Bro . Redfern . The Service was

of a special musical character . Disappointment was felt that Bro . Maldwyn Humphreys , R . A . M ., who had been announced to take part , found himself unable to do so , but the solo anthem " Thou shalt not leave his soul in hell , " and the

special Masonic anthem , " Hail , Masonry divine , " were taken by Mr . A . Brown and Bro . J . W . Dow in a manner which must have made all feel that in them the musical life of the town had received two invaluable recruits .

The hymn before the sermon was " Peace , perfect peace . " The preacher was Bro . the Rev . J . B . Meredith W . M . of St . Oswald Lodge , No . 1124 , and he took as his text the words , " Finally , my brethren , be strong in the Lord , and in the power of his might . " ( Ephesians vi 10 ) . He knew , he

said , that by some Masonry was regarded with derision , and as a pretext for social enjoyment . Never was there a greater mistake . He knew that secrecy might conceal that of which there was reason to be ashamed , but on the other hand we

might keep secret what we felt most deeply about . That aspect of secrecy applied especially to us northern nationswe did not wear our hearts upon our sleeves . To those outside the Craft he would say there was not one secret in Masonry that did not tell of high and noble teaching .

Masonry was a religious society ; let them see that they made their faith real and strong , a power that controlled them . The next of their teachings was loyalty ; let their

loyalty be strong , steadfast , and earnest , and not such as was over-borne by the first wave of feeling that passed over the land . Then prayer was an absolute necessity if they believed in God .

Referring to the Benevolent aspect of Masonry , the preacher said their Charities were so organised and distributed that there could be nothing about their administration that could hurt the most delicate feeling . The offertory , which was divided between the Mayor ' s

Fund and the Masonic War Fund , amounted to £ 17 5 s gd . The offertory hymn was " O , Lord of Hosts , without whose will , " and the service closed with the singing of the National Anthem and the recessional hymn " The God of Abraham praise , " during which the procession reformed and left the church at the west door , and returned to the vestry .

Before dispersing , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master for Shropshire Bro . R . G . Venables , on behalf of the Brethren , congratulated Lord Harlech on entering his eighty-second year . He also addressed a few words of encouragement to the " Lewises , " and intimated his intention to present them with

copies of the Volume of the Sacred Law . Bro . T . Owen P . G . A . D . C . ably acted as Director of Ceremonies , assisted by Bro . E . M . Gardner P . P . G . A . P . Bro . H . H . Tims presided at the organ , and was assisted by Bro . E . H . Dannatt . — " Oswestry Advertiser . "

The Recent Service At Edinburgh.

THE RECENT SERVICE AT EDINBURGH .

rfl HE Secretary of the Arrangements Committee ( Bro . R . JL Wood Hawks ) of the recent Masonic Service in St . Giles , Edinburgh , for the War Funds , has received the following letters from Bro . James Hozier , M . P ., Grand Master Mason of Scotland : —

House of Commons , London , gth March 1900 . MY DEAR MK . HAWKS , —I am commanded to convey to the Arrangements Committee , and to the Masonic Lodges of

Edinburgh and of Mid-Lothian generally , the thanks of Her Majesty the Queen and of the Prince of Wales for the specially bound copies of the order of Divine Service of the

4 th of February , which you forwarded to me for dutiful submission . I enclose the letters which I have received to that effect . With kindest regards ,

Yours very truly and Fraternally , ( Signed ) J AMES HOZIER , Grand Master Mason of Scotland .

Buckingham Palace , 9 th March 1900 . DEAR SIR , —I have laid before the Queen , with your humble duty , the specially prepared copy of the Order of

The Recent Service At Edinburgh.

Divine Service , held , under the auspices of the Masonic Lodges of Edinburgh and Mid-Lothian , in aid of the Lord Provost ' s War Relief Funds , on the 4 th ultimo , which you

have been good enough to offer for Her Majesty ' s acceptance . I am commanded to thank you for the same , and also to express the Queen ' s satisfaction at the very liberal sum collected on the occasion .

I have the honour to be , Dear Sir , Yours very faithfully , ( Signed ) ARTHUR BIGGE . To the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., Grand Master Mason of Scotland .

Marlborough House , Pall Mall , S . W ., 6 th March 1900 . DEAR SIR , —I have submitted your letter to the Prince of Wales , and I am desired by His Royal Highness , in reply , to request you to convey to the Masonic Lodges of Edinburgh

and of Mid-Lothian the expression of his best thanks for the copy of the book of the Masonic Service held under their auspices in St . Giles' Cathedral , Edinburgh , on Sunday , the

4 th of February , which you have been so good as to forward in their name for his acceptance . He is glad to hear that the collection on that occasion reached the handsome sum of nearly £ 600 .

I remain , yours truly , ( Signed ) FRANCIS KNOLLYS . To the Honourable James Hozier , M . P .

The re-election of the Prince of Wales for the twentyfifth year as Grand Master of the English Freemasons—thus rendering his tenure of the position second only to that of the late Earl of Zetland , who held it for a year longer—is not the

less interesting because the Heir-Apparent in his earlier manhood is understood to have more than once declined to join the Craft . This caused "Punch , " as long ago as the autumn of 1868 , to indulge in several verses on the theme " He Won ' t be a Mason , " which commenced :

We need not prepare , For we can ' t get the Heir To make us a Joyful Occasion ; He thinks it's all stuff When we play blind man's buff

With a Free and an Accepted Mason . "Pxinch" even thought that "the time had gone by "for Masonry ; but those Brethren of the mystic tie who to-day rejoice over the fact that the number of their Lodges has far more than doubled in the quarter of a century the Prince has been Grand Master , will better appreciate the unconscious prophecy of the last lines of the poem averring that :

When bumpers are tipped , And our napkins are dipped In the gilded old rose water basin , We'll drink to A . E . Whom we still hope to see Some day as an Accepted Mason . — " Westminster Gazette . "

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Puller particulars as to place of meeting of the undermentioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( published by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 1 Grand Masters , F . T . 8 British , Freemasons ' -hall 21 Emulation , Albion 185 Tranquility , Guildhall Tavern T ? . Ci Pnnmiiro Rflllmm

862 Whittington , Freemasons' -hall 901 City of London , Guildhall Tav . 1537 St . Peter , Westminster , Crtrn . 1657 Aldersgate , Albion 1694 Imperial , Westminster 2060 La France , Cafe Royal 2489 Willesden , Willesden Green

102 Unanimity , North Walsham 148 Lights , Warrington 236 York , York 248 True Love & Unity , Brixham 270 R . Faith & Friendship , Berkeley 302 Hope , Bradford

307 Prince Frederick , HebdenBridge 312 Lion , Whitby 359 Peace & Harmony , South ' pton 377 Hope & Charity , Kidderminster 382 Royal Union , Uxbridge 388 Prudence , Halesworth 424 Borough , Gateshead 455 Perseverance , Ketering

466 Merit , Stamford Baron 543 Cleveland , Stokesley 607 Chicheley , Thrapston 699 Roscawea , Chacewater 737 Wentworth , Wellingboro '

2563 Justicia , Freemasons ' -hall 2699 Wandle , Wandsworth 37 Anchor and Hope , Bolton 77 Freedom , Gravesend