Masonic Ceremonies Of The Week.

MASONIC CEREMONIES OF THE WEEK .

TWO important ceremonies in which the Craft has taken a leading part have to be chronicled this week . The first of these was the presentation to the authorities of St . Albans Abbey of a Masonic Pul pit , which had been subscribed for by English Masons

generally . Advantage was taken of the day appointed for the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Hertfordshire , which assembled under the banner of the Halsey Lodge , No . 1479 , at the Town Hall , St . Albans , on Monday last , and after the regular business of Provincial Grand

Lodge had been transacted , a procession was formed , and the brethren proceeded to the Abbey , where a full choral service was performed . The clergymen who took part in the proceedings were the Rev . W . Lawrance , M . A ., the Rector ; the Rev . P . Deedes , M . A ., Prov . Grand Chaplain ;

the Rev . C . C . Ewbank , M . A ., Prov . Grand Chaplain ; and the Rev . L . Deedes , M . A ., Past Prov . Grand Chaplain . The Pulpit was formally presented , on behalf of the

Masonic body , by the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Bro . T . F . Halsey , M . P ., after which a capital sermon was preached by the Rev . W . Oswell Thompson , M . A ., Grand Chaplain .

The second event to which we desire to call attention

was the ceremonial of laying the Memorial Stone of the York Institute of Art , Science and Literature , by H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England . This took place on Wednesday , when a Special Grand Lodge was held at the

Guildhall , while the members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of North and East Yorkshire attended at the Assembl y Rooms . The good citizens of York entered most heartily into the spirit that prompted the gathering , and the arrangements made left nothing to be desired .

There was a very large number of Freemasons present , the brethren having ably responded to the desire the Provincial Grand Master , the Earl of Zetland , had expressed , that the members of his Province should support him on the occasion . The procession was formed soon after ten

o clock , and was joined by the representatives of Grand Lodge en route . The ceremony was conducted with every regard to Masonic custom , and then the brethren returned to Grand Lodge and Prov . Grand Lodge , which were respectivel y closed . The Lord Mayor of York afterwards entertained a select party at the Mansion House .

An Ear Of Corn Near A Pall Of Water.

AN EAR OF CORN NEAR A PALL OF WATER .

Si ^ - ^ TIME S s trange dreams are born of acciden ts . fs - ' ihe title indicated above is suggestive to all who have pursued and appreciated the mysteries of the Science , and M ? Pregnant of ideas , which it mav be well to nonder . in

is dull" season of the year , when active work i 3 more or less relaxed in favour of what may be termed the lighter amaes of the Craft . Travelling along , not many days ago , men old

an and valued brother , when the skies were cloudflo J e counfcl 7 redolent of a thousand odours of the wers that blossomed among the new-mown hay , we came a « ross an ear or two of wheat , Full in the bloom they

An Ear Of Corn Near A Pall Of Water.

were and heavy , and speculation rose as to the promise ot the harvest which is yet to come . Our brother fastened tbe ears in his "button hole , " as gladsome as though a maiden had gathered him a bouquet , and we conversed of scenes in " ye olden time" —for we are both bordering on

the sere and yellow leaf—in which we had participated , when youth gave colour to the cheek , and care had graved no farrows on the brow . On through tbe meadowy fields

where cowslips ' wavered , and daisies peeped their yellow jealousies , half in anger , half in coquetry , amid the nodding crowd , where the modest clover slept until the after-math , and Nature breathed with that sublime rest of which the

poets sing , we sauntered in the midst of a congenial interchange of thought and reminiscence which all men love after the absence of many years . Recalled were many memories spent in the dignified quietude of Lodge , when work was being done , and the sublime

mysteries which only Masons know were in the course of active operation . Back again upon the recollection came wafted the beauteous recollections of the days when the " predominant" light first dawned upon the vision , and the sacred histories were traced upon the chequered floor . All

this in fancy , but still to congenial hearts most pleasant and exhilarating . " As iron sharpeneth iron , so doth the countenance of man his friend . " The old . proverb has its significance , which only true friends know , and who such friends as Masons ? Bat to the moral of the story .

In the course of our perambulations , when the sun shone at its meridian , and all nature wore the livery of summer , we came across a brook , o ' er whose pellucid stream a rude bridge was cast , and in the transit of it our brother chanced to lose an ear of corn , Quoth he . " I have lost mine ear of corn beside a fall of water !"

What memories it recalled , what thoughts engendered Is there any need to sermonise ? The significance of the text to Masons is apparent . But there are other aspirations as the outcome of such an incident , simple as it might appear . The sowing of the seed may bring home to us

the birth of that Masonic light which has brought such blessing to mankind ; and the fall of water which the Great Architect of the Universe has caused to flow must blend in the unique plan of fructifying the earth and covering it with plenteous gladness . Applied in

an abstract sense , the ripening of brotherly love , relief and truth , is only by the dew which is cast upon it by the tenets which the Craft begets ; and over the united whole there shines the halo of a great and beneficent Creator . The incident is not without its moral . Old

friends meet after a severance of many years—sweet memories are revived by the refreshing rains of retained and retaining affection . The seeds of fraternal unity , sown years ago , but long forgotten , are seen again in the full growth of re-united friendship , whilst the showers of

memory fall , unexpectedly and welcome , upon a harvest of nearly unremembered things . How glibly we conversed upon recounted pleasures from the simple fact of that ear of corn being inadvertently dropped beside the fall of water ! It reminded us of scenes so full of wholesome

pleasure in the long , long time ago , when the heartstrings knew none of the worry and toil which come to all men of mature age . There were dreams of moments so sublime when , at the feet of our Gamaliels , we sat and learnt the lessons of our Masonic faith . How g igantic we thought they were in the Art , and think so still . How grateful