The Late Bro. F. T. Barrett, Of Southend.

THE LATE BRO . F . T . BARRETT , OF SOUTHEND .

AT St . John's Churchyard , Southend , last week , Bro . Thomas Hood , the Worshipful Maater of the Priory Lodge , No . 1000 , unveiled the handsome memorial which haa been placed over the grave of the late Bro . Thomas Firmiu Barrett by hia Masonio friends . Bro . Barrett was for a number of years prominently connected with the Priory Lodge , of whioh he was a Past Master and the Director of Ceremonies . He was also a Past Provincial Graud

Registrar of Essex , tho Secretary of tbe Priory Lodge of Instruction , and one of the Principals of the Priory Chapter of the Holy Royal Arch . The brethren who assembled to witness the ceremony included Bros . Albert Lucking , W . D . Merrifcfc , F . Wood , the Rev . T . W . Herbert , G . R . Dawson , C Floyd , J . R . Brightwell , W . E . Bridgland

B . Thomas , A . Vandervord , W . Tyler , John Taylor , E . J . How maker , W . M . Peacey , W . Wallis , W . T . Darke , F . Cantor , and A . W . Martin . Masonio clothing and regidia were not worn , but most of the brethren were attired in mourning . Amongst those also present were Mrs . Hood , Mrs . Brightwell , Mrs . Dawson , Mrs . Thomas , Mrs . A . Vandervord , Miss Vandervord , Mrs . Bridgland , Mr . T . A . Barrett

( eldest son of the late Bro . Barrett ) , Mr . E . H . Taylor , Mr . J . Borland jun ., aud several others . The proceedings were commenced by the Wor . Master calling npon the Chaplain ( Bro . the Rev . T . W . Herbert ) , who , in the course of an address , said : —We have met here to perform a very pleasing duty , and the difficulty I have is this—I know what I want to say ,

but I am afraid I am not equal to saying it . I wish I could ; but , any way , I know you will accept the word for the deed . Of conrae , we wish to pay great reverence—I may say , homage—to our dear friend who haa departed . His remains of humanity rest here , but we have confidence that his immortality haa gone where it will rest in peace for evermore . I knew our departed Brother for many

years , and learnt to love and respect him ; and I am sure one and all of you—whether you ore Freemasons or not—who knew him in some way , regarded him in the same spirit . We did not all know him in private life as we ought to bave done , and aa some did ; bnt the feeling of those who knew him in private life was one of great reverence and great devotion for such a tender and loving friend .

I knew him more especially as a Freemason , and Freemasons—I aay ifc in the presence of ladies—ought to be the best men u the world . From his calling in the Craft , no man ought to be so good as a Freemason . All Freemasons believe in the Bible , and believe it to be the word of God ; and I shall nofc be disclosing any secrets of the Graft when I say that they desire to carry out the principles of thafc

Holy book . I had the very true pleasure of speaking to and holding communion with our dear brother several months before ho was taken from us . I was very thankful for that , and I should have had great grief at heart if I had nofc had that groat privilege . Ho waa an accomplished Mason . Some Masons aro nofc so fully able to discharge their duties as others are ; but be was , in every respect , a

credit to the Craft , a credit to himself , and an ornament to his Lodge . I have never met with suoh respect—I can go further and say , I have never met with so muoh kindness and sympathy from any one—as I did from our dear brother whose remains are lying here . I trust his namo will ever bo honoured and respected—may I say reverenced ?—in tho locality in whioh he lived . In conclusion ,

the rev . gentleman invited those present to join with him in repeating the beautiful confession of the churoh to which their brother belonged ^ The confession was thereupon repeated , and a shorb prayer having been offered by fche Chaplain , Bro . F . Wood P . M . said : As fche oldest member of the Lodge to

whioh onr brother belonged , I feel it is incumbent upon mo to say a few words . We , in the Fraternity , value the services he rendered to us . You , who do not belong to it , often benefitted by his kind words and sympathy . And , as we all know , he was ever ready to do what ho could to ameliorate the condition of those who were lower down the social scale than himself . Ho was summoned from thia

earthly sphere , and wo hope and believe he has ascended to the mansions of tho Great . Architect of the Universe . Bro . W . D . Merritt P . M . also made a few appropriate remarks , referring to the late Bro . Barrett in tbe following terms : To one and all he was a sincere , kind friend—in Freemasonry or outside it . Throughout the town in which ho resided he endeared himself to all

classes of society . Indeed , be made a mark for himself ; and wo have assembled here to do honour to his name . The Worshipful Master , witb the assistance of tho Tyler ( Brother Martin ) , then withdrew tho white cloth whioh had covered tho memorial , und , addressing those present , he said : Brethren and Friends , —In the presence of my Past Masters , I will merely say

that , having unveiled thia tomb , I trust thafc , when looked upon by yon and myself , ib will be to ns a monument of what may be attained in the mattera of perfect home-love , perfect home-happiness , great Masonic love , the highest esteem of neighbours ; and devotion to tho Great Architect of the Universe , to whose holy name be all honour and g'ory .

The blessing wtta pronounced by the Chaplain ; and , after inspecting tho memorial , the company quietly diapersed . Tho memorial ia the work of Mr . R . Wright , stonemason , Southend , upon whom it reflects tho greatest credit . At the head of tho grave are three blocks of monumental marble , surmounted with a plain marblo cross ; and upon the marble blocks are the words : —

In Memory of THOMAS FIBMIN BAKKETT , Who died 18 th August 1890 , Aged 56 yeara .

Thia monument is erected by his Masonic brethren , as a token of thoir brotherly love and esteem , aud of tho great respect due to him for his services fco tho Order .

The Late Bro. F. T. Barrett, Of Southend.

" One of tho brightest characters recorded in the annala of Masonry . " The grave is enclosed with a marble curb , and ia paved inside the curb with small squares of black and white marble , representative of the carpet of a Masonic Lodge . Iu the centre of the grave is a block of marble , measuring cuo foot square , and representing an ashlar .

Engraved on three sides of the block are Masonio emblems , representing tho offices held hy tho lato Bro . Barrett ; and beneath tbe emblems are the following inscriptions : — "P . G . Reg . 1882 ;" " W . M . 1000 , 1882 ; " and " J . 1000 , 1889 . " On the south side of the tomb are the words : " Here also rests Henry Layton Barrett , who died 25 th January 1886 , uged 21 years . "

Work On Freemasonry.

WORK ON FREEMASONRY .

' To the Editor of the St . Helen ' s Reporter . DEAR SIR , —My attention baa been called to some remarks of yours , introduced in a review of the excellent history of the Harmonic Lodge , Liverpool , by Mr . Joseph Hawkins . It is often rather difficult to get at tbe actual facts of the history of an " Anoient " Lodge , owing to a very reprehensible practice of that Grand Lodge .

They were in the habit of selling to new bodies the old charters which had been returned to them . Thus a charter might lie in their office many years , and then be sold to a distant part of the country ; whioh was really equivalent to dating the new body backwards , and giving it a precedence to which it waa not entitled . Thanks to Mr . John Lane ' s work " Masonio Records , 1717-1886 , " it is now an easy

matter fco get at the chief points of the history of all Lodges that have been chartered by the Grand Lodge of England , compiled from official documents preserved iu the Graud Lodge . It appeara that the " Ancient" Grand Lodge chartered at Liverpool , on the 27 th December 1755 , a body which returned its charter to the Grand Lodge in 1785 . Ont of ita debris ( I use tbe word in no

offensive sense , but only because ifc ia expressive ) was formed Lodge No . 32 , chartered 30 th May 1786 . It is impossible to see , upon ordinary lines , how this can give No . 32 a date , or any precedence , beyond 1786 . If they have a continuous record , and history , beyoud that date , the best thing tbat they can do is to imitate the Harmonic Lodge , and gratify us by printing their history . But all actual

precedence is governed by charter date , aud Mr . Hawkins' contention as regards the Preacot Lodge ia correct . What no really intelligent Masou can understand ia the supineneaa of the rich and influential Provinces of Lancashire , not inaugurating a higher standard of intelligence bv the encouragement of Maaonic

literature ; while the highly-placed officials of tho Craft are often , in thia point of view , tho least capable of all . I am pleased to see that the excellent history of the Harmonio Lodgo haa met with duo appreciation from you . Not only ia it one of the beat and most interesting of all private Lodge histories , but aa printers' work , it is equally excellent .

I may mention that tbo Quatuor Coronati Lodge , No . 207 b , London , is giving n hotter tone to Masonry , in the respect to which I hnvo blinded , by printing their efforts , and distributing them amongst about 1000 members of their Correspondence Circle . Thoy uro farther re-printing in fac simile some of the more anciont and

valuable works on Masonry . A gem of this kind ia a vellum MS ., written not later than 1450 , which hns been bouud to imitate tho original in boards of ancient oak , taken from the Arundlo Chapel . The latter part of this book is without doubt the Saxon Charges of the Masons of tho time of Athelstan .

Yours trulv , JOHN YAUKKR P . M ., P . Z . & c , 33 , 90 , 96 , Past Senior Graud Warden of Greece , Ao . Withington , near Manchester , 7 th August 1891 .

MKMOKIAL WINDOWS AT HEALEY Cnuitcn . — In a recent issue we gavo a report of Archdeacon Wilson ' s fine sermon afc tho unveiling of six memorial windows afc Christ Church , Healey . Tho day ' s services wero very successful . In tho afternoon thero was a flower service , tho preacher being tho Rev . John A . Lloyd , M . A . ( Past Grand Chaplain and vicnr of Mere , Wilts ) . Some 110 children curried

bouquets of tastefully arranged flowers , aud their procession from the Sunday school to the church waa headed by the two tiny children of the late Mr . Roger Chadwick Leach , in whose memory one of the windows is placed . The flowers wero collected and placed on a table provided for them near the chancel steps by Mr . Lloyd and the vicar of Healey , whore they remained until the close of the evening service .

Ihey were afterwards sent , some to various sick peoplo iu tho parish , some to tho Rochdalo Infirmary , aud others to tho Rev . Robert Leach , vicar of St . Silas , Pentonville , for the use of his sick people . Mr . Lloyd gave a simple and touching address , and at the evening service preached on fche visit of the Queou of Sheba to King Solomon ; " Behold the half was not told unto me . " In connection

with the window placed in memory of the lato Sir . Albert Hudson Royds , touching allusion was made to his long and honourable association with the Freemasons of Lancashire and his connection with . ' the church at Healey . It was a singular coincidence thnfc Sunday was tho anniversary of the laying of tho foundation stone of the church , and that among the large congregations were many who were present ou that occasion . At each service ao . anthem was

snng by tbe choir . Mr . T . Howarth presided at the organ . On Saturday evening there wns a pnblic tea meeting , when about IU 0 persons were present . The vicar ( the Rev . J . J . H . Cottle ) presided , and addresses were given by the Rev . G . Thompson ( vicar of Harley Wood , near Todmorden ) , and Mr . Robert L . Tweedalo formerly of Healey Hall . The latter distributed a number of Sunday school prizes .