Church Service.

need hardly point out that Masonry meant the greatest goodwill and charity , so he asked them that afternoon to be as good and as liberal as they thought God had been to them . The collection , which was then taken , amounted to £ 30 16 s 5 d . The service concluded with devotional exercises . — " Belfast News Letter . "

An interesting paragraph appears in the " Masonic Journal , " as to the career of Bro . Henry Taylor Prov . G . Reg . Cheshire who , it is stated , was initiated into Masonry in the Cestrian Lodge , No . 425 , in 1873 , and was installed as W . M . in 1892 . He also fills the office of J . in the Cestrian R . A . Chapter .

Bro . Taylor , who was born in 1845 , at Wigan , has had a most distinguished career . He received his educated at the Wigan and Shrewsbury Grammar Schools , after which he studied for the law , and was admitted a solicitor at the Easter Term , 1868 . " Old Salopians " will remember him as long distance

runner of 1861 , and Cestrians as Hon . Sec . of the Royal Chester Rowing Club , and of the Chester Regatta , and No . 2 in the Chester Four of 1867 . fn J 874 Brother Taylor became Town Clerk of Flint , and in the same year was appointed Clerk to the justices of Flint borough . He was also Clerk to the Chester

Port Sanitary Authority ; Registrar of the County Court of Flintshire , at Mold and Flint ; Clerk to the Justices of the Broxton Division of Cheshire , and to the Commissioners of Taxes for the same district . In 1875 , Bro . Taylor was appointed Deputy Constable of Flint Castle , and since

the Redistribution Act of 1885 , the high Sheriffs of Cheshire have appointed him the Returning Officer of the Hyde Divisions of the County at Parliamentary elections . Bro . Taylor has always taken a keen interest in literary matters . He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1888 ,

and was appointed local Secretary to the Society for Cheshire in 1897 . He also serves on the councils of the Cheshire and Cambrian Archaeological Societies , and on that of the Lancashire and Cheshire Record Society . Fie was appointed an " Ovate " by the Welsh Gorsedd in 1 895 , with the Bardic

appellation of Flmtensis . " Bro . Taylor is audio r of " Historic Notices of Flint , " and has contributed a variety of papers to the Society of Antiquaries , the Archasologia Cambrensis , the Chester Archaeological Society ' s Journal , etc . In March last Bro . Taylor ' s Flintshire and literary friends

presented him with a very handsome service of plate in celebration of his completion of twenty-five years as Town Clerk of Flint The gift was accompanied by his portrait in oil by Mr . Leonard Hughes , R . C . A . ( which now hangs in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall , Flint . )

* * * Fruits of the South African war continue to be manifested in all kinds of indirect fashions , and the latest that is forthcoming is an appeal which is being issued to the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic Institution

for Boys , asking help for a particular candidature at the halfyearly election next month , on the ground that it is a colonial case . The lad Herapath ' s father was an architect in New Zealand , and it is claimed that his election would be " a graceful compliment to our Colonial Brethren , who are so ablv

and willingly assisting the mother country in the Transvaal " ; while the fact that this is the fifth time the candidature has been submitted indicates that it has hitherto lacked the substantial support which is now promised by the Earl of Onslow ( a former Governor of New Zealand ) and the Sheriffs of London .

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

''A SPRIG OF ACACIA . ''

A LATE mail brings the news of the death , on the 31 st July , at his residence - near Melbourne , of Bro . George M Cracken , a native of Monaghan , and another example of a successful Irishman in the colonies . Bro . M'Cracken went out

to Australia over thirty-five years ago , and by foresight , sound business qualities , and steady industry achieved an honourable position , and amassed a considerable fortune in the land of his adoption . That he still retained an affection for the old

country after the lapse of so many years is evidenced by the fact that he was contemplating a visit to the North of Ireland , where two of his brothers reside , and a nephew and namesake ! when struck down by the illness which proved mortal . A lengthy and appreciative article in a Shepparton paperone of those new and properous colonial towns , with

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

which Brother M'Cracken was so long and so honourably identified , and where he owned a large amount of land and property—contains the following in a lengthy reference to the deceased gentleman : — " Mr . M'Cracken took up his-abode at Shepparton over thirty years ago . Pie identified himself from

the start with all movements for the good and advancement of the town and district . For many years he was a member of the Shepparton Shire Council , and held office as President ; was a member of the Urban Water Trust , the Agricultural and Horticultural Society , and from September 1888 was a

member of the Masonic Order . Many are the interesting tales he used to relate of the early pioneers of the north-east —of the " good old times " when he used to post his letters at Violettown and received delivery of his mail at the same place . The deceased gentleman was a thorough sportsman of the

right sort , a rare judge of horse flesh , a strong supporter of the local racing club , which he founded . To his advocacy and persistency we are mainly indebted for the excellent improvements in Shepparton in the way of street forming and channelling , and those who were then opposed to his scheme

as being in advance of the requirements of the time recognised , when it was fully carried out , the forethought and sound judgment he evinced in the matter . Few who knew him intimately will forget the strong personality he possessed . In commercial matters he was both punctual and honourable , and in private

life a staunch and lasting friend . The deceased was a native of County Monaghan , in the North of Ireland , and was of the Presbyterian faith . He leaves a widow , one son , and three daughters to mourn his loss , and to them we extend our fullest sympathy in the bereavement they have sustained . To us it

is the loss of an old , valued , and much respected friend . His spirit will rest near the scenes in which he figured for over a score of years as a prominent actor , and as time wags on people who never knew him personally will learn to honour the name

of one of the fighting pioneers of early Shepparton , one of her steadfast friends . In good or evil days he stuck to Shepparton , believed in it , did his best for it , and when its history comes to be written the name of Mr . George M'Cracken deserves a page to itself . "

rr \ HE death is announced of Bro . John Whitelaw , of New-I castle . The deceased , who was 56 years of age , was a native of Scotland , but had lived in Newcastle since he was a boy . He was well known , and held in high regard , especially in Masonic circles . Pie was a member of St . Peter Lodge .

Two or three years ago Bro . Whitelaw met with a serious accident . ' Whilst on a ladder superintending some painting work , he fell a distance of about 60 feet . Since then he had

been more or less an invalid . Fie managed , however , to look after his business up to Tuesday , 11 th inst , when he suddenly became , very unwell , and died soon after . Pie leaves a widow and a grown-up family

ON the 11 th inst . the funeral took place at Stockton of Bro . James Spence , Superintendent of the Britain Steamship Company ( Messrs . Watts , Watts and Co . ) , who died suddenly at the Vane Arms the previous Friday night . The coffin was covered with wreaths and crosses , and in addition there was a carriage load of floral tributes . Those present at the funeral

included members of the Philanthrophy Lodge ( of which the deceased was a member ) , the Whitwell , Tees , and Fraternity Lodges , and a large following of personal friends . The Rev . J . A . Clark conducted the burial service at the Oxbridge Cemetery .

SIMULTANEOUSLY with the funeral of the late Captain Sir A . J ephson , R . N ., in Devonshire , at noon on Saturday , a service in his memory was held at Christ Church , Down St , Piccadilly , at which the Rev . Edgar Sheppard , Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal , officiated . The Prince of Wales , in his capacity

as Grand Prior of the Order of St . John of Jerusalem , was represented at the memorial service by Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Stephenson , K . C . B ., while Colonel St . FI . Perrott attended as another representative of the Order , with which the late Sir Alfred j ephson was prominently connected .

T FIE death is announced of Bro . Dr . Isaacher Zacharie Immediate Past Grand Supreme Ruler of the Order of the Secret Monitor , who passed away at noon on Sunday . At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Grand

Council of the Order , held on Monday , it was decided that , in accordance with the wishes of the family , a special S . M . Funeral Service should be held over the body , at the residence of the deceased , prior to the funeral , which took place on Thursday , at tlighgate Cemetery .