Devonshire.

one of the best , if not the best , Provincial Secretary m their vast Order . He had to ask Bro . Stocker to accept from them some small mark of their esteem for him , and their gratitude for the labour he had performed . It was particularly pleasing for him to be the mouthpiece of the Brethren and the channel

through which the testimonial should be given to Bro . Stocker , for his work in connection with the Province as well as the work of Lord Northcote had been materially lightened and made pleasant by the admirable way in which Bro . Stocker had discharged his duties . The foundations of the work of

Secretary of that Province were laid by Bro > . John Brewer , who had passed away , but it was an Office which required both business habits and tact . The testimonial had been subscribed to by 781 Brethren and thirty-nine Lodges as

such , which showed the general estimation in which Bro Stocker was held . Pie would ask Bro . Gould to read the inscription on the vellum which was part of the presentation Bro . Gould read as follows :

The Brethren and Lodges -in the Province of Devonshire whose names are inscribed herein desire to offer to W . Bro . John Stocker ( P . M . 39 , Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , England ; Past Prov . Grand Treasurer , Devonshire ; Past Prov . Grand Warden , and Prov . Grand Sec . of Devonshire ) their hearty congratulations

on his having been appointed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master to the distinguished Office of Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies in the Grand Lodge of England , and desire to present him with his Grand Lodge regalia , together with a cheque for one hundred

guineas , as a further mark of their regard and a grateful recognition of the valuable services he has rendered to Freemasonry in general , and to the Province of Devonshire in particular . —F . W . HARDING 444 Hon . Sec . ; J OSEPH GOULD 39 Hon . Treas .

The Acting P . G . M . then formally made the presentation , expressing the hope that Bro . StocKer would be spared to serve tnem for many years to come . Bro . Stocker , who was enthusiastically received , replied . He said their kindness would encourage him , if possible , to

do even more than he had in the past . Their goodwill and affection was not shown only there that day ; he had often experienced it , and words failed him to express the gratitude he felt for their now g iving it to him in this tangible shape . He thanked them especially for the support they gave his

Stewardship last January , to which he had alluded in his report . It was that wonderful list they enabled him to make that brought him more prominently before those in authority , and brought about his appointment in April last . Letters of congratulation then poured in upon him from all parts of the

Province . As long as God gave him health and strength , and he was acceptable to the Brethren , he hoped to continue the work of Secretary . The cheque of 100 guineas was a valuable gift , but he hoped they did not think he intended

keeping it himself . Pie thought at first to divide it among the three Provincial Charities , but the Acting Prov . G . M . had given him a better idea , and he was going to pass it over to the Treasurer of the Devon Educational Fund , on conditions which Bro . Davie would name .

The Acting Prov . G . M . said his proposal was that it should constitute not a Life Governorship but a perpetual Governorship , Bro . Stocker holding the votes as long as he lived , and that afterwards they should be held by the Prov . Grand Secretary , and be known as " The Stocker Votes . "

Bro . Stocker ' s name being thus kept green among Devonshire Freemasons in perpetuity . Bro . Lord , in accepting the cheque as Treasurer of the Devon Masonic Educational Fund , said the gift proved once more Bro . Stocker ' s great interest in their local Institutions .

On the proposition of Bro . S . Jones , seconded by Bro . J . R . Wilson , a vote of thanks was passed to the Master Bro . H . Key and the Wardens of Lodge Fortescue , for their excellent arrangements and hospitality . —" Western Morning News . "

An Hour's Talk.

AN HOUR'S TALK .

IN the " Old Rules of the Grand Lodge at York , 1725 , " there appeared the following regulation , numbered 13 : "An hour shall be set apart to talk Masonry . " Well for us if

such a rule were in force and under observance to-day . Taking for granted that this rule was observed as it should have been in those times ; what must we conclude with regard to the Masonry of to-day ? Must we admit a general

An Hour's Talk.

intellectual decline , or must we admit that the charm of Masonry lies no longer in the intellectual but rather in the social phase ? Such a rule at that time must have been of immense value to the Craft , and , if so , of what incalculable benefit would it prove to us of these later days , when there

is so much more to be learned , so much more history to be investigated ? These Craftsmen of a century and three quarters ago evidently realised what we strive so strenuously to teach the Apprentice of to-day—that there was more in

Masonry than the ritual and social intercourse . The greatest problem that confronts those who would be Masonic teachers now-a-days is to induce the young Mason to learn not only the what but the why of Masonry . How much might this simple " hour of talk " accomplish in a Lodge !

Brethren will repudiate the regulation of olden days as impracticable ; yet its very impracticability proves its necessity . Small wonder that Masonry loses its interest to men of good minds if the intellectual element is eliminated . Here is a way of improving , and a simple way . We who

make such a boast of the splendid condition of the Craft in a great and growing Republic where Masonry does not increase rapidly enough to satisfy us , must we be forced to admit that , so far as intellectuality is concerned , we fall below the standard set by our Brethren of a long-past century ? Humiliating thought .

An " hour of talk " about Masonry does not mean dry sermons or stilted speech on threadbare topics . Far from it . There is more of interest in Masonry than is dreamed of by those who have never made of it a conscientious study .

To the Lodge which would pose as great among Lodges , we commend this simple , old-fashioned , yet wonderfully valuable rule of " An hour set apart to talk Masonry . " What a wide range of topics may be considered under this little head . Try it . — " Masonic Sun . "

****************** Leaders of English Freemasonry express sympathy with an appeal which has been made , curiously enough , to the Grand Lodge of Scotland . This appeal is formulated by the Grand Lodge of Denmark , which in a letter has protested

against the Grand Lodge of Hamburg creating a Daughter Lodge at the Danish capital . The Danes declare that this is an outrageous and even wanton invasion , and the Scottish Masons are asked to use their aid in drawing the attention of foreign Lodges to it . The English Masons have a direct

interest in this matter , by reason of the fact that the Crown Prince of Denmark Grand Master of the Order in the kingdom is also a past Grand Master of England . The incident is probably unparalleled in the modern history of Masonry . — " Manchester Guardian . " [ This is not the first notice we have

seen of this matter . It is also referred to in the report of the proceedings at the Grand Lodge of New South Wales , as given in our last issue . Most probably the complaint has been duly communicated to our Grand Lodge , but with the usual

apathy of Englishmen in dealing with the affairs of their neighbours—in Masonic as well as outside matters—has not been deemed worthy of special reference by the authorities of Grand Lodge . —Ed . F . C . ] . fawi—TT . L : n •* »« Ww : ' £ " . iri-rn-r-rro— -T- » yrrjMfnrarv •¦ ai . n t ^ nn TJ ir ^ K tr twry "E gwmmrri nTMtrnuiimu iamniMii ^ M ^

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

ON Monday afternoon , 19 th inst , at the Glossop Cemetery , the funeral took place , amidst many manifestations of regret , of Bro . Charles Davis , late Town Clerk of Glossop , coroner for the Iiigh Peak Hundred , and registrar of the

Glossop County Court . The funeral cortege comprised hearse and five coaches , besides a number of private carriages sent by Lord Ploward , of Glossop , and the gentry of the district . Amongst those present were his Honour Judge Waddy , K . C ., County Court Judge ; the members and officials of the

Corporation , the borough police , the Brethren of the Devonshire Lodge of Freemasons , Grand United Order of Oddfellows , representatives from the Conservative Club , and other societies with which the deceased was connected . A large number of persons witnessed the procession .

THE funeral of Bro . W . Memery at St . Mary ' s Churchyard , Brixham , on Sunday afternoon , was attended by a large number of the Brethren of the True Love and Unity Lodge , of which deceased , who was eighty-one years of age , was an old and respected member . The Brethren carried sprigs of acacia , which they cast upon the coffin in the grave .