The Late Earl Of Carnarvon. Mourning Lodge In Cape Town.

THE LATE EARL OF CARNARVON . MOURNING LODGE IN CAPE TOWN .

UNDER the auspices of the District Grand Lodge of South Africa ( Western Division ) , a " Mourning Lodge , " in memory of tho Rt . Hon . and M . W . the Earl of Carnarvon Pro Grand Master of England , was held at the Commercial Exchange . Tho proceedings were of a solemn and impressive character , and a remarkable feature about them waa that they wero graced by the presence of

non-Masonio visitors , including a very large number of ladies . Mourning in some form or other was universally worn , tho ladies appearing principally in black and white , whilst the Masons had their regalia swathed in crape . The building itself had been specially prepared for the occasion . The walls wero draped with black and bore the " emblems of mortality " peculiar to the Craft ; whilst iu front of

the platform a catafalque had been erected , the coffin being covered with a black velvet pall edged with white , an Earl's coronet being also placed at tho head . Shortly after eight o ' clock , the Officers of fche District Grand Lodgo entered by the east door and marched in procession , headedjiy the District Grand Master ( the Very Rev . Bro . C . W . Barnett-tlarke ,

Dean of Cape Town ) to tho dais , the crowded audience uprising as they appeared . Amongst the Officers were Bros . A . B . Wright W . M . of the Southern Cross Lodge , J . Gardner W . M . Lome Lodge , Dr . R ' H . Ilazell W . M . British ' Lodge , J . F . Ornstien W . M . Carnarvon Lodge , C . J . Muller W . M . Lodge de Goede Hoop , O'D . Douallier representing the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , J . 6 . Riddelsdoll Distriob Grand

Secretary , & c . The general Masonio gathering was composed of members of all the Lodges in the district , besides visitors from Lodges in other parts of the world . Afc the organ was Bro . T . Barrow Dowling District Grand Organist , who had organised a choir from the Cathedral and from outside sources , Miss Rutherford kindly acting as soloist in the anthems . Mrs . Barrow Dowling presided at the pianoforte .

The audience having been directed to be seated , fche Distriob Grand Master delivered an explanatory address , in whioh he recalled to memory the fonr previous occasions in which Mourning Lodges had been held in the Province , and said that they were of unusual occurrence , and were only held when the circumstances were , like those in the present case , of an exceptional character . Referring to

Lord Carnarvon , he said his Lordship , as an undergraduate , was a model of a nobleman and a , gentleman , and he maintained thafc character up to his death . He was a man of good repute , exemplary in conduct , courteous in manner , easy of address , a good man , a true man , a gentleman , and a nobleman . As a Freemason he was a bright example to the Brotherhood , and they had assembled to do

him honour . In concluding , the District Grand Master offered his thanks to the Brethren under the Dutch Constitution and the Netherlands Constitution for the ready manner in whioh they had offered their sympathy to their English brethren in their sad loss by putting thoir Lodges into mourning . He had forwarded the letter received from the District Grand Lodge of the Netherlands to the

Grand Secretary of England , who would lay ifc before H . R . H . fche Prince of Wales , the M . W . Grand Master . The Dean concluded by reading from the volume of the Sacred Law , which , he said , Freemasons revered and treated with the highest honour , Ecclcsiastes xi . and xii . This was followed by the hymn "Days and moments quickl y flying , blend the living with the dead , " a service with

responses ( intoned by W . Bro . the Rev . R . R . Vyvyan ) , and fche anthem " Praise his awful name" ( Spohr ) followed , after which tho Grand Master descended from the dais and placed upon the coffin a wreath , an example followed by several other brethren , one of whom placed in the centre of a white wreath , " the red rose of England . " Psalm xc . was then read by tho District uranci

Ubaplam ( the Rev . Dr . Hewitt , of Worcester ) , after whioh W . Bro . O'D . Douallier , on behalf of the Dutch Lodges , delivered a brief but excellent address , in the course of which he recalled the fact that they had a few years ago welcomed in their midst the noble brother who had now died , or rather who had been born into immortality , •and how impressed they all were with his modest .

simple , courteous , and genial bearing . It waa Lord Carnarvon ' s earnest exhortation to establish a common Masonic fund for South Africa that had resulted in the establishment of tbe Masonic Education Fund , and he pointed out to those present that perhaps the best memorial to their departed brother would be tho enhancing of that Fund . At the present time , and in the presence of the great

calamity that had fallen upon the district by the stoppage of the Union Bank , it was quite possible this Fund might be put to valuable nso in relieving some poor widow or some suffering brother suddenl y bereft of the necessary means to educate their children . He concluded by saying that ho earnestly believed their dear brother now departed had taken hia placo in tho Great Grand

uoage above , and if they followed in his footsteps they also might partake of the samo exceeding groat reward . The hymn , " Our soul shall magnify the Lord , " tho anthem , "Blest aro the departed " ( Spohr ) , and another hymn , " Brief life in here onr portion , " were then sung , aud were followed by a fuaoral oration , tho orator being the D . Grand Chaplain . Takincr as a text tho wnrda " In

the midstof life wo are in death , " Bro . Hewitt said : —When last tnis District Grand Lodge mot , and ifc was my privilege to address you , it was an occasion of rejoicing , and all our ceremonies spoke of joy , of exultation , and of life . To-day we are surrounded b y the emblems of sorrow , of mourning , and of mortality , and we are in the Presence of death . Yet even ou that festal day , conld we bnt

havaen it , fcbo shadow of death wan hovering over our Order ; thafc iM . th ot June was the fifty-ninth anniversary of tho birthday of onr Pro Jjrand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ; on that day ho was already j aid low upon his bed of illness ; and four days later came the closim * i w » ne of his earthly life—tho day of his death—his birthday into . he " , ? . !' ' - At tbe moment when we at our festive , banquets were I oartil y wishing him health and prosperity , the fiat had alread y gone .

The Late Earl Of Carnarvon. Mourning Lodge In Cape Town.

forth , " Set thine house in order , for thou shalt die aud nob live . " After dilating on the universality of death , the orator continued : — Here , iudeed , meet on tho level the prince and the peasant , high and low , rich and poor ; the wise men also die and perish together u ^ well as the ignorant and foolish , and leave their riches to others ; for he shal I carry nothing away with him when he dieth , neither shall hia pomp

follow him . Virtue is the only true nobility , and does not bor . ow , but sheds lustre upon the external advantages of rank and wealth , which shine with a loftier dignity in tho persons of tha virtuous and tho honourable . And such was our departed Brother and Pro Graud Master the Right Honourable M . W . the Earl of Carnarvon . Right honourable indeed , not only in title bufc in character and in life , a

" selfless man and stainless gentleman . " Of illustrious descent , ot the noble family of Herbert , a name as distinguished iu literature iu the persons of Lord Herborfc , of CherburR , aud of the gentle Georgo Herbert , the ideal " Country Parson , " aa in arms aud in statesman , ship , and numbering among its connections Sir Philip Sydney , Henry fourth Earl of Carnarvon waa himself distinguished as au

accomplished scholar , as an honourable and upright statesman , as a genial aud courteous gentleman , and as an earnest and devout Churchman . Aa a scholar he waa an author of no mean repute , and had filled tha high offices of High Steward of the University of Oxford , aa well aa Chancellor of the University afc fche Cape ; as a statesman he had served his Queen and country iu

the lofty position of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , and Secretary of State for fche Colonies . Bufc ifc is in his character as a Mason that we are specially met to deplore his loss . Here , boo , his career wai bright and distinguished . Initiated into Masonry in the Apollo L'jdge at Oxford , in 1852 , he soon rose to prominence in fche Order , and waa appointed Deputy Grand Master by the Marqnia of Ripon , and iu

this capacity installed tho Prince of Wales as Grand Master in 1875 , in the presence of 8 , 000 Masons from almost all parts of the Empire . By the Grand Master ( the Prince of Wales ) he was himself appointed Pro Grand Master of England—an office whioh is only called into exercise when a Prince of the blood royal accepts the office of Grand Master . In this capacity he also presided during hia visit to the

Cape in 1887 , at the consecration of the new temple of the British Lodge , and all who were privileged to meet him on that occasion will long remember his kindly words and genial courtesy . Long may hia memory be cherished among Masons . His body is buried in peace , but his name liveth evermore . What are the lesaoaa of hia life to us ? His death this Mourning Lodge haa brought before naj the

memento mori , which Masons should never forget , have reminded ua afresh of fche truth , ao true yefc so unwelcome , that in the midst of life we are in deabh . But has his life no lessons for us , who are aa yet in the midst of life ? My beloved brethren , is it fanciful to see in the motto of the noble house of Herbert the war cry of the family , which records , in quaint , chivalrous old Norman-French—Unje

Serviraiono will I serve—tho unity of purpose whioh ( I venture fco think ) was the guiding principle of Lord Carnarvon's life , the lesson which we as men and Masons may well learn from hia distinguished career . This is nob the place nor is this the time for political allusions , bub may not we South Africans see in his unsuccessful scheme for tho confederation of the South African Colonies and States another

instance of his desire for conciliation aud unification . Ifc ia not given to many of ua to occupy positions of rank aud influence such as his , but every one of ns , each in his vocation and according to his opportunities , may learn to do what in him lies for the unity , and the softening of the asperities of life—social , political , and , may I add , religious . And for this end there must be a unity of purpose and of mind in

ourselves—one must we serve , one mast we fear . " Fear our God and know no other fear . " Friend of our hearts , rest in peace , until , raised by the Great Master's word , mayeat thoa share with us the blessing of immortal life and unfading glory . The proceedings were brought to a close by tho hymn , " 0 God ,

our help iu ages past , " some responses aud a concluding prayer by the District Grand Chaplain ; after which the District Grand Lodge retired , the audience again standing whilsb the procession moved down the Hall . The collection in aid of the Masonic Education Fund amounted fco about £ 17 . —Cape Argus .

Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter Of Scotland.

SUPREME GRAND ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF SCOTLAND .

A QUARTERLY communication of this body was held in the Freemasons' Hall , Edinburgh , on tho 17 th inst ., Companion James Crichton , Edinburgh , presiding . Charters were ordered to be issued to a new Chapter at Klorksdorp , to be named " The Hartley " Chapter , and another at Johannesburg , to be named " Tbe John Saunders" Chapter—both in South Africa . The Chairman mado

suitable reference to fche demise of Lord Rosslyn , Past First Grand Principal of tha Order ; and a resolution was adopted expressive of regret at the loss of this esteemed Companion , and of sympathy with his relatives ; and tho Grand Scribes were directed to transmit au excerpt thereof to the Dowager Coantosa .

IMPUOVKD CONTINENTAL StnmcE .- ' -Tho General Steam Navigation Company havo decided to run threo pai-senger vessels every week between Hamburg and Harwich , in connection with tho Great Eastern Railway Company , in placo of two , aa heretofore . Commencing on Tuesday , 7 th October , tho steamers will leave

Harwich f . ftor arrival of the Continental trains Irom London , tho Midland Counties , and tho North of England , at 10 p . m . on Tuesdays , Fridays , and Saturdays , and Hamburg after tho arrival of the express train from I'erWn and tho North of Germany , at 10 ' 45 p . m . on Tuesdays , Wednesdays , and Saturdays .

Ar01103

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended , in Condon and Country , by Bra O . A . HUTTON , 17 Nowcastlo Stroot . Stranft , "W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations mado ,