''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

and on such occasions the natural exuberance of his heart was manifested . Under the influence of the cheery glass , the stores of his memory were unlocked , and the relation of some of the vicissitudes of his chequered career would afford the liveliest entertainment to his guests . He was the trusted

friend of President Lincoln , and his shrewd ambassador on many delicate errands , including , in some cases , the disbursal of large secret service state funds , necessary to effect certain operations arising during the internecine conflict in which he took so distinguished a part . He had friends on both

sides , and could gain a hearing from the leaders when their ears were closed to every other voice . Lie knew , and shared the counsels of those Masons who , while the conflict was still pending , and while the Brethren on each side were afraid to trust each other , found in conclaves of Secret Monitors

( originally a Dutch Order of Masonry ) , after the Lodges , a means of meeting the difficulty arising from the freedom of access among Masons to each other ' s Lodges . The lessons then learnt bore fruit later in the re-establishment , on this side of the water , in conjunction with the late Grand Secretary

Bro . Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , Col . Sir Fras . Burdett , Richard Eve , W . G . Lemon , alas , all , alas , already snatched from us by death , Judge F . A . Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Registrar , Jas . Lewis Thomas , F . S . A . and a few others , the now flourishing Order of the Secret Monitor , of which he was for so many

years the loved and honoured head . Since his serious illness some six years ago , the rule of the Order has devolved upon the Earl of Warwick Deputy Grand Master of the Craft , but no meeting of the Grand Council has ever seemed complete , and few have 'taken place , without the presence of the

venerable and ever active figure of its first chief . The body lay in state during the afternoon of Wednesday , and as it was his dying wish that the solemn funeral service characteristic of the Order should be held over his remains before they were consigned to their last resting place , which wish was respected

by his family , a posse of the Members of Grand Council attended at the house before the funeral , and in the presence of his sorrowing friends the beautiful ritual of the Order he loved , prepared for such occasions , was worked by Bro . W . J . Spratling Grand Recorder , assisted by Bros . J . Tickle , J . J .

Thomas , I . Kay , and F . E . Lemon as Visiting Deacons , Bro . W . J . Songhurst as Guide , and Bro . Harry Tipper as Guarder . The service being over , Bro . Tickle Assistant Deputy Ruler of the Order pronounced a short oration to the following effect . —

We have met here to-day on a very sad occasion . I say sad , because it is the last on which we can possibly meet to do honour to a dear friend . We mourn the loss , not only of an old friend , but of an eminent citizen , and a highly distinguished Mason . Born in England , but very shortly after his

birth taken to the great country on the other side of the Atlantic , Bro . Zacharie was in his early career the trusted friend of the late President Lincoln , and rose to high distinction in the Masonic world—becoming in due course the Grand Master of Freemasonry in California . Coming to England in

1875 with a great reputation gained in America , he rapidly rose to fame in his own special branch of surgical and medical science , and enjoyed the friendshi p and esteem of a large circle of illustrious patients ; contributing also many articles of value to the Medical press . It is now many years since

a few Secret Monitors of distinction , hailing from distant parts of the world , accidently discovered each other ' s Masonic identity in this degree , and a subsequent meeting at his house led to the institution by Dr . Zacharie , in this country , of the Order in Masonry called by that name . Many of us

remember with what enthusiasm the Order was received and adopted , and how it increased and multiplied under him as its first Grand Supreme Ruler . He was supported as such by the great ones of the Craft , and in due course of years was succeeded by its present illustrious chief the Earl of Warwick

Deputv Grand Master of the Masons of England . We also remember with pride and pleasure how famous he became for the princely hospitalities he dispensed at this his home in Brook Street , Grosvenor Square . Bro . Zacharie can now be but a memory with us , for never again in this life can we

look into his genial face or give him the hand-shake of good fellowship ; but he will still live in our memory as we have so long known him a kind and sincere friend , a cheerful companion , and a polished English gentleman . I feel that no

more words of mine can engrave his memory on your hearts more deeply than your own personal experience . I can only finally record that by his death we have each lost a dear friend , and that an able and distinguished man has gone

''A Sprig Of Acacia.''

from amongst us and is now at rest . To his widow and the others members of his disconsolate family we all of us offer our deepest sympathy , and trust that the recollection of his highly distinguished career may be to them some consolation in their bereavement .

Then Bro . J . Lewis Thomas , as one of the oldest friends of the family , almost overcome by grief , added a few words of love and respect , before the coffin was borne to the waiting hearse . We give the following apt quotations from the funeral service , which exemplify in some measure the tenets of the Order :

Non omnis moriar : multaque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam . Usque ego postera Crescam laude recens . "

" Absint inani funere ncenice Luctusque turpes et qucerimonice . Compesce clamorem , ac sepulcri

Mitte supervacuos honores . " " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep one ' s self unspotted from the world . "

Arrived at the cemetery the burial service was read by the Rev . J . Gregory , M . A ., of Putney , in place of the Rev . Carr Gray , an old and valued friend , and when the coffin had been lowered into the grave , and the Brethren , including those named and Bros . C . L . Nelson , John Read , J . Joseph ,

and several others , had deposited their Masonic emblem upon the remains , the Guarder breaking the weapon he had been using at the previous service , threw it upon the coffin , and

thus concluded the solemn rite . The display of beautiful wreaths spread out upon the grass was most striking ; one seldom sees so many and such lovely floral tributes . The Grand Council of the Order sent an emblematic wreath , and

there were those sent by the Premier Conclave , and by the Royal Sussex , No . 10 , Brighton ; one wreath bore the legend " Great Grandpapa , " while others bore the names of intimate and distinguished private friends and relatives . We are informed a public ( Masonic ) " Conclave of Sorrow " is to be

arranged at the Plead Quarters of the Order—the Hotel Cecil—at an early date . Any Masonic friend of the late Dr . Zacharie will be able to obtain a ticket of admission on application . The date , when fixed , will be announced in due course .

THE interment of the remains of the late Bro . John Pallister , of Grosvenor House , Crook , the news of whose death in his 67 th year was received with wide and deep regret throughout Crook and the district , with which he has been connected in one and another prominent capacity for years

approaching the half century , took place on the 18 th inst , and proved the occasion for eloquent testimony being given to the high respect and regard in which the deceased was held by those with whom and amongst whom he mixed during a long and useful life . Though the day was one of dull and

threatening weather , the attendance of the public included representatives of the many different walks of life in which Bro . Pallister strove with such conspicuous success . At the head of the mournful procession walked the Brethren of the Crook and other district Lodges , behind whom followed the

hearse , seven mourning coaches , and five private vehicles , the progress of the cortege en route to the Wesleyan Chapel being of sympathetic interest to large crowds of townsfolk . At the Wesleyan Chapel the funeral service was performed by the Rev . Thomas Baron , assisted by the Rev . E . S . Llarland

of Waterhouses . The same reverend gentleman officiated at the graveside , the committal rites being performed under the most adverse circumstances owing to the heavy and continuous fall of rain . The Brethren of the Crook and other Lodges formed in circle about the grave , and at the conclusion of the

solemn committal ceremony deposited the sprigs of acacia , which the whole of the Brethren . had worn as buttonholes . The Masonic anthem was sung at the graveside , and previously , at the chapel , the appropriate hymns " Lead , Kindly Light , " and " Days and Moments quickly flying" were impressively sung .

T LIE funeral took place at Witton Cemetery , on Thursday , 20 th inst ., of the late Bro . William B . Gay , who was for many years people ' s warden at Christ Church , Birmingham . Bro . Gay resided at Selly Park , but died at the Flydro ,

Blackpool , where he was staying on the advice of his medical man on account of heart trouble . The funeral was attended by representatives of our Craft , in connection with which Bro . Gay was widely known and respected .