Devonshire.

DEVONSHIRE .

THE annual Provincial Lodge meeting of the Devon Mark Masons was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Gandy Street , Exeter , on Tuesday , 26 th inst ., the Provincial Grand Master Sir H . Stafford Northcote , C . B ., M . P ., presiding . The Provincial Grand Secretary reported that all the Lodges in the Province had sent in their returns and paid

their dues with one exception . All the Brethren appointed for Office at the last Provincial Grand Lodge had assumed their ranks and paid their fees of honour . During the year 18 9 8 there had been thirty-seven advancements and there were 4 85 subscribing members to December last . The report was adopted .

The Provincial Grand Secretary reported having received a communication from the Grand Secretary stating that the Most Worshipful Grand Master H . R . H . the Prince of Wales had been pleased to re-appoint the Hon . Sir Stafford Northcote , C . B ., M . P ., to be Provincial Grand Master of Devon for the next three years . The announcement was received with the usual honours , and these were most enthusiastic .

The Treasurer ' s report showed that the balance in favour of the Provincial Grand Lodge was £ 31 5 s ud . Bro . T . W . Payne P . M . St . Aubyn Lodge , No . 64 , Plymouth , was elected Provincial Grand Treasurer , and Bros . J . Lord and W . Allsford Auditors .

The following Officers were appointed and invested for the ensuing year : Bro . Major S . Strode .... Deputy W . Pierpoint-Roberts - - - Senior Warden A . W . Oakley - . . . Junior Warden N . Radmore .... - Master Overseer

w . J . A . Pleass .... Senior Overseer R . L . Drake ----- Junior Overseer Rev . W . E . Windle - Chaplain F . Frampton .... Registrar H . Stooker - Secretary H . A . MoBryde .... Senior Deacon

W . Winget - - - . - Junior Deacon E . D . Woolcock .... Inspector of Works Joseph Gould .... Director of Ceremonies M . Sennett - . - . . Assistant Dir . of Cers . W . Vickery ..... Sword Bearer F . Lillicrap ..... Standard Bearer

E . H . Veale ..... Organist J . G . Oldridge .... Assistant Secretary W . G . Coombe .... Inner Guard J . Petherick - - - . . |„ , W . J . Corse \ Stewards James Gidley ... - Tyler .

Masonry Defended.

MASONRY DEFENDED .

AT the Pleasant Sunday Afternoon Service at the Wesley Church , Perth , Western Australia , on the 13 th August , an address was delivered by the Rev . G . E . Rowe , consisting of replies to "Bishop Gibney ' s Denunciation of Freemasonry , " and " Mr . Vosper ' s Proposed Amendment to the Education Act . " There was a large attendance .

Mr . Rowe first dealt with the remarks of Bishop Gibney at the Roman Catholic Cathedral the previous week , denouncing Freemasonry . Those remarks , he said , if merited , were deserving of widest publicity , and the speaker should be applauded for his courageous action . But if they were not

warranted they should be contradicted , and if they were contradicted the onus of proving them must rest upon the gentleman who made them . On what grounds did Bishop Gibney denounce Freemasonry ? From the report of his speech he gathered that he did so on three grounds , namelv ,

on account of ( 1 ) its infidelity , ( 2 ) its attack on the church , and ( 3 ) the preferment by which incompetent men obtained public appointments . Any one of these grounds , if proved , was sufficient to warrant a public denunciation , but the three combined , if proved , would make an indictment that he ( Mr .

Rowe ) would not like to attempt to answer . They were told that the Roman Catholic Church had from its inception condemned Freemasonry on account of its infidelity . He would like to ask the distinguished prelate if that statement was strictly and historicallv accurate . He had understood

that it was not until Rome lost her temporal power that there was a papal denunciation of Freemasonry . What did Bishop Gibney mean by infidelity . From the report of the speech delivered by the Bishop , the latter said ,

. r reemasons established a sort of religion they called ethical , into which they could bring heretics , atheists and nondescripts . " Therefore he took the charge of infidelity to mean a repudiation of the Supreme Being . He had not a worldwide knowledge of Freemasonry , but anyone could acquaint

Masonry Defended.

oneself by the literature that was published as to the justice or injustice of the charge as it affected Freemasonry in English-speaking communities . This charge of infidelity was absolutely false as it applied to Freemasonry in Great Britain or Australia . There had been an attempt in France

to erase the name of the Supreme Being from all the services in connection with Freemasonry , but the Freemasons in Britain , because of this , refused to recognise the Freemasons in France . This meant that no French Freemason could

obtain admittance into a British Masonic Lodge . They knew that so far as Australia was concerned God was acknowledged by Freemasons , and he called upon Bishop Gibney to prove his charge of infidelity .

By Bishop Gibney ' s second charge , that Freemasonry attacked the church , he supposed that Bishop Gibney meant the papal church . On this charge he also wanted evidence produced . Again , if unjust preferment had been given to Freemasons , this had been done in spite of and not because

of the tenets of Freemasonry . This was the kind of charge that any great organisation was open to , the greater its numerical strength the more general the charge . A number of men holding certain appointments might be pointed out with the remark that they were Freemasons , the

implication being that they had received their positions because they were Freemasons . He joined hands with Bishop Gibney or any other ecclesiastical leader in the desire for a pure civil service , but the Bishop had submitted no proof in support of his charge , and he asked him to either prove his

case or retract his words . Bishop Gibney had not denounced Freemasonry as a secret society , because the Roman Catholic Church had themselves the secret society of the Jesuits . There was no knowing what part a Jesuit would play . If it

was good for Roman Catholicism he would become a Protestant , or say that black was white . His teaching was that the end justified the means . So long at it continued to practice the great principles of brotherly love , righteousness and truth , Freemasonry would exist . — "West Australian . "

"A Sprig Of Acacia."

"A SPRIG OF ACACIA . "

WE regret to announce the death of Bro . Thomas Samms Sarel , of Chelmsford , which took place on Tuesday morning , igfh inst . The deceased , who had attained the ripe age of 81 years , was a prominent figure among the Masons of the town , occupying the position of Tyler to the Lodge of Good Fellowship for a number of years . On his resigning

the position in 1895 he was presented with an illuminated address and a purse of money . Bro . Sarel was also Janitor to the Essex Grand Chapter and Provincial Tyler to the Essex Grand Lodge . Both these positions he was compelled to resign on account of increasing age and its attendant

infirmities . Bro . Sarel was for thirty years clerk at the White Hart Wine Stores , while that establishment was in the proprietorship of Bro . Andrew Durrani . On the acquisition of the business by Ind , Coope and Co . the deceased gave up his post , being awarded a pension for faithful service by his employer . ,

AMID many tokens of respect and regret , the remains of the late Bro . Herbert Arthur Hotblack , who died at his residence , 33 Fourth Avenue , Hove , on Saturday , 16 th , were committed to their last resting place at Hove Cemetery on the 20 th . Included in the large gathering at the

graveside were numerous friends and acquaintances of the deceased , who had attended to pay their last respects to his memory . Several members of the Royal Clarence Lodge , of which the deceased was a member , were also present .

The coffin , which could scarcely be seen for the beautiful wreaths which covered it , was of polished oak , with massive brass fittings . The brass plate on the lid bore the following inscription : "Herbert Arthur Hotblack . Died 16 th September 18 99 . Aged 41 years . "

EEGRET is expressed at the death of Bro . John Dovaston , of Shrewsbury , which occurred on Monday , 18 th , after a short illness . The deceased was a direct descendant of John Dovaston , the well-known antiquary of the eighteenth

century , and he possessed man } ' of the virtues of that excellent man . He was the oldest member of the Salopian Lodge , and by its members he was much esteemed for his ability and genial character .

ON Tuesday , 19 th inst ., the interment of the remains of the late Bro . J . C . Harris , of Ratcliffe Grange , took place at Shireoaks Churchyard , in the presence of a large company of mourners . The ceremony was attended by the Brethren of the Pelham Lodge , No . 939 , of which deceased was a member .