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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 2 of 25 →
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Provincial.
Lodge of Union , Reading Apollo University Lodge , Oxford Alfred Lodge , Oxford Ionic Lodge , London Tuscan Lodge , London Two Prov . Grand Stewards Prov . Grand Pursuivant Prov . Grand Organist Prov . Director of Ceremonies Do . Superint . of Works
Prov . Registrar Do . Treasurer Do . Chaplain Do . Wardens Do . Deacons Visiting Prov . Grand Officers Visiting Grand Officer Dep . Prov . Grand Master Prov . Grand Sword Bearer .
Right Worshipful the P . G . M . ( Marquis of Downshire ) . The Sermon . —An immense number of persons was congregated in the street to Avitness the procession , but a passage Avas made through the croAvd , so that the Brethren met Avith no obstruction or inconvenience . On reaching the church , the Brethren took their seats in the chancel , Avhich Avas appropriated exclusively for their use . The service was read by the Past Grand Chaplain of England , Bro . Rev . Sir J . W . Hayes , and the sermon preached by Bro . Rev . A . Roberts , Prov . G . S .
The rev . gentleman selected the 1 st chap , of the General Epistle of St . James , and the 27 th verse : " Pure religion and undefiled before God and tho Father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . " The rev . gentleman commenced by adverting to the importance of true religion , that religion which taught them there was but one gospel in which they believed ; one Lord , one faith , one baptism , one God , who is the father of us all . Every Christian should act on the words , "Love to God , and faith in Jesus Christ , " as religion ' s chief ingredients , hecaiiso from those two principles must proceed everything good
and aeceptahlo in our actions . The language in the text manifestly taught them what true religion was , namely , " To visit tho fatherless and widows in their afflictions and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world . " In doing this , all their professions must be marked by consistency ancl honesty in their works . He had a twofold reason in selecting those words for his text on tho present occasion : first , although he did not by any means intend to place Freemasonry on a par with religion , still those words were illustrative in a forcible and effective degree of the main principles by which their Craft professed to be guided ; and secondl with the hope that the unfolding of those
y , ties which linked them together , would show that their objects were those of goodness , endeavouring to improve tho moral ancl social character of our fellowcreatures , to administer to tho necessities of those in distress , to promote virtue and religion , and by a hfe in unison with their professions , to show " Glory to God in the highest , and on earth peace and good-will towards mankind . " He stood not there as the apologist of then- Order ; but they must all be well aware how many individuals there were ( ho woedd not say with evil will towards them ) , who , from possessing little knowlec'ga on the subject , questioned their sincerity , and doubted the good they effected . It would be his duty then to endeavour
to erase any such impressions , by showing the basis of the fabric , on which Masonry was founded , the keystone of then- Institution . It was based upon the volume of sacred law , and tho superstructure upon which it was raised , was that comprehensive and imperative command of our Saviour , " Love thy neighbour as thyself . " They were taught to regulate their actions by the divine precepts which the Bible contained , and thus to do their duty towards God and then- neighbour ; to God , by never mentioning Ms name except with that reverence which was ever clue from the creature to the Creator ; and to then- neihbourbacting always with kindness and loveand rendering to
g , y , him those kind offices which justice and mercy might require , by alleviating his distress and soothing his afflictions , and by doing to him as in similar circumstances they would wish to he done by . Also hy walking in such a prudent and well-regulated course as might best conduce to the mental and physical faculties , and likewise promoting the welfare of their fellow-creatures . When such wore its objects , was there anything in it to provoke the smile of ridicule or the—sneer of contempt ? It had , moreover , been in existence almost from VOL . III . 2 I
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
Lodge of Union , Reading Apollo University Lodge , Oxford Alfred Lodge , Oxford Ionic Lodge , London Tuscan Lodge , London Two Prov . Grand Stewards Prov . Grand Pursuivant Prov . Grand Organist Prov . Director of Ceremonies Do . Superint . of Works
Prov . Registrar Do . Treasurer Do . Chaplain Do . Wardens Do . Deacons Visiting Prov . Grand Officers Visiting Grand Officer Dep . Prov . Grand Master Prov . Grand Sword Bearer .
Right Worshipful the P . G . M . ( Marquis of Downshire ) . The Sermon . —An immense number of persons was congregated in the street to Avitness the procession , but a passage Avas made through the croAvd , so that the Brethren met Avith no obstruction or inconvenience . On reaching the church , the Brethren took their seats in the chancel , Avhich Avas appropriated exclusively for their use . The service was read by the Past Grand Chaplain of England , Bro . Rev . Sir J . W . Hayes , and the sermon preached by Bro . Rev . A . Roberts , Prov . G . S .
The rev . gentleman selected the 1 st chap , of the General Epistle of St . James , and the 27 th verse : " Pure religion and undefiled before God and tho Father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . " The rev . gentleman commenced by adverting to the importance of true religion , that religion which taught them there was but one gospel in which they believed ; one Lord , one faith , one baptism , one God , who is the father of us all . Every Christian should act on the words , "Love to God , and faith in Jesus Christ , " as religion ' s chief ingredients , hecaiiso from those two principles must proceed everything good
and aeceptahlo in our actions . The language in the text manifestly taught them what true religion was , namely , " To visit tho fatherless and widows in their afflictions and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world . " In doing this , all their professions must be marked by consistency ancl honesty in their works . He had a twofold reason in selecting those words for his text on tho present occasion : first , although he did not by any means intend to place Freemasonry on a par with religion , still those words were illustrative in a forcible and effective degree of the main principles by which their Craft professed to be guided ; and secondl with the hope that the unfolding of those
y , ties which linked them together , would show that their objects were those of goodness , endeavouring to improve tho moral ancl social character of our fellowcreatures , to administer to tho necessities of those in distress , to promote virtue and religion , and by a hfe in unison with their professions , to show " Glory to God in the highest , and on earth peace and good-will towards mankind . " He stood not there as the apologist of then- Order ; but they must all be well aware how many individuals there were ( ho woedd not say with evil will towards them ) , who , from possessing little knowlec'ga on the subject , questioned their sincerity , and doubted the good they effected . It would be his duty then to endeavour
to erase any such impressions , by showing the basis of the fabric , on which Masonry was founded , the keystone of then- Institution . It was based upon the volume of sacred law , and tho superstructure upon which it was raised , was that comprehensive and imperative command of our Saviour , " Love thy neighbour as thyself . " They were taught to regulate their actions by the divine precepts which the Bible contained , and thus to do their duty towards God and then- neighbour ; to God , by never mentioning Ms name except with that reverence which was ever clue from the creature to the Creator ; and to then- neihbourbacting always with kindness and loveand rendering to
g , y , him those kind offices which justice and mercy might require , by alleviating his distress and soothing his afflictions , and by doing to him as in similar circumstances they would wish to he done by . Also hy walking in such a prudent and well-regulated course as might best conduce to the mental and physical faculties , and likewise promoting the welfare of their fellow-creatures . When such wore its objects , was there anything in it to provoke the smile of ridicule or the—sneer of contempt ? It had , moreover , been in existence almost from VOL . III . 2 I