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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 20 of 27 →
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Provincial.
consequence of the confined space in the Hall of the (/ raft in this town , the Grand Lodge was opened , soon after ten o ' clock , in thc County Hall , in due form , when a procession was arranged , the Grand Master and other members appearing in their respective costumes . The procession moved on , from the County Hall to St . Peter ' s Church , hundreds of spectators being congregated in thc street ; and a most respectable congregation were previously seated within the sacred edifice . The Brethren
having taken their appointed stations , the service for the day was opened by the choir and congregation singing a sublime Masonic Hymn . The prayers and psalms for the clay , with the proper lessons , were read by Bro . the Rev . G . F . St . John , of Mansion , ancl the first three verses of the 105 th Psalm were sung . The sermon was preached by the Prov . Grancl Chaplain , Bro . the Re v . AVilliam John Percy , from 1 Kings xx . 31 - 34 upon which peculiarly striking text the reverend preacher founded a
, very able , eloquent , learned and instructive discourse ; showing the intimate connexion of Freemasonry with the true religion , as well under the Christian as the Jewish dispensations , and pointing out especially the abhorrence of this institution to the sin of idolatry , in any form , which sin brought down upon the two kings noticed in the text , the just judgments of Almighty God , although they were professed Masons . In illustrating the different branches of his elaborate discoursehe noticed
, that the kings of Israel bore the character of merciful kings , for which a reason might be assigned , that they were instructed by the prophets of God : now mercy , he said , was a peculiar feature of Masonry ; but in observing this duty they must all be careful not to forget the still higher principle , truth , the sacrifice of which to mercy was the great sin of the kings Ahab ancl Benhadad . And in dwelling most forcibly on the subject of idolatry , he solemnly warned his Brethren , as a minister of
theirs and an ambassador of Christ , that they were living in times of danger ; he exhorted them to "be strong" in the faith and principles of religion , as was comprehended in that pure and apostolic branch of the Church of Christ , which , by the good providence of God , existed in this nation , a leading principle of which was the discountenance of every thing approaching to image worship or idolatry in any form : it was their duty , on this point , to " quit them like men , " and to let the Holy
Scriptures , which they should read and meditate upon daily , with humble prayer for the assistance of the Divine Spirit , be their guide and safeguard against this and all other sins . In conclusion , he urged them , according to their means , to contribute , with prudence , towards the several Masonic Charities ; ancl , on their return to their respective homes , " to remember the poor , " that so the blessing of Almighty God , as appeared at this beautiful season , might , in the increase of the fruits of the earth , rest upon them and theirs . A magnificent anthem , from 1 Chron . xxix . 10 , was then sung in a
most admirable manner . After the service of the church had terminated the procession was re-formed , the members walking back to the County Hall , when the Grand Lodge was again opened in the first degree , and being close tyled , the business of the JLodge was gone through , with those forms peculiar to the Craft . The P . G . M . then nominated ancl invested the several Prov . Grand Officers for the following year . The P . G . M ., Bro . WILLIAM TUCKER , then delivered an address of much eloquence , practical importance , and feeling , to the assembled
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
consequence of the confined space in the Hall of the (/ raft in this town , the Grand Lodge was opened , soon after ten o ' clock , in thc County Hall , in due form , when a procession was arranged , the Grand Master and other members appearing in their respective costumes . The procession moved on , from the County Hall to St . Peter ' s Church , hundreds of spectators being congregated in thc street ; and a most respectable congregation were previously seated within the sacred edifice . The Brethren
having taken their appointed stations , the service for the day was opened by the choir and congregation singing a sublime Masonic Hymn . The prayers and psalms for the clay , with the proper lessons , were read by Bro . the Rev . G . F . St . John , of Mansion , ancl the first three verses of the 105 th Psalm were sung . The sermon was preached by the Prov . Grancl Chaplain , Bro . the Re v . AVilliam John Percy , from 1 Kings xx . 31 - 34 upon which peculiarly striking text the reverend preacher founded a
, very able , eloquent , learned and instructive discourse ; showing the intimate connexion of Freemasonry with the true religion , as well under the Christian as the Jewish dispensations , and pointing out especially the abhorrence of this institution to the sin of idolatry , in any form , which sin brought down upon the two kings noticed in the text , the just judgments of Almighty God , although they were professed Masons . In illustrating the different branches of his elaborate discoursehe noticed
, that the kings of Israel bore the character of merciful kings , for which a reason might be assigned , that they were instructed by the prophets of God : now mercy , he said , was a peculiar feature of Masonry ; but in observing this duty they must all be careful not to forget the still higher principle , truth , the sacrifice of which to mercy was the great sin of the kings Ahab ancl Benhadad . And in dwelling most forcibly on the subject of idolatry , he solemnly warned his Brethren , as a minister of
theirs and an ambassador of Christ , that they were living in times of danger ; he exhorted them to "be strong" in the faith and principles of religion , as was comprehended in that pure and apostolic branch of the Church of Christ , which , by the good providence of God , existed in this nation , a leading principle of which was the discountenance of every thing approaching to image worship or idolatry in any form : it was their duty , on this point , to " quit them like men , " and to let the Holy
Scriptures , which they should read and meditate upon daily , with humble prayer for the assistance of the Divine Spirit , be their guide and safeguard against this and all other sins . In conclusion , he urged them , according to their means , to contribute , with prudence , towards the several Masonic Charities ; ancl , on their return to their respective homes , " to remember the poor , " that so the blessing of Almighty God , as appeared at this beautiful season , might , in the increase of the fruits of the earth , rest upon them and theirs . A magnificent anthem , from 1 Chron . xxix . 10 , was then sung in a
most admirable manner . After the service of the church had terminated the procession was re-formed , the members walking back to the County Hall , when the Grand Lodge was again opened in the first degree , and being close tyled , the business of the JLodge was gone through , with those forms peculiar to the Craft . The P . G . M . then nominated ancl invested the several Prov . Grand Officers for the following year . The P . G . M ., Bro . WILLIAM TUCKER , then delivered an address of much eloquence , practical importance , and feeling , to the assembled