Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . GERARD FORD , D . P . G . M . SUSSEX , [ t is with deep regret that we have to announce the death of Bro . Gerard Ford , which occurred at his residence , 58 , Marine-parade , Brighton , on Saturday evening . As already noted in these columns , he had been abroad for some months in hopes of regaining

health . Meeting with an accident at Berne , this was followed by a serious illness , which unhappily proved fatal . During the latter years of his life he devoted himself mainly to the promotion of the interests of Freemasonry in the Province of Sussex . On the death of Bro . John Henderson Scott in December , 1886 , he

was appointed b y the Prov . Grand Master , his Royal Hig hness the Duke of Connaught , to be his deputy , and during the absence of his Royal Highness in India Bro . Ford had the sole control of the Craft in the province . He was also , by appointment of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Grand Superintendent

of Royal Arch Masons in Sussex . Bro . Ford had but recently received from his Royal Flighness the patent of his appointment as Prov . Grand Master of Mark Master Masons , his installation to which would , but for serious illness , have taken place last week . Bro . Ford was descended from a family prominently identified

with Masonry , he having had relatives in the Moira and Barnard Castle Lodges . According to Dr . Oliver , Masonry was introduced into Lincolnshire out of Westmorland b y Bro . Ford ' s maternal grandfather , Bro . the Rev . Matthew Barnett , who was a Lincolnshire Mason for 3 6 years , and this distinguished brother , as

Deputy Prov . Grand Master , presided over the former province from 1813 to 1827 in the absence of the Prov . Grand Master . Bro . Gerard Ford ' s connection with Freemasonry is of long standing . He was initiated into the Order in the year 1870 at Bri ghton in the Royal Clarence Lodge , in which , after going through

the various offices , he served the office of W . M . He afterwards joined the Bayons Lodge and the St . Matthew's Lodge in Lincolnshire , and in recognition of the services rendered to that province , the Prov . Grand Master conferred on him , in the year 18 78 , the office of Prov . S . G . D . Two years later Bro . Sir Walter Burrell ,

Prov . G . M . of Sussex , conferred on Bro . Ford the office of Grand Registrar of the province , a post which he held until the death of the late Bro . John Henderson Scott ; when the Duke of Connaught appointed him his Deputy in the ruling of the province . In addition to the Clarence Lodge , Bro . Ford was a member of

the Hova Ecclesia Lodge , and was mainl y instrumental in founding the Earl of Sussex Lodge , of which he was the first Worshipful Master . At the time of his death he was also a member of the Jerusalem Lodge , which numbers among its members many other Grand Officers of England—Bro . Ford

having in the year 1887 been appointed by his Royal Hi ghness the Prince of Wales to the rank of Past Grand Deacon . In the Royal Arch Degree Bro . Ford was a member and past officer of numerous chapters , including the Lennox and the Hova Villa Chapters , in Brighton , and the St . Matthew ' s Chapter , in

Lincolnshire . He filled the office of Grand Registrar of Sussex until , on the death of Sir Walter Burrell , he received the appointment of Grand Superintendent of the Province . In the Mark Degree Bro . Ford was a member and Past Master of the Hova Lodge in Bri ghton , and was , for some time , Grand Registrar of

the Province . On the expiration of Lord Arthur Hill ' s term of office , Bro . Ford received from his Royal Hi ghness the Prince of Wales the appointment of Provincial Grand Master . Bro . Ford was a most liberal supporter of all the Masonic Charities , being a Vice-Patron of the three Masonic Institutions , for

which he had served many times the office of Steward . But to only a few is the extent of his private generosity known . He was ever ready to lend a helping hand to any brother in distress , and no appeal for help in any deserving case was ever made to him in vain . He was imbued in a very marked degree with the spirit of

Masonry , and by this he was influenced and guided in his dail y life . He took his view of Masonry from the hi ghest standpoint , and always regarded a true Mason as a true gentleman . His death will be the greatest possible loss to the Craft in the province , as it will be difficult to find one with time and means willing to

devote his energies , as he most ungrudgingly did , to lhe cause he had so deeply at heart . The funeral took place at the Extra-Mural Cemetery , Bri ghton , on Tuesday . The funeral cortege , consisting ° ' a car , five mourning coaches , and several private carriages , left 58 , Marine-parade , the residence of the

deceased , at a quarter-past three . At the gates of the cemetery , which were reached shortly before a quarter l » four , a large assembly of brethren fell in and headed lhe funeral procession . The chief mourners were Mrs . Gerard Ford and sister ; General Ford and Mr . Wharton Ford ( brothers ); Rev . Gerard J . Ford . Mr . 1 homas

- Ford , Mr . Letchworth , Mr . C . C . Bailey , Mr . Willoug hby Turner , Mr . Cooper , and the Rev . Canon Waug h . Amongst those who were present were Bros . Lionel Shadwell H . Clerke , Grand Secretary ; Sir John B . Monckton ; Peter De Lande Long , P . G . D . ; hed ges , Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ; Alderman Sendall , Mayor or Bri g hton , 732 ; V . P . ' rceman Provincial Grand Secretarywho represented

, , 'he Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons and the p rand Secretary ( unavoidably absent ); E . Letchworth , '•G . D . ; W . R . Wood , P . G . Purst . ; J . Farncomb , Jrov . J . G . W . ; W . H . Hallett , Prov . G . Treas . ; R . ^ idocock , Prov . G . Reg . ; Lieut-General C . W . Ran-Uol Ph , Past Prov . G . Warden ; W . Marchant , P . P .

Obituary.

G . W . ; C J . Pocock , P . M . 271 , P . P . G . W . ; C W . Hudson , P . M . 315 , P . P . G . W . ; H . Davey , P . M . 732 , P . P . G . W . ; H . E . Price , P . M . 1466 , P . P . G . W . ; Very Rev . E . R . Currie , P . G . Chap . ; Rev . E . Walker , P . M . 811 , P . P . G . Chap . ; E . Martin , P . M . 732 , P . P . G . W . ; T . H . Crouch , P . M . S 51 , P . P . J . G . D- H . Abbey , P . M ., 811 ;

P . P . J . G . D . ; J . T . Whatford , P . M . 851 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; C W . Tomes , P . M . 1110 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; J . Harrison , P . M . 1829 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; G . R . Lockyer , P . M . 315 , P . P . G . S . of W . ; T . C . Woodman , P . M . 271 , P . P . G . D . C . ; S . R . Legg , P . M . 732 , P . P . G . S . B . ; A . J . Hawkes , P . M . 315 , P . P . G . S . B . ; H . Kent , P . M .

315 , P . P . G . S . B . ; E . Collings , P . M . 5 6 , P . P . G . S . B . ; H . H . Jordan , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . ; A . King , P . M . 271 , P . P . G . Org . ; H . S . Gates , P . M . 16 3 6 , P . P . G . Org . ; G . Gole , P . M . 16 3 6 , Prov . G . Org . ; T . Wilkinson , P . M . 271 , P . P . G . P . ; J . J . Edwardes , W . M . 1466 ; W . Balchin , P . M . 1636 , Prov . G . Steward ; H . H . Hughes ,

Prov . G . Tyler ; W . Devin , 315 , P . P . G . Org . ; G . Bacon , 271 ; W . Bioletti , 315 ; J . H . Longman , A . Thorncroft , J . Flinn , Penfold , R . B . Higham , W . M ., Stanton , H . Cheal , P . M ., Watts , W . Gill , S . W ., Dyer , Lodder , and H . Packham , J . W ., of 1829 ; C . Leggatt , Rising Star , Persia ; T . W . Dean and F . R . 'Person , of

1110 ; E . S . Medcalf , W . M . 1947 ; F . J . Tillstone , W . Bennett , W . Botting , P . M ., and S . Denman , W . M ., of 732 ; D . Mutton , C . Guile , A . P . Dolman , Hamlin , H . Anscombe , P . M ., T . Berry , P . M ., and M . Nias , of 1821 H . W . Charrington , A . F . Lamette , D . Ross , and J . P . Slingsby Roberts , 2201 , of 271 ; W . Swales , W .

T . Giles , and T . Colbran , of 1829 ; W . Wrig ht and J . Puttick , of 1303 ; G . Chapman , P . M ., S . Stone , and G . Holman . of 311 ; J . Wood , D . C , W . B . Iworth , S . W ., and R . Paige Dorey , of 1636 ; C J . Carter , G . R , Godfree , W . M ., Terry , S . W ., and B . Drury , of 315 ; W . E . Hughes , 1 947 ; J . A . Thilthorpe , J . P . Knight ,

and R . Clowes , S . W ., P . P . S . G . W . Essex , of 2201 ; H . W . G . Abell , Sec , and Hollands , W . M ., of 1 797 ; T . B . Harker , 732 ; C Wren , and A . Carpenter , Sec . 1829 . The buriaf service was conducted by the Rev . Canon Waugh . The Psalms were chanted by the choir of St . Peter ' s Church , under the direction of the organist , Mr .

Stanley Cooke , who presided at the harmonium . Previous to the Lesson , the hymn , " Gracious Spirit , Holy Ghost , " was sung ; and , after the Lesson , " God moves in a mysterious way . " While proceeding to the family mausoleum , which is situated near the church , and contains the remains of the deceased gentleman ' s

first wife , the choir sang the hymn , For thee O dear , dear country , " and terminated the service with " Lead , kindly light . " The coffin , which was of polished Spanish mahogany with gilt fittings , was covered with choice wreaths of flowers , and bore the following inscription : " Gerard Ford , born 20 th May , 18 30 , died

28 th September , 18 S 9 . " Wreaths were sent by the following Masonic bodies : —Mark Master Masons of Sussex , Royal Clarence Lodge , Pelham Lodge , South Saxon Chapter , Hova Mark Lodge , Stanford Lodge , Hova Villa Chapter , Earl of Sussex Lodge , St . Cecilia Lodge , Royal Brunswick Lodge , Ockenden Lodge ,

South Saxon Lodge , and Jerusalem Lodge . Wreaths were also sent b y the following relatives and personal friends : —Mrs . Gerard Ford ( wreath of violets ) , General Ford and family , Miss Atkinson , Mrs . Read , Mr . C . C . Bailey , Mr . and Mrs . Donovan Doulton , Alderman

Farncombe , Mr . J . P . Knight , Mr . Letchworth , Mr . and Mrs . Wharton and family , Mr . Graham Edwardes , Mr . C . W . Catt , Mr . and Mrs . Clement Leggatt , and the deceased brother ' s servants . Passing the mausoleum the brethren dropped a sprig of acacia on the coffin . — Sussex Daily News .

Minerva Lodge, No. 250, Hull.

MINERVA LODGE , No . 250 , HULL .

At a meeting held on the 30 th ult ., the W . Master , Bro . J . W . Burton , presiding , with a large attendance of officers and members , a iecture was delivered by Bro . M . C . Peck , Past Grand Standard Bearer of England , Prov . Grand Secretary , on " Masonry in the

Last Century , " in the course of which he exhibited a number of tracing boards , aprons , sashes , and diplomas . The address , which was enlivened b y anecdotes and biographical details , was received with the greatest attention , and at its conclusion a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer .

Bro. Edward Terry At The Church Congress.

BRO . EDWARD TERRY AT THE CHURCH CONGRESS .

Bro . Edward Terry , Grand Treasurer , delivered his much talked of address on the " Amusements of the People " to the members of the Church Congress , at Cardiff , on Wednesday evening . The hall was crowded ,

and his appearance on that stage was evidently the great sensation of the meeting . The subject was thoughtfull y and abl y treated from the point of view of one who , although his mission in life appears to be onl y to amuse , can nevertheless when need be perform all the duties of acitizen in a thoroughly

earnest and self-sacrificing manner . At the outset he expressed his sense of the liberality of spirit displayed by the Congress Committee in the invitation to one who was so humble an exponent of the dramatic art—an invitation which was in itself an

exemplification of the vast change that had taken place in the relationship of Church and Stage . As a Churchman he was glad that the Established Church was taking the lead in this matter , and he hoped the Dissenters would copy the example set them . The Stage was a necessity of the times . It was the refined pleasure

Bro. Edward Terry At The Church Congress.

of the people . From the happy fiction of the scene , and the consequent seeming reality , the action became example , and precept was then enforced by its verifi ^ cation in practical life . A perfect tragedy was one of the noblest products of human nature , and capable of giving the mind one of the most improving

entertainments . That there were occasionally—he repeated occasionally—reprehensible performances on the stage could not be denied . Sometimes the want of a dramatic censor was felt , but there were plays and plays , as there were pictures and pictures , books and books . As for the actors

themselveswell , they were neither worse nor better than the majority of their fellow-creatures . They were subject to the same weaknesses and frailties , and were capable of doing the same amount of good as the rest of the world . The theatre , he repeated , was a necessity of the social life of the people . At the present time there

were over 50 theatres in London catering for different degrees of intellect , but all representing pure plays . No doubt many of bis hearers had never been inside the walls of a theatre , and had been told they were sinks of iniquity . To them he would say , "Judge for yourselves . " It was not in accordance with British

ideas of fair play to condemn without a hearing . 1 he drama had survived many , many years of unmerited slander , and at present stood higher than ever . The stage was the amusement for the people , and whether the stage was pure or degraded rested entirely with them .

The Weak Man In Masonry.

THE WEAK MAN IN MASONRY .

The weak man in all organisations is , first , the fool , the empty-headed fellow who stares at you in blank amazement when you speak of the intellectual part of the Craft . True , he should never be initiated ; but there is as yet no law compelling every fool to carry a sign , or to have him marked and stamped as they do

cattle on the western ranches . The other weak man in Masonry is the supercilious ; he who sneers at the Craft , at the painstaking officers and members , and looks upon our Order as he does upon his ward association , or his fishing , or bowling club and tells you he belongs to eighteen orders , all

just like Masonry—and he is very anxious to " get through ; " that is , take all the Degrees in Masonry at once , and ivould much rather begin on the top , instead of working upward . This fellow usually wears the biggest kind of emblem , and boasts of the number of Degrees he has taken , but knows nothing of any of

them . Another weak man in Masonry is the ambitious soul , who , when he has signed the by-laws , " makes up his mind" to be the Master of the lodge . Now , this is a laudable ambition , but it should always be deeply impressed upon the would-be candidate that , like all other

offices of honour or emoluments , it takes votes to be elected , and every member has a right to cast a vote ; but this weak man in Masonry is not satisfied to wait , or to study the best interests of the lodge , or the feelings of his brethren . He simply wants to be Master , and if he is not elected he becomes angry , and leaves

the lodge in a huff , with a bitter feeling of disappointed ambition , and a still more bitter expression against his lodge and against Masonry and Masons . It cannot be denied that there are other weak men in Masonry . The profane , who does violence to every instinct of a gentleman , who swears in the lodge or

out of it ; and then there is the borrower , he who borrows on the " square , " and forgets his obligation the next day . In fact , every one who is a weak man in society is a weak man in Masonry , and such should be tabooed , should never be permitted to enter our

sacred portals . It behoves the brethren who are selected as an investigating committee to be particularly careful to allow none to pass save those who have been thoroughly scrutinised and found worthy . Such only should receive the consent of the brethren to be with them and one of them . —New York Sunday Times .

Bro . the Earl of Zetland will arrive in Dublin to-morrow ( Saturday ) , and will be sworn in as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland the same day , in the Privy Council Chamber at Dublin Castle . The date of his lordship ' s public entry into the Irish capital has not yet been definitively settled , but it will probably be on the 1 st December .

The following is the official list of the honours and presents distributed by the Shah of Persia in recognition of the attention he received from the recipients during his presence in this country . The list has only been completed within the last few days : The Prince of Wales , the diamond star of the Order of Nishan Adgas ; Prince Albert Victor , Prince George of Wales , and the Duke of Cambridge , the Shah ' s

portrait in diamonds , called in Persian Tamsal-i-Homayum ; Princess Louise ( Duchess of Fife ) , a diamond bracelet as a wedding present . Lord Lathom , the Duke of Portland , Sir Spencer P . Fane , Sir John Cowell , Sir Henry Rawlinson , and Sir John McNeill , to each a snuff box and diamonds . The Lord Mayor of London , the Order of the Second Class of the Lion and Sun ; Sheriffs

A . J . Newton and Gray , and Sir John Monckton , the Order of the Third Class of the Lion and Sun ; Lord Mount Edgcumbe , Lord De Ros , General Ellis , Colonel Maude , Mr . A . Herbert , and Mr . E . F . G . Lord , each a diamond-ring ; Major-General Talbot , a snuff-box ; Dr . Robson Roose , the Order of the Third Class of the Lion and Sun ; Mr . B . Cooke , the Order of the Fourth Class

of the Lion and Sun ; Mr . Aganoor , the Order of the Fifth Class of the Lion and Sun ; Messrs . Spinier and Dosse , each a ring ; Sir John McNeill , Lord Windsor , the Mayor of Liverpool , the Mayor of Brighton , Lord Hopetoun , Sir A . Borthwick , the Mackenzie of Kintail , Lord Armstrong , and Lord Brownlow , each a portrait of the Shah with autograph .