Provincial Grand Chapter Of Lincolnshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF LINCOLNSHIRE .

The annual convocation of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held at The Old Hall , Gainsborough , on the 30 th ult . Comp . W . Harling Sissons , J . P ., D . L ., Grand Superintendent , presided , and was supported by most of the Prov . Grand Officers , there being present Comps . Slata , P . G . H . ; B . H . Russell , as P . G . J . ; B . Vickers , P . G . S . E . ; F . J . Sowby , P . G . Treas . -. J . L . Rayner , P . G . Reg . ; J . J . Sale , P . G . S . B . ; B . T . Adlard , as

P . G . Org . ; and a large gathering of companions from the various chapters in the province . Provincial Grand Chapter having been opened in due form , the minutes of the last convccation held at Boston were read and approved . After the roll of Prov . Grand Officers , the roll of chapters was called , and proved verv satisfactory .

The GRAND S UPERINTENDENT then addressed the companions , and expressed his pleasure at seeing such a large gathering in the historical old hall of Gainsborough . He alluded to many interesting facts connected with the p lace of meeting , and congratulated Prov . Grand Chapter on its increased strength . He also alluded in warm terms to the valuable work done by Comp . Vickers , P . G . S . E ., and offered him the cordial congratulations of the chapter on his promotion tothe oflice of Past G . S . B .

Comp . F . J . Sowby was re-elected Prov . G . Treas ., and the following Prov . Grand Officers were then appointed and invested by the Grand Superintendent :

Comp . W . G . Loveridge ... ... ... Prov . G . H . „ F . Baines ... ... ... ... Prov . G . J . „ B . Vickers , P . G . S . B .... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ R . O . Wormall ... ... ... Prov . G . S . N . „ W . R . F . Morton ... ... ... Prov . G . P . S . „ W . LeTall ... ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ J . E . Townsend ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S „ F . J . Sowby ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ I . L . Rayner ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg .

„ J . B . Swallow ... ... ... Prov . G . S B . „ W . Oldham ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br , * ,, R . F . M . White ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . I f „ B . T . Adlard ... ... ... Prov . G . Org . 1 ,, W . Conner ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor ,

<~ - ' . It was decided that the next annual convocation should be held at Grantham on the invitation of the Doric Chapter . After the Provincial Grand Chapter had been duly closed , the companions adjourned to the White Hart Hotel , where the banquet was served . The Grand Superintendent presided , and the usual loyal and Masonic tcasts were duly honoured .

Masonic Service At St. Martin-In-Thefields.

MASONIC SERVICE AT ST . MARTIN-IN-THEFIELDS .

The Church of St . Martin-in-the-Fields having been recently re-opened after decoration , a Masonic service was arranged by the members of St . Martin ' s Lodge , No . 2455 , of which the Vicar is Chaplain , and took place on Sunday , the 7 th instant . There was a good attendance of btethren and the public , and the sacred edifice—renovated and re-painted and lighted by electric light—presented

an interesting spectacle . The large number of members of the Craft present included Bros . J . WWoodall , P . G . Treas . ; C . W . C . Hutton , P . G . D . ; j . M . McLeod , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B . ; Oscar Philippe , P . G . Std . Br . ; Jas . Stephens , D . G . D . C . ; Geo . Mickley , P . A . G . D . C . ; R . St . A . Roumieu , P . G . S . of Wks . ; Rowland Plumbe , P . G . S . of Wks . ; E . L . Valeriant , P . G . S . B . ; E . Hobbs , P . P . G . D . Essex ; W .

J . Mason , P . P . G . D . Surrey , Vice-Pres . Board Gen . Purps . ; Capt . E . M . Money , P . A . G . D . C ; W . T . Farthing , P . M . ; J . B . S . Lancaster , P . P . G . S . B . Surrey ; W . F . Aldridge j E . L . Berry , Prov . G . S . of Wks . Bucks ; Lieut .-Col . Clifford Probyn , P . M . ; W . T . Brickwell , W . M . ; the Rev . J . F . Kitto , Vicar of St . Martin-in-the-Fields ; G . W . Murnane , P . M ., Sec . 2455 ; the Ven . the Archdeacon of Essex , P . G . Chap . ; Jas . Connah , Org . ; W . Fendick , P . P . G . D . ; T . W . Ockenden , P . P . G . S . B . ; W . Lavington ; W . W . Lee , P . P . G . D . ; and others .

The brethren , wearing full Masonic clothing and jewels—for which a dispensation had been obtained from the M . W . G . M . —were marshalled in procession by Bro . James Stephens , Dep . G . D . C , and preceded the choir and clergy into the church . The service commenced with a hymn " Christ is our corner stone , " and prayers having been said by Bro . Rev . J . F . KITTO , a sacred solo " Nazareth " . was sung by Bro . Griffiths Percy .

A sermon was then preached by Bro . the Ven . ARCHDEACON OF ESSEX , P . G . Chap ., who took for his text the 5 th chapter of the 2 nd Book of Chronicles . He said he did not think he could make better use of the short time he should speak to them than by carrying them back in thought ' as far as he could to that wonderful account in the Volume of the Sacred Law , recording the building and dedication of that first Temple made with hands for the worship and glory of the

Almighty . They knew the building of the Temple was the crowning glory ofthe young Hebrew monarch ' s reign . His father being a man of war was not allowed to build that house , but only to gather together the materials , the timber and stone which the people offered , but it was reserved for the man of peace to he the builder of the Temple of the God 0 $ Peace . It was a great thing in those days that a Hebrew King should ally himself with kings of neighbouring nations , the King of Tyre and side with

others and Hebrew workmen were found side by Tyrian , and amongst the artificers was Hiram , the son of a Hebrew widow . There was no hesitancy in working for the glory of God , and the rearing of a building worthy of His Great Name . It was raised in a different manner from ordinary buildings . The brethren would be reminded next month of the building of St . Paul ' s . Brethren worked together 111 raising that building , and it was recorded that in doing so no oaths or piofane language were heard , and that there was one proof that it was

raised by brethren of their ancient Order , for profanity would naturally not be allowed amongst members of their Order . The Great Temple was built silently , the stones were prepared in a quarry , and brought ready to be placed in the positions they were to occupy . There was no wrangling . The people gave their offerings willingly , and if there was one word that fell upon their ears pleasantly it was that word " willingly . " As the people gave their offerings , so others worked with a will , it was not a question of hire , but they worked with a love and reverence for the object . They received their wages in the inner court , but

Masonic Service At St. Martin-In-Thefields.

without scruple or diffidence , for there was mutual confidence between employer and employed . Would that the same spirit could exist in these days ! The Temple was completed , the day had come for its dedication , and the young King had come down in his royal robes and had been met by an enormous concourse . Sacrifices were made , and the Ark of God was carried first between the two Great Pillars , then into the Holy Place , and thence into the Holy of Holies , where the symbol of Divine presence was placed upon the wings of the Cherubim .

Then followed that wonderful prayer which showed the intensity of his religious connections and the humility of his heart—the first prayer recorded in the Temple on earth . There was much to make him proud , and thankfulness , they might have thought should be the key note . Then came the most solemn moment referred to in the verse specially chosen . At a given signal , when every eye was fixed upon the Conductor , the instrumental performers , musicians , and singers , burst out in that grand volume of praise . At that particular moment ,

when singers and players were one in making a song of praise to glorify Godthen it was that the glory of God came down and a brilliant light shone in the temple , so that the priests could not see to administer . Never surely was there such grand harmony—a harmony not merely of music but of heart to heart and soul to soul . They did not sing because they had fine voices , simply for effect—the singing was nobler as everything else was—to render the glory to God worthy of His Great Name . There was a sympathy—heart with

heart and soul with soul . It was not merely that there was no discordant sound heard—there was no discordant feeling amongst those who rendered praise . There was a lesson for them as Masons and for all . To them as Masons harmony was a word with which they were familiar , and harmony was one of the characteristics which marked the building of the Temple . Harmony throughout its building , and peace within its borders while it was built . When the Temple was raised it was then that the harmony reached its climax in the anthem of praise that God

designed to come down to manifest His presence amongst His own . They as Masons had a work to do—that work was one of harmony and peace . There was going up from earth to heaven the great symphony and great anthem of praise from those who worshipped Him on earth . There was going up , alas ! the discordant sound from the streets of blasphemy and foul language , which made it sound discordant as it tried to mount up . He was not sure it had not the key note—that heavenly anthem—of brotherly love . Brotherly love , if not

the key note , was one that might be struck again and again and would never be out of tune . Brotherly love , relief , and truth , but brotherly love first . There should be brotherly love in the little sphere of each one's home : in the great world around them , and , as a nation , between class and class , between nation and nation . Freemasons might take a grand part in sounding this note again and again— " Let brotherly love continue , " and Freemasons were not slow to strike this on occasion . They well remembered how nearly two years ago—just abo ut

Christmas—there was a war scare . Just a dread in this country that that most terrible of all wars might come about between England and the United States . One could hardly imagine anything more terrible than war between two Englishspeaking nations—brothers as they should be . At that time there passed miny a message flashed between the countries , and their M . W . G . M . sent his message of peace to avert a great calamity . There was no message , however , that more thoroughly struck the key note of peace than the message sent from the Freemasons

of England to the Freemasons of the United States . It was very simple and touching " Glory to God in the Highest , on earth peace , goodwill towards rain . " He ventured to think that message , sent upon Christmis morning , wj . t not without effect in drifting aside that war cloud . To-day , they all had something to do at home to promote this brotherly love , this peace on earth , this goodwill b ; twe : n man and man . They looked for the time when the kingdoms on eirth were in truth the kingdoms of our Lord , but this would not be until there was unioa of

soul , and not only of voice , which was the case at the building of the Temole . There should be this union in their daily life . Not merely when they met in church as they had that day to join in worship , but make this the key note of their own actions—brotherly love to relieve the suffering of those aroun 1 them . In their own sphere to try and bring about more of that harmony and peace which should characterise Christian men . So might they live that in the daily round

and common task the ' . r voices wouli not be merely the vaicei of their lip t . b it should strike this note . It might be very far off that the time would arrive when this note was not mixed with the discordant noises of the world of strife , but it was for them to do their little part for this end . As they looked backid in thought to that grand wonderful harmony at the dedication of the first great Te . nple , might they soon again renew that song and keep in tune in Heavan .

The sacred solo "Jerusalem , " was sung by Bro . Griffiths Percy , and the cITertory which followed—and which will be apportioned between the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and Royal Masonic Institution for Girls—amounted to , £ 21 12 s . 2 d .

Annual Supper Of The Blackheath Lodge Of Instruction, No. 1320.

ANNUAL SUPPER OF THE BLACKHEATH LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1320 .

This successful and auspicious event in the annals of this lodge of instruction took place at the Ship Restaurant , Charing Cross—a new departure , for hitherto it has been held at Camberwell . The occasion was signalised by the attendance of 45 brethren to do honour to Bro . E . A . Rice , W . M . of the mother lodge , who was supported by Bros . T . Hobley , S . W . 1320 ; W . King , J . W . 1320 ; T . R . Cass , P . M . ; R . A . Stunt , P . M . ; Pike , I . P . M . 1320 ; 1 . Hooper , P . M . ; T

Grummant , P . M . ; Wm . Dawson , W . M . 1622 ; J . Loader , P . M . ; S . J . Derhamr P . M . ; S . Ballard , P . M . ; F . W . Bate , P . M . ; W . R . Barr , P . M . ; Harry Wood , P . M . ; W . S . Whitaker , P . M . ; H . Hardman , P . M . ; Robinson , P . M . ; H . Cornford , Wm . Wright , Snell , Hesekiel , Tempest , C . W . Stone , J . Whiteman , Cranch , P . M . ; C . Plant , P . M . ; Woodward , Weare , W . Jeffery , Crisp , E . Clarke , Wright , W . Clarke , Sobel , Sims , P . M . ; Faull , Richards , Morris , Mclntyre North , P . M . Roberts , Johns , D . Reekie , W . Hill , A . Court , Frank Swinford , and C . H . Stone ,

P . M . 507 . An excellent repast was thoroughly enjoyed by all the brethren , supplied by Bro . Bonaldi and Beltramo , the proprietors , for which lhey received special thanks . The cloth removed , the PRESIDENT gave the usual loyal and Masonic toasts in right royal terms , which were received in a manner which becomesa loyal body of Freemasons .

The toast of The Grand Officers was proposed and received in a most becoming manner . Bro . G . C . PIKE , I . P . M . 1320 , next rose and proposed the toast of " Bro . E . A . Rice , W . M . 1320 , the worthy President of the Evening , " and remarked it was a most pleasing duty to see him in such a position , presiding over so large and

pleasant a gathering . It showed his popularity in having such support , which he had gained through the energy displayed in South London , in conjunction with others of the Blackheath Lodge , in founding the lodge of instruction attach id to it , which had proved itself to be one of the most successful in the neighbourhood . The same energy and zest was shown in the mother lodge , and the duties were