Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

The report was unanimously adopted . Bro . ] . M . HARVEY read the ioth Report of tlie Suffolk Masonic Charity Association , which showed that during the year a sum of £ _ j . _ 6 s . 6 d . had been subscribed to the three Masonic Charities from the province . All the candidates who were adopted by thc province were duly elected . Thc PROV . GRAND MASTER then briefly addressed the brethren , expressing at the outset a hearty welcome to Thornham Hall , which it had

always been his desire the Provincial Grand Lodge should visit , lie considered that a Provincial Grand Master should be in the friendliest relation with all those who helped liim to govern the province , and he hoped that that was his position at that moment . He alluded to the presence of the Prov . Grand Master of Essex , Bro . Lord Brooke , M . P ., and the other distinguished visitors , whom he also cordially welcomed , ancl then , turning to thc position of the province , he said he had nothing to say ,

a fact which showed that it was in a prosperous state . T he reports which they had heard read were matters for congratulation , both with regard to the active progress of Masonry in Suffolk and the Charities , and in respect to the latter , the } -ought to bc very grateful to Bro . Harvey for all he had done . He also referred in congratulatory terms to the recently-consecrated lodge at Felixstowe , which had he said raised itself already to the position of one

ofthe best lodges in the province . In conclusion , he spoke feelingly of the loss they had sustained by thc death of Bro . Clarke , P . G . D . of C , to whose family , on the proposition of the D . P . G . M ., seconded by Bro . BOBY , a vote of condolence was passed . The Provincial Grand Lodge , on thc invitation of Bro . H . G . Ouilter , fixed Felixstowe for the next annual meeting .

The Provincial Grand Lodge having been closed , thc brethren marched in procession , headed by thc band of thc Suffolk Artillery , under Bandmaster Harris , to St . Mary ' s Church , where Divine service was held . Bro . Rev . C . E . Barnes read thc prayers , and Bro . Rev . W . T . Corfield preached appropriately from a text taken from Eccles . iv ., part of the 12 th

verse—One might almost be excused for wondering whether the writer of the book from which I have taken my text knew aught of the great body of which so many of us in this church this afternoon are members—for there is , my brothers—I say it with all reverence—a truly Masonic ring about the words . As we think of them we cannot but be struck by the marvellous way in which they apply themselves to every branch of our dear old Craft . No matter where you turn you find the threefold cord . In the charge to the newly initiated our duty to God , to our neighbour , and to ourselves is clearly impressed

upon us on the very threshold of our Masonic life . Figuratively , by the pillars of Wisdom , Strength , and Beauty our lodges are supported . Faith , Hope , and Charity are the strands of the threefold cord by which we hope to attain to the mansions above . The distinguishing characteristics of a good Freemason are virtue , honour , and mercy . No motive whatever must make us swerve from our duty , violate our vows , or betray our trust , and once more the threefold cord on which I wish for a few moments to dwell , a threefold cord consisting of the grand principles on which our Order is founded—brotherly

love , relief , and truth . Love , an attribute of God himself , the greatest thing in the world , the chief corner-stone of our Order . Love , we often speak of it , we are often using the word , but what do we know of it ? We know that it is the sunshine of our life here , we know that it is the one thing that really brightens and warms and quickens and satisfies . VVe know that it is the very bond of peace which links one another together , overleaping difficulties , outliving delays and disappointments , healing wounds , preventing and repairing quarrels , increasing joys , the parent of every virtue , the comfort under every

ill . But , my brethren , do we think what it is , and whe nee it comes . Sometimes our thoughts rise upward as we heir the words " Love is of God , " sometimes , thank God , we remember that there is a love far exceeding the greatest love which we can have for one another , the love of Him who said " Greater love hath no man than this , that a man lay down His life for his friends . " But beyond even this there are thoughts of truth and wonder indicated to us by the words " God is love . " VVe see love here on earth , as the holy bond between members , but we wonder how " God is love . " And as we

wonder there begins to open light upon us , and we see in creation a proof that God is love , love which would have an object , and found that object in all the beauty of the universe , and in man made after its own similitude . When you look into your own hearts and ask yourselves in some moment of sincerity , what there is in them which you would really wish to be eternal ; what of you and in you you could really wish to be conscious of for ever and ever , surely there can be but one answer—that which you have of love , the love which is in you , which is Godlike , nay which is God in you , for

God is love . Oh , if love be this noble , this grand , this Godlike thing , and if a man who love God must love his brother also , then we see the beauty and necessity of our chief corner-stone , then we see why the first of the three great principles of our Order is brotherly love . What would the world be without it ? What more tends to sear and sadden this world of ours than the lack of it ? Oh , see to it that your Masonry brings forth fruit , see that the first strand of your cord is well woven together , see that you love one another . Brotherly love , relief , or Charity is another strand of the threefold cord , a virtue

forming one of the most marked characteristics of our Order . We as a body of men give liberally to the relief of our poor and distressed brothers . We each year provide an enormous sum of money for our Masonic Institutions . Outwardly , whatever the world may say of us , we are members of a Charitable Order . Outwardly , indeed , we seem to qualify ourselves for the reward of One who said " Insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren , ye have done it unto me . " But we are apt to degrade this glorious attribute of Charity . VVe are apt to look upon this giving

of our means as a duty merely . Is there not great need for each one of us to bear in mind that , to exercise this virtue both in the character of Masons and in our common life , we must forget every obligation but love , or otherwise we shall confound Charity with duty . The feelings of the heart must direct the hand of Charity , and for this purpose we must be divested of every idea of superiority , and estimate ourselves as all equal in the scale of brotherhood . Compassion , remember , is of heavenly birth . It is one of the grandest characteristics of humanity , and that relief , that Charity ,

which the angels delight to see , which the Great Architect stamps with His approval , is the Charity which springs from an intense love for man as man . Oh , we have great need to bear this in mind . When we feel inclined to look with satisfaction on what our united efforts achieve , let us look individually into our hearts , and see whether we contribute our quota from a feeling * of pride , from a feeling of duty , or from a heaven-born love and compassion for our poorer brothers . Brotherly love , relief , and truth . Truth is the grand foundation-ntone of Freemasonry .

At our initiation we were exhorted to be " good men and true . " It is by the dictates of truth that we must endeavour to rule and govern our lives and actions . Truth is the central strand of our threefold cord round which the other two twine themselves . Time will not permit me to dwell as I should like to dwell on this great virtue . You all know full well the absolute necessity 0 / truth ; without it there can be no satisfactory intercourse between min and man ; without it , as a foundation-stone , all the virtues inculcated by Masonry would lose their mainspring . What a power it has , what an influence it wields over

our lives . Let us nourish , let us cultivate the virtue of truth ; so that , being true to the Great Architect of the Universe , and moulding our lives on the advice given us by our Poet" To thine own self be true , and it must follow , as the night the day , thou can ' st be false to no man . " We may when all is over here lind ourselves , by the use of our threefold cord , drawn for ever into the mansions of eternal rest . Brotherly love , relief , and truth forms indeed a threefold cord , which , in the words of our text , is not quickly broken . Oh ! let each one of us see that we cling to this cord ; let each one of us be certain that it is

guiding us over the sea of life . It is a safe cord ; it will never fray , it will never break ; we who cling to it shall gain virtue and help and guidance from it , but we shall in no wise strain or weaken it . Let us be practical — are we using this threefold cord , and so are we true to our Masonic vows—are we ? What is the aim and end of our clinging to this cord , what is the aim and end of our Masonry ? Not the exercise of so much liberality only , not the enjoyment of so much conviviality only , but

—you will forgive my reminding you of this , for I know that I must be speaking to many here who have grown grey-headed in the service of the Craft they love so well—the aim and object of Masonry is to make us better men , truer workers , more obedient to the orders of the Great Architect , whose plans willingly , or unwillingly , we are each one of us working out . Oh , if our Craft is helping us towards the attainment of this end , may God bless it . Let us then in our lives show forth its reality . Let the world be obliged to

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

say— " There is something more in Masonry than we thought , for a Mason is only another name for a good man . " There is the ideal you must set before you , my brothers , an ideal made possible by the use of that threefold cord which , in the words of our text , is not quickly broken . Special hymns were used . Thc collection was in aid of thc Waifs and Strays Institution and Home Missions .

Tiie brethren , to the number of about 200 , afterwards sat down to a banquet , served in a large marquee in front of the half , the catering for which was placed in thc hands of Bro . J . Hardwick , and a duty which hG excellently carried out . During dinner thc band of the Suffolk Artillery Militia played some pretty music , especially selected for the occasion by i \ f ,- . Harris .

At the conclusion of the repast , thc PROV . GRAND MASTER gave the toasts of " The Queen and Craft " and "The M . W . the Grand Master , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " observing in regard to the latter that he had invited his Royal Highness ' s son , the Duke of Clarence , to be present with them , but he was unable to accept the invitation in consequence of his military duties , having marched the previous day for Ireland .

Thc PROV . GRAND M ASTER next gave " Thc Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; thc D . G . M ., thc Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ; and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " and , in doing so , remarked that there was no more popular Grand Officer than Lord Brooke , whom he was sure they were very g lad to see amongst them , and he coupled his name with the toast .

Thc Prov . G . M . of Essex , Lord BROOKE , in responding , assured the brethren of the honour he felt upon having the response of the toast allotted to him . He , with Lord Henniker , would not give way to anyone in his desire for the good of Freemasonry . Lord Henniker was quite right in alluding to thc friendly feeling that existed between his province and that of Essex . " He strongly advocated Masons keeping in touch with one another , which was as necessary to their success as that of the soldier in the field . He trusted that these cordial relations would always exist .

Thc Grand Secretary , Bro . Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE , ancl Bro . BOBY also briefly responded . Bro . thc Rev . C . J . MARTYN , D . P . G . M ., in proposing " The Health of the Prov . Grand AIaster , the Rig ht Hon . Lord Plenniker , " said they all knew what an excellent Grand Master his lordship made . He ( the speaker ) had been associated with his lordship for so many years that he was able to speak with rather more authority than most round that table of the admirable way in which he discharged the duties of his position .

The PROV . GRAND M ASTER , in responding , again spoke of the pleasure with which he met the brethren in his home . He hoped that it would bc his good fortune to fill the position of Provincial Grand Master for many years to come , and by their indulgence , to discharge his duties to the satisfaction of the province . He concluded by submitting the toast of " The D . P . G . M ., Bro . Rev . C . ] . Martyn , and the rest of the Provincial Grand Officers , Present and Past , " thc D . P . G . M . and Bro . N . TRACY responding . The other toasts were " The Masonic Charities " and " The Visitors . "

Votes of thanks were accorded to Bro . the Rev . W . T . Corfield for his excellent sermon , and to the rector for the use of the church . The brethren were then entertained on the lawn to an exceedingly amusing- exhibition on the part of a professional ventriloquist , and the gathering separated with the shades of evening , all highly delig hted with the hospitable reception accorded them by the Prov . Grand Master .

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Essex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF ESSEX .

The annual Provincial Grand Chapter of Essex was held at thc Royal Forest Hotel , Chingford , on Tuesday last , thc nth inst ., the entertaining chapters being thc Brooke Chapter , No . 2005 , the Hope and Unity Chapter , No . 214 , and thc Warner Chapter , No . 2256 . Comp . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , Grand Superintendent of thc province , presided .

Thc Provincial Grand Chapter having been opened , the minutes of thc previous annual meeting were read and confirmed . The roll of chapters was called over , each chapter being fairly represented

by its officers . The report for thc past year was of a very satisfactory nature , showing an increase in thc number of chapters and corresponding increase of membership and contributions . It was unanimously adopted , and ordered to be printed

and circulated throughout the province . An admirable and very impressive address was delivered by the G RAND SUI'K RINTENDENT , in the course of which he directed the attention of his hearers to the advanced status of Roval Arch Masonry in the present day ,

and the excellence of the teachings conveyed in its expressive ritual anc ^ ceremonies , which really formed the full complement of the Master Masons - Degree , and should conduce towards an even greater advance , if possible , of its members in respect of their moral character and fidelity to

t'tcemasonry . . Comps . Rowland Plumbe , P . Z ., Treas . 2005 , and Clomp . !' "¦ A- ^ [ P . Z . 1437 , were respectively appointed Prov . Grand H . and J ., and wei ^ duly obligated and invested . Clomp . A . Durrant was re-elected Prov . drain Treasurer , and Comp . Thos . j . Railing , P . G . S . B ., was appointed rov . Grand Scribe K . for thc ninth year in succession . Tlie Prov . Grand Olhccis appointed and invested were

Comp . Rowland Plumbe , P . Z ., Treas . 2005 ... Prov . G . H . „ F . A . White , P . Z . 1437 ••••••Prov . G . J . „ Thos . J . Railing , P . Z . and S . E . 51 , P . G . S . B . England ( ninth year ) ... ... Prov . Ci . "*** . ^ - „ IT . G . ' llobson , M . E . Z . 214 ... ... Prov . G . S . N . A n n , „ - ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ J . J . Cavill , l . P . Z . 276 l / 0 V - r ' ps „ R . G . Kellett , M . E . Z . 27 6 ... ... | * ^* ' ^ A . S . „ Millnci-Jutsum , H . 2 . 54 ¦ - •¦* ^ fi ^ nd A . S . „ D . P . Holness , H . 2256 ... ... Prov . U ana „ A . Barritt , M . E . Z . 1024 ... ... Prov . O . b . t > - „ A . S . B . Sparling , M . E . Z . elect 51 ... Prov- G . » ta .