Gould's "Military Lodges."*

Oh this occasion the united bands of the Royal Engineers and Royal Marines ( Chatham Division ) took part in the Cathedral service , there was a large attendance of the military and navy of the district , and Dean Hole , an eminent Mason , preached the sermon . With such ceremonies and international exchanges of amenities among the brethren at the present day in America and Great Britain , in which the military

on both sides take a leading part , we may rest assured that though military lodges are ceasing to exist , yet there is no diminution of true Masonic enterprise and activity among our military brethren , and we must all feel indebted to our B ro . R . F . Gould for putting in an accessible form much information about Military Masonry in the past which the better enables us to understand Masonry of the present day .

Scotland.

Scotland .

MASONIC SERVICE IN ST . GILES' CATHEDRAL As , what may be called , their official contribution to the War Relief Funds , the Freemasons of the Metropolitan District and Province of Midlothian organised a special service in St . Giles' Cathedral on Sunday afternoon , the 4 th inst ., which came off under distinguished auspices , and was a great success . The result will be an important addition to the Lord Provost ' s Fund , to which the money is to

be sent . As patrons of the service appeared the Grand Loige of Scotland , the Lord Provost , Magistrates , and Corporation of Edinburgh , and General Chapman , with the Scottish headquarters military s ' aff ; the several lodges of the district took up the matter in a hearty spirit , and the public generally also evinced much interest in it . One fortunate circumstance also was the Committee enlisted the aid of Madame Ella Russell , the distinguislud prima donna , to sing at the

function , and that gifted lady travelled specially from London to b ; present on the occasion , and gave her servic ; s without fee or reward . The result was that the Cathedvat was crowded iu every part hy an audience numbering , it was said , between 3000 and 4000 , and though a trifle slow at the outs ; t , the proceedings subsequently were of an impressive character , and van followed with the utmost attention .

The Masonic brethren mustered in the Parliament Hall , and thence in their regalia , marched to the Cathedral , which they entered by the west door . They were accommodated in ( he nave and transepts . Thirty-five lodges were represented , and in all 6 74 Masons were present . The public had seats in the nave aisles , the Moray aisle , and near the throne gallery ; and every part of these

sections of the building was densely crowded . The procession of clergy who were escorted to tlieir place at the communion table by the beadle of St . Giles , included the Rev . Dr . Colin Campbell , V . D ., Dundee , Grand Chaplain ; Bro . the Rev . Archibald Fleming , Tron Church , Edinburgh ; the Rev . T . D . Frassr , the Rev . John Stirtoa , the Rev . A . R . Yeoman , and Mr . H . G . Donald .

The military staff included General Chapman , Colonel Gerard , Chief Staff Officer ; Captain Dundas , D . A . A . G . ; Captain Metcalfe , District Inspector of Musketry ; Captain Moulten Barrett , A . D . C ; and Colonel Sir William Dick Cunynghame , A . D . C ; and many were glad to see present also a detachment of the Imperial Yeomanry in their khaki uniforms , who were accommodated in the two front seats of the south transept .

Grand Lodge walked up the centre passage preceded by the Grand Sword Bearer , and the brethren received these high Masonic dignitaries upstanding . Among the brethren in this part of the procession were Bros , the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., G . Master Mason of Scotland ; the Right Hon . the Earl of Had . dington , Past G . Master ; Robert F . Shaw Stewart , Acting G . Master Depute ; John M . Martin , Auchendennan , Acting Substitute G . Master ; Major F . W .

Allan , acting S . G . W . j C . M . Pelham Burn , Proxy Prov . G . Master of Nicaragua ; W . J . Sandford Thompson , Prov . G . Jf aster of Kincardineshire ; James Berry , Prov . G . Master of Forfarshire ; William Boyd , Peterhead , P . Prov . G . M aster of Aberdeenshire East ; D . Murray Lyon , G . Sec ; David Reid , G . Treas . ; William Officer , S . S . C , P . G . D . ; A . J . Curie , G . Org . ; George Crawford , G . D .

of C . j R . N . Johnston , G . Marshal ; James Thomson , P . G . S . B . ; James Melville , Allan Mackenzie , Willia . n Elliot , R . S . Brown , William Inglis , Robert Bathgate , W . Adamson , and A . Gordon Petrie , S . S . C , G . Stwds . ; John Walker , George Hay , G . Tyler ; D . Laird , G . Lodge Officer ; and E . A . Chisholm , Chief Clerk , G . Lodge .

Last of all came the civic procession , with the halberd-bearers and sword and mace . Thc membsrs of the Corporation , who were in their robss of office , included Lord Provost Mitchell Thomson , Bailies Mackenzie and Hay , Dean of Guild Ormiston , Treasurer Cranston , Covener Field , Councillors Sir Andrew M'Donald , Macpherson , Kinloch Anderson , Alexander Gray , Grieve , M'Michael , Maxton , Murray , Clark , Mortimer , [ Gibson , Dobie , Cubie , Waterston , Miller Dunlop , Menzies , and Innes .

While the audience gathered , the band ofjthe Gordon Highlanders , placed in the gallery above the north doorway , played a paraphrase on the well-known "Loreley" air , and Bro . John Hartley , whs was at the organ , rendered a processional march . The Rev . Archibald Fleming conducted the first portion of the devotional service , which commenced with the singing of the 100 th Psalm . The singing was admirably led by a special choir under the baton of Bro . J . A . Moonie .

The lessons were read by the M . W . the Grand Master Mason of Scotland , the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., in a clear and distinct voice , which was will heard over the Cathedral . The first lesson was followed by the singing by Madame Ella Russell of the lovely Handelian air , which is known in its English version under the name of

" O heavenly rest . " The prima donna was in splendid voice , and gave a cultured and ' wholly artistic rendering to the air . which she , at tlu same time , suffused with a sweet devotional feeling . He r singing seemed to awaken a tender chord of sympathy throughout the large audience , and many could be seen affected to tears . M . Chollet played a charming violin obligato , and the accompaniment on the organ left nothing to be desired .

Madame Russell was again heard with wrapt attention in the solo part of the Mendelssohn anthem , " Hear my prayer , " the first half of which was rendered with fine dramatic effect . In the second half , the solo , " Oh , for the wings of a dove , " was given with a lightness and beauty of vocalisation and delicacy of feeling which worthily interpreted both words and music . The choir sang the chorus wilh great taste .

Thc sermon was preached by the Rev . Dr . CAMPDELL fron the text ist Peter , ji ,. 1- "Honour all men ; love the Brotherhood ; fear God ; honour the King . " Dr . Campbell said that Masonic readers of the Epistles of St . Peter might well be pardoned if they claimed the Apostle as one of the brethren . Again and again he inculcated in terse language most , if not all , the principles of Masonry . He exhorted his readers to be compassionate one towards another , to love as brethren , to be pitilul , to be courteous , to add to their Godliness brotherly kindness , and t «

Scotland.

brotherly kindness Charity ; and in the verse quoted he bade them , in even more pointed phrase , honour all men , love the Brotherhood , fear God , honour the King . These precepts embodied well-known Masonic princi ples , if they were also Christian ; and they testified that Masonry and Christianity were not only not antagonistic , but truly identical in many features , and that both were moulded on essential truths as to the relations of God and man , and man with his brother . And this was a fundamental note of Masonry that no man was to be regarded as

a chattel , tool , or slave , but everyone was to be recognised as having some native worth , and , therefore , deserving of honour in virtue of his divine lineage and origin . Further , Masonry enjoined loyalty to the Constitution and laws of the land . The Craft was indeed a secret society , but it was not a conspiracy against the throne , or the law of the land , or the principles of social order . The fear of God was an eminently Masonic principle , and it shared with every theistic religion , Christianity included . In one sense , indeed , Masonry was broader than

Christianity , for under its insignia might be met Jew , Mohammedan , Parsee , and Buddhist , as well as Christian , in acknowledging the unity of God . It was , therefore , the greatest calumny , to say that Masonry was Godless , because the history of Masonry , its ceremonial and ritual , its symbols and essence were interfused and permeated with the idea of the one God , the Maker of Heaven and earth , and to deny the existence of the Deity was to remove one of the foundation stones of the Order . Its labour now was not the rearing of edifices , but the building up of

Charity and good works , the help of the helpless , the relief of the poverty , stricken brother , and the care of the widow and the orphan . Doubtless its first charitable duty , like that of Christianity , was " to provide for its own , especially for those of its own house , " but it did not end there . It would be a Masonry with maimed rites that would withhold its hand from helping others than their own . Hence it was peculiarly fitting that they were met that day , drawn together by a sacred cord of sympathy towards their suffering brothers and sisters whom

the present war had plunged into grief , aod if there was one virtue or grace more than another that had taken lodgment in the heart of Masonry , it was that of benevolence . And if a common sorrow united men closely , so did a common danger . The present war , whatever controversies surrounded it , whatever losses it might entail , was remarkable for the splendid revelation that it had welded together a brotherhood of Britons at home and in our Colonies suc ' i as we have never seen before . Never was there such enthusiasm in our nation , and was it

not a convincing proof that the heart of the youth of thc nation was still sound and true , and , on the whole , uncorrupted amid tVe a'lurements of modern life ? War might be , and was , an evil , but not an evil without a good , and the demonstration that these past few months had given of the qualities of our race and the strength of our Empire was well worth a hundred fights . Let it be theirs , therefore , said Dr . Campbell , in conclusion , to help with all their might those that were left behind , to sustain the strain , and to alleviate the sorrow when it came with their compassion and their charity .

A collection was afterwards taken , which , with the amount realised for tickets , and not including several special donations , amounted to . £ 585 . Another feature of the service much appreciated was a march up the centre passage of the nave and chancel by the pipers of the Gordon Highlanders , who played the " Flowers of the Forest" as a lament for our dead heroes . The proceedings were brought to a close by the singing in a spirited fashion ofthe National Anthem , by Madame Russell , the choir , and congregation , accompanied on the organ by the band . ~ . '

It should be mentioned that the service was arranged by a committee , under the chairmanship of Bro . W . W . Robertson , Bro . Frank M . H . Young acting as hon . treasurer , and Bro . R . Wood Hawks as hon . secretary . Bro . Colonel Ivison Macadam rendered capital service as Chief Marshal .

In the course of the evening Bro . the Hon . James Hozier , M . P ., G . Master Mason of Scotland , accompanied by Bros . W . W . Robertson , R , F . Shaw Stewart , Colonel Ivison Macadam , and R . W . Hawks , waited upon Madame Ella Russell at the Royal Hotel , and tendered her their thanks for her services . The G . MASTEK , in expressing on behalf of the brethren their appreciation of Madame Russell's kindness , said that the Masons , not only of the Metro .

politan district , but of all Scotland , were deeply sensible of how much they were indebted to her singing for the success of the service that day . The Lord Provost of Edinburgh and Lord Haddington had desired him to express their personal thanks to her . The G . Master concluded by presenting Madame Russell with an elegantly-bound copy of the programme of the day ' s proceedings , containing an address signed by himself and by the Lord Provjst .

Madame RUSSELL expressed her sincere thanks for the souvenir . She was exceedingly gratilied to think that her aid had been so appreciated by the Masons , She always gave something annually to Edinburgh , and this year it was through the Masons she was enabled to conform to her usual practice .

Annual Supper Of The West Smithfield Lodge Of Instruction, No. 1623.

ANNUAL SUPPER OF THE WEST SMITHFIELD LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1623 .

The annual supper in connection with this lodge took place on Wednesday evening , the 7 th instant , and was a decided success . Bro . J . J . Howes , P . M . 1625 , Hon . Treas ., presided , and Bro . F . P . Weinel , P . M . 1828 , J . W . 1745 , M . E . Z . 1745 , Preceptor , occupied the vice-chair . The music , which was excellent , was under the able direction of Bro . Thomas Powell , S . W . 2182 . Bros . Chas . Strong , Thomas Powell , Robert Hassell , a , nd others , contributed to the enjoyment of the evening by rendering numerous songs in perfect style .

The Hon . Secretary , Bro . Joseph Hoffman , was , unfortunately , prevented through a cold to attend , which was deeply regretted by the brethren present , as he is undoubtedly a Secretary par excellence . We hear that on the 7 th prox . the is Sections will be worked by this lodge of instruction , which meets every Wednesday , at 7 p . m ., at the City Scotch Stores , 27 , Knightrider-street , St . Paul's Churchyard , E . C ., the principal chairs

being occupied on that occasion by Bros . F . P . Weinel , P . M . 1828 , Preceptor , in the chair ; J . Knight , W . M . 861 , as I . P . M . ; H . Whitney , P . M . 861 , in the vicechair ; and J . C . Pratt , W . M . 1623 , as J . W . ; while Bro . Hy . Jos . Lardner , P . M . 1623 and 1745 , & c , P . G . Stwd ., will kindly act on this evening as Asst . Preceptor . Brethren are kindly requested to be in their seats on that evening at 6 . 30 p . m . precisely . Visitors are cordially invite J .

BRO . THE LORD MAVOR , Lord Pirbright , the Right Hon . W . Lidderdale , and Sir George Hayter Chubb were among those pressnt on Monday at the Commander-in-Chief ' s Levee Room , Hjrs ; Guards , at a meeting of the Royal Commission of the Patriotic Fund . H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES ' HOSPITAL FUND FOR LONDON . —Amongst the contributions to the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund for London are the following annual subscriptions : John Aird , M . P ., £ 105 ; Messrs . John Aird and Sons , £ 105 ; Samuel Lewi ; , £ 105 ; and Mrs . Aird , , ( , 25 .