Masonic Orations.

" In the age in which we live all are aware of the influence and power of young men . That fertile essayist , Edwin P . Whipp le ] wrote engagingly of 'Young Men in History . ' A volume might be written concerning young men in Masonry .

They are the sails , while the middle-aged members are the rudder and the aged members the anchors of the lodge . All are necessary , but without the sails there would be no motion , no progress . ] 3 ro . Metham thus approves and encourages the young Mason .

"' In this busy life , where the dust of the world settles so heavily upon the hearts of men , it is especially gratifying to find s 0 many young men bound together by the softening and humanising ties of Freemasonry . From this I draw the happy

au < mry that when we who are old shall have passed away , when our faces shall be seen and our voices heard no more , the young men will take our p laces with all the fire and energy of youth , and carry on the good work . '

" The unity of the Degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry , and the analogy afforded by the variety in unity exemplified by the works of the Grand Architect in the natural world , are thus beautifully enunciated : "' Companions , if you have attentively followed the teaching

of the four Degrees of which the Royal Arc h' is the climax , you will have learned that there is no service on earth you can render which will be more acceptable to your beneficent Creator than that of aiding in their need , cheering in their sorrow , and comforting in their affliction your fellow creatures . All the unity in

variety , which , like a golden chain , runs through and unites these several Degrees , speaks open-mouthed of Him who has harmonised , by unity of the most simple laws , the wonderful and infinite variety which shows itself everywhere in this beautiful world , which He has given us as our dwelling-place . '

"We have , no doubt , quoted sufficiently to justify to the intelligent reader the publication of Bro . Metham's orations , and Bro . Chapman ' s and Bro . Hughan's endorsement of their value and furtherance of their appearance in print . They are excellent Masonic reading . " —The Keystone .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WORCESTERSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Worcestershire was held on the nth inst ., at Stourport , when the Assembly Room of the Town Hall was converted into a temple for the occasion . A Craft lodge was opened by the W . M . and officers of the Vernon Lodge shortly after noon . The Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Sir Edmund A . H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P ., together with the Officers of Provincial Grand Lodge , Present and Past , shortly afterwards entered the lodge ,

and were received by the assembled brethren with the accustomed honours . The Provincial Grand Master was supported by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . A . F . Godson , Q . C ., M . P ., and there were also present the Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire , Bro . Colonel Foster Gough ; Bro . Rowland G . Venables , the Deputy Grand Master of Shropshire ; and Bro . George Taylor , Grand

Standard Bearer of England , who is also Secretary to the province . These brethren were also saluted according to their office . Provincial Grand Lodge was opened by the Prov . Grand Master at one o ' clock , when the following brethren were present : Bros . Sir Edmund H . Lechmere , Bart ., M . P ., P . G . M . ; A . F . Godson , M . P ., D . P . G . M . ; W . Waldron , P . S . G . W . ;

fcuah Foley , P . J . G . W . ; W . B . W . Williamson , P . P . G . W . ; James Fitzgerald , P . P . G . W . ; W . H . Westwood , P . P . G . W . ; Henry Wilson , P . P . G . W . ; G . R . Godson , P . P . G . W . ; the Rev . J . Kni ght Law , P . G . Chap . ; the Rev . W . J . Down , P . A . G . Chap . ; A . Green , P . G . Treas . ; F . G . Russell , P . G . Reg . ; J . Joseland , r . P . G . Reg . ; Edwin Turner , P . P . G . Reg . ; George Taylor , G . Std . Br . Eng ., P

. G . Sec ; Thomas L . Smith , P . J . G . D . ; W . E . Walker , P . P . J . G . D . ; Alfred B . Kowe , P . G . S . of W . ; C . E . Bloomer , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W . ; E . Lay , P . G . S . B . ; Lharles Mytton , P . P . G . S . B . ; William Waring , P . P . G . S . B . ; Joseph Sargant , ' P -G . Std . Br . ; H . M . Jackson , P . G . Org . ; Walter Wood and Thomas Price , ' ¦ G . Pursts . ; j . W . Consterdine Chadarch , P . P . A . G . Purst . ; F . E . Hallam , P . G .

\ u A ' R- S- B 1 » ndell , P . M . 560 ; T . R . Arter , P . M . 2034 , P . G . S . B . ; C . F . Hoult , 1 R u ; W ' T- Pa £ - W-M' 9 : ° ' Fraser , S . W . 1204 ; W . Thomas , P . M . 2034 ; }¦ B . Hulme , W . M . 280 ; Septimus Bagott , P . M . 252 ; George Lees , 560 , P . P . G . 5 ' -j J- Slack , 1097 , P . P . G . S . B . ; Col . Foster Gough , P . G . M . Staffordshire ; Rowland G . Venables , P . A . G . D . of C , D . P . G . M . Shropshire ; Alfred Dawes ,

I L Stevenson , P . M . 252 , P . G . S . B . ; E . J . Chambers , S . D . 252 ; G . Houlds-T n 377 ' - Woodward , S . W . 377 ; Thomas Robinson , S . D . 564 ; J . A . Deeley , W'ii- 5 4 ; H Wilcox , 564 ; J . E . Bottomley , W . M . 564 ; J . Attwood , 564 ; T Miam Dorsett , P . M . 560 ; James S . Hargraves . 751 ; W . Connely , P . M . 1290 ; t . Bland , 18 74 ; Alfred Marsh , J . W . 573 ; Alfred Cookson , P . P . G . P . 573 ; in -L ° okse y . . P . P-G . R . 1621 ; W . S . Shepley , Sec . 498 ; W . H . Richardson , ££ 498 ; J . Stallard , J . W . 280 ; Wright Wilson , S . D . 2034 ; J . H . Hughes , 2 , , \ l - Underwood , 280 , P . P . G . S . B . ; T . Chambers , J . W . 252 ; W . Hanson , g ; H . F . Williams , 529 ; F . Hobson , 529 ; W . M . Ward , P . M . 1204 ; Wltf ' S -W 529 ; James Turner , P . M ., 252 , P . P . G . S . B . ; James Warham , Ion ! 2 S 2 ; J- Jordan , 498 , P . P . A . G . D . C ; J . H . White , I . G . 529 ; James S 60 r , ' M- Smith > S - - 2 S ; H- A- Jones > I 594 ; A . Johnson , I . G . loo , ~ ward Collins , J . D . 560 ; Joseph Ward , 560 ; W . F . Davies , CranL ^ o - Webster ' S-W- l 874 ; D . Bryce , 573 ; T . Green , 573 ; T . GoiJ ' ' George Dunn , 573 ; Thomas Patterson , 252 ; W . Atkins , 377 ; E .

,, St « ith Morrison , 377 ; E . Evans , 373 ; H . E . G . Morrison , 560 ; H . S . a 52- T w' Donald Martin , 570 ; F . Barlow , 2034 ; G . Hodkiss , 529 ; J . Jones , fienLtf ' getts > 573 ; Charles H . Smith , 2034 ; Peter Davies , 1097 ; William J . Wo , ° i ' ' J- Billingham , W . M . 498 ; A . Timmins , Tyler 498 ; J . Crabtree , , 177 . y ' \ , F - Grove , 573 ; H . Humphreys , 573 ; F . Garner , 252 ; J . Dugard , tyilW' J-Wade , 560 ; W . Williams , 573 ; R . Underwood , 573 ; Rev . 1 . W . Un ... n . aw P . P . A . G . DC Tnhn Smith oftn P fj TvW . IT W M „ tf oR „ . TU < , ( MiiWl JT T J 1 V / ll UUllltt

' nltPfnrtJ . T ^ H ' J ' —* - " - ') * . ^ , . . . . , « UU J J- ^ pf'tchT i ' a ¦ l 621 ' P-G . D . C ; William Westcott , P . G . Steward ; A . E . Guy Otl io & M , - Meyer ' 573 - ' Thomas Ta y lor ' S W - 573 J Walter Jones , 573 ; The ' y S 64 ; and F" J- Grimths . 5 6 ° - ? > t wwi " r ° " ° f the I 2 lod S which comprised the province was called over , ' J ? hrofk ! seen that tnere vvere I 28 brethren present , as well as several visit-Tne WM > ° ° ther P rovinces - W -M . ' s of the various lodges made statements concerning the work of

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Worcestershire.

their lodges during the last 12 months , from which it was gathered that Masonry is in a very flourishing condition in Worcestershire . The reports of the various Benevolent and Charitable Funds vvere received and adopted , and various sums of money were voted to the several purposes of Masonry . The P . G . M . appointed the city of Worcester as the locale of next year ' s Prov . Grand Lodge .

The following brethren were appointed to the Grand Offices of the province for the next year , and duly invested and installed : Bro . Abraham Green ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ T . Lamb Smith ... ... ... ... prov . J . G . W . ' „ Rev . W . J . Down ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Chap .

„ W . S . Davies ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ J . Joseland ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ George Taylor , G . Std . Br . England ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ W . Thomas ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ G . F . Grove ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . „ F . Frederick Hoult ... ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of W . „ John Mossop ... ... ... ... Prov . G . D . C . „ George Houldsworth ... ... ... Prov . A . G . D . C . „ George Hodgkiss ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Swd . Br . „ William Merrick Ward ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ H . M . Jackson ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Org .

„ W . H . Talbot ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Purst . „ Septimus Bagott ... ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Purst . The Prov . G . Lodge was afterwards " called off , " and a procession was formed , the junior lodges leading , and all marched to the Stourport parish church . The brethren wore their Masonic clothing , and the Provincial Grand Master was

accompanied by his Prov . Grand Officers . As the brethren assembled in the church , Bro . H . M . Jackson , Prov . Grand Organist , played a voluntary on the organ . There was afterwards a processional hymn , during the singing of which the clergy and clerks , preceded b y a cross bearer and a banner , marched up the centre aisle , and took their places in the stalls and within the sanctuary .

The prayers were read by Bro . the Rev . J . W . Down , P . G . C ., and the Rev . B . Gibbon . The first lesson was read b y Bro . the Rev . J . Knight-Law , P . P . G . C ., and the second by the Rev . F . O . Gascoigne . The anthem was Sullivan ' s— " I will sing of Thy power "—in which the tenor solo was excellently sung by Bro . Lay . The organ was presided over b y Bro . F . J . Griffiths .

Bro . the Rev . J . W . WILLSHAW , P . P . G . C , preached a hi ghly appropriate sermon from the words— " Behold I build an house to the name of the Lord my God . " —II . Chronicles , 2—4 . Masons , he said , differed very materially from many societies with which they might have some things in common . The rules of other societies took in only that which concerned the material and the physical . Articles of faith were unknown , and so it came to pass that those of any creed or of no creed at all were eligible for membership . But with Masons it was far otherwise . There

was written down indelibly in every man ' s creed , " I believe in the existence of God . " It was quite true they did not pledge each other beyond that , for they were Catholic in the widest sense in which the term mi ght be employed . As such , there was much that was spoken and written in this 19 th century with which they could not sympathise . They could have little in common with those who boasted in Agnostic phrase that we come " whence we know not , and that we are hurrying whither we know not . "

At the conclusion of the service the procession was formed in reversed order , and the brethren returned to the lodge room , where , after the transaction of formal business , P . G . Lodge was declared closed . The brethren afterwards banqueted together at the Swan Hotel . »_

John Theophilus Desaguliers , LL . D ., was the son of a French Protestant minister , the " Dictionnaire Universel" tells us , who left home and came to England after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes . John Theophilus was born at La Rochelle , 1683 . The young Desaguliers was educated partly by his father and subsequently at Christ Church College , Oxford . Dr . Oliver tells us that in 1702 he was so far distinguished as to be elected , on the retirement of Dr . Keil , to

read courses of lectures of experimental philosophy at Hart Hall . But in this date Oliver must be wrong , and it should probably read 1712 or 1713 . Mackey says that he received his M . A . degree in 1713 . He married about 1712 or a little later , and settled in London at Westminster . He was ordained , it is said in the " Dictionaire Universel , " by the Bishop of El y in 1717 ; but Oliver says that the Duke of Chandos presented him to the living of Edgware , and that he was made

chaplain to Frederick , Prince of Wales , before this date . He is said by Oliver to have been made a Mason in the old lodge that met at the " Goose and Gridiron , " St . Paul ' s Churchyard , now the " Lodge of Antiquity , " on what authority we know not ; and is also said to have been an active personage in the revival of Masonry in 1717 with Bros . Sayer , Payne , Lamball , Elliott , Gofton , Cordwell , De Noyer , Sraden , King , Morrice , Calvert , Ware , Lumley , and Madden , together with Timson and

Anderson . He is not , however , mentioned b y name in Anderson ' s Constitutions of 173 8 , until June 24 th , 1719 , when he was elected Grand Master . In 1721 he delivered before Grand Lodge an " eloquent oration about Masons and Masonry , " of which no copy is known to exist . He retired from the Grand Mastershi p in 1 7 , and was three times subsequentl y Deputy Grand Master , namely , in 1723 , 1724 , 1725 . Bro . D . Murray Lyon tells us that in 1721 Desaguliers visited the

Lodge of Edinburgh ( Mary ' s Chapel ) , and that the introduction of English Speculative Masonry into Scotland may be attributed to him . He appears to have gone to Holland about 1730 , and in 1731 to have been W . M . of the occasional lodge at which the Grand Duke of Tuscany was initiated and crafted . In 1737 he presided at a lodge at Kew Palace to initiate Frederick , Prince of Wales , who subsequently received the other grades , proaably conferred by Dr . Desaguliers .

The ' Handbuch " says he died , out of his mind , in 1 743 , Mackey says in 1744 , and Oliver says in 1749 , in lod gings over the Piazza , Covent Garden . Cawthorne , in his " Vanity of Human Enjoyments , " is quoted as exclaiming " How poor neglected Desaguliers fell ! " but we agree with Mackey in thinking that these statements are coloured . He seems to have been a very learned " physicist , " as the term is ; and his "Course of Experimental Philosophy" had an European

reputation . He was a Fellow of the Royal Society , and edited one or two other scientifical and mathematical works . It may be fairly said that to John Theophilus Desaguliers Anglo-Saxon and cosmopolitan Freemasonry owes a lasting debt of recognition and of gratitude . Bro . Dr . Oliver , in the " Revelations of a Square , " at page 10 , gives us an interesting and animated accouut of our learned brother , to which we beg to refer our readers .

ARCHITECTURE . —The art of building , or the science which teaches the method of constructing any edifice for use or ornament , for peace or war , for religion or for man . It is one of the most ancient , and necessarily the most useful and the most important of arts ; and has been held in hi gh esteem amongst all nations , and in all ages of the world . There are five orders of architecture so called—the Doric , the Ionic , the Corinthian , the Tuscan or Etruscan , the Composite or Roman . In Christian architecture , various styles have been made use of at different

periodsthe Byzantine or Lombardic , the Anglo-Saxon , the Norman , the Gothic , the early English , the Decorated , the Tudor , which names we merely give for convenience , and as best known . We are not writing a scientific account of architecture . As Mackey truly observes , " As geometry is the science on which masonry is founded , architecture is the art" from which Freemasonry has borrowed the " language of its symbolic instruction . " The study of architecture is so pleasant and elevating in itself that in it all the members of our more speculative order ought to be proficients . —Kenning ' s Cyclopaedia of Freemasonry .