Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Derbyshire.

S . G . W ., in his long illness , and trusted that he might soon be able to be with them again . He also thanked the brethren for their generous support of that most deserving Charity , the Mark Benevolent Fund , and trusted that this interest would be kept up in the future . Prov . Grand Lodge was then closed , and the brethren adjourned to the lower hall , where they were admirably catered for by Bro . and Mrs . Fisher , but on account of the mourning for her late Majesty Queen Victoria the usual loast list was dispensed with .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Sussex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF SUSSEX .

On the I 2 th instant , Bro . the Very Rev . Dean Currie , Dep . Prov . G . Master of Sussex , presided at a special meeting of the Prov . G . Lodge , held at the Royal Pavilion , Brighton . There was a good attendance . The object of the assembly was identical with the Prov . G . Craft Lodge held eat lier on the same day .

The Dep . Prov . G . Master having addressed the brethren in eloquent and fitting terms , resolutions were passed expressing the deep sense ol the members at the great loss they had sustained by the death of their late beloved Queen , another of loyalty to King Edward VIL , their Grand Master , and a third to H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , Prov . G . Master of Sussex .

The brethren entrusted with these resolutions were the Prov . Senior G . Warden ( Bro . Dr . A . King ) , the Prov . Junior G . Warden , Bros . Clowes , Burrows , Spencer , and Freeman . The Prov . G . Lodge was then closed .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Sussex.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SUSSEX .

The brethren of Sussex gathered in large numbers at a special meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge , held in the Roya ! Pavilion , Brighton , on the 12 th instant . In the absence of both the Provincial Grand Master and the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , the chair was taken by Bro . the Very Rev . E . R . Currie ( Dean of Battle ) , P . G . C , who opened the proceedings with some very graceful allusions to the sad event which had necessitated the

meeting . The sole business consisted in the passing of three resolutions , each moved and seconded by some brother well known in the Craft . By the first it was resolved to record on the minutes the deep sense of the severe loss which the brethren of the Provincial Grand Lodge had sustained by the

death of her beloved Majesty , the late Queen Victoria , Patroness of the Order j in the second the Provincial Grand Lodge expressed its loyalty to , ana sympathy with , King Edward VII ., the present Grand Master ; and in the thiid its sympathy with the Duke of Connaught . the Prov . G . M . of Sussex , in the loss he and the King had sustained by the death of their illustrious mother .

Copies of the resolutions were ordered to be forwarded to the proper quarters . The brethren taking an active part in the proceedings were the Prov . Senior and Junior Wardens , Bros . Slingsby Roberts , Langdale , Wyatt , and Farncombe . The meet i ng closed with the singing of the National Anthem .

Our New Grand Master.

OUR NEW GRAND MASTER .

As H . R . H . the Dukeof Connaught has been nominated for the office of Grand Master , in succession to his brother , his Majesty the King , who has held that important position in the Craft fr om the year 1874 , it is , perhaps , as well that a few words be offered respecting our Royal Brother , whose intetest in the Fraternity has been continuous from his Royal Highness's initiation in the " Prince of Wales' Lodge , No . 259 , " on March 24 th , 1874 ,

by the Prince of Wales , W . M . ( now King Edward VIL ) . ihe Fellow Craft Degree was conferred on June 23 rd , and the Master Mason on April 27 th in the following year . H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , K . G ., joined the "Royal Alpha Lodge , " No . 16 , on June 7 th , 1880 , and became its W . M . in that year . From April 15 th , 1 S 77 , his Royal Highness served as Senior Grand Warden for 12 months , was appointed Provincial Grand Master of Sussex on April 9 th ,

1 SS 6 , and District Grand Master of Bombay on January 17 th , 18 S 7 ; his highest rank as Past Grand Master being agreed to by the Grand Lodge on 3 rd December , 1890 , on the recommendation of his Royal Highness the Grand Master " on the occasion of his recent return from the East Indies , after completion of his term of service there as Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army . " The compliment of past rank was proposed by the late Earl of Lathom , as the then Deputy G . M ., duly seconded , and carried by acclamation .

Sometimes the Grand Master has conferred this high honour , but more frequently , I think , it has been done by the Grand Lodge . An error as to the same distinction being bestowed on his Majesty , when Prince of Wales , may as well be corrected now . The rank of Past Grand Master was not conferred ist September , 1869 , on H . R . H . by the Grand Master ( the Earl of Zetland ) , but after notice oy that lamented brother a resolution to that

t ff set was duly proposed and carried by the Grand Lodge , and on December ist following H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., i * cc , was invested and proclaimed accordingly . ,,, „ .. I believe there have been 17 Princes of the " Royal Blood" initiated , from the 20 th Prince of Wales , in 1737 , to 1885 , when H . R . H . the Duke of

Clarence was admitted , but never until this year has the English Craft ever had a King as Grand Master ; so that the nomination of H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , following the accession of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales to the Throne , by the decease of the beloved Queen Victoria , is an experience in relation to our Grand Lodge and the Grand Mastership without a paralle 1 ' W . J . HUGHAN .

The Craft Abroad.

The Craft Abroad .

FREEMASONS AT THE CALCUTTA CATHEDRAL .

SERMON BY THE METROPOLITAN . As was the case last year , the District Grand Lodge of Bengal made arrangements for Divine Service at St . Paul ' s Cathedral on St . John ' s Day . Bro . Dr . Welldon , Bishop of Calcutta , again consented to preach , and also offered the temporary use of the Palace as a place of meeting . A large number of brethren responded to the invitations issued lo the several lodges , and assembled at the Bishop's Palace . Bros . Martyn Wells and A . H . Giver , acting as District Grand Directors

of Ceremonies , having reported to the District Grand Mister that the formation was complete , a procession was formed and marched to the Cathedral . The brethren having taken their seats , Bro . the Lord Bishop , accompanied by Bro . Archdeacon Stone , and Bros , the Revs . Luckman , Firminger , and Cole , proceeded up the nave . The service opened with a hymn , " Hail , Architect Most High ! " Archdeacon Stone read the special lesson appointed , and the R < w . A . G . Luckman intoned the prayers .

The BISHOP then preached an appropriate sermon , taking for his text the Epistle of St . James , ist chapter , and 27 th verse : — " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world . " He said : 1 have sometimes thought that if it was possible to choose words most strictly representative , brethren , of our Craft in its moral or spiritual side , they would be these words . They breathe what I may call the spirit of universal religion , of Christianity , as 1

hold , in the first place , oecause of the motive which Christians find in the infinite compassion of the Son of God who became the Son of Man ; but also of all religions which aspire to make the world better and brighter by their presence . They set the universal seal upon the great principle that it is Charity and not ceremony , righteousness and not ritual , which is the one thing needful in the sight of God . As the prophet Micah of old said : " He hath showed thee , oh \ man , what is good , and what doth the Lord require of thee , but to do justly , and

to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy God . " So the Epistle says in the text " Pure religion , " that is , pure religious worship , " and undefiled before God and the Father is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction , and to keep himself unspotted from the world . " Brethren , I say that we a < Masons may claim this sentence with peculiar emphasis as our own . We believe in God , in one God , the Infinite and Eternal , who is , and was , and is to come , the Almighty . We believe in Him as a Father loving

every sole man with a love so tender that human affection in its highest form is of His love no more than a shadotf . And believing in Him as a Father , we believe that " pure religion and undefiled " is none other than this" to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world . " Brethren , there are many institutions and associations upon earth which look for the points of difference between man and man . We look for the points of union . We do not disguise from ourselves that upon

certain subjects—and these the subjects of highest human interest—we do not all agree . God knows I wish it were so , but it is not . But we believe that a man's religion lies between him and his God , and believing in religious liberty weassert that a man is entitled to hold what religion he chooses within compass of the moral law . And may I add that if a man conscientiously adopts or changes his religious faith , if he becomes , let me say , a Christian or ceases to be a Christian , he ought not to be the victim of any ill-will or any persecution ; he ought not to

be banned or censured ; we ought to treat him with the same consideration with which we claim to be treated ourselves , for no man is a believer in religious liberty unless he believes in the right of man to differ from him . Brethren , the two great doctrines characteristic of our Craft—the belief in the being of God and the belief in personal immortality—they are not , as I consider , of ancient religion ; they fall far short of the revelation of God in Christianity , but they are the fundamental principles without which no religion that aspires to Heaven can be set up

upon earth . And in Masonry those great beliefs assert themselves in two ways , both specified in my texti " First in charity . "Pure religion and undefiled is this , to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction . " The Greek word translated " to visit" means rather to look after ; it suggests thoughtfulness , painstaking enquiries , personal effort for the sorrows and relief of the suffering . Brethren , 1 value the charities of Freemasonry . I value them not the less , but all the more , because they are done not with display and ostentation , not by

advertisement , but modestly and secretly , so that it may be said of them in the words of the Divine teacher that our left hand knoweth not what our right hand doth . And oh 1 how frequent in this land of India is the need for the solace of the fatherless and the widows , how many are the missions of love which Freemasonry is permitted to render . Twice blessed is our Craft in its sacred , charitable liberality •. first , they bless him that gives as well as him that takes ; secondly , in the creed of Freemasonry , not only is charity required—there is

something more . " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father , " is this , " to keep himself unspotted from the world . " Brethren , no one of us has ever listened to the exhortation addressed to novitiates at their initiation into the Craft , but has learnt the success of Masonry based upon personal human virtue . A good Mason must be a good man . lie cannot be true to his principles if he does not live or try to live in accordance with the eternal moral law of God , to build up one another in righteousness , in truth , in Charity , to create citizens not

unworthy of the greatest Empire under Heaven , to present to the world , so far as in him lies , an example of that personal character upon which in the end a " states depend , and without which the state that stems strongest is doomed to decay—that is the second lesson , the second object of our Craft . May we not then pray , as we meet in this sanctuary of God , that He will bless us in the coming century—us and the Craft of which it is our privilege to be members , that He will guide us in the way of peace and Charity , and will give us grace to know and to do His sacred will .

At the conclusion of the service , the brethren rose , but remained in their places until the District Grand Lodge had passed out of the Cathedral . The brethren then proceeded to the rendezvous and unrobed . Great credit is due to the Directors of Ceremonies and to Bro . H . MRustomjee , District Grand Secretary , for the excellence of the arrangements , which were faultlessly carried out . —Statesman .

Wills And Bequests.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS .

The will is dated November 6 th , 1891 , with a codicil of the 26 th July , 1895 . of John Luke George , fifth Earl of Donoughmore , of Kilmanahan Castle , and ol Kn ocklofty , Clonmel , and of 84 , Sloane-street , Assistant-Commissioner for the Organisation of Eastern Roumania , 1878 . 79 , who died on the 5 th December la-it , aged 52 years , leaving personal estate of the net value of ^ 14 , 500 2 s ., and the gross value of the whole of whose estate is ^ 105 , 03 9 3 s . 5 d .