Bro. Sir Christopher Wren.

Crown , at Hampton Court , Avhere he passed the greater part of the last five years of his life . Once every year he is said to have visited St . Paul's , ancl gazed up lovingly at it from both within and without . He knew it was his masterpiece , ancl he had the affection of a father for it . He lived to the great age of ninety-two , ancl died peacefully at the last . He had accustomed himself to an after-dinner nap , and when on February 25 , 1723 , his attendant thought that he slept longer than usual , ancl went to his room to look for him , he found the

great architect and Freemason dead in his chair . His fame was assured—he had nothing more to live for , ancl his death Avas therefore a happy release from the infirmities of age . His wonderful and versatile genius will ever be the admiration of men ; his works are his monuments , ancl his fame as a Freemason , ancl as the last of the great race of cathedral builders , will be cherished by the Craft . His remains were most appropriately interred in the east of the crypt of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , with a tablet on the adjoining wall bearing the following inscription ( in Latin ) :

Beneath lies Christopher Wren , builder of this Church and City , who lived upwards oi ninety years , not for himself , but for the public good . Reader , if you would seek for this monument , look around . " Interesting autobiographic memoirs of the Wrens are contained in " Parentalia , " a book begun by the architect ' s son , Christopher , and completed by his grandson , Stephenin 1750 a rare ancl curious book . In " Parentalia " (

pub-, , lished in 1750 ) is this statement : " The highest or last stone on the top of the lantern was laid by the hands of the surveyor ' s son , Christopher Wren , deputed by his father , in the presence of that excellent artificer , Mr . Strong , his son , ancl other Free and Accepted Masons , chiefly employed in the execution of the work . " Bro . R . F . Gould , in an article in the London Freemason of A pril 3 , 1880 sayswith reference to the Strongs named abovethat Valentine Strong

, , , had six sons , all operative masons . Thomas Strong died in 1681 , ancl left all his employment to his brother Edward , who died in 1723 . This Edward Strong was Wren ' s master mason . On a monument erected to the father , Valentine Strong , at Fairford , in Gloucestershire , appears the folloAving :

Here lyeth the body of Valentine Strong , Freemason . He departed this life November — A . u . 1662 . Here ' s one that was an able workman long , Who divers houses built , both fair and strong ; Though Strong he was , a stronger came than he , And robb'd him of his life ancl frame , ive see ; Moving an old house a new one for to rear , Death met him by the way , and laid him here .

Elmes has written Wren ' s biography , while scattered all through English literature are many references to the achievements of his genius . He was a great man and a good man , ancl the world will not let his fame die . B y Freemasons , specially , his life and works will ever be fraternally and proudly cherished .