Untitled Article

No . 671 , Prov . G . Registrar ; J . P . King , No . 671 , Prov . G . Secretary ; C . Evans , No . 693 , Prov . S . G . D . ; Capt . Davis , No . 671 , Prov . J . G . D . ; G . Vaughan , No . 671 , Prov . G . Sup . of Works ; Chilcott , No . 671 , Prov . G . D . C . ; W . West , No . 693 , Prov . A . G . D . C . ; J . Pearson , No . 671 , Prov . G . S . B . ; H . J . Groves , No . 693 , Prov . G . Organist ; E . Wells , No . 693 , Prov . G . Purs . Bros . T . Dyke , No . 671 , J . Nayou , No . 671 , T . W . Oakley , No . 671 , W . Williams , No . 693 , Hallen , No . 693 , Thomas , No . 693 , Prov . G . Stewards .

The vote of thanks passed to Bro . Crook , P . Prov . G . Sec , at the lastPr . G . Lodge , was presented to him , written on vellum . Bro . Groves , whose talent as a musician is well known and justly appreciated in Newport , is the first Prov . G . Organist appointed since the revival of this Prov . G . Lodge . The Prov . G . Lodge was closed in form , and repaired to the Silurian Lodge in the Masonic Hall , whence the Brethren started for Divine Service at the Town Hall , in the following order of procession ;—

Band of the Monmouthshire Militia . Members of the Silurian Lodge , No . 693 . Members of the Loyal Monmouth Lodge , No . 671 . Prov . G . Lodge . Vol . of Sacred Law borne on a cushion . The Prov . G . Chaplain . The Chaplain of the Silurian Lodge , No , 693 . The Prov . G . Wardens . TheD . Prov . G . M .

We must here explain how it was that the Town Sail was used on this occasion for Divine Service . The Parish church ( St . Woolos' ) is at present under repair ; but as the Brethren wished to celebrate their Festival by attending Divine Service in a consecrated building , they requested the Rev . H . Wybrow , the Incumbent of St . Paul ' s Church , to grant the use of his pulpit either in St . Paul's Church , or in the Trinity District Church , to the Rev . G . Roberts , Prov . G . Chaplain , or , in case of his absence , to the Rev . J . S . Sidebotham , Chaplain of the Silurian Lodge .

This the rev . gentleman declined to do to the former gentleman , because his religious opinions were at variance with his own ; and to the latter , because he was unacquainted with him . Considerable excitement prevailed in consequence , not only among the Masonic body , but among many other respectable inhabitants of the town ; the general opinion being that no clergyman of the Church of England would be guilty of such bad taste as to preach in another clergyman ' s pulpit what he knew to be opposed to that clergyman ' s usual teaching . The Prov . G . Chaplain , in returning thanks for his health after dinner , it will be seen , very happily

alluded to the fact that on a former occasion , when he was Vicar of Monmouth , the Rev . H . Wybrow being appointed Chaplain to the High Sheriff , requested the use of his pulpit , which he might have refused on the same grounds as those on which Mr . Wybrow had refused it on the present occasion ; however , he assured the Brethren that even after this refusal from Mr . Wybrow , if he ( Mr . Wybrow ) were again to request the use of his pulpit , he should know too well the part of a gentleman , a clergyman , and a Freemason , to refuse it ; he would say , " Take it , and do all the good you can in it . "

To return , however , from this digression—under these circumstances , the Rev . E . Hawkins , Vicar of St . Woolos' Church , very kindly placed his temporary pulpit in the Town Hall at the services of the Prov . G . Chaplain . Prayers were read by the Rev . J . S . Sidebotham , and a most eloquent sermon preached by the Rev . G . Roberts , which was listened to by the Brethren with the utmost attention throughout . The text was taken from Gen . xi . 8 , 9 : " So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth : and they left off to build the city . Therefore is the name of it called Babel . "

The Brethren then returned to the Masonic Hall in the same order as before . The procession was admirably arranged and kept in order by Bros . Chilcott , Prov . G . D . C , and West , Prov . A . G . D . C , and a clear road was kept for the Brethren through the whole line of march by the police ; so that though the streets were Ml of people to witness the ( in thie town unusual ) spectacle , no disturbance