Provincial.

Viscount Holmesdale , the Provincial Grand Master of Kent , arrived in Dover by the mid-day train on the South Eastern Railway , and was received at the South Eastern Station by Bro . AVilson , the Worshipful Master of Lodge No . 199 , and Bro . Adamson , P . M . His lordship was received at the entrance of tbe Priory by the Provincial Grand Officers and nearly 300 brethren . Tbe business of the lodge was immediately opened with

proper Masonic ceremonies , and the business was proceeded with . The following were appointed Provincial Grand Officers for the ensuing year : — Bro . Dobson , D . Prov . G . M . „ Colonel AA'ard , Prov . G . S . W . „ Dr . Hunter , „ G . J . W . „ Ed . AVates , „ G . Sec . „ Hall , „ G . Assist . Sec .

„ Thorpe , „ G . Treas . „ AVilson , „ G . S . B . The lodge was adjourned whilst the brethren attended Divine Service at St . Mary ' s Church . At half-past one most of the brethren , who had assembled at the Court in Masonic regalia , headed by Lord Holmesdale , as the Provincial Grand Master , left the Priory , and marched in procession to St . Mary ' s Church , where a special service was

held . The centre portion of the church was reserved for the Masons , while the galleries and side aisles were well filled with a general congregation . The service was full choral . The Rev . Canon Puckle intoned the prayers in admirable style . Bro . the Rev . G . AV . Sicklemore read the first lesson , and Bro . the Rev . Robinson the second . The anthem was Boyce ' s " Great and marvellous are Thy works , " and was sung in splendid harmony by tbe choir . The hymn before the sermon , taken from " Hymns Ancient and Modern , "

was ,-Come , gracious Spirit , Heavenly Dove , AA'ith light and comfort from above . Brother the Rev . AA ' . A . Hill , St . Peters . Maidstone , and Provincial Grand Chaplain , preached the sermon . The preacher took for his text the first verse of the 5 th chapter of the 2 nd Epistle of St . Paul to the Corinthians : " For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were

dissolved we have a building of God , an house not made with hands , but eternal in tbe heavens . " He commenced by saying that on this their anniversary festival , on this day of their solemn meeting , when the members of tbe mystic Order of Masons met together for counsel , to take stock of their position , and drew nigh together to the sanctuary to offer up prayer and praise , to ' obtain the blessing of God upon their present and future work

, they might improve thc occasion by keeping prominently in sight the changes ivhich might soon take place in the earthly state of some or of all present , and so look up above to the seat of those foundations , the mystic builder o ( ivhich was God . The preacher then gave a lengthy detail of tho wonderful creation and attributes of man , remarking what frail creatures we were in ourselves , and bow liable we were for a sudden departure from this world . AVhat he had just said

would be realised perhaps by many there that afternoon . Tlie keepers of the mortal house ivould tremble , the muscular arms would wither , and the David , who with a single stone from the brook , could hurl his pellet straight for the centre , would scarcely be able to rai _ e a cup of water to his lips . Yes , the strong man , with energy and activeness , would gradually lose animation and vigour , as he looked out of tho window to soe always a bitter frost ; the landscape would be deadened in its

beautyimagina-, tion ivould vanish , and bo would say to himself , "I ' m old , and must shortly die . " Let us , then , wait calmly , and serve our God while we had time , while we carried our heads erect , walking in the path of duty , with the admiration of wise men . Whatsoever ive did , let us do it with all our might . The text set forth that while our body was our temporal home , and while the framework of our body wjis weak , we had a home above

that consoled us for it . St . Paul was eminently qualified as a learned man to teach others . Having the gift of the Holy Spirit breathed upon him he could give double comfort to those who were in trouble . His preaching was a literal theatrical show of what power the Gospel had which he proclaimed to all tbe world . Tho chapter preceding the text was a remarkably graphic description of St . Paul and his companions , and what they underwent . The greater our trials were in this world so much greater ivould be our glory in the next—things that were

seen were temporal , things that were not seen were eternal . St . Paul and his companions were not solicitous about their own houses , but they were desirous not to be found unfit for their spiritual life . Again , the human bod y was elegantly made . Don't let us speak meanly of tbe house in which our spirit was contained . No ; it was wonderful . The entire frame of man was wonderful . The sight was admirably placed on either side of the face . No sooner wore the windows opened than they

took in everything with ease and rapidity . The foot had well been termed an admirable contrivance ; nothing like it was to be found among other living creatures . As for the hand , there was no greater curiosity to bo found in the world . Then look as well to man ' s heart , and brain , and muscles . David , the inspired Psalmist , when looking at his body , could not help exclaiming , "How wonderful , " & c ; and he had never looked into tho wondrous structure of man the same as our anatomists

of the present day bad . He would ask , then , when looking upon ourselves , did ive not see to some extent the depth of the love of our Maker , and it caused us to exclaim , "Great and marvellous are thy works , Lord God Almighty . " AA ' e therefore thought not meanly of our temporal body . But , admirable as it was , it was only provisional , it was only for a time . It was intended to fall—it must fall to ruins—to set free as a bird from its its tenant for an eternal worldHere

cage , . then was there not comfort in the words of Saint Paul . We gathered from his teaching * that whenever that change might take place for us who remained faithful there was a liouse , not made with hands , built up"for us eternal in tho heavens . The preacher then likened our bodies to the tabernacle in tbe wilderness—on the constant move for a better land , and added when the doorway was shut , and the curtains drawn together , and our

spirit taken home , there should come the re-construction of our bodies by an Almighty hand . The house should be no loager perishable , but iu a state for eternal and celestial life . At present the best of men wore garments of mourning ; in heaven ' ill ivould have robes of light , magnificent , clean , and fit for tho noble society of that noble place . No few '' words from him could paint tlie pictures of the glories there . Nor did he intend to attempt it that afternoon . At that moment the human will should lose its proneness to opposition , and become one mill

subdued to God . Then should the spirit bow to its Heavenly origin—cleave to the eternal spirit of God , and the soul should become elevated and purified . AA'e might see in prospect these individual changes—the drowsiness of the age , sadness , weakness , and infirmities . All these trials must come upon us . AVe must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be each one judged according to tbe works wo have done in the flesh . Let him then solemnly ask them in that ancient sanctuary ,

where they had been kindly invited to hold their sen-ice that day , what were the feelings of all present ? Did a gloominess come over them ? He hoped not . But to his Masonic brethren lie would address a few special words . To those whose boast was that they wore the true illuminators of the eartb , who professed to he living stones in tbo grand temple above , and who had a craving after the highest influences of the Holy Ghost , he ivould put the question" What was their state ? Were they making

, progress or not ? " They had heard the solemn charge and address mado to them that day . They had heard the Bible solemnly proclaimed as the book in which they were told their duty to God , their neighbour , and themselves . They had been told to implore His aid in all their undertakings , and look up to Him in every emergency . He asked them whether they really felt these things , or passed through them as mere forms and ceremonies . Did they measure their religion hy their

morals ? Did tbey sec in all the Masonic emblems , levels and squares , that ladder , which was Christ , and ivhich connected earth with heaven , and made tlie way from earth to heaven ? Did they try to give up the evil of their own hearts ? AA'cre they more advanced and more fit to meet their final end than they were at their last festival-twelve months ago ? If not , they were retrograding and going back . Let him convince them that without personal holiness they would never attain

everlasting life . They must forgive him for putting such hold questions , because they had been asked iu all affections towards them . Let them all turn to Him who died for all men . He entreated them to ponder tbe text , and make it their consolation . Thc good things promised us wove not for the idler , but for tbo strenuous and diligent worker . In conclusion , he would say they had already made un appeal to the brethren in behalf of the holy cause of that charity . He appealed to them again