The Masonic Mirror.

Howells , P . 3 I . 1 . os . 730 and 435 , Prov . G . Sec . ; B . Brooks , P . 31 . No . S 24 , Prov . S . G . D . ; . Tabez Jones , P . AI . No . 772 , Prov . J . G . D . ; Geo . Horton , P . AL No . S 3 S , Prov . G . Supt . of AVorks ; J . Burton , S . AA * . No . 313 ; Prov . G . D . C ; AV . AVigginton , S . AV . Is ' o . 819 , Assist . Prov . Dir . of Cers . ; F . Saunders , AV . M . No . 730 , Prov . G . S . B . ; I . Fitzgerald , P . M . No . 523 , Prov . G . Org . ; G . B . Bradley , W . M . No . S 3 S , Prov . G . Purst ., Prov . G . Tylers as before . At intervals during the Lodge business , the Prov . G . Organist played

many pieces upon the beautiful organ , to the especial delight of the brethren . The march , on tho entrance of the Prov . Grand Master and his Officers , was peculiarly appropriate . A procession having been formed , the brethren went to the parish church of St . Mary , where divine service was performed . The ministers who officiated in the liturgy were the Rev . T . L . Claughtou , the vicar , and the Rev . Bro . T . AAL Herbert , Prov . G . Chaplain . The choral portion of the service was admirably through by a selection of the

gone choirs of St . Mary ' s and St . George ' s , and reflected great credit upon the Prov . Grand Organist , who is likeAviso their choir master . The responses were Tallis ' s , and the ' •' Alagnifieat" and "Nunc Diniittis " Ebdon ' s in C . The anthem was Kent ' .. " Blessed be thou . " The Y . W . Assistant Prov . Grand Chaplain , Bro . Franklin , preached from 1 Corinthians xiii . 13 : " And HOAV abideth faith , hope , and charity , these three , but the greatest of these is charity . " AA e present the conclusion ofthe rev . brother ' s very admirable discourse , as follows : —

" St . Paul , in language purely Blasonic , says 'Charity never faileth ; but whether there be prophecies they shall fail ; whether there be tongues they shall cease ; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away . ' These gifts to the church are transient , and adapted to an imperfect state , because they would be useless in a state of beatitude and light . Even faith and hope , though essential to every one during his mortal pilgrimage , will have no place in the realms of bliss . ' NOAV we see through a glass darklbut theu face to face . ' AVe shall no longer

y , want the evidence of faith . The first step , being past , will bo for ever done away . Then ive shall possess the things we HOAV long for . AA e shall not need the support of hope . Thus the second step ivill finally vanish . But when faith and hope shall have had their perfect consummation , charity will still remain . The third step penetrates the highest heavens , and can never bo destroyed . And when the darkness of death

is passed , ancl we aro admitted into the Grand Lodge above , the region of eternal light , the bright beams of charity will brighten our souls , and we shall make one glorious company with angels and archangels , and the whole company of the just made perfect . One mind and one voice will animate that heavenly society , and that mind and that voice will celebrate the praises of undying love . All will unite in perfect harmony to adore Him who sits upon the throne . Mutually rejoicing in each other ' s happiness , there will be no hearts to relieve—no distress

to commiserate—no tears to wipe aivay . This , then , is the system of charity that is taught in a Freemason ' s Lodge . Is it necessary to inquire whether you feel proud of a science from which such purity flowsfrom which such blessings are conveyed ? Deprived of charity , pleasure with all its allurements—learning with all its privileges—wealth with all its splendour of enjoyment—authority with all its painted pomp—are but a solemn mockery . Though wc may profess the gift of prophecy ; though wc may understand all mysteries and all knowledge—though b

y faith ive could remove mountains—though we bestoAV all our goods to feed the poor , and give our bodies to be burned , yet if our hearts be not impressed and influenced ivith this heavenly charity , all these possessions , brilliant and imposing as they are , are nothing . In conclusion , let me urge upon you the duty—nay the privilege of cultivating not only iu tyled Lodges , but in our commerce with the world , this most excellent grace . Let us , from the genuine principle of heavenly charity , practise mutual forbearanceand reciprocate a . constant interchange of kindness

, and affection . If Freemasonry be a beneficial institution ( as it undoubtedly is ) let its fruits appear in the virtuous discharge of all the social duties of life ; for the third degree points to a day of solemn responsibility , when the transient concerns of time shall have passed away ; AA'hen the world and all its allurements shall have vanished like a morning dream ; and sanctity of soul will alone enable us to endure the presence of the glorious Shekinah of God . As 31 asonslet us use

, the present world without abusing our fraternal privileges ; for if all our time be expended in the requirement of worldly knoAvledge , or in the gaiety of worldly pleasure , to the neglect of that which is priceless and eternal , we shall be fatally convinced at that awful period when the ever blessed Lodge above shall be opened never to be closed ; when the last ari'OAV of the mighty conqueror Death shall have been expended , and his bow' for ever broken , that St . Paul uttered the words of eternal

truth when he said— 'Though I speak ivith the tongues of men and angels , and have not charity , I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal . '" The collection after the sermon amounted to £ 6 . It is almost needless to say that the Kidderminster folks mustered in great strength both in the church and in the street leading from the 31 usic Hall thereto . A natural remark was , "AVhere can all the children possibly come from ?" The number visible being actuallastonishing .

y On the return of the brethren to the Music Hall , the Prov . Grand Alaster announced the amount of the collection , and it was unanimously resolved to give the same to the Ragged Schools founded by the vicar , the Rev . T . L . Claughtou . Thanks were aftenvards voted to him for the use of his church and for his assistance in the reading desk ; to the

Rev . Bro . Herbert , Prov . G . Chaplain , for his services ; aud to the Rev . Bro . Franklin , Asst . Prov . G . Chaplain , for his excellent sermon . The V . AA . Bro . H . M . AA ' aiuwright , P . Prov . S . G . AV ., then brought forward the following motion , of which he had given notice in tho circular convening the Prov . Grand Lodge : — "That fifty guineas be voted out of the funds of the Prov . Grand Lodge to the Royal Alasonic Institution for Boys , thereby creating the Prov . Grand Master a vicepresident and governor for life . " In introducing this motion , Bro .

AA ' aiuwright enlarged upon our duties in connexion with furthering educational efforts , and upon the excellence of the tivo Masonic institutions established for that purpose . He trespassed then upon their time , he said , in consequence of an organized opposition to this movement by the AA ' orcestershire brethren , several of whom had come over on purpose to support an amendment to his resolution . A AVorcester brother ( AV . AI . of No . 772 ) called the P . Prov . S . G . AA " . to orderand stated that they had not come over solely for that purpose .

, Bro . AA'aiuwright then proceeded to comment upon certain resolutions passed by the Lodge Semper Fidelis , ISTo . 772 , and forwarded to the Prov . G . Sec . to lay before the Prov . G . Lodge . These resolutions were condemnatory of the propositions , and asserted that the donation would be a dangerous precedent to establish . The A . AV . Bro . J . Jones , Prov . J . G . D ., aud AA ' . Al . of No . 772 , again roso to order , and protested against any comment being made before those resolutions came before the meeting , and after some discussion the Prov . Grand Alaster resolved that they

should not then be read . Bro . AA ' aiuwright then commented upon them hypothetical !}' , and closed a long and able address by formally proposing the resolution . The A . AA " . Bro . James Fitzgerald , Prov . Grand Organist , briefly seconded it . The V . W . Bro . J . Jones , Prov . S . G . D ., then addressed the Prov . Grand Lodgestating that he attended as AA . 3 I . of No . 772 to move an

amend-, _ , ment to the resolution proposed by Bro . AA ' aiuwright ; previous to doing which he requested the permission of the Prov . G . AI . to have the communication from the Secretary of No . 772 read to the Prov . G . Lodge . This was ultimately acceded to by the Prov . G . 3 L , who remarked at its close that the mode of addressing the communication , " Dear Sir and Brother , " ivould have done from the Secretary of No . 772 to the Secretary

of any other private Lodge—but , that the Prov . G . See . should m courtesy have been styled "V . AV . Sir and Brother . " The communication was to the effect that the grant would prove mischievous in its character by establishing a very twkward precedent , and that it was not dictated by pure charity , inasmuch as au avoived object was the honouring the Prov . G . AI . by making him a vice president . It ivould also stop the HOAV of private charity . The AA ' . AL , No . 772 , disclaimed any personal feeling in the matter ,

and hoped that his acting thus from principle would not be construed into a want of respect to the R . AY the Prov . G . BI . He concluded by moving , "'That this Lodge do proceed with the other business of the day . " A P . AL of No . 772 , AA'hose name we did not ascertain , seconded the amendment , which was opposed by Bro . C . F . G . Clark , P . Prov . J . G . D ., AVIIO thought that the money ought to be invested at once for some charitable purpose , and not kept locked up in the coffers of the Prov .

Grand Lodge . Tho P . M . uf No . 772 replied , and stated that when a new Prov . G . M . should be appointed he would think himself slighted and hardly used if he was not made a vice president also—consequently a second fifty guineas to each of the above schools ivould be looked for ancl required . He deprecated also tho annual payment for insurance . Bro . Clutterbuck , P . M . of No . 772 , also contended against the grant being made , and said that it was a fallacy to vote the money and pay an annual premium besides . "Why not let the amount of the annual premium be put by every year until it reached the sum required . If the

resolution had said nothing about the vice presidentship , however , he should not have objected . Bro . AVigginton , Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers ,, thought that the successor of the present highly respected Prov . Grand Alaster should be made a vice president , aud therefore the grant ivould form a precedent for the Prov . Grand Lodge in future days ; but this he said should not be regretted , and as to its being a burden upon the funds of the Prov . Grand Lod the brethren should bear in mind that the one hundred

ge , guineas alone was sunk ; at the death of Bro . Vernon , the Prov . Grand Lodge would receive from the insurance company the ± ' 100 , upon which they HOAV paid premiums , and this , £ 100 , with only £ 5 additional burden upon the Prov . Grand Lodgo , ivould secure for his successor the same honours and privileges . This ivould be the case in perpetuity for a trifling annual payment of £ 1 . The A . AY ' . Bro . Herbert , Prov . G . Chaplain , highly approved of the the

resolution , and entered bis protest against any delay in benefiting funds of the charity . Ho also endorsed the statement of the Prov . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . as to the freedom of the Prov . Grand Lodge funds from the incubus named . The A . W . Bro . Barber , Prov . S . G . AV ., said that he should oppose the grant ou account of the . insurance policy , the keeping up of ivhich he contended was a nialappropriation of the Lodge money .

The Prov . Grand Alaster ultimately put the amendment to the meeting , when there appeared for it live ( all brethren of No . 772 ) , aud against it twenty-seven . On the original motion being put , twenty-five voted for , and five against ; the grant was therefore declared carried ,