Provincial.

the occasion of the last public demonstration made by the craft when they laid the foundation stone of the Civic Cross in Collegegreen , ancl when a small deluge drowned and inundated them . The programme set forth that the proceedings were to commence by the assembling of the craft in the Exchange at eleven o ' clock , which they did ; each lodge under i ~ s own banner , ancl having been duly marshalled by the various AV . Ms ., they were ready to receive the Grand Lodge , which entered the quadrangle at noon , headed

hy the Prov . G . M ., Bro . Henry Shute , attended by the D . Prov , G . M . Bro . AVilliam Powell , and the various officers of the august body . The spectacle at this moment in the classic ancl columned area was most brilliant and effective , the niillitary element being added to the bizarre and symbolical costumes of the craft by the attendance of the band of the Volunteer Rifle Corps , in their uniforms . Soon after this the procession was formed , and being joined hy our respected chief magistrate ancl his office-bearers , started in the following order : —

Police Band of the Bristol Rifle Corps Visiting Bros , ( unattached ) Silurian Lodge ( Newport ) , No . 683 Royal Sussex Ditto ( Bath ) No . 61 Royal Cumberland Ditto ( Bath ) , No 48 Colston Ditto ( Bristol ( , No 886 Moira Ditto ( Ditto ) No 408

, Royal Sussex ditto ( ditto ) , No 221 Beaufort ditto ( ditto ) , No . 120 Royal Clarence ditto ( ditto ) , No . 81 The Grand Lodge ( with members having ewers of wine and oil , & c . ) His Worship tbe Mayor , in his State Coach , accompanied by the Sword Bearer , and attended hy some of

The city Officials Police Numbers of the Masonic body having attended from the neighbourhood , as the long line of scarfed and aproned processionists , amounting to fully five hundred , and preceded by the band , marched through the streets with almost military precision between lines of orderly ancl admiring spectators , the sight was most

imposing ; and though , of course , the vulgar eye . could not penetrate the hidden mysteries of the various symbols which were borne hy the appropriate officers , and whose significance was shrouded in the night of masonry , still the populace took it for

granted that it all meant something if they were only so fortunate as to find it out . Amongst the lodges and their chiefs who took part in the proceedings , were the Prov . G . M . of Bristol , Henty Shute ; the Prov . G . M . of Monmouthshire , Tynte ; the D . Prov . G . M . of Bristol , Bro . AV . A . F . Powell ; the D . Prov . G . M . of Somerset , Bro . Randolph ; the following AV . Ms ., Bros . Knill ( 886 ) , Short ( 120 ) , Barge ( 221 ) , Bell ( 408 ) , Lamotte ( 986 ) , ancl Jarret ( 81 ) , & c . The route lay through Hih-street ancl Thomas-streetand thence

g , through Portwall-lane to Redeliff Church , the rifle band playing the air of " The Free and Accepted Apprentice . " Not only were the windows beneath which they passed filled by gaily-dressed folks , hut the traffic ancl moveable commerce of this great thoroughfare of the city seemed for the time bayed back , while loaded waggons , flys , ancl carriages , stood aside , content to be detained ancl inactive while lodge after lodge under its shining banners filed by . The

sight , as the pageant approached the old church , the object of the day's ceremony , was peculiar ancl effective . From the fretted old tower to the opposite shot house a great string of flags extended , and over the aged battlements and worn buttresses of Canynges ' sacred fane in many other parts flapped in rather a smart breeze the bright bunting , while a dense crowd of spectators , dwarfed by the massive size of the noble buildingfilled with a close level of

, living heads all the open space surrounding the building . The church hells rung tunefully out , ancl the band played , ancl altogether the structure in such a scene realised the description of "the wondrous boy , " whose sculptured image , perched onits pedestal hy the north transept , overlooked the pageant as it passed

" The pride of Bristow and the western londe . " At the church door the rifle band halted and commenced the National Anthem , ivhile the members of the Bristol and provincial lodges ranged themselves in order on either side of the pathway to await the passing of the Mayor , Prov . G . M ., the D . Prov . G . M ., and other dignitaries . After a little delay , while the Mayor dismounted from his carriagehis worshiaccompanied and followed b

, p , y the members of the Grand Lodge bearing the requisite regalia , &<_ ., passed between the lines of the assembled brethren ancl entered the church , the different lodges following in the reverse order to that in which they had reached the church . The members of the procession and the other persons by whom the vast interior of the church was completely thronged , having taken their seats , divine service was commenced , the officiating

clergymen being the Rev . Bro . AA'atson , rector of Spalding , and Prov . G . Chap , of Bristol , Rev . Bro . Thomas , of Yeovil , Prov . G . Chap , for Somersetshire , and the Rev . Canon Madam During the service , the members of the choir , comprising Messrs . France , Merrick , Yates , Greenwood , and Collins , sung very finely two anthems , namely , Mozart ' s " Plead Thou my cause , " and Boyce's "I have surely built Thee an house . " The scene of tho interior of th church presented during the performance of divine service was

very striking ; every available foot of standing or sitting room seemed occupied , ivhile the brilliant August sunshine struggling through the lofty and latticed windows of the sacred edifice dissipated the " dim religions light , " and shone on tbe vast crowd beneath , illuminating the rich dresses of tho ladies , the equally gay adornments of the Masonic brethren , the dark tunics and shining accoutrements of the rifle band , and the sombre looking attire of those who were not either Masons or riflemen .

The sermon was preached by the Rev . Bro . AA' atson , Prov . G . Chap . The rev . gentleman took his text from a portion of the first verse of the 26 th chapter of the first book of Chronicles" The work is great , for the palace is not for man but for the Lord God . " This description , he commenced by saying , referred to the building of the first temple , and he reminded his hearers that the object of the present gathering was to commemorate the completion of a portion of the building which the Freemasons had undertaken

, to restore at the east end of the church called the Lady Chapel . The entire structure , he added , was built hy their ciaftsmen , and he wished that in our day the same spirit existed for the restoration ancl building of churches . Such work , he urged hy various considerations , should be undertaken by them . It was a great work , because it was the work of God , not man , and , as a work of love

to their poorer brethren , they might be assured it would not be passed by . It was an opportunity of showing sympathy- with the members of Christ ' s mystical body ; of honouring Him who would abide with us for ever , and who desired all outward gifts to be but figures of the inward sanctity of the heart . Referring to the Psalmist's description of the JKing and Queen—the one typical of Christ and' the other of the Church—he drew attention to the daughters who brought iftsand cited T as an illustration of

g , yre , ancl a warning to , England . He next touched upon the effect of externals in producing impressions , ancl contended that , while the heart was chiefly influenced by the grace of God , it was also affected through the eye and the ear , and sought , indeed , by these an outlet for expression . After illustrating this sentiment by objects seen in nature and hy the higher analogy of man ' s history , he showed that while the Psalmist styled the sanctuary " a high "

place , " it must also be kept in mind that God was a spirit , ancl must be worshipped in spirit and in truth . He concluded by praying that these walls might be instinct with spiritual life to many , by reminding his hearers that God was here , that it was none other but the house of God , ancl the gate of Heaven ; ancl Impleading that all might pray for a blessing upon the edifice , ivhile , like Tyre , they offered gifts for its restoration .

A collection was then made , when the sum of £ 67 was obtained . The " Hallelujah Chorus" followed hy the choir , and the procession was re-formed as before , to proceed to the ceremony at the Lady Chapel . The procession , on leaving the church , walked round to the north-east corner , where the stone was in readiness to be adjusted . On the stone lay an encaustic plate , bearing the following iiir scription : ¦—

" Saint Mary Redeliff . " North-East Corner of Lady Chapel . Restored by the Freemasons of Bristol . This Stone laid 28 th August , 1861 . Henry Shute—Prov . Grand Master . AVm . Aug . Fred . Powell—Deputy Prov . Grand Master . James Willway—Prov . Grand Sen . AVarden .

John Linter—Prov . Grand Jun . AA ' arden . Rev . Richard Marsh AVatson—Prov . Grand Chaplain-Samuel E . Taylor—Prov . Grand Treasurer . Henry Meyrick—Prov . Grand Secretary . James Alan Randall—Prov . Grand Supt . of Works . Odiarne Coates Lane , Esq .- —Mayor of Bristol .

Rev . Canon Madan—A'icar of St . Mary Redeliff . AV . A . F . Powell , ~ ) Church-Wni . Proctor , j wardens . Thos . Proctor , Alderman , Chairman of the Restoration Com . Geo . Godwin , Esq ., Architect , F . R . S . AVilliam Rice , Mason . The procession having reached the small platform on which the stone rested , again opened out and allowed the Mayor , the Grand-Master , and the other chief officers of the Craft to pass throue ;