Provincial.

Proceeding down Westgate-street , and through Lower Collegecourt , the procession crossed the College Green , which , like every other portion of the city within view of the ceremony , was densely thronged , and reached the Cathedral . The western doors were thrown open , and the procession passed through . The nave was already occupied by a large body of spectators , but an avenue was cleared , through which the Provincial Grand Lodge passed into tbe choir , the remainder of the brethren and the rest of the p . iocesssion following . The procession was arranged by the Prov . G . Directors of the Ceremonies in the following order : —

Body of Police ( 16 ) under Mr . Superintendent Griffin . Union Flag . Band of iinsic . Two Tylers with drawn swords , E . Wiggins and Harmer . Visiting Brethren , two and two . MasonicLouges , witli their officers , according to their numbers , juniors going first . Architect ( Mr . Medland ) , with plans . The W . M ., officers , and brethren of the " Boyal Gloucestershire" Lodge . The W . M ., officers , ancl brethren of tho "ltoyal Lebanon" Lodge . Salver and Ewers with cornwinancl oilborne by Masters of Lodges

, e , , . CT . Pursuivant and Organist ( J . 0 . Smith ) . Bros . Wallace and Shircr—G . Directors of Ceremonies . G . Superintendent of Works , with Inscription . Past G . Beacons . G . Secretary , with Book of Constitutions ( Bro . Trinder ) G . Registrar . Bro . T . G . Palmer—G . Treasurer , with Phial containing coins to be deposited . Past G . Wardens . Visitors of distinction . The Corinthian Lihtborne the Master of Lod

g , by a ge . Column of J . G . W ., homo by tho Master of a Lodge —( Bro . Col . Brandon ) . J . G . Warden with a Plumb Rule . Banner . The Doric Light , borne by the Master of a Lodge . Column of S . G . W ., borne by the Master of a Lodge —( Bro . Bloxome ) . S . G . Warden with a Level . ' J . G . Deacon . Clerical Evechren . Tho Volume of tho Sacred Law , borne on a cushion—Eev . Brother Bayly .

Rev . Brother Roberts—Grand Chaplain . Ionic Light , borne by the Master of a Lodge . Brothers of Eminence bearing the Trowel and Mallet—Brother D . M . Walker and Brother Burrup . Brother J . Cornwall—Grand Sword Bearer , bearing the Sword . The R . W ., the D . Prov . G . Master with the Square—Bro . G . P . Newmareh . S . G . Deacon . Grand Tyler . The service was Russell in A . The Rev . J . K . Luscombeintoned

the service , the Rev . J . Clark , Precentor , reacl the First Lesson , and the Hon . Canon Rev . T . M . Browne read the Second Lesson , The Anthem was taken from Psalm xxxv . — " Plead Tliou my Cause . " ( Mozart . ) Rev . G . Roberts , P . G . Chap . for Monmouthshire , and Honorary Chaplain of the Royal Gloucestershire Lodge , preached the sermon . He took for his text 1 st . Corinthians , iii . chap ., and 13 tli verse" Every man's work shall be made manifest , for the day shall declare

it , because it shall be revealed by fire , and the five shall try every man ' s work of what sort it is . " He said , at the commencement , that the second lesson appointed to be read that afternoon fitted in very aptly with the occasion of that day ' s solemn ceremonial ; not that he meant to say that the parallel between what St . Paul was then thinking and teaching , and what they were now doing ran clear ancl exact , but only that the expressions used by the apostlethe words themselves , apart from the idea—were akin to the matter with which their minds were to-day full to overflowing . For instance ,

St . Paul spoke of himself as a wise master builder . " According to the grace of God which is given to me , as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation ; " and although they knew those words were spoken metaphorically , and the reference was to Jesus Christ , the only sure foundation upon which the superstructure of faith and works could be raised , yet when the apostle continued to speak afterwards of every man's work being tried by fire , of what sort it was , whether silver , gold , or precious stones , or whether it was hay ,

straw , or stubble , he spoke of the work in . the one case being burned as unprofitable , but the man who had built on the foundation -was saved—the work in the other case above , and the builder received his reward . Although they knew that to he an allusion to doctrines built upon the foundation of the purity of their abiding , the trial of all at the solemn clay of of judgment , yet , he repeated , those illustrations ancl that line of thought—the very words—came home to them that day in unision with their thoughts ancl their

feelings , for they intended , as wise master builders , to lay the foundation stone of a monument to tlie memory of one who died for Christ—of one who gave his body to be burned in honour of Christ ' s truth—of one who endured the day of fire which was sent to try the martyr's work , of what sort it might be—of one whose work abiding the fire , they might be satisfied he had receiveci his reward —of one who thought he himself was burned , yet he suffered no

loss , but won his eternal inheritance—saved , yea , as by fire . He could not refrain from selecting that text , nor from making those observations , in consequences of the singular analogy that subsisted between the portion of scripture read in the ordinary course of the

lessons , and the laying of the memorial stone to Bishop Hooper , whose voice was once heard preaching the words of the Gospel in that very cathedral , and whose body was burned beneath the shadow of that cathedral tower ; and who in that city went from parish to parish , and taught the truth as it is in Jesus , cheerfully resigning his life as a seal unto death in the service of his Lord and Master . The rev . gentleman then entered upon a train of thought relative to the sufferings of primitive

timesex-, pressing himself in glowing language as he discoursed on the horrors perpetrated on the holy martyrs of an early age , his sentiments being delivered in a majestic tone of voice that seemed to kindle into enthusiasm the hearts of the hearers . Now he glanced at the account of a deed of darkness , by one of the Fathers ; then he culled an extract from the statel y literary fabric of Gibbon , while the narratives of succeeding times were likewise recorded ,,

and the paltry excuses of Romanists shown up in all their hollowness . The degradation of Hooper previous to his being handed over to the secular authority was the theme of several indignant remarks ; and in dilating upon the martyrdom of the Bishop , the preacher saicl that had the writers of " Essays and Reviews " lived in his day they would probably have shared a similar fate . The only martyrdom men required in our days was the sacrifice to honesty . If a man could not teach what fche church required of

her ministers , let him depart out of it until lie either found ifc useless to contend , or had converted the church to his views . Bishop Hooper's eloquence ancl ability were the strongest evidence of his condemnation . The attractiveness of his preaching drew large numbers together in London and his own diocese . He was active in the ministry , for he preached sometimes two and three times a-day . In speaking of his martyrdomthe preacher saidas

, , they were about to set fire to the green wood and reeds , they tempted him with a pardon if he would recant and deny his faith . Could there be a lower depth of malignity and treachery ? While the flames , creeping along the extremities , but touching no vital part , were trying him to the utmost—faithful witnesses drewnear . and bore testimony to his steadfastness to the last . Not a syllable of complaint ,

not a breath against his enemies , not a wish escaped from his lips . Ifc was as though the precept of St . Paul were engraven upon his heart" Though I give my body to be burned , and have not charity , it profiteth me nothing . " And then , amid the prayers and tears of that vast assemblage , as fresh fuel was added , and as the flames mounted higher , the venerable form of the martyr was seen bowing in the midst of the fire , which threw a beam of glory upon the church where he had once sat enthroneduntil the spiritfreed from the

, , prisonhouse both of man and of the flesh , was received into the kingdom of heaven , when all that was mortal had wholly fallen away , and had disappeared in the heat . Honour to this day be paid and thanksgiving to God , not only for having inspired his martyr with grace to bear testimony with unflinching courage , but also for having made the righteous cause triumphant , which seemed to expire in the flame that they lighted about his burning body .

The presence of the Masonic brethren , who occupied a prominent place in the day ' s proceedings , demanded a remark or two . In their lodges they taught charity , unity , and brotherly love . They cultivated by a peculiar system among themselves , upon the common ground of a revelation from God , mutual good will , ancl the interchange of acts of kindness . It was , therefore , their part especially to exercise their craft in laying the foundation stone of a memorial to one who was a martyr to bigotry . Masonry itself has been restricted and punished for maintaining the liberty of religious

thought , as though it were a sceptical ancl infidel body . Masonry , therefore , that day desired to clo all homage to the memory of thafc devoted bishop who gave his body to be burned in vindication of the same great truth . Divine Service concluded , a collection was made by the officers of the Lodges on behalf of the memorial . The procession then reformed and proceeded to the house in Westgate-street . where Bishop Hooper is supposed to have slept the niht before his

g martyrdom ; and wended its way along the route supposed to have been taken by the martyr , along Three Cock ' s-lane , to St . Mary ' s ^ square . Every available spot in this vicinity was crowded . Themasonic brethren having taken their places in the churchyard . The Rev . H . C . Mnronnr invited the Mayor in the following , terms to lay the foundation stone : —Mr . Mayor , it now becomes my pleasing duty , in my two-fold capacity of vicar' of this parish and .

chairman of the Hooper Monument Committee , to welcome you and your brother Masons to this place . I thank you , Sir , on the partofthe Hooper Monument Committee , as well as on my own , for the kind manner in which you responded to our wish that you , as chief magistrate of this ancient city , should lay the first stone of this memorial . We quite felt , as a committee , that were we about merely to erect a work of art that would add to the adornment of your city , though it should be unconnected with any name , fact , or history , that we should have a strong claim upon your kindness ; but when , in addition , we were about to clo honour to the memory