Rochester Cathedral Freemasons' Tower. Inauguration Of Fund.

of rebuilding was not far off , when something not offensive , but beautiful , should take its place . He asked their help , knowing their generosity—also something else to remember the blessings of Almighty God , the G . A . O . T . U ., who had laid the foundations of the earth , and given it so beautiful a roof . The heavens declare the glory of God , and the firmanent showeth his handiwork . Their offerings would rise up to God , swifter than

telegrams or telephone . Wo are told how Cornelius heard that his prayers and his alms were heard and accepted . Angels were ready , and in a second they ascended the golden ladder with the prayers and alms . God sees what you give and what yon keep back . What is given honestly—they could go home with the confidence that it is given to God . History will be proud of the men who build a city . They could trust to heaven with confidence for its recognition .

He urged that a great sum was needed to beautify this church . The world knew the great sum that had been spent , thousands of pounds , and now over £ 4 , 000 was needed . He trusted such a foundation to that sum would be laid as would justify them in commeucing the work . Many would come back to Eochester and see the completed work , although he might not be there . He desired the Tower to be called the

Freemasons' Tower , so that those who pass by to and from the continent , and from all parts of the world could see something worthy of this church , and say " That is the Freemasons'Tower . " ' We lose what on ourselves we spend , We have as treasure without end Whatever , Lord , to thee we lend ,

Who givest all . The collection was taken during the time that the hymns " Now thank we all our God " and " All people that on earth do dwell" were being heartily sung . The Dean pronounced the Benediction , after which the closing hymn of the Pentangle Lodge was sung :

" Father of mercies , ere we part this day , Grant us thy peace , and guide us on our way , And when the shadows fall and work is done , Lead us through darkness till the Light be won , O Master , hear the Brethren's earnest plea , May labours here begun be blessed by Thee . S . M . I . B . "

After the national anthem the procession returned , the order being the reverse of that at the beginning . The music played by the bands included : —Priest ' s War March ( Mendelssohn ) , March Eussian , Fest . March ( Wagner ) , Coronation March ( Meyerbeer ) , March Scipio ( Handel ) , March of Israelites ( Costa ) . After the service a reception and garden party was held in he grounds of the Deanery .

Laying The Foundation Stone Of All Saints Church, Weston-Super-Mare.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH , WESTON-SUPER-MARE .

ON Friday morning , 24 th ult ., an especial Provincial Grand Lodge was held at the Masonic Hall , Weston-super-Mare , under the banner of the St . Kew Lodge , No . 1222 , followed by a service in the Parish Church and the laying , with Masonic ceremonial , of the foundation stone of All Saints' Church .

The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened at 1 L 45 , the Provincial Grand Master Viscount Dungarvan being supported by the D . P . G . M . Bro . E . C . Else P . G . Deacon of England , and the Provincial Grand Chaplain Bro . Dr . Kennion , Bishop of Bath and Wells .

After the Lodge had been duly opened , a procession was formed outside the Masonic Hall , and slowly wended its way during a shower of rain ( necessitating the use of umbrellas ) to the Parish Church , which was fairly well filled . After the Service the Bishop ascended the pulpit and delivered the following address : —Bretnren , we are gathered together in

the House of God that we may invoke the blessing of the Great Architect of the Universe upon the operations which to-day we are about to perform in His sight , and , as we trust , to His glory . You are aware that we are about to lay the foundation stone of a church for which there is great need , for there is a need—I say it with all the emphasis I can—of considerable extension of the

church in this place . And we are about to take our part in that service that will be offered at the laying of that foundation stone with all such ceremony , with all such—I hope—reverence , as we think may in any way affect our minds with a due apprehension of the greatness of God , and of the imporance of the work which we are doing .

There will be those who will be likely to say " Surely such doings as those which we perceive to-day can hardly be consonant with the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ . " And they will compare that manner of great simplicity with which you might say prayer was wont to be made by the reversion to which St . Paul and his earliest converts in Europe would repair . They would

Laying The Foundation Stone Of All Saints Church, Weston-Super-Mare.

compare such simplicity of worship with the acts which we to-day perform , and would say , " How can you reconcile these with the teachings of the Holy Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ? " And my answer would be , "Do not think that we suppose for one instant that in what we are doing we are ourselves adding to the glory of God . " That is impossible for us to be

doing in whatever actions we may perform in this manner . But we do believe that we impress upon our own minds , and that we impress upon the minds of those who are with us , a deeper sense of the inner meaning of it all ; of the greatness of the majesty of our God , " of the necessity of our thinking of Him in all reverence , and of our doing our utmost to make men share in the knowledge of His greatness and His goodness .

You might say , " What a contrast between the simplicity of that character St . John the Baptist , whose festival is to-day kept throughout the Christian Church , with the very actions which we are performing . " But I would again remind you that while it is right that in our corporate actions we should take pains to show our reverence by the very majesty of the ways we adopt , and by

the solemnity of the service which we offer ; yet the simplicity of character which St . John the Baptist exhibited and which we may well take to ourselves as the absolute necessity for the life of everyone of us , are by no means things that are out of keeping the one with the other . Individually let us strive to cultivate in all ways that we can that self-denial , that self-abnegation , that

selfeffacement , that simplicity—nay , I had almost said that severity , character which marks his life . But let us remember that when , joined together as a great Brotherhood we have to think of the needs of others ; we have to think of the good of others ; we have to think how we can help one another in realising the greatness , the love , spirit and the goodness of our God , who honours us by

tabernacling amoug us . And it is just because our blessed Lord has found His Church and has gathered us into it that we may in it realise His presence and that He is one with His people : it is just because of that that we desire to do everything we can do with dignity , to show forth our sense of His majesty and greatness .

Therefore we are gathered in the manner in which we are gathered together , here in this holy House of God , and therefore we proceed to lay the foundation stone in the manner that is prescribed for this occasion . Do not let us forget that that which the Brethren of the Craft are ever aiming after , that rectitude of character and conduct , that charity of disposition , which

everyone of us must set before himself as what he must aim at , what be must strive to promote , is in the deepest sense the teaching that our Gcd would have us learn m his Church . And as we learn it , as here in God ' s presence—for He is of a truth where two or three are gathered together in His name—let us strive to know Him better ; to understand Him better ; to grow more after the likeness of His dear Sou . If this be our aim then in our church

extension we shall not strive for vain glory , we shall not strive for our own advantage , but we should be striving to promote the glory of our God , the good of our fellow men who may be gathered together into His Church , and may learn the love of God which passeth , as doth His peace , all understanding . It is that we may

impress these lessons upon ourselves , and to help others to realise them , that we are taking part in this good work to-day—a work on which we are about to implore the Divine blessing , and a work to which we are setting ourselves , I trust , just in the spirit of a desire to help our Brethren , which we have learned from our Lord and Master Jesus Christ .

After the Bishop ' s address hymn 545 , " Glorious things of Thee are spoken , " was sung whilst a collection was being made in aid of the Building Fund . At the conclusion of the service the procession was reformed , and was joined by the members of the choir , and a large number of clergy , wearing their surplices .

By the time all had assembled at the site and the ceremony was about to commence the rain descended in a heavy downpour . Happily , however , the storm was not of long duration , and it did not succeed in dispersing the large muster of spectators . On the procession arriving at the entrance to the ground upon which the new building will be reared , the Brethren

formed up on either side of the roadway , and the Provincial Grand Master , the Provincial Grand Chaplain , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master and the other chief Officers proceeded to a platform surrounding the stone to be placed into position . A body of the local contingent'of Engineers , under Capt . Cary , kept a space for the remaining Brethren .

After prayers by the Bishop , Bro . J . J . Lovell W . M . of St . Kew Lodge , requested the Provincial Grand Master to lay the stone . Before doing so he explained the object of the building . The foundation stone , he said , was intended as a coiner stone for a church to be erected on it for the praise and worship of the Most High . The presence and co-operation of the Bishop of the Diocese at that ceremony was an earnest that the doctrine taught within the walls of that church should be in accordance with the doctrine of the Church of England . Bro . Lovell concluded : —