Attending Divine Service.

ATTENDING DIVINE SERVICE .

WE believe that a Masonic Lodge , when " clad as Masons , " is thus prepared and attired only for purposes of Masonic work . This work may not be exclusively esoteric , nor confined to the Lodge room , but partly public ceremonial . But is attending church , or " divine service , " in any sense Masonic

work ? We question not the duty of Mason or profane , according to his religious faith and belief , or as to him seemeth good , to attend " divine service . " But it seemeth not to be the work of a Lodge of Masons , but more properly the individual Mason ' s privilege , or duty , as he may regard it , to attend any religious service he may desire . Every Masonic Lodge is

dedicated to God , whom all are taught to worship and adore . But Masons worship Him according to their individual conceptions of His being and attributes , unrestricted by Masonic law or dictation . In the Lodge ? Yea , truly , both in and out of the Lodge ; in secret or publicly , in temples solemnly dedicated for that purpose .

There may be consistency as well as good reason why the Knights Templars , clad in the insignia of that Order , should attend Christian divine service , for that is of their particular faith ; but , while all Knights Templars are Freemasons , all Freemasons are not Templars , and have nothing to do with religious sects or opinions , except a sincere belief in the universal fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man . —Thos . Milburne Reed , in " Voice of Masonry . "

ANNUAL SUPPER OF THE LEOPOLD LODGE OF INSTRUCTION . ON Thursday , the Annual Supper of this well-known Lodge , No . 1571 , which is very popular for the excellence of its working , took place at the house of Bro . Elliott , the Moorgate , Moorgate Street , E . G ., the chair being occupied by the W . M . of the Mother Lodge Bro . John Hampson . Among those present were Bro . Harlow P . M . Preceptor , Meadows Sec ,

Past Masters Carey , Morgan , Watts , W . Packer , Duffield , and Saumon ; Bros . Longford , Howell , Morris S . D ., Lee , W . Farmer , Joseph Durell , Moon , Simmonds , Brown , Barker W . M . 1607 , Pearsall W . M . 1298 , A . L . Underwood , Leech , Jackson , Meadows P . M . 2 , Williams , Petley , Lattimore , and J . Wynman .

After the supper the chairman submitted the usual Loyal toasts , all of which were heartily received . He then had the pleasure to submit to the notice of the Brethren the toast of Success to the Leopold Lodge of Instruction , coupling with it the name of Bro . Meadows , their worthy Secretary , who really put heart and soul into the work of the Lodge and did much to bring about the success of which they were all so proud .

Bro . Meadows , on rising to respond , was most heartily received . He thanked the W . M . for having proposed his health , and the Brethren for having received it in such a cordial manner . He was pleased to be the Secretary of the Leopold Lodge of Instruction , but he wanted more encouragement . They started at the Blackwall Hotel , and had the pleasure of having

Bro . Duffield as their Preceptor ; then they removed , and at last were settled at their present quarters . He was very pleased to see the Lodge progressing in such a marvellous manner , and also at seeing so many members of different Lodges among them . He was proud to have the excellent assistance of Bro . Harlow as Preceptor , and promised that whatever he could do for the welfare of the Lodge he would be happy to undertake .

Bro . Morgan P . M . had very much pleasure to propose the health of Bro . Harlow P . M ., who had kindly consented to act as their Preceptor . He always looked , upon a Preceptor as very much like a Schoolmaster , with tbe difference that the Schoolmaster looked after the £ s . d ., while in the case of Bro . Harlow the work was done out of pure love for Freemasonry . He felt the members were much indebted to Bro . Harlow for undertaking the duties

of Preceptor , and knowing the qualifications of that Brother he could strongly advise Brethren to attend the Leopold Lodge of Instruction , as he was sure it would take them a long time to find a better Preceptor than the one who presided there . Bro . Harlow ' s friendship was new to many of them , but he hoped it would continue for many years to come , as an earnest of which he now asked the company to give a hearty reception to the name of Bro . Hatlow , which request was duly attended to .

Bro . Harlow tendered his acknowledgments . After the excellent speech of Bro . Morgan he really did not know how to thank them for the toast so cordially received by the Brethren . He had especially to thank Bro . Meadows , their Secretary , for his excellent assistance , and Bros . Morgan and Duffield for their consistent support . He was proud to be Preceptor of the Lodge , and the greatest pleasure the members could afford him was to attend ¦ week by week in strong force . He would always do his very best to give them the instruction they desired , and generally qualify them for any position they might be called upon to fill in their mother Lodge .

Bro . Carey P . M . in most jocular and becoming manner proposed the toast of the visitors , especially thanking Bro . Phillips for his great kindness in presiding in such an able manner at the piano . The members of the Leopold Lodge of Instruction were always pleased to see visitors , especially such good ones as were present that night . In conclusion he felt he could hardly do more than express the wish that they would all come again .

Bro . Pearsall W . M . of the Boyal Standard Lodge , No . 1298 ,. responded . He was very pleased to attend the meeting . He had been hard at work the previous night at his own Lodge , and was gratified to have received so cordial a reception on this occasion . He might tell them , however , tbat he did not intend to be a visitor among them any longer—that was to say , provided they were willing to accept him as a member of the Lodge . He would indeed be glad to join . Other visitors also acknowledged the toast .

Bro . Duffield P . M ., late Preceptor , now took the gavel , and proposed the health of Bro . Hampson Worshipful Matter of the mother Lodge , thanking him for being present and presiding over the meeting that day . His qualifications wtre well known in the Leopold Lodge , where he made an excellent Worshipful Master , and they could but hope bo would have many opportunities in the future of being present at tbe meetings of the Instruction Lodge .

Attending Divine Service.

The chairman of the day received a hearty welcome on rising to respond . He sincerely thanked Bro . Duffield and the Brethren generally for the heartiness of the toast of his health , and for his reception that day . His duties had boen very light , but it had afforded him considerable pleasure to carry them out . He cordially wished tlie Leopold Lodge of Instruction every success in the future , and tendered the Brethren present tho best of good wishes for a happy new year .

The meeting was in every way a success , the supper and wines being all that could be desired , and reflecting great credit on Bro . Elliott , the host of the establishment . A compliment is also due to the Brethren who added to the pleasures of the evening with some excellent songs , & c , among those deserving mention in this respect being Bros . W . Packer , Latimer , Brown ,

Lester Williams , Morgan and Leach , with Bro . A . J . Phillips at the piano . Of the former , Bro . Past Master Packer , we can say that without doubt ho is one of the most cultivated and perfect singers who , so to speak , has hidden his light under a bushel . He has a beautiful voice , and we hope to often hear him in the future .

LIFE-BOAT SERVICES IN 1897 . ALTHOUGH the past year cannot bo said to have been so remarkably freo from continued stormy weather as its predecessor , it was by no means a tempestuous one . The stormy seasons , except in one instance , were not marked by any great gale which could be considered as out of the common , and the launches of Life-Boats on service were fairly evenly distributed throughout the year . The heaviest gales of 1897 , from a Life-Boat point of view , occurred on the 2 nd and 3 rd March , and the 28 th and

29 th November . In the first case nineteen Life-Boats were launched on survice , with tbe result that the lives of thirty-eight persons were saved , and ten other persons were landed from vessels in perilous positions ; and in the second case there were twenty-nine Life-Boats launched , resulting in the saving of 108 lives . This latter gale was a very severe one , and did much damage to property , more particularly on the east and south-east coasts . During the month of June there wero thirty-one launches of Life-Boats on

service , resulting in the saving of eighty-five lives . In no previous June , since the establishment of the Boyal National Life-Boat Institution in 1824 , have there been so many Life-Boats launched on service , or so many lives saved as the result of the launches . The services rendered by the Life-Boats during the year included the rescue of 534 lives , besides much valuable property , thirty vessels having been saved from total or partial loss . Great assistance was also given in very many cases to fishing boats returning from

the fleets or fishing grounds , but unable to make a harbour without help from a Life-Boat , owing to tbe badness of the weather . During th . ? year Life-Boats were launched 375 times on service , besides which the crews were assembled on fifty-five other occasions , when it was thought that their services might probably be required . Kewards were also granted by the Institution for tbe saving of 125 lives by shore-boats and other means during

the year , bringing up the total number of lives for the saving which the Society granted rewards in 1897 to 659 , and to 40 , 474 since 1824 . The cost of maintaining the Institution's fleet of 295 Life-Boats in thorough efficiency is increasingly heavy , and the amount received in annual subscriptions and accruing from assured income is insufficient for the purpose . Further financial help is therefore much needed by the Institution , the offices of which are at 14 John Street , Adelphi , London , W . C .

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