Masonic Epitho-Threnody:

Masonic Epitho - Threnody :

AN ALLEGORY . To His ROYAL HIGHNESS ALBERT E DWARD , PRINCE OF WALES , K . G ., Right Worshipful Grand Master of Froemasnns in England ; in prospect of the Mwinw of his SOD , tho DUKE OP CLARENCE AND AVONDALE , with PRINCESS V ICTORIA MARY OF TECK , 27 th Febrnary 1892 .

THIS day thou add ' st another corner-stone , To atrengfchern the foundations of that throne Which stands embedded in a people ' s lore . The Architect who plans and rnles above ; And , like a Great Geometrician , draws

HiB lines , and curves , true to Masonio laws , Be't thine to measure from in all the things Thou undertakest ; be ' t the rule of kings ; Or changing sceptre for a mall , and throne , For tbe exalted chair of Solomon , Be just , and fear not !

Ere yet be raised The Maater'a pedestal , let Him be praised Whom all the searchers after light adore ! Now let tbe cannon boom from every shore ! From tbe three points of heav ' n , West , North , and South , Let honours Masonio pass from month to month ,

Until the East re-echoes with the sound—Behold the column risen from the ground ! Bind well the structure from the widened base ; Prove it with plumb and square , both line aud face ; And if 'tis strum ?' , and firm , from blemish free .

And solid aa one block of Masonry;—Faultless in symmetry j in ambit rare ; The pride of all that's lovely , sweet , and fair , — Then to an admiring world it may be said—This added stone is well and trulv laid .

THE THUNDERBOLT ! FALLEN is the pillar , shattered is the base That was to have upheld it in its place . Give we the prostrate stone a oypress wreath , Clothe we the figure with the robes of death . 'Twas but an hour ago tho sons of light Basked in the rays of hope , supremely bright . Ansht that the SDlendour of a conrt could grace

Was there reflected in a regal facf . The prince , the heir , the king ihnt was to be—The crowning apex to a dynasty—Now lies he at the ba 3 e , where kings ere now Have lain . Tbe death-damp on his yonthful brow Tells of a struc <> le ere he save his sword

To one whose w eapon is His mighty Word . Stricken to earth , but not by mortal foe—The lightning came from heaven that laid him low . The broken column , lying at his feet , Wrap in tbe British flag , fit winding sheet ; C \ f \ wtxv ma hfAOaf . with firtnravia waf nri ^ b to « ii > ti

Distilled from grief—the grief a nation bears . Ere yet we lay him in bis hallowed bed , Chant we a requiem o ' er the honoured dead . Oh , thou great Architect that built the earth And all npon it since creation ' s birtb , Receive into Thv tamnln this nnr nnn — 1— — 7

^ And place him in the East , the shrine he'd won . Now olose the tomb ! Oh , may his sonl shine forth A star resplendent , both in light aud worth ! No longer claim we what to heaven was due ; The debt he naid with tho last hrnnf . h tin draw

And now , from earthly bonds for ever free , He joins the Lodge of IMMORTALITY . Bso . BEN BBIERLEY . Arthur Sullivan Lodge , 2156 , Old Boar ' s Head , Wifchxr ftrnvp Mnnntinafar *

The following reply has been received to the address of condolence recentl y forwarded by the Stockport Freemasons , through Lord Egerton of Tatton , to the Prince of Vvolofi ¦

Grand Secretary ' s Office , Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , London , W . C . ftth Pohrnnt-ir 1 RQ 9 .

IT n w I Md Brother . —I am directed by the M . W . Grand Master u . tt . H . the Prince of Wales to convey to the Brethren of the nve Jjod ges in the Stockport Division of Cheshire his sincere thanks ior their kind address , condoling with H . R . H . on the death of the uoke of Clarence . —Yours fraternall y . A . PENDLEBURY , T >«„ T n , „ Assist . G . Sec . aro . James Cookson . Stooknnrt

Masonic Epitho-Threnody:

The following circular , recently issued , will speak for itself : — Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , W . C . 8 th February 1892 . Dear Sir and Brother , —We regret to inform yon that the widow of onr late mnch lamented Grand Seoretary , Col . Shadwell H . Gierke

has been left very inadequately provided for . A Committee of Grand Officers and others , who have had many opportunities of knowing how conscientiously , efficiently and courteonsly Col . Clerke discharged nil tho duties of his important office , and the eminent services he has rendered to Masonry , has been formed for the purpose of inviting Lodges and brethren to show

their appreciation of his hig h character and services by joining with them in raising a fund for the purchase of a Government Life Annuity for Mrs . Clerke . We send herewith a list of the Committee who have already given their names , to which additions are solioited . The Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master the E * rl of Lathom , the

R . W . Deputy Grand Master tho Earl of Mount-Edgonmbe , and Sir Albert W . Woods , Garter , P . G . W . G . D . C ., have kindly consented to act as Trustees , and an account will be opened immediately in their names at the Bloomsbury Branch of the London and Westminster Bank . Persona . 1 subscriptions are limited to a maximum of £ 5 5 s . In the

case of Lodges , Chapters , and other Masonio bodies , there is no limit . Cheques are requested to be sent , addressed to the Treasnier , Bro . Robert Grey , Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . G ., made payable to him , and crossed " London and Westminster Bank , Bloomsbury Branch , o / a Shadwell Clerke Trust . " Inasmuch as Bro . George Kenning has kindly undertaken to insert advertisements in The Freemason , free of expense , and as the cost of

printing , stationery , postage and receipt stamps , & c , will be paid by members of the Committee , the whole amount of subscriptions without any deduotion will be available for the proposed object . We remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , THOMAS FENN , Pres . B . of G . P ., Chairman . ROBERT GREY , Pres . B . of B ., Treasurer . FRANK RICHARDSON . P . G . D .. Secretary .

The Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution held their monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday . Bro . John Newton occupied the chair , and there were present Bros . S . Vallentine , Jas .

Brett , W . J . Murlis , 0 . A . Cottebrune , J . P . Fitzgerald , 0 . H . Webb . J . S . Cumberland . H . J . Strong A . Mullord . Gt

Boulton , H . Cotter , G . E . Fairchilcl , C . J . Perceval , C . Lacey , John Barnett jun ., C . Carrell , W . F . Smithson P . G . D ., D . D . Mercer P . G . P ., F . Mead P . G . S . B ., T . B . Purchas P . A . G . D . C ., T . G . Bullen P . G . Standard Bearer , A . Durrant . R . P . Stevens . J . Dorton . W . H . Makiner . J .

Bunker , Hugh M . Hobbs , W . H . Hubbert , W . Webber , R . Turtle Pigott , D . C . L ., P . A . G . D . C ., C . F . Hogard P . G . Standard Bearer , R . Griggs , J . Dixon , and James Terry P . G . S . B . ( Secretary ) . The minutes of the January meeting having been read and verified , the Secretarv reported

tbe death of six annuitants ( three men and three widows ) , and of two male and one widow candidates , the latter being also a half annuitant . The Warden ' s report for the past month was read , and an application from the widow of a deceased annuitant for half her late husband ' s annuitv was

granted . The number of candidates was declared to be 139 , of whom 69 were men , and 70 widows , and the number of vacancies 18 and 8 respectively , but it was resolved to elect 28 men and 18 widows , together with the three deferred annnitants on each fund , or together 31 men and 21 widows . A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the nroceedincrs .

Merthyr Freemasons contemplate building a hall of their own , instead of continuing to pay rent for the premises they now occupy , and it is probable that the present year mav see the lannchinff of the scheme .

In view of the probable great advancement of the practice of cremation in England , the General Cemetery Company have decided to ereot a Columbarium for the reception of cinerary urns at their Cemetery at Kensal Green . The structure , which will be placed in the monumental chambers , will form a prominent objeot in the centre of a hall of some magnitude , and contain accommodation for forty-two urns . There will hn f . hrnn tinrs nf comnartmentH nn Annh nf tho fnnr nirlan

and each one will be enclosed by a metal frame lever-locked door filled with plate glass . The fronts will be in finest Caen stone , with panelled pilasters at each angle , and moulded base and cornice . Tbe shafts between the compartments to be of polished sienna marble , and the panels in the pilasters filled with polished rouge royale marble . Tbe Columbarium , which will probably be unique in London , is being built by Bro . E . M . Lander , of Kensal Green , from the designs of the architect . Mr . Rnhflrfc Willev . F . R . T . R . A .. of fifi LnrWtfl . hill . E . C .