Provincial Grand Lodge Of Middlesex.

Freedom and Sympathy Lodge of Instruction . — The annual supper in connection with this Lodge of Instruction , held under the banners of the Lodge of Freedom , No . 77 , and tho Lodge of Sympathy , No . 483 , was held at the New Falcon Hotel , Gravesend , last week , when a fair nnmber of the brethren of both Lodges assembled to enjoy a pleasant evening . Bro . J . Rackstraw

S . AV . 483 presided , and among others we noticed Bros . Rev . A . Jackson , R . J . Beamish , J . C . Biggs Secretary , Joseph Davis , E . B . Wilks , J . Martin , J . Hedger , George Masters , C Woodford , F . Hitcbins , & o . Beyond the Qneen and tho Craft there were no toasts , but references were made to the marked improvement in the

ritual tbat had been made by the brethren attending the Lodge of Instrnction during the past year , so that the mother Lodges need never suffer from want of efficient Officers in the future . The pleasure of the evening was enhanced by some capital songs , and the brethren separated at a late hour .

Robert Burns Lodge of Instruction , No . 25 . —A meeting was held on Tuesday , the 9 th instant , at the Frascati , 30 Oxford Street , AV . Present : —Bros . E . C . Mulvey P . M . Preceptor , H . Sillis W . M ., J . Dixon S . W ., AV . Truman J . W . J . Blundell P . M . Treas ., F . Bonham P . M . Secretary , F . Klein S . D ., M . Taylor J . D ., F . Hewson I . G ., F . Marx Deputy Preceptor , E . J . Gittins , H . Evenden , J .

Mason , W . Shales , and J . AVatson . The Lodge was opened iu due form and the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was rehearced , Bro . Shales being candidate . Bro . AVatson answered tbe questions leading to tbe second degree . The Lodge was opened in the second degree .

Bro . Evenden answered the questions leading to the third degree and was entrusted . The Lodge was opened in the third degree , and the ceremony of raising was rehearsed , Bro . Evenden being candidate . The Lodge was resumed in the first degree . Bro . Dixon was unanimously elected W . M . for the ensuing week . The Lodge was closed in doe form and adjourned .

Crusaders Lodge of Instruotion , No . 1677 . —A meeting was held on Friday , the 5 th inst ., at the Northampton Arms , Goawell Road , E . C . Present—Bros . Willison AV . M ., F . G . Scbeib , S . AV ., A . J . Blake J . W ., Hunter P . M . Treasurer , E . Dimes Secretary , Earth S . D ., C . Weeden Preceptor . The Lodge was opened in dne

form nnd the minutes were read and confirmed . The ceremony of initiation was rehearsed , Bro . J . Robinson as candidate . The Lodge was opened in the second degreee , and Bro . F . G . Soheib was unanimously elected AV . M . frr the ensuing week . Lodge was closed in dne form .

Masonic Service At Kingsbridge.

MASONIC SERVICE AT KINGSBRIDGE .

THE members of the Buncombe Lodge , No . 1436 , Kingsbridge , on Monday , the 1 st inst ., attended a special service at Dcdbrooke Church , at which the sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . J . Watson Prov . Grand Chaplain for East Lancashire . The brethren assembled at fche Lodgo in Duncombe Street , and marched in full regalia to the Church headed by fche town subscription band .

Amongst those who attended were Bro ? . N . Chase I . P . M ., H . Lamble , G . Hooper , D . A . Adkins , P . Trant Jan ., R . 0 . Balkwill , J . Balkwill Treas ., J . Foal P . M . ' s ; Bros , the Hon . H . V . Duncombe , W . Kelland , J . Kelland , E . Warren , D . L . Staig , G . Watts , and . the Rev . S . H . Clements . The procession was met at the porch by the clergy and choir , the former who took part in the service , in

addition to the Rev . J . AVatson , being Canon Houghton ( rural dean ) , Bros , the Revs ., T . 0 . Lewis ( rector ) , and J . Hennings , while the Revs . J . Watson aud B . Brown were also present . Bro . J . Cranch presided at the organ . The Rev . Brother preached from the text " the greatest of these is charity , " 13 th Chapter of St . Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians . He felt , he said , that he had to speak in

two different languages—the language of those who understood Freemasonry and the language of those who were supposed to know nothing about ifc . He wanted , therefore , to disabuse the minds of the latter class so far as regarded the great principle upon which the Order was founded . Freemasonry had learned the great lesson whioh the Saviour taught while on earth , tbat , as brethren , they

should love one another . They were ready to agree thafc the term " charity , " as used in the passage of the text , had two meanings . It had its own intrinsic meaning and tbe meaning which was unusually applied to it in the present day . The Order received it in its true intrinsic meaning ; it was " love . " The great principle which they set as their guiding star was that of love to one another .

Freemasonry taught them to be loving , and to show it forth in acts of kindness to eaoh other , especially in bestowing relief in times of necessity , and in being perfectly honest in word and pure in deed . In order to illustrate how those principles were t . ring carried out he drew their attention to the fact that for the sake of showing their brotherly affection there were three classes of persons specially

singled out . They were the aged of the Order , tbe aged of those who had belonged to the Order , and the children . There were some who through circumstances over which they had no control had come to poverty , and ib was the duty of Freemasons to help them to bear it , and enable them to rise above that depth to whioh they wonld otherwise have fallen . It was their privilege , and fchey

esteemed it as such , to help the widows of deceased brethren , and also their children . There was no f Dsition whioh was nofc now open to the children of the poor , and if by tbeir perseverance and diligence fchey availed themselves of the advantages off ere I there was no reason why the highest positions in the land should not be filled by them . It was the desire of the Order to endeavour to troiu the children to

Masonic Service At Kingsbridge.

occupy those important positions . They did nofc leave the work entirely to national effort . The London Institntion ? , beautiful , great , and important as they were , were not alone in seeking to carry out the principle of the Order . In eaoh Province they had organizations for carrying out the work on a smaller scale .. There were institutions for relieving in their own homes and keeping from

the direst poverty those who might have been left in positions of indigence by their fathers and husbands . There were others for relieving the temporary distress of Masons or their widows , and for providing means by which the children conld be sent to various good schools in tbeir own neighbourhood without removing them from tbeir parents . One of the highest , holiest , and best things was to do

a little in their own way for the advancement of God ' s glory , and it would be a blessing to them to feel that they had done their ntmosfc to honour Him by loving one another . The collection was in aid of Masonio Charities . The brethren returned to the Lodge room , where Bro . J . R . Gill was installed W . M . In the evening the * annual banquet was held in fche King ' s Arms Hotel , being largely attended and a most successful event .

Masonic Sonnets.—No. 50.

MASONIC SONNETS . —No . 50 .

Bt BBO . CHAS . F . FORSHAW , LL . D ., 295 , 1214 , 2417 ( E . C . ) , 24 , 761 ( S . C . )

To BRO . THE REV . DrJ STRAUSS , M . A .

True son of Hiram thou ; Religious thought Is to thy soul all that it should be—Free ; All superstitious bias counts for nought , For thou propoundest truest Liberty . Freemasons are right glad to grasp thy hand

, Full well thou graoest this our Brotherhood ; And we thy praise would sing in every land , And say to all 'tis noble to be good . In years to come , my valued friend , thy name

Will meet with laud where ' er it may be spoken ; And though unsought thou ' st gained deserved fame , Fame which can n ' er be dulled and never broken . Yet hast thou done thy level best for others , Keeping in mind the Truth , " we all are Brothers . " 1 Winder House , Bradford . 10 th May 1893 .

Ad00704

SPIERS & POND'S ^ CRITERION ; Regent Circus , Piccadilly . DURING THE ACADEMY SEASON , / ITJICHEOI , Hot or Cold , ^ a ¦§ 1 SOUPS , FISH , POULTRY , JOINTS , Jg |] COLD VIANDS , SWEETS , & c . f | &> ¦/ > CKJ 0 V WILL BE SERVED IN C . 1 THE GRAND HALL , I a I / ° v From 12-30 till 3-30 o ' clock . ' " i - IN THE m BOOK , u mm HUB , A From 12 * 30 till 3 * 30 o ' clock .