Herefordshire.

vote of thanks was passed by Provincial Grand Lodge to Bro . Earle , in recognition of his zeal and service . On the proposition of Bro . Beddoe , seconded by Bro . the Dean of Hereford , the following address was voted to Her Majesty the Queen : —

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Province of Herefordshire humbly approach your Majesty , desiring to offer their loyal congratulations on the completion of the 60 th year of your Majesty ' s glorious reign . They tender thanks to the Most High for the great benefits which have been extended to the Empire under your Majesty ' s sway during past years , and pray that it may continue to be blessed with a lengthened period of peace and prosperity .

It was proposed by Bro . Thos . Smith P . M . P . P . S . G . W ., seconded by Bro . E . Maddison , and carried , " That the sum ' of thirty guineas be given from the Funds of the Provincial Grand Lodge to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . " On behalf of the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Beddoe appointed and invested the Provincial Officers for the ensuing

year , as under : — Bro . W . R . Stafford 120 ... Senior Warden John Marchant 120 - - - Junior Warden Hon . and Very Rev . the Dean of Hereford Chaplain J . E . S . Hewitt 338 - - - Treasurer A . Outfield 338 - - - Registrar

Edward Maddison 751 ... Secretary William C . Gethen 120 ... Senior Deacon William P . Marvin 338 ... Junior Deacon W . W . Robinson 120 - - - Superintendent of Works S . G . Yates 338 .... Director of Ceremonies J . Wellington Lloyd 2240 - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers .

Z . B . Evans 751 - - - - Sword Bearer G . R . Sinclair 120 - - - - Organist A . G . Hudson 892 - - - - Pursuivant H . H . Parry 120 - - - - *) G . W . Starr 751 - - - - [ Stewards . H . Gosling 892 - - - - J

After the Provincial Grand Lodge had been closed the Brethren formed in procession at the Cathedral Library , and on arrival at the cloister door were met by the Cathedral Choir , preceded by the Organist Bro . G . R . Sinclair P . G . O . On reaching the nave of the Cathedral the procession halted

and opened to the right and left , and faced inwards , so as to leave a passage for the Deputy Provincial Grand Master up the centre , he being preceded by the Sacred Law , the Prov . G . Chaplains , the acting Deputy P . G . M ., the Standard Bearer , and Sword Bearer .

The Jubilee hymn " O King of Kings , " was sung as a processional , and , the Brethren having taken places reserved for them in the nave , Bro . the Rev . J . Hampton P . M . P . P . G . Chaplain Worcestershire opened the service . Bro . the Rev . H . A . Barker S . D . 120 P . P . G . Chaplain read the lesson .

The Dean based his sermon on 1 Peter ii ., 17 , "Honour all men . Love the brotherhood . Fear God . Honour the king . " After the sermon Bro . G . R . Sinclair played a voluntary ¦ on the organ , during which a collection was made for the Royal Masonic and Herefordshire Masonic Charities .

After the service the Deputy Prov . G . M . presented to each of the youthful bearers of the Sacred Law a volume of Holy Writ , as a memento of the occasion . Subsequently over a hundred Brethren dined at the Green Dragon Hotel , under the presidency of the Acting Provincial Grand Master , when the usual Loyal and Masonic toasts were given and honoured . — "Hereford Mercury . "

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

THE Quarterly Communication was held in Edinburgh , on Thursday , 4 th inst ., the Grand Master Lord Saltoun presiding . The Grand Master made suitable reference to the death of the Duchess of Teck , who , he said , had endeared herself to many , especially the poor . The Grand Master and

Secretary were requested to prepare a minute of condolence and transmit the same to the Prince of Wales , as patron of Scottish Freemasonry , for submission to the Royal Family . The Grand Master reported that in accordance with the resolution of Grand Lodge in 1896—before he was in the

chair—to hold a Masonic bazaar in 1900 , a meeting had been held that day , but that the Committee had a feeling that owing to the exhibition in Paris in 1900 , and in Glasgow in the following year , and for other reasons , it might be well to postpone the bazaar . On his suggestion the Committee were

empowered to change the date if they thought advisable , after communicating with the Lod ges in the colonies and dependencies . It was intimated that a bequest of £ 1 , 350 had been left

Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

by William Ferguson , latety of Brooklyn , subject to the liferent of his widow , to erect a home in Forfarshire for the benefit of the poor widows of deceased husbands who at the

date of their death were members in good standing of the Grand Lodge . The meeting then proceeded to the nomination of members for election as office-bearers , the Grand Master being nominated for re-election .

It was agreed that the District Grand Master of the Transvaal be allowed the same extension of power as is enjoyed by the Grand Master of all Scottish Freemasonry in India , so far as appointing by commission properly

qualified Brethren to officially visit such Lodges within his Masonic jurisdiction as it may be impossible or inconvenient for himself , his Depute or Substitute , to visit annually , as directed by the Constitution .

Church Services.

CHURCH SERVICES .

A SF . fcjCJlA . Li service for Freemasons of the Three Towns and neighbourhood was held on Sunday afternoon at St . Paul ' s Church , Devonport , the object beins ; to assist the funds of the Royal Albert Hospital . Most of the Lodges in the locality were represented . The service commenced with the processional hymn " Through the night of doubt and sorrow , " followed by a

skilfully executed violin solo by Bro . H . E . V . Ball , L . E . A . M . Prayers were intoned by Bro . the Rev . A . J . Hamlyn , vicar of St . Paul ' s , and the special lesson was read by Bro . the Rev . 8 . S . Browne , chaplain to the Plymouth Division of the Eoyal Marines . Bros . E . J . and P . Wright rendered with beautiful effect the duet

" Go baffled brother , " from ' * Samson , " and Bro . P . Wright also gave the solo , " Lord God of Abraham , " from the "Elijah . " Bro . the Eev T . C . Lewis P . M . P . P . G . C , rector of Dodbrooke , preached a suitable sermon from the words " Given to hospitality . " The Rev . Brother said fche word hospitality had

very different meanings , but St . Paul in using it as an exhortation to the Roman Christians elevated it to a Christian duty . The spirit of true Christianity was embraced in the use of charity , which was a special Masonic virtue and the highest ornameut that adorned Che profession . There was a wonderful espirt de

corps in the Masonic Order , aud whenever a touching appeal was made to its members their generosity was never Jacking . If help to such a noble Institution as the Eoyal Albert Hospital appealed

to their generosity as Freemasons , should not their hearts respond and their pulses quicken when such an appeal was made to them as members of the great family of God and subjects of Christ ' s kingdom ? The offertory amounted fco £ 5 13 s 5 d .

WITH Masonic pomp the Eoyal Parish Church of St . Martin ' sin-the-Fields was formally re-opened in fche afternoon of Sunday , after elaborate re-decoration and improvement , the entire cost of which was defrayed by the fortunate individuals who witnessed the Jubilee Procession on the 22 nd June from that favoured vantage point . Over 300 members of the Craffc

assembled in full clothing—a dispensation having been obtained from his Eoyal Highness the Mosfc Worshipful Graud Masterand the service breathed the spirit of Masonry throughout . Archdeacon Stevens Past Grand -Chaplain preached fche sermon ,

and nearly a dozen Grand Officers attended , including Bro Robt . Grey P . G . W ., Bro . J . W . Woodall P . G . Treas ., and Bro . W . M . Stiles P . G . Treas . During the singing of the hymn , " When the Architect Almighty , " an offertory was taken for the Eoyal Masonic Institutions for Boys and Girls .

We are told there is a good work open to Bible students associated with the Craft , in providing a few texts for Masonic Church Services other than I Peter ii , 17 , which , from such frequent repetition , is being worn somewhat threadbare . We have already had to refer to the absence of Freemasonry

from many so-called Masonic sermons , and it now seems that our Chaplains are not only at a loss for Masonic ideas , but also deficient in that originality which should be so important a feature in the work they are called upon to carry out . From the incessant ; harping on the one string it would almost appear that

our clerical friends are engaged in a competition to decide who can build the best discourse on exactly the same foundation . Masonic toasts are bad enough as specimens of the same old rigmarole time after time ; surely Masonic sermonsj now that they are becoming so very popular , should not follow the same dreary course .

The Duke of Devonshire Provincial Grand Master of Derbyshire has accepted the office of Mayor of Eastbourne , and Lord Langattock Provincial Grand Master of the Eastern Division of South Wales that of Monmouth .