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GREATWESTERNRAILWAY. DURING SEPTEMBER Special Fast Excursions will leave Paddington Station as under : NEW DAYLIGHT SERVICE BETWEEN WEYMOUTH AND CHANNEL ISLANDS . SATURDAY TO MONDAY TRIPS . Direct Steamers between WEYMOUTH and GUERNSEY . Direot Steamers between WEYMOUTH and JERSEY . Shoriest Sea Passage . Every Saturday at 915 a . m . ( Special Daylight Service Express ) , ancl at 915 p . m . ( Night Boat Express ) for Guernsey and Jersey , for 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 clays . Return Fare , Third Class and Fore Cabin , 24 s 6 d . 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 days in NORTH WALES . Weekly Excursions to Shrewsbury , Aberystwyth , Barmouth , Rhyl , Llandudno , & c . Every Saturday . At 8-10 a . m ., for Shrewsbury , Oswestry , Borth , Aberystwyth , Llangollen , Corwen , Bala , Blaenau Festiniog , Dolgelly , Barmouth , Harlech , Criccieth , Rhyl , Llandudno , Conway , Bettws-y-coed , Bangor , Carnarvon , Llanberis ( for Snowdon ) , & c . Every Friday Night . At 1010 p . m . for Exeter , Dawlish , Teignmouth , Plymouth , Devonport , Bodmin , Wadobridge , Newquay , Truro , Falmouth , St . Ives , Penzance , & c , for 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 days . Every Saturday . At 7-55 a . m . for Minehead ( for Lynton and Lynmouth ) , Barnstaple , Ilfracombe , Plymouth , Devonport , Newquay , Truro , Falmouth , St . Ives , Penzance , & c ., for 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 days . At 8-20 a . m . for Weston-Super-Mare , Exeter , Dawlish , Teignmouth , Torquay , Kingswear , Dartmouth & c , for 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 days . At 11 * 15 a . m . for Frome , Shepton Mallet , Wells , Yeovil , Bridport , Dorchester , Weymouth ( for tbe Channel Islands ) , Portland , & c , for 3 , 10 or 17 days . At 12-5 p . m . for Newbury , Marlborough , Devizes , Trowbridge , Warminster , & c , for 3 , 10 or 17 days . At 12-35 p . m . for Olevedon , Bridgwater , Taunton , Minehead ( for Lynton and Lynmouth ) , Barnstaple , Ilfracombe , Wellington ( Som . ) , Tiverton , & c , for 3 , 10 or 17 days . At 3-30 p . m . for Swindon , Chippenham , Bath and Bristol , for 3 , 10 or 17 * days . At d -0 p . m . for Cirencester , Stroud , Gloucester , Cheltenham , Chepstow , Newport , Cardiff , Neath , Swansea , & c , for 3 , 10 or 17 days . At 10-10 p . m . for Weston-Super-Mare , Exeter , Dawlish , Teignmouth , Torquay , Kingswear , Plymouth , & c ., for 3 , 8 , 10 , 15 or 17 days . Tickets , pamphlets , and lists of Farmhouse and Country Lodgings can be obtained at the Company ' s Stations and at thc usual Beceiving Offices . HY . LAMBEBT , General Manager .

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BBEiagW ^ a ^ a^^^^^^^l^^Hj SATURDAY , 14 TH SEPTEMBER 1895 .

The St. Paul's Proposal.

THE ST . PAUL'S PROPOSAL .

A LAYMAN interested in this question recently paid a visit to Mr . William Woodward with a view to ascertaining the exact interpretation to be placed upon the present attitude of the Freemasons towards the proposal that they should associate themselves with some portion of the decorations contemplated at St . Paul's Cathedral . He found Mr . Woodward at his house in

that quaint seventeenth century avenue which leads to the parish church of Hampstead , and which is one of the few remnants left to bring to remembrance the fact that Hampstead was at one time resorted to by persons of quality and fashion for the sake of its waters .

Asked how he came in the first place to take a personal interest in St . Paul ' s , Mr . Woodward replied that his admiration for the Cathedral was of long standing—had been established , in

fact , a quarter of a century , ever since it had been excited by a visit paid to that marvellous pile in company with the late Mr . Austin , the well-known aichitect , who was such an ardent admirer of Wren ' s works .

Asked what first suggested thepioposal that tbe Freemasons should take a part in the decoration of the Cathedral , Mr . Woodward replied , " Last autumn I wiote an article on St . Paul ' s , which was afterwards published in the " City Press " ;

the matter cropped up at our Christmas party last year , and Mr . Richard Haie , of the "Daily Telegiaph , " in thc course of a speech , referred to St . Paul ' s and said that he should like to see all ); he Freemasons of England contributing to the decorations .

The St. Paul's Proposal.

I subsequently communicated this proposal to the Grand Secretary , who suggested bringing the matter before Grand Lodge . The motion was placed upon the agenda paper of the June meeting , bnt owing to a misuuderst aiding I was not

present to bring it forward . Renewed notice of the motion was therefore given against the recent quarterly meeting , and it was brought forward , with the result that after discussion it was , by leave , withdrawn . "

Asked whether this would be the end of the matter , Mr . Woodward replied , " By no means . I have been greatly surprised at tho favour with which the proposal has been regarded . Brother Philbriek , who , as you know , opposed the motion , expressly stated that he did so with the greatest

reluctance . His only fear was lest Grand Lodge , in supporting it , should seem to identify itself with a particular form of reli gion , and so depart from the tenets of Freemasonry . He opposed it against his inmost feelings and desires , which were entirel y in sympathy with it . Mr . Herbert Steward seconded the motion , which had the support of the Rev . C . J . Martyn .

Mr . C . E . Keyser instanced as a precedent the gift by Freemasons of the pulpit at St . Alban ' s Abbey , and suggested that the interest of the Grand Master should be secured . If he

and other influential persons would support the movement there was every reason to think that individual Masons would render help enough to carry through at least part of the scheme , without any intervention of Grand Lodge .

Alderman Sir Joseph Dimsdale , who regards St . Paul ' s as a " national monument , " and therefore as a building which may be approached in a national rather than in a narrow , sectarian spirit , although unable to support the motion in the form

submitted , thought that Freemasons might well give their moral support to so i > reat a national undertaking as that contained in the scheme , which he thought would have the practical sympath y both of Grand Lodge and the Craft generally .

Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., who presided for the Grand Master , suggested that the motion should be withdrawn ; but that steps should be taken to obtain the help of the Craft without attempting to secure an authoritative decision from Grand Lodge . That suggestion was eminently wise . Such a committee would

have a weight which a single individual could not have . More will probably be heard of the matter in due course . It was with a view to facilitating the work of such a committee that I asked leave to withdraw mv motion , and the action appears to have

given general satisfaction . " Mr . Woodward , in conclusion , remarked upon the number of individual supporters of the scheme , and emphasised the fact that St . Paul ' s appeals to all Englishmen , and to lovers of art and architecture as such . — " City Press . "

Referring to Bro . Woodward ' s motion in Grand Lodge , the "City Press" says "it is understood that the scheme has the support of a considerable number of Freemasons , who , both following precedent and regarding St . Paul's as a ' national

monument' rather than as the church of a particular creed , are in entire sympathy with the proposal . It is also understood that an influential committee will be formed with a view to seeing what further steps should be taken to ascertain the general feeling

of Freemasons throughout the country . " We shall be surprised if an " influential Committee" will ever be formed for this purpose , but if it is we pity the members for the rude awakening that we anticipate will follow their investigations .

Bro . Thomas J . Hester , Lodge 862 , cordially approves of the decision of Grand Lodge respecting the proposal to open a Masonic subscription for the decoration of St . Paul ' s Cathedral , says the " Daily Telegraph , " but suggests that no objection could

be raised to a truly Masonic service being held in St . Paul ' s Cathedral , and adds that if the Grand Master could attend the offertory would be large , and could be devoted to the interior decoration of Wren ' s magnificent work .

I SEE by to-night's " Echo" that "Grand Lodge" have decided not to contribute towards the decoration fund of St . Paul ' s Cathedral on the ground that " Masonry being univeral , and recognising no distinction of Creeds , it might be tortured or misconstrued into a departure from that great principle . " All I wish to ask is , is it true that Masonry makes no distinction

of Creed ? And , if so , what are the functions of a " Grand Chaplain , " and to what book does he refer when he exhorts Masons to be governed by " the Divine precepts contained in the Volume of the Sacred Law " ? Does ne not refer to the Bible , and is it not a fact that he uses it in the performance

of his duties by reading portions of the Pentateuch ? If so , could a Mohammedan or Hindoo , or Buddhist , be expected to accept such doctrines as arc therein contained , and , if not , what becomes of " the universality " o Freemasonry *? I hope some Craftsman will reply straig htforwardly to this inquiry . —E . G . M ., in thc " Echo . "