Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution.

individual donor as Vice-Patron with twentyfive votes . Fifty Guineas in the like manner to qualify the individual Donor as Patron wifch seventy-five votes , as explained hereunder .

And that there be no highe ? qualifications . Lodges , Chapters , and Masonic Societies , <& c , to qualify in the like manner with votes in perpetuity for twice the amounts paid by individral donors .

Double votes to accrue both to individual donors and Lodges , < fec ., for donations made—in sums of not less than one Guinea—after attaining the rank of Vice-Patrou .

9 . Tht . { thero be au annual meeting ( if not a Festival ) in connection with the Iir-fi' -ntion , o be he'd in tho parl y part of Juns in ea"Ai year , ? nd H > at in June " ! 393 , at a events , thee should ceitainlv be a Festival to inaugurate

the Institution . Your Council no wishful t ., ascertain the views of the Province on the qnestion of this Inauguration Fesfciv •¦ , ! . Sevo al t-nggustions have been thrown oufc , —one thafc ifc f-hould ' ¦ * : ? he d in tho antient town

of Knntsford , another that ifc bo held in the antient city of Chester , ajiofcbei that lv . 'iea and Udu-Mnsors may be allowed to parfcnke i'i the festivities . No doubt some satisfactory proposal w'll be ultimately arrived at .

10 . That the atinn « l rneeritigK or I'Wiv'ils be worked on the lines of the Royal Masouic Institution Festivals in so far as the expenses are concerned , that is to say that all

contributions on the Stewards Lists are to go without any deduction whatever to the funds of the Institution , and that tbe Stewards' fees provide thc expjnses incidental to the Festival .

11 . That any member of a Lodge or Chapter in fche Province can accept the oflice of Steward at the annual meeting or Festival on payment of a Steward's fee , which the Committee will fix—ifc is thonght thafc One Guinea

may suffice for the proposed first Festival—such fee to include fche Steward ' s dinner ticket , and ( if proper authority sanctions tbe proposal ) , a neat bufc inexpensive jewel to be designed and struck as a standing Cheshire

jewel , and to which bars may be added in future for further services . The balance of the guinea to go to pay the working expenses of the Festival . Tickets to be issued at a reasonable price to brethren ( and ladies , & c , if so decided ) , but only through the accredited Stewards .

It is to be understood by Stewards thafc their acceptance of the oflice imposes on them the obligation of

( a ) Compiling a list of contributions , either their own , or their friends , or their Lodges , of not less than ¦ Five Guineas , and

( b ) Using their best endeavours to secure tho comfort and enjoyment of the guests at the Festival .

The Stewards' Lists to be read out at tbe banquet 12 . Following the lines of the Royal Masonic Institution Festivals , each Steward qualifying on the Cheshire Benevolent Institntion is to have

( a ) One vote for life for serving the oflice of Steward , provided his " List amounts to not less than Five Guineas . ( Star vote . )

( b ) One additional vote for life for every Five Guineas after the first five that he has on his " List . " ( List votes . )

13 . That with the view of giving additional sthnulus to the efforts of the Stewards on the occasion of this first Festival , it be recommended that Double Votes be granted nofc only to tbe Stewards for their " Star " and " List "

votes , bnt to individuals , Lodges , Chapters , & c , for the moneys contributed by and through them in sums of not less than one guinea . That this privilege be not granted at any future time without the sanction of Provincial Grand Lodge being first obtained .

14 . That a Banking Account be opened forthwith with Parr ' s Banking Company at Knntsford , the account to be entitled The Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution Fund

with instructions to the Bankers that the Treasurer of the Institution will receive and pay in all donations , and that tb , e Chairman , Treasurer , and Secretary will sign cheques for payments out when that stage arrives . 15 . Yonr Conncil recommend that the following

Cheshire Masonic Benevolent Institution.

brethren be requested to consent to act as the first Trustee of the Institution , viz .: — The Right Hon . LORD EGERTON OF TATTON , R . W . P . G . M . Kis Hono r Judge Sir HORATIO LT . OTD , D . P . G . M . The Hon . Ata i * TATTON EGKRTOS , M . P ., P . P . G . W .

JAMES SAMO :. * , J . P ., P . P . G . W . JOHN CLAYTON , P . P . G . W ., and

C . W . £ pENcr . u-. aTAHno ? E , Pasfc Grand Chaplain . igned on behalf of the Charity Council , JAS . SALMON , P . P . G . W ., Chairman . JNO . CLAYTON , P . P . G . W ., Vico-Chairman

RICHARD NEWHOUSE , P . G . S . JAMES COOKSON , Treasurer pro tem . Bowdon , 21 st October 1892 .

In clue course we learn that the meeting as thus arranged for was held at Crewe , on 30 th November , when the above Beport was adopted . We learn also that promises of support to the tune of - £ 1 , 500 were made , and that it is anticipated that in a short time this goodly sum will be further increased to - £ 2 , 000 . Well done , Cheshire !

A Sermon

A SERMON

Delivered before the Grand Lodge of British Columbia , at Nanaimo , 8 Jtfh June 1892 , by Rev . E . D . McLaren , Grand Chaplain .

" The hons « whioh I build ia great . "—2 Chron . if . 5 . rpHESE words form part of the communication in which JL Solomon , King of Israel , sought tho aid of Hiram , King of Tyre , in his project of building " an house to tho name of the Lord his God . " It was a stupendous

undertaking ; for the magnificence of the building was to bear some sort of proportion to the sacredness of the purpose for which ifc was erected , and to be a constant reminder to

the Israelites of the grandeur and skill of the Greafc Architect of the Universe . Thafc was what ; Solomon meant when he said to Hiram , " The house which I build is great ; for great is our God above all gods . "

How great the house was , men have labouringly striven to ascertain and describe . Ifc has often been claimed thafc in the richness of its furnishing , and in tho beauty of its ornamentation , it surpassed all other structures that have

ever been erected . Whether that statement is well founded or not there can be no question of its having been the most beautiful and costly building fchafc the world of Solomon ' s day bad ever seen .

Many of the traditions of our ancient Order cluster around that sacred euifioe . Some of the mosfc solemn and important truths that Masonry inculcates find fcheir highest illustration either in the temple itself , or in some of the

incidents connected with its construction . Three of the mosfc honoured names in the annals of Freemasonry are the names of the three men who were especially concerned in its erection , namely : Solomon , King of Israel ; Hiram

King of Tyre , and Hiram Abiff " , the widow ' s son , to whose cunning workmanship , both in metals and in colours , the temple owed all the glory of its marvellous adornments . In the erection of this stately edifice , all men , bufc

especially all Masons , should see an , emblem of their life ' s work . In the ritual of our Fraternity we are taught to apply to moral uses the various tools employed by practical

or Operative Masons , and to shape our lives and govern our conduct by those principles in the moral realm that correspond to the fundamental principles in the builder ' s art .

For us , therefore , there ought to be a peculiar significance in the words in wbich Solomon confessed the magnitude of the task he was called upon to undertake ; aud 1 can wish nothing better for each of you . than that ,

out of a profound conviction thafc the human heart is the noblest dwelling place of the Mosfc High , and that life is fche uprcaring of thafc spiritual edifice , you may bo able to say humbly and solemnly , and yefc with a proud senso of dignity , " The honse which 1 bnild is great . "

Taking Solomon ' s Temp ' e as a symbol of tbe structure of a human life , let me indicate briefly somo of thc features that should characterize cur life ' s build ng .