Dividing The Work.

DIVIDING THE WORK .

AMONG the " points of interest" considered in an article we quoted last week from an Indian contemporary , was the desirability of dividing some of the ceremonial work of our Lodges , not only for the purpose of affording variety , but also as a means of

causing greater interest among the Past Masters , some of whom might be induced by the adoption of such a

system to attend Lodge more frequently than they would if they felt there was little or nothing for them to do beyond being " condemmed all the evening to

be seated and look like one of a range of extinct

volcanoes . The matter has often been referred to in our pages , and our views on the subject are probably well known to our readers , a division of the

ceremonial work being , in our opinion , in every way desirable , not only for the two reasons just mentioned , but also because of the relief it affords

alike to the speaker and his audience , the former of whom gets fatigued by continuous work , while the latter are often made weary by the repeated

sound of the same voice . The chief argument that can be used in support of

the contention that division is desirable is , perhaps , found in the utterance of our contemporary that it would prove q , special attraction to the Past Masters as a body , although we are fully alive to the fact

that in a large number of cases they want little urging to attend the regular meetings of their Lodge . All the same , it is possible for congenial labour to be found in the way mentioned , and Worshipful Masters

desiring to make their meetings more attractive than hitherto would do well to put this suggestion to the test—relieve themselves of part of the work and at

the same time afford pleasurable occupation for some of those who preceeded them in the chair of the Lodge .

Consecration: Shirley Woolmer, 2530.

CONSECRATION : SHIRLEY WOOLMER , 2530 .

THIS Lodge was consecrated on Wednesday , 12 th inst ., at Sidcup . It has been named after the Eev . C . E . Shirley Woolmer , Vicar of St . John ' s , Sidcup , and first Worshipful Master of the Lodge . j

OG . onn s nan , tne minding m wnicn tne meetings will be held , and in which the consecration ceremony took place , is a pretty wooden structure , says the "Daily Graphic , " which has been designed with a

special view to its use for Masonic meetings , and it was gaily decorated with flags bearing Masonic emblems . The impressive ceremony was ably conducted by

J ^ arl Amherst , assisted by Brother J . S . Eastes Deputy Provincial Grand Master and other Officers of Kent . Subsequently Brother Shirley Woolmer was installed in

Consecration: Shirley Woolmer, 2530.

the chair by Brother Eastes , and then invested his Officers . " Thirty-four years ago , " said Lord Amherst in a little speech which he addressed to the members of the Lodge before performing the ceremony of consecration , " one of my first acts as Provincial Grand Master of

Kent was to recommend the Grand Master to grant a Warrant to a Lodge in this town . That Lodge was the eighteenth in the Province of Kent , and I thought we were making good progress , but to-day we are

consecrating the sixtieth Lodge . A banquet was afterwards held at the Public Hall , Sidcup , followed by the usual Masonic toasts interspersed with a programme of music . The menu , toast-list ,

musical programme , and list of Officers and founders of the Lodge were made up into a pretty little booklet , bearing on the front the arms of the Lodge—an adaption of those of the Shirley Woolmer family . These arms also appear on the founders' jewel .

Church Services.

CHURCH SERVICES .

ON a recent afternoon several of the Ofhcers and members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Isle of Man , together with a number of members of Insular Craft Lodges , assembled at St . Thomas' Church , Douglas , for service , in obedience to a summons issued by the Provincial Grand Master Major J . S .

Goldie-Taubman . The service was fixed to take place at four o ' clock , and there was a good congregation , including some seventy or eighty members of the Order . The Eev . E . Ferrier Provincial Grand Chaplain took the service , and the special Psalm ( 127 ) , and special

lesson ( l ( Jor . xm ) were read by tne ± tev . a . x > . . baron Provincial Grand Chaplain . Bro . F . C . Poulter Pror . Grand Director of Ceremonies presided at the organ . Canon Bullock , Past Grand Chaplain of England , Vicar of Holy Trinity , Leeds , preached , and selected for

his text the 127 th Psalm . He began by pointing out how singularly appropriate the words of this particular Psalm are to the Masonic mysteries . The very opening words remind the Mason

of that which he saw first of all upon his birth into Masonry , and so at once learned that the very foundation and key of all Masonry depended upon a knowledge of the Sacred Law . It is quite true , it was pointed out ,

that Masonry is no longer operative ; at the same time it must be remembered that the foundation of the Masonic house is in the eternal God , and that " except the Lord build the house , their labour is but lost that build it . " This , the preacher pointed out , was brought

out when David having collected the materials for the Temple , assembled the people in order to dedicate those materials to God , and in his prayer declared that God ' s was the greatness and the majesty , and indeed the ownership of all , and that the offering to Him of this store aicer 10

was , an , oner mm ms own . moreover , the Mason knows how necessary it is , in eonsequence of the curiosity of the outside world in regard to the secrets of the Craft , to watch and guard the doors of his Lodge . It is the very first duty of a Mason to be sure that the entrance to his building is properly guarded . At the same time he lecognises that no watch can be effective