Church Service.

CHURCH SERVICE .

A MASONIC service under the auspices of Lodges Nos . 43 and 282 was held in St . Nicholas Parish Church , Carrickfergus , on Sunday , the 14 th inst . Although the weather was uninviting to strangers , there was a large attendance . Shortly before four o ' clock the Brethren , who had permission to wear the regalia of the Order in the precincts of the church , assembled in the vestry-room , and , having clothed , marched round the church to the front door .

The service was conducted and the sermon was preached by the Eev . B . Ussher Greer , M . A ., of Belfast , and formerly of Carrickfergus . The rev . gentleman , before entering on his sermon , thanked the organist of the church ( Mr . A . E . Purdy ) and the choir for attending to assist in the service . He also expressed the gratitude of the members of the Craft to the rector of the parish for his kindness in placing the church at their disposal for the service .

The text was taken from I Corinthians Hi , 16 : " Know ye not that ye are the temple of God ? " After a very eloquent sermon , the preacher , addressing himself particularly to the members of the Order , said he wished them to turn away from the temples of which he had been speaking , that he might say a

word to those who belonged to the great , world-wide temple of Freemasonry . They doubtless remembered when they were serving their short time as Entered Apprentices the lessons impressed upon them were lessons of the necessity of the practice of moral and social virtues . They were recommended to study the volume of God ' s sacred law . and were told to ever make it the

guide of their lives , to be upright and true with their neighbour , relieving his distresses , soothing his afflictions , and in general doing to him as they would he should do to them . Learning such splendid truths , they were favourably impressed with their Order , and they determined to advance , with the consent of their brethren , to the second degree .

As they advanced they noticed the truth deepened , and that more was expected of them as Fellow Craft Masons . There they were taught the paramount duty of prayer and the tremendous necessity of leading a holy life , and that both these virtues were attainable in proportion as their hearts were sincere towards God . They were then in the middle of Masonry , and ere they

obtained the Master ' s supreme degree they waited a short time to assimilate the truths taught them , and , if true Masons , feeling by God's help they were able to take upon them an intensely solemn obligation . With somewhat of fear and trembling they awaited the disclosure of what would change the whole current of their lives if they would let it .

At this stage their final destiny was brought with startling vividness before their minds , and they were urged so to live that day by day they were ready for the Master's call to lay the body in the cold bosom of the grave and give up the spirit to God , who gave it . Such were some of the great lessons taught them by

their ancient and time-honoured Order , and with such lessons before them they as true Masons would endeavour so far as in them lay to fulfil the . duties laid upon them—duties which if followed up must make theirs one of the greatest philanthropic bodies of tbe age .

He had only had time to deal very briefly with the first three degrees , whicli really embodied what was most ancient and honourable in their Order , as the other degrees were added at a much later date in their history . He would draw his remarks to a conclusion by mentioning the three great pillars upon which their temple partly rested—faith , hope , and charitv—faith in

Him who guided , controlled , and lived in His people . Faith in Jesus , the matchless prophet of Galilee ; nay more , the Eedeemer of the world , who longed to bless all who would trust Him fully and for ever . Hope , without which their heavens would continually be overcast with storm-clouds ; hope which enabled them as Masons to see the silver lining to every cloud ; hope which enabled them to sing their song in the night-time of doubt ,

assured that soon must steal on the blessed dawn when their feeble hopes should be fulfilled , and they should behold the King in His beauty and the land that was very far off . And last , and best of all , charity , which meant love , and love , which meant sacrifice for the sake of others , such as that day they were asked to make to help the widow and orphans , to assist any truehearted brother who , through no fault of his own , would otherwise be left stranded , cast down , and forsaken .

The fund for which he pleaded that day had that object in view , and many a right worthy Brother had it helped to tide over what might otherwise have wrecked his life . Therefore , he appealed to all true Masons who had the love of the Craft at heart to stand by their brethren in Carrickfergus , and let them

have a gold and silver collection ; so should it go forth to the world that the ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons was , indeed , as it proposed to be , an Order based upon the three great cardinal virtues of faith , hope , and charity , but the greatest of these was charity . The result of the collection was most

Church Service.

satisfactory , and highly creditable to those who took a prominent part in arranging for the service . —" Belfast News-Letter . "

Knights Templar.

KNIGHTS TEMPLAR .

APBOVINCIAL Encampment was held at the Preceptory , Weymouth , the P . G . Prior Sir E . N . Howard presiding . He reviewed with satisfaction the progress of the Dorset Province , and nominated the Eev . F . Mondey as Provincial

Sub Prior , and Major George as Provincial Grand Chaplain . Dr . Browning was appointed Provincial Grand Eegistrar . After business the Knights were entertained at Sir E . Howard ' s residence , Greenhill House .

Lodge Meetings Next Week.

LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK .

Fuller particulars as to place of meeting of the undernien tioned Lodges are given in the Freemasons' Calendar and Pocket Book ( published by Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Charity Fund ) .

Monday . 557 Loyal Victoria , Callington 1177 Tenby , Tenb y 1753 Obedience , Okehampton 2279 Thornham , Thornham 2553 Rufford , Nottingham

Tuesday . Mark Grand Lodge , 5 foi 1007 Howe & Charnwood , Loughboro 1650 fiose of Baby , Staindrop 1779 Ivanhoe , Sheffield 1942 Minerva , Fenton

Wednesday . United Grand Lodge , 6 for 7 . 74 Athol , Birmingham 94 Phoenix , Sunderland 137 Amity , Poole 159 Brunswick , East Stonehouse 168 Mariner , Guernsey 282 Bedford , Tavistock 287 Unanimity , ( Stockport 296 ' Harmony , . Rochdale 326 Moira of Honour , Bristol

Mt St . John , Wigton 406 N'thern Counties , N'castla-on-T . 417 Faith & Unanimity , Dorchester 429 Boyad Navy , Bamsgate 471 Silurian , Newport , Mon . 678 Earl Ellesmere , Farnworth 838 Franklin , Boston 970 St . Anne , East Looe 992 St . Thomas , Manchester 1003 Prince oi Wales . Jersev

1004 Athole , Douglas , Isle of Man 1013 Boyal Victoria , Liverpool 1085 Hartington , Derby 1167 Alnwick , Alnwick 1274 Earl Durham , Chester-le-Street 1335 Lindsey , Wigan 1354 Marquis of Lome , Leigh 1431 St . Alphege , Solihull 1461 Clausentum , Woolston 1532 Bective , Carlisle

1620 Marlborough , Liverpool 1660 Arlecdon , Frizzington 1736 St . John , Halifax 1862 Stranton , West Hartlepool 2368 Alan , Alderley Edge 2382 Loyal Hay , Hay 2391 Orde-Powlett , Middlesborough 2453 Duke of York , Cardiff 2464 Longsight , Longsight 2495 Goodacre , Bootle 2560 Earl of Lathom , Bury

Thursday . 1178 Perfect Ashlar , Southwark 1445 Prince Leopold , Aldgate 1790 Old England , Thornton Heath 1963 Duke of Albany , Camberwell 24 Newcastle O . T ., Newcastle 31 United Industrious , Canterbury 110 Loyal C'brian , Merthyr-Tydvil 123 Lenno ! , Bichmond , Yorks 195 Hengia ; , Pournemouth 219 Prudence , Todmorden 249 Mariner , Liverpool 254 Trinity , Coventry 266 Naphtali , Heywood

269 Fidelity , Blackburn 289 Fidelity , Leeds 294 Constitutional , Beverley 295 Combermere Union , Macclesfield 300 Minerva . Ashton-under-Lvne

317 Affability , Manchester 362 Doric , Grantham 446 Benevolent , Wells 462 Bank Terrace , Accrington 50 d Tees , Stockton 531 St . Helen , Hartlepool 539 St . Matthew , Walsall 633 Yarborough , Manchester 637 Portland , Stoke-upon-Trent 703 Clifton , Blackpool

792 Pelham Pillar , Grimsby 803 St . Andrew , Biggleswade 856 Bestormel , Lostwithiel 976 Boyal Clarence , Bruton 1231 Savile , Elland 1284 Brent , Topsham 1304 Olive Union , Horncastle 1324 Okeover , Bipley 1384 Equity , Widnes 1473 Bootle , Bootle

1504 Bed Bose of Lanc ' ster , Padih . ua 1513 Friendly , Barnsley 1557 . Albert Edward , Hexham 1565 Earl of Chester , Lymm 1829 Burrell , Brighton 1899 Wellesley , Sandhurst 2169 Osborne , East Cowes 2261 Armitage , Milnsbridge 2317 Bisley , Woking 2321 Acacia , Bradford 2350 Corinthian , Hindley 2386 Clarence , Chester 2496 Wirral , Birkenhead

Friday . 1275 Star , Greenwich 2511 St . John at Hackney , Hackney 44 Friendship , Manchester 242 St . George , Doncaster 291 Boyal Philanthropic , Highbridge 306 Allred , Leeds 521 Truth , Huddersfield 751 Eastnor , Ledbury 837 De Grey and Ripon , Bipon 936 Adair . Aldeburch

1230 Barnard , Barnard Castle 1375 Architect , Chorlton-cum-Hardy 1405 Southwell , Nottingham 1648 Prince of Wales , Bradford 1664 Gosforth , Gosforth 1754 Windsor , Penarth 1993 Wolseley , Manchester 2433 Minerva , Birkenhead 2491 White Bose of York . Sheffield

Saturday . 1223 Amherst , Riverhead 1362 Boyal Albert Edward , Bedhill 1388 Canynges , Bristol 1458 Truth , Manchester 1550 Prudence , Plymouth

2077 Epping , Chingford 2148 Walsingham , Wilmington 2205 Pegasus , Gravesend 2323 Bushey Hall , Bushey 2442 St . Clement , Leigh 2473 Molesey , East Molesey 2541 St . Andrew , Avonmouth