Prov. Grand Lodge Surrey.

adjacent to the sacred edifice . The Prov . Grand Master concluded by saying that when he was appointed to his present position by the late Earl of Zetland , then Mosfc Worshipful Grand Master , there were only nine Lodges in the Province of Surrey , but

this number had since increased to thirty-two . With reference to the Grand Stewards , he wished it to be distinctly understood when a Grand Stewardship was offered to a brother it wa » tantamount to a desire thafc he should

accept it . Many brethren had declined this , and if they

continued to do so they must not find fault in the event of their not being promoted to more exalted rank . The brethren then repaired to the parish church , where evening service was celebrated , the musical portions

of which were efficiently rendered by the parish choir of Croydon , which was augumented by a contingent of choir boys , headed by Bro . Stedman . The church

service and anthems were exquisitely sung , and the rendering of the solos by Master Eddie Busby elicited unqualified praise and commendation . An eloquent sermon was preached by Bro . the Rev . Herbert Turner , Rector of

Sutton , Past Prov . Grand Chaplain , of which we append the full text : —

Honour all men . Love the Brotherhood . Fear God . Honour fche King . —1 Peter ii . 17 . I feel specially pleased and grateful , brethren , because of fche privilege thus accorded me of addressing you this afternoon as you are gathered together in such goodly numbers and goodly array ,

seeing that this year our annual meeting is held in the Parish ot Croydon , where my own school work lay for 15 years ; a parish from which we heartily welcome to-day oar newly-obligated Deputy Grand Master , as one well qualified to fill that post of hononr in succession to our deeply-respected and deeply-regretted Bro . Chas .

Greenwood , who , since lasfc we met , has received his summons to the Grand Lodge above—not made with hands , eternal in the heavenswhere we know the G . A . O . T . U . will amply reward every trne and faithful brother like him . Whilst further , to my delight , om service is held in the Parish Chnrch , where I was myself ordained ,

this spacious and beautiful Temple of the Mosfc High God , towards the completion of which any contributions that you can presently give will be thankfully received and faithfully applied by the Vicar and Churchwardens , who bave so readily met our wishes to worship here to-day ; and I may say that the Surrey Masons ( with the

assistance of others ) would do well to commemorate the Royal Jubilee—which , by a happy coincidence , is also the Jubilee of our Prov . Grand Lodge—by helping to place the lasfc pinnacle ou the N . W . corner of the sacved edifice . Casting about for a useful theme on which to discourse in the short space allotted to your Chaplain on

fche occasion , I know not what better subject , or what more suitable one alike to our present times in general aud onr Masonic principles in particular , I conld choose than that which is given you in these four pithy sentences of the great Apostle . For , as you see , they enjoin

upon us ( 1 ) reverence towards all men , the honour of humanity , broad charity towards our fellow creatures , as snch . Honour allmen . ( 2 ) Reverence in a closer sphere , loving and tender regard towards all our fellow members of the Church of God . Li > ve the Brotherhood .

( 3 ) Devout reverence—not abject slavish dread—but trusting childlike submission to , and dependence on , onr Father which is in heaven ; holy and reverend is His name . Fear Ood . And ( 4 ) reverence in its civil and political aspect , loyalty and obedience towards

lawfully constituted authority , respect for the powers that be . flonour the King . Now , in dealing with thes ? , I shall begin by saying that in the restless thought and hasty opinion of the present day , there does seem a decided and growing tendency towards irreverence and insubordination .

A gentle and patient disposition , A tender and unselfish heart , the prostration of the soul towards the God who gave ifc and who claims ifc ; the self-restraining , law-abiding temper of loyal citizenship . All these ( which St . Peter here insists upon ) are too slow , too

tame , too dependent for this impetuous aud fast period of ours . It is a period of much progress , of surprising activity , of vast acquisition ; but do you not agree with me when I say , seriously and sorrowfully , that , for all tho outward display of enthusiastic loyalty that we have lately seen and shared in ( out of which may God bring

good frnib to the glory and stability ot old England ) , this is not generally an age of unselfishness aud humility , and not an age of reverence and obedience to authority ? Every man for himselfthere is rather too much of that cry just now . Be independent , we are told ; and , in one souse , independence is good , but it stands now

too often for self-assertion aud self-will . I might illustrate what I mean in many ways did timo allow—e . g ., we find the traffic of our cities disturbed , and even our very peace menaced , by agitators and socialists , who openly declare their intention of sotting law and order at defiance . We hear of noisy speakers , who create disturbances in

town or country by collecting together , on pretence of some fancied grievance , a crowd of people more ignorant than themselves ; or who , even if they have some real grievance , refuse to endeavour to get it remedied in lawful ways , hot try to override the law aud carry their point by the violence and dictation of a mob . Thus , again , iu our

very households wo seo young people ancl servants giving themselves strange air .-J , and children diaobedient and wanting in respect towards their parents and others who may be set in authority over them ; and many appear to have forgotten , or never really to have learned , what the Catechism teaches us to be part of our duty to onr neighbour—viz ., to lovo and honour father aud mother , to submit to

Prov. Grand Lodge Surrey.

all teachers and masters , and to order themselves lowly and reverently to all their betters ; while , generally , there seems busy amongst all classes a spirit of discontent , a cap . tious and grumbling habit — so that ifc appears as if fault must be found with all rule and authority , and as a

consequence there is a wide-spread sense of nneasiness and irritation , a desire for change , a longing to see and hear some new thing , and a disinclination for steady , persevering work , and fche peaceful and firm fulfilment of daily duties to God and man . I pass from these general remarks , whioh may or mav not commend themselves to you ;

and indeed I should be only too glad to know that your observation of the temper and manners of this age led yon to a different conclusion—to look a bit closer into the four-fold division of my text . ( 1 ) Honour all men—how can thafc be followed oufc ? you may well ask . For , unhappily , in the travels and turns of onr life we

come to know men whom we cannot respect without losing respect for ourselves . Well , clearly here , honour omnot be meant in its more limited sense , for that we are told to render only where it is due ; bufc I take St . Peter's words to point to onr f nlfilmont of the golden rule , infinitely precious to every true brother amongst ;

ns— " Do unto others as you would they should do unto you . " And so , brethren , I should say that we are thus taught the avoidance of any habit of ill-natured talk or hasty judgment , one concerning another . We are taught how unchristian is that tone which shews itself in disdainful thoughts and

contemptuous names of any , however mean and worthless they may seem . Remember always , God created man in his own image , and Christ died for all ; and so try to discover fche good in all , instead of showing np the evil ; try to impute good motives instead of bad ones ; in short—in all your conversations and all your dealings—if you

wonld know what is meant by "honour allmen , " you must ; see if you are gaining that charity divine , which like its sister mercy blesses both him thafc gives and him that receives , and which Loves not the faults of others to reveal ,

Bufc spreads the truth , which scandal would conceal ; Bears with a brother ; hides the faults she sees , Believes in all redeeming qualities ; Hopes for all merits ( though as yet unknown ) , Endures all faults , as though they were her own .

And then—Love the Brotherhood . This is a command which bears on a yet holier bond of reverence than that of our common humanity . Says St . John , '' If God so loved us , we ought also to love one another . " Says St . Paul : " While we have time , let ns do good unto all men , and especially unto them that are of the household of faith . " This is a

topic on which every preacher , by the very vow of his ordination , is bound frequently to dwell ; bufc at present , all thafc time will allow me to say is this : —In the Chnrch , generally—as the one body , try not to be captious , bnt exhibit filial love ; try not to lay stress on personal tastes and preferences , but let even minor matters be ruled

by the great motives of love for the Church , aud desire for fche glory of Him who is the Church ' s oue foundation . Love the Brotherhood ; for truly the Church needs all your loyalty and support just now . And as to individual members , try to fulfil what the Son of Man said" Thafc his true disciples would be known by their love one for

another ; " and in particular as to all poor and distressed brethrenremember that as their need of help and kindness is greater , so is their claim ; and your attitude towards them , and your treatment of them , the Lord Jesus takes as shewn unto himself . For good or ill ( he tells us ) , inasmuch as yon did it unto one of the least of these

my brethren , yo did it unto ME . Our third command is—to fear God ; not ( as I said ) with servile terror , regarding Him as a hard task master , extreme to mark what is done amiss , for love casteth out such fear aa this , but Sfc . Peter means the fear of holy joy and humble faith , and none can so rely on Him as those who

leaning not on their own intellect and will , mingle reverence and obedience with their affection and trust . May this fear be always with ns , ruling and colouring all that wo do or say or think ; making us humble in our live ? , and devout in our worship . And , as Masons , let us bo thankful that , in the face of bold atheism , blind unbelief ,

our ancient and noble Craft—now by allegory and symbol , now by clear enunciation of principles divine—continually teaches us so to honour God ' s Holy Name , and bow before His attributes and His Laws . As Masons let ns remember that still in this age , which boasts itself as exceeding wise , that which is written in the volume of the Sacred

Law for ever holds true , " The fear of tho Lord , that is wisdom ; and to depart from evil , thafc is understanding . " We reach the fourth of our cluster of precepts , which must ( I am sure ) address itself to us all with peculiar emphasi * as we are holding our solemn assembly now in this greafc aud glorious Jubilee year . Foar God . Honour the Kiwj .

Certainly it is well for ns , thus pissing as ib were through the temple of the M st High to the palace of the Queen , to bo forcibly reminded of what , alas ! so many now forget , thab civil duties can never be rightly understood , nor rightly performed , if thoy are separated from religious duties . Christianity indeed is not concerned with forms of

government and social rank , and Christian faith is independent of earthly states aud human institutions . Tho Gospel is nob an accompaniment of monarchies or republics , bufc a mighty power of God unto salvation ; touching , converting , sanctifying the soul of man ; quito irrespective of all outward surroundings . Therefore ,

Christians are bidden to recommend their religion to others , by good behaviour , by obedience to law , and respect for the powers that be , so that oven of heathen laws aud authorities Sfc . Peter writes , " Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man , both to the king or supremo power , whatever ifc be , and its representatives , for the Lord ' s

sake . " Into tho wide question of the grounds aud nature of Christian loyalty I cannot enter now , but I conld nofc forbear on such an occasion as this—in such a time of our national history—to remind yon of yonr duty generally ; a duty which may bring you now aud then ,

as ali duties do , some difficulty , and especially so in revolutionary aud self-seeking times . One thing , however , dear brethren , we nriy be sure of * and we may be thankful for—thafc whatever changes may threaten us , and I seem to fancy myself some greafc changes aro at