Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

Benevolent Institution for each of the following lodges 1414 , Sevenoaks ; 1324 , Chatham ; 184 , Brcmpton ; 199 , Dover ; 296 , Dartford . To the Boys' School twenty guineas each were given for 1414 , Sevenoaks ; 1424 , Chatham . For the Girls' School twenty guineas each were given for 1414 , Sevenoaks ; 1424 , Chatham ; 829 , Sidcup ; 874 , Tunbridge Wells ; and 913 , Plumstead .

The lodge was then adjourned for the purpose of allowing the brethren to attend Divine Service in the cathedral , and the well-known dislike of the Provincial Grand Master of allowing any public Masonic display in clothing was "here avoided , as the " oretYu-en had only to pass from the Chapter House through the cloisters , and enter the cathedral by a side door , so that any passage into the public

streets ivas avoided . The service was conducted by the Rev . Bro . Svree , and the anthems sung were composed expressly for this festival by Bro . W . H . Longhurst , Mus . Doc , who presided at the organ . The service hiving concluded , ' Bro . the Rev . W . A . Hill , M . A ., Vicar of Throwley , Grand Chaplain of England , and Provincial Grand

Chapl . iin , preached thc sermon , taking his text from the Book of Micah , vi . 8— " He hath shewed thee , O man , what is good ; and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to justify and to love mercy , and to walk humbly with thy God ? " This is not the first occasion , my brethren , by many , on which we , as members of the Masonic body , have united together in public worship in the

house of prayer and craved from God a blessing upon our proceedings , and listened to words of exhortation from the pu'pit . The recurrence of our Annual Festival should speak to us in deeper and more solemn tones than ever , and remind us that our opportunities for doing good and improving events are drawing to a close . Few amongst the many who , now almost eighteen years ago , knelt with

us in the Parish Church of St . George's , Gravesend , are present now . We can easily recall the faces and names of some who have fallen from our side , and we yet mourn their loss . New acquaintances are here in large numbers , but the old friends have departed . Our own summons to arise and go will soon com ? . May we then so number our days as to apply our hearts unto true wisdom . In

speaking to you we shall endeavour to be open and unre . served , and so we trust God's Word will abundantly profit and have free course and be glorified in our lives and conduct . We propose speaking on the essentials of happiness—ever abiding happiness—the very thing we need ; for how to quaff a full cup is man ' s special aim , but as paths across country generally wind in various directions ,

so methods vary to gain happiness , because opinions differ as to what constitutes it . The covetous man , who pi ices his highest good in the acquisition of wealth , and gloats over gold , experiences small satisfaction , save from the contemplation of increasing hoards . The sensual man cares only for the gratification of his appetites , and with him everything is made subsidiary to self-indulgence

The ambitious man knows no happiness apart from rising above his compeers and wielding the rod and tasting the sweets of power . And the philosopher esteems all else as poor that is not connected with his favourite theories . It is the same with all those who , with the ardour of children chasing the painted butterflies , pursue eagerly the shadows of this ever-changing scene . There arc , however , some

of a different type who refuse to stake their all upon uncertainties : men , alive to the fact that they arc desiined for an existence beyond this earth , and these crave to know what awaits them in the future , and study to lay thc founelation of their happiness in learning and performing the requirements of God . These rejoice in the revelation He has been pleased to make of Himself , and to this they

cling as the rule of that faith and practice . This class is the only one which can expect permanent happinessthese alone get it . Their hopes are bright duiing the term of their earthly pilgrimage , and when their short day is done , they enter into peace in a mansion provided for them by Divine love and mercy . Among these aspirants we include our brethren of the mystic tie , provided always

that they hold fast to the ancient landmarks of thc Order , cultivate the gifts of thc Holy Ghost , and daily strive to become marked and polished stones for thc King ' s Palace . Fortunately for them , and deserving of recollection in these times of spiritual difficulties and departures from truth , from the day of their initiation into the Masonic boely , the deepest reverence for God and His revealed Wcrd has been

impressed upon them . They have in the striking words of their ritual been led to esteem the volume of the Sacred Law as thc unciring standard of truth and justice , and to regulate their actions by the precepts which it contains . They have been charged ti learn the preciousness of prayer , and to realise i : s power , to implore God ' s aid in all lawful unelertakings , looking up to Him in every emergency for

comfort and support . Working on such sure foundation , and assured that any other would prove as sand—contemptible and worthless—rspccially where the heart is sad , and on thc approach of death , the true Mason goes forward working and labouring , and finally raises a superstructure , a spiritual house , which no storm or tempest can destroy . He who thus aspires and acts is on the high road

to the Palace cf perpetual bliss . Our ancient Master S-iIomon , the founder and finisher of the first Temple of Jerusalem , has left a record—" a word in season how is it 1 " And liable as thc purest men and the noblest institutions arc to tlie attacks of open and secret enemies , we may rejoice with all those who venerate our ancient Oreler upon thc providential escape recently made from the

extermination of men banded together in conspiracy , to secularise our society , and give ita non-religious character . If on the attractive ground of tenderness for thc feelings of others , and perfect toleration to all and religious freedom , we had listened to syren voice ; , we should at this moment have been as thc wounded bird fluttering in the dust , and ou the high road to disruption . We allude to the proceedings of the French Masons—tbe Grand Orient of France—

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

which has surrendered up its ancient landmarks , and under pretence of being unsectarian and giving entire liberty of conscience has banished both the name and idea of God from its Constitution . Its candidates are no longer required to trust in God , but only in themselves . Belief in God—of all the landmarks the strongest and last to be surrendered—has been by a vote of i ?*; lodges to 76

abolished . This breach in the foundation of ancient Masonry at once aroused the attention of the brethren in the United States of America , the members of the Irish Grand Lodge , and others , and last , but not least , our own Grand Lodge oi England , which , having well considered the matter and forseen the destruction of the grand edifice which we are proud to raise to Eternal Truth , unanimously

resolved that an entire severance from association with all persons tainted with this dreadful heresy must be made . The lopping off of the diseased limb has been performed as a melancholy duty , yet with admirable courage , with the firmness of the skilled surgeon , who , discerning mortification impending on the whole body , and eager to save life , cuts deep , adopting as his motto the spirit of the words of

the gifted Roman— "Sed immedicable vulnus esse reddendum ne pars sincera labatur "—and so by prompt action and by the use of the sharp sword we have escaped injury from the unsound limb , and we live and breathe freely , but we may not be haughty but rather fear , for the dangers that are coming are perilous , the air is filled with invitations to unbelief , and these voices are not hushed and

low , but loud and stubborn . As a noble lord , an ex-Lord Chancellor , recently said : " There was in the world a flood of dismal and desolating doctrine which sought to make a negation of the human conscience and to drag the Almighty Himself from His throne . There was a prevalence of infidel opinions such as never was exhibited before , and the time had come when there would be a

deathstruggle between the truths of Christianity and the falsehoods of Atheism . " Oh , let us think that if belief in Gud and the immortality of the soul , held no place in our hearts , and we , with the fool of scripture , held to the baneful and degrading theory—There is no Gad , how hopeless and lamentable would be our condition ; and how could wc dare enter this sacred fane , raise our heads

amid all its historic and noble associations , where lights of varied tints like glories fall on aisles , and capitals and pillars , carved and sculptured by skilful hands of Masons of deep piety in days long gone by ; where the fretted roof re-echoes the feeling anthem , and the organ rolls in majesty , and the sweet voices of the choir blend in harmony as though led by white-robed seraphs . If we were

unbelievers our presence here would be an abomination and a desecration . We should set at defiance our own teaching , and ignore the very foundation on whioh our superstructure rests , the Volume of the Sacred Law , which distinctly pioclaims man ' s fall by nature and his restoration alone through the grace and mercy of a spotless Saviour . Happily for us , our love to God and man binds

us , and disinterested friendship unites us , and while we avoid various questions which engender strife , and decline in our assemblies to discuss theological controveriies as tending to bitterness , and political topics as apt to separate chief friends , while at the same time we thirst for knowledge and intellectual improvement , and the acquaintance of high-minded and gifted men , and look beyond the

enigmas of the present to a glorious future in the Grand Lodge above through the World ' s Redeemer , the bright and morning star , we need not write hard things against ourse-lves , but rather view ourselves as generally useful and honourable ' , and more than mere ornamtntal pillars in a great edifice , and not unworthy of the sympathy and kind reception conceded to us by the very

reverend anel highly-gifted D ^ an , the special guardian of this ancient and magnificent cathedral . Humbly thankful for present safety , for escape from rock and whirlpool , and conscious alone of the enormous power wielded by the Masonic body , cither for evil or good , and praying that we may never become irreligious or revolutionary , we proceed to point out thc essentials of lasting happiness . These are

our permanent goals—justice , mercy , humility—for these polishe -d and worn make up the life of holiness , without which there can be no true happiness , and apart from which no man can sec the Lord . Alive to tlie truth that change is written upon everything , and that we are all drifting rapidly , though silently , down the stream of time onward to eternity , we are anxious to be reminded of

our duty , to learn our marching orders , that we may loyally carry them out . As our moments are measured , brevity is imperative , and therefore we must content ourselves in the first place with a reference to thc obj .-ct of the writings of the prophet Micah . He was contemporary with Isaiah . He addressed his message to Judah and Israel , which contains sharp reproofs ,

encouraging promises , predictions of the Messiah , and nf the establishment and prosperity of liis kingdom . The seer wis instructed to blame lor ingratitude , to sp ? ak with boldness l-cfoie the most piiw . rful chiefs and monarchs , to proclaim thc Lord's controversy or indictment against His peopl .-. God required to know whit had aggrieved them , why they had become weary of His worship , and prone to

idolatry . Had Me oppressed them with heavy s . rvices : Had lie refused to supply their wants and protect them ? If they had anything to say let them speak out . He re . minded them of their rescue from Egyptian slavery , of the provision made for their government and instruction by competent persons , Moses , Aaron , and Miriam . True he had defeated Briak thc Moabite , and restrained the

mercenary Balaam from execrations , and rendered abortive his fiendish malice . By thus stirring up the memory of tlie past , he lei ! them to realise thc equity and benevolence meted out to them , and so taught them not to bite the hand that fed them , but to render Him a grateful service . Touched by these remonstrances , some men , afraid of the Divine vengeance , ane ! perceiving the necessity of approaching God with evidences of submission , enquire what pro-

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Kent.

pitiatory sacrifices they should bring . The burnt offerings and sin offerings prescribed by the law might possibly be deemed insufficient , would their Jehovah be pleased with more numerous and costly oblations . Would thousands of rams atone , or rivers of oi ] suffice ? or would the

sacrifice of the child—the heart ' s fond treasure—the sweet maiden , budding into beauty , or the noble youth , fairest of form and fleetest of foot , avail ? Such offerings as were made at Carthage and in Tyre to Moloch , the sun god , termed by John Milton , " horrid king " — " Besmear'd with blood ,

Oi human sacrifice , and parents' tears . " The response indicates that such offerings would be most distasteful . Jehovah speaks by His prophet , " He hath shewed , O man , what is good , " & c , and where and how shewed ? In the law , and by the voices of the prophets , delivered at sundry times and in divers manners , thereby confirming the value of the Divine word , of which the poet

and warrior king testified . " The statutes of the Lord are right , rejoicing the heart . The commandment of the Lord is for enlightening the eyes . " The requisites are in number three , and these like the Divine decalogue comprehend much , and have , as the mature oak of the forest , many branches . The three great virtues , justice , mercy , and humility , are essentials to happiness—here and

hereafter . And so that justice , what is it ? That virtue which leaels a man to give to every one his own , to render to all their dues . As regards God , to worship Him in the everblessed Trinity , serve Him , and obey Him ; to see His goodness and benevolence pre-eminent in teaching the true fai h , and informing us of His rights * as Creator , Redeemer , and Sanctifier . As regards man , justice , requires to do to

them as we would be done with , to help them to improve their condition , to rentier to them all kindly offices which brotherly love and charity can suggest . Justice is required to be exhibited in sincere attachment to the land of one's birth , conducing to its prosperity , and assisting to maintain its status among the nations , and practising loving obedience to the Queen and all constituted

authorities . In every case self is to be kept in the background , anel personal sacrifices to be gladly undertaken . And so , in like manner , as regards the second requirementmercy—that sweet and moving creation of the heart , which induces us to rejoice with the prosperous and to weep with the distressed , to hasten to the rescue of the sick and suffering , to deliver the poor , the widow , and fatherless , to

dry the tear from the eye of the orphan , and to deliver the lone and bruised from the hands of the oppressor . He who rightly claims the possession of this virtue , will act as the good Samaritan to the traveller from Jerusalem to Jericho , who fell among thieves . And even in the case of one who has forfeited character by wrong doing , and is entangle *! in the meshes of the legal net , he will strive to

mingle judgment with clemency , so as not to exclude all hops of forgiveness or repentance and restitution . He who carries not the requisite of mercy , approaches nearest to God Himself , for He is a gracious God , long suffering , and full of compassion , and His tender mercy is over all His works . The third essential is the excellent grace of humility—the root of all others . Proclaiming that th : daily

walk of life must be 111 communion with God , in accordance with the example of Abraham , who " staggered not at the promise *! of God through unbelief , " and of those noble ones who opposed not themselves to orders issued , because they could not comprehend all their object and scope , but practised childlike submission , and amidst enigmas waited for the unravelling hand , exclaiming

" ' 1 bus it is written , and thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness . " To ensure permanent happiness the requirements now pointed to , must be met . And hence comes the question—are they ? By no means , generally , for notwithstanding laws divine , and laws human borrowed from tlie divine , man is by nature a rebel against authority . It is not needful to pourtray befeire vou the acts

of injustice , the frauds and felonies , murders and robberies daily brought to light . Oar tribunals , civil and criminal , teem with the constant discussion of subtle conspiracies to cheat and deceive . And outside our own sea-girt land the two attempts recently made , the last of which was so nearly successful , to assassinate our illustrious Masonic brother , tlie Emperor eif Germany , a venerable potentate of

eighty-two summers , who has deserved well of his country in having raised it to the highest pitch of national glory , and whose only fault consisted , so far as wc see , in having to exercise firm sway over his fellow- m-. ii , and to repress the wild outbursts and lawlessness of revolutionary socialists . The allusions nude to acts of injustice daily committed , aided by tlie experiences of life , may suffice to

satisfy tnat the fir . it requirement of the text is not generally performed ; and the next shares the same fate . Honourable exceptions there are—and not a few—but , as a rule , mercy docs not prevail . Men are stem , they impute thc vilest motives to each other , they look at the worst side , they strive to sting and wound each other ; they rejoice in iniquity rather than in the truth . St . Paul alludes to man

as the very opposite of true love in his grand encomium on true charity . And once more , elo men walk humbly with their God , the Almighty Lord , whom they profess to adore ? Alas ! we must say net . Man is by nature full of pride , he has the hereditary taint in his veins . He strives to have his own way , and inasmuch as he cannot find out God to perfection because of thc limited horizon of his

mind , be too often defies him , and sets up the image of himself as his idol . He thinks he knows everything , when he knows nothing . The pride of the natural man is eviebnt ; he arraigns the Lord of a thousand worlds before his petty tribunal , and wc hear or read daily of his

foul ravings , and arc shucked at his miserable presumtion . The happiness of the family , the individual , and of society snrcly suffers through neglect anil failure in fulfilling tlie obligations demanded . Here comes then the practical and personal question . What shall we say lo these things , whit shall ive elo?—we who want to