Provincial Grand Chapter Of Somersetshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF SOMERSETSHIRE .

The above Provincial Grand Chapter was held on Friday , the 17 th instant , at Highbridge , under the banner of the Vale cf Jehoshaphat Chapter , No . 201 . There was a large muster of companions from the various chapters throughout the province , including the following : Royal Cumberland . No . . u : Royal Sussex , No . 5 . 1 ; Sincerity , No . 26 ; Roys ! Cjrus ,

No . 285 ; Vale of J ehoshiphat , No . 291 ; Brotherly Love , No . 329 ; Avalon , No . 446 ; Dungarvan , No . 973 ; Inkerman , No . 1222 ; and Adair , No . 1750 . The Provincial Grand Chapter having been opened , The Grand Superintendent , Comp . R . C . ELSE , P . Z ., P . G . Std . Br . England , informed the companions that they met under very interesting

circumstances—it was the Jubilee year of the receiving chapter ( No . 291 ) , whose warrant bore date 1847 . He called upon Comp . F . F . Norris , P . Z ., P . P . G . P . S ., to read a history he had prepared . Comp . NORRIS then read the history referred to , which proved very

interesting . He also read an introduction and notes by the Grand Superintendent , Comp . R . C . Else , dealing with Royal Arch Masonry in the province , and the present work at Highbridge and other chapters contrasted with 30 years ago . A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Comp . Nortis for the history he

had prepared , and a hope was expressed that it would DJ pnn ea ana circulated throughout the province . The Grand Superintendent , Comp . ELSE , announced that Comp . Col . W . Long had again consented to receive the collar of P . G . H-, and that he had great pleasure in appointing as P . G . J ., Comp . Edward Fry Wade , an

old and esteemed P . Z . of the receiving chap ' er , and the Prov . Urand Secretary in the Craft . He then appointed and invested his other officers as follows : Comp . E . Noke , P . Z , 53 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . E . „ E . R . Hayter , P . Z . 255 ... ... Prov . G S . N . .. B . H . Watts . P . Z . « ... ... Prov . G . Treas .

„ G . R . Wilson , P . Z . 973 ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ H . Davies . P . Z . 291 ... ... ... Prov . G . P . Snj . „ J . P . Capel , P . Z . 1222 ... ... Prov . ist A . G . S . „ W . H . Hake , J . 261 ... ... ... Prov . 2 nd A . G . S . „ C . Card , S . N . 41 ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ F . Bendell , S . N . 973 ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ A . B . Wickenden , P . Z . 1750 ... ... Prov . G . D . of C . „ A . Reynolds , P . Z . 329 ... ... Prov . G . Org . „ G . W . Wiltshire , Treas . 973 ... ... Prov . A . G . S . E . „ A . J . Salter , 53 ... ... ... Prov . G . Janitor . „ S . Bigwood , 41 ... ... ... Prov . A . G . Janitor .

The sum of 50 guineas was voted from the funds ot the Provincial Urand Chapter to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , to be placed upon the list of the Grand Superintendent , who proposes to serve as Steward at the centenary of the Institution next year , when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales will take the chair at the festival . A banquet followed at the Railway hotel .

Provincial Grand Mark Lodge Of Staffordshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF STAFFORDSHIRE .

The annual meeting of the above Piov . Grand Mark Lodge was held or . Friday , the 17 th instant , at the Star and Garter Hotel , Wolverhampton . Bro . Colonel G . S . Tudor , Prov . G . M ., presided , and there was a iarge a tendance of brethren from every lodge in the province . The following appointments of Prov . Grand Officers for the ensuing year

were made : Bro . Bilton ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . W . „ Gittings ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . W . „ Crump ... ... ... ... Prov . G . M . O . „ H . Manley ... ... ... .,. Prov . S . G O . „ J . Monro ... ... ... ... Prov . J G . O . „ C . A . Newnham ... ... ... Prov . G . Treas . „ E . Booth ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Reg . „ Col . Walker ... ... ... Prov . G . Sec . „ J . Carver ... ... ... ... Prov . S . G . D . „ J . J . Smith ... ... ... ... Prov . J . G . D . ,, T . ' H . Bearne ... ... ... Prov . G . S . of Wks . „ W . Briskell ... ... ... ... Prov . G D . C . „ J . H . Cooksey ... ... ... Prov . G . S . B . „ T . Patten ... ... ... ... Prov . G . Std . Br . „ Adams ... ... ... ... Prov . G . I . G .

Masonic Address.

MASONIC ADDRESS

The ollowing address was delivered on St . John ' s Day , June 24 th , by Bro , the Very Rev . C . W . Barnctt-CIarke , M . A ., Dean of Cape Town , District Grand Master : Brethren , —We are assembled to render thanks and offer our oblations of praise and exceeding joy to the Most High God for Hi 3 abundant mercies vouchsafed to Freemasonry during the long-continued glorious , happy , and peaceful

reign of our most puissant and well-beloved Sovereign Lady , Queen Victoria , the Patroness and Benefactress of our Masonic Order of the English Constitution . We are apt most of us to fail to have in remembrance what Freemasonry means , and we perhaps do not fully realise how profound is the obligation we lie under to the Monarch seated on tbe august throne of the sublime Empire of England , when , as in the Victonan era , the crowned and sceptred Ruler is well affected tcward our ane ' e t and loyal Brotherhood .

Masonic Address.

Freemasonry is a grand widespread Association of " good and true men , " banded together in the adamantine chain of mutual trustfulness , fraternal esteem , and sincerest friendliness , and therefore assuming to themselves the affectionate cognomen , "Brothers "—an honoured name claiming the constant exercise of benevolence , mercy , and gentlest charity . Its siren voice ever and anon calls winsomely upon us to help , and to be tender hearted one towards another , according to our solemn obligations . It helps onward the universal unity and comity

of nations , peoples , and tongues on the face of the whole earth . " Sirs , ye are brethren . " This is the solemn ceaseless appeal and moni ' . ion of Freemasonry to all honest and true members . It is one of the purest , simplest , yet sublimest of all human organisations , based on God's holy law of brotherly love . It is the testing touchstone of truth , the torch of reason . Not a religious sect or denomination , and yet a help meet and handmaid to all true religion , a staunch vigilant guardian of God ' s volume of the most sacred law . Freemasonry inculcates the

duties of Godward devotions day by diy during the 24 hours allotted unto us . It is not a political cabal , a rancorous conspiracy ; yea , it incites its faithful members to discharge all the duties of mature civic manhood , by the entire fulfilment of the various functions of educated citizenship and State privileges . Next unto our supremest duty , unto the Great Architect of the Universe , and , as reasonable creatures unto the Divine Creator , let us bear in mind that the tenets and principles of our venerable institution bind and bid us to be peaceful lieges in the

land wherein we dwell ; never to give any umbrage to the civil powers who " bear not the sword of justice in vain . " Our standard of fidelity and fealty is this—that we should be most zealous and faithful to our God , our country , and our laws . Our confraternity constantly urges our never-failing observance of the Golden Rule— " Love thy neighbour as thyself . " The words of our mouths must be the

outward , honest expression of the current thoughts of our hearts . We must live up to our Masonic pledges and vows . We are to bind ourselves to be holy temples , fit for the sacred habitation of the Great and Mighty Master Builder , and to be zealous " workmen that need not be ashamed , " because they give of their best and utmost in the toil and duty incumbent upon them unto their Divine Master .

The antiquity of our Association is well established beyond all cynical gainsaying . The emblems in use amongst us are depicted on monuments of undoubted claim to remote venerable primitiveness . Before I knew their meaning , I had seen and copied , in crass ignorance , some of the Masonic symbols in primitive temples , and palaces , and monuments in elder Egypt , on whose stupendous structures , erected more than 3000 years ago , are still to be seen such signs as the square , and triangle and circle , and sun and moon , and pentacle , known as

' Masons marks , handed down traditionally from generation to generation . These mystical symbols I have wonderingly gazed at in speculation , down in the depths of the spacious halls of massive stone , so artistically dressed , and constructed within the pitch dark , bat-infested recesses of the Great Pyramid , deemed to be a Masonic monument . Yea , the enigimatical Sphinx guards between its colossal outstretched front paws an exquisite and well - proportioned small temple , with Masonic marks indented into the solid walls and roofs and monolithic columns . At Thebes , at

Luxor , at Phike , at Abu Simbel , at Osioot , and Dendera , and Carnac , and other notable archaic ruins , I , when a cowan , saw these evidences of M isonic skill , devotion , brotherhood , and clever handicraft . Since I saw Masonic light , much interesting revelation has burst in upon me , and I have perused the clever volumes published by sundry Masonic brethren , such as Bros . Sir Charles Warren , and Piazzi Smith , and Gordon , and other experts in Masonic lore both in Egypt and Palestine and in the subterranean ruins of the Holy Temple of the Royal Solomon in Jerusalem .

Masonry hath been closely connected with Royalty for long centuries , and our forefathers in the Craft were literally operative as well as speculative Masons . The Masons so planned and constructed their edifices that all was contrived and carried out so as to present in boldest relief the types and symbols of their peculiar and beautiful system , that all artistic ornamentation should subserve the object of the lofty essential aim and design of the structure , and the tiniest detail should have its meaning and fufil its purpose , even in out of sight elevations , yea ,

verily , even where the items of ornamentation were remote from the keen criticism of the eye of fellow man , out of reach of any ordinary mortal ken , yea , in the dark corridors and un windowed halls of Pyramid and Tomb and Temple , even there the honest Mason of those far distant centuries wrought conscientiously whatsoever they took in hand—as should we likewise do . They builded for God and King in ancient buildings and those of modern date , such as renowned Windsor Castle—the splendid home of our beloved Queen , her ancestral stately palace

—in castles , and abbeys , and cathedrals , and ministers of old England , as Walmer , Tintern , York , Ely , Beverley , Minster , and Westminster Abbey , and in more temples of God , such as St . Paul ' s , where our Sovereign Lady went in magnificent pomp to render thanks—Masonic signs , yea , witnesses to the handiwork of Masonic brethren long since gone to their rest . And in the most novel and very latest of our Cape public buildings , I mean the new General Post Office in Adderley-street , I was shown the Masonic signs graven on the dressed stone , very

well wrought . Many of them were actually identical with many familiar heiroglyphical emblems in Egypt , India , and olden England . The plain St . George ' s Cathedral , wherein I hope many Masonic brethren will muster this afternoon in fraternal united worship . despite inclement storm and rain , that unpretending structure has closely united associations with Freemasonry , for 60 years ago 400 brethren attended that imposing function in 1839 , when solemnly its foundation-stone was laid with -Masonic honours , on St . George ' s Day , April

23 rd . My predecessor was a Mason . Bishop Robert Gray was a Mason , and so is Bishop Welby , of St . Helena , 84 years of age . Masons have many timss met within its sacred walls as brethren , as Cape archives bear witness , and I fervently hope , when the foundation stone of a new and worthy and handsome and stately Cathedral shall be laid , that Freemasons again will be invited in accordance with ancient Rites to fulfil their part in the initiative ceremonial of stone-laying . It would indeed be a happy parsonal ( though scarcely to be an anticipated

realisation ) if I should be mercifully spared to live , to have the fruition of much joy , and , as District Grand Master assist in testing and proving and declaring the stone to be well and truly laid . I do hope , my Masonic brethren , whatever their creed and proclivities in religion may be , will , according to M isonic generosity , give some substantial aid , as brethren have done in divers places—in Port

Elizibeth , and Graham ' s town , and Simon ' s Town—and heretofore in Cape Town , in order to promote the erection of a public building which shall be an artistic , monumental edifice , and Temple of peace and brotherly love , as well as a Holy Temple of God . And as District Grand Mister , and as Daan , and Senior Colonial Chaplain , I am deeply indebted to my Masonic brethren for the handsome Memorial Lectern to be this day unveiled and used publicly .

I have alluded of set purpose to f . he antiquity of our Masonic Order , and to its close connection with Royal patrons from remote ages . Masons are under solemn obligations to be loyal to " the powers that be , " whether Imperial— -as to Pharaohs and Cusars of older timjs , or under a Monarchy , or as citizens or burghers of a Republic . Every Masu 1 is bound to conform to the Laws and Institutions of the land wherein he takes up his abode . Misons are to be peaceable subjects , and " to submit to the decisions of the supveme legislature . " They are to be orderly and obedient citizens .