Bro. John Jefferson, W.M. 159.

clothing covered with black crape . At that hour there was a large attendance . The lodge was duly opened in the three degrees by Bro . Samuel Chappie , P . M ., P . Prov . Assist . G . Dir . of Cers ., who then read the dispensation from the I ) . Prov . G . M ., the Rev . Bro . Huyshe . Bro . J . J . Clase , P . JI ., P . Prov . G . Dir . of Cers ., next proceeded to read the ceremonial peculiar to the funeral of a deceased brother , which be did with great solemnity and feeling : — " What man is he that liveth and shall

not see death ? Shall be deliver his soul from the band of the grave ? Man walketh in a vain shadow ; he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them . Whenhedieth he shall carry nothing away ; his glory shall not descend after him . Naked he came into the world and naked he must return . The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away : blessed be the name of the Lord . "

Certain ceremonials having then been used , the Master thus proceeded : — " Let me die the death of the righteous , and let my last er . d be like his . " The brethren answered , "God is our God for ever and ever ; lie will be our guide even unto death . " The MASTER then said , " Almighty Father , into thy hands we commend the soal of our loving brother . ' " '

The brethren answered three times , with the usual grand honours , " The will of God is accomplished ; so be it . " The MASTEE then read the following pva ; , er : — " Most glorious God , author of all good and giver of all mercy , pour down Thy blessings upon us and strengthen all our solemn Engagements to the ties of fraternal affection . Let this striking instance of mortality remind us of our approaching fateand to fit and

, prepare us for that awful period , whenever it may arrive , that after our departure hence in peace and in Thy favour , we may he received into 'Chine everlasting kingdom , and there enjoy in endless bliss the just rewards of a pious and virtuous life . Amen . " The officers and brethren proceeded to the official residence of their deceased brother . Meantime a large number of

members of other lodges in the three towns had arrived at the Great Western JDocks , in order to show their respect and to join tbe brethren of Lodge Brunswick . We have no means , unfortunately , of recording the names of the brethren present ,

but there was not a lodge in the three towns that was not represented by some officers and brethren . The following officers of Lodge Brunswick were present : —Bros . Itiebard Lose , P . M . ; Richards , Treas ., P . M . ; \ V . Amery , S . W . ; George Warren , Jf . W . ; Josiah Austin , S . D . ; T . H . Sleeman , J . I ) . ; Andrews , I . G . ( pro tern . ); Stentiford , Dir . of Cers . ; and John Rogers , Tyler . There were also present officers and members of St . John's

( No . 70 ) , Fortitude ( No . 105 ) , Harmony ( No . 150 ) , Sincerity ( No . 189 ) , Friendship ( No . 202 ) , Charity ( No . 223 ) , Fidelity ( No . 230 ) , and St . Aubyn ( No . 954 ) . On arriving at the residence of the deceased the carriages formed into line . The bodywas borne to the hearse by men late in the immediate employ of the deceased in the docks . They also bore the coffin into the chapel on its arrival at the cemetery . The procession then

formed . Following the hearse were two mourning coaches , containing members of the family of tbe deceased . Then followed a carriage in which were Mr . Filder , the Secretary of the Great Western Docks , Bro . Phillips , the Dock JIaster , & c . Then came the officers and brethren of Lodge Brunswick , succeeded by those of all the other lodges . Altogether there were 37 carriages , and about 150 Freemasons . It was tho largest

Masonic funeral that has been seen in the towns for many years past . The carriages wended their way from tho Docks through Millbay-road , George-place , George-street , Russell-street , Yorkstreet , and thence to the cemetery . Tbe deceased being buried in the General Ground , the body was taken into the Dissenters ' Chapel , where the Church service was read with much solemnity by the Rev . Mr . Rogersone of the chaplains of the cemetery .

, On leaving the chapel tbe corpse was carried to tbe grave by the oldest members of the lodge . Here the "Service was resumed and finished by Mr . Rogers ; after which W . Bro . Clase gave the following exhortation : — " The present occasion presents to our view a striking instance of the uncertainty of life , and demonstrates the vanity of all human pursuits . As the last offices paid to the dead are

only useful as they are lectures to the living , we ought to derive instruction from them , and consider every solemnity of this kind as a summons to prepare for our approaching dissolution . Notwithstanding the various mementoes of mortality which we daily meet—notwithstanding ive are convinced that death

has established his empire over all works of nature—yet through some unaccountable infatuation we are still apt to forget we are born to die . We go on fiom one design to another , add hope to hope , and lay out plans for the subsistence and employment of many years , till we are suddenly alarmed at the approach of death when ive least expect it , and at an hour which we had probably concluded to be the meridian of our existence . What are all the externals of majesty , the pride

of wealth , or charms of beauty when nature has paid her just debt ? Let us for a moment throw our eyes on the last scene , view life stripped of its ornaments , and exposed to its natural meanness , and we shall then be convinced of the futility of these delusions . In the grave all fallacies are detected , all ranks are levelled , and all distinctions are done away . As , therefore , life is uncertain and all earthly pursuits

are vain , let us no longer postpone the important concern of preparing for eternity , but embrace the happy moment while time and opportunity offer to provide with care against that great change when the pleasure of this transitory world can no longer delight us , and the ' " reflection of a life spent in the exercise of piety and virtue yield the onlcomfort and consolation . While we drop the

y sympathetic tear over the grave of our deceased friend , let charity induce us to throw a veil over his foibles , whatever they may have been , and let us not withhold from bis memory the praise his virtues may have claimed . Suffer the apologies of of human nature to plead in his behalf . Perfection has never been attained ; the wisest as well as the best of men have erred . His meritorious actions let us imitateand from his weakness

, let us derive instruction . Let the example of his fate excite our resolution of amendment , lest our expectations be also frustrated and we be hurried unprepared into ' the presence of the all-wise and powerful Judge , to whom the secrets of all hearts are known , and from whose dread tribunal no culprit can escape . " To conclude : let us support with propriety the character of our profession on every occasion—advert to the

nature of our solemn engagements , and supplicate the Divine grace to enable us to pursue with unwearied assiduity the sacred tenets of our Order . Thus we may secure the favour of that Eternal Being whose goodness and whose power know no

bound , and prosecute our journey without dread or apprehension to that far distant country from which no traveller returns . By tbe light of the Divine countenance we shall pass ivithout trembling through those gloomy mansions where all things are forgotten , and at that great and tremendous day , when , arraigned at the bar of Divine justice , judgment shall he pronounced in our favour , we shall receive the reward of our virtue by acquiring the possession of an immortal inheritance

, where joys flow in one continued stream , and no mourning can check its course . " The following invocations were then made by the Master and the usual honours accompanied each .- — " JIASTER : Jlay we be true and faithful , and may we live and die in love . Answer : So mote it be .

" MASTER : May we always possess what is good , and may we always act agreeably to our possession . " Answer : So mote it be . ' ¦ ' JIASTER : Jlay the Lord bless us and prosper us , and may all our good intentions be crowned with success . " Answer : So mote it be . " The Secretaries having advanced and thrown their rolls into

the grave with the usual form , and the brethren having thrown herbs and evergreens in on the coffin , The JIASTER said : " So mote it be now from henceforth and for ever . " The MASTER then concluded the ceremony at the grave in the following words : — " From time immemorial it has been an established custom among the fraternity of Free and Accepted

JIasons , when requested by a brother , to accompany his corpse to the place of interment , and there to deposit his remains with the usual formalities . In conformity to this laudable usage , and at the special request of our deceased brother , whose memory we revere and whose loss we sincerely deplore , we are assembled in the character of Masons to consign bis body to the earth from whence it cameand to offer the last tribute

, up of fraternal affection to his memory , demonstrating to the world the sincerity of our past esteem and our steady attachment to tbe princip les of our honourable Order . With all proper regard to the established customs of the country in which we reside , with due deference to our superiors in church