"He Began To Build The House Of The Lord. ''

" He began to build the House of the Lord . ''

ON the occasion of the Consecration of the Rowena Lodge at Boscombe , on August 30 th , the brethren proceeded to St . John's Church , where a Special Service was held , conducted by Bro . the Rev . E . J . Kennedy , P . Prov . G . Chaplain of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight .

Taking for his text the words , " He began to build the House of the Lord" ( I . Kings , vi . 1 ) , the reverend brother said : For seven years the richest and wisest monarch of the old world was engaged in building the " house of the Lord , " a building so glorious in its proportions and so costly in its

production that the sacred chronicler describes it as " exceeding magniiical . " To-day , my brethren , we are engaged in the inauguration of a temple not made with hands ; a temple , however , which will exist for the same purpose as the glorious fane erected by the Israelitish king—the inculcation of those

principals which are the chief ornament of humanity . For high above all earthly riches and worldly renown stand those principles which form the very basis of Freemasonry . If I Avere asked to sum up in one word the foundation of our ancient and honourable institution it w-ould be the word

u character , "—character , which is alone eternal , character which endures far , far beyond the reach of reputation . It is said of a great Prime Minister of one of France's greatest Kings , Louis XIV ., that on one occasion when France was engaged in endeavouring to conquer Holland . Louis came to Monsieur Colbert and said , " Can you tell me how it is

that a country so great , so populous , so rich , and so strong as Fiance cannot overcome a country so insignificant as Holland ? " And Monsieur Colbert replied , "Sire , the strength of a country depends not so much upon its territory , not so much upon its population , not so much upon its wealth

as upon the character of its people . " He enunciated this one foundation principle of Masonry to which you and I hold this clay . In formulating and fostering this greatest and most enduring of all human possessions , Masonry follows the procedure very clearly set forth for our instruction by the

great Architect of the Universe . First of all a due observance of the Word of God . What can be more solemn and applicable than the recommendation of the most serious contemplation of the volume of the Sacred Law , and the charge to consider it as the unerring standard of truth and justice , and to regulate actions by the

divine precepts it contains . I know there are those who think it is a passport put in ( heir hands ( o a certain form of intellectual ascendancy , to sneer at or underate the teaching of the Bible , but , my brethren , men of real culture well know that all that is highest in ethics , noblest in art , sweetest in

song , and the most inspiring in thought , has its source in this Book . It was from this Book that Shakespeare derived his most trenchant sentences ; it was from this Book that Raphael took his first conceptions ; it was from this Book that Milton gained his choicest thoughts . It is upon this Book that Masonry rests and builds .

Or , again , there is our duty to God . At the highest and chiefest moments of our solemn ritual we realise that we are in the presence of the Supreme Governor of the Universe , for then with bowed heads and open hearts we offer ourselves . We can do no more , and we dare do no less .

Or , again , as citizens and subjects we hold our headshigh , for none within the realm are truer to the country whence they derive their birth and infant nurture , or are more loyal in the allegiance due to the Sovereign of their native land than the members of the Craft .

But last , and not least , come those blessed virtues of benevolence and charity , which are truly Masonic ornaments . It is our privilege to maintain 6 90 children in our schools , and at the last annual festivals no less than . £ 54 , 325 was subscribed for this valued adjunct to Masonry ; whilst towards

the annuities in connection with our Benevolent Institutions , of which 600 old people are recipients , a sum of ^ 41 , 672 was subscribed last year . It is to our charities you are asked to contribute to-day , and I feel I shall not appeal in vain to your liberality . It is following in the teaching of the Great God

that we should care for the orphans ; it is truly following the teaching of our Blessed Master that we should care for the aged and infirm . But , my brethren , Freemasonry needs no justification at the hands of a pulpit preacher . Of that I am aware . The rostrum at which its tenets are most powerfully

proclaimed is the lives of men who acknowledge its principles and endeavour to practise them in daily life . The temple of Solomon was built without noise In the building of the temple there was , we read , no sound of hammer , no instrument used . Gradually , slowly , noiselessly it grew , all to the

glory of God and to the benefit of man . So within each one of us there is that hidden quarry where God hews out the Church which shall eternally stand to his glory . He in the quiet of the soul where

' ¦ Xot e ' en the truest heart , and next our own , Knows half the reasons why we smile or sigh . " here God works out our destiny , for you and I build for eternity . God ' s greatest works are silent . The rose-bud kissed into full bloom on a summer's day ; the mighty force

of gravitation which affords stability amid constant motion ; the majestic sweep of ocean tide—all are the outcome of noiseless power . And so here God in the quietest recesses of the human soul forges those links of brotherhood of which Freemasonry is proud and which it seeks to maintain—links

which bind man to man and all to God "Tis the sublime of man , Our noontide majesty , to know ourselves Part and proportion of one wondrous whole . This fraternises man—this constitutes Our charities and bearings—but 'tis God , Diffused thro' all , that doth make all one whole . "

1 Kings viii ., verses 12 to 31 , was read as the Lesson by Bro . the Rev . R . V . Wilson , then followed the Deus Misereatur ( Psalm 2 xviii . ) and further short prayers . During the taking of the collection " To the name of our salvation honour , worship , laud we pay " was sung , and following the Blessing

two verses of the National Anthem ( with ' ¦ So mote it be " in substitution of " Amen " ) were sung . The duties of Organist were efficiently discharged by W . Bro . A . T . George , P . P . G . O ., and included in a strong choir was the well-known bass , Mr . Alexander Tucker .

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Subscribers to the Devon Masonic Widows'Annuity Fund met on the 19 th September at the Freemasons' Hall , Princess Square , Plymouth , the principal business being the election of a widow on the fund . Both the chairman , Bro . Strode , and the vice-chairman , Bro . Westlake , were unable to be present , and

Ero . J . R . Wilson was elected to preside . Before the election was proceeded with it was decided to appoint a committee , consisting of the chairman and vice-chairman of tlie [ unci , and Bros . Wilson , Griffin , Allsford , Withell , and Mabin , to revise the by-laws of the institution and to report at the next annual meeting . There were two candidates for one vacancy on the

fund , both of whom were unsuccessful at the election held in February last . An old lady of seventy-three , nominated by Charity Lodge , No . 223 , brought forward 6 54 votes from the last election , and now polled 2 , 503 , making a total of 3 , 157 . The second candidate , nominated by St . John Lodge , No . 70 ,

brought forward 8 7 votes , and to this number were nowadded 978—a total of 1 , 065 . The former was , therefore , declared elected , and W . Bio . J . W . Cornish , Charity Steward of the nominating lodge , thanked the brethren for the generous support they had given to the case . Bro . Wilson was heartily thanked for his services as chairman .