The MASTER; The Choiristers, singing an anthem; The BODY, with the regalia Pall Bearers, placed thereon, Pall Bearers; and two swords Chief Mourner; Two Stewards; ONE or two Lodges march, before the procession begins, to the church-yard, to prevent confusion, and make the necessary preparations. The brethren on no account to desert their ranks, or change their places, but keep in their different departments. When the procession arrives at the gate of the church-yard, the Lodge to which the deceased brother belonged, and all the rest of the brethren, must halt, till the members of the different Lodges have formed a perfect circle round the grave, when an opening is made to receive them. They then march up to the grave; and the clergyman and the officers of the acting Lodge taking their station at the head of the grave, with the choiristers on each side, and the mourners at the foot, the service is rehearsed, an anthem sung, and that particular part of the ceremony is concluded with the usual forms. In returning from the funeral, the same order of procession is to be observed. THE FUNERAL SERVICE. THE Lodge is opened by the Master of the Lodge to which the deceased belonged in the third degree, with the usual forms, and an anthem is sung. The body being placed in the centre of a couch, and the chest in which it is laid being open, the Master proceeds to the head of the corpse, and the service begins. MASTER. "WHAT man is he that liveth, and shall not see "death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of "the grave? "MAN walketh in a vain shadow, he heapeth up "riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. "WHEN he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. "NAKED we came into the world, and naked we "must return: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath "taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” THE grand honours are then given, and certain forms used, which cannot be here explained. Solemn music is introduced, during which the Master strews herbs or flowers over the body; and then, taking the SACRED ROLL in his hand, he says, "Let me die the "death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." THE brethren answer, "God is our God for ever "and ever; he will be our guide even unto death." THE Master then puts the roll into the chest, saying, "Almighty Father, into thy hands we com"mend the soul of our loving brother." THE brethren answer three times, giving the grand honours each time, "The will of God is accomplish"ed; so be it." THE Master then repeats the following prayer :"Most glorious God, author of all good, and giver of "all mercy, pour down thy blessings upon us, and "strengthen all our solemn engagements with the ties ❝ of fraternal affection. Let this striking instance of "mortality, O Lord, remind us of our approaching "fate; and so 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 be re"ceived into thine everlasting kingdom, and there "enjoy, in endless fruition, the just rewards of a pious "and virtuous life. Amen." AN anthem being sung, the Master retires to the pedestal, and the chest is shut up. An oration suitable to the occasion is then delivered; and the Master recommending love and unity, the brethren join hands, and renew to each other their pledged vows. The Lodge is adjourned, and the procession begins, in the form already described, to the church, and from thence to the place of interment; where an exhortation is given, and the Master makes the following invocations, the usual honours accompanying each : Master. "MAY we be true and faithful, and may "we live and die in love!" Answ, "So mote it be." Master. "MAY we always profess what is good, " and may we always act agreeably to our profession!" Answ. "So mote it be." Master. "MAY the Lord bless us, and prosper all our good intentions be crowned with success !" «us; and may Answ. "So mote it be now, from henceforth, " and for evermore." THE Secretaries then advance, and throw their rolls into the grave with the usual forms, while the Master repeats, with an audible voice-" Glory be to "God on high, on earth peace and good-well towards "men." Answ. "So mote it be." THE Master then concludes the ceremony at the grave in the following words :-"From time imme"morial it has been an established custom among the "members of this respectable society, 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 with this laudable usage, and at "the special request of our deceased brother, whose memory we revere, and whose loss we now deplore, "we are here assembled, under legal dispensation, in "the form and character of Masons, to resign his body to the earth, from whence it came, and to offer up "the last tribute of our fraternal affection and regard to "his memory; thereby demonstrating to the world the 66 sincerity of our past esteem, and our steady attachment to the principles of our honourable order., "WITH all proper respect to the established cus"toms of the country in which we reside, with due "deference to our superiors in church and state, and "with unlimited good-will to all mankind, we here appear in the character of our profession.-Invested "with the badges of our sacred institution, we humbly "implore the blessing of Heaven on all our zealous "endeavours for the general good of society, and pray " for our steady perseverence in the principles of piety "and virtue. "As it has pleased the great Creator to remove our worthy brother, now deceased, from the cares " and troubles of a transitory existence, to a state of "eternal duration; and thereby to weaken the chain "by which we are linked one to another: may this << example of the uncertainty of human life remind us "of our approaching fate; and may we who survive "him, be more strongly cemented with the ties of "union and friendship; and so regulate our conduct "here, by the sacred dictates of truth and wisdom, as "to enjoy, in the latter period of life, that serene "tranquillity of mind which ever flows from a clear " and unsullied conscience, void of offence. "UNTO the grave we have resigned the body of Wu. |