Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

At the meeting of tho House Committee of this Institution , held on Christmas-eve , Bro . William Roebuck in tho chair , Bro . John Constable , Chairman of the Bazaar Committee of tho Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund , aud Bro . Dick Radclyfle , Hon . Sec , attended at tho Institution on behalf of the Committee , for the purpose of making a presentation to the School . The gift

consisted of a very handsome silver Cornet , manufactured by Messrs . F . Besson and Co ., which was purchased through the exertions of Madame Fontaine-Besson , Bro . W . W . Morgan , of the F REE - MASON ' S CnRONiCLE , and other brethren , by subscriptions of visitors to the Bazaar held last June , in aid of the Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund . Tho reason of the presentation

is fully set forth in tho following inscription on the Cornet : — " Presented to the Royal Masonio Institution for Boys , by the Committee of the Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund , as a mark of appreciation of the services rendered by the boys composing the band and choir of the Institution at a Bazaar held in aid of the Fund in June 1880 . "

Committee Meeting Of The Girls' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

The General Committee of the Royal Masonio Institution for Girls met on Thursday afternoon at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Lieut-Colonel Creaton , Grand Treasurer , in the chair . There were also present , Bros . Frank Richardson , H . Massey , Arthur E . Gladwell , John A . Rucker , J . H . Matthews , Thomas Massa , Frederick Adlard , Charles Hammerton , R . B . Webster , Frederick Drummond , and F . R . W .

Hedges Secretary . On the motion of Bro . Frank Richardson , a Sub-Matron and Needlework Mistress were appointed , and Bro . Richardson gave notice of motion for next Quarterly Court to make a small increase to some of the teachers' salaries , and also to appoint some additional teachers , the duties of the establishment falling much heavier since the twenty-five additional girls were elected . Seven

candidates were then placed on the list for election in April . Vacancies were declared for fifteen girls at that election , at which there will be twenty-eight candidates . Bro . Rucker P . G . D . called the attention of the Committee to the faot that the fathers of the seven children who had that day been placed on the list had only been in Masonry nine , eight , six , five , and three years respectively

before death . He was afraid there was too great a readiness to intro . dnce into Masonry gentlemen who were likely to become a burden to it , and he thought that before long the attention of Lodges would have to be called to the subject . The Chairman then moved that £ 1400 be invested in Rednced , and placed in the Sustentation Fund . He said he had been over the financial state of the Institution with

the Secretary , and had found that after everything had been paid that would have to be paid , this amount might be invested . Bro . Richardson seconded the motion , which was carried , as was also another motion for increasing the sum allowed to be in the Secretary ' s hands for petty cash from £ 50 to £ 70 . The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

WITHDRAWAL OF VISITORS .

To the Editor of the FREEJIASON s CHRONICLE . DEAB SIR AND BROTHER , —No one who may have read the letter waggishly signed " THE IRREPRESSIBLE TOMKINS " which appeared in your issue of the 18 th inst . can fail to perceive that , in penning his remarks , the writer was clearly animated by an unfriendly , and by no means fraternal spirit . A half-forgotten matter , of no very great

importance to the high interests of the Craft , incidentally mentioned in a report of the proceedings of Tranquillity Lodge , No . 185 , afforded the opportunity of venting a probably long suppressed anger upon the devoted head of a , most likely , very innocent offender . It would perhaps be better to leave the letter to the judgment of your readers , who know , and who in more than one way have in a

tangible manner shown , a thorough appreciation of the many and varied services to the Craft rendered by Bro . Constable , were it not that an editorial footnote not only backs up the offensive expressions it contains , but also flatly contradicts the views upon the same subject embodied in a leading article published in the FREEMASON ' S CHBONICLE of 21 st September 1878 .

In the present year of grace , Bro . Constables conduct in expressing his disgust at the treatment received as a visitor-to a Lodge at Port Elizabeth is held to be , by the writer , " a silly exhibition of spleen , " & c , but in 1878 he was not only considered blameless , but very badly used by the W . M . of the Goodwill Lodge . In September ' 78 Dr . Oliver is quoted in favour of Bro . Constable j showing how it was the right of every well-vouched Freemason to visit a Lodge , and

remain in it under all circumstances , provided he conducted himself with propriety ; and how a resolution emanating from the Board of General Purposes was promulgated to that effect ; and how a late Grand Master declared that a Mason ' s Lodge is a Mason ' s church , and that no legally qualified member could be refused admission under any circumstances . Dr . Oliver also stated that in spite of all this some Masters of Lodges do refuse admission to visitors , but de-

Correspondence.

clares such exclusion illegal . In December ' 80 , however , the same authority is quoted against Bro . Constable , in what is described an amiable and courteous typo of Freemason , whoso delicacy would prompt him to retire under certain circumstances . But in September ' 78 , wo have a further quotation from Dr . Oliver , which in ' 80 it was thought convenient to omit , to tho effect that , " Whon any business

of a private nature , snch as a discussion of tho state of tho funds , or any other topic which cannot be interesting to a stranger , & c , due notice having been given to every member , it would be indelicate to invite Brethren , " fy ' c . Now , Bro . Constable was well vouched for and invited , and having proved himself qualified to the Master ' s satisfaction was asked to withdraw until the Lodge should have been

opened and tho minutes read . To my mind , 3 uch an indignity would be jnstly resented by any one possessing a grain of self respect . I will not encroach further upou yonr valuable space , bnt refer those of your readers who may be interested in this matter to the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE of 21 st September ' 78 , in which the subject is most ably and exhaustively treated . One more remark and I

am done . To write under an assumed name upon general matters is permissible , but oowardly when the shelter is used to offensively characterise the conduct of an individual . To fling insulting expressions from under cover of a nom de plume is an atrocity not many degrees removed from the act of firing at a man from behind a hedge . Yours fraternally , E . GOTTHEIL .

To The Editor Of The Freemason's Chronicle.

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE .

DEAR SIB AND BROTHER , — It is necessary only for me to correot your statements . Tour reporter was not fully acquainted with the proceedings of 1878 until I sent him a copy of the report and article last week . Allow me to

say—1 st . That you were in possession of all the facta in 1878 ( vida article 21 st Sept . idem ) . 2 nd . That no reason was assigned to me by the W . M . beyond " that it was not customary to allow Visitors to be present until after the confirmation of the minutes . "

3 rd . That I did not object to withdraw upon the W . M . 's request . Ton are unaware that I am in weekly business communication with the then W . M . of the Goodwill Lodge , and that our relations always have been , and still are , of the most friendly character . Further , that whatever amount of knowledge the year 1880 may

have given you , it is clear you do not know that your article of 1878 was the means of inducing the members of the Goodwill Lodge to transact their private business IN PRIVATE , aud since that period no Visitor has been asked to retire until after the confirmation of the minutes , either in the Goodwill or any other Lodge in Port

Elizabeth . Permit me to say that I , of all your friends , should have been free from your editorial attack , and I am astounded that tho " IRREPRESSIBLE TOMKINS" should have been a party to so unwarrantable a proceeding .

" Save me from my friends . " This letter will close my remarks upon the subject . I am , yours fraternally , JOHN CONSTABLE . 328 Mansion House Chambers , 28 th December 1880 .

[ We gathered from Bro . Constable s letter of the 20 th ult . that the alleged irreconcilability of the opinions we expressed in reference to his little " incident" in 1878 , and recently , did not further concern him . However , he seems to have changed his mind , and we have great pleasure in

inserting the above letter . We are very much obliged to him for his " corrections . " We hope we have received them in a becoming spirit of meekness and humility , but even editors may be pardoned if they are at the pains of pointing out , that" corrections " are not always correct .

Therefore , and in the most conciliatory spirit imaginable , we take the liberty of acknowledging his several propositions thus : ( 1 ) Two versions of the incident which occurred during Bro . Constable ' s visit to the Goodwill Lodge have

reached us . Version No . 1 alleged that he was requested to withdraw till the minutes had been read ; version No . 2 , that it was because some business was about to be transacted which did not concern a stranger . If the minutes contained the business " which did

not concern a stranger , then the two versions are reconcilable . If they did not , then Bro . Constable was justified in insisting on his right to remain , at all events , until the private business of the Lodge came on for consideration , when courtesy , of course ,

would have led him to retire without any invitation whatever . On the other hand , if he waxed indignant when requested to retire during the transaction of business which did not concern him , then Bro . Constable was in the wrong .

( 2 ) The brother who furnished the report of the last meeting of Tranquillity assigned , in his footnote , the W . M . ' s reason for asking Bro . Constable to retire , what we have already stated , namely , that the business did not concern a stranger . We cannot explain how the mistake occurred , especially as