United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE annual installation meeting of Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Hall , London , under the presidency of the Earl of Lathom Pro Grand Master , -who was supported by Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . Hants and Isle of Wight as Deputy Grand Master , and the Earl of Euston Prov . G . M . Norths and Hunts as Past Grand

Master . Bro . Thomas Fenn P . G . W . acted as Director of Ceremonies and duly proclaimed H . E . H . the Prince of Wales as Grand Master for the ensuing year , and then the Earl of Lathom announced his re-appointment as Pro Grand Master , and that

of Earl Amherst as Deputy Grand Master , after which Lord Lathom proceeded to invest the following as the Officers : The Earl of Portarlington ... Senior Warden Lord Stanley , M . P . - - - - Junior Warden

The Dean of Eochester - - - - ) .-,, , . Eev . C . W . Childe .... } Chaplains Alderman "Vaughan Morgan - - - Treasurer His Honor Judge Philhrick , Q . C . - - Eegistrar E . Horton Smith , Q . C . - - " - - Deputy Begistrar ~ Eichard Loveland Loveland - - - President Bd . Gen . Purps .

Edward Letchworth , F . S . A . - - - Secretary James Henry Matthews ... President Bd . Benevolence Sir Augustus Webster - - - - > Sir "Francis Boileau - - - - l Senior Deacons S . B . Bancroft - - - - 7 I

Malcolm Morriss - - - - *\ Eichard Wilson - - - - t Junior Deacons J . T . Firbank , M . P . - - - - \ A . E . Stenning .... - Superintendent of Works Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) - - - Director of Ceremonies

James Stephens .... Deputy Dir . of Cers . Dr . A . W . Orwin - - - - " ) W . Eussell - - - - - \ - Assist . Dirs . of Cers . G . C . Kent ) G . L . Evles - . - - - Rwnrrl * Rfin , rfir

Deputy Surgeon-General Binger - - Deputy Sword Bearer w ! Vk _ e _ t - - - - ' - } Standard Bearers Dr . G . H . Smith .... Organist

William Lake ----- Assistant Grand Secretary C . Kupferschmidfc ... . A . G . Sec . German Corres . E . C . Mulvey ----- " Pursuivant Walter Martin ----- Assistant Pursuivant Henry Sadler ----- Tyler .

In . the course of the proceedings the Earl of Lathom announced that owing to Sir Albert Woods ' s state of health , and the Most Worshipful Grand Master having fixed Monday , 14 th June for a special Grand Lodge at the Eoyal Albert Hall in commemoration of Her Majesty ' s Diamond Jubilee , he had ,

at the express desire of Sir Albert Woods , appointed Bro . Thomas Fenn to wear the clothing and to act as Grand Director of Ceremonies for the ensuing year . At the conclusion of Grand Lodge business the Grand Stewards of the year entertained the Brethren at a banquet at Freemasons' Tavern .

Centenary Of The Boys School.

CENTENARY OF THE BOYS SCHOOL .

T 710 B some time past it has been regarded as all but - * - certain that the Grand Master of England would preside at the Centenary Festival of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , to be held next year , but this probability does not by any means lessen the gratification that must be felt now that we are enabled to officially announce the fact that the

Centenary Of The Boys School.

Prince of Wales has consecrated to officiate . The copy of the letter we give below , from the Pro Grand Master , fully explains itself , and as it reaches us at the moment of going

to press we can only now express the pleasure we feel in publishing the information , while we cordially congratulate the Boys School on its undoubted good fortune . Let us hope the result will be the grandest ever known in connection with

Freemasonry . 29 th April 1897 . DEAB SIB AND BROTHEB , —His Boyal Highness the Prince of Wales has this morning graciously given permission for the publication of the fact that he will preside at the celebration of the Centenary of the Boyal Masonic

Institution for Boys in 1898 . H . B . H . will fix the date later on , but has promised ample notice . I remain , Yours fraternally , ( Signed ) LATHOM . J . M . MCLEOD , ESQ .

Charity In West Lancashire.

CHARITY IN WEST LANCASHIRE .

THE recently issued report of the Honorary Secretaries of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution congratulates the President ( Lord Lathom ) , the Patrons , Vice-Patrons , Vice-Presidents , Life Governors , and Subscribers on the position maintained by the Charity during the past year .

Lodges , Chapters , and individual Brethren had contributed the sum of £ 1 , 016 19 s 9 d during that period . Eeturned income tax ( covering deductions for three years ) had been obtained ; including this , the total interest received had been £ 841 ls lOd . The annual ball and festival realised the very handsome sum of £ 523 Os 9 d , less sum transferred to Lodge No . 2326 , £ 42 , leaving £ 481 Os 9 d as the net result from this source .

Thanks were given to the Chairman of Committee Bro . J . D . Crawford P . P . G . Treasurer , to Bro . George Broadbent the Honorary Secretary , and to all who aided them , for this grand result , which is so valuable an aid to the work . The total income had been £ 2 , 375 2 s 4 d , which must be very pleasing to all .

Grants had been made during the year in aid of 119 children on the Educational Fund , £ 673 6 s 7 d ; forty-six children on the Combined Fund , £ 509 19 s 2 d ; and twenty-five children on the Advancement Fund , £ 130 ; total , £ 1 , 313 5 s 9 d . Eight children must be added for the year ' s proportion of presentations , £ 120 16 s 8 d . There were thus 198 children on the foundation of the Institution , the grand total of expenditure being £ 1 , 434 2 s 5 d .

Lodges making no return unfortunately numbered fifty , these having amongst them on the Institution thirty children , costing £ 151 15 s 2 d . The earnest attention of these Lodges was again requested to the undesirable position they thus occupy . The total cost of working for the year , being only cost of printing , stationery , stamps , etc ., with the addition of a fireproof

iron safe , was £ 99 17 s . In conclusion , the Secretaries thanked the friends of children and expressed gratitude that they had been permitted to witness so much of the Benevolent efforts of the brethren , trusting that the constant claims would inspire all with an earnest longing to promote the work thus nobly carried on . They also ventured to make a special appeal to all to mark this year of Victorian jubilation by some characteristic effort on

behalf of the Institution . Since closing their report , says the " Southport Visitor , " it was their painful lot to record the death of Bro . H . W . Johnston , county auditor , one of the Honorary Auditors of the Institution—present at the last audit , taking a ready interest in it , active at all times to promote its welfareand they were sure the brethren would be with them in thenexpressions of sympathy with deceased ' s family in their sudden bereavement . The total value of the invested funds of the Institution at the close of 1896 , principally in dock bonds , was £ 23 , 079 18 s 9 d .