Last Week's Festival.

next year ' s celebration on behalf of our Old People , for whose special Fund we must now wish tho heartiest support . The Chairman of the Boy ' s Festival will , we are sure , excuse us for coupling with him the name of another brother on whom the success of the day mainly depended .

We all recognise tbo advantage of having tbe Pro Grand Master of England as Chairman , and we must also recognise the advantage of having Bro . McLeod as Secretary of the Institution . Tho * - > *•¦¦» may be said to havo sown the crop , the other to h ' five reaped it . Tho Earl of Lathom

accomplished wonders , both by his personal efforts and h ' s personal influence , but the Secretary of the Institution had been everywhere , urging the support of the Craft for the Institution of whioh he is now the Executive Officer , and the result of his labours may be summed up in tho

one word—success . Without his untiring efforts during the last few months the harvest gathered in by Lord Lathom , on Wednesday , would have been nothing nearly so prolific , and it may truly be said the Craft owes much to the skill and ability displayed by the new Secretary on

this the first opportunity he has had of proving bis powers . He has succeeded far beyond general anticipation , and we imagine he is fully satisfied , and amply compensated now for all the trouble ho has undertaken in the past in

connection with the ai-rangements for this most satisfactory Festival . We hope he will meet equal success in the future , and that good fortune may always attend his efforts on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

The Publicity Of Masonry.

THE PUBLICITY OF MASONRY .

MORE and more there is a tendency , inconsideratel y promoted by certain Brethren , to thrust Freemasonry before the public . The public do not care for the Craft , and if they did Freemasonry is forbidden , by its genius and spirit , to seek their patronage , and yet again and again we read that Masonic exhibitions of various

descriptions are given to the public , of which the only purpose can be to win their approbation , their endorsement , and their petitions . No doubt when Brethren urge the adoption of methods of publicity whioh have this direct

influence , they do it without thougbt , but Masons should thirik . They have received their Masonic heritage from their predecessors , and they should hand it down unimpaired to their successors .

Freemasons have no right to commit waste . We are only tenants for life—tbe freehold of Freemasonry is not ours , and it should be our principle and our pride to subtract nothing from the Usages , Customs and Landmarks of the Craft , as we have received them , and as they have been maintained unimpaired for generations .

Brethren in Iowa and Illinois have lately been forgetful of their Masonic obligation in this regard , and are now urging that the Freemasons of the United States

make an exhibit at the approaching World ' s Fair at Chicago , on the occasion of the celebration ( in 1893 ) of the Discovery of America by Columbus . In other words , Freemasonry , in certain of its aspects , is to be up for show , to be made a public spectacle of , to parry , as it

were , the attacks of its enemies , the anti-Masons , and to win friends among the general public . ^ Does Freemasonry need friends ? Is it weakly or sickl y ? Have tho anti-Masons recently struck us between the joints of our armour ? Are tho Lodges languishing for lack of initiates ?

And -what is to be the character of such an exhibit ? One Brother suggests , in print , " an exhibition of copies ° * the Masonic histories , manuals , cyclopaadias , and uv L boo - ' magazines , papers and pamphlets ever published . All this shonld be Hnrnil « mmWl wU . * h

, 5 8 ' ? rfcificates > charts , medals and curios . " Yes , and Masonic clothing ad natiseam—a regalia show , ostensibl y for Freemasonry , but probably for the regalia manufacturers . They would favour it , of course , for they nave something to sell j but is Freemasonrv to

open market and sell its degrees ? Does it desire to como out of its Masonic Temples , and go into public halls , in jue exhibition business ? Does it wish to obtain a medal ? I-r \ ., ? bibit ?—possibly a leather one , while the Kniehts i

« ryttnas might receive a silver one ! But , no , we do not Deneve those Knights would enter such a show , and the ™ T S ' tbey Bhonld be represented , would have no competitors .

The Publicity Of Masonry.

Brethren , think before you urge the Freemasons ^ of America to make an exhibit at the Columbian Exposition . We recently quoted Past Grand Master Vaux ' s remarks on Ohio ' s " flag-staff" innovation . Of course tbis un-Masonic course of Ohio would win a following . Error is

like weeds : it inevitably grows thick and fast . Some men are sheep , ready to follow an indiscreet leader anywhere . Already Indiana has followed in the footsteps of Ohio , and

tho Grand Secretary of the former jurisdiction , at the Annual Grand Communication , held on May 26 th ult ., wo read , proposed " the erection of a flag-staff upon tbe Masonic Temple " of Indiana .

Brethren , undeniably we are all patriots . Who dare assert that the patriotism of Freemasons is so questionable that it is necessary it should be attested by flying the stars and stripes from their Masonic Temples ?

Freemasons neither need to prove their patriotism by hoisting the national flag over their Temples , nor to attract the favour of patriotic citizens by saying—See our flag ¦ we support tho country , let tbe country support ns .

In the name King Solomon , let all of these littlenesses disappear from the Craft . Do not let us exhibit at a " World ' s Fair " our books , our diplomas , our charts , our medals or our curios . These are for Freemasons

exclusively ; with them the public have nothing to do . And do not let us fly any flags from the turrets of our Masonic Temples . No one questions our patriotism , and we should not strive to attract the gaze of tbe profane by

flinging anything to the breeze whicb belongs to Americans as citizens , and to all citizens in common , but is no part of the heritage which came to us as Freemasons . A national flag-staff on a Masonic Temple is an innovation , pure and simple . —Keystone .

Masonic Female Orphan School Centenary, Dublin.

MASONIC FEMALE ORPHAN SCHOOL CENTENARY , DUBLIN .

LODGE XXV ., aided by its members , their friends , and the hon . Secretary , with ita usual energy , has completed its firsfc ballots , and we congratulate the winners , viz : —Mr . J . G . Talbot , who secured the two first-class Fan ' s tickets , and Mr . A . Kendall , the three months' season ticket to Bray . These are available now , or at any future time , whioh is an advantage . It is evident the Masonio

brethren intend making their show of next year a big success . Lodge XXY . has now in hand several other ballots , among them a Collard aud Gollard grand piano , a Hatton and Son outside car , and a Humber pneumatic bicycle . The piano is on view at Messrs . Figott's ,

and the bicycle at Messrs . Booth and Co . 's , and tickets can thero be procured . Intending subscribers should apply at onoe , as we understand these will be disposed of as soon as the limited number of tickets are sold .

A grand Masonio service was held m St . Paul ' s Ghurcb , Sale , a few weeks back . There was a large congregation , and the united ohoirs of the various churches iu Sale carried out the musical portion of the service . Frayers were read by the Bev . J . B . Sharp , and the lessons by the Kev . H . Hitchcock . The sermon was preached by V . W . Bro . the Kev . Canon Watson P . G . Chaplain , from Phil . iv . 8 .

After referring to the honourable character of this ancient society , and calling attention to the strong language which had of late been used with regard to it , be went on to observe that though it was not a religion , it was founded on religious principles , and inculcated the purest principles of piety and virtue . It honoured the Word of God , and based its morality on its teaching . Every novice was charged

to consider it as the unerring standard of Divine truth and justice , and to regulate his life by its precepts . The preacher then gave a series of illustrations , showing how onr duty towards God and man were taught by the various tools used in building . The society had two objects—first , to make each of its membera wiser and better men ; secondly , to inculcate Brotherly Love . Every member of the

Society ought to be known for hia integrity , piety , and charity—one to whom the burdened heart might pour forth its grief and the distressed go for relief . They must never forget that it was only in the regenerating power of the Saviour ' s work , and the grace that comes throngh it , that they wonld be enabled to discharge their religious duties , and display tbe beauties of trne godliness . There must be an

inner life on which to bnilfc the outward structure . And that inner life was nofc a natural growth , but come alone throngh the Holy Spirit , and fche work of the Divine Eedeemer . They had met thafc night for worship , and as part of their offering to God they were to * give of their means for the relief of the necessitous and suffering . Let ifc be worthy of tbe great and noble principles of the

Order—Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . Let ib be worthy of themselves Masons , whose distinguishing characteristic is charity , and worthy of the object to which it was to be applied—the distressed , and tho widow , and the orphan . And let them not forget , as they exercised the grace of charity , thafc they were nofc only benefiting those who

were in need , but themselves also—for ifc blessed him who gave as well as him who received . For all these reasons , said the preacher , open thy hand wide unto thy brother ; to thy poor and to thy needy in the land . The collection amounted to £ 15 13 s 4 d . —Australian Keystone .