The Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution.

THE CHESHIRE EDUCATIONAL MASONIC INSTITUTION .

THE Fifteenth Report of tins Institution , which was founded in the year 18 G 3 , is in every respect satisfactory . Its object is to educate and advance in life tho children of distressed and deceased Masons of the Province , and the benefits it confers annually in the fulfilment of this purpose are considerable . Moreover , our Cheshire

brethren have contributed so liberally towards its support that the Institution has already about £ 3 , 000 invested in different kinds of stock , and a further sum of £ ' 300 ready to be invested when a favourable opportunity shall present itself . Thus the Charity is not only doing its appointed

work satisfactorily , but it has accumulated funds , the interest of which will in time suffice to defray its annual expenditure . The pith of the Report for 1877 is as follows : —The Funds have increased from £ 2 , 858 to £ 3 , 202 . Sixteen children have been educated , and five

advanced . Only one application was made during the year for assistance , aud the Committee rightly consider this a proof that greater care has been exercised by the Lodges in the admission of candidates . At the same time it is pointed out that this may be a very exceptional

circumstance , and therefore brethren ai-e urged to continue , and , if possible , increase their contributions . The Committee further express their thanks to the Prov . G . Master for having placed his nomination to the Boys' School at the service of the Institution , by which act of kind

consideration a son of the late Bro . Meacock , P . M . of the Mersey Lodge , is being educated at the School at Wood Green . They likewise note with extreme pleasure that Bro . Mclntyre , Grand Registrar , and Grand Senior Warden of the Province , has , by a contribution of Twenty

Guineas , constituted himself a Vice-President ; that a sum of Five Guineas , being the proceeds of an entertainment in the Parkgate district , has been received from the brethren of the Dee Lodge ; that a further sum of £ 10 has been received from the Committee of

management of the amateur performance at Birkenhead ; and that the Stockport brethren have given ten guineas , being the proceeds of their annual ball . They note , lastly , the loss the Institution has sustained by the death of Bro . Robert Anderson , P . M . of the Zetland Lodge , who had

given his valuable services as Solicitor gratuitously from its foundation . As to the Treasurer ' s statement of account , Ave note with pleasure the following particulars : —The opening balance of the year was £ 47 G Gs , and the receipts

from all sources , including in addition to the sums already mentioned above , £ 328 lis 6 tf , as fees , donations , and subscriptions from Lodges and Chapters , and £ 117 5 s 3 d , as interest on invested property , amount to £ 499 13 s 9 d , making a total on the charge side of the account of

£ 975 17 s 9 d . The discharge includes , besides minor expenses for printing reports and circulars , stationery , postage , & c , & c , £ 97 5 s 5 d for the education of sixteen children , £ 24 9 s 7 d for the advancement of five , £ 350 for the purchase of Mersey Dock Bonds , and five guineas for one share Great Western of Canada , making together a

sum of £ 511 17 Id . Thus the balance at the close of the year amounted to £ 464 0 s 8 d , of which £ 306 6 s 8 d was in the North and South Wales Bank awaiting investment , and

£ 157 14 s in the Treasurer ' s hands . The funds of the Institntion , includiiigiheaforesaid balancesat bankers , and in hand , now represent a total of £ 3 , 202 2 s 6 d . We take leave to congratulate our Cheshire brethren on the very flourishing

The Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution.

condition of their Masonic Institution , which we doubt not , under the auspices of such brethren as the respected Prov . Grand Master in tho capacity of President , and Viscount Combermere Past Dep . Prov . Grand Master , Sir Watkin W . Wynn , Bart ., M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of North

Wales and Salop , the Hon . Wilbraham Egerton , M . D ., Dep . Prov . G . M ., Captain Cope , P . Prov . S . G . Warden , Bro . JE . Mclntyre , Prov . G . S . Warden , and Bro J . P . Piatt Past Prov . J . G . W . as Vice Presidents , will go on increasing in prosperity . It should be added .

that an annual subscription constitutes the donor a Lifo Governor with one vote , and an additional votefor every additional five shillings ; a donation of five guineas constitutes tho donor a Life Governor , Avith a vote for each guinea subscribed , Avhile one of twenty guineas makes him a

Vice-President . Every Lodge and Chapter contributing twenty guineas at one time , or in the course of three years , is entitled to twenty votes during its existence . A subscribing Lodge or Chapter has the same privileges as a subscribing

member . A minister of religion , Avho is a Freemason and advocates the cause of the charity from his pulpit , and has a collection on its behalf , becomes a Life Governor Avith five votes . Children for admission must be over seven and under

15 years of age , except in the case of a chtlchvhose parents are both dead , when the minimum ago is reduced to six years ; nor can they receive the benefits of education after sixteen years of age . Tho father of a candidate must havo been a subscribing member to his Lodge for at least three years . Candidates for advancement must be over twelve and under eighteen . O

Masonic Portraits. (No. 58.)

MASONIC PORTRAITS . ( No . 58 . )

A HARBINGER OP PEACE .

A ramd in wisdom old , in lenience young , From fervent truth where every virtue sprung ; Where all was real , modest , plain , sincere , Worth above show , and goodness nnsevcre :

Viewed round and round , as lucid diamonds throw , Still as yon turn them , a revolving glow , So did his mind reflect , with secret ray , In various virtues , Heaven's internal day .

WE have moro than once remained , in former articles or sketches , that one of the greatest and most acknOAAdedged beauties of Freemasonry is its comprehensiveness , not only with reference to its cosmopolitan character or the universality of its system in regard , to religious faiths , but likewise from its inclusion of

men of all ranks in society . The days have long since departed Avhen , except in the most bigoted countries , it Avas impossible for men of different creeds to meet together on terms of amity . Men of different nationalities have always found a Avay of mixing freely

together , though there can be no question that Freemasonry has established among them a mystic bond previously unknown of men . But though religions and national animosities have been groAving continuall y less and less embittered , so that except in the most emergent

times men of the most diverse faith and origin now recognise they are of the same great human family , and have a common interest , how opposed soever to each other may be their several vieAvs , that kind of jealousy which has almost

invariably existed in the relations towards one another of the different grades of society still , Ave regret to say , survives to a very considerable extent , and it is one of the chiefest boasts of the Freemason that the Society of which