Committee Meeting Of The Boys' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

THE General Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boyp met last Saturday at Freemasons' Hall , when there were present Bros . Ravnham W . Stewart P . G . D . ( in tho ohair ) , W . Pans . S . Rosenthal , F . W . Ramsay , 1 ID , Charles Sanden , M . D ., Richard Morris , D . D . ( Head Master ) , Donald M . Dewar , A . J . Duff-Filer Arthur E . Gladwell , George P . Gillard , H . Massey , George Cooper .

George P . Britten , George Motion , F . Adlard , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Two candidates were added to the list for election in April , and two candidates ( Herbert Lawson Laing , No . 10 , and Walter John Sisley , No . 20 ) were withdrawn from the list for next Monday , making the list 63 instead of 65 . Outfits of £ 5 each were granted to former pupils of the Institution . A letter from Bro . Beavis ,

suggesting some recognition of the services of Secretaries of Masonic Charitable Associations , which had contributed large sums to the Institution , was ordered to lie on the table . Bro . Arthur E . Gladwell gave notice of motion for a ext Monday—That the rank and privileges of a Life-Governor be granted to such Secretaries . Bro . Raynham W . Stewart also gave notice of motion for next

Monday—That a special account , in the names of the Trustees of the General Fund , be opened with the London and Westminster Bank Limited ' Holborn Branch , to be called tho Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ' Preparatory School Building Fund ; that such Fund shall be left to accumulate by donations and interest thereon as may acorue from time to time until it shall amount to the sum of £ 8000 , when the

House Building Committee shall be authorised to commence the erection of the building , on plans approved and adopted after due consideration . That any donor , on completion of his or her qualification as a Life-Governor of the Institution , shall receive two votes instead of one vote for every five gnineas contributed ( Ladies and

Lewises receiving four votes ) to the Special Building Fund . That in the event of the Building Fuud not reaching the required sum , the amount contributed , with the accumulated interest thereon , may be transferred to tho General Fund of the Institution , in accordance with resolution of a General Court , on notice of motion duly given .

Masonic Phunnygraphs.

MASONIC PHUNNYGRAPHS .

THE other night a strange brother came to tho Lodge some time before the hour of meeting , and made frequent inquiries for a certain well-known and active member , who , he informed us , could save us the labour of an examination on an intensely hot night . Upon the arrival of the member the visitor ' s qualifications for admission were fully established , and some of the brethren began a

conversation with him on Masonic subjects . He appeared to be a regular attendant at his Lodge , and an active worker , and one of our members informed him of a called meeting for work that had been named for a night in tho following week , and invited him to be present . He expressed his inability to do so , as his owu Lodge met that night , and be thought he wonld run home on that occasion and

return to our place , and complete his business . Besides , he said , they would have work in the third degree , and he wished to be present to participate . Inqniry elicited the fact that he was a worker , and upon pressing the question as to what particular place he usually filled , he said , ' * Ob , I hold the c— . " The oh-h-ho that involuntarily and simultaneously arose from his auditors betokened " how great a

fall was there , my countrymen . " Some years ago two Masons from a neighbouring town came to our city , engaged in business , and were quite regular in their attendance at the Lodge . Their names were Hoopes and Wood , and the firm usually closed store early , so that their evenings were at their disposal . I was Senior Deacon at tbe time , and the Junior Deacon

announced that Brothers Wood and Hoopes wished to enter . The Master hesitated a moment and asked " Who ? " Brother Junior Deacon replied as before , " Brothers Wood ' n Hoopes . " The Master was not yet yet satisfied , and the members nearest the door saw the cause of the Master ' s confusion and began to smile . At last he said , " Brother Junior Deacon , I do not catch the name , please repeat it . "

The Junior Deacon , with great deliberation and emphasis said , " Brothers Wood ' n Hoopes . " At this the Master turned to me and said , " Brother Senior Deacon , please see who it is that wishes to enter . " I made examination and informed hirn that "Brother Wood and Brother Hoopes , grocers , No . street , at B , were the Wood ' n Hoopes that wished to enter . " The li ght dawned upon the

East , and with a broad smile he said , " Let them enter , " at which tho members gave way to a burst of merriment seldom heard in a Masonic Lodge . Quito an amusing circumstance occurred recently in a Lodge that had cleaned honse in the spring and laid its carpet upon a thick coating of straw . A strip of stair carpet , to make out the

circumambnlation , had been tacked over the floor carpet , and some stray tacks had hid themselves in the softness of the straw . The candidate was a young man , full of fun and void of fear . He stepped off briskly and , after a few steps , trod on a tack ; with a bruuid , he hopped on one foot and gave expression to an " ouch " that seemed to indicate that it m'g ht indeed be good and pleasant for brethren to dwell

together in unity , but that it was hard on the candidate . Having extracted tho tack , he had not passed more than half the distance around before he fonnd another in the same manner , accompanied by another " ouch" and an audible smile on the candidate ' s face . The Lodge was about to explode , when down came tho gavel with emphasis , and the Master addressed the candidate , assuring him that

bis experience was not such as all who had gone that wu . y before had undergone , but wa 3 due entirely to the neglect of the tackers in removing their instruments of torture . After Lodge the laugh was had , and seemed to be enjoyed by the Master as much as the candidate . Brethren who havo visited Ohio Lodges will remember the peculiar

Masonic Phunnygraphs.

style of opening and closing a Master s Lodge , with the brethren in lines and sending the S ******* t o and from the East . Prior to the Morgan excitement material re . freshments were always fnrnished at Lodge , aud the steward ' s office was one of great importance . When the revival occurred , after the anti-Masonio craze had subsided , many Lodges discontintted the

practice of having refreshments , and their example was speedily followed by others , until the custom may now bo said to be obsolete . During these good old times , a certain Ohio Lodge had a steward and Tyler that was famous as a good caterer and inspector of liquors . Ho had a jug , which he always filled , prior to each meeting , with pure whisk y , and when the Lodge was declared closed , it was the practice to start

the jug along the lines , each man taking a swig and passing it to his neighbour . Upon one occasion either the attendance was larger or the draught deeper than usual , for the jag was emptied before it had reached the lips of all , and as it came empty , he realized that it was his fate to go thirsty , and assuming an attitude of Masonic distress , he exolaimed , " Worshipful the W * * * is lost . "

Some years since I had an experience that demonstrated how careful Masons should be in accepting an avouchal , and how sure they ought to be that no misunderstanding exists . A friend and brother named Oliver Wright , whom I knew to bo a Master Masnn , was in the city and had told me he was a Royal Aroh Mason . The Chapter was to hold a meeting during his sojourn , and I invited him to attend ,

which he said he would do . The Guard was a careful sentry , had filled the plaoe for many years and was never known to err in the discharge of his official duty . When the chapter was abont to open Companion Wright had not appeared , and I went to the Guard with tho request that when ho arrived I should be notified . I described him to the Guard and said , " Its 01 . Wright , so when he gives yon bis card

you will know he is my man . " I became interested in the work inside , and forgot about my friend until the Secretary asked me who that Companion was—pointing to a stranger seated in the room . I recognised my friend , and was surprised that he was inside . I had no opportunity to speak to him until we had called off , and I then asked him how he had gained admission . He said the Guard bad

passed him in , without alarm , while the work was in progress . I sought out the Guard and asked him if be could vouch for Companion Wright . He said , "No , you said he was all right . " 1 denied it , and he repeated to me my exact language . I then saw where he had misunderstood me . The name 01 . Wright had been misunderstood as all right , and equivalent to an avouchal . I re-entered the room

and explained to the High Priest that a stranger had beon admitted among the workmen , and that no one had vouched for him . A council was at once had , and we provided to test the companion , after his visit . The Companion was well informed , and left no doubts in the mind of any of his entire worthiness , but it was an occasion that afforded splendid opportunities for inculcating extreme caution , which

several present recommended in short addresses . Last winter we installed the Master elect of a Lodge into the Oriental chair , and the novelty of the position was very embarrassing to the brother . He held the gavel in his hands , and for lack of other employment attempted to twist the handle from the head of the gavel ; he succeeded so far as to make a grating sound as the handle turned in the eye—a sound somewhat similar to that produced by

turning the stem of a stem-winding watch . The new Master made several turns , when one of the Lodge , a jeweller by occupation , arose and requested permission to ask the cbair a question . It was granted , and the inquiry was , " Worshipful , I merely desire to ask if that is a stem-winding gavel ?" With which anecdote I will wind up my contribution . —Voice of Masonry .

" Orpheus " Glee Club.

" ORPHEUS " GLEE CLUB .

A MUSICAL and elocutionary entertainment was given by the members of the above Club , at the Green Dragon , Stepney , E ., on the 5 th inst . The occasion was the inaugural night of the season , for which a highly diversified programme had been provided . Indeed , the enibarras du richesse rendered tho President's task a very difficult one to discharge , the time not admitting of all the morceaux

being performed . Messrs . W . J . Derby and Dacres Smith acted as the Presidents , and were well supported by Bro . Alfred Walter , the Treasurer of the Club . The bill of fare included some capital glees , veutriloquuil sketch by Mr . E . Smith ; some favourite ballads , among which may be named Blumenthal ' s " Message , " tastefully snug by

Mr . W . J . Derby ; " Will o' the Wisp " and " Friend or Foe , " heartily declaimed by Mr . Marriner ; Balfe ' s celebrated "Excelsior" duet , rendered by the two already mentioned vocalists , and which was encored ; selections from Zampa , " Lticretia Borgia , " the latter introducing a Fluto Solo by Bro . T . Walter , played in capital style , and

a Solo by Mr . P . Jackman , the talented pianist of the Club , whoso exertions added materially to the enjoyment of the evening . At the couclnsioti of the harmonious . portion of tho proceedings , a largo number of new members were proposed . Tho season gives promise of being as successful as any of its predecessors .

The Earl of Mar and Kellie , who is the present Depute Grand Master of Scotland , will succeed Sir Michael It-Shaw Stewart Barfc . as Grand Master Mason of Scotland in the month of November .

Hor , r , oiVA . y ' s OIXTSIKXT ASD PILT . S . —Chest and Stomach Complaints . —Iho source and . centre of almost every ailment is impurity of the blood ; dislodge this poison , and disease departs . ' llolloway ' s Pills exercise the inestimable power of thoroughly cipnnsinjr each component , of tho Mood , and rendering the tluid fit to perforin its important functions . They cnpi most sncncssrull . v with maladies

chest d seases , stomach complaints , liver disorders , and many other , which were once the besetting dangers <> E mankind at certain seasons in town ¦ md country . The directions for u > e enable every one to rcgtiliitu the opera * tions of those Pills with the greatest nicety . Chronic invalids , valefciulium'i 'i ' . s , and all whom other treatment has failed to relieve , are respectfully invited to try llolloway ' s colebratccl medicine , which will strengthen and cure them .