Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

THE Monthly Meeting of tho General Committee of this Institution was held on Saturday last , under tho presidency of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , Vice-President . Among those present wero Bros . Capt . Wordsworth , Lt . Col . Creaton , Henry Browse , Capt . Philips , Major Gierke , Myue Pnllen . J . C . Parkinson , William Roebuck , J . M . W . Dosell , J . Moutrie , S . Rosenthal , C . F . Matier , Dr . Ramsay , Jesse Tumor , D . M . Dewar , H . Young , T . K . Kent , Robt .

Kenyon , & o . A grant of £ 20 was made to an ex-pupil for his advancement , the circumstances being deemed sufficient to warrant so exceptional an amount . Bro . Robt . Kenyon proposed , and Bro . H . Browse seconded the motion . A further sum of £ 3 , 000 , out of the £ 13 , 000 collected under Lord Leigh ' s presidency , at the last Festival , was ordered to

be invested , making , with the £ 2 , 000 previously invested , a total of £ 5 , 000 . Bro . 0 . Matier then roso to bring forward the motion of which he had given notice , that an addition of £ 100 be made to the salary of Bro . Binckes , as Secretary of this Institution . Bro . Binckes having retired from the room , Bro . Matier spoke somewhat to tho following effect : —

Brethren , —In rising to move tho resolution of which I gave notice of motion at last meeting of the General Committee I am sure you will need but few comments from me . I will simply content myself with giving yon the reasons by which I , individually , am actuated . In the first place , I find that , although the income of the Institution has increased from £ 2477 9 s 2 d in 1861 , when Bro . Binckes

sueceeded to the Secretarial duties , to the large and unprecedented sum of £ 13 , 246 in 1875 , 1 do not find thafc tho income of the Secretary has made a corresponding increase , and it is my firm conviction , as a commercial man , that increase of remuneration should be co-existent with increase of results . I must confess my pleasure at being permitted by the Chairman of the last General Committee , by the

advice of several of the firmest supporters of the best interests of the School , to change the original motion of £ 50 to £ 100 ; There is a further sum ( charged yearly ) , this , you are well aware , is given in lieu of commission , which , by the arrangement with Bro . Binckes on his accepting the office was given to him on all sums subscribed over £ 2000 . Well , brethren , had this arrangement been

carried out , Bro . Binckes would , in 1875 , have received £ 550 instead of the £ 200 which was voted when the Annual Festivals had nofc attained their present gigantic size . My third , my last , and , to my idea , my most cogent reason is , that by thus giving our Secretary a yearly increase , we also offer him a vote of confidence , and give him some small reparation for the slanders which have alike attacked

the best interests of the School , the House Committee , and the Official Representative ; To show our regard for these calumnies in the way they deserve , we can give to the Institution our best support , to the House Committee our unreserved confidence , and to the Secretary the only tangible commodity in our power—money I can only express my great pleasure at being permitted to propose

this resolution , not only as a Life Governor and a member of tho Province of East Lancashire , but as one who may call himself an intimate personal friend of Bro . Binckes , and who can appreciate , in the highest degree , his sterling worth and his unwearying efforts . Bro . Kenyon , having regard to the merits of the proposal , most cordially seconded it . He regretted sundry of the observations

which had fallen from Bro . Matier as to certain past unpleasant differences , and he doubted not that Bro . Matier , on due consideration , would see fit to withdraw certain expressions , which were not in harmony with Masonry . Bro . Kenyon spoke in the highest terms of the zeal and ability which Bro . Binckes had displayed during his tenure of the Secretaryship , and expressed his belief that the proposed addition to thafc officer ' s stipend was a just recognition of his

merits . Bro . Jesse Turner , as one of the oldest members of the Audit Committee , remarked that the recent attacks made on the several Committees and the Secretary had failed utterly , while Bro . Col . Ridgway had shown conclusively that the official statement of accounts was fair , clear , and honest . Bro . Turner , however , pointed

out thafc while these attacks m no way affected the members of the Audit and other Committees personally , they must be felt most seriously by Bro . Binckes , whose character was his dail y bread . Bro . Turner therefore supported the proposition with the greatest pleasure , and trusted the Committee would accept it unanimousl y , as it would prove to the world how unaltered and unalterable was the

confidence they reposed in their esteemed and zealous Secretary . Bro . Matier having , in deference to the wish expressed by Bro . Kenyon , withdrawn the expression which had given offence , the Chairman , in a few words , expressed the gratification it afforded him to be able to endorse all that had been said as to Bro . Binckes's merits . The motion was put and carried with acclamation

Bro . Binckes was then summoned , and , on entering tho room , was greeted with hearty cheers . The chairman then notified to Bro . Binckes the result of Bro . Matier ' s proposition , on which Bro . Binckes rose for the purpose of expressing his acknowledgments . Bro . Binckes said the last time his stipend had been raised he had

expressed his thanks as warmly as he could , nor had he anticipated any further addition wonld be made . Kind friends , however , had been pleased to think the further services it had been his dut y to render to the Institution deserved some further pecuniary recognition , and the Committee had inst confirmed such belief by voting the

addition proposed by Bro . Matier . He thanked the brethren present most cordially , assuring them , at the same time , that the pleasure he experienced was increased by the unanimity with which the motion was agreed to . Moreover , the vote amounted to a public expression of sympathy with , and continued confidence in him , and must set at rest for ever the accusations ot which he bad been the object .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

It amounted , in fact , to a testimony by them in his behalf , nofc only that the charges brought against him had been brought unjustly , but that after sixteen years spent in the service of tho Boys' School , as Secretary , their confidence in him was unabated . On tho motion of Bro . J . C . Parkinson , seconded by Bro . Captain Wordsworth , it was unanimously agreed that the increase of salary should take place from the 1 st of January of this vear .

The meeting then separated . We take this opportunity of appending tho expression of our heartiest congratulations to Bro . Binckes on this additional proof , were any needed , that his labours aro appreciated by tho Governing Body of the School , and wo feel assured that the vote of last Saturday will bo hailed throughout the Craft as a just tribute to hia worth .

The Boys' School.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

ON Monday , 2 Sth August , the boys of our School , to tho number of about 175 , were invited by Mr . T . B . Smithies , a well-known philanthropist ( of Earlham House , Wood Green ) , to pay him a visit , on which occasion they were provided with a very substantial tea , to which we need hardly say full justice was done . As the evening , unfortunately , was a wet one , the lads were obliged to be kept under

shelter of a large tent , but they were by no means dull on that account . Mr . Smithies , who is a capital story-teller , kept tho attention of his juvenile audience completely fixed for moro than an hour , while he was narrating stories of a highly instructive and amusing character . Mr . Smithies advised the elder boys to add shorthand

writing to their other accomplishments , and as an encouragement he most kindly offered to give two prizes to be competed for annually by all who should take up this important study . In addition to tho boys , there were present the mother and sister of Mr . Smithies , Dr . Morris , Mrs . Morris and daughters , Mr . Brocklehurst , and Mr . Jenkinson .

Mr . Smithies is not a Mason , yet he very kindly invited Bro . Durrant , the . W . M . of the Lewis Lodge , Wood Green , to meet tho young Lewises . The evening ' s amusement terminated with three heart y cheers for the host—such cheers , he said , as he had not heard before , even from much older lungs .

Quarterly Communication Of The Provincial Grand Lodge Of Armagh.

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF ARMAGH .

PURSUANT to advertisement , the Quarterly Meeting of tho Provincial Grand Lodge of Armagh , which embraces the counties of Armagh , Louth and Monaghan , was held on tho 30 th nit ., at tho Masonic Hall , Francis-street , Dundalk , tho Right Worshipful tho Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Maxwell Close , M . P ., presiding , supported by Bro . John G . Winder , J . P ., Deputy Provincial Graud Master . The various Lodges of the Province were well represented . Bros .

Thomas A . Young V . W . S . W ., James Whitla V . W . J . W ., Robert Turner W . S . D ., E . G . Fitzgerald Inner Guard , acted for H . H . Hand , cock as Treasurer , and F . E . Clarke as Inner Guard , with J . J . Hosso as tho Venerable Secretary of Provincial Grand Lodge . Tho report of the Committee who were appointed to draw up a new code of rules for the government of the Provincial Lodge of

Armagh was read by Bro . G . H . Smith , and the rules submitted , which , with one or two verbal alterations , were carried unanimously . The election of officers for the ensuing year was then proceeded with , the local Board of General Purposes , in several instances , submitted two candidates for each office , but such was the enthusiastic spirit of harmony that prevailed in Grand Lodge , all opposition was

withdrawn , and the officers unanimously elected as follow : —Bros . V . W . G . S . W . G . H . Smith , 299 , Armagh , V . W . G . J . W . Wm . Shimeld , 384 , Louth , W . G . S . D . A . K . Young , 223 , Monaghan , W . G . J . D . A . Murchie , 24 , Armagh , W . G . I . G . F . E . Clarke , 411 , Louth ; Very Worshipful Bros . H . H . Handcock , J . J . Hesse , Rev . Augustus Young , and Arthur Nelson , were severally re-elected as Treasurer , Secretary ,

Chaplain and Organist to the Provincial Grand Lodge . Bros . Richard Harvey 85 , and Hugh Leonard 384 , were elected as Representatives of the Province on the Board of General Purposes at the Grand Lodge of Ireland ; and Bros . Robert Turner P . M . 39 , Armagh , Past Provincial G . S . W ., and V . W . J . J . Hesse , Grand Secretary . 384 , Louth , as Representatives on the Board of Instruction .

Bro . Smith read the report of the late Banquet Committee , at which 175 brethren attended ; after which the Lodge was closed , and the brethren retired to the " Queen's Arms Hotel , " where they dined , under the presidency of the Worshipful Master , Maxwell Close , M . P ., whose health was drank with the customary Masonic honours , which were given with great enthusiasm .

General Tnrr , Venerable of a Hungarian Lodge and Grand Officer of the Grand Orient of Hungary , and well known , no doubt , to most of our readers , as a former companion-in-arms of General Garibaldi was , according to

le Monde Maconnique , affiliated to the Lode La Clemente Amitie on the 18 th August . The address of Bro . Cousin , and the General ' s reply were welcomed with the most enthusiastic plaudits .