Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.
THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .
THE second great Festival in connection with the Charitable Institutions of the Craft is rapidly drawing near , tho Ninety-eighth Anniversary being fixed for Wednesday next , at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of Bro . General J . Studholme Brownrigg , C . B .,
Provincial Grand Master of Surrey . In anticipation of these events , it is usual to take a forecast as to the prospects of success likely to attend the efforts being put forth te secure a satisfactory result ; and it would be cheering if
that outlook had assumed a somewhat more rosy character than it is our lot to contemplate on the eve of this Festival . From a variety of causes , which ifc is perhaps difficult to give an adequate account for , those prospects are not so
promising as we should desire to see them . It would be absolutely wrong were we dissatisfied with what has been done afc the last few Festivals , because the results have in the aggregate exceeded our most sanguine anticipations .
At the same time , we have become so enured to grand results that we have been urged on to stretch to the utmost limits , and to such extreme tension , the power fox good that is latent amongst the brethren of the Craft that
now the very contemplation of a bad result at the forthcoming Anniversaiy , however slight the ground for apprehension , strikes ns with a feeling akin to dismay . But for some reason or other we are inclined to think that
the Province of Surrey is not taking the matter in hand with that activity and energy which is essential to the thorough ancl complete success of the Festival over which its esteemed and popular Provincial Grand Master has
consented to preside . We hope we may be wrong in such a calculation , nor do we desire to damp in any way the ardour of those who are doing what they can to make the event of next Wednesday a gratifying success ; but whether
it is that the supreme effort put forth in the year 1883 on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , followed by the desire to support the Boys' Preparatory School at Wood Green , to a certain extent overtaxed the resources of tho brethren ,
or whether the apparent laxity arises from other causes , there certainly does appear an urgent need for some additional impetus to be thrown into the matter even at this , the eleventh hour . It has been suggested to us from
some quarters that the Province of Surrey was hardly prepared to follow up the great efforts to which we refer by another , so soon afterwards , and the circumstances of the case have been rendered all the more difficult in
consequence of the indisposition of our estimable Bro . C . Greenwood , Deputy G . Master of the Province , which untoward event is , we fear , likely to prevent the attendance of that assiduous and indefatigable Brother in his capacity of one
of the acting Presidents of the Festival of this year . Bro . Greenwood ' s illness , which all the brethren devoutly hope ttay be of but a temporary character , coupled with the sad domestic bereavement which he so recently sustained , has
had the effect of throwing one of the most powerful propelling powers iu such a movement out of gear , for all who know him will be only too eager to admit thafc whatever Brother Greenwood takes in hand in the interests of tbe
cause we all hold so clear , he leaves no single stone unturned by which to contribute to the entire success of the laudable work . To lose his powerful influence and aid at such a juncture as the present is little short of a
The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.
calamity , so far as the excellent Institution at Battersea Base is concerned ; but from all ihafc we can see at present we entertain bnfc slight hopes thafc the sanction of Brother Greenwood's medical advisors will be given to his attendance afc next week's Festival . Under those
resrrefctable circumstances , if tho brethren of Surrey will look around them amongst tho Lodges of the Province from which no Stewards have as yet consented to renctar immediate practical aid , there may ba still time to produce
such a result as shall allay every apprehension as to the outcome of the effort now before them . We only want a Steward to be named from every Lodge , and we are quite sure thafc between now and the time when the annual
account of the Institution is closed , such persuasive pressure will be brought to bear upon tho brethren as will relieve the Provincial Grand Master and the executive of the School of all fear as to the means of continuing in their
beneficent work being placed at thoir disposal . Wo havo already touched upon this subject , and should have allowed it to pass without any farther word of comment , bufc as
the time approaches ifc is necessary that every effort should be strained to its utmost to bring about the consummation that is so devoutly to be wished—a "bumper" for the " bonnie lassies " at our Battersea Rise establishment . To
add to the perplexities of the situation we hear with sincere regret that the Provincial Grand Master has himself been somewhat indisposed of late ; and knowing how thoroughly the gallant General enters into all matters
connected with the Craft in general , and his own Province in particular , even this passing ancl temporary drawback to the prosecution of his efforts is sincerely to bo deplored . Wo all know with what hearty zeal and unwearying
assiduity he enters into the hard "work of the position ho so worthily fills , and ifc is sincerely to be hoped that Wednesday next will find him completely restored to thafc health and vigour which is necessary for the fulfilment of such an
arduous task as that which he has so generously undertaken . As we recently pointed out , Brother General Brownrigg is not new to the work which will then devolve upon him , for he undertook a similar dnty on behalf of the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution three years ago , on which occasion he proved himself a mosfc capable President , and the efforts he then made , supported as they were by the brethren of the Province , proved mosfc beneficial to tho
interests of the " Old People ' s Home" at Croydon . That similar exertions may be made on behalf of tho Girls ' School is our earnest hope , bufc there is little time left to the brethren of the Province to rally up to the standard
required to make the Festival the brilliant triumph we all desire to see it . We do not profess by any means to take an alarmist view of the situation , even though up to tbe present the number of Stewards on the list is far below
thafc which should have been returned to headquarters . But ifc would be a source of unfeigned regret throughout the whole of the Fraternity were the results of tho event appreciably short of those of preceding years ,
and such a contingency may yefc be avoided if tho brethren will put their shoulders to the wheel in such a manner as to enable our worthy Brother Hedges , as Secretary of the Institution , to announce thafc so
far from there being any falling-off in the support accorded to our favourite Institution , so eminently deserving of all the help that can be extended to it , there is at any rate a continued supply of the necessary means of carrying on the work of that branch of Masonic Charity .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.
THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .
THE second great Festival in connection with the Charitable Institutions of the Craft is rapidly drawing near , tho Ninety-eighth Anniversary being fixed for Wednesday next , at Freemasons' Hall , under the presidency of Bro . General J . Studholme Brownrigg , C . B .,
Provincial Grand Master of Surrey . In anticipation of these events , it is usual to take a forecast as to the prospects of success likely to attend the efforts being put forth te secure a satisfactory result ; and it would be cheering if
that outlook had assumed a somewhat more rosy character than it is our lot to contemplate on the eve of this Festival . From a variety of causes , which ifc is perhaps difficult to give an adequate account for , those prospects are not so
promising as we should desire to see them . It would be absolutely wrong were we dissatisfied with what has been done afc the last few Festivals , because the results have in the aggregate exceeded our most sanguine anticipations .
At the same time , we have become so enured to grand results that we have been urged on to stretch to the utmost limits , and to such extreme tension , the power fox good that is latent amongst the brethren of the Craft that
now the very contemplation of a bad result at the forthcoming Anniversaiy , however slight the ground for apprehension , strikes ns with a feeling akin to dismay . But for some reason or other we are inclined to think that
the Province of Surrey is not taking the matter in hand with that activity and energy which is essential to the thorough ancl complete success of the Festival over which its esteemed and popular Provincial Grand Master has
consented to preside . We hope we may be wrong in such a calculation , nor do we desire to damp in any way the ardour of those who are doing what they can to make the event of next Wednesday a gratifying success ; but whether
it is that the supreme effort put forth in the year 1883 on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , followed by the desire to support the Boys' Preparatory School at Wood Green , to a certain extent overtaxed the resources of tho brethren ,
or whether the apparent laxity arises from other causes , there certainly does appear an urgent need for some additional impetus to be thrown into the matter even at this , the eleventh hour . It has been suggested to us from
some quarters that the Province of Surrey was hardly prepared to follow up the great efforts to which we refer by another , so soon afterwards , and the circumstances of the case have been rendered all the more difficult in
consequence of the indisposition of our estimable Bro . C . Greenwood , Deputy G . Master of the Province , which untoward event is , we fear , likely to prevent the attendance of that assiduous and indefatigable Brother in his capacity of one
of the acting Presidents of the Festival of this year . Bro . Greenwood ' s illness , which all the brethren devoutly hope ttay be of but a temporary character , coupled with the sad domestic bereavement which he so recently sustained , has
had the effect of throwing one of the most powerful propelling powers iu such a movement out of gear , for all who know him will be only too eager to admit thafc whatever Brother Greenwood takes in hand in the interests of tbe
cause we all hold so clear , he leaves no single stone unturned by which to contribute to the entire success of the laudable work . To lose his powerful influence and aid at such a juncture as the present is little short of a
The Approaching Festival Of The Girls' School.
calamity , so far as the excellent Institution at Battersea Base is concerned ; but from all ihafc we can see at present we entertain bnfc slight hopes thafc the sanction of Brother Greenwood's medical advisors will be given to his attendance afc next week's Festival . Under those
resrrefctable circumstances , if tho brethren of Surrey will look around them amongst tho Lodges of the Province from which no Stewards have as yet consented to renctar immediate practical aid , there may ba still time to produce
such a result as shall allay every apprehension as to the outcome of the effort now before them . We only want a Steward to be named from every Lodge , and we are quite sure thafc between now and the time when the annual
account of the Institution is closed , such persuasive pressure will be brought to bear upon tho brethren as will relieve the Provincial Grand Master and the executive of the School of all fear as to the means of continuing in their
beneficent work being placed at thoir disposal . Wo havo already touched upon this subject , and should have allowed it to pass without any farther word of comment , bufc as
the time approaches ifc is necessary that every effort should be strained to its utmost to bring about the consummation that is so devoutly to be wished—a "bumper" for the " bonnie lassies " at our Battersea Rise establishment . To
add to the perplexities of the situation we hear with sincere regret that the Provincial Grand Master has himself been somewhat indisposed of late ; and knowing how thoroughly the gallant General enters into all matters
connected with the Craft in general , and his own Province in particular , even this passing ancl temporary drawback to the prosecution of his efforts is sincerely to bo deplored . Wo all know with what hearty zeal and unwearying
assiduity he enters into the hard "work of the position ho so worthily fills , and ifc is sincerely to be hoped that Wednesday next will find him completely restored to thafc health and vigour which is necessary for the fulfilment of such an
arduous task as that which he has so generously undertaken . As we recently pointed out , Brother General Brownrigg is not new to the work which will then devolve upon him , for he undertook a similar dnty on behalf of the
Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution three years ago , on which occasion he proved himself a mosfc capable President , and the efforts he then made , supported as they were by the brethren of the Province , proved mosfc beneficial to tho
interests of the " Old People ' s Home" at Croydon . That similar exertions may be made on behalf of tho Girls ' School is our earnest hope , bufc there is little time left to the brethren of the Province to rally up to the standard
required to make the Festival the brilliant triumph we all desire to see it . We do not profess by any means to take an alarmist view of the situation , even though up to tbe present the number of Stewards on the list is far below
thafc which should have been returned to headquarters . But ifc would be a source of unfeigned regret throughout the whole of the Fraternity were the results of tho event appreciably short of those of preceding years ,
and such a contingency may yefc be avoided if tho brethren will put their shoulders to the wheel in such a manner as to enable our worthy Brother Hedges , as Secretary of the Institution , to announce thafc so
far from there being any falling-off in the support accorded to our favourite Institution , so eminently deserving of all the help that can be extended to it , there is at any rate a continued supply of the necessary means of carrying on the work of that branch of Masonic Charity .