The Girls' School Festival.

Masons to know they were educating and maintaining something like two hundred and fortv-two girls in tho Institution , and that since the foundation of tho Charity it had educated 1 , 389 girls . They were met to celebrate the Ninety-Seventh Anniversary of the Institntion , an Anniversary which he hoped and trnsted would be an

honour to Masons , a credit to the School , and an encouragement to that excellent Mason and Secretary , Bro . Hedges ; he knew that Bro . Hedges worked hard , and that the Stewards of Sussex had worked very hard ; but what the result miurht he he conld not at present tell , he did not actually know ; but he did know they were all bent on the

support of the Schc-ol , which ho hoped and trusted , with the blessing of the Great Architect of the Universe , wight last for many hundreds of years , long'after all now present had passed away and gone to their rest . He also trnsted that in those days Masons would be able to support the Institution in the same manner , and even to a greater

extent than the brethren of tho present day were supporting it . He had simply to thank those present for the kind manner in which they had drunk his health , and to call upon them to honour the toast of " Success to the Royal Masonio Institution for Girls , " coupling with it the health of the Treasurer , Brother Horace Brooks Marshall , C . C .,

Past Grand Treasurer . Brother Horace B . Marshall returned thanks . He assured the subscribers to the Institution that the Board of Management were united in the earnestness of their desire to judiciously and wisely expend the funds which were so generously placed atthoir disposal , feeling sure they were

carrying out the desires and intentions of the subscribers in determining to Fpare no effort , no careful personal supervision of the details of management , so that the Royal Masonio Institution for Girls should rank in the future , as it had done in the past , second to no Institntion of a similar nature in the United Kingdom . The Board were

amply rewarded for their labour of love by the practical sympathy of the Craft , and the continuance of the generous support that had hitherto been afforded to the Institution . The Secretary ( Bro . F . R . W . Hedges ) then announced the totals of the various Stewards' lists ( particulars of which , amended to the

time of going to press ) will be fonnd elsewhere . Bro . S . Pope gave " The other Masonic Charities , and success to them , viz ., The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . " Very early in bis Masonio education he had been taught that obedience and charity were the two cardinal Masonic virtues .

He obeyed the call of the chair , and invited the brethren to wish success—equal snecess—to the other Charities . Charity was a noble virtue , but individual charity was powerless . Organisation of charity was essential to its utility . It must have touched the heart of every Freemason present to find that the affectionate attachment to his

Province of the Chairman of the day had resulted in so magnificent a contribution to the funds of the Institution as had been announced from Sussex . The members of the Craft had already done what they could for the Girls' School , but must not forget that in a short time tho Institution for Boys and the Benevolent Institution would

equally claim their support aud enthusiasm . He believed that as soon as he became entitled to investigate the proceedings of the Masonic Charities he was convinced that there were no Institutions throughout tho length and breadth of tho kingdom deserving better of the support of those who sympathised with their objects than the

Masonic Institutions . The Craft , held together perhaps by a somewhat slender thread , yet binds together in one bond an amonnt of charity and good will which must make it permanent and respected . It is because the Institutions are administei-ed with a due regard to the interests of those for whom they are established that it is possible to

induce such liberal support as had been heard of that night . He hoped it might be his privilege to attend at the Festivals of the other Masonic Institutions , and to hear they had subscription lists as large , as enthusiastic , and as heartily given as that announced that night . Bro . Binckes was exceedingly pleased to have the opportunity of

heing present that evening to respond to the toast of the other Ma . sonic Institutions , which had been so admirably , so energetically , and so warmly proposed by their distinguished brother , Samuel Pope . It was only one of the practices congenial to Freemasonry that while they were establishing or celebrating a success in one

direction , they had the largest hearts in wishing success to others of a kindred nature . The ceremonies told us that \» hile we were happy ourselves , one of the highest duties devolving on us—and one which was thoroughly realised—was to communicate h'ippiness to others . With reference to the other Institutions , the Benevolent

Festival was celebrated in February last , with an enormous amount of snecess . The Institution under whose auspices they wero met that evening had had a glorious success . They all congratulated each one who was bound together in promoting this good work on

the great achievements of these Institutions . He came before them as the representative of the neglected Institution—corning last , obliged to be content with the crumbs that fall from the table of the rich . Their enthusiastic friend , in proposing tho toast , had asked

The Girls' School Festival.

them to do what they could to promote the success of the Boys ' School . What had thev done in the past—and he oould look baok on his oareer when the School was in its infancy—what had they done ? Brought it up from 50 boys to something like 215 , and in obedience to the call of the Craft they were then laving oat something like

£ 15 000 to accommodate some 50 sons of Freemasons . Were they going to allow sentiment to operate—whether on the part of the aged or tho more attractive ohildren the Girls—to militate against whatever success there should be of what he had called , and should continue to call , the cause of muscular Freemasonry ? Were they to

meet , with something like tho success which had been aohieved by the Festivals of the o * her two Institutions ? He did not hesitate to state that he was then labouring under an enormous amount of anxiety —justifiable anxiety ; with a much smaller number of Stewards than they had yet had , he positively shook and quivered with

anxiety as to what would be the resnlt of the Festival . Was ifc a matter of joke , or was it serions ? He told them it was serious ; an J , as they were insisting on the Institution enlarging its borders , so he must insist that they should their liberality . Congratulating those who were connected with the other Institutions on their

success—tho Benevolent Institution in February last and the Girls that night— might he hope that his Festival , to be presided over by the Marquis of Hartington , Prov . Grand Master of Derbyshire , should not only not be neglected , but should be supported as liberally as the other Institutions ? He appreciated the kindness whioh his poor

efforts had invariably received , and , while thanking them heartily for what they had done , he asked them to support him largely in his present efforts . Bro . Terry followed . After the exhaustive appeal of his colleague of the Boys' School , he desired , in a few words , to express his gratitude for the favours whioh had been

conferred upon the Institution with which he was most intimately associated , and to congratulate the executive of the Girls School upon the splendid result achieved that evening . He thanked the brethren for the compliment they had paid him , and Brother Samuel Pope for the kindly way in whioh he had wished sucoess to the

Institutions . With the toast of the Stewards was coupled the name of Brother Lieut .-General C . W . Randolph G . S . W . of Snssex , the President of the Bonrd . That brother felt very proud of being the President of the Stewards by whose exertions upwards of £ 14 , 000 had been raised for the Institution . Though his speeoh might nofc

be one of eloquence he would tell the brethren something praotioaltho Stewards of Sussex were not satisfied with having brought up £ 1800 , and therefore had had a " whip " that evening whioh had resulted in increasing their total to £ 2000 . Having made these remarks he would conclude by saying he thought Snssex had done

its duty that night . The Rev . Dr . Galbraith followed . He thanked the brethren very heartily for conferring the honour of response on him ; but calling upon him to address a few words to snch a distinguished company as he saw around him , and particularly that his humble name should be associated with the Stewards of the

English Constitution ; men whose duties had been performed—nofc this year only , but in former years—in Fuch a manner that their praise had resounded , not only through their country , but through others , as he conld testify . All he could regret was that in Ireland they had not established in their system such a bndy of men as these

admirable Stewards , for he fairly believed that if they succeeded in doing so—and that night's experience encouraged him to hope that ; they could—they would greatly augment their resources in Ireland in practical and active benevolence . Benevolence , as the word was , merely mennt to wish well ; bnt to wish well reqnired action to be

worth anything . Benevolence might be shown in many ways , as Masons knew , but he did not know any more agreeable , any more amiable , any more noble way , in which they could display benevolence than in succouring the children of the Masons who had departed and left them dependent on the liberality of the living

brethren . In Ireland certainly , they had a Masonio Girls School , aa some of the brethren who had travelled could testify . It was a very fine Institution , and though they had not in it as many girls as the English Institution had , it mnst be remembered that Masons were not so numerous a bodv in Ireland aa tho . v were in England . It had ,

nevertheless , sixty girls , or a quarter of what the English School had ; the sixly girls were well maintained , and well educated ; while the two principal teachers had been taken from the English School . Brother the Rev . R . J . Simpson P . G . C . proposed " The Ladies , " coupling with the toast the name of Brother J . H . Matthews .

The brethren then repaired to the Temple ; where the customary concert was given . The musical arrangements were under the direotion of Brother T . Lawler jun ., who was supported by Miss Jose Sherrington , Miss Jessie Royd , Miss Frances Hipwell , Miss Mary McClean , Bro * . E . Dalzsll , Sidney Tower , Robert Hilton , T . Lawler jun . ; Miss Nettie Carpenter ( Violin ) , and Brother F . Meen ( Piano ) . We append the List of contribntions .

London.

LONDON .

Lodge £ s d G . Stewards Br . A A Richards 44 2 0 1 Br . Major G C D'Albiao ( see also Sussex , 1466 ) - 15 15 0 2 Charles R Rivington - 21 0 0 3 J Barber Gleun - 46 0 0 4 Geo Weldon , M . D . . 15 15 0 5 Hush Wyatt . . 51 18 6 6 RE Johnston- - 21 0 0 8 Joseph Rnssell - 16 5 0 10 T Weller-Poley - 73 10 0 14 Edcrar Fis- 'gess - 11 11 0 19 W M Bywater . 68 0 0 21 Robert C Grant - 35 14 0 21 Alderman Savory - 10 10 0 22 aud 1679 Bro . E F Storr . 43 1 0

Lodge £ a c i j 26 Br . Daniel B Ledsam - 15 15 0 I 28 Thomas Clark - 29 8 0 ! 29 C C Black - - 12 12 0 33 AC Tanqneray - 36 15 0 34 Walter H Glazier - 46 14 6 45 H Follett - - 32 0 6 I 55 Jubil Webb - - 80 6 6 58 F W Smith - . 157 10 0 ' 65 James H Hawkins - 100 0 0 73 Thomas Palmer - 26 5 0 91 H M Bates - - 30 0 0 I 96 John G Langton . 65 4 6 [ 108 E B Holloway . 24 3 0 1 140 J Dundas Grant - 15 15 0 142 IIA W Reeves . 17 17 0 145 C A Woods - - 47 5 0 ! 167 Walter Snodin . 21 0 0

Lodge £ a d 162 GVASchofield - 28 7 0 172 W H Harris - . 37 16 0 192 W Darnell - 36 4 6 193 W A Cubitt - - 52 10 0 197 Charles Barry - 80 16 0 198 Frederick Orchard . 15 15 0 206 John L Anderson - 74 0 6 212 Donald Glass - 68 5 0 217 James Glanville - 50 0 0 222 Edmund D Schnter - 89 5 0 235 Emanuel Emanuel - 10 10 0 255 H D Cama . - 5 5 0 256 Henry Greene ¦ 33 12 0 259 Edward T C Darell - 44 2 0 263 Dr . C M Matthew - 45 3 0 435 E J Jeffs - - 24 0 0 469 George Fuloher . 87 13 6