Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

1000 guineas had hitherto been considered sufficient price for these presentations , Northumberland ought to have tho benefit of it until the laws were altered . If the money was not enough , lot the by-laws be altered , and make it £ 1500 or £ 2000 if they

liked . Bnt do not let it go back to Northumberland that the Institution refused the 1000 guineas , for it would place them in an awkward position . Tho memorial to Bro . Hubert Laws wai well deserved , na ho had worked hard and long , as he ( Bro . Pulman ) knew . Tho motion

was put and carried . Scrutineers of votes were chosen , and the brethren proceeded to elect 21 boys out of an approved list of bY > . A list of the snnoessful candidates will be found in our Advertisement columns . We append the names of the nusuecessf ul candidates , with particulars of the votes polled by each .

UNSUCCESSFUL . No . on List . Narno . Forward . Polled . Total . 23 Franoke , Roland George — 800 800 20 Budihent , Leonard _ 827 827 1 Campbell , Archibald Wallace ( last ) 347 325 672 28 Austin , Herbert William — 620 620 19 Foster , George William ~ 551 551

25 Brown , Charles Riohard — 531 531 22 Prinn , Hubert Stanley — 269 269 4 Seward , William Renell ( last ) 81 33 114 7 Bennett , Sampson Taylor 40 1 41 3 Howell , Bernard Brookas 27 20 47 10 Oullis , William 2 9 11 11 MoLeeoe , Riohard John 2 7 9

THE SAiVflEDRiN AND CAPITAL PuNisriME . VT . — Generally speaking the Sauhedrin were not a sanguinary tribunal . They shuddered at the necessity of bloodshed , and trier' to obviate its necassity by innn . raerable regulations . So great was their horror at putting an Israelite to death , that any means of avoiding it seemed desirable . Simeon Ben Shataoh is the only conspicuous Rabbi who , for his

cruelty in deciding causes , is said " to have had hot hands . " Josephns expressly marks it ^ disgraceful to the Saddnoees that , unlike the rest of their nation , they were savage in their punishments . We are told that if even once in seven years—Rabbi Eleazar Ben Azariab went so far as to say that if once in seventy years—a Sanhedrin inflicted capital punishment it deserved the opprobrious title of

" sanguinary . " The migration of the Sanhedrin forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem , from their " Hall of Squares , " whioh was beside the great Court of the Temple , to the Chanujoth or " shops , " whioh were under two cedars on the Mount of Olives , is expressly stated to have been due to their desire to get to a greater distance from the saored precincts , in order that they might not feel

it so sternly incumbent upon them to inflict the strict pnnishraeutsof the Lw . Bnt if , after strict and solemn voting , a man was condemned to any of the four capital punishments , tbe utmost care was taken to remove from tho punishment all semblanoe of vindictive haste . In the case of a convicted blasphemer the death assigned by the law was stoning , and in Leviticus it is ordained that the

witnesses should lay their hands npon his head , and all the congregation should stone him . In Deuteronomy we read the further regulation that the hand of the witnesses was first to be npon him —and this horrible duty was one of the deterrents from false or frivolous accusation . But if we may aocopt the authority of the Mishna , the process was an elaborate one . On pronunciation of the

sentPiice tho condemned was hauded over to the Shoterim or Lictora of the Sanhedrin , and led to the place of execution . An official stood at the door of the judgment hall , holding in his baud n handkerchief ; a second , on horseback , was stationed just in sight of the first , aud if , even at the last moment , any witnesB could testify to the innocence of the condemned , the first shook his handkerchief and the second

galloped at fall speed to bring back the accused , who was himself allowed to be Jed back as many as four or fire times if ho could adduce a single solid proof in his own favour . Failing this he was led on , with a herald preceding him , who proclaimed his name , his crime , and the witnesses on whoso testimony he had been condemned . At ten paces distance from tbe place of death he was bidden to

confess , because Jewish no loss than Roman law valued tho certainty derivod from the " confitentem reum , " and the Jews deduced from the story of Achau that his punishment would be , as regards the future world , a sufficiently complete expiation of his crime . A bitter draught containing a grain of frankincense was thou given to him to stupefy his senses and take away thu edge of terror . At four

cubits distance from tha fatal spot ho was stripped hare ofhis nppsr garments , and according to the older and f implor plan of procedure was then stoned , tbe witnesses simultaneously barling tho first stone " . But the luter custom seems to h » ve been more elaborate . The place of execution was twelve feet high , arid one of ihe witnesses Hong the criminal down , back forpmost , from the top , f . lie other immediately burling a heavy strme nnon bis chfst .. If thiV failed to

produce death , all who were present joined in stoning rift , and his body was subsequently hung by the handB on a trew unt 1 tbe fall of evening . Vi e may be quite euro that none of these eld orate pre . scriptiona were followed in the martyrdom of Stephe i . lie was murdered in one of thosq sodden outbnrsts of fury t > whit h on morn than one occasion the life of oar Lord had heoo nrnr ' y sionlicod . —From "The Life and Work of St . Pnul , " for July .

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FUHE & ALS properly carried oat and personally attended in tiondon and Country , by Bro . U . A . UUTTOI ? , 17 Nov / castle Stroot , Strand , W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made .

Eldon Lodge, No. 1755.

ELDON LODGE , No . 1755 .

LAST Saturday was a red letter day in the annals of the Lldou Lodge , No . 1755 , and , notwithstanding the inolemont weather , a goodly number of brethren assembled at tho Hoyal Hotel , Portiahead , to support tho Worshipful Muster , Brother Davey , npou the occasion of the Right Worshipful Grand Muster of Somerset , the Right Hon . Viscount Dnngarvan , pnri'itr tho L ^ d w » a fraternal visit . Tho brethren were called for four o ' clock in the afternoon , and tho

following were amongst t . hosn present : — Urns . Divoy W . M ., Shnplanu I . P . M ., W . K . Thomas P . M . S . W . pn , tern , Billing " J . W ., Thebridge P . M . Treasurer . C . L . Thomas P . M . Secretary , Tunkiu S . D ., llazell J . D ., Harvey I . G ., Hall Organic , Applet ™ P . M . D . C , Stafford and Jeffreys Stewards , Simpkins Tyler ; Dimerv P . M . and of 2069 , West Yorkshire , Glasspote . P . M ., Kico P . M . P . P . G . J . D ., and Southwood .

The Visitors , besides the Prov . Grand Master , included Bros . Grubh P . M . 68 P . P . G . P ., Pike P . M . 103 P . G . S . B ., Spencer 1388 , Fnlford 686 , Carrington J . D . 686 , D . E . do Villiers 1706 , and Leveritt 68 . Apologies , regretting inability to attend , woro received from the Deputy Prov . Grand Master of Bristol Bro . Bramble , the Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Somerset Brother Else , Dr . Lionel

Weatherley P . M ., & o . After the Lodge had been opened , the P . G . M . the Right Hon . Viscount Dungarvan was received in due form , and in tbe name of the Lodge cordially welcomed by the Worshipfnl Master . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , in reply , expressed regret that circumstances prevented him being with them at the installation meeting last month . Nothing would have afforded

him greater enjoyment than to have seen the working of the beautiful Masonio ritual in the Eldon Lodge . Some business of a formal and charitable nature having been , disposed of , the Ledge was close ! , after whioh the brethren dined together under the presidency of Brother Davey Worshipful Master . On the removal of the cloth the W . M . proposed the Queen and the

Craft , and H . R . H . the Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . of England . In proposing the next toast the W . M . said , I rise to submit to you the health of the R . W . P . G . M . Lord Dungarvan , and must tell yoa that it is impossible forme to give full expression to my feelings in requesting you to join me in drinking to his health . I am sure tbe whole of the brethren unite with me in the joy we feel at having the

P . G . M . amongst ni to day , and t > learn from him that he intends to visit our Lodge again . I may tell yon that the P . G . M . hat already visited twelve Lodges in the Province , besides performing various Masonio duties in and outside the Province of Somersetshire , whioh lively interest augurs well for the future of Freemasonry in our district . Speaking personally , I shall never forget his visit to our Lodge

during my year of office , and shall ever look back upon this event of my life with great pleasure and pride , and I feel confident the important incident will live long in the memories of the brethren of the Eldon Lodge . Tho P . G . M . on rising to reply was received with enthusiasm . He said , Worshipful Master and Brethren , it is with feelings that I can hardly express that I thank you for the very

hearty reception yon have given me to-night . I must say I was disappointed , as I know your W . M . was , that we had no oeremony , as whenever I attend a Lodge I always like to find one more Englishman added to our ranks . I am a young Mason , bnt a very keen one , and like all work to be properly done . There is one thing worthy of note abont Freemasonry and that is that it distributes , in an

unostentatious way , and without wanting praise , £ 50 , 000 a year in modest charity . Do you realize what Freemasonry means to the future of these children that our subscriptions go to support and educate ? Ho you think of the comfort they live in , thanks to our Institutions ; and sometimes reflect that these boys may some day themselves becomo Masons and supporters of these Institutions ? There is one thing

I may tell you , I am a keen sportsman , and an Irishman . In tho hnntiog field people of all classes meet together . They come out to enjoy themselves , and Freemasonry reminds me of this simile . We meet in the Lodge room and at the dinner table iu one common brotherhood ; aud at tbe same time we help those who want help , and thos 1 ) who are in distress , and wo stick up for our friends suid

brethren in tronble to the utmost of our ability . In a few days I havo to perform the ceremony of dedicating a new Masonic hall , and am bsppy to learn that many of you are coming to that important gathering , and any brother here this evening I shall be delighted to receive and welcome upon that occasion as my own gneBt . At the dedication of the new building

I trust you will find your P . G . M . will do his work as he ought to do it . Before sitting down I have a very pleasing duty , to propose a toast that iu very properly honoured at all MftBonio meetings . I submit to yon tho health of your W . M ., and regret I caunot express my feelings so well as I should like , as for the last few days I have been out with the Yeomanry , and if we have not

been fighting the foes , wo have nt least , been fighting the elements . I look forward with pleasure to coming here again , and to tho additional pleasure of hearing your W . M . —whose health I ask you to drink—go through that oeremony which I am sure he would bavo dono so excellently this eveniug had opportunity offered . The W . M ., iu reply , said although he always had u strong love for Freemasonry ,

that evening and tho many kind things said of him had magnified his affection . He regretted the absence of the candidate for Freemasonry , as the Lodgo was always ready to do its work , and he thnnsht it would havo been done to the satisfaction of the P . G . M . He returned thanks tor tbe kind way they hud received his name . In proposing the toast of the Pnst Masters , tho W . M . paid a high tribnte to them for the way they hud done their work . The sentiment

was iippropriatoly acknowledged by the I . P . M . . Tho VV . M . submitted the Visitors , tho Eldnu L dgy wa *» i * vaysglad to weieum ? thorn . This was replied to in terae terms hy Bros . Pikd und Ornbb . The Hostess , : ind the Musical Bnabrcu were dul y honoured , and the Tyler ' s toast brought tho list to a close . The afternoon was rendered additionally attractive by the performance of a j ; ood musical programme . Bru . Fuifoi'd kindiy presided at the pinno with his usual ability .