The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

THERE is still almost a fortnight to elapse ere the Governors and Subscribers of this Institution will meet together at their regular Quarterly General Court , which will be held on the last day of the present month , Friday , the 31 st inst ., but as the agenda for that meeting is already issued , and eontains reference to various propositions that will then

be brought forward—some of them of an important character—it is not too early to consider the bearings of the various points to be raised , and their probable effect on the future of the Charity itself . It is an old

saymg that " no one knows where the shoe pinches but the one who wears it , " and so it is , we suppose , with the laws and regulations of our Institutions . They seem to be admirably suited for all requirements until some special event happens , and then it is

found they are deficient m some respect , or they appear unjust to one section of the subscribers ; or , more likely still , they operate in a way not quite in

accordance witn tne wisnes ot . otners . it is on this basis we view the proposals put forward affecting Law 71 , which relates to the qualifications and mode of electing the Secretary of the Institution . Until there was a talk of making a change , the laws

on this particular subject seemed every thing that could be desired ; now , however , we have a proposition put forward by a brother—and an esteemed and worthy brother , too , in the person of J . Lewis Thomas , Vice-President of the Institution and a

Past Grand Omcer—that the minimum of age for future candidates shall be " forty-five . " Now what can possibly be the motive for making an alteration on the probable eve of an election ? Can there be any reason why the age should be altered to thirty ,

thirty-five , forty , forty-five , or fifty , just at the present moment , unless it is to make the post specially available for some particular individual ? We think in such a case it should be best to take the laws as they stand ; they were drawn up in calm moments , when

excitement was not rife on any particular point , and probably a very large number of subscribers had a hand in deciding what the limit should be . Why then make a hasty ancl perhaps undesirable chanse

just for the purpose of making the post suitable for a particular individual , rather than to look around and endeavour to find a man specially made for the appointment ? Many of the alterations proposed iu

tne rules ot the Institutions appear to be put forward merely for the sake of making an alteration , and as they sometimes slip through without attracting the full attention they deserve , it is uot to be wondered at that the Craft occasionally has difficulties to

contend with as a consequence . The other alterations suggested in this Law No . 71 are submitted by Bro . E . V . Greatbach , who , however , does not adopt any half and half measures in

his proposed change . Rescind the whole law , he says , and in its place insert one that will give all power as to the election and removal of the Secretary to the Provisional Committee . That is—or at least so it appears to us—the office of Secretary of the

Institution , which is absolutely certain to exist for many years to come , even if it does not continue as long as the Institution itself , is to be put under the control of a Committee whose very name characterises it as

" Provisional , and which will , m all probability , be dissolved in favour of the regular form of House Committee before many months have passed away . What can be said in favour of such a proposal ?

Besides this , there are a few matters the general body of supporters of an Institution desire to keep in their own hands . In the Masonic Institutions the election

of Secretary is a case in point , ancl we shall be very much surprised if any proposal to alter the arrangement will be listened to , much less carried into effect . We have now really discussed propositions 1 , 4 , 5 and 6—all relate to the Secretaryship , and all are matters

which would be much better left unchanged in iace of present circumstances surrounding the appointment . The second notice of motion on the agenda stands in the name of Bro . Major A . Durrani , and its object

is to secure a vote of - £ 450 for Dr . Morns " m recognition of his valuable services to the Institution " during his 14 years Head Mastership at the School . We thought this matter had been settled on behalf of the Institution by the Provisional Committee , and

we have even heard it mentioned that Dr . Morris refused some part of the sum offered by that Committee , because he preferred to receive only just what he was legally entitled to . Perhaps under these

circumstances the late Head Master would refuse the - £ 450 even if it was voted him ; but in any case , if he has declined what was once submitted to him as the desire of fche Institution to offer , it is very bad . taste

to allow his friends to come forward and ask for more . Having once displayed a spirit of opposition on such a subject he should let the matter rest , even though on more mature consideration he feels sorry for his obstinacv .

Bro . J . H . Hawkins has what may be regarded as a very mild proposal on the subject of the Pension carried at the last . Court—mild , that is to say , so far as appearance goes ; but it is very difficult to say

whether it is the quietness that precedes a coming storm , or the dying struggle made to excuse its author from the charge of having deserted his theories , or giving up all idea of continuing the work

he entered upon with such loud nourish of trumpets . Bro . Hawkins's proposal is " To reconsider , and if thought necessary or expedient , to rescind the resolution as to Pensions declared to be carried at the last Court . " We hope Bro . Hawkins will see the

desirability of withdrawing this proposal before the time arrives for its discussion . No doubt he feels very strongly on the subject of these Pensions , but surely the matter was as fully discussed at the meeting to