Our Institutions—Subscriptions And Votes.

sense of justice , they will not ovei'whelm the chances of other and less favoured candidates . The principle will not be largely called into exercise , and only in necessitous cases . There will be no temptation for persons to join the ranks of the Craft , or even to subscribe to the Charities ,

because one clay he or his family may need their help . We are not unmindful of the selfish tendency of the time , but the prize in this instance involves so many considerations , that few would be found to contribute money upon so doubtful a contingency of , in the first place , needing

assistance , and in the second place , of being sure of obtaining it should they need it . The moral influence of the teaching of the Craft must still be tho sheet-anchor of our noble Institutions , the spirit of Charity must come from the source whence emanate all other blessings , and so

long as Freemasons are true to the faith that is in them , there will be no lack of means to support benevolent purposes , and no act of any committee for long can pervert the principles upon which the Order is founded , and upon

which it must for ever stand . We look upon the proposal of Bro . Webb , as we should look npon any other motion on the subject that may be adopted , as an experiment . Having discussed the matter freely on several occasions , we leave it now in the hands of our readers .

The Quarterly Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls was held on Saturday last , at Freemasons' Hall , Colonel Creaton Past Grand Treasurer in the chair . Amongst those present were Bros . Matthews , Martin ,

Matier , Letchworth , Saunders , Edgar Bowyer , Gladwell , Belton , James Terry , Rucker , H . Massey , Webb , Peter de Lande Long , and Hedges Secretary . After the reading of minutes the number of candidates for the election in

April was declared to be thirty-five , and the vacancies twenty-three . Brother W . J . Murlis had given notice of motion " That the whole of the business in conducting the Election of the House

and Audit Committees be carried out in the same Room as that in which the presiding Officer is sitting , and that it be referred to the General Committee to consider and report on tlie best means for conducting such Elections ;"

but a letter was read from him stating he was unable to be present , and expressing a wish some other brother would move in his stead . This request not being responded to , the motion fell to the ground . Brother Robert Martin ( West Lancashire ) then moved to add to Law 63 after the ¦ w ord " thereof " in fifth line :

* L Or by an annual payment , under similar conditions , of Fifty pounds , provided that any person nominating a girl under this latter clause shall give such guarantee for the continuous annnal payment during the time such girl remains in the Institution that the General Committee may require . " The words of Law 63 , which this addition was to follow ,

are " Any person may place a properly qualified girl in the Institution , provided that the girl can be conveniently admitted , upon payment of 170 guineas in one sum , withont voting in respect of any part thereof . " Brother Martin said he was the representative of 4000 Masons of West

Lancashire , for whom he was making this motion by their special request and with the approval of the Earl of Lathom , the Provincial Grand Master , whose letter he had in his pocket . He explained tbat they collected very large sums in Lancashire for the Charities , and had their own

schemes under which they educated and clothed local Freemasons' children . They had not , however , a building , and thinking that the brethren in Lancashire shonld have the claims of the Institntion constantly brought before them , they proposed to amend the law as expressed in his

morion . They had means at their command to make purchase nominations ; but they thought ifc not desirable . The first children they should propose to send would be those who had lost both parents , and they felfc that in placing the children in the Girls' School they knew in

¦ whose hands they were placed . With close on £ 18 , 000 invested capital the guarantee would be a good one . Bro . A . E . Gladwell seconded the motion . On the suggestion of Brother Charles Belton , Brother Martin altered his motion by inserting the words " Lodge or Masonic body , "

instead of " person , " after " provided tbat any . " Brother Matier thought that there would be an injustice to such candidates as depended on votes , if there were a long list of candidates and only eight vacancies , and a province

shonld present eight children . That was his only objection . The Chairman said the Quarterly Court would have the power to say they would receive one or two nominations . Bro . Terry observed that the motion should read " pro

Our Institutions—Subscriptions And Votes.

vided such girl can be conveniently admitted . " Bro . Webb replied there was much to be said in favour of the proposition , although he thought it was tending to make the School a proprietary school . A personal guarantee would not be of much value ; but in the case of a Province the

guarantee would be good . There might be a proviso that there should not be more than two girls from one Province . After a few other observations the motion was carried unanimously . The following motions were also carried . By C . F . Matier : —

Every individual donor of Two Hundred guineas b 3 * one payment or in sums of not less than Five guineas each shall become a Patron and havo Eighty Votes at all Elections of Girls . " A Lady or a Lewis being a minor—contributing One Hundred guineas in

one or more payments of not less than Five guineas each shall be a Patron with Eighty Votes at all Elections of Girls . " A Lodge , Chapter , or Society shall enjoy the like privilege on completion of the payment , under similar conditions , of Four Hundred guineas . " That H . R . H . the Prince of Wales bo constituted the Grand Patron .

" That H . R . H . the Princess of Wales be constituted the Grand Patroness . " By Bro . J . H . Matthews , for Bro . Robert Grey P . G . D ., Vice-Pat ., seconded by Bro . W . H . Saunders : — " That in consideration of the special services rendered to the Institution by Mr . Prestige , he be elected an Honorary Life Governor with 8 Votes . " A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings .

The Quarterly Court of the Subscribers and Governors of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held on Monday afternoon , at Freemasons' Hall , Colonel Creaton Past Grand Treasurer in the chair . There were also present Bros . L . Ruf , Joseph Storey , Rev . A . F . A .

Woodford , Raynham W . Stewart , William Roebuck , C . F . Matier , John L . Mather , Thomas W . Benton , W . Mann , Arthur E . Gladwell , C . H . Webb , W . W . Morgan , George Penn , Fred . Adlard , R . J . Taylor , Henry L . Andrews , C . Belton , W . H . Main , Don . M . Dewar , Samuel H .

Parkhouse , F . W . Ramsay , M . D ., William Marsh , H . Massey , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Fifty-four candidates were declared to be on the list for next election , and twenty , three vacancies were also declared . A letter was read from

Lord Holmesdale , acknowledging the letter of sympathy written by order of the Committee on the death of Lad y Holmesdale ; and the letter was ordered to be entered on the minutes . Brother 0 . H . Webb , L . G ., & c , then brought on the following motion : —

"That the resolution of the Quarterly Court , in April last , be rescinded , so far as it relates to the candidate F . A . Herring . " Bro . R . J . Taylor seconded the motion , which was lost . Bro . C . H . Webb then moved : —

" That the General Committee have nower to place to the credit of every accepted Fatherless Candidate , at each election , any number of votes , not exceeding the number the father was entitled to at the time of his death , multiplied by the number of years he had been so qualified . "

Bro . Parkhouse seconded the motion . Bro . Matier proprosed as an amendment that the matter be referred to a Committee of this Institntion . After some further discussion this latter course was adopted . Bro . 0 . F . Matier , V . P ., moved : —

To add to the Law adopted at the Quarterly Court in October last , approving the new qualification of' Patron , '— " a Lady—or a Lewis being a Minor —contributing one hundred guineas , in one or moro payments of not less than five guineas each , shall be a Patron with Eighty Votes at all Elections of Boys . "

"A Lodge , Chapter , or Society shall enjoy the like privileges on completion of the payment , under similar conditions , of four hundred guineas . " This was carried . Bro . R . W . Stewart P . G . D ., Y . P ., moved : — " That the word Friday be substituted in the second line of Law 36 for the word ' Saturday . ' "

He explained that the motion was meant to alter the day of meeting of the General Committee from Saturday to Friday . A general feeling against the motion having been expressed , it was withdrawn , and a vote of thanks being passed to the Chairman the meeting separated .

The Fifteen Sections

THE FIFTEEN SECTIONS

¦ WILL BE WOKKED By the brethren of the Great Northern Lodge of Instruction , by invitation of the Royal Standard Lodge of Instruction , No . 1298 , at tbe Alwyne Castle , St . Panl's-road , Canonbnrv , on Friday , 25 th inst ., at 7 p . m . precisely . Bros . W . Cleghorn P ' lVJ . 1287 WM . ,

3 . Hemming I . G . 1287 S . W ., S . Webb P . M . 1287 J . W . First Lecture—Bros . Cane , Bleakley , Flint , Edgar , Stanton , Christie , Read . Second Lecture—Bros . Kempton , Hemming , Paul , Cleghorn , Edwards . Third Lecture—Bros . Webb , Moore , Lancaster . Bro . T . Cull P . M . 1446 is Preceptor , and Bro . G . Hnnter tbe Secretary . An interesting feature in connection with this announcement is the fact that the whole of the sections will be worked by miembers of the mother Lodge , a most unuanal event .