Masonic Portraits. (No. 51.)

highest degree beneficial to the whole body of pupils . A keen desire is excited among them to excel in this necessary but unaccustomed branch of education , and " Our Boys , " therefore , taking them as a school , speak more clearly , accentuate more correctly , and modulate their voices so as

to convey the meaning of the writer more accurately than the boys of most other schools with which wo have been brought into contact . That our brother is doing " Our Boys" an inestimable service is unquestionable , and we should like to see his example more generally followed in

other similar institutions . In order to complete the list of his claims under this category , we may add that he is also a Vice-Patron , both of the Girls' School and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , so that as regards the gifts he has given to our Charities , and the

position he has attained in the regulation of their laws , he may be said to havo distributed his attentions among the three with tolerable impartiality . But worthy

as is the record we have presented thus far , there is one feature which characterises him in particular . We have already , on many previous occasions enlarged on the very onerous duties which fall to the lot of those brethren who

take upon themselves the functions of a steward at one of onr festivals . Canvassing for subscriptions goes smoothly enough when you are simply dealing with your friends , but it is most unpleasant to ask and be refused , to meet with vague promises , which you feel from the very first

are merely meant to put you off , while in some cases the refusal is accompanied by such an exhibition of discourtesy that you are oftentimes on the verge of repenting that you ever entered on so unpleasant a mission . Hence , when we find that this or that brother has served , perhaps ,

half a dozen stewardships , we feel that he is a man of no ordinary determination , and that the interest he takes in the success of our Charities is of no ordinary character . What then , shall we say of him who has taken upon himself the responsibilities of this difficult office , not once or

twice , or even half a dozen times , but at three or four and twenty different festivals ? And yet our brother has not only done this , but we believe that while he has health and strength left him , he will go on serving stewardship after stewardship till it will be well nigh impossible for him to

wear the distinctive jewel and its appendages to which he will be entitled . However , let it suffice to mention what he has done . We may judge of his future by his past . Only the other day , when the establishment of a Preparatory

Boys' School was on the carpet , our brother was to the fore with the promise of a handsome subscription . Thus the disposition to be of service will be ever present in our brother ' s mind , and his intimate friends know better than

we do what that means . Pass we now to note briefly the most important features in his career as a Mason . We shall not enter so minutely into detail as we have done in some few cases , for the obvious reason that we have dwelt with just pride on that particular section of Masonic duties to which he has most

energetically devoted himself . Yet our readers must not run away with the idea that these are his only claims to their love and esteem . He has occupied the chair in three different Lodges , and has had his services fully and feelingly recognised by those whom he ruled with much ability and

unexampled courtesy . He has been rewarded for these services with Provincial honours , having filled the office of Prov . G . Sup . of Works and Prov . G . J . Warden of West Yorkshire . He now fills a subordinate office in a Metropolitan Lodge of high rank , and by virtue of his connection

with that distinguished body , is one of the Stewards of Grand Lodge for the current year . He has shown himself a worth y member of the Royal Arch , and has attained such perfection in the Mark degree that he only awaits the

ceremony of installation to be in a position to dnb himself Grand Mark Master Mason for the Province of West Yorkshire . He is also a member of Rose Croix 18 ° , and of the vJrder Of St . riflwr-fiTinp n . Tii-1 nn rlr . nV , f . no TTMHO T ^ II nr > * ra Urder of St . Lawrenceandno doubtas roll onwe

, , , , years , shall find him playing a still more important role in the various branches of Masonry . But how great soever the further distinctions that may await him , they will only serve to set off still more brilliantly the unsurpassable honours he has already won .

To attempt to prolong this sketch much further would be almost as sensible a proceeding as to think of gilding refined gold . It may , indeed , be taken for granted that one who devotes himself so strenuously , aud with such marked disinterestedness to the more laborious duties of a Mason is thorough " in all hia actions as well as genial and . kind

Masonic Portraits. (No. 51.)

towards whom he encounters in tho social circle . We have frequently met him at those occasional gatherings in Great Queen-street , when a few choice spirits indulge in pleasant converse over the topics of the day ; when the light but friendly joke treads close on tho heels of the weightier

apophthegm ; and learned theses on the properties of tho triangle give place in their turn to equally learned disquisitions on Institutional management . We speak , therefore , with some experience when we say that no one is more

welcome on these occasions , simply because there is no one more universally respected or more affectionately regarded . That he may long live to enjoy the respect and affection of worthy Freemasons , and of the circle in which ho moves , is the earnest hope of all friends of Freemasonry !

Church Restoration

CHURCH RESTORATION

THE Freemasons of Thirsk have shown , since the establ shmenfc of a Lodge in their venerable town , a desire to emulate thoir ancient brethren in the acquisition of that knowledge pecnliar to their traditions ; aud for some time past they have had in connection with their Lodge ( Falcon 1416 ) an Archteological Association , which has worked very well , and been productive of much pleasure

as well as practical pood . Thivsk possesses a noble church , and the late esteemed vicar , the Eov . B . Iamb initiated a movement for its restoration , which was heartily taken up in the neighbourhood . Tho present vicar , the Rev . C . E . Camidge , who is an old Mason , being a P . M . and P . Z ., as well as P . Prov . Grand Chaplain for the West Riding of Yorkshire , has brought things to a successful issue , and the re-opening of the building for divine worship , has been fixed for

the first week in October , the opening day being Tuesday , the 2 nd proximo . "We hear that a dispensation has been granted to tho brethren of the Falcon Lodge , to form in Masonic procession on tho occasion , and we also learn that they will formally present to the church a valuable collecting plate , for which they have subscribed . There is likely to bo a large muster of brethren on an occasion so interesting for many reasons .

The R.M.I. Foe Boys V. Geocers' Company's School.

THE R . M . I . FOE BOYS v . GEOCERS ' COMPANY'S SCHOOL .

THERE was a pleasant gathering last Saturday afternoon on the Alexandra Park Cricket Ground , when the first eleven of " Our Boys " went forth to battle valiantly and , as tbe event proved , most successfully , for the honour of tho Institution . Wo should have been better satisfied bad there been a stronger muster of brethren and their friends , but tho enthusiasm of those present made amends for the smallness of their numbers , and as the weather was favour ble ,

we do not remember an occasion on which we enjoyed onrselves more thoroughly . The opposing team hailed from tho Grocers' Company ' s School . They were a nice genial set of young fellows , but , as will be seen from tho score , not exactly foemen worthy of our steel . It ; is possible they may have felt somewhat nervous , or they may havo got out of practice during their separation for the holidays ; but

whatever the cause of their failure , it is clear they were over-matched and were terribly beaten . Indeed , as regards the result , all interest in the game may be said to have been over when our first wicket fell , with five runs to tho good and nine more batsmen to be disposed of . But there were two or three prizes to be awarded among the most successful members of the home team , so that each player was on his

mettle , and the spectators had their reward in the shape of some excellent boy cricket all round . The Grocers ' , though hopelessly defeated almost from the very first , played a losing game with true British pluck . Their fielding was loose now and again , bnt leather , huntinsr soon becomes tiresome work , and the wonder is not that our Bovs made the score they did , but that they were not more successful

still . But we must now pass to the game itself , the scoro of which is appended . Play was begun at 2 p . m ., on a splendidly level but somewhat slow wicket . Our Boys having won the toss , elected to put their opponents in , and thereupon Mr . Matthews and H . Turner took up the defensive , against the bowling of Mr . Gardner , A . K . C ., and Scurr .

But no stand was possible . Wicket after wicket fell with extraordinary rapidity . Mr . Gardner took three with three consecutive balls , and soon tbe Grocers' were out for the insignificant total of 24 , of which only 15 were marie from the bat . " Extras" headed the ledger with nine , and Oram was not out 8 . The bowling analysis shows the following result : —Mr . Gardner Severs , 4 maidens , 5 runs , 4 wickets :

Scurr , who bowled 8 wides , 7 ' 5 overs , 1 maiden , 6 wickets , 10 runs . After the usual interval , Mr . Gardner and Sessions went to tho wickets , and soon bestan to punish the bowling . Runs came freely , and when the first wicket fell ( Sessions ) , our boys were already 5 to the good . Godsmark , when he had made G , unwisely stdpped out to a shooter , and was b Oram . W . Davies retired gracefully . C . H . Turner b Oram , without scoring . Mr . Gardner , who all thia

time had been playing prettily and effectively , was then joined by Scurr , our Captain , and the game progressed . Runs came apace , Scurr offering a skilful defence , and Mr . Gardner bitting in all directions , when a shooter discomfited the latter , after having made 69 , the hishest score of the day , in 1 hour 35 minutes . Clemence followed Mr . Gardner in and out . J . B . White then partnered Scurr , and . bitting ia good form , rapidly pat together 12 , when he wan