Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

THE result of the One Hundred and First Anniversary Festival of this Institution , which was celebrated on Wednesday , comes as a surprise to a great mauy . It was fully anticipated the total of the subscriptions announced on the occasion would be widely different to anything the Craft has become accustomed to in connection with the

Annual Festivals of the three great Masonic Institutions , but it was hardly expected the total would go quite so low as it has done , the actual announcement being £ 5 , 354 . The immense falling off in the amount , as compared with

the totals of recent years , is due to the special efforts made last year in connection with tho Centenary Festival of the Institution , and it is perhaps unfair to consider tbe result of the meeting just held apart from the result

of the corresponding one of last year , for it was universally recognised , as we have said , that the present year would be an exceptional one . So much so is this the case , that we hardly know whether - to regard the

£ 5 , 354 announced on Wednesday as a success or otherwise . Of course we know it is far below what is actually required to carry on the Institution for a single year , bnfc on the other

hand ifc is a large sum to be subscribed by the Craft , in face of what has been done for the Institution during the last eighteen months .

The Festival was presided over by the Rev . C . J Martyn , P . G . Chaplain , Deputy Provincial Grand Master Suffolk , who occupied the chair in tho absence of tho Ut . Hon . Lord Henniker , the chief of the same province ,

who had promised to preside , but who was unfortunately prevented from attending iu consequence of the death of the Dowager Lady Henniker . Elsewhere we give further

particulars of the Festival and of tho various amounts subscribed , from which it will be seen that of the total of £ 5 , 354 15 s , Loudon contributed £ 2 , 979 13 s , and the Provinces £ 2 , 375 2 s .

We do not suppose any difficulty will arise , or thafc any complaint will be made in regard to providing for the current year ' s expenses—so far as tho subscriptions just

announced fail to meet them—from the funds already in the hands of the Institution , providing future yeai-s realise sufficient to provide for their current expenses , but as there is so wide a difference between tho result of

Wednesday ' s Festival and the annnal requirements of tho Charity , somo anxiety is natural as to what will bo the outcome of future appeals . It would be idle to frame any opinion as to what is likely to bo subscribed next year , or

m years to come , on the basis of what has just been done ; hut we cannot help feeling that it will be difficult for the Institution to recover the position it has so long enjoyed in regard to the amount of its annual receipts . We cannot

believe that with the Festival just concluded the special efforts made in connection with the Centenary will be wholly adjusted , and on that account consider it is none too early to begin looking ahead , especially as the Institution

has just undertaken considerable enlargements , which , as a matter of course , must add to the future annual expenses , tinless the additions are to be allowed to remain idle , a condition of affairs far from what is desired .

The Boys' School Inquiry.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL INQUIRY .

WE do not propose to say anything this week in regard , to the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into tho management of the Royal Masonic Institution for Hoj & , as we think ifc best to leave the subject jast as ifc stands in the hands of the Governors and Subscribers , who will consider

the various questions raised at a Special General Court of the Institution , to bo held on Thursday , tho Gth of June , at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen-street , Lincoln ' s inn

Fields , at 12 o ' clock noon . We hope this Spe : ial Court will bo numerously attended , that tho discussions on that occasion will bo freo from mil ice and recrimination , and that such resolutions as may then bo agreed upon will result in lasting benefit to the Institution ,

Washington As A Mason.

WASHINGTON AS A MASON .

THE event of fche pasfc month m fcho city of Nevr York was tho Centennial of the inauguration of Washington ns tho first President of tho United States , and ifc is a fitting occasion to recount tho debt of gratitude the nation owes to its great hero , not only as a great military

chieftain , but equally as a sagacious and far-seeing statesman . So long as liberty has a votary , or Freedom a friend , the name , fame and deeds of Washington shall live .

His great services , and his aid and wisdom in founding and inaugurating a republican government will go down into uncounted ages .

Tho eulogies of Washington havo baen pronounced in every land and in every tongue of the civiliecd world , by tho greatest of orators and the most distinguished of poets . He was the first of soldiers , was likewise the most

exemplary of citizens , and the wisdom which gavo him pre-eminence in the field was equally useful in guiding the ship of state . Now , those who fought for and saved

the-Union see in him not simply the patriot , but tho lofty statesman , with prophetic vision pointing oufc the path of national power , greatness and happiness .

It is conceded that one of the glories of Freemasonry is that the greatest , tho wisest and tho best men of all ages have been enrolled under our banners ; and among tho

honoured names which aro recorded in Masonic annul 4 there is none more high , none moro honoured by our American and foreign Brethren , than that of Washingt . or , The time when he received his first lessons in our I istiti *

tion is fully and accurately authenticated . Washington was born in the year 1732 , and the recorded facts of his Masonic history are to be found in the records of Fredericksburg Lodge in the State of Virginia .

Ho was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on 4 th Nov . 1752 ; advanced to Fellow Craffc on 3 rd March 1753 , and was exalted to the sublime degree of Master Mason

on 4 th August 1753 . This is the record of his entrant e into the Institution . Some years later ho was Master of Alexandria Lodge . After the admission of Washington as a member of our

Fraternity , aud through all his subsequent career , he maintained his connection with our Fraternity , keeping up his Lodge in the tented field , through all tho war of the Revolution , and frequently visiting Lodges in the various cities of our land . He honoured our Fraternity with his