An Irish Centenary.

AN IRISH CENTENARY .

WITH the heartiest feelings of Fraternal regard we add our congratulations to the many already showered upon the Freemasons of Ireland , who , for some days past , have been celebrating the

Centenary of the Dublin Masonic Female Orphan School , and have been actively engaged in securing funds to specially mark so important an event in their Masonic career . The result of the efforts made in this direction has been eminently satisfactory , it being estimated that upwards of ^ 20 , 000 has been secured in connection with the various movements

inaugurated to celebrate the event , while many sources of probable incomo are still open , with every prospect of large additions being made to the handsome totals of the present . Indeed , it is safe to say

that by the time the festivities are ended , and their accounts mado up , the Orphan School of our brethren . in the Sister Isle will be in a much better position than even its best friends now deem possible , although , as we have said , there is actual evidence in existence to show that something like , £ 20 , 000 is already available .

One of the principal features arranged in connection with the celebration was a bazaar and fancy fair in the grounds of the Institution at Ball ' s Bridge , Dublin , for which tho most liberal and influential patronage was secured , and to which the

Craft of Ireland owes much of the success of which its members are now so justly proud . But for months past arrangements have been in progress and entertainments have been organised with a view of aiding the good cause , which , as we have said , has already reaped a splendid harvest , and may yet receive very much mdvfi .

We gather from an interesting work , compiled in connection with the Centenary , by Brother Thomas Stuart , of Lodgo 125 , that the main object of celebration was to raise a capital fund , the interest of which COUld 1 ) 0 annlied to lioln dpsflvvinor vmnils in mmlifV

themselves for callings and situations which would enable them to secure independence . The school maintains the children until the age of sixteen years ; which limit could not be extended without reducing the number of admissions , and nrovidinff a coatlv

course of instruction for elder pupils . Our Irish brethren fully recognised the great and lasting advantages to be secured by help judiciously given during the two or three critical years after leaving school , and set themselves to work to render the help possible , but they did not confine their Centenary

operations to the carrying out of this one schemethat they made their first aim , but they also reserved power HI promoting the fielfihvi > .+. inTis tn ™ rnnl 0 +. o ihe

lnfarmary of the Institution , build a drill hall and day joom , and complete some other ^ needful improvements . Let us hope the eminently successful result 2 JSknn % " . ? tliei ^ ^ carry out all , or neaiiy an of their wishes .

An Irish Centenary.

The brethren who promoted this year's bazaar had before them a record which was magnificent in itself and very hard to beat , for in 1882 a grand bazaar was organised ancl proved to be the greatest success of its kind ever held in Dublin , no less than - £ 6 , 601 8 s 7 d being available on that occasion after all expenses had

been paid , which sum was expenciea m lurmshmg the then existing homo , and freeing it from various responsibilities . But the brethren of to-day were desirous of beating the record , and we have shown how they succeeded . They have not , however , yet exhausted all their efforts , for it is intended to re-open the Bazaar during the summer in Belfast , and a second great success will then be attempted , with , it is to be honed , eouallv satisfactory results .

In one respect , at least , this Masonic bazaar has made for itself a reputation which will be associated with it for many a long year—the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin having written a letter in which he warned all true Catholics that they would incur the displeasure of the Church if they in any wayassociated themselves with the celebration , or even if t . lip . v attfi-ndfid n . nv of the festivities arranged in con-¦" *" ¦" ¦ ¦¦» " - ¦¦

v" —^ ** " * - ' **" - " , ; •*"_*» nection with it . "Wc believe it was pretty generally believed that the opposition of the Papacy to Freemasonry was quietly dying out , and that no notice would be taken if Catholics chose to join the Order , but this opinion has been shattered , and we must now real most atreci

recognise that there is a ana . severe n existing amongst the Papal priests against the Masonic Order . The letter of the Dublin Archbishop , which we append , can hardly have been issued without the knowledge and sanction of the heads of the Romish Church , and it displays such an amount of animus as should at once convince the observer

that there is no quarter to be expected m that direction . Happily the fulmiriation had little or no effect on the general results , the section of

the community who suffered the most probably being the catholics themselves , who , if true to their faith , had to stay away from an enjoyable series of entertainments . The letter has , however , engendered a spirit of retaliation which may make itself severely

felt on the Catholic Charity Funds ; for many Protestants—un-associated with Freemasonry as well as members of the Order—have determined to discontinue their contributions to Catholic charities , for which , as is well known , the people of Dublin are frequently appealed to . Whatever may be said of the merits or demerits of the antipathy of the Church of Kome to Freemasonry there seems no excuse for such

contemptible action on the part of its leaders as to forbid the members to help the widow and the orphan , guch bigoted intolerence is nothing to be proud of , and must convince many of the slender hold the

Church has upon its followers , else it would not need such grave penalties being imposed for such small offences . Happily for the Catholic charities , Freemasonry knows no such intolerance , and it will be something new to Freemasonry if any considerable