R. M. I. Boys.

R . M . I . BOYS .

WE have much pleasure in announcing that His Eoyal Highness the Duke of Gonnaught , K . G ., Most Worshipful Past Grand Master -will perform the ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone of the new Schools of this Institution , now in

course of erection at Bushey , on Saturday , 12 th May next . The ceremony will be performed with Masonic honours , and the Duke of Gonnaught will act on behalf of H . E . H . the Prince of Wales G . M . of England and President of the Boys School .

Charity In East Lancashire.

CHARITY IN EAST LANCASHIRE .

A MEETING of the Provincial Grand Lodge Charity Committee was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Manchester , on Friday , 16 th inst ., Bro . C . T > . Cheetham P . M . 993 P . P . G . W . Chairman .

The meeting was called to consider and determine what measures should be adopted with the view of promoting the election of candidates from this Province for the ensuing elections of the various Metropolitan Masonic Institutions .

• It was decided that the names of two Brethren , aged respectively 73 years and 62 years , should be placed on tha list , and that the name of another Brother , aged 71 years , should be

adopted , and placed on the list upon a future occasion . The cases of two girls , aged respectively 8 years and 3 months , and 9 years and 3 months , were also adopted for the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls .

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman were re-elected , and various Committees appointed . In connection with the Elections Committee , formed to attend the elections of candidates on the Metropolitan Masonic

Institutions , Bro . Cheetham made a powerful appeal to the Charity Eepresentatives present to see that their Lodge voting papers were sent into the office of the Provincial Grand Secretary ( 2 Cooper Street , Manchester ) without delay . Former neglect of this duty had caused the loss of a considerable number of votes .

Dublin Female Orphan School.

DUBLIN FEMALE ORPHAN SCHOOL .

THE Governors of the Masonic Female Orphan School of Ireland have issued their report concerning the work that has been carried on at the Ball ' s Bridge Institution during the year 1899 . The educational system has been attended with great success . Throughout the year the number of pupils has been

maintained at one hundred and four . During the year fifteen girls left ; twelve new pupils were admitted at the June election , and three in December ; fifteen out-going and nine former pupils received assistance from the Centenary Fund , and thus one hundred and twenty-eight orphans ¦ received benefit from the Charity within the year .

The total ordinary income for the year amounted to £ 2 , 407 lis 4 d , a decrease of £ 220 8 s 7 d , and the total ordinary expenditure amounted to £ 2 , 381 8 s , an increase of £ 81 lis 7 d , as compared with 1898 . The special receipts enabled the Governors to close with a balance in hand , but no addition has been made to investments . It is to be regretted that subscriptions for the year

show a falling off in every class compared with 1898 . Of course this may be accounted for by the unusual demands made on the charity of the community during the year , but the Masonic Order in Ireland has greatly advanced , and is rapidly advancing , in numbers and in resources , and the subscription list ought to

advance also . The advance of the Order has brought a corresponding increase in the call upon its Charities , and a proportionate response should follow . There are children from every Masonic Province in Ireland in the School , including thirty-five orphans of Governors .

Efficiency and economy continue to mark the management in every department . The total school expenditure for 1899 amounted to £ 2 , 154 5 s 8 d , and the total office expenditure to £ 227 2 s 4 d . The average cost of boarding , lodging , clothing , educating , and maintaining each pupil resident in the School

throughout the year was £ 20 14 s 4 d , and for that sum everything required for the health , comfort , and education of the children was abundantly supplied . But no exceptional expense was incurred during 1899 , and the expenditure will necessaril y be higher when large items , such as structural repairs , painting , supplies of out-door clothing , and the like , have to be met .

The invested capital of the Centenary Fund amounts to £ 15 , 291 13 s , and produces a permanent income of £ 581 4 s lOd . The residue of this income for the past four years , after providing for the late Matron's pension , and for the outgoing pupils , has been carried to the Capital Account , which has borne " the cost of completing and enlarging the infirmary and dormitories , erecting the libraiy and Centenary Hall , reconstructing the drainage

Dublin Female Orphan School.

system , furnishing the new and additional buildings , and supplying requisites for the enlarged School . The educational results for 1899 have been remarkably good Thirty pupils were prepared for the Intermediate examinations .

and twenty-eight passed . Honour marks were obtained in , English , French , German , Arithmetic , Euclid , Algebra , Drawing , Music , Domestic Economy and Shorthand . " In the Junior Grade , Marion Vance obtained an exhibition of £ 20 .

The successes at the examinations in Eeligious Knowledge were most satisfactory . At the examination for the Intermediate Schools of all Ireland , held by the Board of Eeligious Education of the General Synod , sixty-three entered and all passed . Of these forty-five were awarded prizes . At the Presbyterian

examinations , ten pupils presented themselves , and all passed , gaining two first and two second prizes . Fifteen pupils were prepared for the Trinity College , London , Music examination ; twelve passed . The School was reported . by the : Science and Art Department as " Good . " The annual School examinations were

satisfactorily held at Easter . It is to be regretted that , owing to the prevalence of illness in Dublin , no public distribution of prizes could prudently be held . The health of the School generally was good throughout the year , but there were six cases of serious illness among the pupils and staff .

Masonry In Ladysmith.

MASONRY IN LADYSMITH .

IT may be of interest to our readers to be informed of a recent ceremony , that took place on Wednesday , 30 th September , in Ladysmith . One can hardly realise the peaceful ceremony of the Craft in laying the foundation stone of a Masonic Temple of peace and good will , and in a little more than a month of an

invading army hurling weapons of destruction at a peace-loving community . The sympathies of the Craft are with the Brethren in their defence of their homes from the ruthless invader . The meeting of the District Grand Lodge was the occasion on which the ceremony took place .

The District G . M . said he would not detain the Brethren by a'long address , as they had a very interesting and important ceremony to perform , viz ., the laying of the foundation stone of a new Masonic Temple for the Brethren in Ladysmith . He would

content himself by saying that perfect harmony existed throughout the District , and that Masonry was progressing to his entire satisfaction , and that only within the last few days he had received an application for a Warrant for a Lodge in Basutoland . He would , therefore , proceed to lay the foundation stone .

The acting G . D . D . C . then marshalled the Brethren , and they marched in procession to the site of the Temple ; arriving there , the beautiful ceremony was most impressively carried out . The ceremony was brought to a close by the singing of " God

save the Queen , " which the goodly number of spectators who had assembled to see this interesting ceremony performed loyally joined in . At this critical time , it was most noteworthy the hearty way it was sung by all , especially the words , " Send her victorious . "

The Brethren having formed up in reverse order , returned to the Lodge room , when District Grand Lodge was duly closed . Exchange .

A Temple Of Peace.

A TEMPLE OF PEACE .

A FBEEMASONS Lodge is a temple of peace , harmony and Brotherly love . Nothing is allowed to enter which has the most remote tendency to disturb the quietude of its pursuits . A calm inquiry into the beauty and wisdom of virtue , and the study of moral geometry may be prosecuted without excitement , and they constitute the chief employments within the tyled

recesses of the Lodge . The lessons of virtue which proceed from the E ., like rays of brilliant light streaming from the rising sun , illuminate the W . and the S ., and as the work proceeds are carefully imbibed by the Brethren . Thus , while Wisdom contrives the plan and instructs the Craftsmen , Strength lends

its able support to the moral fabric , and Beauty adorns it with curious and cunning workmanship . All of this is accomplished without the use of either axe , hammer , or any other tool of brass or iron within the precinct of our temple , to disturb the perfect sanctity of that holy place . —Old Masonic Lecture .

It is too frequently the case that men seriously declare upon their honour that , uninfluenced by mercenary motives , they freely and voluntarily offer themselves for the mysteries of Freemasonry , when , as a matter of fact , in their " heart of hearts "

they know it is the prospective dollar that prompts them , and when they find that it does not work out that way , they are not slow to say , " Masonry is not what I thought it was , " and the disgust which follows generally causes them to dimit or be r < fired . "—Bun F . Price .