Reports Of Lodge Meetings.

not benefitted by this repetitive self-laudation , and ' the intellectual character of the " Freemason " is materially affected . So we hope that all will take in good part what we have thought well to say to-day , and will assist us in our endeavour to raise as far as we can the staple character of

the lodge reports and atter dinner speeches . We are quite sensible of the need and advantage of having good and full reports of lodge meetings , and even of Masonic speeches , pace Mr . Heckethorne but we think there is a via media in all things , and even in this . We

quite agree , that some reports may be too terse and condensed , such as that which announces that " Lodge 2044 met on the 22 nd inst . Present Bros . Jones , Brown , Robinson , & c , & c . Mr . Johnson was balloted for , and being unanimously accepted , was introduced and admitted

into our ancient and honourable fraternity . The lodge being duly closed , the brethren then partook of an excellent banquet , & c . " Between the too diffuse and turgid report , and the report too condensed and technical ( with nothing but the dry bones of Freemasonry , so to say ) , there

is clearly a possibility of a judicious and spirited lodge report , which will give every information to the Order , and yet not weary the reader with needless repetitions , and stereotyped phrases . So we hope to find and to take the golden mean between these two extremes , and if our

brethren will only aid us in the somewhat difficult effort , we doubt not , but that the " Freemason " will still continue to supply full and satisfactory and readable lodge reports , and that graduall y the character of Masonic speeches generally will be raised , not only in the opinion of " outsiders , " but in that of many an intellectual brother of our good old Craft .

The Comparative Cost Of The Boys' School.

THE COMPARATIVE COST OF THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

We don ' t think that much has come of this controversy , or that any good can be gained by continuing it , and so we close it in our columns to-day . The matter is confessedly a difficult one , and requires much careful handling , serious consideration , and impartial statements . It is

idle forany one to jump up and say "The Boys ' School costs so much . I know of a school where the boys are maintained and educated and clothed for £ 20 less than the Boys' School , and it is therefore £ 20 in excess of this school , or that school . " Be it so , even , what then ?

Before we can form any opinion on the merits of the case we must ascertain several things . 1 st . The class of boys educated . 2 nd . The system of education pursued . , 3 rd . The rate of allowed expenditure per head j and , 4 th . What are the special circumstances of the case ? For

the education of boys , orphan boys like the sons of Freemasons , is in itself a somewhat difficult problem , and requires to [ be carefully and cautiously dealt with . It is hopeless to attempt to deal with it as an eleemosynary institution only , or as a pauper school , or to suppose that our

point can be gained by giving a " minimum " instead of a " maximum " of education , or of anything else . Just now all such institutions are in danger of being gravely affected b y quacks and charlatans , by those who have never made scholastic work their study , or by those who take

a hard and fast line on the subject , and treating the boys like a set of machines , say " given a certain amount of money , the strictly necessary expenses ought onl y to be so much per head . " Such a line of reasoning may have done in years ago ; it can avail no longer . The general

advance of education is so great , and will be greater , that it is positively childish for any one to attempt to lay down one rigid level of expense , and maintenance , and instruction . In some orphan institutions , indeed , where the class is special , and the inmates

are many , it is possible , perhaps , by strict sumptuary arrangements , to reduce the expenses , but then in those cases we always find that much depends on the dietary prescribed . Some institutions do not give meat to the children more

than three or four days a week , it is said , some not even so often . Therefore each institution must be judged by its own merits , and its own work and ondition , and it is most absurd to suppose that any one in the world can fix an

The Comparative Cost Of The Boys' School.

arbitrary amount , and say that figure represents moderation and economy—beyond , waste and extravagance ; and that all schools in excess of such amount ought to be reduced to the expenditure per head of the schools where the average is of the amount specified . The Freemasons' Boys '

School , owing to its contrasted classes of orphans , renders every such suggestion utterly inadvisable and impossible , and we have every reason to believe that the dietary of the school has been formed in a liberal spirit , and we know with the best results to the health of the inmates . Bro .

C . Pegler , of Leeds , who has entered the lists on the hobby-horse of economy , in his last letter , we fear , will have not strengthened his position in the eyes ofthe metropolitan brethren or the Craft at large , because it must be patent to all , that his entire argument rests on two great

fallacies . First he takes certain institutions , and says their average is so and so , the average of the Boys' School is much higher , and if the amount of the Boys' School expenditure be reduced to this lower average , nearly double the number of boys can be educated . But the "fallacies are these . He assumes that all the schools

are on a similar level in everything , whereas , as we said before , not only must every institution be considered on its own merits and character , but the Freemasons' Boys' School has a special character of its own , which requires a special treatment . And he ( Bro . Pegler )

goes oh to say , what must have made many brethren smile , for he gravely contends that living is cheaper in London than in the provinces , ' and thirdly , that the schools can be provided from wholesale houses , in grocery , butchers ' meat , and flour . If Bro . Pegler really thinks it is cheaper to live in London than in the provinces ,

we recommend him to come and Jive in London for twelve months , and we will undertake to say from personal experience , that at the end of that period his house expenses in London will exceed 35 per cent , those in Leeds . But in most cases , as a rule , contracts cannot be made by institutions like the Boys' School with wholesale houses . Contracts can be made with retail

houses , and are made , but we have never heard of the former arrangement , and do not believe it exists , or could practicall y be worked . The matter here rests , and must rest where it is . Bro . Binckes has conclusively shown that the argument of the West Yorkshire Charity Committee

of 1868 still holds good , and that the averages they gave then fairly re-present the averages of 1875 , and that on the whole the Boys' School does not suffer by the comparison . We give Bro . Pegler credit for being wishful to make our means go as far as they can , but we venture , in all respect to him , to express our humble opinion

that his argument is fallacious , and his comp laints are groundless . We believe that every economy is practised in the management ofthe Boys' School , consistent with the objects of the institution , namely , the health of the pupils , good education , and comfortable clothing and maintenance .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We Jo not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving ortheopiuion ; expressed by our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit ol fair play lo all , lo permit—within certain necessary limits—I ' rce discussion . — liu . ]

MASONIC "" ORBEARANCE . To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — In reference to a letter in your paper of to-day , headed " Masonic I ' oibearance , " I am much grieved , on reading it , to find that I am accused of having bullied

( a very harsh expression , and quite foreign to my character ) a brother , as it states , for taking my apron , etc ., home , instead of giving it up , on finding it , to the proper authorities . On my attending my lodge on thc following Thursday , after losing it , 1 had a letter handed to me by thc Secretary , stating that on applying in Cheapside I could

obtain my property . On calling there , I can most positively assert that I thanked the finder two or three times , at thc same time telling him that he had laid himself open to be prosecuted for taking it away , and that I had been put to a great deal of trouble , and had been in communication with the general manager at King ' s Cross , and for

saying this I am accused of gross incivility . On recovering what I had lost 1 immediately wrote to the railway to that effect , stating how I obtained it . If they took further steps , owing to his kindness , I am very sorry that he should have been further troubled . I was not aware until to-day that lie was a brother , for I did not recognise him , nor he me . though I must liave travelled with him

Original Correspondence.

from Wood Green , being one of the five , and also a member of 1183 , and the question was asked at my lodge if the writer was a Mason , and the Secretary stated , from the wording he should say not . I am sure , on reflection , he will remember that I only treated him as one gentleman would another , and that our next meeting will be in a friendly spirit . I enclose my card . Yours faithfully and fraternally , JUSTICE .

CAN A TYLER VOTE ? To the Editor of the Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — A question was asked by Bro . S . C . H . in your number of the 25 th December , IS , in reference to the right of the Tyler to vote for a member of the lodge when proposed as Master , or for any other purpose ; and Bro .

S . C . H . does me the honour to quote a passage from my article " Ballot" in the Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia , p . 65 , in which occurs the" [ following expression : — "The Tyler ( who is not necessarily a member of the lodge , and in the case of payment for his services , has no vote ) . " In almost

every lodge the Tyler is a paid officer , and attends professionally as such upon many lodges , making a legitimate source of profit of his Masonic abilities , hence it would seem clear that he is not necessarily a member of the lodge he attends , and the money payment makes this still more clear .

It may so happen in the lodge to which Bro . S . C . H . belongs that the Tyler prefers to subscribe , and I honour the feeling which actuates him to do so , in which case , like any other subscribing member he would have thc right of voting , but in exercise it would become necessary for him to delegate his duties to some other brother , and hence cease , while recording his vote , to be Tyler , and become a

simple subscribing member . I consulted the Grand Secretary on points in connection with this , and he bears out thc view I have ventured to print . The Grand Tyler , he informs me , is scarcely considered a Grand Officer , and from his situation and duties whether as Grand Tyler or Tyler of a private lodge , it is impossible for him to take part in discussions , and , if he

cannot do this , his vote , even if it were conceded to him as such , would not be of much avail . Wishing you a happy new year , I remain , dear Sir and Brother , yours very fraternally , KENNETH , R . II . MACKENZIE , ( Cryptonymus ) , Editor of the Royal Masonic Cyclopa-dia . Chiswick-sq ., W . 28 th Dec . 18

75-[ We adhere to our opinion , notwithstanding the great authority of our excellent Grand Secretary , quoted by Bro . Mackenzie . A Tyler who is a subscribing member of a lodge , ( not having been initiated in it as a serving brother ) , is entitled by the provisions of the Book of Constitutions to vote , and nothing can take away his right . How he is to vote is simply a matter of detail . The case of the Grand Tyler is not analogous . —ED . ]

THE VATICAN AND PHYSICS * Wc take this striking proof of Ultramontane intolerance from thc " Times" of the 18 th ult . : — Sir , —A learned French friend has favoured mc with a copy of a letter recently published in France , and bearing the following title , — " Letter of Monsignor the Bishop ot

Montpellier to the Deans and Professors oi the l ' aculiies of Montpellier . " Its date is the Sth of the month of December , 1875 . One or two extracts from it may not be withont their value to the people of England and of America , on whom , in our day , has fallen the problem of education 1 relation to the claims of Rome . The Bishop writes to the Deans and Professors

aforesaid : — " Now , gentlemen , the holy Church holds herself to be invested with the absolute right to teach mankind j she holds herself to be the depositary of the truth—not a fragmentary truth , incomplete , a mixture of certainty and hesitation , but the total truth , complete , from a religious point of view . Much more , she is so sure of the

infallibility conferred upon her by her Divine founder , as the magnificent dowry of their indissoluble alliance , that even hi the natural order of things , scientific or pliilosophic . il , moral or political , she will not admit that a system can b : adopted and sustained by Christians , if it contradict definite dogmas . She considers that the voluntary and obstinate denial of a single point of her doctrine involves th .:

crime of heresy , and she holds that all formal heresy , if it be not courageously rejected prior to appearing brfme God , carries with it the certain loss of grace and of eternity . " As defined by Pope Leo X . at the Sixth Council of ihe Lateran , 'Truth cannot contradict itself ; consequently , every assertion contrary to a revealed verity of faith is

necessarily and absolutely false . ' It follows from thi * , without entering into thc examination of this or that question of physiology , but solely by the certitude of ojr dogmas , we are able to pronounce judgment t . n any hypothesis which is an anti-Christian cngir . ' ' war rather than a serious conquest over thc secrets ' -4 mysteries cf human nature . "

Liberty is a fine woid , tyranny a hateful one , and both have been eloquently employed of late in reference to thi dealings of the secular arm with the pretensions of tlu Vatican . But " liberty " has two mutually exclusive meanings—the liberty of Rome to teach mankind , and the liberty of the human race . Neither reconcilement nor

compiomise is possible here . One liberty or the other must go down . This , in our day , is thc " conflict" so impressively described by Draper , in which every thoughtful man must take a part . There is no dimness in the eyes of Rome as regards her own aims ; she sees with a clearness unapproached by others that the school will be either her stay or her ruin . Hence the supreme effort she is now making