Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Law 24 , every Steward at the Centenary Festival shall be entitled to Premium Votes in proportion to his personal donation , as follows , viz .: —Two in consideration of the first 10 Guineas , and one for every five guineas beyond that sum . " 6 . "That for the purpose ot the Centenary Festival , Clause 3 of Law 24 there

be suspended , and that in lieu of the ' List' Votes conferred - under , every Steward at this Festival shall be entitled to two Premium Votes for every 20 guineas on the gross total of his List . ' 7 . " That in the case of Annual Subscriptions commenced on the List of a Steward at the Centenary Festival , and continued at intervals of not less than 12 months , the completion of every six guineas so subscribed shall entitle the contributor to all the privileges of a

£ 5 5 s ., paid in one sum , notwithstanding he shall have received Votes as an Annual Subscriber in the meantime . " S . " That the * Centenary ' Premium Votes be so distinguished yearly in the printed List of Subscribers . " 9 . " That application be made for permission to wear the Stewards' Badge as a Centenary jewel in perpetuity , and that it be of a special design selected for the occasion , to be submitted to the G . D . of C , and approved of by the M . W . the Grand Master . "

By Bro . FRANK R ICHARDSON , P . G . D ., Patron" That , in consequence of the death of Florence A . Weber , one further Vacancy be declared for this Election , making 16 in all . " The Committee then recommended to the Quarterly Court an additional vacancy at the October election , created by the death of Florence A . Weber . A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings .

Old Warrants.—Ii.

OLD WARRANTS . —II .

BY BRO . W . J . HUGHAN . The oldest orig inal warrant preserved that was issued by the Grand Lodge of England is that of No . 39 , Exeter , and is dated nth July , 1732 . It is a remarkable fact that the seal thereon—as with some others I shall

mention hereafter—bears the extraordinary motto— " In the beginning was the Word " ( in Greek ) , the " arms " else being the same as those adopted by that Grand Lodge . Tlieie may have been a number on the document , but I think not . Its measurement is 15 inches by 12 . COPY OF THE WARRANT OF "ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST'S" LODGE ,

No . 39 , EXETER . P ' ontague , « 9 . gt . 0 02 > mting . T * sfT % HEREAS , a Petition has been presented to us , and signed & jLljj by several Brethren residing in and about the City of Exeter , W ' ar * humbly praying that they may be constituted into a regular Lodge .

THESE are therefore to Impower and lAuthorize ' our IRight Worshipful and wellbeloved Brethren , John Bury , Esq ., and Mr . Thomas Jeffreys , or either of them , to convene our Brethren at Exeter , aforesaid , who have signed the said Petition ; and that the sa'd John Bury , I'sq ., or Mr . Thnmas Jeffreys , do , in our place and stead , Constitute a regular Lodce in due form ( they the said John Bury , E * q ., and Mr . Thomas Jeffreys taking special care that they and every of them have been regularly made

M-isnns ) , with like Privileges as all other regular Lodges do enjoy ; and that they be required to conform themselves to all and every ihe Regulations contained in the printed Book of Constitutions , and observe such other Rules and Instructions as shall from time to time be transmitted to them by us , or Thomas Batson , Esq ., our Deputy Grand Master , or the Grand Master , or his Deputy , for the time being : And that they do send

to us , or our Deputv , a List of the Members of their Lodge , toeether with the Rules agreed on to be by ihem observed , to the end they may be entrid in the Grand Lodge Book . And upon the due execution of this our Deputation , the said John Bury , Esq ., or Mr . Thomas Jerffeys , is hereby required to transmitt to us , or our said Deputy , a Certificate , under both or either of their hands , of the time and place ol such Constitution , In order that it may be entered in the Book of regular Lodges .

GIVEN under our hand and Seal of Office , this Eleventh day of July , 1732 , and in the Year of Masonry , 5732 . SJliH . Ucib-, Secretary . By the Grand Master's Command . £ ljos . gatsoir , _ D . < S . || T . ( later . _? ooht , "\ > G . Wardens . I ' it . JSmnilie , )

The first minutes of the lodge are lost , unfortunately , but so early as December 27 , 1736 , it is noted in Grand Lodge Records as follows : " The curious By Laws of the Lodge at Exeter were publickly read and applauded , and a Letter of thanks was order'd to be sent to them for their handsome beneficence to the General Charity . " *

The first number was 97 , but it has had nine in all , its present No . being 39 , in other words junior to the old Lodge at Bolton , which is now No . 37 , though the Charter—also happily preserved—is dated October 23 rd , 1732 . Thi 3 precious document will form No . 3 of the series . Those familiar with Bro . Lane ' s "Masonic Records , " will be aware why such is the case , but for the information of those not so iavoured , I may state that the present No , 37 was originally 105 on the Roll , whereas the Lodge at Exeter was 97 . In

1754 the latter was erased , but was restored in 1759 , being placed at the bottom of the List , the new numeration in 1770 witnessing its reinstatement in almost due chronological order . I have always felt very sorry as a Devonshire Freemason , that our oldest lodge in the county fell through for these four years . Its partner , at Bolton , however , has continued on the Roll from 1732 to the present year , as its historians , Bros . Brockbank and Newton have proved . Bro . Lane cites some 20 places of meeting at Exeter from 1732 , when the " New Inn" was selected for the purpose .

It is now located at the Freemasons Hall , Gandy-street , and is well supported by many of the most enthusiastic Masons in the county , though it i > not always so much to the front as some of us would like , as the Mother Lodge of the Province . Its Centenary Jewel is of special design , and is repiesentative of the name of the lodge , viz ., "St . John the Baptist . " The warrant for this distinctive privilege was issued on 9 th May . 1864 .

The oldest records preserved begin on January 14 th , 1777 , and refer to the Third Degree , it being the custom for the minutes of the Master Masons ' Lodges to be kept distinct from those of the ordinary lodge , just as with others that I have met with in this country . The Summonses now issued by the lodge are in part from the same plate as the members were notified ol their duties so earl y as December i 6 th , 1764 . It has a representation of "Solomon ' s Temple , " within an oval

Old Warrants.—Ii.

and the Arms of the Grand Lodge ( without Supporters and Motto ) with other appropriate features , The remainder of the trio of the old lodges in Devonshire were chartered at Plymouth in 1748 , the senior of the two meeting originally at the " Bishop's Head , " ( or " Pope ' s Head , " Bro . Lane suggests ) , aftewards known as the "Prince George Lodge , " in which H . R . H . the Duke of Clarence was initiated ; and the junior assembled at the " Mitre , " but its career was brief and uneventful , so far as we know .

The History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls

THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS

FROM ITS ORIGIN , 1788 , TO ITS CENTENARY , 1888 . Curiously enough , one of the great difficulties which the authorities had to contend with in their endeavours to maintain disci pline and order in the School was caused b y the visits and interference of the children ' s relations and friends . Instances of the annoyance and

even scandal thus caused are to be found from time to time in the minutes . Thus a Special House Committee was summoned in August 1798 , owing to an entry in the Visitors' Book by one T . Kegan , describing himself as a surgeon in the Royal Navy , who alleged that he had found his sister to be " every thing but a Prisoner in Irons . " The

Matron explained what had occurred at the visit to the satisfaction of the Committee , and orders were consequentl y given that Mr . Kegan , in the event of his again presenting himself , should not be admitted . In October , 1805 , an attempt was made b y the mother of a girl , assisted by a male relative , to remove her child by force , and

the disturbance was such as to cause a crowd to assemble . Fortunately , the House Committee were sitting at the time , and were able to prevent the removal ; but ultimatel y the girl was given up to her mother , the money payment for her maintenance during the time she had been in the Institution , as required by a laAv of 1794 , havino '

been made . On another occasion a father complained of the indifferent character of the education his daughter received , and he was allowed to remove her . However , the Committee protected themselves to the best of their ability against these acts of interference by passing resolutions restricting the ri ght of visiting , and as time went on , and the

character of the Institution became better understood and appreciated , their efforts proved successful , and they were able to conduct the School in their own fashion . But it is impossible to note these frequent evidences of difficulties thus caused without coming to the conclusion that men of inferior social standing had no difficulty in

obtaining admission into our Society—a conclusion which is amply confirmed by the fact that a large proportion of the children on leaving were apprenticed as domestic servants , and there is little

doubt that the change which has since taken place , from a Charity School , in the most uncomplimentary sense of the expression , to a Middle-class School of high standing is due principally to the improved status of those who are now received into Masonry .

In 1802 , owing to the increase m the number of children , it was considered expedient that an Assistant Matron should be appointed , and a Mrs . Crook , who was hi ghly recommended by the Governor of St . Pancras School , was chosen to fill the office , and a series of rules for the management of the School , under the new regime ,

was drawn np . That such additional assistance had become a necessity must have been obvious for some time time prior to its being obtained , but we imagine the immediate consequences of this step must have had a disturbing effect on the minds of the Committee . Mrs . Crook entered on her duties on the 25 th of

March , and on the 3 rd April a Special Meeting of the House Committee was held for the purpose of inquiring into what for a Girls' School must be regarded as a general rebellion . It is hardly worth while stopping to inquire whether this disturbance was due to laxit y of rule on the part of Mrs . Lovekin , the Matron , or

to excessive strictness on the part of Mrs . Crook . It is enough that 011 the appearance of the latter as occupant of the newly created office a spirit of insubordination manifested itself throughout the whole School , and even the intervention of a member of the House Committee was found insufficient to bring the girls to a sense of their

duty , nor was it till nearly a month had elapsed that ' the Assistant Matron felf herself justified in reporting that the conduct of the g irls had improved materially . One of the servants , who , it in evident , had had much to do with promoting disorder , was summarily dismissed , while the children were deprived of their usual Festival dinner in consequence of their misconduct . It was further resolved

that m future onl y two persons should be permitted to visit a child , and then onl y after obtaining the sanction in -writing of one of the House Committee . These and the other measures adopted had the desired effect , and it was very long after all ere Mrs . Crook was able to report to the Committees that once again order reigned in St . George ' s

Fields . It is probable that this event must have shaken the confidence of the authorities in Mrs . Lovekin . It is certain that after its occurrence she more than once fell into something like disrepute with them . The gratuity which before had been annuall y awarded to her was once deferred , and on another occasion withheld altogether . She

was also found irregular in paying into the Treasurer ' s hands the money received for the children ' s work , and a stringent rule was passed requiring her to pay it over monthly . However , she retained

her office till the last , and died of paralysis , but not in such " odour of sanctit y" as mi ght have been perhaps , on the 13 th July , 1 807 > a ter a service of 15 years . She was succeeded by Mrs . Crook , Avhile Elizabeth Jack—who had been educated in the School—was elected Assistant Matron . { To be continued . )