West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

" ¦ their advancement in business , or professional avocation , " to which the reports allude . The one great defect in both systems , is the want of general supervision , and we do not quite

see or understand how the West Lancashire brethren test or gauge the value and quality o f the education given and received . But having said this , we cannot but highly

commend them for this striking and successful evidence of their active appreciation of the great principles of Freemasonry , and of their laudable efforts to advance the causeof education generally ,

especially for those , who , by the visitation of Providence , have been deprived alike of the great blessing of parental control , and too often of

the means of receiving the greatest of all helps to man , the inestimable privilege of a good and a sound education .

Masonic Halls.

MASONIC HALLS .

We give , in another column , a detailed occount of the New Surrey Masonic Hall , and of the buildings contemplated and already in progress .

We are very glad to hear of a fresh attempt to raise up Masonic Homes for our brethren , and we trust that the undertaking will receive the liberal patronage and hearty support of the Craft .

For some time past , the movement has been happily spreading amongst us , of raising at no little cost , and with great architectural skill those many handsome "Temples" and "Halls , "

which are found in most of our large towns , and even in sometimes smaller localities . Inourhumble opinion , an opinion we expressed years ago , nothing has so tended to elevate the

status of Masonry amongst us , as the erection of many " stately and superb edifices" as well as many a convenient lodge room , in which our brethren can associate privately , happily , and

peacefully , and in which our ancient ceremonies can be duly and decorously carried out . Some of us who call to mind the attendant circumstances , and accessories of our lodge

meetings and lodge rooms twenty years ago , and note the wonderful difference now , will not be surprised , we think , at the great strides Masonry has recently made , and at the general

contentment and harmony , and social pleasantness , and befitting hours which now almost universally distinguish our lodge gatherings . May this state of things continue

rather , may it increase , and may we seek always to encourage every eftbrt , made by the intelligent and energetic of our Order , to supply to Freemasonry the means of regular assembly , in

buildings which are a credit to the Craft , and honourable to the Brotherhood . We hope to hear , that , this new undertaking has received full and substantial support from our worthy and progressing Order .

Every additional Masonic Temple we raise is another proof of the extending influences and expanding power of Freemasonry , and another

guarantee of social order , harmony , and peace , and the spread of general enlightenment and t oleration . So let us encourage all such efforts , and aid all such enterprises , whenever they come before

Masonic Halls.

us , with fraternal symrjathy and support . The words of the poet seem to close appropriately this short article . " Build , that these walls to future venerations

Your strength , your skill , your faithfulness may tell ; That all may say , as storms and centuries test them , ' The men of old built well ! built well !'

Thus ever speaks the Great Master ^ Builder to us , Where ' er our journey work may be , Whate ' er the toil , the season , or the structure ; ' Build well ! build well ! build worthily !'

Weekly Summary.

WEEKLY SUMMARY .

Her Majesty is at Windsor Castle , but leaves for Osborne , for Easter , this week . Their Royal Hig hnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales go to Sandringham for Easter , also , this week . The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have been at Windsor Castle .

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales , the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh , and Prince Leopold , attended by Lady Macclesfield and Lady Frances Baillie , General Probyn , Captain Ramsay , M . Kaloshine , and Mr . Collins , were present at the performance

of the Messiah b y the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society last evening . The boat race between Cambridge and Oxford on Saturday last has been decided in favour of Cambridge by about three lengths , after plucky rowing by Oxford . Great crowds assembled as usual to cheer the dark and light blues .

It is announced that her Majesty intends to confer on Sir Garnet Wolseley a Baronetcy and a pension of £ 1000 a year for two lives . Sir Garnet will also be promoted to the rank of Maior-General , and will receive the Grand Cross

of the Order of St . Michael and St . George . From a feeling of delicacy ( says the Times ) Sir Garnet has declined the Grand Cross of the Bath , but will be advanced to the dignity of K . C . B .

We hope that Captain Glover will not be forgotten , and that Colonel Festing and the good old "jollies" will receive all befitting notice . There is no finer corps in the service , than that loyal and steady body of men , whose services are greatly distinguished " per mare et terra . ' '

On Monday Her Majesty reviewed in Windsor Park , the regiments which had returned from the Gold Coast . Surrounded by all the Royal Family , and in the presence of the Commanderin-Chief , her Majesty gave to Sir Garnet Wolsely , the insignia of the Bath , and of St .

Michael and St . George . The Victoria Cross was given to Lieut . Lord Gifford , and would have been granted to Sergeant McGaw , 42 nd Highlanders , had he been present . All seems to have gone off admirably at that most interesting spectacle . The votes of thanks to the army and navy

were passed on Monday night , unanimousl y in both houses , and Sir E . Wilmot mentioned another very gallant trait of Col . Festing ' s , as a reason for giving him the V . C . Mr . Disraeli paid an eloquent tribute to the skill ofthe

commander , the energy of Captain Glover , and the gallantry of the troops and sailors . At the annual general meeting , held on March 30 , Sir George Burrows , M . D ., F . R . S ., was reelected President of the College of Physicians .

There is not much more to benoticed at home , except the following daring attempt at burglary near Windsor , during the review on Monday . Taking advantage of the excitement into which Windsor was thrown on Monday , a gang of thieves obtained forcible entrance into the . dwelling house of Mr . W . Beach , Balmoral-villas ,

in the New-road , Clewer , and succeeded in putting together a number of valuable articles , previous to carrying them off . They were surprised , however , by the servant , who had been left in the house , and who gave the alarm . The Metropolitan police , who were on special duty near , hearing her cries , proceeded

Weekly Summary.

to the house , and captured two of the gang , one of whom offered a desperate resistance , and , besides battering the officer who had arrested him about the -head in an exceedingly brutal manner , shot at him five times , the last shot taking effect at the side of the constable ' s face . The thieves having been secured , the officer ' s wounds were attended to at the

Infirmary , and he subsequently recovered so far as to be able to go back to Lonlon . Superintendent Hayes found on the premises several housebreaking implements , including two small jemmies . The men in custody will be brought up on Tuesday before the borough magistrates for examination . It is a very serious matter , this

reappearance of armed burglars . It has been duly announced also in the agony column of the Times , the well-known motto of the Freemasons is " patented "by a secret service agent . Very good of the secret service agent but hardly complimentary to the great Masonic brotherhood at home and abroad .

Marshal Serrano has evidently failed in his attack on the Carlist position , and in all probability , therefore , the fall of Bilbao is imminent , But the "Cosas de Espana" are always very ticklish things , to talk about , and nothing is really certain in that remarkable country , until it is a " fait accompli . "

Lord Rossmore , of the and Life Guards , died on Saturday evening , the 28 th inst ., ofthe effects of his accident .

It appears by a telegram received on Sunday , by Mr . James Gordon Bennett , that the Maboa arrived at Suez at 11 on Saturday , having Mr . Walter Laing and Jacob Wainwright on board ,

with the body of Dr . Livingstone . Hs died , it appears , on May 4 th , 1873 , of chronic dysentery , at a place called Muila , beyond Lake Yemba , in Bisa country . The last entry in his diary is of date April 27 th .

ITEMS OF HOME NEWS . On Wednesday evening , March 25 , the Prince of Wales , accompanied by Prince Christian , pres ded at a dinner at Willis ' s Rooms in aid of the fiunds of the British Orphan Asylum . In attendance were the Marquis of Hamilton ,

General Right Hon . Sir W . Knollys , and Major-General Probyn . The subscriptions announced during the evening amounted to upwards of £ 2 , 400 . The Prince of Wales presided on the 25 th inst ., at Marlborough-house , over a meeting of

the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 . There were also present the Duke of Edinburgh , Prince Arthur , Prince Christian , the Duke of Teck , the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Marquess of Ripen , the Earl of Carnarvon , Sir William Knollys , Sir Bartle E . Frere , Mr . Playfair , Sir

Thomas Bazley , Sir William Anderson , Sir Thomas Biddulph , Sir F . Sandford , Mr . Edgar Bowring , Mr . T . Field Gibson , Mr . Thomas E . Harrison , General Ponsonby , General Probyn , Mr . Cole , and General Scott ( secretary ) . The first flower show ofthe season was held

on Monday , 30 th inst ., at the Royal Botanic Society ' s gardens , Regent ' s Park . Roses , red , white , and yellow , deutzias , clematis , lilac , and many other of our summer favourites were exhibited . The number of specimens entered for prizes was so large that both sides of the

corridor , 200 ft . long , were well filled , and a considerable space at the east end ot the conservatory had to be fitted up for the occasion . Most of the principal nurserymen were represented . Messrs . Veitch contributed a large number

of hyacinths , tulips , and clematis , as well as a collection of orchids and miscellaneous plants . Mr . William Paul sent several boxes of cut roses and camellias , and some hyacinths , & c , in pots . Mr . Williams had also a display of stove plants , & c . A few well-grown though small

camellias from Mr . Lane ' s nursery divided the general attention with the plants of clematis from Mr . Jackman and the deutzias of Mr . Reeves . There were also collections of yellow roses from the garden of Mr . Benham , and

cyclamens from Mr . Little and Mr . Watson , as well as flowers of all kinds from the gardens of many other amateurs . The large Nepal tree rhododendrons are now in full bloom in th * conservatory , and give us some idea of what a sight