Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

There is still great need for increased class room accommodation , the desirability of which has been fully recognised and considered . The completion of this very essential work has remained in abeyance owing to the want of funds . One of the most important tasks undertaken by this

Committee , vvas the revision of the laws of the Institution , a work ultimately passed by the General Committee , substantially in the form submitted for their approval . By the broader representation created in the managing body of the Institution , it will , doubtless ,

receive from both London and the provinces greater support than heretofore . The Institution is to be congratulated upon the particularly fortunate selection that has been made in the appointment of the principal and other officers of the establishment . The Head Master more than fulfils the

high promise that his previous career led the Committee to hope for . The Assistant Masters are discharging their duty in a satisfactory and loyal manner . The Matron is efficient and careful in her department . With regard to the Secretary of the Institution , vve especially desire to emphasise the peculiar ability and

energy Bro . McLeod has brought to bear in conscientiously discharging the duties of his important office , and to record that we are strongly of opinion that this officer's salary should be increased to £ 400 per annum from the commencement of the year . It will be remembered that at the time of his election it vvas generally felt that the salary then stated vvas inadequate

to allow the Secretary to maintain an equal position with those holding similar appointments . In conclusion , vve earnestly desire to express our cordial appreciation of the manner in vvhich the Craft and the supporters of the Institution have recognised our work as well as the ready manner in vvhich they have from time to time given effect to our recommendations .

By order of the Provisional Management Committee . EUSTON , Chairman . FRED . A . PHILBRICK , Vice-Chairman . RICHARD EVE , Deputy-Chairman . STANLEY ] . ATTENBOROUGH , Hon . Secretary . Wood Green , 20 th March , 1 S 91 .

An "At Home" Of The St. Cecilia Lodge, No. 1636, Brighton.

AN "AT HOME" OF THE ST . CECILIA LODGE , No . 1636 , BRIGHTON .

On Tuesday evening , the 31 st ult ., this lodge gave an " At Home " in the banqueting room vvith the suite of rooms at the Pavilion , Brig hton . The company on arriving were received by the following brethren , vvho acted as Stewards : Bros . D . T . Boslet , W . M . ; W . D . Isworth , I . P . M . ; G . Cole , P . M . ; H . S . Gates , P . M . ;

J . Wood , J . W . ; F . W . Hollands , S . D . ; F . Guy , J . D . E . Mitchell , D . C ; J . Jeffries and F . J . CuIIey , Stwds . J . Sayers , A . Gregory , and H . C . Collins , Sec , and H F . Dovey , I . G ., Hon . Sees . There vvere upwards of 250 ladies and brethren pre sent , and amongst the many visitors vve noticed Bros

V . P . Freeman , P . G . D . ; Alderman A . J . Hawks , L . P . Styer , J . H . Cureton , and George H . Reynolds . The ball was opened by the W . M ., Bro . D . T . Boslet , and his lady in a valse— " For you "—a very appropriate title to welcome what vvas termed a homely gathering of friends to an " At Home . "

The supper was provided by Bro . John Sayers , and gave every satisfaction , and dancing was kept going vvith great spirit till two o ' clock . The company on parting expressed themselves hig hl y delig hted vvith the pleasures of the evening , and great credit vvas given to the brethren ( the Stewards and Committee ) vvho had so kindly exerted themselves to make the " At Home " a

success . Masonic clothing vvas worn by the brethren present , by dispensation from the Prov . Grand Master .

Masonic Lecture By Bro. R. F. Gould; P.G.D.

MASONIC LECTURE BY BRO . R . F . GOULD ; P . G . D .

A lecture vvas given ir . the Starkie Installed Masters Lodge of Instruction , in the Freemasons' Hall , Cooperstreet , Manchester , on Tuesday , the 24 th ult ., by Bro . Robert Freke Gould , P . G . D . England , on " Freemasonry . " Bro . A . Clegg , P . P . J . G . W ., presided . Bro . Gould dealt in the first place with the period from

1717 to 1 S 17 , the year of the formation of the Grand Lodge of England . The formeryear vvas an important one as forming the dividing point between ancient and modern Masonry . It vvas not until the example set in London was followed in Edinburgh in 173 6 that the old system was practically supplanted by the new . This

was a deeply interesting one to all students of the Craft . Freemasonry had come down in two distinct channels , the English and the Scottish one , but ultimately the two became united , and from 173 6 the universality of Freemasonry dated . The Grand Lodge of England vvas designed at first as a governing body for

London and Westminster , but it soon spread , and the Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason soon radiated to all parts of North Britain . In 1717 the iirst Book of Constitutions vvas published , vvhich mentioned only two Degrees—the Entered Apprentice

and Fellow Craft—although later on the Master Mason ' s Degree was recognised , vvith the condition that it should be communicated in Grand Lodge only . The importance of observing the ancient landmarks vvas duly impressed , and while the Grand Lodge would be powerless to dispense with the three Degrees , it

Masonic Lecture By Bro. R. F. Gould; P.G.D.

became an interesting question as to how far they could deal vvith them . The ancient ceremonial was preserved in modern Masonry , and that of Installed Master had also an existence in times equally remote . Between 1717 and the years following , however , there vvas in existence no such Degree . It vvas not adopted by the

motherGrandLodgeof thevvorld until 1 S 10 . Thelecturer however , showed how this could be accounted for by the Grand Lodge ; Grand Lodge Officers only in the first instance performing the ceremony , but afterwards giving authorisations to provincial officers , which would become the constitution or , as they termed it , the

charter of the new lodge . Afterwards the custom fell into disuse . Masters in those early days were elected for three m onths only and vvere installed vvith practically no ceremony . No other recognised Degrees existed . The " fancy " Degrees , such as the Mark , Rose Croix , Knights Templar , were first met with in

connection with French Masonry , and they speedily became the fashion throughout the world and remained so . The great schism vvas healed by the union of the two Grand Lodges in 1 S 13 , but in 1 S 10 it vvas stated that the Installed Master vvas one of the few landmarks of the Craft and ought to be observed . At this union it

vvas decreed that Masonry , consisted of three Degrees , namely , Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Royal Arch . Whether what was called the " Higher Degrees " exercised a . beneficial influence upon Freemasonry or thc reverse vvas not the point . The question must be asked—vvere they Masonic , and vvas there any limit

to the Three Degrees V I he lecturer gave it as his opinion on the authorities he had quoted that the Grand Lodge of England could not add to the Degrees , and that what vvas beyond the power of the Grand Lodge to confer was beyond the power of any other Masons to carry on in a similar manner . Both tbe Royal Arch

and Installed Master were recognised , however , as Masonic in 1813 and in 1817 , and from the facts he had formulated certain conclusions vvhich he hoped would be ratified by those present . At the close Bro . GOULD invited questions , and , in reply to one put by Bro . Sillitoe as to a ceremony common in Lancashire and Yorkshire connected with

the opening of a Board of Installed Masters , he said there was no such ceremony , and that all emergencies could be met by asking all below the rank of installed Master to retire , and seeing that that was done . This ceremony , he added , vvas irregular , and might lead to the impression in cases where brethren came from places where it vvas not carried out , that they vvere not installed Masters .

In answer to other questions , he said that Emulation " working vvas now tacitly recognised by the Grand Master and Grand Officers as a body . At the close a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Bro . Freke Gould for his interesting and instructive address .

The following brethren vvere present -. Bros . Alfred H . Williams , P . M . 2156 , P . G . O . ; R . F . Gould , P . M . 92 , P . G . D . ; E . G . Harwood , P . M . 1723 , P . P . G . W . ; J . Broadbent , P . M . 1 S 68 ; John Booth , P . M . 37 ; A . Ingham , W . M . 2144 , P . P . G . Stwd . Cheshire ; James Milton , W . M . 1868 ; Edwd . Farrar , P . M . 350 ; JamesNewton ,

P . M . 37 , P . P . G . D . ; Jno . Waring , Sec , D . C , P . M . 1134 , P . A . G . Sec . ; Thos . Stopford , P . M . 1077 ; Nathaniel Nicholson , P . M . 1723 ; J . H . Andrew , P . M . 1011 , 2085 ; Richd . Duxbury , P . M . 146 ; F . W . Lean , P . M . 2156 ; A . T . McGregor , P . M . 654 , P . J . G . D . Derby ; E . T . Wagg , P . G . Chap . ; Hy . Dawson , P . M . 1083 , Tyler ;

Abm . Clegg , P . M . 277 ; A . H . Jefferis , 1161 , P . P . G . D . C ; J . H . Dal glish , I . P . M . 1147 , Sec ; Chas . Swinn , I . P . M . 1633 ; J . H . Sillitoe , 648 ; Jas . Cookson , 287 , P . G . Treas . Cheshire ; John Stovold , P . M . 993 ; Arthur Middleton , P . M . 645 ; Abm . Pemberton , P . M . 1030 , P . P . G . D ., D . of C . ; J . E . Radford , I . P . M . 33 6 ; J . D . Murray , P . P . G . D . of C ; and D . Conway , P . M . 152 .

An Oration.

AN ORATION .

The following oration vvas delivered b y Bro . the Rev . R . J . SIMPSON , LL . D ., P . G . Chap ., at the consecration of the Columbia Lodge , No . 2397 , on the 19 th ult .: VV . M . in the chair , Wardens , and Brethren , —This lodge , the Columbia , is to be consecrated to-day under

circumstances of peculiar interest , for it not only adds one more member to our great and world-wide Fraternity , but it is to bear an historical title of great significance , and to aid in strengthening that real union of hearts vvhich should ever be found characteristic of two mighty nations of a kindred race . Let me

say a few words upon a topic naturally suggested by this fact , as well as by the remarkable history and development of the Order to which vve all have the advantage and happiness to belong . Progress is a term used in a variety of senses . The patriot , the orator , the student of art and science , the atheist

the theist , the sceptic , the philosopher , the man of letters , and the F ' reemason , each advocates and professes to rejoice in " progress . " Those vvho attended the last Communication of Grand Lodge will remember the use of this term under very remarkable circumstances . A member of the Grand Lodge of England , vvho is also Deputy Prov . Grand

Master in New Zealand , became Master of a lodge which , though established in a British colony , and under the English Masonic Constitution , violated its allegiance , repudiated its honourable relationship , and affiliated itself to a foreign Grand Lodge which had expunged the sacred name of the Deity from its charter and was therefore excommunicated by the Grand Lodge of England . The reason given by those Masons

An Oration.

for taking such an unnatural course was , that in the Grand Orient of France there was more scope for P , gress . There are , as I have already implied , many kin , ls of Progress , but I propose to touch onl y upon tivo namely : 1 , The National Progress of the two cognate nations to vvhich I have referred and represented here

to-day , and , 2 , I he Progress of Freemasonry as a moral and religious bond of union . Touching the former , I prefer to adduce more accurate and authentic evidence than any I could myself set forth , namel y the testimony borne on the occasion of the celebration of American Independence , on July 4 th , 188 ? , a i

Sydney , by the Attorney-General of N . S . W . and the Consul of the U . S ., a record well worthy of being engraven on the minds ot us all . Mr . Dailey said" Our British Empire at this moment embraces more than one-sixth part of all the land of the earth , and comprehends nearly one-fourth of its population ; and

of this population 50 , 000 , 000 are of Anglo-Saxon descent . Its area is 9 , 000 , 000 square miles . Its popu . lation 313 , , 000 of persons . Its annual revenues are £ 205 , 000 , 000 ; and its exports and imports are £ 1 , 060 , 000 , 000 per annum . Its armed forces , including militia , are more than 1 , 500 , 000 , and its navy consists

of 60 , 000 men . The United States of America have an area of 3 , 602 , 990 square miles , vvith a population of 55 , , 000 , a revenue of £ 73 , 000 , 000 per annum , of vvhich £ 30 , 321 , 630 are surplus . She has an annual trade of £ 292 , 000 , 000 , of vvhich fully one-half is carried on with the British Empire . She has an army of

regular soldiers and organised militia of 150 , 000 , with a navy of 8 , 250 men . She holds a fifteenth of the land of the earth , and almost a twenty-third of its population . Unite these stupendous forces and yuu will have an area of 12 , 600 , 000 square miles , a population of 3 68 , 000 , 000 persons , revenues amounting to

£ 278 , 000 , 000 , a trade of £ 1 , 352 , 000 , 000 a year , armies of 1 , 700 , 000 , and navies of 68 , 000 men . You will have afourth of the globe , and more than a fourth of the human race . " Mr . Griffin , in reply , said that Mr . Dailey , with great force and eloquence , had " Referred to the wonderful material progress vvhich has been made b y the United

Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , and by the United States of America respectivel y , during the present century . With your permission , I will point out what appears to be a still more remarkable development . When Queen Victoria ascended the throne , in 18 37 , the trade of England , according to the

most trustworthy statistics , was about £ 100 , 000 , 000 . To-day the trade of the Australian colonies exceeds that amount by £ 20 , 000 , 000 sterling . An idea of the power and influence of the Anglo-Saxon race can be formed from the fact that , of all the newspapers and periodicals published , more than

twothirds are printed in the English language . No matter vvhich is the greater or richer country , I love to think that the day is not far distant when the two great branches of the Anglo-Saxon race will be so united that they can always stand shoulder to shoulder , ready to do battle for the cause of civil and reli gious liberty and

human progress throughout the world . You will have 100 , 000 , 000 men of Anglo-Saxon descent , and you will have 42 , 000 , 000 men capable of bearing arms / ' And why have I thus quoted these official and authoritative statements ? That as citizens and subjects of these two mighty nations ( Anglo-Saxon ) we are thankful to

acknowledge , admire , and adore the power , thc wisdom , and the love of that Almighty Architect and Ruler of the Universe , whom we love and whom vve serve , and under whose gracious providence and beneficence vve have prospered beyond any nations or empires that have existed since the foundation of the

world . As to the progress of Freemasonry , especially amongst our English-speaking race , I need say but little ; it is , brethren , well known to you all . Suffice it to say , Masonry has made great progress in numbers , as well as in the promotion of Institutions for the education of its dependent children , and the

relief of the aged , the infirm , and the widow . But I think I am warranted in asserting that it has made still greater and nobler progress in all those virtues which adorn life , whether public , domestic , or personal , and vvhich find their source in the only ( rueand

living spring of truth or happiness—I mean in the Volume of the Sacred Law . This Holy Volume is , as we know , the foundation-stone of our g lorious fabric . Its sacred precepts are interwoven vvith our beauliful ritual , and it points not only to the promise of " the life that now is , " but to " that vvhich is lo come . " '' 1 S

impossible for us time after time to hear those great thoughts , those pure principles set forth in our lodges without their leaving some impression on the heart and mind , and surely , though perhaps insensibly , influencing our life and actions . And this is true progress-It is the kindly light of Divine truth that kindles the

good desire , leads on to noble deeds of self-sacrifice lot others , stays the harsh word , prompts the forg iving thought , pours consolation into the wounds of d ' afflicted , and calms the storms of passion that too often make shipwreck both of the bodies ' » _!_ .. 1 .. _ C A _ , t , 1 . 1 .. nt ltC the souls of And when the sands of >} ie

men . are running out and the final warning comes to p ° out to us the close of our earthl y life , Oh ! Ho * bright the promise of a glorious rest when the labourer s work is done and an " exceeding great reward " for £ ' " good and faithful servant" almost appears in

view-This will be the last and best step in the P £ ' * vvhich we , as Godl y men and true Masons , aspire Let others seek progress in blind chance and blan negation , let others worshi p progress as the Goddess Reason , let them pn claim agnosticism as a panaceji life ' s troubles ; let a cold philosophy succeed dispelling every ray of li ght from man's m'