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CONTENTS . LFADKR S— PAGE The Attempted Assassination of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ... 199 The Approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ... 199 Masonic Jurisprudence ... ... ... ... ... ... 199 Science , Art and the Drama ... ... ... ... ... 201 The Old Masonians ... ... ... ... ... ... 202

Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 202 Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... •¦•203 M ASONIC NOTESMasonry in Natal during the War ... ... ... ... 205 Death of Bro . Major VV . Kiddle ... ... ... ... 205 Annual Meeting of the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury ... ... 205

Correspondence ... ... ... ... ... ... 200 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 G Royal Arch ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 207 Easter Railway Facilities ... ... ... ... ... 208 Instruction ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 209 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 209

The Attempted Assassination Of H.R.H. The Prince Of Wales.

THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF H . R . H . THE PRINCE OF WALES .

All subjects of the QUEEN , in whatever part of her Empire they may happen to reside , or to whatever creed or nationality they may belong , will rejoice at the providential escape of her eldest son from the hands of a dastardly assassin at one of the

Brussels railway stations on Wednesday afternoon . Her Majesty , notwithstanding the unprecedented length and brilliancy 0 ! her reign , lias had more than her share of a woman's sorrows , hut she has borne them all bravely , and in spite of them has

done her duty by her people in a manner hitherto unrecorded in tlie annals of any country . Hence the love and veneration which are felt for her by all classes , more especially at this lime , when she is showing everywhere her deep sympathy

with her people , and particularly with those among them who have suffered by the present war . At this moment , nf al ! others , when she is paying thc highest tribute in her power to the valour of her Irish soldiers by visiting ,

in State , the capital of that portion of her dominions , such a calamity as the deatli by assassination of her son would have been almost beyond the strength of a lady so advanced in years and with so many weighty cares of State devolving on her to

bear . Hence , the feeling which now pervades all classes , not only of joy at the escape of the Prince of WALES , but also of gratitude to the G . A . O . T . U ., that lie , in His infinite mercy ,

has been pleased to spare her MAJESTV and her people this further , and more exacting , trial of her strength and fortitude .

The Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

ihe lirst meeting of the Board of Stewards for the approaching Festival in behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will take place at Freemasons' Hall this ( Friday ) evening , and , from all we hear , there is reason to believe that

the Secretary will be in a position to furnish a capital report of the progress that has been thus far made in tbe work of preparation . Some three weeks ago , when we referred to the subject , we mentioned that already upwards of 300 ladies and brethren had been enrolled as Stewards . Since then , we

rejoice to say , the number lias been very largely augmented , and the Board now musters over 400 members , the probability being that , when the day fixed for tlie celebration arrives , there will be

almost , if not actually , as many Stewards enrolled for thc Girls ' School as for the recent Benevolent Festival in February . It is probable , also , that the result will be somewhat similar , and that , though it will be a record Board of Stewards for an ordinary

The Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Festival , the total of the donations and subscri ptions will be a big , but not a record , one . The prospects are , indeed , most encouraging . In the first place , the chair will be taken by the Earl of " DARTMOUTH , who ,

as Grand Master of a strong and influential Province and having the full sympathy of the lodges and brethren under his government , is sure of receiving from them a large and generous measure of support . The Charitable Association of Staffordshire has done some splendid in aid of our Masonic Institutions during

the years it has been established , and we may be sure that it will do its utmost to make Lord DARTMOUTH ' S first Chairmanship at one of our Anniversary Festivals a great success . We had evidence of what it can do on special occasions at the Boys ' Centenary in 18 9 8 , when it was represented by a body of 204

Stewards , whose lists amounted in the aggregate to £ 3845 . It may be this fine performance will not be surpassed , or even equalled , next month , but there is no doubt the Province will do its duty by its iespected chief and the School whose cause he will be advocating . We realise also that London will fulfil its

part loyally and well , and that thc rest of the Provinces , so far as they may be represented , will gladly lend a helping hand to the utmost of their ability . Well , the Institution deserves the hel p that is forthcoming . During the 112 years of its existence it has more than justified thc confidence reposed in its

management , while during the last quarter of a century it has by the excellence of its education and training , won for itself a position that is second to none among the middle-class scholastic institutions for girls in the United Kingdom . It was but the other day we announced that out of 45 girls entered for thc

Cambridge Local Examinations—Senior , Junior , and Preliminaryas many as 42 passed , and of these , nine took honours , while nine "distinctions" in particular subjects were awarded . In the 10 preceding years 242 passed out ol 259 , so that in the whole period of 11 years there have been out of 304 candidates

only 20 who have failed to satisfy the examiners . But this is only one of many evidences which are continually being furnished of the excellence of the moral , mental , and physical training of these children , and it is not , therefore , to be wondered at these appeals , when they are made annually , should be loyally

—and at times most loyally—responded to . Unfortunately , these appeals are necessary . The Institution has but a small permanent income amounting to about , £ 2500 a year , and consisting for the most part of the interest on its invested capital of about £ 99 , , while its permanent expenditure for the 268 children

it is maintaining , clothing , and educating is about £ 14 , 000 . There is , therefore , a deficiency of about £ 11 , 500 , which must be made good annually , and the only source from which we can hope to obtain so large a sum is the Anniversary Festival , whicii

this year will be celebrated at Freemasons' Tavern on Wednesday , tlie 16 th May , under the auspices of the Right Hon . the Earl of DARTMOUTH , Provincial Grand Master of Staffordshire . May the prospects whicii appear , as we have said , so promising , be fullv realised !

Masonic Jurisprudence.

MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE .

II . —THE GRAND LODGE { Continued )

[ COMMUNICATED . ] In our last article on this subject we referred to the constitution—or rather the composition—of Grand Lodge , and in this and following articles we propose to discuss the nature ancl extent of its jurisdiction .

Articles 4 and 5 define the former , and they cover a tolerably wide area , embracing the interests of Freemasonry in every form in which they are likely to , or can possiby , appear . Grand

Lodge , in fact , combines legislative , judicial , and executive powers , or , in other words , is Parliament , Queen ' s Bench , and High Sheriff , all rolled into one . Now , however unjust or unwise a law might be , a Judge of the High Court will always