Knights Templar.

grace , to the end that he may rule us aright , and , ever relying on Thy protection , he may glorify Thee in his works . Endow all those committed to his care with such a measure of Thy wisdom

that they may render due obedience to him who , under Thy guiding power , has been set in authority over us . This we pray , through Christ our Prophet , Christ our Priest , and Christ our

King . The Grand Master Elect then took the oaths and signed the roll on the Sepulchre , the proper

officers attending with the insignia of office—viz ., steel chain , cross of Salem , sword , baton , ring , and book , which the Installing Officer took severally and delivered to the Grand Master at the

Sepulchre . This solemn part of the ceremony having been concluded , the Installing Officer conducted His Royal Highness to the throne , with the words , " I place you on the Throne as

Grand Master of the Order in England , Ireland , and Wales , and the Dependencies of the English Crown ; " and then took his seat on the right . The Primate , having

pronounced the Benedictio Sacerdotahs— " Pax et benedictio Patris omnipotentis , Filii , et Sp iritus Sancti , in to descendit et tecum maneat a s .-ecula sacculorum . Amen !"—the Herald

made due proclamation to the East , South-West , and North-West . Thc Knights in order filed past from both sides , saluting , two at once , and then marched down the centre , to the

swelling notes of the organ accompaniment . This respectful salutation having been made , the Arch-Chancellor advanced to the foot of the dais and delivered the inaugural address , after

which the Grand Organist played a voluntary . The Grand Master then installed the Great Prior of England , and next appointed his officers , who thereupon were summoned by the Great

Marshal to do homage . The Grand Master afterwards appointed Grand Crosses and Commanders , and nominated the Subaltern Officers . Notices of motion for the next Convent General

were given , the Committee for effecting a uniformity of Ritual was appointed , and the Grand Master then closed the Special Convent General in due form , and retired to his room with the

Great Officers only , passing again under the Arch of Steel , while the organist played a solemn air . The Great Prior of England then brought the proceedings to a conclusion .

After the breaking up of the " Encamp ment , " a banquet was prepared . This , under the personal superincendnnce of Mr . Willis , was speedily done , and a dinner of a most magnificent description was

spread . His Royal Highness thePrince of Wales presided , supported by the Earl of Limerick and the Earl of Skelmersdale . Nearly all the Grand Officers and Kni ghts present at the installation sat

down to the banquet , and amongst the American Kni ghts present were Pay Director Cunningham , U . S . Navy , Commissary to the Vienna Exhibition ; Colonel Mann , U . S . Cavalry ; and

•General Raddy , U . S . Army . After the repast , . His Royal Highness , who was received with

the most enthusiastic cheering , rose and ] said that on such an occasion few words were required to introduce the first . toast , namely , the health of " Her Majesty the Queen . " Inconnection with

Knights Templar.

the toast he had to make an agreeable announcement . They were all aware that the Queen was the Patroness of Craft Masonry , and he had her Majesty ' s permission to state , now , that she

would be the Patroness of their Order . ( This intimation was received with immense applause , and the health of her Majesty was drunk with nine times nine . )

The Earl of Skelmersdale , in proposing the health of the Grand Master , expressed the great pleasure he felt at seeing so many gentlemen around him from the Sister Isle . The

"Encampment" that afternoon had been one of the most brilliant he had ever attended , and such a sig ht had never been seen in England before . The Prince of Wales , on rising to respond ,

was again cordially received . He thanked the company very heartily for the kind manner in which they had received him . Indeed , so cordial was their greeting , that it was difficult

for him to find words adequately to convey his feelings ; and he could only again express the p leasure he felt at being present on that occasion , and in having been elected their Grand Master .

They might rely upon his doing everything in his power to promote the interests of their Order . He desired specially to thank those gentlemen who had come from afar

to take part in these proceedings . He could bear emphatic testimony to the kind feeling manifested towards him by brethren on the other side of the Channel —( loud cheers )—

and had never forgotten the reception they gave him in the Grand Lodge of Ireland . ( Renewed cheering . ) It was not the custom of Craft Masons to make long speeches , and he , as their

Grand Master , did not mean to violate that golden rule . He would , therefore , conclude by proposing the health of the Grand Prior of England and the Grand Prior of Ireland ,

a toast which would certainly be cordially received . He regretted the absence of the Grand Prior of Ireland , and returned him his warmest thanks for having vacated his place in his favour .

He esteemed it a very high honour that one so justly popular and so justly beloved should have done so . ( Loud cheers . ) The Earl of Limerick , who regretted that the

Senior Grand Prior of Ireland was not present , briefl y responded . He remarked that he had striven to the utmost of his ability to promote this union of the two orders , and he warmly

congratulated the company that the union had at last been accomplished . Deputy Grand Master R . W . Shackleton also acknowledged the compliment , and the

proceedings then terminated , the speechmaking ceremony having occupied only about a quarter of an hour . His Royal Highness on retiring from the room , was again loudly cheered .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

At the meeting of the General Committee , on Saturday , < jth inst ., held at Freemasons Hall , Bro . Symmond Rosenthal , V . Pres ., in the chair

the Secretary having reported the successful result of the recent Festival , and the gratifying fact of the prompt payment of a large portion of the money promised , and having submitted a

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

recommendation with reference to the finances o " the Institution . The Chairman was authorised , on the proposition of Bro . Henry Browse , seconded bv Bro

George Cox , to sign a cheque on the Treasurer in account with Sir Samuel Scott & Co ., for the payment of ^ 4000 , the remainder of the debt

due to them as bankers . This was adopted with acclamation—has since been acted upon , and we are pleased to announce that this noble Institution IS NOW FREE l'ROM DEBT .

Financial Position Of Grand Lodge Of Scotland.

FINANCIAL POSITION OF GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND .

SIR , —The Grand Lodge Report has at length been published , eleven months after the close of the accounts . They are unsatisfactory , and show a considerable excess of expenditure over the

income . During the year ending April 1872 , 1241 fewer entrants were enrolled than during the year preceding , and of the 519 lodges on the roll , who by the Constitutions are each bound to take out

an annual certificate of its status , only 139 have done so . The largest number of certificates issued during any one of the last eight years was in 1866 , when 2 ( 5 . 3 were issued ; and there was then about 442 lodges nominally on the roll .

No explanation is made why the non-certificated lodges have not taken out their certificates , and paid the corresponding fee . The "casual lettings" of Freemasons' Hall have also fallen otr by about £$ o as compared with an average of the six * preceding years , and the miscellaneous

receipts are also considerably smaller . While such is the state of the receipts , it is a matter of regret that the expenditure is equally , if not more , unsatisfactory . The rental from the heritable property of Grand Lodge is £ 6 $ 6 The disbursements connected w ith it 1 o 1 K

Deficiency £ 33 To which falls to be added the interest of ( say ) ^ 3000 paid towards its price 150 A 82 It is thus seen that Grand Lodge pays the sum

of ^ . 482 for its own accommodation . Among other items of discharge in the accounts for 1872 , one finds that " stationery , printing , and advertising" cost the large sum of £ . 5 88 , as against the also large sum of / . ' 37 <; in

the previous year . How these sums could be so spent is beyond conception , but the expenditure under this head during the last six years has averaged £ 347 . It is not , therefore , surprising to find , from a note by the Grand Secretary , that

the auditor has now discovered that " over-payments' ' to the amount of £ 248 have been made to the " contractors for stationery ; " but he adds that the accuracy of this statement is " not yet admitted . " Whether admitted or not , ' it suggests reflection as to how these accounts have

been hitherto both kept and audited . As it is , during the last year , very nearly one-third of the total income of Grand Lodge has been spent under this branch of expenditure—a sum , altogether disproportionate to the sums realised . It is a subject which ought to receive careful investigation .

There is another branch of expenditure which also deserves consideration . The Grand Hall was erected about 14 years ago , and the other relative buildings were then all altered to suit the requirements of the Order , and finished in

the manner they were intended , but ever since under the heading of " Outlay on Repairs and Improvements on Property and Sundry Furnishings , " large sums of money have been spent , averaging annually during the last six years £ 1 . 51 . During 1872 , £ 137 , was spent , as against

£ 80 m the previous year . Now when is this large expenditure to stop , and of what does it consist ? We are not told ; but on new and well completed buildings , as these are understood to have been , such expenditure is unwarranted . From this head of the accounts , therefore , a large sum ought to have been saved towards the