Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 5 U J The Revised Constitutions . —Ill 56 s Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 568 Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 5 6 9 Laving the Foundation Stone of a Masonic Hall at Paisley 56 9

The Morgan Monument 509 Royal Arch S 9 CORRESPONDENCEThe Status of Past Masters S 70 Prefixes for Grand Officers J 70

Our Educational Institutions 570 Roval Masonic Institution for Girls—Proposed Alteration of Rules ? 7 t Masonic Amenities 571 How History is Written < 7 '

Reviews S 71 Masonic Notes and Queries 571 Provincial Grand Lodge of West Lancashire S 71

Provincial Grand Chapter of West Lancashire SI ' REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 573 Instruction 576

The Theatres 577 Music 577 Science and Art 577 Masonic and General Tidings 578 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 579

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IT is striking , and at tne same time affecting , often , to realize to what beneficent uses our great Charities arc put , and what melancholy cases of sickness , suffering , bereavement , poverty they help and meet . In the inscrutable wisdom of T . G . A . O . T . U . many are the afflictions of our common humanity , many the unforeseen visitations , the inexplicable trials to which

mortality is heir to here . Hardly a day passes over our heads , not a biennial election returns , but we are , and must be , impressed with the extent of human suffering and the need , value and blessing of our Masonic Charities . Thebread-winner struck down by some mysterious disease , in full activity ; the mourning widow and the bereaved children ; all these cases come before us

often in sad plenitude and succession , and they are such as seem necessarily to appeal to our Masonic sensibilities , to touch our memories and to melt our hearts . This week , as we are again approaching another election-period , we may be well reminded of the serious necessity and beneficial outcome of our great Educational Institutions ; and may the thoughts , thus realistic

and opportune , stir us all up to even still greater exertions on behalf of these great Charities of ours , which appeal so strongly to our personal feelings , evince so markedly the absolute need of their existence , attest so forcibly the sincerity of our Masonic professions , and illustrate so truly the genius , the mission of true Freemasonry in the world and amongst ourselves at this hour . * * *

LONDON , fifty years ago , as our contemporary , the City Press , tells us elsewhere , was a very different city to what the " little village " now appears to us . Its changes have been many and great ; its transformations striking and numerous . Indeed , some of the old loiterers by the " sweet shady shade of Pall Mall , " those who , like Dr . J OHNSON , liked to stroll

along Fleet-street , would hardly know now those once familiar spots . And what London will be fifty years hence who can tell or venture to predict ? Will the historical New Zealander stand and mourn in silence on Westminster Bridge ? or some good old Mason deplore in Great Queen-street the vanished glories of Freemasons' Hall ? In the present movement , —may we say mania ?

forimprovingeverything , it seems just possible that great changes may take place in and around Lincoln's Inn Fields , for instance ; and it might be wise in our rulers if they took " time by the forelock , " and looked out a little ahead for what is within the bounds of probability and possibility . There was an old nobleman who used to talk of the " blessed lights of London , "

and certainly , we think , that there is a good deal to be said for the Metropolis on the part of those who live under its shadow , and mingle in its civilization . That London is changing rapidly to " outward sight " is clear , even to each careless " flaneur " who passes on half-unhecdingly ; and , as Freemasons always arc friendly to reasonable improvements and . 'esthetic

influences , we should rejoice to note how narrow streets are widened , and foul alleys disappear , and wretched haunts of misery and disease are rooted out ; and how more light , more air , more cleanliness , and more health are attainable by those toiling masses of ours who crowd our streets and make up our annually increasing population .

* * * WE think the suggestion of a correspondent last week , that some of the Grand Stewards of the year should be from the Provinces , deserves consideration . There are , however , some difficulties in the way , to which we

will call attention next week . We believe that originally , whether under the Antients or Moderns we know not , there was a recognition of Provincial Stewards as Grand Stesvards ; but Bro . Gould can more clearly inform us on this point . We will allude to the subject again , as we said just now , next week .

* * IN French Freemasonry a notable change has taken place . Bro . ST . J has retired from the head of French Freemasonry , and Bro . BELAT has

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been elected in his stead , though Bro . ST . J remains champion of the " Commission " of which Bro . BELAT is a member . This seems to be a funny proceeding . The convent rejected the proposed " concordat " between the Grand Orient and the Grand Lodge Symbolique . Bro . GRIMAUX , the editor of the Monde Maconnique , like ourselves , has always

pointed out the absurdity of the proposal . Wc do not augur much good from such a change for French Freemasonry . Bro . ST . J has always been of the moderate party ; has , in difficult times , shown great courage and dignity ; is an old and loyal Freemason , and has always manifested the greatest personal courtesy and friendship to Freemasons of other countries

and jurisdictions . We know nothing of Bro . BELAT , though , probably , he has Masonic antecedents , and he has evidently numerous friends . But , unfortunate ! )' , politics are so mixed up with French Freemasonry that it is difficult to know why , Masonically , much takes place . We are amused to note that the Monde Maconnique complains of the ] " noise and confusion at

the banquet , " and that a "brother from Alsace could not get a hearing . " What next ? Have not our prophesies been fulfilled ? Has not the course of the Grand Orient of France been downward ever since that fatal day that the ) ' broke with their old traditions , and severed themselves from cosmopolitan Freemasonry ?

WITH respect to a leaderette of ours a short time back , anent the GRAND SCRIBE of the Grand Chapter of Scotland , we hasten to say that by a little regrettable error , currency has been given to a mistaken statement that there is , or is likely to be , a vacancy in the office of G . S . E . Such is not the case .

V . W . Comp . EDWARDS has been duly appointed and invested , is G . S . of the Scottish Grand Chapter , and has no intention of resigning his important post . We are sorry if our announcement should have given the slightest annoyance to Comp . EDWARDS or his friends , and , therefore , call the attention of our readers to his explanation .

* * * THE annual police report suggests many thoughts and considerations . We all must be grateful for the protection afforded to our overgrown Metropolis by , perhaps , the most effective police force in the world ; and we must rejoice to bear our kindly and grateful testimony to the uniform civility and

carefulness of that well-disciplined body of men , which , a mere handful , numerically , manages , amid overpowering masses , to keep the QUEEN ' S peace and protect the lives and prosperity of almost countless peaceful citizens . In all great towns there is a mournful " residuum , " that " classe dangereuse , " that vitiated " proletariat , " which feeds on the garbage , and

forms the difficulty of crowded capitals . Thanks to the Metropolitan Police , crime is not on the increase , and , despite some few drawbacks , which will gradually disappear , London is probably now the safest , the healthiest , and the most comfortable home in the world . Still , amid all our skilled arrangements and police precautions , it is rather startling to find that a

certain number of persons disappear annually from society and their friends , of whom nothing more is known or even heard . What becomes of them ? Where do they go to ? These are questions which it is apparently impossible to answer . Mr . VINCENT , the energetic head of the Criminal Enquiry Department , —we believe , by the way , a brother of our Order , —gives us some

very interesting figures and facts as to the labours and success of the body under his special direction , and we trust before long that a well-trained and expert cohort of detective officers will still more decisively and effectually track out crime and criminals , and ensure the safety of persons and property in our densely-peopled metropolis . Absolute security we cannot reasonably

expect ; entire exemption from villany we cannot anticipate ; since the knave and the chevalier d'industrie must ply their vocation , though their wings be clipped ; and no great aggregation of human beings , as in London , can ever be divested of those greater and lesser criminals , male and female , who fill up the records of our police courts , and live on the plunder , and

destruction even sometimes , of their fellow creatures . Mr . VINCENT ends with a needful and seasonable warning against " special agents" of both sexes , and "inquiry offices . " He even echoes the words we have often taken the liberty to use in the Freemason . Many of that class being old police officers , carrying with them the tradition of the force , as money is potent ,

and " squaring efficacious , are not very particular often in the names they use and the means they adopt to compass their end , which may be reasonable or needful , but may be , let us remark the height of infamy , wickedness , cruelty , and illegality . It is undoubtedly the fact that many

special agents succeed , by apeing the manners , claiming the prestige , and using the technicalities of police work suggested by their own experience ; and Mr . VINCENT deserves the thanks of all who believe in law , and law alone , as the foundation of an Englishman's privileges , the guardian of his rights , and the aim and limit of all his proceedings and all his undertakings .