Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

Cu £ 4 s . ; but in 1888 and the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee , and in 1886 , the sums obtained were on a far larger scale , the total for the first-named being £ . 1298 14 s .,. 0 f vvhich the Girls' Institution received . £ 1147 18 s . ; in the year preceding , £ 797 3 - ^ - ' anc * "n ^ o " ) when the late Bro . General Brownrigg presided as Chairman at the Girls' Festival , the total reached £ 1829 , of vvhich £ 134 6 was subscribed in support of the late Prov . Grand Master ' s Chairmanship . After a brief ! . est we shall hope to find the Province under its new chief resuming the prominent , uosition it occupied a short while back . We must heartily congratulate

SUSSEX nd its 27 lodges on the success of its labours in behalf of the senior Charity on this occasion . As in February , so on Tuesday , there were Stewards from six lodges but while at the earlier Festival the six raised £ 291 6 s ., the total at the more recent one was £ 344 18 s . 6 d ., Major Edwards , of the Hova Ecclesia Lodge , No . 1466 , Brighton , compiling £ 115 ios ., and Bro . W . Wright , of the South Saxon Lodge , No . 311 , Lewes , £ 74 os . 6 d . Sussex , therefore , has acquitted

itself admirably at the two anniversaries which have been held this year , and as Brighton will be the scene of the third , which will be held on the 24 th June , we may look to see it acting vvith the same generosity as on the three previous occasions when the Boys' School has had its celebration at the Royal Pavilion . Last year the Province raised £ 725 is ., in 188 9 £ 620 8 s ., and in 1888 , including £ 884 for the Girls' Centenary , £ 94 6 13 s . Only two out of the 30 lodges in

WARWICKSHIRE , ind these belonging to Birmingham , sent Stewards to this Festival , the sum of their contributions being £ 21 , while Bro . R . Arter , Unattached , raised £ 3 6 15 s .,. makin" -the total from all sources £ 57 15 s . In February three lodges were represented , and the amount they contributed was £ 42 , Bro . Henry Sumner , of Athol Lodge , No . 74 , being a Steward on both occasions ; while Bro . Arter , who did duty for

both Warwickshire and Worcestershire in February , is content with acting this time for the former Province only . In 1890 the Boys' School and Benevolent vvere favoured to the extent of £ 99 15 s . ; in 1889 14 Stewards from the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , contributed . £ 147 to the Old People ; and in 1888 the Province subscribed the handsome sum of £ 1440 6 s . 6 d . to the Girls' Centenary , Bro . Lord Leigh , Prov . Grand Master , being the Hon . Treasurer of the Board of Stewards . The Returns from

WORCESTERSHIRE on Tuesday were on a smaller scale than in February . On the latter occasion the Provincial Steward , Bro . A . Green , and brethren representing two out of the 12 lodges—of whom Bro . T . R . Arter was one—together returned £ 203 15 s . 6 d . At

this Festival , Bro . Hicks , to whom reference has already been made under Shropshire , as Steward for the Semper Fidelis Lodge , No . 529 , sent in £ 41 19 s . 6 d . But the total for the current year already exceeds that of 18 90 , and is not far short of that of 1889 , so that we may hope that the Province is gradually approaching the larger total of the year 1888 .

YORKSHIRE ( NORTH AND EAST ) has been devoting the chief of its energies to placing its newly-founded Educational Institute on a sound basis , and therefore it is not surprising its contributions to the central Charities should have been on a more modest scale for the last two or three years , but it February it did well , Bro . Peck , Prov . G . Sec , as Steward for the whole Province taking up a list of £ . 18 7 18 s ., and Bros . Shackles and

Haberland , of the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , increasing this by ^ 86 6 s . _ to ^ 274 4 s . On Tuesday , Bro . Haberland , of No . 57 , was the solitary representative from this Province but his list is still outstanding . Last year and the year before the totals ,, for the reason we have already explained , were small , but in 1888 the subscriptions reached £ 832 , and for the five preceding years they averaged £ 532 per year . It has been generally understood that

YORKSHIRE ( WEST ) was reserving its strength for the Boys' Festival next month , and hence the comparatively small amounts it has contributed to the Old People and this Institution , the former receiving only £ 400 , and the latter the still smaller sum of - £ 315 . But

as both these Institutions have in turn received the chief support of this large and influential Province—the Girls' School at its Centenary Festival , and the Benevolent Institution in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee—they cannot be surprised at their Returns being small , when the Province has elected to go for the remaining Charity .

The ISLE OF MAN , with its ei ght lodges , appears to hold the Girls' School in especial estimation . It supported it at its Centenary Festival in 1888 , and again the year following , and on Tuesday Bro . P . A . Killey , of the Ellen Vannin , No . 2049 , acted as Steward , hut as yet has made no return . The amounts it has contributed are not large , hut they betoken an interest in the Institution vvhich is very gratifying .

FOREIGN STATIONS .. Under this head are grouped three Stewards , Bro . Surgeon Kidder , who hails from our lodge in Cyprus , and Bros . Franks and Girling , from the District of Bengal . Their lists together amounted to . £ 31 ios ., and we can only hope that others from foreign parts will occasionally render services of a similar character .

CONCLUDING REMARKS . We have now completed our analysis , and considering that the Festival followed the eminently successful celebration in February last in aid of the Benevolent Institution , and precedes that of the Boys' School , for which such great efforts are being made , and justly made , so as to restore it to something of its old prosperity , we consider the Executive , subject to the gratification vve have shited elsewhere , bas fair reason to congratulate itself on the total realised .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND .

Ihe half-yearly meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge was held on Tuesday , ie 5 th inst ., under the banner of Sun , Square , and Compasses Lodge , No . 11 9 , ^ Freemasons' Hall , Whitehaven , when in the absence of the P . G . M ., Bro . George W . Kenworth y , P . M . 118 , P . P . S . G . W ., presided , supported by the Present and ast Provincial Grand Officers viz . —

! , ' -J . Barr , P . M . 119 , P . P . S . G . W ., as D . P . G . M . ; J . Spittal ! , P . M . S 72 , P . S . G . W . ; ' ¦ Cook , P . M . 119 , P . P . S . G . W ., as P . J . G . W . ; George J . McKay , P . M . 129 , p \ !) W- Br . of England , P . G . Sec ; Dr . Muir , P . M . S 72 , P . S . G . D . ; F . Tombs , „' , •339 , P . G . Sunt , of Works : Henrv Wvnn . P . M . i _ ioo . P . G . D . C : Georsre Hill ,

PM , ° * P . A . G . D . C ; J . Bewley , P . M . 19 S 9 , P . G . S . B . ; H . Hartley , P \ ll 0 ' ' * Std * Br -i E - A - Mitchell , P . M . 1390 , P . G . Org . ; G . Dalrymple , \ V _ i 72 ' l 66 o > P-A . G . Sec . ; VV . S . Ponton , P . M . 327 , P . G . Stwd . ; George Starkey , pp " -11 9 , p . G . Stwd . ; E . G . Burgess , P . M . 337 , P . G . Stwd . ; J . Morton , P . M . 1400 , Wm D * J * Sewell , Tyler 872 , P . G . Tyler ; Thos . Studholme , P . M . 119 . P . P . G . P . ; PpV » . P . M ,, P . P . J . G . W .: Spencer Broadbent , S . W . ; Thos . Allinson , P . M . ; ] . ' W , urst * 5 Rev . James Anderson , J . W ., P . P . G . Chap . ; T . Richardson , Tyler ; '' VVard . W . M . 371 ; J . Dickinson , P . M ., P . P . G . D . C ; E . B . Penrice , P . M .,

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Cumberland And Westmorland.

___ — ** ¦¦ _* P . P . G . Std . Br . ; David Atkinson , W . M . 872 ; Thomas Atkinson , P . M ., P . P . G . D C - T . Brakenridpre , P . M ., P . P . G . Std . Br . ; H . Burns , P . M ., P . P . G . Purst . ; I . Paterson ' P . M . 9 62 , P . P . J . G . W . ; E . Loach , S . W . ; Rev . E . M . Rice , P . M ., P . P . G . Chap . ' - A . Ashmore , 9 62 ; Dr . C . Gore-Ring , P . M . 1073 , P . P . S . G . W . ; W . Hodgson , W . M - Arthur W . C . Hardy , W . M . 120 ; W . L . Towerson , P . M . 1267 . P . P . G . Purtf . - F '

•Clarke , P . M ., P . P . J . G . D . ; J . Nelson , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . ; W . Burnyeat , Rev . G . B . Armes , P . M ., P . P . G . Chap . ; J . Mills , P . M . 1390 , P . PG . D . ; W . Bardley , P . M ., P . P . G . Purst . ; J . Kerley , W . M . 1400 ; J . Jenkinson , P . M . 22 S 5 , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; W Heathcote , W . M . 19 S 9 ; Chas . Gowan , P . M ., P . P . G . S . B . ; R . Baxter , P . M . 1267 P . P . A . G . D . C ; A . W . Turner , W . M . 2285 ; J . C . Thompson , P . M ., P . P . G . Reg . ; R ! Musgrave , Dr . White , W . M . 327 ; E . K . Bouch , and others .

The Sun , Square , and Compasses Lodge , No . 119 , vvas opened and received the Acting P . G . M . and his officers in due form . Bro . G . J . McKay was saluted as a Grand Ollicer of England . Provincial Grand Lodge vvas opened , and the minutes of the former meeting read and confirmed . The annual dues and fees of 'honour were paid , and

Bro . J . MILLS , P . M . 1390 , moved , as a recommendation to the Prov . G . M ., : for the next annual meeting to be held at Millom , vvhich vvas supported bv Bro . HILL , P . M . 3 Bro . Dr . WHITE , W . M . 327 , also moved that the next annual meeting be held at Wigton : both invitations to be laid before the Prov . G . M .

Bro . DALRYMPLE read the report from the Charity Committee , vvhich was unanimously adopted as read—fifty guineas being voted to the R . M . I . B . for the next festival , also five guineas to the Indemnity Fund . The by-laws for a Provincial Educational Scheme were also unanimousl y adopted as submitted by the Committee .

This being the chief of the business , Provincial Grand Lodge vvas closed , and the brethren subsequentl y dined at the Globe Hotel , where ample provision vvas made . Bro . H . Cook , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W ., presided , supported by the Grand and Provincial Grand Officers present , and the usual toast list was gone through .

The Late Bro. Gen. Albert Pike.

THE LATE BRO . GEN . ALBERT PIKE .

Bro . Pike , knowing that his end was approaching , carefully prepared all necessary directions for his funeral . He had a great dread of the dissolution of the bod y , and with that in view he directed that after the Masonic ceremonies were completed , his body should be taken to Baltimore or Philadel phia , and there cremated , the ashes to be brought to Washington and planted at the roots of two trees in front of the entrance to the Supreme Council , " House of the Temple , " at Third and D-streets . This request was not assented to by his famil y , who prepared the burial in their own lot in the cemetery .

The body was taken from his late residence on Tuesday evening , the 7 th ult ., at nine-o ' clock , and carried to the Sanctuary of the Scottish Rite , at 1007 , G-street . Here a detail of the Kni ghts of Kadosh guarded his body until the final ceremonies , during which time at least 25 , 000 persons viewed the remains . These were held in the First Congregational Church at midnight on Thursday , the

9 th ult , and vvere among the most impressive ceremonies ever held in Washington . At a quarter before 12 o ' clock the galleries of the church vvere thrown open to the ladies of the families of the members , the body of the church being reserved for the famil y and the Masonic fraternity . It is estimated that at least 1500 persons were present .

The body vvas dressed in the habit of the Kadosh , the legs crossed and the arms folded across the breast .

Precisely at midnight Bro . Odell S . Long ( P . G . M . of West Virginia ) , entered and took his station at the front of the coffin . He vvas followed by 21 brethren , who formed a circle enclosing the coffin ; each carried a li ghted candle . The church was in total darkness except the lights carried by the brethren . Bro . LONG , acting by request ofthe Sovereign Grand Commander , R . W . Bro . J . C . Batchelor , then said , " Dear brethren and Knightsof the Holy Houseof theTempIe .-

It has pleased our Father who is in heaven to take away from us the living soul of our brother , and to leave unto us his body , of which we are about to dispose according to our ancient and knightly custom , but we are first of all to hold a judgment upon him whose mortal remains lie before us . It is midni ght , and a new day begins tor us . Our brother has finished his earthly probation . Death is the inexorable creditor , whose indulgence nothing in the world can purchase . Every

moment that sees a new-born child laugh at the li ght sees also a man die , and hears the cry of a breaking heart , and the lamentations of those who sit lonely and in the desolation of affliction , no longer seeing the faces of dearly loved ones . Round the little island of our being on vvhich we follow our various pursuits of toil or craft , of usefulness or mischief , throbs the illimitable ocean of eternity , upon vvhich , round the isle , a broad circle of impenetrable darkness

brooding lies . But beyond that zone the outer ocean sparkles , and its white crested waves dance in the li ght , and somewhere in the distance the islands of the blessed are dreaming , girdled by the peaceful waters . Here , in our present home , vve live our little life , waiting to be called to other duties elsewhere , and one by one our loved ones and our cherished friends glide away from us unseen , and are swallowed up in the darkness which is the shadow of the broad wings of death .

Each of us belongs to some little colony of hearts that hath a liife of its own , its private and inner life , apart from that of the mass of humanity which eddies round it in endless agitation , having vvith it no sympathies nor any memories of association . When one of its members dies it is as if a limb were severed from the body . The wound heals , but the limb is missed as long as the body lives . Thus is the body of our Order here mutilated to-day , and therefore vve mourn . "

Then came the responses by the officers , when The PRESIDING OFFICER said : " Let us look back upon the life of the brother , whose spirit has departed from his body , and see if he be entitled to honourable mention and to be remembered with affection . If any one of you , or any one vvho hears me , can accuse of wrong this knight now dead , let him stand forth and so declare . " There was a death-like silence for a few moments , and then Bro . LONG said : " If there be no accuser , there can be no judgment . Doth no man accuse the dead ' . "

The 21 knights knelt and answered .- " God is his judge and ours . " Music by the choir followed , and Acting Grand Commander BACHELOR concluded the ceremonies by saying : " I bless thee , 0 dead brother , in the name of Almi ghty God , in _ , the name of the Order of the Holy House of the Temple , and in the name of the kni ghts and brethren here assembled . May the light of the face of God shine upon and bless thee ! Amen . "

The church , which was in darkness during the ceremonies , except the light from the candles , was lighted , and the body was taken to the Scottish Rite Temple . The ceremonies were prepared by Bro . Pike and used but once before . The body laid in state until Friday at 1 o ' clock , when it was taken to the

Church of the Ascension , where services vvere held according to the rites of the Protestant Episcopal Church , the Rev . Dr . Elliott , rector , officiating . The music , rendered by the Masonic choir , consisted of " Nearer my God to Thee , " and " Abide with me . " Afterwards the procession was resumed and the interment took place at Oak Hill Cemetery , Georgetown .