Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS 66 _ < Notes on the Ceremony of Installation ... 666 St . John ' s Lodge , No . 259 , Leicester O 67 CoKKSSPONnSNOE— .

Quebec I ' ersus England 660 ••' Scottish Masonry ' - ' 650 " Expulsion of a Scottish Brother " 670 " An Old Masonic Song" 670 Reviews 670 Notes and Queries 670

Contents.

RBPORTS OF MASONIC MKITINCS--Craft Masonry 670 Instruction 674 Roval Arch 67 S

South Africa 67 S Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 676 Obituary C 7 6 Theatres 676 Masonic and General Tidings 677 Lodge Meetings for Next Week 678

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The Giria' THERE appears to be a certain amount of dissatisfaction either School expressed or felt in sundry directions that no increase in the Establishment . _ J Girls' School establishment was authorised at the recent

meeting of the Quarterly General Court of Governors and Subscribers . The brethren who take ^ this view argue pretty much in this fashion : The recent Centenary Festival yielded contributions amounting to upwards of £ 50 , 000 ; an ordinary Festival yields on an average from £ 12 , 000 to £ 13 , 000 , and the expenditure in ordinary circumstances averages about £ 12 , 000 per

annum . Therefore , the Craft has a right to expect that something should be done in return for its additional contributions , and especially when the vacancies to be filled up in the usual course at the recent election vvere only nine ,

while the number of approved candidates was 62 . What , ask these brethren , is the good of all this lavish subscription if something is not immediately done to reduce the number of poor children who are knocking so anxiously at the doors of the Institution for admission to its benefits ? Well ,

it certainly does seem hard lines that nothing could be done in this direction at the recent Quarterly General Court , but a very slight examination of the circumstances in which the School is placed will suffice to show that it was sound policy on the part of those who are chiefl y responsible for the government of the Institution both to abstain from recommending an immediate

increase in the number of children , and to do all in their power to discountenance and , if necessary , defeat , any motion for such an increase that might have been brought forward . We consider the governing authorities have shown their fitness for office by the course they have pursued , both generally and in regard to the particular circumstances of the case . When

the Centenary Anniversary of the institution of the School was approaching , they took not only the Governors and Subscribers , but the whole body of English Freemasons , into their confidence . They pointed out that , notwithstanding the additional accommodation which had been obtained by the purchase of contiguous land and houses , and the re-arrangement of

the premises already erected , the School , in consequence of the recent rapid augmentations of number , was seriously overcrowded ; and in the appeal they addressed to the general body of English Freemasons for funds with which to suitably commemorate that important Anniversary , they very wisel y determined on asking for such a sum as would enable them in the

first place to remedy this very serious defect , and in the second place to still further augment the numbers on the establishment , in the event of such further augmentation being necessary and possible . They had plans prepared and estimates framed , with a view to ascertaining how and at what cost their purpose could be best effected , and in the result they at

^ commended for adoption—and the General Court once acquiesced in the recommendation—a plan by which , at a cost of some £ 20 , 000 , he defect of overcrowding would be remedied and ample space provided or increasing the number of children by about 70 , if necessary . I na I-. •**** 1 _ .. 1 t ¦ . 1 -a - - . . . uicmren

. - " - responded generously to tnis appeal , i hey not only subscribed he sum that was wanted in order to carry out the Centenary Commemoration Scheme , and the £ 12 , 600 required for the usual annual expenditure , out they worked with such hearty goodwill that at the Centenary banquet "' s ROYAL HIGHNESS was able to announce a total of subscriptions amounting to considerably over £ 50 000 orin other wordsabout from

,, , , ; M 5 > ooo to £ 18 , 000 in excess of what the Committee , had announced as necess | " " y * But we must not lose sight of the fact that this splendid generosity the Craft neither neutralises nor removes the difficulties and even danger ° health which arise from overcrowding , In fact , the execution of the . ntenary Scheme , which is now in progress , must have the effect of

"gmenting rather than diminishing these difficulties , and the question en is more immediately troubling the authorities is not—How shall we ^ nut more candidates ? but rather—How shall we accommodate the 240 odd children already admitted , while the re-erection of a considerable

v Jt of the existing premises is going on ? It is most unfortunate—and we the ^ Say tllat none re £ •¦• more t ^ t , le authorities of the School selves—that something could not have been done at the recent ar erl y Court of the Governors to reduce the list of applicants but the for P ° ssess * of a few thousands of pounds sterling more than was asked expected , will not convert a small area into a large one , and until this

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is done , it would be madness to authorise any addition to the present establishment . Nor until this conversion has been made and paid for , do we think it wise or expedient that we should concern ourselves seriously about the additional number to be admitted , whether it shall be ten or fifty . The motto of the CAVENDISH family— "Cavendo tutus "—is a safe one to

observe , and it will be time enough for the Committee to submit any recommendations it may think proper in this respect when it has certified itself as to the position in which the Institution will be placed pecuniarily in its altered circumstances . Lastly , if vve wish that our Institutions shoultl

continue to be well-governed by men in whom the Craft can repose the utmost confidence , we had better not overwhelm the Committee with impossible or ridiculous suggestions ; or otherwise we shall stand a fair chance of losing , or not obtaining , the services of our best men .

IT is not often the good fortune of a Provincial Grand Lodge Freemasonry in , . ,, . , . ¦ , ^ ,., Cumberland and to have so full a programme of business to transact as did Westmorland . t jla ( . r Cumberland and Westmorland at its recent annual meeting at Workington . On this occasion not only were there the usual reports

to be delivered as to the proceedings of the past year and the condition of the Craft in the Province , but there were likewise two important functions to be discharged . In the first place a new lodge , now known by the style and title of the Eden , No . 2285 , was to be consecrated , and afterwards the chief corner-stone of the Parish Church of Workington was to be laid

with Masonic ceremonial . At both these functions , as well as during the transactions of the regular business in Provincial Grand Lodge , the Deputy P . G . M ., Bro . L . F . B . DYKES , presided in the unavoidable absence of Bro . the Earl of BECTIVE , P . G . M ., and under his able direction everything passed off most successfully , the consecration of the Eden Lodge being the

more fortunate portion of the extra programme , as it was carried out under the hospitable roof of the Green Dragon Hotel ; while the effect of the outof-door ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the church was seriousl y marred by the torrents of rain which fell during its performance . As to the various reports which were presented and adopted , th ' ey

demonstrated clearly enough that Freemasonry in the Lake Country is in a highly prosperous condition , and constitute an eloquent testimony to the zeal and ability of the brethren who are entrusted with the management of its affairs , and particularly of Bro . Lord BECTIVE himself , his worthy Deputy , Bro . DYKES , and Bro . GEO . J . MCKAY , the indefatigable G . Secretary of the

Province . During the 22 years of his lordship ' s administration as Provincial Grand Master , the number of lodges under his rule has been increased by 50 per cent ., while the occasions have been very numerous on which the Province has stood forth prominently—at times , indeed , more prominently than in proportion to its strength—in support of our central Masonic

Institutions . Its funds , too , are in a healthy state , and the roll of its subscribing members in keeping with the increased number of its lodges . All this is vastly to its credit , and we may be sure that , while the government of the Province is in such excellent hands , Freemasonry in Cumberberland and Westmorland will maintain its present advanced position among the Provinces of England .

¦ * N our remar ^ l ast wee k on the proceedings at the recent Masonic * meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Leicestershire and jubilee . Rutland , we briefly referred to the resolution then passed by the brethren of those counties , in which they congratulated that most

distinguished Mason , Bro . WILLIAM KELLY , their former chief in Craft and their present in Royal Arch and Mark Masonry , on the then approaching celebration of his Masonic Jubilee . The event has since been celebrated , and , as will be seen from the report we publish elsewhere of what passed on the occasion , in a manner which , while it conferred honour

on one so richly deserving of it , at the same time reflected the greatest credit on all who had a share in organising , or were present at , the joyful gathering . It is true the celebration took place not at a special , but at a regular meeting of the lodge—St . John ' s , No . 279 , Leicester—in which Bro . KELLY obtained his first insight into our mysteries , just 50

years ago ; but he happens to be the W . Master for the current year , having been thrice previously elected to the same office ; and . it was , no doubt , considered better and more honourable to Bro . KELLY that the celebration of his Jubilee should be looked upon as part of the regular duties of the lodge . At all events , it was on the 7 th November , 18 38 , that Bro .

KELLY was initiated into Freemasonry in St . John ' s Lodge , No . 279 , Leicester , and it was on the 7 th Nov ., 1888 , that , having continued always a subscribing member , he presided as W . M . for the fourth time and father of the lodge at his own Jubilee , the occasion being marked by a very full

attendance of members , of Grand Officers , both Present and Past , of the Province , and visitors from most of the neighbouring lodges and many in more distant localities ; by the presentation of an address and handsome memento of the auspicious event in the shape of a massive silver loving cup ; and a