History Of Freemasonry And Concordant Orders.*

and , explorer , and above all a man of facts and of stern and rig id adherence to the truth—Bro . Hughan . It will be observed by the title-page that Bro . Hughan is the European Editor . A search throughout the Old World would not bring to lig ht a brother better qualified to fulfil the duties of

such an honourable position . Whether dealing with history , archaeology , statistics , ritual , or in fact any department of the vast domain of Freemasonry Bro . Hughan seems equally at home . His usual versatility is displayed in a readable article on the Craft in Australasia and New Zealand under the heading

of" Grand Lodges of the Southern Sun . " Bro . Hughan sketches the rise and progress of what were once small seedlings from the old English stock , but which now have attained the size and vigour of mature growth . But in noticing the activity and zeal •which have characterised our Colonial brethren we must not fail

to recognise that graceful and kindly , we may say natural , solicitude displayed by the Grand Lodge of England , in regard to the wishes and interests of her children who have shown

themselves desirous and able to set up house for themselves . . We hope that the happy feeling with which the parent separated from her now independent offspring will never be disturbed .

It is rather a striking fact which Bro . Hughan notes , that the first regular lodge in Australia was planted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland ( 1820-23 . ) He tells us also that " the oldest existing lodge was chartered under English auspices in 1828 . " In New Zealand there is a little ruffling of the surface , but we venture

to think the surface only . Success to those who now labour for order , harmony , and peace ! In Bro . Hughan ' s article headed " Statistics of Freemasonry , " he lays before us a series of facts which have the merit of not only being valuable in themselves but the first of the kind attempted . The foundation of the

Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland are each noticed separately . The writer then proceeds to classify the figures bearing on the number of lodges , & c , formed and in existence down to a recent date . These two pages of information alone

must have needed no little labour , patience , and skill in compiling—are we asking too much of our industrious brother to favour us by extending his figures to 1890 in the later and corrected edition which is now preparing .

To even touch upon the various excellencies of the " History of Freemasonry and Concordant Orders" would require space beyond the available limits of this paper . Suffice it to say we can but refer the reader to the work itself .

The instructive chapter on "The Morgan Excitement , written by Bro . J . B . Anthony , is a welcome contribution on a very painful matter , and has been so ably treated , that it appears to be the final word on the subject . Among the many beautiful and interesting plates are views of American Masonic

lemples , which will come like a revelation to many of us in the Old Country . When we speak or hear of American Freemasonry , we have in mind zeal , activity , untiring vigour , and we naturally . look for creditable buildings in which our cousins

hold their gatherings . But these are something more than homes for lodges ; they are superb palaces ! Let all those who love the Craft ' and its lore , and who look for knowledge beyond their own limited horizon secure this most readable book , and examine and peruse it for themselves . WM . WATSON , P . M ., P . Z . ( Leeds ) .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

A Quarterly Court of this Institution ' s Subscribers and Governors was held on Friday , the ioth inst ., at Freemasons' Hall , Bro . Richard Eve , Past Grand Treasurer , in the chair . There were also present Bros . G . Everett .

W . A . Scurrah , H . Massey , J . Terr )' , W . Masters , V . R . W . Hedges , A . A . Pendlebury , W . H . Lee , N . Green , H . Sadler , W . Dodd , W . Lake , A . W . Bourne , G . Hutchinson , W . H . Saunders , G . Corbie , and ] . M . Mcl . eod ( Secretary ) .

After . the reading- of the advertisement convening the meeting , and the reading and confirmation of the minutes of the Quarterly Court on Friday , April ioth , and the reading of the minutes of the Council meetings of May 2 nd , June 6 th , and July 4 th , Bro . \ V . A . SCURRAH , Vice-Patron , moved " That Law 8 9 be expunged . "

Law 89 is as follows : " The Council are authorised to appropriate a sum not exceeding ^ 20 for the benefit of any boy who has left the Institution , if found deserving , and if they are satisfied that there is a fair prospect of his obtaining by such aid the means of permanent provision . " Bro . Scurrah said it might be remarked that these laws had only recently been revised

and the question might be asked , " Why go altering the laws so soon ? " But he would say this—that if they found a by-law was unworkable and contradictory in itself , it was far better to deal with it at once , and

. alter it than allow it to remain . He had no doubt it was within the knowledge of all present that formerly , under the old administration , boys were granted £ 5 for the purchass of a suit of clothes if they were of good behaviour after leaving the Institution for a certain time , and that was clone

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

under this law . Under the present management this had been brought up ; repeatedly applications had been made for an amount for a suit of clothes for a boy , and it had been ruled that that did not come under this law , and it had been refused . As facts were always the best things . to go upon , he would mention two cases that came up in April last , which showed the

contradictory nature of this by-law . In the first place , an application was brought up by the friends of a boy named Figgis for a grant of ^ 20 for his apprenticeship , and it was considered that that came under this law , that by his being apprenticed to a good trade there would' be a fair prospect of his obtaining a permanent income by-and-bye , and therefore this £ 20 was

granted to him . Another application was brought up immediately after this by a poor woman named Simpson , who applied for a certain amount of money towards the boy's maintenance . She stated she had endeavoured to find and had raked up sufficient money to apprentice her boy , and he had been apprenticed to a certain trade , but she now found

herself penniless , and she wanted some aid to maintain the boy during his apprenticeship . There was a long discussion on this subject occupying half , an-hour , but the application was eventually refused , inasmuch as it did not come under the Law 89 . He ( Bro . Scurrah ) contended , however , that it came as much under Law 89 as the case of Figgis . The poor woman had

begged , borrowed , or scraped the money up for the apprenticeshi p , and then afterwards she asked for something towards the maintenance of the boy . Therefore , he said , when they . found such a contradictory by-law as this , it was far better to do away with it , because it caused dissatisfaction among the friends of boys who left the Institution . One got the /" 20

another was refused ; and they said " There is some favouritism ; that boy was thought better than I ; because I want £ 5 or £ 10 to assist me I cannot get it . " He thought it was far better that this law should be expunged altogether rather than that it should remain in its present state . Some of the brethren might say— " If you expunge this law it will be impossible to assist a boy in

future ; if they want a few pounds you cannot give it them . He , on the contrary , said : " If you expunge this by-law you can assist them , because By-Law 45 it was stated " No motion for a new law , for the suspension , abrogation , or alteration of any existing law , or for a grant of money , or for an expenditure exceeding ^ 500 , shall be made at a Quarterl y

or Special Court , unless notice thereof shall have been given at a previous Quarterly Court or Council , . and advertised b y the Secretary in the Masonic papers , " and so forth . By that law the Council had the power to grant any sum of money provided it did not reach ^ 500 , and if they found a boy leaving the Institution required some assistance ,

by that law they were empowered to grant him any sum of money they liked . He could mention circumstances which had occurred in which such things had been clone . If they did away with this law they could , if so disposed , give an ) - sum of money to a boy who had left the Institution . Those two

cases he had quoted that came before the Council in April were proof of the badness of Law 89 . There were many others he could quote , among them being one that the Secretary had read in the minutes of the Council meeting in May .

Bro . BOURNE seconded the motion , though on totally different grounds from Bro . Scurrah . He thought the law should be abolished .

Bro . MASTERS thought the law in question determined the amount the Council should appropriate to a boy . If it was left to Law 45 , it was put in the hands of the Quarterly Court . The CHAIRMAN' : No , you could not do that . Bro . MASTERS : Then if that is so f do not make anv observation on the

motion . The CHAIRMAN said the cases cited by Bro . Scurrah showed the strength of the rule . They also showed how much it might have been carried out improperly in time past . They showed clearly , moreover , that the rule itself was as good as it could be . To his mind nothing was stronger than

the reasons Bro . Scurrah had given , viz ., where a mother whose boy had been in the Institution applied for money to apprentice the boy for the purpose of g iving him the means of further provision in the future which she had not , the Council could give it . In a case where she applied for a suit of clothes because the boy was in a situation it was no reason at all . But where of

the power to give up to and not exceeding ^ 20 for the purpose making further provision was a proper one there was no objection to it . It was a nonsensical proposition that the law should be abolished because in one case ^ 5 for a suit of clothes had been refused . He had been chairman on several occasions when grants were asked for , and he had put the question

to the Committee whether they were satisfied there was a fair prospect of t ' boy obtaining by the grant a means of permanent provision . In < i < - 'ase where the boy was to be apprenticed it was a clear case ; but where he was already apprenticed and wanted a suit of clothes , it was not , for he haj got his means of permanent provision . But as for Bro . Scurra 1

calling attention to Law 45 it was very strange , for there was n allusion whatever in it to these grants . According" to Bro . Scurra n , D ) Law 45 they could vote any sum of money up to ^ 500 . That would ri ° bear investigation ; the rule said they should not do it beyond £ S °° - ' . '' ... not apply at all ; it meant something else that they should do if legal , < to of bo )

would be perfectly illegal to vote ^ 499 a boy or the friend a , did not apply to this case . The rule stood on its own basis , and it was \\ drawn . It had been misapplied in past times . There were cases in ^ ' ^ ' they might give £ 10 for the benefit of a child to apprentice him , sa )' ,

board ship , if the case was a deserving one . _ , _ ¦ . \ Bro . SCURRAH , with all due respect to the Chairman ' s ruling , i nSif ' [ that the rule he had pointed out—45—distinctly said the Council cou ' r ^ j y any sum of money in any way or shape they pleased , but beyond £ 5 " ° must go to the Quarterly Court . The CHAIRMAN -. And if we vote ^ 499 to you we could do it'' orant Bro . SCURRAH : Yes ; but I have not been in the School ; " "VVjua' '" of money , or for an expenditure exceeding ^ 500 , shall be made at a _ -v' terly or Special Court "—leaving it to be inferred that anything under £ ;>