Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The monthly Council meeting was held on Saturday , the 5 th inst ., Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . Treas ., in the chair , and amongst others present were Bros . G . Everett , G . Treas . ; Scurrah , Glass , Hobbs , Slyman , Alderman Harwood , Jas . Newton , J . W . Burgess , jas . Brett , C . H . Webb , G . Coop , Jas . Willing , jun ., and J . Morrison McLeod ( Secretary ) .

The S ECRETARV having reported that five London and live provincial members of the Board of Management would retire at the Quarterly Court on April Sth next , the following nominations were handed in of candidates eligible for election to fill the vacancies . London brethren : Wni . Shurmur , W . H . Read , C . M . G ., " 'Sir Augustus G . Harris , J . J . Thomas , S .

Cochrane , * H . F . Nash , R . Pittam Stevens , Robert D Cummings , Thomas Hastings Miller , * Edward Terry James P . Fitzgerald , * William Masters , and J . D . Langton . Provincial brethren : Edward Margrett , Berks ; W . H . Spaull , Salop ; J . W . Burgess . West Lancashire ; * C . E . Keyser , Herts ; * C K . Benson , Cheshire

and North Wales ; * 01 iver Papworth , Cambridgeshire ; * George Corbie , Essex ; Charles Pullman , Northumberland ; Thomas Bradley , Durham ; and 'Richard Clowes , Sussex . Those marked thus (*) are the retiring members . The S ECRETARY having called attention to the nomination of Bro . Burgess by West Lancashire and to the

fact that such province had already an elected member on the Board whose tenure of office did not expire until 1894 , The CHAIRMAN ruled the nomination was in order , and must be received . Considerable discussion followed , during which a BROTHER from the province said it was not wished

that West Lancashire should have two representatives on the Board , but that the previous nomination was onlv for one year , and that a change in the representation had been decided upon . It was ultimately resolved to refer the matter to the Grand Registrar for his opinion . Announcement was made of the withdrawal from the

list of candidates at next election of No . I on the list ( Bernard Brockas Howell ) . Notice of motion to increase the salary of the medical officer to ^ 100 per annum ( on the unanimous recommendation of the Board ) was also given . A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman for presiding .

Masonic Presentation At Queensland.

MASONIC PRESENTATION AT QUEENSLAND .

About three years ago a project was set on foot for recognising the worth and services of Bro . the Hon . A . C . Gregory , District Grand Master of the English Constitution in Queensland . It was then decided that the

recognition should take the form of a portrait of the venerable District Grand Master . Of this piece of work the following description , by a well-known local artist , says all that is needful to be said : "The portrait of the District Grand Master of the English Freemasons , the Hon . A . C . Gregory , is one that will be of

new interest to the art critics of Brisbane , being boldly painted to give the effect of finish at the long distance [ rom which it will be usually seen , and in this respect ¦ s a notable exception to the conventionally accepted in r i * P ° rtrait Panting . The attitude is simple and lull of life . He is shown standing on the dais in the act

of calling the attention of the brethren , the uplifted gavel catching the bright light on its surface . The "cmy-embroidered regalia , subdued , but giving the ¦ 'Ppearance of precision of detail , both add to the prominence of the vigorously drawn head , which is full of aracter , yet without finish or conventionality , a roughness produced at the cost of slow and anviniis

••» our , and showing ( he District Grand Masler at the •" - ¦ ¦ l period of his long and valued life . The a tist wins to have kept in mind that hc was representing ™ c of Australia ' s greatest explorers as well as the " prcscntative head of the English Freemasons . The

• " - " -. ground by its depth and transparency , in which can thr ,. ? the u ! 'holstery of the throne , serves to inH i g and shade into the so '"* - * " - evening dress ' unilv f rr figUre Stand OUt in l ) erfcct reIief - Thl * i e " ect and repose is obtained at the right '"¦ "ice , andeives a nirhiiv . % » h \ rh ™« ,. „„„ „„„ •> --, o ., u gives a picture which

, grows upon one . massf l ' f rlrait has been enclosed in an exceptionally tivelv * e ' iind the whole work [ orms ' *¦ disfincy imposing addition to the spacious lodge room . ol lva ™ Presentation took place on the afternoon "buur " . i ^' i J ? December , in the presence if = ludiL . K bretbrc , , ° f the English Constitution , in-. * "g tne available officers nf IlidrW C- ^ A i . „ ¦ „ .,

those of T " i from a 11 the Brisbane lodges , and " ¦'" tiitinn P R Vlch aml Laidley working under that Con-Votc * f to the cto " L ' Uarne " ' ' - E » g * " - * . D . G S w ) , Ceed l S s were 0 P ened by Bro . J . FENWICK , cecdir , ™ f ,, foV -Is '" * - * ¦ * * 3 a"'nett , said * . Before pro-Us tojrethpr . J * " the ceremonial which has called ot tho > LMU y ' \ m ! ly be we " for tl , c information "• timatelv 7 W" ° ! l { ew >' ears a g ° were "ot s ° . * . r „ •; . v connected u , irt , i . % „ ., — iv & iiia 3 Y 0 1

* " "l 1 CYnl .. ' 1 7 . . um . UICV IUAV l now „ £ ' " bnefl y the histor r t ) le testimonial Mas ter BVn P , 2 t 0 P * -ent to our District Grand ' ° ' Gregory . The idea of a testimonial to

Masonic Presentation At Queensland.

our beloved and respected District Grand Master took shape in iSSS when a circular was addressed to the several lodges under our jurisdiction in Queensland . This circular was heartily responded to , and then a meeting was held in July , when the several lodge representatives unanimously resolved "That a half-figure life size portrait in oils of Bro . Gregory should be painted

by an artist of eminence in Melbourne to be presented to the District Grand Lodge of Queensland and placed in the hall , ' thus ever to serve to keep his memory before the brethren , and further , that a personal gift consisting of a piece of plate should be presented to the R . W . brother himself , which he could transmit to his heirs as an evidence of the high estimation in which

he was held by the English Freemasons of Queensland . " Well , brethren , I was instructed to make the arrangements for the portrait , and after the most careful enquiries in Melbourne I selected Mr . J . C . Folingsby , who was considered to hold the highest position in that city as a portrait painter . It was then expected that Bro . Gregory would have to visit

Melbourne and would thus be able to give Mr . Folingsby the necessary " sittings . " Very many months passed without our District Grand Master being able to leave Queensland , and in the meantime I regret to say that Mr . Folingsby died . I had then to begin afresh , and my selection fell upon Signor Uge Catani , very highly spoken of by the art critics , among whom

were Sir William J . Clarke , Bart ., Grand Master of Victoria , and Lad } Clarke , both of whom are no mean connoisseurs in art . As our R . W . brother was still unable to go to Melbourne Signor Catani kindly consented to make a brief visit to Brisbane , which hedidsome three months ago . The picture was afterwards painted in Melbourne , and you will presently see the results of

the artist s labours . That , brethren , is , shortly , the history of the painting . Now , as to the personal gift . The Committee had a difficulty as to what shape this should take , and eventually it was decided to leave the choice to Bro . Gregory himself , and at the last meeting of the Committee it was agreed that you , Bro . Barnett , as Deputy District Grand Master , be invited ,

on behalf of the English Freemasons of Queensland , to present the testimonial to the District Grand Master , Bro . the Honourable Augustus C . Gregory , C . M . G ., & c . In accordance with this resolution I now ask you to make the presentation . Bro . BARNETT said : R . W . District Grand Master , in common with those brethren who are here present

today , you haveheard thehistory from the commencement of this desire of ours to present to you a testimonial , and that I have been asked to undertake that duty . We meet here to-day without the outward signs of our Masonic profession which are supposed to remind us of those great teachings which we hope and trust will guide our lives to their end ; but we meet here under

the sanction of our Craft . In respect to the teachings which I have referred to , it must be notable to all of us that our lessons continually refer to time . We are to " mark the time " and that " great arbiter of time , " the sun , is one of our greatest emblems . We are enjoined to mark the time in order that we may never miss our opportunity . The present time of the year

is opportune for the business we have in hand , for we are standing on the threshold of a new year , and this is a period when all nations and all peoples of the earth are expected to enjoy the anticipations of the future , which are hidden from us , and which we can only contemplate by the measure of the past , for all life is relative . And so we hope that this pleasant meetine *

will be a good augury of what will happen in the future . Some of us are old enough to be able to stop and look back along the lane of life , strewn as it is with the sands of time , and see where we have walked uprightly and truly , and they will probably amongst all the distractions of life be able to recognise whether their footsteps along life ' s lane have been side by side

with those of men whom we know have marched in a straight course , and we have pleasure in recognising , sir , that those footsteps are your own , for they have always guided and led us rightly . That inner sight , which men call memory—that peculiar faculty which enables events far back to be seen sometimes more clearly than those ol more recent date—enables us to glance backward over

the era of Freemasonry in this colony , and to see that the present great system sprung from one lodge alone , and at a distance of time which is almost obscurity to some of us , and distant , indeed , to all who were connected with that lodge . You , sir , have been connected with it all that lime , and you have seen this district grow into one of very active Masonic

brotherhood , and I rejoice to think that it is one where there is to be found that genuine Freemasonry which seeks to do no evil and strives to do good . But having the example of your career before us , it would indeed be strange if it were otherwise , and I am thoroughly assured that so long as we follow that example we shall do well indeed . And now , when we stop in this journey along the road of life for the puipose of setting

up a memorial to commemorate the past , we desire that it shall be a covenant between you and us , and we wish to give you some evidence of the heartiness and genuineness and the wealth of the feelings we bear towards yourself . We wish to show you our appreciation of and thankfulness for the help you have brought tons in ailltiiv . es of difficulty and danger so far as our Masonic affairs are concerned . There is the

doctrine 01 a complete absolutism in the government of a Masonic lodge , and yet it seems to me when I think over il , a strange thing that our government should be a mixture of absolutism and government by democracy , and contradictory though it may seem , it is , to my mind at all events , the perfection of govern-

Masonic Presentation At Queensland.

ment . Your government , sir , has been so successful because you have always known how and when to apply your authority rightly . Our Constitution provides for the establishment of Boards of Benevolence , General Purposes , & c , and under your careful and wise guidance we now have all the means of governing ourselves , and everything in proper order , and so far as

I can see there is nothing to find fault with . Almost all of this is due to you , sir , and it is on this account that we have come to offer you the testimonial , which takes the form of a portrait of yourself , to be hung permanently in this hall . ( Here the portrait was unveiled . ) Thus we shall have a memorial of yourself in the great work you have done . On

the other hand , it was thought desirable to offer you some personal gift in token of our esteem and affection . It was thought that a piece of plate might be acceptable , and be handed down by you to your heirs , but it became a difficulty as to what form it should take , and it was decided that you should choose the form for yourself , and therefore I

beg to hand you this cheque , which I trust will be acceptable to you . I wish further to express the hearty and sincere hope that you may long be spared to rule and govern this district as you have hitherto done , and to enjoy the fruits of your labours in the great cause of Freemasonry , and to see a continual improvement and increase in this district , and that until

the time shall come—as come it must to all of uswhen you have proceeded along the lane of life until you have reached the vanishing point ; until that time comes I hope we shall enjoy that brotherly love and fellowship which has been our happy lot in the past . This is the sincere and hearty wish of . us all . The DISTRICT GRAND MASTER said : Brethren , I

hardly know how to express my gratitude and gratification , but I thank you from my heart . We have had many difficulties to contend against since the establishment of the District Grand Lodge in this colony , but happily all those difficulties have now been overcome , and under the wise system of government that has been adopted in working our Masonic Institutions , we

are now seeing the most gratifying results . It is perhaps singular , yet , nevertheless , it is the case , that thc conditions and constitutions of Freemasonry should be such that it has foreshadowed the most liberal and effective system of government that is known . In fact , Masonic government has been the prototype of the best systems of government in the world . I hardly

know , brethren , what further to say at present , because I feel so overwhelmed ; I will , therefore , simply refer to the second part of your kind presentation . No doubt it would be exceedingly gratifying to expend this cheque in some article of furniture which could be kept in my family and always regarded as an heirloom , but , brethren , you must remember that the possession

of property simply implies a trust . It should be expended not merely for the benefit of oneself , but for others also , and , therefore , I will ask the Board of Benevolence to advise me , and 1 think I shall place the money , supplemented by something from myself , in some way to form the nucleus of a fund , possibly for

establishing a scholarship for the sons of Freemasons . I trust , at any rate , to be able , after careful consideration , to see how best the money can be placed , so that its annual interest may be placed in order that it may be applied in that or some similar way . I beg again to thank you most heartily for this kind expression of your goodwill towards me .

The brethren then retired to the ante-room , where light refreshments had been provided . The chair was again taken by Bro . B . L . Barnett , Deputy D . G . M , After the toasts of " Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen " and " The M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , " had been proposed from the chair and loyall y responded to , Bro . A . J . STEPHENSON , P . D . S . G . W .,

President of the District Board of General Purposes , requested the brethren to join him in pledging " 'The Health of the R . W . District Grand Master , Bro . Gregory , " and stated that the words of Bro . Barnett had found a warm echo in the hearts of all the brethren present , and who were well acquainted not only with the personal worth but the Masonic ability

of their District Grand Master . 'The toast was drunk amidst great applause , Bro . the Hon . A . C . GRKUOKV , in responding , said that any success which had followed his administration of the affairs of the Masonic body under the Grand Lodge of England in Queensland that had beeii placed under his rule , was not due so much to any inherent

ability that he possessed or had shown as to the skill and intelligence exhibited by his advisers , and he held that he had to thank those brethren for everything that had been done in the interests of Freemasonry . Bro . ALEX . Couitiii moved a vote of thanks to Bro . Barnett for the manner in which he had made the presentation to the District Grand Master .

In reply , Bro . BAKNETT said in the words of Gilbert " it was his duty " to do what he was called upon to do in the interests of the Craft , and for his own part a more pleasurable duty had never fallen to his lot . Bro . J . D . REEVE then proposed a vote of thanks to Bro . John Fenwick for the active interest he had shown in furthering the matter of the testimonial .

Bro . FENWICK , in responding , said that the work in connection with the presentation from the very first had been to him a " labour of love , " and that if any congratulations were to be extended , they were due to the Craft in general for the successful results of that day , in which they had shown such hearty appreciation and esteem for their District Grand Master . This terminated the proceedings .