The Approaching School Elections.

opening at i p . m ., or Avhen the general business of the Court has been concluded , and closing at 3 p . m . precisely . The number of candidates is 45 , of whom eight—Nos . 7 , 12 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 34 , 41 , and 45—hail from London , and three—Nos . 14 , 3 6 , and 40 —are partly London and partly Provincial , the remaining 34

being of Provincial origin or from Districts abroad . No . 7 has been a candidate for three years , and has 1999 votes to his credit ; No . 12 , a tAVo years' candidate , brings forward 864 votes ; and Nos . 22 , 25 , and 26 , who made their first essay in October last , have 1250 votes , 171 votes , and 307 votes in hand

respectively . Nos . 34 , 41 , and 45 are new cases , while as to the cases of mixed origin , No . 14 ( Kent and London ) starts with 8 97 votes , and Nos . 3 6 ( London and Leicestershire and Rutland ) , and No . 40 ( London and Surrey ) make their first appearance at this election . Fortunately for the above 11 boys , they will all have at least one more chance allowed them of being admitted

into the School . As regards the 34 non-Metropolitan cases , Staffordshire furnishes three , namely , No . 8 Avith 28 votes as the result of four previous trials ; No . 22 , who brings forward 39 votes from last October ; and No . 43 , a new case . Nos . 3 and 13 , both

hailing from Cumberland and Westmorland , have each of them a few votes in hand ; Nos . 4 and 19 , both hailing from Durham and both last cases , have the former 200 votes and the latter 16 votes in hand , so that in both cases the friends must make strenuous efforts , or the names will be removed from the list . There are two

candidates from Wanvickshire , Nos . 9 and 39 ; tAvo from Madras , Nos . 10 and 32 ; two from Hants and the Isle of Wight , of whom No . 11 starts with 100 votes , and No . 21 Avith 333 votes ; two from Sussex , Nos . 15 and 20 ; tAvo from Derbyshire , of whom No . 16 has 277 votes to his credit , and No . 18 , 901 votes ; two

from Kent , No . 17 having 1154 votes already to the good , Avhile No . 38 is a new case ; and two from Buckinghamshire , No . 24 having 144 8 votes to start with , and No . 42 being a debutant . Of the others No . 1 ( Somerset and Devon ) has been a candidate for four years , and will bring forward 304 votes ; No . 2 , a last

case from Jersey , Cheshire , and Staffordshire , has only 18 votes to the good ; No . 5 ( Nottinghamshire ) , 1374 votes ; No . 6 ( Salop ) , 3 votes ; No . 27 ( Dorsetshire ) , 76 votes ; No . 28 ( Suffolk ) , 1872 votes , which as this will be his last chance , A \ 'e trust will be increased sufficiently to place him among the " Successful ; " No . 29 (

Somersetshire ) , J 203 votes ; No . 30 ( South America ) , 1602 votes ; and Nos . 31 ( Herefordshire ) , 33 ( Kent , Middlesex , and Suffolk ) , 35 ( Cheshire ) , 37 ( Essex ) , and 44 ( Hertfordshire ) , all of which are first cases , and as regards No . 33 , - * - case likewise . We may add that 37 of the children are fatherless , while five have

both parents living , and three have lost them both . In sundry of the cases the father Avas a supporter of one or more of the Institutions , and had Avon distinction in lodge , chapter , or Province , and some had been subscribing members for 15 years and upAvards .

We can only add the hope that in the case of those children —be they girls or boys—who have left them only this one chance of success , that those Avho have not already pledged their support to other candidates will come forward and lend their help and influence in saving them from the . very serious loss and disappointment which failure Avill certainly entail .

Some American Ideas About Freemasonry.

SOME AMERICAN IDEAS ABOUT FREEMASONRY .

The other day Avhen turning over the pages of that excellent Masonic periodical , the Voice of Masonry , Ave came across the following remark by a "distinguished brother , " whose name , however , is not mentioned : " I want to bring Masonry up to the present . To be talking always in the mist of the past is

tiresome ; I Avant to sing a new song , and strike a new chord in harmony with this age of electricity . " Fortunately for the anonymous " distinguished brother" referred to , the paragraphist went on to explain that by this , he ( the brother , not the paragraphist ) meant nothing more serious than that he favoured " not

only individual Charity , but also organised benevolence and beneficence . " Now it strikes us that this brother , if he be really as distinguished as he is represented to be , must have spent the time he has been connected with Masonry A'ery unprofitabl y if he is only just now becoming alive to the fact that the very

quintessence of our Masonic system is loyalty to constituted authority and Charity towards all men ; and that he must have a very poor idea of American Freemasonry , or that section of it with Avhich he is most familiar , and in Avhich he has Avon such great distinction , if he considers it is entirely Avithout the second of

the virtues we have mentioned as being its essential constituents . For ourselves , though Ave cannot speak Avith that knowledge which the best and most prominent American Masons themselves possess , Ave are Avell aware that the virtue of Charity is very largely cultivated in a great majority of the American jurisdic-

Some American Ideas About Freemasonry.

tions . Therefore , while we entirely sympathise vvith our unknown "distinguished" brother ' s desire for greater "individual Charit y and better organised benevolence and beneficence , " weareata loss to determine to which of the many jurisdictions in the United States Ave must assign him . Is he " distinguished" in that in

which they confer the Third Degree in costume ; or in one of those in which the public installation of officers finds favour * or , yet again , in one of those in which the Grand Lodge recei pts are almost , if not entirely absorbed , in the payment of mileage alloAvances to the representatives of the subordinate

lodges Avhen they attend the annual Communications of their Grand Lodge ? In either of these cases we can appreciate bis desire for a change . He is rig ht in his belief that where there is masquerading , undue publicity , or a Avholesale waste of Grand Lodge funds , these in place of one or

all of them should be " not only individual Charit y , but also organised benevolence and beneficence . " Where large sums are spent in parades and public displays , or in the purchase of gorgeous robes and tiaras , and such like fancy costumes , there is small chance of there being any

appreciable amount available for Charity . Dispense with the former and there will be ample money to dispense in the cause of the latter . This , we repeat , is a known and recognised truth in most of the Grand Lodges in the United States of which we have any

knowledge , and therefore the only conclusion Ave are able to arrive at is that the jurisdiction with which this " distinguished brother " is connected is so obscure as to be comparatively , if not absolutely , unknown .

Consecration Of The Beneventa Lodge, No. 2380.

CONSECRATION OF THE BENEVENTA LODGE , No . 2380 .

For some years past it has been the wish of several of the brethren belonging to lodges in the Province of Norths and Hunts , living in and around Daventry , to have a lodge of their own , in order to obviate the necessity of proceeding to Northampton or Towcester to attend their lodges . To meet the wishes of those brethren thc Beneventa Lodge has been formed at Daventry , and the consecration ceremony took place under very auspicious circumstances on Friday the 27 th ult .

It had been arranged that the consecration should take place on the 15 th January last , but osving to the illness of the Provincial Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of Euston , D . L ., it svas postponed . His lordship , svho is nosv very much improved in health , arrived in Daventry about 11 o ' clock in order that he might consult vvith the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Butler-Wilkins , and make the

necessary arrangements for the important and imposing ceremony of the day , vvhich it is gratifying to state went off svithout the slightest hitch or mishap of any kind . A nesv lodge room had been formed at Bro . C Ward ' s , Wheat Sheaf Hotel , and svhen arranged ready for lodge it certainly presented an excellent and attractive appearance .

1 he brethren ( many of whom came from different and extreme parts of the province ) , to the number of between 70 and 80 , assembled at the Wheat Sheaf Hotel , and shortly aftersvards the impressive ceremony of consecration was proceeded with , the Consecrating Officers being Bros , the Right Hon . Earl of Euston , P . G . M . ; Butler Wilkins , P . M . 3 60 , P . G . S . B ., D . P . G . M . ; and the Very Rev . AVorshipful Canon S . J . W . Sanders , LL . D ., P . G . Chap . England , the latter of whom delivered a most eloquent and earnest oration , which vvas listened to with rapt attention by the brethren .

Among those present , in addition to the ofiicers mentioned , were Bros . F . Billinghim , W . M . ; F . Willoughby , S . VV . ; F . B . Whitford , J . W . ; W . T . Knig ht , Sec . 445 , P . P . G . S . B . ; J . J . Hart , P . M . 3 60 , D . C . ; J . Birch , J . D . ( founders of the nesv lodge ); E . Harrison , S . AV . ; J . B . Hands , F . Cox , J . M . Stuart-Edsvards , H . Edyvean-Walker , T . Duke , J . Haswell , P . M ., P . P . S . G . D . ; T . U . Clarke , ] . C . Price , P . G . S . B . ; and G . V . Hefford .

The appointments of the officers of the new lodge were as follosvs : Bros . F . Billingham , W . M . ; F . AVilloughby , S . W . ; F . B . Whitford , J . W . ; J . J . Hart , acting I . P . M . ; W . T . Kni ght , Sec ; G . Lesvis , S . D . ; J . Birch , J . D . ; C . Ward , I . G . ; and G . Robinson , Tyler .

I he musical portion of the ceremony , in the unavoidable absence 01 tiro . J . Birch , vvas performed b y Bro . Clarabut , St . Peter ' s Lodge , Peterboroug h During the proceedings Bro . F . Willoughby , on behalf of the officers of the Beneventa Lodge , presented Bro . F . Billinghaui witha founder's jesvel in recognition of the interest he had taken in the formation of the lodge . The brethren afterwards sat down to arecherchs banquet , which was supp lied by Bro . C . Ward in the large room of the hotel . The tables were well and prettily

set out , and the catering of the host and hostess gave the greatest satisfaction . Bro . F . Billingham , W . M ., presided , and svas supported on his right by Bros , the Earl of Euston , P . G . M ., and Butler Wilkins , D . P . G . M ; and on his left by Bros . J . J . Hart , P . G . M ., D . C , and G . Ellard , P . M ., P . P . S . G . W . The vice-chair was occupied by Bro . F . Willoughby , S . W . At the conclusion of the banquet , the CHAIRMAN gave "The Queen and the Craft , " which vvas most loyally honoured .

"Tlie M . W . G . M ., H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , K . G ., " vvas also given by »> - CHAIRMAN , and heartily received . , This toast was followed by that of "The D . G . M . and the Officers of Grand Lodge , Present and Past , " given b y the . CHAIRMAN . Bro . BUTLER WIT . KINS rpnliprl

The CHAIRMAN next gave "The Prov . G . M ., the Right Hon . the Earl 0 Euston , D . L . " He felt sure the brethren were greatly gratified at seeing his lordship amongst them once m ire , and that he had so far recovered from his serioi ' illness as to be able to be present to take part in the proceedings of that day-The toast vvas most heartil y drunk . . Bro . Lord EUSTON , in reply , said he was highly pleased to see such an assemb y

present to start what he mi ght term a new child of the province ' . The P roVinC u Grand Chaplain , in his oration that afternoon , had told them many home trut about what they ought to do in the future to make the lodge the success it ou j > to be . They should be careful as to vvho they admitted , and to be sure that th *^ svere good and true men , and those who would do active service for the lodge W the Craft in general . He himself would be always ready to help them in tb Y duties , their pleasures , and their successes , and there were many outside w vvould hel p them in every possible wav they could . . . Bro . F . B . WHITFORD vvas entrusted with the proposal of the follosving i . ' " The Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . Butler Wilkins , Past G . Std- o * and the Grand Officers of the Province , Present and Past . " AH who had 1