Contents.

CONTENTS .

LEADERS 227 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 228 Royal Masonic Institution for Girls 230 The Constitution of the New Lodge at Portsmouth 231 Provincial Grand Lodge of Gloucestershire 231 CORRESPONDENCEThe Banners of Freemasonry 232 Another Old Constitution in Existence ... 232 Red Cross of Constantine 232 Masonic Notes and Queries 232 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 232

Lodge of Benevolence 232 The London Masonic Charity Association ... 232 REPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry 233 Instruction 236 Royal Arch 237 Mark Masonry 237 Scotland 237 Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund ... 238 Masonic Tidings 23 S General Tidings 23 S Lodge Meetings for Next Week I .

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THE Anniversary Festival of the Girls' School took p lace on Wednesday last , under the distinguished Presidency of Sir MICHAEL HICKS B EACH , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire , when the very noble sum of £ 11 , 500 was announced by Bro . HEDGES . We beg sincerely to congratulate all concerned on the remarkable success of the Festival . Sir

MICHAEL HICKS BEACH ' S speech was a very able one , and was most deservedly and loudly applauded . Indeed , we never remember passing a more pleasant evening . The dinner was good , the speaking was good , and to the point . The band music was very good , thanks to our zealous little friends from the Bo \ 's' School , whose nice manners and pleasant demeanour

attracted the admiration of all who saw them ; and the vocal music was most effective and well arranged . The concert proved most attractive , and all departed delighted with a most charming " soiree , " which will long remain in the memories of some associated with graceful visions and pleasing

" souvenirs . " We shall dilate a little more on this topic next week , when we analyse the Stewards' returns . The work has been one of great triumph for the Girls' School , having greatly added to its prestige and popularity in the opinion of Metropolitan and Provincial friends .

* . * THE visit of the Stewards to the Girls' School , despite the somewhat untoward weather , was a most successful and enjoyable one . The Hall was crowded from end to end . Bro . SIR MICHAEL H . BEACH , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Gloucestershire , made some very judicious and seasonable

remarks after the numerous and handsome prizes were presented to their beaming recipients before a gratified auditory . The calisthcnic exercizes were simply marvellous , and drew down hearty plaudits . No battalion of the Household Troops could have performed their evolutions more steadil y and effectively . Indeed , the feelings of admiration and pride for

the Girls' School were openly expressed by old friends and new friends , and must be very gratifying to the House Committee . To Miss DAVIS , the very able and admirable Preceptress , all praise must be accorded , for- the life , and energy , and thorough excellence she has infused by her laborious efforts into the

entire organization of the School , and on all classes alike . The healthy , and cleanly , and cheery appearance of the children was much remarked , and the good work manifested , alike in recitation , and reading , and musical performances was loudly praised by many most competent judges . Miss J ARWOOD , the faithful and amiable Matron of many years , ought not to

be forgotten by us , and the zeal and intelligence of Miss DAVIS ' S assistants were both conspicuous and greatly approved of . Much of the present remarkable position of the School , " unique " in our educational establishments , must be justly attributed to the zeal and care of the House Committee .

* * THE progress of Freemasonry in the provinces is a very agreeable feature in the life and developement of English Freemasonry . The meeting which took place at Gloucester on Friday week last is a proof of this , when our distinguished Bro . Sir MICHAEL HICKS BEACH , Bart ., M . P ., who has been

presiding with singular efficiency at several charitable meetings lately , was installed Provincial Grand Master of Gloucestershire , by Bro . YV . W . BEACH , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and Isle of Wight .

A large number of Grand Officers attended the gathering , headed by Bro Colonel SHADWELL H . CLERKE , Grand Secretary England . The admirable manner in which Bro . BEACH performed the ceremony of installation was he theme of admiration of all present .

* , * * AFTER all , the " oldest Mason " does not seem to have been American , but English . From Bro . G . M . TWEDDELL ' S " Illustrated Annual " it would appearthat Bro . MATTHEW GREATHEAD , of Richmond , N . and E . Yorkshire ,

fulfilled most perfectly these conditions , and maintained this character . For he was born April 23 rd , 1770 , dying December 31 st , 1871 . He was in his 102 nd year when he died , and was initiated in the Lennox Lodge , No . 127 , in 1797 , and was a member of it seventy-five years . He had been re-

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appointed an officer of the lodge at the St . John ' s meeting in 1871 , four days before he died . The members of his lodge erected a monumental column to him near the front entrance of Richmond parish church Mr . ECROYD SMITH has given in his " Ouaint Yorkshire Characters "

the portrait of this " Centenarian Freemason , " an engraving of whom was published , it would appear from Bro . TWEDDELL ' S account , in our contemporary , the Illustrated London News , for June iith , 1870 . It is well to remind ourselves of these otherwise" forgotten facts , " and which we often lose sight of amid the common " wear and tear" of Masonic existence .

* ' * WE have said from time to lime that Masonic history had yet to be ^ written , and quite sure we are of the truth and reality of such a position . Owing to a variety of circumstances , the intense difficulty of the subject in itself , the judicious handling required , as before a joint audience of F ' reemasons and

non . Freemasons , the want of careful research , and the amount of sheepwalking indulged in by all Masonic writers , more or less , we have , as it were , to break ground afresh , and go carefully through all evidences , and " traverse " all authorities quoted . And the moment you sit down to write , an intenser stumbling block comes in in respect of history , qua history .

There is and must be some explanation of the " modus vivendi " of Freemasonry in the world , its " raison d ' etre , " its " outcome , " and its origin ; but the moment you adopt one of many conflicting theories you become a partisan , and square your " facts " to prove and uphold your position . Whether 3-011 take up the " fuller " or the " partial " Guild theory ; whether

you look to the Mysteries , or to Egypt as the cradle of Masonry ; whether you adopt a Templar or an Hermetic explanation of the mystery of the continued existence of a world-wide sodalityj whether you take the 1717 view , or perhaps no view at all , which just now seems a popular explanation with some , you will find how serious are the obstacles in the way of

writing a coherent and continuous history of a Body which has baffled the scrutiny and researches of so many in different ages of the world . All that you can say is , that Freemasonry has existed , but how , or why , or under what conditions is the problem yet to be solved , the explanation yet to be arrived at . At this moment , loo , many questions demand solution , which

are at the best , to use a common form of speech , " in nubibus" - —the actual existence , for instance , of Degrees ; the connection of Operative and Speculative Masonry ; the position of Hcrmcticism to Freemasonry , and vice versa ; the history of the Royal Arch ; the " link , " if any , between Freemasonry and the Templars ; how and in what way the " Marks " were

used by Operative Masons , and their bearing on our Speculative Order ; the reality of the Guild system ; its ramifications and its national developement in all countries before the fall of the Roman Empire , what was the true relationship of the Mysteries Egyptian , and Mithraic , and Cabiric to Freemasonry , if any ? All these are " points" necessary

to be exhaustively dealt with before we can hope to have before us an universal Masonic history , which shall be readable by non-Masons , and yet acceptable to the " Brethren of the Mystic Tie . " Still , let us not despair ; they say the "hour comes and the man , " and amid our many able brethren some one may be found with leisure and ability to devote himself

to such researches , and gladly shall we welcome on the " basis " we have indicated , any Masonic history which is marked , above all , by those essential requisites , honesty of purpose , originality of idea , and faithfulness of research , directed with a loyal , Masonic , and critical mind to the lifting of the veil which at present , like that of mystic Isis of old , hangs over the past of that wondrous Order , of which we are proud to be members to-day .

* * * BEFORE we again appear ^ in print the election for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution will have taken place . Despite the considerable addition to the number of candidates to be elected , we hear that " votes" are in great demand , and that the competition will be very keen . We hope we

are not doing wrong in thus devclopeing our Charities , but there comes over us , from time to time , a feeling we cannot repress , that Freemasonry is becoming a huge benefit order , which will one day prove unmanageable , and will utterly break down , because altogether diverted from its real object and its truest ends . Let us trust that our anticipations may not be realized .

* * * SOME amusement has been occasioned by some little " animus " again manifested in respect of the House Committee of the Girls'School . Three brethren nominated , we understand , had never even had the compliment paid them of being asked at all if they would serve , and "denige" both the " soft impeachment " and the philanthropic intentions of the nominator .

* * WE regret to note that an intolerant and cruel persecution of the Hebrew race continues in Russia , a disgrace , really , to the age in which we live .