New Grand Lodges.

still many , and xve fear that many a similar proposal xvhich seems all smooth ancl fair on the surface , if we could find the " wheels xvithin wheels , " would resolve itself into the outcome of personal ambition , and the exaltation and enrichment of your " great small men . " It is no doubt a matter of certainty and actuality that as time moves on and populations increase all colonics xvill prefer to be goxerncd Masonicall y

by the near instead of by the " distant . " There also may be times and seasons and locales xvhere the creation of an independent Grand Lodge xvill throxv vitality into Freemasonry , increase Masonic interest , and extend Masonic usefulness . All this xve freely admit . But then as we reject utterly the ridiculous . " three lodge theory , " xve havc to judge each movement for independence by its oxvn inherent importance and reality , and the prospect it holds out ofpermanence and progress .

There are o ( course " movements and movements ; " some are reasonable , some unreasonable , some seasonable , some unseasonable , some likely to succeed , some sure to fail . We are of opinion that the American ideas and systems so often involved are alike excepttional and peculiar . They arise out of three special theories of " Unoccupied Country . " Three Grand Lodges for instance have chartered three separate lodges in "Unoccupied Country , "

that is , according to American ideas , xvhere there is not one dominant Grand Lodge , and therefore they have slided on the easy solution , that three lodges meeting together can form a Grand Lodge . But even this doctrine is not unchallenged in America . Not long ago , if we remember rightl }* , the Grand Lodge of Missouri had an 'outlying lodge which xvould not give up its parent lodge . Well , the Missouri Grand

Lodge did xvhat xve do , it xvould not abandon " dis child , " and in so doing xve think it xvas entirely right , though others deem it utterly xyrong . This doctrine , therefore , so glibly enunciated by some of our good colonials , has not been , and never xvill be accepted in England . It is modern , nexv , and entirely opposed lo the older viexv of jurisdictional rights and lodge liberty , and xvhile it may suit America , and be fairly agreeable under peculiar needs and requirements to that great body the American Freemasons , it

seems to us utterly unsuitable to our English colonies . In one or txx'o movements lately every condition of laxv , precedent , and antiquity has been ruthlessly set aside . In one , xverc there xvere three jurisdictions ; but no English lodge joined the movement and a few Irish and Scottish . The consequence is the English Grand Lodge declined to recognize such a position . In another , one English lodge out of 70 , and a few Irish and Scottish , again attempted the same , but the last is likely to prove a " fiasco " entirely .

In another case a clear majority of English lodges concurred , and 111 all probability that body xvill be eventually recognized , saving and safeguarding , as the English Grand Lodge must do , the rights of the minority , and the absolute provisions of our recently revised Book' of Constitutions . Our words therefore are meant as a friendly xvarning to many xvho , led axvay by some fussy and bustling men , seem to think that it is absolutely necessary to have a Giand Lodge in distant parts wherever English lodges are found . We do

not deny that cases may arise xvhen such a creation may be a good thing , and of this the brethren on the spot are , no doubt , the best judges . But many cases there also undoubtedly are where such agitation and formation lead to the xvorst possible results . We think we-see a case before us noxv , xvhere the creation of a Grand Lodge has tended to xveaken , to attentuate , and keep back Freemasonry in every xvay , and has in no sense gamed for it the sympathy of the respectable or the support of the intelligent .

History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

HISTORY OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

( Continued from page 305 ) . We have given evidence of this already by specifying the unpretedcntly large amounts that xvere subscribed at the anniversary of 1862—the first that xvas held after Bro . Binckes ' s appointment to the Secretaryship—and again at that ol the year following . Those of 1864 and 1865 xvere almost equally productive , while in the latter

year , xvhat xvas virtually a second Festival xvas held on the occasion of the Opening of the new School , the sum raised being stated at the time as £ 5000 . Naturally enough , the very large expenditure incurred in erecting the new premises rendered it im peratix'e that extra exertions should be made in order to satisfy the liabilities incurred , and a very considerable part of Bro . Binckes's lime xvas occupied in organising Boards of Stexvards , visiting

the metropolitan lodges , and arousing e nlhusiasm for the School in the provinces . Tnus , notwithstanding that 1 S 65 xvas marked by a double Cilebration , the pr icee Is of the two b ? ing only a little , if at all , short of £ to , ooo , the an < xiv : rsa-y of i 366 , when Lo * d Da Tab ' . ey , P . GM . Cheshire , orcupied the chair , yi .-Ided close on £ 5500 There xvas a falling off in 1 S . 37 , xvhin the late End of Di . hmsi ; , P tst D . G . M ., presided , in

the total being ^ 4133 ; xvhile 1 S 6 S , whin the late Sir F . G . Fermor-Hesketh , Bart ., M . P ., P . P . G . M . We . t Lancashire , gave his services as Chairmin , there xvas a very appreciable recovery , the result , xvith some htlf-dozen lists yet to be handed in , being about £ 4900 . But in 1 S 69 it xvas determined—chiefly at the instance of the House Committee and Bro . Binckes—that a supreme effort should be made to clear off the mortgage of

£ io , uoo , xvhich xx-eighed so heavily on the Institution . The valuable aid of the late Bro . Stephen Blair , of Bolton , Prov . Grand Master of East Lancashire , xvas enlisted in the good work , and the province nobly determined to second him in his efforts . The Deputy Grand Master , the Earl De Grey and Ripon , P . G . M . West Yorkshire , consented to take the chair , and West Yorkshire , as on a previous similar occasion , made up its mind to support

their noble chief . Other provinces displayed a like readiness to assist , and xvhen the eventful day arrived , Bro . Binckes had the satisfaction of announcing , as the result of the special exertions xvhich had been made , the magnificent total of upwards of £ 12 , 000 , the ultimate total being , in round figures , £ 12 , 200 . Of this £ 3885 xvas contributed by East Lancashire , £ 3135 by West Yorkshire , £ 2409 by sundry other provinces , and £ 2629 by lodges in

the London district . But the most prominent among the donors xvas Bro . Blair , xvho himself handed in a contribution ol . £ 1050 , in acknowledgment of xvhich there was secured to him during his lifetime , . and at his death to the Province of East Lancashire , the right of perpetual presentation of one boy , provided he xvas duly qualified in all respects , to receive the benefits of

ihe Institution , and provided likexvise that during his stay in the School he should remain subject to the rules and regulations in all respects as the other boys . The Provincial Grand Lodges . of East Lancashire and West Yorkshire contributed each 500 guineas , and Bros . W . R . Callender and Wike each 100 guineas . Such a success , achieved at a time -when the proceeds ordinarily ranged from some £ . 1500 to £ 5300 , must have . astounded the bre-

History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

thren , very many of xvhom could well remember the reports submitted less than 20 years previously , in xvhich the fear xvas again and again expressed that it xvas perilous to think of raising an additional £ 1500 ' per annum in order to meet the expenditure that xvould follow the erection or rental of a schoolhousc . How groundless their fears turned out to be may be judged from the fact that in the eight years during xvhich Bro . Binckes

had held the office of Secretary , he had been mainly instrumental in raising from Festival and similar celebrations alone fully £ 50 , 000 . The enthusiasm which so great a success aroused may be more easily imagined than described . What chiefl y concerns us is the effect produced by so large a total of subscriptions on the funds of the Institution . The original intention , as has been already stated , xvas to clear off the xvhole

ofthe mortgage of £ 10 , 000 . But about this time the House and Building Committee sent 'in their report on the completion of the Building—see Appendix for this Report in full—from xvhich it apoeared that , irrespective of the mortgage of £ 10 , 000 , there xvas about £ ' 9000 outstanding in respect of liabilities on this account . It xvas , therefore , determined to pay off only a moiety of the mortgage , xvhile xvith the aid of a loan from the bankers of

£ 4000 , the Contractor's balance and other similar liabilities were reduced by payment of £ S 6 oo , the total amount paid during the year 1869 , including interest on mortgage and £ 4800 for the maintainence of the Institution , being £ 18 , 840 . But enormous as this reduction of debt must appear to us , the Institution xvas still liable for the remaining moiety of the mortgage ( £ 5000 ) , and for the moneys advanced by the bankers ( about £ 5900 ) , xx'ith

about £ 600 due to other creditors , and a further supreme effort became necessary in order to restore the Institution to a state of financial equilibrium as regards its income and expenditure . Fortunatel y it xvas found possible to make this effort in 1870 . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Past G . M ., graciously consented to preside at the Festival for that year . A large Board of Stewards , xvith the Earl De Grey and Ripon at its head , xvas

organised , and again Bro . Binckes found himself in a position to announce another of his brilliant successes , though not so brilliant as in 186 9 , the proceeds being slightly on the xvrong side of £ 10 , 000 . However , it enabled the Executive to pay off the remainder of the mortgage and provide for the usual needs of the Institution , xvhile the other receipts xvent towards

a reduction of the amount due to the bankers . As regards the other txvo Festivals that xvere held during this period , those of 1871 and 1 S 72 , they are characterised by no special features . They yielded grand results and so contributed to the further reduction of the amount due b y the Institution ; but beyond this we need devote to them no further remark .

There are a fexv other circumstances xvhich deserve to be mentioned . At the Quarterly Court in January , 1866 , resolutions were passed under xvhich it became permissible for a duly qualified child to be admitted into the Institution by purchase , the amount payable for such privilege being fixed at 150 guineas ( £ 157 ios . ) It xvas further resolved that on payment of 350 guineas ( £ 367 ios . ) , any person , not a minor , should be entitled during his

or her life to keep one properly qualified child in the Institution , the conditions precedent in both cases being that such children could be " conveniently " admitted , and should be in excess of the number admitted by election , that the amounts should be paid in each case in one sum , not by instalments , and lhat there should be " no voting in respect of any part thereof . " It may be as well to state here that these amounts have since

been increased to 170 guineas ( £ 178 ios . ) , and 500 guineas ( £ 525 ) respectively . In January , 1 S 70 , a resolution xvas passed lo the effect " that the right to a _ perpetual presentation of a properly qualified boy for admission to this Institution may be purchased on payment of one thousand guineas , no votes being exercised in virtue of such payment ; and after the death of the contributor of such sum of one thousand guineas , his or her

presentation shall be vested in his or her executors , administrators , appointees , or assigns for ever . " This resolution was the outcome of the arrangements made in the case of Bro . Stephen Blair , already referred to , to whom during his life and at his death to the province of East Lancashire , xvas secured , in consideration of his gift of 1000 guineas , the right of perpetual presentation in respect of one duly qualified boy . West Yorkshire

was not sloxv to follow the example thus set , and in 1872 we find a De Grey Perpetual Presentation in connection xvith this province , similar privileges having been subsequently purchased b y Warxvickshire and other provinces . In 1 S 66 arrangements were made xvith the Grand Lodge Building Committee , by xvhich the offices of the Institution xvere moved into Freemasons ' Hall , a rental of £ 36 , xvith coals and gas , as agreed upon , being- fixed for the

accommodation . It is needless to say more xvith respect to this change than that , as it could not be otherxvise than beneficial to the brethren to have the head-quarters of the several Masonic Institutions under the same roof as Grand Lodge , so it could not fail to be equally satisfactory to the Institutions , and especially to those responsible for the daily conduct of their business , to find themselves located so advantageously . Three years later , owing

to the immense increase in the duties of the Secretariat , a Committee of Inquiry xvas appointed , with a view to ascertain xvhat , if any , changes should be made in the office arrangements . In April , 1869 , they delivered their report , from xvhich xve gather that , though by the strict letter of his engagement made at the time of his election , Bro . Binckes ' s attendance at the office was limited to four hours per day for three days in the xveek , yet that

"from the date of such election 'he had " given daily attendance , and , owing to the rapidincrease in the business , fornearly theentire day , forthe first txvo or three years , and since then his regular attendance during the xvhole of each day , save xvhen visiting the provinces or absent from illness . " More than this , he had been " compelled to engage assistance during the years 1863-7 at a cost to himself , " as shoxvn in the tabulated statement annexed .

Thc Committee further pointed out that as thc increase in the xvork had continued , " a sum of £ 50 was placed at Bro . Binckes ' s disposal for thc purpose of providing the requisite assistance in 1 S 6 S , " while a like sum had been placed at his disposal for the current year , 1869 , subject , hoxvever , to such action as might be taken in their report . They therefore recommended that £ 100 should be granted to the Secretary in reimbursement of the moneys

paid by him out of his own pocket for clerical assistance during the years 1 S 63-7 ; that a clerk should be permanently appointed at a salary of £ 100 per annum , to assist him in future ; that he be reimbursed his travelling expenses xvhen on the business of the Institution ; and that his salary be fixed at £ 200 per annum , from ist January , 1870 , together xvith a fixed annual gratuity of £ 200 . These recommendations were adopted , xvith the

exception that the salary was arranged at £ 250 , instead of £ 200 , a rate of remuneration which cannot be deemed excessive , even with the addition of the annual gratuity of £ 200 in lieu of the commission heretofore paid Bro . Binckes on all Festival receipts in excess of £ 2000 . What else occurred is comparatively unimportant . ( To be continued . )