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THIS Institution , though it has been in existence only a very vania Masonic few years , is already firmly established . It is entirely free ome - from debt , and the permanent fund amounts to a goodly sum . The management is well ordered , and the comfort of the inmates studiously

looked after . Moreover , it seems to be growing in favour with our Pennsylvanian brethren , as is shown by the successful endeavours which are constantly being made in fresh directions in order to raise the funds necessary for its maintenence and further development . Indeed , the plan adopted by

one of the lodges of contributing half a dollar per member for the year , and in another case of setting up a Home Contribution box in the lodge , might be followed with considerable advantage by our own lodges , many of which are only non-contributors , because the requirements of our Charities are

not constantly or frequently being brought under their notice . At all events , the lodges in the Keystone slate are generously supporting their new Charity , and we congratulate both the founders and officers on the success they have achieved .

Consecration Of The Cowper And Newton Lodge, No. 2244.

CONSECRATION OF THE COWPER AND NEWTON LODGE , No . 2244 .

Thursday , the 9 th inst ., will doubtless be a red letter day for many a long year in the annals of Freemasonry at Olney , for it was the day appointed for the consecration of a new lodge , to be called " The Cowper and Newton , " No . 2244 . The founders of the lodge had worked

energetically to promote the success of the proceedings , and it is very gratifying to themselves and also to the visitors to find that they were rewarded with a large measure . The brethren assembled at the lodge room , which has been specially prepared and goes under the title of " Masonic Room . " The furniture is unique , and bespeaks a very careful selection on the part of those entrusted with this duty .

After the register had been duly attested , the brethren repaired to the parish church , where a special and appropriate service was held . The sacred edifice , the chancel of which was nicely decorated , was nearly filled with an interested congregation , a large number of ladies being present , who seemed to manifest much concern in the proceedings . The brethren

were in full regalia . The service was conducted by the vicar , the Rev . J . P . Langley , the lessons being read by Bro . the Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg , D . P . G . M ., and P . G . C ., the first lesson being the 13 th verse of the 9 th chapter of Exodus , and the second , part of the 24 th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles . The hymn , " O praise our God to-day , " was sung by the choir . Mr . Wright , organist , presided at the organ during the service .

Bro . the Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG preached the sermon . He took as his text the 12 th and part of the 13 th verse of the 48 th Psalm , " Walk about Zion , and go round about her ; tell the towers thereof . Mark ye well her bulwarks . " He said : These words , and the preceding ones , which I have read as my text , form part of the Psalms appointed for to day ' s service . My brethren , they contain , I think , a very deep

lesson—one specially suited to our thoughts to-day . The psalmist is thinking- of one of the eastern cities—probably the city of Jerusalem—thinking of her as she stands there in the midst of the plains surrounded by bulwarks and towers , points from which she could see the enemy approaching—obstacles which would prevent him coming in and laying desolate her fairness . And surely there are in these thoughts teachings to us that in all those things which affect either our spiritual or our social state , we should

avail ourselves of those helps , those means of grace and positions of protection which God has ever given to us . Remember , my brethren , in this world we have ever to be fighting with enemies who are dangerous , and who ever watchful to find out the way or the points of weakness through which they may most easily attack us . We are living in days of great spiritual blessing . There never was a time when ptrhaps religious truths were so distinctly and so bvingly taught as at the present moment in God ' s holy Church . God ' s

holy word is now so cheap that a few pence may purchase the inestimable boon and prize the possession . God ' s grace is offered to all who will freely have it , lovingly and persistently . But perhaps because God has showered His blessing upon the English Church , her enemies are more . active and aggressive ; and because there is an advance throughout the country in holiness , the enemy is anxious and eager to see how he may retard the further progress of our nation in the Christian course . Therefore we are living in days

when organisations of all kinds are attacking our spiritual liberties and our social order . There never was a time when the enemy was more loudly clamourous , knocking against the tower which he promises to profane . Never were unloyalty and treason more defiantly proclaimed than now . Therefore this is a time to " mark well her bulwarks " and to see what these means of protection are which God has placed within our reach , both as English Churchmen and citizens . And such an institution as the one in our

thoughts ( this is distinctly not a religious society , and does not pretend to anyone phase of religion ) is distinctly one , but not the only one , of the many bulwarks which will stand us in good stead in regard to our religion and our nation against the attack of the enemy . I think we ought , as Freemasons , to be ready to explain more fully to the outside world that we are something more than a mere Charitable Institution , and something more than a mere social club ; that we do profess to be and have ever been the

defenders of social and moral order , though we take no part either in religion or politics , we cheerfully conform to the rules of our country , and are ever on the side of law and order . We join together in this—that we are the suppoiters of our Queen , our religion , and our country . We are loyal citizens . We are men , it may be , of different feelings as to religious matters , but wearestill bound together , anJ say that those liberties we claim for ourselves we are ready to allow to others . If ( and I believe this is your desire ) the

new lodge founded in this town desires this as its motto—that it will seek to be foremost in maintaining pitriotism , loyalty , and good order—do see that these great objects are borne out by your private and social lives . Remember this , in a little place like Olney , a lodue which cannot possibly hope to be enormous is much before the public . Remember that every member of a Mason's lodge lives before his neighbour , so that his faults and his failings are known to even all tho > e with whom he lives . Ohthenlet us see

, , that those high motives , those high aims , tho = e high objects which we profess in nur lodge are borne out by the lives which we live outside the lodge . Let us maintain the high character of our lodge by making it clear to the world that our Masonic prolession is not one merely of words , but of deeds . So may God in His mercy help us in this , not the only one of the many bulwarks by which , in these difficult times , order and loyalty may be preserved for our country and our Queen .

Having pronounced the Benediction , the brethren left the church for the lodge-room . Amongst those present were the following : Bros . R . Bradley , P . G . S . B . Eng ., Prov . G . S . of W . ; T . Taylor , P . M ., P . Prov . S . G . W . ; L . Cooper , P . M . ; C , W . Guille , P . M . ; H , H . Booth , W . M , ; E . Carr , Prov ,

Consecration Of The Cowper And Newton Lodge, No. 2244.

G . O . ; A . J . Coales , P . M . ; C . P . Lochner ; J . C . Hipwell ; J . R . Wilm P . M . ; T . Cannon , J . Cannon , H . G . Hipwell , W . G . Wilmer , G . ' Sampson , A . T . Bailey , W . Merrikin , F . W . Parmeter , Rev . C . M . Ottley " S . W . ; G . E . King ; I . Wright , Tyler ; J . Line , P . M . 1410 , Prov . G . S . ' W . Fitch , P . M . iiioand 1707 ; S . Kilpin , P . M . ; A . H . Allen , W . M * '

F . W . Webb , J . W . ; A . E . Anthony ; F . Thompson , P . M . ; E . Billson ^ P . M . ; S . Foster ; H . Osborne , P . M . ; , D . Bower ; M . Whyley , P . M . 540 J W . Swannell and R . Whitworth , 3 60 ; T . T . Coles ; Rev . F . R . Harnett J . W . S 40 and S 59 , P . P . G . C ; J . Lewis , 1670 ; F . D . Bull , P . M ., and R Pike , J . W . 1630 ; W . J . Brown , J . W . ^ 06 ; and others .

The consecrating officers were Bros , the Rev . J . Studholme Brownri gg as VV . M .: J . R . Wilmer , as S . W , ; A . J . Coales , as J . W . ; and T . Taylor , as D . C .

The ceremony of consecration concluded , Bro . L . Cooper was installed W . M . for the ensuing year , and the following officers were invested or elected : Bros . Guille , S . W . ; H . H . Booth , J . W . ; Rev . G . F . Sams , Chap . ; C . P . Lochner , Treas . ; W . Swannell , Sec ; J . C . Hipwell , S . D . ; H . G . Hipwell , J . D . ; T . Cannon , D . C ; and others .

The lodge having been closed , the brethren repaired to the Bull Hotel , where Bro . T . Cannon had provided a capital banquet , at which Bro . L . Cooper , the newly-installed W . M ., presided . The table decorations were kindly lent by Major Lochner , amongst which i was a beautiful " Freesia Alba Refracta . ''

The toast list was as follows : " The Queen and the Craft , " " The Most Worshipful Grand Master of England , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ; the Most Worshipful the Pro Grand Master , the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Ri ght Worshipful the Deputy Grand Master , the Earl of Lathom ; and the Grand Officers , Present and Past ; " " The Right Worshipful the Prov . Grand

Master , Sir D . Gooch , "The Very Worshipful the Deputy Prov . Grand Master and the Prov . Grand Officers , Present and Past , and the principal Consecrating Officers , " "The Worshipful Master , " "The Consecrating Officers , " "The Founders of the Lodge , " "The Charities , " "The Visitors , " " The Officers , " and "The Tyler . " The National Anthem brought a very pleasant gathering to a close .

Royal Masonic Institutions—Benevolent, Girls' And Boys'.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTIONS—BENEVOLENT , GIRLS' AND BOYS ' .

SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL TABLES From 1881-1887 inclusive .

Ann . Aver . r , ... NAME . Subs , for the y ' Excess . Deficiency . 7 years . ' £ s . d . £ s . d . £ s . d . £ s . tl . London 21447 3 11 10417 S 3 11029 15 S — Beds 32 2 11 Nil . ' 32 2 11 j — Berks and Bucks 622 13 S 147 4 6 475 11 2 1 — Bristol ^ ... ' 193 17 240 C 7 I * — I 47 5 ol Cambridge 191 30 So 6 jl 110 16 4 I \ — Cheshire ' 329 17 733 11 tl- — " ] 4 ° 4 9 4 = Cornwall 2 S 8 3 7 I 435 36 — ' 146 19 11 Cumb . and Westmorland . 314 3 10 | 221 13 9 92 10 1 ; — Derby 595 1 S | 1 S 9 13 9 205 7 11 j — Devon 331 18 9 | 1126 n o ! — 794 12 3

Dorset 210 4 3 1 331 10 ii- j — , 121 5 Ioi Durham 402 9 4 | 449 10 6 I — ! 47 1 2 Essex 72 S 14 10 ! sSg 11 l . H 139 3 Si-I — Gloucester 771 15 7 i 503 14 ii | 26 S 1 $ 1 \ — Hants 11 S 7 16 S 1232 9 3 J j — 44 12 f ~ Hereford 22 o 0 Nil . j 22 0 0 j — Herts 604 1211 265 7 3 339 5 3 I — Kent 1591 11 7 1790 99 — I 19 S 18 2 Lane . E S 71 7 S isS . i 17 6 — 712 0 10

Lane . W 697 2 5 ioog 17 ! - — 311 19 2 i Leicester & Rutland ... 315 17 3 109 7 ij 206 10 ii — Lincoln 21 10 5 502 73 — 480 10 10 Middlesex 101 S 14 6 551 1 3 467 13 3 — Monmouth 272 92 1 S 1 1 ii 91 S o ^ - — Norfolk 193 1 1 473 10 6 " — 2 S 0 9 5 * N . Wales 16 3 6 2 26 S 63 — 105 o 1 Norths and Hunts 124 1 2 235 3 6 — m 2 4 Northumberland 35 S 2 1 370 7 6 — 21 5 5 Notts 300 10 6 106 16 ioi- 193 13 ioi — Oxford 277 17 S 144 13 3 ~ 133 4 5 " — " ¦ 'Shropshire 236 3 10 106 16 ioi- 129 G 11 . ! —

Somerset 529 14 501 17 9 27 3 7 j — S . Wales , E 371 iS 4 32 G o 4 ! ,- 55 17 ni — S . Wales , W 210 12 2 302 70 — ! 91 13 I 0 Stafford 528 3 S 462 10 G 165 13 2 I . — Suffolk 5 66 5 3 S 2 S iS oi- — I 262 12 9 ; Surrey 700 o 10 227 10 ii- 472 9 8 i j — Sussex SSo 3 10 627 4 ioi- 252 18 u | - — Warwickshire 445 C > 0 Gog 17 oi — " 164 11 ol Wiltshire 2 S 7 S S 2 S 0 4 0 ~ 748 — Worcester 39 6 u 2 279 17 4 ? r 116 13 10 — - , York , N . & E 509 810 63711 i £ - — 128 2 3 s York , West 2261 4 S 2407 13 o ' — 14 6 8 4 Channel Islands igg S 5 403 3 G — 203 IS l , Colonies 139 0 9 1094 12 4 ^ - — 955 " 7 a

* ' These two Provinces formerly joined , now only two years separate existence , therefore the Subscriptions for 1 S 81-2-3-4 and 5 have been divided . The Tables from whence these figures are compiled and summarised , are taken ( torn the Annual Festival Reports for the years 1 SS 1-87 inclusive , and from the General Reports issued by the several Institutions for this year , but does not include the Perpetual Presentations purchased by Kent , E . Lancashire , W . Yorkshire and others .

To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , , . As from various unforeseen causes , the respective Tables for each Institutiori have appeared at such long intervals in your columns , I thought it as well to surnmaf's - them for the more ready apprehension of your readers . —Yours truly and fraternally , February 21 , J , 174 .