Kentucky Masonic Orphans' Home.

KENTUCKY MASONIC ORPHANS ' HOME .

From the " proceedings , " of the last annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky , we extract the following account of an interesting incident . It is necessary to state that the session of Grand Lodge was held in a

theatre : — The Grand Master , having oiled the Grand Lodge from labour to refreshment , the drop curtain of the stage was raised , exhibiting the Orphan ' s Home , composed of fifty-eig ht children .

clad in plain but neat attire , to the admiring gaze of the delegates . As soon as the applause had subsided , Past Grand Master E . S . Fitch , introduced the children as follows : Most Worship ful Grand Master and Brethren .

It is my distinguished honour , and the highest gratification of my whole life , to present for your inspection to-day , this design drawn upon our trestle board , wrought ont and developed in living reality—The Masonic Orphans' Home ofthe

State of Kentucky . Mingling my hearty congratulations with those of the entire brotherhood over this commendable achievement , while contemplating the youthful charges now before us , and presenting them to the Grand Lodge of

Kentucky , as their foster mother , may we not exclaim , with an exulting pride , surpassing even that which fires the bosom of the old Roman Matron , when she presented her Gracchi children , " Here ! here are our jewels !"

At the close of these remarks , the following Greeting Song , written for the occasion , was sung by the Orphans in a creditable manner , and with manifest emotion , awaking a kindred sympathy throughout the crowded hall .

GREETING SONG . " Come , let us be joyful , —before us we see , The friends of our fathers in sweet unity ; They ' ve paused just a moment , our faces to view To inspect a design of Freemasonry

true"Chorus—Happy greeting to all . "We claim not the dear ties of kindred or birth , — Our idols of clay lie entombed in the earth , —

But we hail you , as brothers of that mystical band , Who ' ve embellished our Home with a generous hand .

Chorus—Happy greeting , & c . " As friends , benefactors , as fathers indeed , The hope of the orphan in the hour of need , We know you have rallied , our sad lives to bless , To shield us from harm , and relieve our distress ,

Chorus—Happy greeting , kc . " Then , welcome , thrice welcome , we greet you to-day , Assembl'd securely in Grand Lodge array ! And may each fond m <** eting , in future attest , Your love for the home of the Orphan bereft .

Chorus—Happy greeting , Ike . " This was followed by an introductory address by Grant Williams , a beneficiary of Montgomery-Lodge , No . 23 , Mt . Sterling , Kentucky . Following this introductory , which was

delivered in a clear and distinct voice , though tremulous with emotion , " Our Little Flower Girls " arranged in a semi-circular form on the stage , with bouquets of flowers in their hands , each one

repeated a beautiful , poetical sentiment or appropriate text , suggested by her favourite flower , and then all united their voices in that charming little song , entitled ,

" We are little sunbeams , shining and free . " Next in order was an original dialogue , on the character of the Home and FYeemasonry generally , by Preston Briekey , a beneficiary from

Fleming I . odge , No . 112 , and David Stephenson , from Dycusburg Lodge , No . 232 . This dialogue was rendered in a spirited manner , and was exceedingly interesting and humorous , but too lengthy for insertion .

"The entire home then sang the popular school song , " We are gay and happy . " " As soon as the applause was quieted , the following true biographical sketch was given , in a very impressive manner , by William Crane , a

Kentucky Masonic Orphans' Home.

beneficiary from Good Samaritan Lodge , No ; 174 , Lexington , Kentucky . * " A boy there was , sent to our Home , And he was thought quite crazy , With dogs and sheep inclined to roam , When not too mad or lazy .

" His silly pranks and wayward steps Awaken'd sad foreboding ; He slighted all the best precepts , The car of mischief ever loading .

" No threat could daunt—no fright prevail , This erring boy to law recall j 'Till Love ' s sweet accents did prevail , And won his heart and rescued all .

" That boy so wayward , crazy , wild , Ne ' er felt a mothers gentle hand ; He was a slighted orphan child , 'Till gathered to this happy band .

" Before you now , you see that boy , Whose early life in blight began , Rejoicing with a heart-felt joy , That he may yet become a man .

"To you I owe what er of bliss , My futnre life may now enjoy , To you the recompense is this—You ' ve sav'd a Mason ' s orphan boy . "

The transition from this truly pathetic incident was happily made by the " Green River Salutation , " an original poem by Mollie Coleman , beneficiary , from Pond River Lodge , No . 244 , as follows .

" In Grand Lodge array , before me I see The ag'd and the honour'd , the hopeful and young , Engaged in rites of deep mystery , Which history has noted and poetry sung .

" A band so renow'd a presence so grand , May well daunt a novice like me . Yet pardon a word on behalf of the land So famed for its Leaf and its Freemasonry .

" You ' ve heard from our hills in the prelude of Grant , The ' blue-grass ' has spoken through her Elkhorn Crane ; And Smiley has echo'd her women ' s rights

rant As the voice of the Jessamine plain . Then may ' not a Muhlenburg Orphan be heard , If only to remind you , ' tis surely enough That this styling it over us is rather absurd , As Green River folks are quite up to snuff .

Then step to the front—tobacco-patch girls , Sample bright tens of the Green River Stock , Let ' s give them a song—come brush back your curls , And tell of the moral that ' s taught by the clock . "

Suiting the action to the word , nine beautiful girls , from the Green River section of the State , advanced to the foot lights , and ranging themselves in line , under their leader , - rendered the Clock song , in inimitable style .

After a cordial and earnest invitation from the Superintendent to all present to visit the home during their stay in the city , the exercises were closed by an appropriate song , and a benediction pronounced by the Grand Chaplain .

DEATH OF A PARIS J OURNALIST . —M . Darpenne de la Grangerie , a well-known contributor to Le Figaro and Le Gaulois , is dead . During the late war M . de la Grangerie orignated and organized the " Ambulances de la Presse , " whose personnel consisted almost wholly of unpaid

volunteers , and so successfully did M . de la Grangerie carry out his work that succour and food were always to be found at his field ambulances during the various sorties , even when others had exhausted their supplies . M . de Ia Grangerie was arrested b y the Commune , and was fellow prisoner with thc late Archbishop of

Paris , whose fate he would certainl y have shared but for the strong remonstrances of his fellowworkers in the ambulances , who intimated to the Commune that they would withdraw their attentions to the wounded if their Secretaire-General was not liberated . M . de la Grangerie received the decoration of the Legion of Honour for his services .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

SPIRITUALISTS .

To the Editor ofthe Freemason . Sir , My attention has just been called to Mr . Carpenter ' s letter respecting your report of our entertainment at the Egyptian Hall . Your correspondent was in error when he stated that

the ggzooo challenge dodge of a spiritualist has not been accepted . Two challenges were sent to me , one for ^" 250 , to accomplish all tbat the Davenports did , and another for £ 1000 , to produce spirit manifestations under the same conditions as mediums . Both these [ at once

accepted •for the first I proposed to obtain reports from three towns , Cheltenham , Bath , and Leeds , where I had seen the Davenports perform , and undertook to accomplish everything the reports stated that the brothers did , both in their cabinet and dark seances . This was hot agreed

to , but I was told I must accomplish something that was reported to have taken place in private what that something was , I could not ascertain , consequently , I would not pledge myself to perform tricks I had never seen or heard of . For the second challenge , I undertook to produce spirit

lights , spirit faces , rap and move tables , and suspend myself in mid-air in a private room , under the same circumstances as Home , viz ; in total darkness . This was agreed to , if I would consent to be bound hand and foot , and allow myself to be held by a committee during the entire

seance , and lights struck at three seconds notice . I would like to see the medium who could produce the manifestations under the same test , or , as seeing is generally objected to by mediums , I would give a good sum to feel him , and if I had as many thousands to spare as the challenger appears to have , I would readily stake one upon it .

I am having the whole of the correspondence respecting the challenges printed , and shall be pleased to furnish a copy to anyone who will send address . Yours respectfully , J NEVIL MASKELYNE .

THE ORDER OF THE TEMPLE .

To the Editor of The Freemason . Dear Sir and Brother , — Either your " devil" or my caligraphy is to blame for an error which appears in my letter inserted in your last issue . For " unities" your printer has substituted " societies . "

The unities of time , place , and action , are alike outraged by the assumptions of that section of the Masonic Templars who , unmindful of the axioms of Freemasonry , would forsooth be aristocratic and exclusive , who forgetful of the deadly feuds between the Templars and

Hospitallers in the middle ages must needs now-a-days pretend to represent at once the Knights of the Temple and oi * the Hospital , who owing their right to the name of Masonic Templars to Freemasonry , and to Freemasonry alone , have discarded the prefix " Masonic , " would fain forget their origin , and crying Excelsior ! Excelsior !

would kick over the ladder b y which they have mounted . I protest against such outrages against common sense and propriety , and 1 trust the great body of the Masonic Templars will unite in restraining tbe follies of the few . For my part I have no ambition to imitate the jackdaw in peacock ' s feathers , and I am content to remain nothing better nor worse than Yours faithfully , A MASONIC TEMPLAR .

British Archæologlcal Association.

BRITISH ARCH ? OLOGlCAL ASSOCIATION .

This association held its annual congress this year in Sheffield . The members assembled at Cutlers' Hall , where they were received by the Mayor of Sheffield and the members of the

corporation . There were present his Grace the Duke of Norfolk ( the president for the year ) , Lord Houghton , Mr . Gordon , Mr . Hills , Mr . Godwin , Mr . R . N . Philipps , and others . The Mayor having spoken a few words of