Untitled Article

age and attainments ; and to the Matron was given a very handsome quarto Bible , bound in morocco , and work-boxes , writing-cases , knitting-cases , Bibles and Prayer-books , with such other works as were ornamental and useful . Mrs . Pickering was unfortunately so unwell as to be unable to witness the gratitude evinced by the children ; but Miss Pickering ; with some friends , were present , and appeared delighted with the appearance and manners of the children , all of whom

acknowledged , by words and actions , their extreme delight at the kind notice taken of them by one so perfectly unconnected with the Institution , excepting in so much as the School partook of the universal charity , which Mrs . Pickering and her family so generously afford . We are grieved there were so few of the members of the House Committee present , and that the very munificent and acceptable gift of

Mrs . Pickering had not been more generally known amongst the Governors , for we are sure , if it had been known that so agreeable a sight was to be witnessed , there would have been many members of the Craft and their families present . We are glad to find that the House Committee passed a vote of thanks to the benevolent lady , and that the gift will stand recorded upon the Minutes of the Institution .

We cannot either refrain from giving the praise so justly due to the W . Bro . J . Poster White , for his most acceptable present to the library of the Institution , of the remaining volumes of Chambers' ' s Journal , and a selection of other useful publications . This Brother , so bountiful to all the Charities in aid of Freemasonry , has always evinced a particular partiality for £ his noble Institution . We are glad to find that there is no probability of an ~ opposition to the appointment of Miss Jerwood to the situation of Matron . She was educated in the

School , and is quite conversant with the management required , her whole attention having been devoted to the interests of the establishment all her life . Miss Souter , a certificated pupil of the Government school , Whitelands , has been most strongly recommended to the General Committee for election as Schoolmistress , and will be recommended to the Quarterly Court on the 11 th of January ^ for approval .

Grand Steward ' s Lodge . —The half-yearly public night held , pursuant to the Warrant , on Wednesday , the 20 th of Dec , for the purpose of working the Lecture of the Second and Third Degrees in Sections , had not so large an attendance as we have generally seen . The W . M . Bro . J . N . Tomkins presided . Bro . J . Hodgkinson as P . M ., Bro . J . Blake , S . W ., Bro . F . Burges , J . W ., Bro . W . Johnstone , S . D ., Bro . Stohwasser , J . D ., Bro . W . Watson , I . G ., Bro . Baumer , P . M ., Bro . H . Griraud , P . M ., and other members of the Lodge

being present . The several Lectures were most efficiently worked in the following order : —Second Degree—First Section , by Bro . J . Blake ; Second Section , by Bro . Johnstone ; Third Section , by Bro . Burges ; Fourth Section , by Bro . Hodgkinson ; Fifth Section , by Bro . Burges . Third Degree—First Section , by Bro . Watson ; Second Section , by Bro . Burges ; Third Section , by Bro . Johnstone . Previous to closing the Lodge , the W . M ., in feeling terms , alluded to the death ,

by untimely means , of Bro . Moore , who had undertaken to discharge a portion of the duties of that day . The "Visiting Brethren , upon the motion of Bro . the Bev . D . Shaboe , of No . 812 , seconded by Bro . How , of No . 82 , tendered their thanks to the W . M . and Officers of the G . S . Lodge for the opportunity afforded them in witnessing the excellent working of that evening . The inclemency of the weather was the cause of the comparatively thin attendance ; besides the Members , there being but about forty present .

The Grand Master ' s Lodge , No . 1 , at their last meeting , voted £ 20 to the Patriotic Fund . Enoch Lodge ( No . 11 ) . —On Wednesday , Nov . 8 , this Lodge resumed its Masonic duties for the season , when Bro . Young , P . M ., passed Bros . Wilton , Sewel , and Bailey , and also raised Bros . Shotton and Herbert , with his well-known usual ability . After the business of tlie Lodge was over , the Brethren retired to an excellent banquet , presided over by Bro . Ledger , W . M . Among the toasts was " Success to the Armies and Fleets of France , England , and Turkey , " which was