Ireland.

Mr . EDMOND DIGGES LA TOUCEE , Hon . Sec , then presented an epitome of the report of the Female Orphan School , as follows : — The governors of the Masonic Female Orphan School have to report that 38 girls , the daughters of their deceased brethren , are at present inmates of that institution , and that at the last election five eligible candidates were unable to obtain admission , in consequence of the limited accommodation which the house

affords . During the past year five girls have been admitted to tho school . Eligible situations in houses of business have been obtained for two of the former inmates , one has returned to her friends , who are now able to support her , and another will leave in the course of a few weeks to reside with her brother , who has recently purchased a farm in the county Kilkenny . The total revenue of the institution for the year 1863 amounted to £ 1982 S . s . Id . ancl exceeded tho revenue of 1862 by the sum

, , of £ 1-21 lis . Id . The excess was attributable chiefly to the sum of £ 191 14 * . liaving been received from the committee of the Masonic ball ; ancl the governors return their cordial thank's to that committee for the seasonable assistance which this institution derived from their fraternal aid and charitable exertions . Of that revenue £ 728 16 s . 4 d ., was invested in accordance with the practice of the school for the purpose of replacing the stock which had been sold out when tho addition to the present school

house took place . A investigation of the expenditure will satisfy any person that the residue has been expended with the most rigid ancl scrupulous economy , under the careful superintendence of the Ladies' Committee , ancl of Mrs . Noble , the matron , and under the efficient supervision of the Finance Committee , in giving apprentice fees ancl outfits to the girls who have left the school , in the maintenance ,

dress , and education of the girls who remained in it , ancl defraying the other necessary expenses incident to so large an establishment . The governors regret to say that notwithstanding those exertions a balance remained due to their bankers at the close of the year , amounting to £ 10 4 s . Upon the recommendation of the Education Committee , a change was effected in the system of education adopted in the school . Mons . Du Flos , a first-rate master , has been employed to instruct the girls in French , and his report , which is appended , indicates the progress

they have already made , and the advantages they have derived from his instruction . The governors invite especial attention to the needlework of the girls , which , under the constant superintendence of the Ladies' Committee ancl Mrs . Noble , has improved . The governors cannot abstain from again acknowledging with gratitude the medical services rendered gratuitously to * "the inmates of the institution by Dr . Speedy , not only during the past year , but for the last 16 years . The governors have

likewise the satisfaction of reporting favourably of the general conduct of the girls ; their docility to their teachers , their obedience to the matron , and their affectionate feeling towards each other . The governors submit that the foregoing evidence of the usefulness of this institution , and of the benefits which it has conferred , entitle it to still greater support than it has hitherto received , and appeal to their brethren not to slacken their exertions or relax their efforts on behalf of those who have

a paramount claim upon their Masonic sympathy and fraternal charity ; but , encouraged hy past success , to redouble their exertions to place the Masonic Female Orphan School in the state of independence and efficiency to which it is entitled . He said that he had only to express the regret of several eminent members of the Order at their inability to attend on that occasion . He had received several letters from members who had addressed them on former occasionswho expressed their regret

, at not being able to attend , but they fully joined in tho aspirations which all present felt for the prosperity ancl success of the Masonic Female Orphan School . The pupils then sang with taste and precision the " Orphan's Hymn , " which was generally applauded by the assembly . Mr . G . W . MAUNSELL said the absence of a very distinguished nobleman ( Lord Naas ) , whose services in the cause of Masonry in general , and to the Female Orphan School in particular , has

been long known and valued . He was called upon to move the following resolution : — " That while the thanks of this meeting are due to those brethren who have endeavoured , during the past year , to augment the revenue and extend the benefits of the Masonic Female Orphan School , we desire to impress upon all the members of the Masonic Order throughout Ireland the peculiar and strong claims the institution possesses upon them for a largely-increased measure of support . "

The resolution divided itself into two very distinct partsthe first was , to thank the gentlemen to whose unrequited labours the school owed so much , for their constant and unceasing care of its different departments . The next was an appeal to those members of the Order who might be absent , and might hear of their proceedings , ancl not only to them , but to the fair sex , who might see before them those orphans whom they had in charge ; and if the wants and requirements of the school

have had their attention called to them , they would not be unmindful of a word in season , and that next year would tell of more gratifying results than they had heard of that night . They had heard that the funds of the school exhibited an augmentation of £ 4-20 , and that was the result of a brilliant assembly over which his Grace presided , and which was held in that room , and if they could hear of subscriptions in the ordinary course of their business , they might pride themselves on

that increase . It was well that the brethren should know that it did not altogether result from increased subscriptions . He found that the committee , following out that prudence which had marked their career , had devoted a large proportion of that income to restore the funds that were sold out lor the purpose of the building ; and if the prudent management of his friend , the secretary , had added £ 728 , they should now have something like £ 2200 ; and having built their houseand restored their

, , funds , he thought they had a right to take courage . He held a very important series of certificates in his hand from gentlemen who had kindly undertaken the duty of examining the pupils of the institution . He did not dwell upon these certificates of merit which might bo the property of each pupil individually , — for they applied equally to the whole of the pupils of the school , — but he would beg to read a line or two from one of them . It was this : — " Several of the children have acquired a comfjlete

knowledge of the ordinary instruction , and possess more information than is usual for their age . The arrangements of the school are excellent ; all the work is full of life , and seems to be animated by a spirit of love . " He hoped there would be a lively and honourable emulation between every lodge in the city ancl in the country , in order to see who would clo most for that noble institution . ( Applause . ) Mr . MAXWELL CLOSE , M . P ., rose to second resolution . He

said that in rising to discharge the duty that devolved upon him on the present occasion , he would ask permission to express his ' grateful acknowledgments to the committee for placing him in so prominent a position , ancl for calling upon him to take a share in the proceedings of this evening . He would assure them that be regarded their invitation not only as one in which was devolved upon him a duty to discharge , for which he again thanked them , but he accepted the duty as an honour

and a privilege . It had been urged by the enemies of the Order that the members of it were a body wholly given to conviviality , that their researches were confined entirely to astronomy , and their speculations confined altogether to pecuniary questions ; hut in answer to a charge so preposterous , and an error so grave , he thought the simplest refutation would be to point to the assembly upon the present occasion . It was not merely during the lifetime of their brethren that they extended

to them the right hand of fellowship , or with it the hand of relief to the poorer members , nor did they content themselves simply with indulging in thinking of their memory . These sentiments they cherished , and rejoiced to clo so . But they went still further , ancl extended to the survivors a more substantial , a more exalting , ancl a more enduring benefit . Thoy provided for the orphan children of their departed brethren the advantages of an education , not merely regarding their

intellectual accomplishments , but in the highest degree conducive to their moral amelioration , but they were also provided with a sound Scriptural education . ( Hear , hear ) . Again , it had been urged against them that Freemasonry was antagonistic to the principles of morality and religion . He would think that the simplest refutation of so extraordinary a charge might be found in the historical fact that during many centuries of the world , more especially the dark ages , the warmest supporters of those

principles were to be found amongst the ecclesiastics not only of Europe , but also of Great Britain . ( Hear , hear ) . It had been said , and it was perhaps the gravest of the charges brought against them , that it was an institution not only antagonistic to the ordinances of the realm , but that it has on some occasions threatened the stability of the throne itself . In answer to this it was easy to prove , from the number of crowned heads that had joined the institution in every country in Europe , that it was not hostile to the throne . He then re-