The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

THE BOYS' SCHOOL . The following Notices of Motion , principally based upon the Report of the Committee of Inquiry , adopted at the adjourned meeting of the General Committee , on Saturday , March lGth , 1861 , will be given at the General Committee to-day , aud be brought forward at tbe Special General Court , convened for Wednesday next , tbo 10 th inst .

1 .. To amend Rule 65 , by omitting tbe words " or be previously provided for by their friends , " ancl adding after the words "fourteen years" the following : —" or ( if their Guardians shall express a desire to that effect ) until the age of fifteen years , such indulgence , however , to be regarded as a special privilege , consequent on the Reports of the Masters ancl Examiners . " 2 . To amend Rule 67 , by striking out the word " Scb oolmasters , " and substituting the word " Head Master ; " also , by adding after

the words " General Committee , " " The Assistant Teachers shall be appointed by the House Committee , in conjunction with the Head Master , subject to the approval of tiie next General Committee . " S .- 'To amend Bule 70 , by inserting after tbe words " paid Officers " the words " ( other than those specified , as in Rule 6 V" ) , " also by omitting the words "their respective , " and inserting " the various . " 4 . To amend Rule 71 , by striking out the words " One Hundred Pounds , " and substituting therefor the words " Three Hundred Pounds . "

5 . ! To amend Rule 72 , by omitting tbe words " Fifty Pounds , " and inserting the words " Two Hundred Pounds . " S . To amend Rule 40 , by striking out the word " six " in the fourth line , and substituting tbe worcl " three ; " also , by inserting after the word "Committee , " in tbe sixth line , the words , "They shall be assisted by a Professional Accountant , being a member of the Craft , who shall be nominated at the meeting of the General Committee in .. Inland elected at the following

y , Quarterly General Court , when also the amount of his remuneration , of which notice must be similarly given , shall be determined ; " also , by inserting after the word " afternoon" the words , "Or at such time and place as they may appoint ; " also , by omitting tbe words , "Two to form a quorum . " 'J . To amend Rule 41 , by inserting after the word " accounts , " in the second line , the words , " Prior to payment . "

Tbe above Notices of Motion are given by the following Governors or Subscribers : —John Symonds , J . 11 . Sheen , H . J . Thompson , A . H . Hewlett , H . G . Warren . The same brethren also give tbe following Notice of Motion : — " That , in consideration ofthe faithful and zealous services of Bro . Thiselton , Secretary to the Itoyal Masonic Institution for Boys , during a period of thirty-five years , he be allowed a retir ing pension , to commence at and from Midsummer-day next , of £ 100 per annum , being equal to two-thirds of his present salary and gratuity of , 6150 nor annum . " April 6 , 1861 .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

GRAND STEWARDS' LODGE—PUBLIC NIGHT . The meeting of this lodge took place in the Temple , Freemasons ' Hall , on Wednesday , 27 th March . The chair was taken at eight o ' clock by Bro . Dr . Hinxman , W . M ., supported by Bros . S . E . Nutt , S . W . ; J . Meryweather , J . W . ; H . G . Warren , A . H . Hewlett , and W . Watson , P . Ms . ; with other members of the lodgeand a large number of visitorsincluding BrosSBWilson

, , . . . , P . G . D . ; JT . Udall , P . G . D . '; Llewellvn Evans , P . G . S . B . ; J . Symonds , J .. Acl ! ai-cl , . f . B . Sheen , & c . The lodge having been opened in due form , the W . M . announced that Bro . If . G . Warren , P . M ., would then deliver the Prestonian Lecture , for which duty he had had the honour of being nominated by the M . W . Grand Master . Bro . Yv ' AltltEN ' , on rising , said , before entering on bis task of

delivering thePrestonian Lecture—or rather a portion of it , for . aeting under the advice of Bro . Henderson , a brother of great experience in the working of the Craft , he should that evening confine himself to tbe first half of the first lecture—it might not be considered out of place if he prefaced it with a few observations explanatory of its origin , intent , and purport . They were probably all a ware that the founder of the lecture was tbo celebrated Bro . Wm . Preston , whose Illustrations of Freemasonry hud , ' become the text-book of the Masonic world . It appeared , from the traditions of the

-Lodge of Antiquity , of which Bro . Preston was a P . M ., that he spent many years in the preparation of tbe lecture now bearing his name , seeking information wherever it could be found , and , assisted by many zealous and intelligent brethren , endeavouring to collect all that could be remembered of the ancient forms , illustrations , and explanations , or their rites , signs , ancl symbols . Believing that he bad obtained a complete formulary of Masonry , Bro . Prestonat bis deathbequeathed a sum of moneythe interest

, , , of which was to be applied for the annual delivery of a lecture , in the words of the will , " according to the system practised by me in tbe Lodge of Antiquity . " The first Prestonian Lecturer appointed by the then Grancl Master , H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , who was also Master of the Lodge of Antiquity , was Bro . Stephen Jones , a P . M . of that lodge , who had assisted Bro . Preston in his labours . Bro . Jones held the appointment for several years , and was

succeeded by Bro . Lawrence Thompson —• a most amiable brother—well-known to many then in that room , and the last surviving pupil of Bro . Preston . Bro . Thompson bad only departed from amongst them some eight or nine years , up to which period the lecture was annually given , though not with that publicity which could have been desired , and which alone could make it useful to tbe Craft . Great care had been taken in tbe preservation , not only of the arrangement of the lecturebut the very words or

, Bro . Preston ; ancl for the lecture as it would be delivered that evening , he ( Bro . Warren ) was indebted to their distinguished Bro . Henderson , P . G . Registrar , who , being a P . M . of the Lodge of Antiquity , bad more than a quarter of a century since received it from the lips of Bros . Meyrick , Burckharclt , Thompson , and other brethren who bad it direct from Bro . Preston . Whatever opinion miht be formed of the lecture as compared with

g their present system , it must be remembered that it was compiled long before the union of 1813 , when the form of working was regulated , though he regretted to be obliged to add it was as yet far from uniform . If the language of the lecture occasionally appeared somewhat quaint , it must be considered as due to its antiquity , there being every reason to believe that it adhered as

closely as possible to that adopted by the early English fathers in the Craft , and to his thinking , added to its value . After the death of Bro . Thompson , the office of Prestonian Lecturer was in abeyance until 1857 , when a brother ofthe Eoyal York Lodge ( No . 7 ) received it , and in the following year it was bestowed first on a P . M . of the Grand Stewards' Lodge , ancl subsequently on the i-espectedSeoretary of the Lodge of Antiquity ; and though each of those brethren endeavoured zealously to perform tbeir duty , he believed that

considerable disappointment was expressed by those who heard them , the lecture not appearing so popular in form as that to which the brethren were accustomed , and at the same time not presenting sufficient features of novelty to distinguish it from the present system . That he ( Bro . Warren ) should be more successful than those who hacl preceded-him he could scarcely expect , being cramped , like them , by the necessity of delivering tho words of Preston himselfancl debarred from indulging in tropes or figures of his own

, fancy , even were he capable of doing- sa . Yet lie trusted to their indulgence , and hoped to be enabled to show that the Preston Lecture contained beauties of its own , ivhich it would be a misfortune were they to be lost to the Masonic world ; whilst the object of it was only to place before them Masonry pure and unadorned . And now he would proceed to the discharge of that duty which was the specific object of their assembling that evening . Bro . Warren then proceeded with tbe lecture , rendering orallv the

quaint language of Preston with much fidelity , and affording manifest satisfaction to the brethren present , whose attention he occupied for somewhat longer than an hour , and concluded amid general applause . The customary notification having been made by the W . M ., Bro . P . BINCKES rose , but was reminded ( not by the W . M . ) that he was a little out of order ; and it was evident that his sudden appearance had interfered witli the purpose of Bro . S . B . Wilsonwho rose

im-, mediately after him , and to whom Bro . Binckes at once expressed a wish to defer , The point of order having beeu easily adjusted , and Bro . Wilson not persisting , the W . M . called upon Bro . Binckes , who said : W . M ., Bro . Officers , and Brethren , it may be that , in rising to propose the motion I am about to submit , I may , by some , be deemed guilty of the folly and indiscretion characteristic of those who aro said to " rush in where angels fear to tread , " inasmuch as ,

from my slight acquaintance with the Grand Stewards' Lodge , I can hardly be so qualified for the task I have set myself as many here present , whose opportunities bave been larger , and whose experience is more matured . As , however , there are occasions upon which the youngest and least experienced in certain duties are called upon to officiate by becoming the spokesman on behalf of others more distinguished and more able than himself , I would ask that this may be considered as an occasion somewhat analogous , and that you will boar with me for a few minutes . Having no difficulty in the matter—especially after witnessing the general approbation