The Masonic Mirror.

stewards at the next Festival , and thus promote the best interests of the institution ( cheers ) , anel that was the third reason why they should drink his health with cordiality and enthusiasm . ( Cheers . ) olio . SMITH , Prov . G . M . for Cornwall , on rising to reply , was greeted with renewed cheers . He could assure them that he had no idea , until a very few minutes before entering the

hall , that he should have to return them thanks for so distinguished a compliment as that of their drinking his health . Ho came there to support the noble duke , who was to have presided over them , anil when he learned that , owing to the unfortunate illness of that noblemen , they were to be deprived of his services , he little thought that with so many Provincial

Grand Masters , that he , one of the junior of the body , would be called upon to take the chair . When , however , he was asked to do so lie felt that , though he did not court the honour , he could not refuse it —( cheers)—ancl , therefore , they must take him for better for worse . ( Cheers . ) His Right Worshipful Brother on his right had alluded to the office which he held

in the distant province of Cornwall . It had been during tho last ten years his fate , his pride , and his honour to preside , to a great extent , over Masonry in that province , the late Sir Charles Lemon , though an excellent Mason , from his advanced age having been unable of late years to take but little part in the business of the province . It had been his ( Bro . Smith ' s )

good fortune to be present at the consecration of many lodgesfrom the Dimheved , at Launceston , to Milbrook , and almost to the Land ' s End—aud there was now scarcely a town of any importance without its loelge . ( Cheers . ) And why was this ? because of those excellent principles instilled through Masonry , which tended'to bring out all the better feelings of mankind , and bind man to man in aets of virtue and charitv . ( Cheers . )

He thanked them most sincerely for the honour they had done him , aud should endeavour to support the Craft and their great institutions to the best of his power and ability- ( Cheers . ) The Toast Master having vigorously demanded silence , for an unusual amount of noise then prevailed , and , indeed , the same thing occurred daring the whole evening , the brethren being probably overjoyed to meet each other at this Festival ,

and could not , therefore , restrain their feelings , or put even a temporary cur !) upon their tongues , The CiiAiitirAS again rose and said—Brethren , your herald prays silence , and I , as your chairman on this occasion , must call up . ni you and ask for silence , whilst I give you a toast to which I am sure ; you will all heartily respond . I request

your silence , brethren , because I feel that this is the real toast of the evening —( cheers )—and it is on that ground that I feel I shall have to claim your indulgence in stronger terms than I could venture to do in reference to any of the other toasts which have already been given , or , indeed , with regard to any that have yet to follow . I feel

that it is not in my power , brethren , owing to my having been so suddenly called upon to fill the duties of the chair , to hy before you , as I ought to hy before yon , ample particulars with respect to the nature of the benefits conferred by this important Charity which we have met hero to support , and by that support to enable it to bestow still

more good upon the bereaved sons of Masons . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , this institution , I need not tell you , is one of those four great Charities which all good Masons throughout the land are so very anxious to aid by their contributions , and which confer so much credit upon the beneficence of the Craft , ( Applause . ) This institution was founded so long ago as 1708 . and has therefore reached that period which , in the case of the life of man , may be characterised as the full period of maturity ,

but which , in regard to an institution of this nature , may be said to be only its youth and commencement . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , this institution has very recently—I mean within the last two or three years— -taken a great step in advance ; it has attained a new foundation , and that new foundation has within the past year had its benefits greatly enlarged . A new and spacious school Wood Green is in course of erection , but

whether the hoped-for success shall attend the institution in the future must entirely depend upon the support which it may receive from the Craft at large . ( Cheers . ) The property at Wood Green , which was purchased in 1856 , will be so greatly enlarged that the conductors hope in the future to be able , by your generous help , to have there , under instruction , from 103 to 150 boys .

( Cheers . ) lam happy to inform you that the foundations , the first stone of which was so auspiciously laid last year , will be completed out of ; he year's receipts . ( Hear , hoar . ) The estimates for the building aro , however , very large , amounting as they do to no less than £ 10 , 000 . You have the elevation opposite you ( a handsome picture of the new school was hung in

front of the gallery ) , and I am sure it is i \ bnUtUng that recommends itself to your approval . ( Hear , hoar . ) But still , brethren , very great and extended operations are necessary in order to bring the institution to the perfection which all its friends must wish , namely , the completion of all the indispensable in-, tenia ! arid other arrangements well known to be conducive to

the proper training and health of the boys , -and so that the institution may thoroughly carry out all the great ends for which it was founded . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I very much regret , and I feel it particularly at this moment , that tho noble duke , who promised to be here on the present occasion , to preside over this important festival , has been prevented from coming amongst us by severe indisposition ; for his grace would have been

so much better qualified than I can pretend to be , beiug well acquainted with the merits of the institution , to have laid before you its claims in such a manner as would have invoked your liberality towards its funds . I feel that on this occasion you have sustained a great loss by his grace's absence , by the illness of that noble brother . You have not only sustained a great loss hy the absence of one of the high officials of the

State , but likewise of the attendance of a brother who has the deepest and wannest interest in this and all the kindred Masonic institutions . Om- brother on my right ( Bro . Havers ) , hoped that through distant provinces—and particularly through that province over which I have the honour to preside—the sterling merits of this institution would be widely spread ,

( Hear , hear . ) I am happy to state that this institution in particular , and , indeed , all Masonic institutions , have become in a great degree high objects of sympathy with the brethren of that distant part of the country , and what they feel with regard to them is this , that the extent of their liberality will become , in a great measure , advanced , as they become more and

more satisfied that these charities are managed as they ought tc be , and achieve all the noble ends for which they were estalishod . ( Hear , hear . ) Brethren , I will not occupy your attention further with reference to the noble institution which we have assembled here to help ; for , in fact , it recommends itself . ( Cheers . ) If there is one Masonic virtue more than another ,

it consists in advancing the interests of those who have not been fortunate in this world . ( Hear , hear . ) I have been through my life a great educationalist , and am therefore , as yon may imagine , deeply imbued with the importance of early training , and havo seen many advantages fiow from it . The early training- of the young is , I think , one of the four most important things connected with the Craft . ( Hear , hear . ) I will only , iu conclusion , say this ,