The Masonic Mirror

lord again thanked the brethren for their kindness , and resumed his seat amidst loud cheers . The D . G . MASTER said in looking at the words of the next toast , " The Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers , " he felt in some difficulty , as it appeared ; as if a trap had been laid for him to propose his own health . ( Laughter . ) That was rather an awkward position but he proposed to get out

of it by omitting the first half of the toast , and proposing the " Grand Officers , " and he would then be certain to find himself in the best of company . ( Cheers . ) Masonry stood high in this country , and if it was every day increasing it was in some measure owing to the fortunate selection of the Grand Officers , though on the whole it was to the rank and file they must look

for their prosperity . ( Cheers . ) He was sure that as a rule they possessed good and zealous Grand Officers , and it was his pleasing duty to propose the health of the Grand Officers , past and present , coupled with the name of Bro . Dobie . ( Cheers . ) Bro . DOBIE , P . G . Beg ., Prov . G . M . for Surrey , assured the D . G . Master and the brethren that he responded to the toast

with great pleasure . When he saw how well the chair was filled by the D . G . Master , he was sure he need not look far to prove that they had excellent Grand Officers . He could have wished that he could have concluded what little he had to say by proposing the health of the D . G . Mastsr ; but that did not come within his province on the present occasion . He could ,

therefore , only congratulate the brethren on the possession of such excellent heads as the G . Master and the D . G . Master , and assure them that the Grand Officers were always anxious to promote the best interests of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) The M . W . G . MASTER felt happy in being called upon to propose the health of the Chairman of the evening , the D . G . M ., Earl de Grey and Eipon . It was most gratifying to see his noble

brother presiding over so distinguished an assembly of Masons , and the respect in which he was held in his own province was shown by the fact that one table in the room was wholly filled by brethren from West Yorkshire ( cheers ); and he understood that , when the real business came on , it would be found how nobly they had rallied round him to support the Charity . ( Cheers . ) It was not quite two years since he had the pleasure

of appointing the noble Earl as D . G . Master , but ho was now well known to the brethren throughout England , who highly appreciated his valuable services to the Craft . He gave them " The Health of the Deputy Grand Master . " ( Cheers . ) The D . GRANDMASTER was .. deeply penetrated by the kind manner in which they had responded to the toast so flatteringly

proposed by his worshipful friend on his right hand . When he was solicited to take the high office he had the honour to fill , he told his worshipful friend that he was afraid he had made a bad selection , as he should not be enabled to spare that time from his public duties which it would otherwise be his pleasure to devote to the duties of the Craft . Acquaintance with his

duties had only increased his desire adequately to perform them , and uphold'their ancient landmarks , by doing all in his power for the Craft . So far as his other duties would permit , he should do all in his power to promote the best interests of Masonry . No man could feel a deeper interest than himself in the prosperity of the noble institution , to promote which , they

were then called together . When asked to fill that chair he had willingly consented to do so , and he was proud to say that his duties had been rendered light and easy by the great assistance and support which he received from the brethren , especially from the province over which he had the honor to preside , and which he assured them he deeply valued , and that too , without the smallest conceit , which was proverbially said to distinguish Yorkshiremen . ( Cheers and laughter . )

The boys were here introduced , conducted by the SI aster and Stewards of the day , and certainly their appearance was all that could be desired—healthy and gentlemanly . The D . G . MASTER said that in proposing the prosperity of the Masonic Institution for Boys , he felt that he had comparativel y a light task , believiug that there were but few present who had

not given soma attention to that interesting subject . They were all aware that the foundation of the Boys' School dated some seventy years ago . It was originally founded in 17 DS , on a system very different from that now existing , but which was believed to be suited to the wants and requirements of the time . It was not nntil many years after the establishment of the

School that any improvement took place in the manner in which the boys were educated , and they were brought together in one central establishment as at present . Formerly they were educated in schools , in the neighbourhood of their families aud friends , selected and approved by the Committee . This system , though existing for a considerable time , was at length felt not

to give that regular education which the requirements of the present age demanded , and it was thought necessary to have a school of their own . It was only in 1855 that it was determined to have a school where the boys could be boarded , lodged , and educated . That school was opened in 1857 , but it was not in their power in those days to erect new and

commodious buildings , and obtain an institution worthy of the Craft but they were obliged to put up with buildings which were necessarily inconvenient , having been built for altogether another purpose . He believed that since that time great progress had been made with all their charitable institutions , and it was felt that so long as their schoolhouse remained in its present state it would he impossible to make it as efficient as it should he . The report of the examiners showed . ' that great progress had

been made in the education of the boys during the past yeara progress which was very satisfactory—but still the education must necessarily be imperfect until they had better accomodation for the children than at present , and he was sure the Craft would not rest satisfied until they had the best that could be obtained . What was the object of the Institution ? The object was to rear and educate the sons of Masons who , from

misfortune , were not enabled to give that education to their children they could desire , or the orphans of Masons who had been removed by Providence before they were enabled to provide for their children . In this country , during the last twenty years , education had made wondrous strides . Statesmen , judges , and men of every station had done their utmost to promote it .

Education was not the attribute , or the ' privilege of any party or section of society ; but it was spread throughout the breadth and length of the land , and day by day it was brought more and more within the reach of the humblest of the people . Should it be said at such a time that Freemasonry was wanting , did not advance , or take a part in the noble work ? He was sure

it would not he so . That charity had been nobly supported , much had been done , but more remained to be effected to place it in its proper rank amongst the charitable institutions of the metropolis . It was the duty of the Craft to show that they really practised that charity which should always spring from a Freemason ' s heart . They must recollect who they were , and on

whose behalf their sympathies were enlisted . These were the orphans of brethren who , dying early , had left their children unprovided for , but who were supported in their dying hour by the belief that the principles upon which their Order was founded was real and uot a mockery . They should recollect also that the school , likewise , offered its benefits , through the means of education , to the sons of those poorer brethren who could not afford to provide it themselves . It was not long since that his