Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

masons , " and coupled with the toast the name of Bros . Binckes and Farnfield . Bro . Binckes , Secretary to the Boys' School , said he always found at their festivals that the best wishes were expressed for the prosperity of the sister institutions , and he had no hesitation in saying that there was no man asssociated with those institutions who had more tried the patience of the brethren than

himself in extracting as much as he possibly could from their pockets in support of the Boys' School . He had done so recently , but he should shortly again have to appeal to them to relieve the Boys' School from the incumbrance of the debt that was upon it . He would not then go into details , but he was sincerely grateful to them for what they had done in the past ; but there was still a heavy debt on the school which

must be redeemed in the next year , and he said it should be redeemed if the brethren were animated by the same feelings as he was animatal by himself . He had in the course of his time been called by strange names , and there was no doubt that he was a beggar—a beggar he had lived , and there was no doubt a beggar he should die . He cared not , however , how long he remained a beggar , so that it was directed into a good channel , and begged lor those who were notable to beg

for themselves . When he again appealed to them , he hoped they would subscribe nobly aud generously , and enable him to redeem all the pledges he had made . Bro . Farnfield , Secretary to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , also briefly returned thanks . The Chairman then gave " The Stewards of the Day , " thanking them for their attendance . Bro . Head , P . G . D ., returned thanksand said that , although

, it was not possible to keep some little tongues quiet during the evening , he thought the best test of what the Stewards had done were the large subscriptions announced that evening , when a sum of upwards of £ 4 , 000 had been announced . " The Ladies who had honoured them with their presence , " was ihe l » st toast , and a truly interesting meeting was brought to a close .

The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Wilhelm Ganz , P . M . 435 , performed by Mdlle . Liebhart , Miss Fanny Holland , Jliss Alice F ' airman , Bros . Reichardt , Deck , and Ciabatta , W . M . 11 . Bro . Edward De Jong particularly distinguished himself by his performance on the flute , and he was enthusiastically applauded . Bro . Spencer conducted the duties of toastmaster with his usual ability .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ROYAL JUBILEK LODGE ( No . 72 ) . —This lodge met on the 3 rd inst ., at Anderton's Hotel , Fleet-street . Bro . G . Oxford , W . M ., in the chair , supported by his officers . The business included an initiation and two raisings . The usual banquet followed after the closing of the lodge . JorrA ( No . 188 ) . —A meeting of this lodge took place on the 3 rd inst . Bro . Yan Diepenheim , I . P . M ., took the chair in the

absence of the W . M . Alter the reading and confirmation of the minutes , the business , which consisted of an initiation , three raisings , and a ballot for a joining member , was proceeded with and satisfactorily performed . The lodge was then closed . SOUTHERN STAR ( No . 1 , 158 ) . —A meeting of this lodge was held on the 3 rd inst ., at the Montpelier Tavern , Walworth . The W . M . was in the chair , supported by his officers . After

the confirmation of the minutes , work was performed in each degree , and , the lodge being closed , refreshment followed-PERFECT ASHLAR LODGE ( NO . 1178 ) . —This young and flourishing lodge held its regular meeting on Thursday , the 6 th inst ., at the Gregorian Arms , 96 , Jamaica-road , Bermondsey . Punctually , at 5 o'clock p . m ., the lodge was opened by Bro . Frederick Walters , P . M . 73 , "W . M . 871 , and the Secretary of the

lodge , in the unavoidable absonce of Bro . F . H . Ebsworth , W . M ., who was unable to attend at this meeting . The minutes of the last regular lodge meeting , together with those of two emergency meetings , were read and unanimously confirmed . Bro . Charles Deakin being a candidate for raising , was duly examined , and , having proved his proficiency , was raised to the degree of a Master Mason , the entire ceremony being given , also the lecture on the tracing-board . The Secretary being anxious to do other work in the lodge , called upon Bro . J . W . Avery , P . M .

Metropolitan.

619 , and the S . W . of the lodge , to fill tho Solomonic Chair . This he did , and iu his usual able , impressive , painstaking , and careful manner , duly initiated Mr . Frederick Ware into ancient Freemasonry . Both this and the other ceremony was well and ably rendered . One gentleman was proposed for initiation at the next lodge meeting . Then came the all important business of this meeting , which was that of paying a just tribute to sterling Masonic worth and merit . It was arranged at the last

meeting of the lodge that , although five guineas were voted from the lodge funds towards paying for a P . M . ' s jewel , that such a sum spent upon u jewel would not convey to Bro . John Donkin all the good wishes felt by the members towards him . Consequently , the sum voted by the lodge was augmented by the subscriptions of the members , and the result was that a splendid massive jewel was obtained , consisting in its entirety of IS carat

gold , hall-marked , about the size of a crown piece , and bears in front the motto , in raised burnished polishid gold letter" Merit alone commands esteem . " On a frosted gvovmd , unclosed within a twisted cord , surmounted by the live points of fellowship in the centre , is the euclid and square on an enamelled ground . The inscription , unlike those of the majority of presentation jewelsis brought in this instance in th & huntso as

, , to be seen aud read easily , and is introduced on the two hangers or suspenders in raised letters as fullows : — " Presented by the Perfect Ashlar Lodge to Bro . John Doukiti , the iir .-t W . M ., 18 GS . " And in order to make the jewel mote effective , and to render it emblematical , the Perfect Ashlar , well mounted and finished , is attached to the ribbon between the suspenders , and is an exact representation in every respect of a perfect ashlar ; ,

and , to complete it , on the front of the ashlar is the square and compasses enclosing the number of the lodge—No . 1178 . The jewel cost twelve guinea ? , and was made by Bro . A . D . Laurenstark & Sons , of Devereux-court , Strand . It reflected the

greatest credit on the makers , and such a superior jewel is but seldom made . Bro . James W . Avery , the presiding W . M ., in a fluent speech presented Bro . John Donkin with this jewel , who duly acknowledged it . Then he gave him a splendid P . M . ' s collar and silver jewel , which on its back has tins inscription , viz ., — "Presented by the brethren of the Perfect Ashlar Lodge , No . 1178 , to their first W . M ., Bro . John Donkin , as a token of esteem and respecttogether with a gold jewel . Bro . John

, Donkin , P . M ., again thanked the brethren for this renewed mark of their favour . Bro . J . W . Dudley , Dir of Cers ., having withdrawn his name as the Steward to represent the lodije at the Girl ' s Festival , on the 12 th inst ., Bro . F . Walters , P . M ., Sec , proposed that Bro . John Donkin be accepted and elected as the Steward to represent this lodge at the Anniversary Festival , which , being seconded , was carried unanimously . Business being

ended the lodge was duly closed . There were present—Bros , G . J . Grace , I . G . ; J . W . Dudley , Dir . of Cers . ; J . 11 . Harmsworth , W . S . ; L . Ashton , G . Dapper , J . Joseph , T . W . Cox , P . Pry , Y . A . Axtell , and others . Visitors—C . Sloman , 25 ; M , A . Lcewenstark , J . W . 78 ; G . J . Sayer , 1050 , and some others . Refreshment followed labour . Bro . C . Sloman gave one of his excellent compositions , which inoluded the names of all present .

Alter a few hours enjoyment , the members separated . URBAN LODGE ( NO . 1106 ) . —The meeting of this lodge , which was held on the 27 th inst ., was rendered interesting by tlie initiation of two gentlemen well known in the literary and dramatic world , viz ., Messrs . John Crawford Wilson , and W . Creswick ,. of the Surrey Theatre . The W . M ., Bro . Richard Henry Marsh , performed the ceremony in his usual faultless maimer . After

the banquet , the W . M ,, in proposing the health of the " Initiates , " spoke iu eloquent terms of the pleasure he experienced in initiating two such worthy gentlemen , who both replied in very neat speeches .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

DEVONSHIRE . TOINES . —Pleiades Lodge ( No . 710 ) . —Summonses had been issued calling the brethren together on the 22 ud ult ., but the meeting was necessarily postponed , owing to a sudden bereavement which would have prevented the attendance of several of the most important officers , and , moreover , it was considered a proper mark of respect and brotherly feeling towards thein . The meeting was therefore held on Thursday , May 6 th , at six p . m . The lodge was opened by Bro . Geo . Heath , W . M ., assisted