The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASONIC MEM . The fifteen sections will be worked on Thursday , the 20 th of August at the Royal Oak Loelge of Instruction , held at the Royal Oak Tavern , High-street , Deptford , at seven o ' clock p . m . ; Bro . Joshua Howes , P . M ., in the chair .

The Boys' School.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

The rapiel progress which has been made in the Boys' School of late years , and the growing favour in which it stands , has naturally led to an increase in the recruireraents of increase in the accommodation , anel hence the ceremony of Saturday last , when the foundation-stone was laid , somewhat in our opinion , prematurely , as we have already expressed , of a new building to

accommodate 100 boys or more—we hope the design will allow it to be extenelecl to 200 without unnecessary expenditure . It woulel be useless here for us to go into the details connected with the establishment and progress of the charity , which has graced the columns of the general press , though we could trace the mind which dictated , if not the hand that wrote them ,

and we shall , therefore , at once proceed to business . At one o ' clock a special Grand Loelge was opened , when Bros . Algernon Perkins , P . G . W . acted as Grand Master ; Eev . J . E . Cox , P . G . Chap , as D . G . M . ; Udall , P . G . D . as S . G . AV . ; Girauel , P . G . D . as G . J . W . j J . Laughlin , as G . Chap . ; Scott , P . G . Di as G . Reg . ; J . LI . Evans , President of the Board af General

Purposes ; John Hervey , P . G . D . as G . Treas . ; G . Clarke , G . Sec ; Head and Locock AVebb , S . G . D . s ; Bellamy AVebb and Creaton , P . G . D . sas J . G . D . S ; Albert AA ooels , G . Dir . of Cers . ; Nutt , G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; Empson , P . G . S . B . as G . S . B . ; Farnfield , G . Assist . Sec , ; Dickie , G . Purst . ; Farmer , A . G . Assist . Purst . ; Payne , G . T . There were also present Bros . Hopwood , S . B . Wilson , P . G . D . s ; Pocock , Patten , and AValmisley , P . G . S . B . s ;

Rule , P . G . Purst ., and a large number of other brethren . Grand Lodge having been opened in due form , anel the authority for laying the foundation-stone read , the brethren formed in procession ar . d proceeded to the site of the new building , where the foundation-stone was to be laid . The processioa was headed by the hand of the 40 th Middlesex ( Enfield ) Central London Rangers , anel closeel with the band

of the First Life Guards—tho children of the Girls' School being drawn up at one side of the platform where the ceremony was to he performed , and of the Boys' School on the other . It would be neeelless for us to give the oreler of the Masonic procession as its features are so well-known . On arriving at the site of tho foundation stone , the National

Anthem was sung by the ladies anel gentlemen ofthe Sacred Harmonic Soiciety , assisted by the children of the Boy ' s and Girl's Schools . Bro . J . E . Cox , acting G . Chap ., then saiel , The glorious majesty of the Lord our God he upon us ! Prosper Thouthe work of our hands upon us ! 0 prosper Thou our handiwork

Let us pray . Prevent us , Great Architect of the Universe , in all our doings with Thy most gracious favour , and further us with Thy continual help ; that in all our works , begun , continued , and ended in Thee , we may glorify Thy holy name ; and finally , by Thy mercy , obtain everlasting life . So mote it le . This was followed by Psalm cvii ., concluding with the chorus , the " Heaven's are telling . " Psalms exxvii and lxvii were next

read , and the Hundreth Psalm , olel version , sung . The Grand Chaplain then said : — 0 Lord , Most High , look clown , we beseech Thee , and sanctify this our work . Bless this school begun in Thy name , and grant that all who assist in raising it to Thy honour may receive Thy heavenly benediction ; and that they who shall be taught within

these walls may be educateel by Thee in the great principles of Thy holy truth , to the honour anil praise of Thy name . So mote it he . An inscription on parchment , a copy of the printed list of subscribers for the current year , and of the last annual statement , the newspapers of the elay , and a collection of coins , was

next deposited in a cavity of the stone . The following is the inscription : — " In the name of the Great Architect of the Universe , this corner-stone of a new building for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ( originally founded in th e year 1798 ) was laid with full Masonic honours hy the Right Worshipful Algernon

Perkins , Past Grand Warden , acting as Grand Master , assisted by the officers and members of the Craft , on Saturday , Sth August , A . L . 5863 , A . D . 1863 , in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of her Majesty Queen Victoria . Patron , her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen . President , the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , K . T ., M . W . G . M . Committee—Mr . J . S . S .

Hopwood ( chairman ) , Mr . John Udall , V . P ., Captain J . Creaton , V . P ., Mr . Benjamin Head , T . P ., Mr . William Paas , Mr . A . H . Hewlett , Mr . William Young , Mr . Henry Cowlard , Mr . AV . Pulteney Scott , Mr . H . J . Thompson , Mi ' . John Inglis , Mr . Charles Beaumont , Mr . Edmund Farthing , Mr . Frederick Binckes , Secretary , and Mr . Albert W . Woods , Grand Director of ceremonies . " The choir of the Sacred Harmonic Society , with the children

of the Schools , then sang the following anthem , adapted to the tune of " Sound the loud Timbrel . " Hear us , O heavenly Architect , now , As Masons before Thee in meekness we bow . This building we raise , may it be as a token That Thou , only Thou , in our temple shall reign , As strong as our love , as our faith as unbroken ,

Oh , may it for ages and ages remain ! Raise we our voices in honoiu and paise Of Him to whose glory this structure we raise . Hear us , 0 Lord , in Thy goodness increase The work that our Craft now in ordee and peace Begin , May it he for the sons of the worthy

A home when the hour of affliction is nigh ; AVhere they may learn to love , praise , and adore Thee And worship Thy power , Jehovah on high ! Raise we our voices in honour and praise Of him to whose glory this structure we raise . A plate bearing a copy of the inscription was next bedded

down over the cavity , and tbe acting Grancl Master having smoothed the mortar with a silver trowel , the stone was lowered into its place , the acting Grand Master gave it three blows with the mallet , tried it with the seruare , level , and plumb-line , aud declared it fairly laid . He then scattered corn on it , as a sign of plenty aud poured on it oil and wine , in token of joy and

peace . A uumber of purses was then presented by ladies , amounting , we believe , to about £ 400 . Mahrajah Dulip Singh , P . G . W ., also presented £ 25 . The Grand Chaplain then said .- — O Lord Most High , who as taught us in Thy holy word that except Thou build the house their labour is hut lost that build it , grant Thy blessing , we beseech Thee , and prosper tbe work of our hands upon us ! Give heavenly wisdom to all who are