Kirkdale Church And Knights Templars.

and entertainment . In process of time , this order of kni g hts having become odious to most of the crowned heads in Europe , ivas suppressed , and all their large revenues and possessions were sequestered , in consequence of ivhich the Manor of

Staintouclale was g iven b y Richard I . to the Hospital of St . John of Jerusalem in England , and in a succeeding reign ivas annexed to the Preceptory of the Holy Trinity at Beverley , which belonged to the aforesaid hospital .

Tradition says that this service with bell and horn was performed on a risin g ground near the road , ivhich yet bears the name of Bell Hill . Near to this are the vestiges or site of some building supposed to have been a p lace of worship ,

and is now called Old Chapel , were curiousl y worked stones have been found ; the farmhouse on the premises is called Old Hall .

The Girls' School.

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

On Tuesday , the Gth inst ., a goodly muster of brethren of the Yarborough Lodge ( No . 554 ) and several visitors met at the Yarborough Dodge-of Instruction , the Green Dragon , Stepney , to hear Bro . J . G . Stevens read the story of "Little

Dombey" and "Sam Weller ' s Valentine , " as announced in the " Ivlasonic Moras . " in our issue of the 3 rd inst .

We are pleased to record the fact that the exertions of Bro . Stevens were rewarded by the attendance of so large a number of brethren who by their subscrip tions testified their appreciation of the "readings , " and enabled the Lodge of Instruction to send a Steward to the forthcoming Festival to be held , for the Girls' School .

Bro . Stevens thanked the brethren lor their attention , and likewise for the handsome subscrip tion he had received towards tho funds of the Lodge of Instruction ( XI ) , and he assured the brethren that lie i ' elb greatly indebted to them ,

and it would afford him very much p leasure , and he would willingl y go to any of the Lodges of Instruction to do the like office , if by his humble services he could augment the funds , so that any Lodge of Instruction might become subscribers to

the various Charities , and' ho was g lad that a suggestion to that effect appeared in the FRT -EMASOXS' MAGAZINE AXD MASOHIC MIBKOK . Altogether , a very enjoyable evening Avas spent , and tho brethren separated much gratified .

The Principles Upon Which Our Institution Is Based.

THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH OUR INSTITUTION IS BASED .

Bro . Cousins , W . M . of the Portsmouth Lodge 487 , in an address delivered at a recent meetingof that lodge , after having referred to some points in Masonic history , proceeded to expatiate in a very able manner upon the principles upon which

our Institution is based ; ancl ive cannot do better than here reproduce the portion of Bro . Cousins * address : — I venture to hold the opinion that the chief reason why our Masonic Institution has withstood the ravages of time , is because it is founded upon the dictates of the

volume of the sacred law , and upon the principles of brotherly love , charity , justice , and truth . Let us always look upon tho bright side of humanity . Let us regard man as a reflection of his glorious Maker . As a general rule there is more good than evil in the human heart . Hence it is that schemes and combinations founded upon a wrong basis , and promoted for vicious or dishonourable

purposes are of short duration ; ere long they almost ur . vai'iably meet with failure and exposure ; whilst institutions based upon sound , true , and honest principles meet with favour and take deep root in the human mind As a further illustration of the argument now sought to bo enforced , we may with all reverence refer to the

remarkable preservation of tho volume of the sacred law , whicli is the foundation of speculative Masonry . No other writings have been so marvellously kept from age to age . And to what may this bo attributed ? Not to the fact that it contains an early history of the world * and an account of those who lived in past ages ; for

other books do that . " Nob to any supernatural interposition , for wc ought to try to account for mysteries by natural means , rather than attribute them to miraculousagencies . We prefer to assign its wonderful preservation to tho fact that in it are contained those doctrines and tenets which , being founded upon truth and virtue , are adapted to man in his search for happiness .

* * * "If there's a Power above us ( and that there is , all Nature erics aloud through all her works ) , he must delight in virtue . " Bat I feel that I have not yet touched upon a matter of very great importance to all true and earnest Masons .

Ho are frequently asked in thc outer world "what solid and practical advantages are to be derived from Freemasonry in the present age ? " Indeed , some lukewarm and indifferent Masons havo boon known to urge that Masonry is obsolete ; that although it was an useful science ivhen it was carried out practically by operative

workmen ; iff can lie no real advantage now . Other objections have at all periods of thc history of the Craft been urged against it ; but we believe that at tho present moment its benefits are as great and numerous as at any previous period of its history . Let us consider some of them .

Theoretical , in contradistinction to operative Masonry , clearly teaches us the reverence we owe to the Great Architect of the Universe , our duties to our fellow beings