The Masonic Mirror

H . B . H . Prince Frederick AVilliam of Prussia , was a Mason , and he trusted lii royal highness would he enabled to excite in thc minds of Iris brothers-in-law a desire to join their ancient Craft . ( Cheers ) . The chairman observed that no words of his ivould be required to recommend to their notice the next toast , " The health of the M . AV . Grand Master the . Earl of Zetland . " ( Cheers ) . He knew it was quite needless for him to occupy one moment in dilating on the just praise due to the noble lordbut he could not let the

-, oppor tunity pass of expressing his strong conviction that it was highly conducive to the prosperity of the Craft that they had at its head iu England such a man as the noble earl . He ( the Earl of Ripon ) felt it as a high honour to have had the opportunity of serving as a Grand Officer under tho noble earl . He would propose to them the health of the M . W . Grand Master , being convinced that it would be drunk ivith that cordiality with which it had hitherto been received . ( Cheers ) . The noblo chairman said he had now to propose "The health of LordPanmuve , who

D . G . M ., " , whilst holding a high and difficult oflice iu the state , had yet found time to devote himself to the affairs of the Craft . He was a supporter of all their charitable institutions , and he felt that they had strong reasons for drinking his health cordially and enthusiastically , trusting that lie might long continue to honour thorn with his support . ( Cheers ) . The children were here introduced into the hall , and by their healthy and neat appearance excited general admiration . The girls having sung the festival

hymn—The chairman said he rose to propose the toast of the evening . Tho presence of so many of the brethren that evening was a sufficient proof of the deep interest they felt in the prosperity of tho institution , to support which thoy were then assembled , and he rejoiced therefore that he would have the less difficulty in commending the toast to them . He believed it was now seventy-one years ' since the school was first founded , and during that period he was told that 731 girls had enjoyed the advantages of the education it afforded , of whom Go . had passed through the school ; and he was assured that , out of that large numberthere was

, not one who , by her conduct in after life , bad reflected disgrace on the institution . " Sow it might be said of schools as of other things , " by their fruits shall ye know them . " The best of schemes often failed ; and plans , however well laid down , might fail to produce the results that were expected . The experience , however , of seventy years had proved the value of this institution , and he had no doubt that so long as it continued to be managed as it had hitherto been , it woidd continue to produce good fruit . It was unnecessary for him in that assembly to enter at any length into the history of thc objects of the charity . They all knew that it was

instituted to afford a sound , useful education to the children of brethren in misfortune . There was one feature of tho institution ivhich was somewhat peculiar , and which particularly commended itself to notice , that whilst all who entered tho school had to go through the same round of general training , those children who , had their parents not sunk into misfortune mi ght have looked for a superior education , -were afforded the iiwaus of regaining their position in society , though means wore taken to assure their sharing with others in tho general business of tho institution , lie

thought that no way could be found of more full y carrying out those principles ot the Craft—those principles of brotherly love uponwhich their Order was foundedthan to replace , or rather to ° give the children of their distressed brethren the means of replacing themselves in that position in society which their parents formerly held ; and nothing could more effectually do so than by giving them a liberal education . Before he resinned his seat he trusted they would allow him to say a word to the interesting children before him . He had pointed out the objects of the

institution , and told them that not one who had hitherto left it had brought disgrace upon it , and ho had no doubt that those whom ho was then addressing would follow in the footsteps of their predecessors . He begged them to recollect that education ^ was daily becoming the more important , as with the keen eompetituiu now existing among all classes of society it was impossible to keep a position in the world without it . Let him trust that , not only would they be found worthy of the character of the institution , but that seventy years hence , when other Freemasons were assembled , as he hoped they would be in that ball for the same object of supporting the Institution , it might be said of the children before him , as it had been