Ireland.

be enlarged to afford accommodation for forty children . ' This will necessarily involve a considerable outlay and increased annual expenditure , and the governors earnestly impress upon the minds of those to whom this account of their stewardship shall be submitted , the solemn obligation imposed on them of exerting all their energies aud influence to augment the resources and increase the ability of the Female Orphan School , to extend its protection aud receive within its fold the desolate and bereaved orphans of their deceased brethren .

Bro . LONGEIELD , M . P ., said , they were at present rich in money , rich in resources , rich iu exertion , and their friends were rich iu their zeal ou behalf of their Order , ancl for the interests of the institution . He . was glad now to think that there were ample funds to carry out the objects of tho institution in the fullest degree .. The improved system of education suggested by the Government Commissioners comprised instruction in French and music . It seemed to those connected with tho Order that there was a growing desire for improvement in education .

AVhat would have been considered a sufficient education some time ago , would now be deemed ignorance , and that the system hitherto adopted , in their school was not now suited to it . The Government Commissioners were of that opinion . They bestowed the highest praise on the school , but , at tho same time , they thought the standard of the education too low . AVith that tho Committee agreod , and , accordingly instruction iu French ancl music was commenced . It might be thought from that that they were lecting the English educationbut he was

neg ; happy to state that such was not the fact ; on the contrary , minor prizes were awarded to French and music , whilst the higher prizes were awarded to the general education—to a knowledge of Scripture , arithmetic history , and everything that consists of an English education . There was one topic more to which ho would allude—the governors had decided on extending accommodation to forty children . Their education was founded on reliious princiles : strict iu its moral princile and most

g p p useful as a means of preserving the children when they encountered the shoals and perils of life . They remembered what was said in the Scripture , and let it not be said of them , "This man began to build , aud was not able to finish . " The building money would be little , audit was by the daily and yearly contributions that the building itself would bo actually finished , ancl when finished it would be filled , and filled with

advantage . He examined some of the girls himself , and he found that , so far from their intellects being narrowed by instruction in music ancl French , they were the more expanded ; ancl he thought that the more it was sought to teach them , the more they expanded their knowledge , and their intellectual powers were excited in a manner that he never before experienced . Bro . J . F . TOWNSEND , D . G . M ., then said that he had been requested by the governors of the Orphan School to bring before the notice of the

meeting the children who were to receive the prizes at his grace ' s honourod , hands . Ho had , indeed , been tho munificent supporter of that institution , a . s had been stated by Bro . Longfield , at a time when it was in very different position from what it now stood in at jiresent . They were now in a state of prosperity , and the object of the governors of the institution was to hold the reigns tightly rather than spur the willing horse . He would not be thought to discourage the good work m any respect , more especially when that work was one to which he had

lent his humble but sincere exertions . The institution which they came there that day to foster or to favour was not exactly intended for the children of the very lowest class of society ; and when he used these words he should apologise for them , at least to the brethren , for they were not words such as were generally spoken within those walls ; for there they were all upon the level . But as that did not extend to their brethren outside , ho was bound to say that the children wore not born in an inferior condition of life—many of them were born for better things , ^ and many a parent had been afflicted when he thought of leaving his children to a hard hearted world . That was a cruel casefor they

, all ^ kuew _ that " tiie tender mercies of the wicked are cruel ; " but the children iu their institution had been well cared for , and the feelings of those children who went out from them had ever beeu those of gratitude . Let it not be supposed that they lost sight of them after they left the school . One child not long ago was sent to a remote part of the globe , and it had been thought necessary to look after her . It had been said that the Queen had long arms , but the Grand Master had longer arms still . The Queen ' s power extended throughout her dominions , but the Grand

Master ' s power extended to every part of the globe . AVith respect to the girl he . had mentioned , he wrotejto a brother in tho place to which she had beeu sent . He had not known him before , but he wrote to the man as a brother , and ho answered him as a brother . He heard from the pupil herself , and she was surprised , and could not think how it was that those persons were taking so much interest about her . She did not know the ramifications of the society which he had set in motion for her benefitand they could assure her that though she was not near

; them they had their eye over her still , and if anything should cause her to change from the line of conduct she had hitherto observed , they should hear of it , for their power was felt over the globe , and it was impossible to ; escape it—he used the words emphatically , it was impossible to escape it . But their power was the power of doing good , and was never exorcised for the purpose of doing harm . He could fully corroborate what Bro . Longfield had said with respect to the pupils in the school

. The children then sang iu excellent concert , accompanied by the organ , the hymn—

Ireland.

" AVhcre shall the child of sorrow find A place for calm repose ?" and those who were to receive prizes were severally introduced to the Most AVorshipful Grand Master , by Bro . Townsend , D . G . M . The Grand Master distributed the prizes , shaking each child affectionately by the hand , and speaking words of gratulation and encouragement . Bro . TOWNSEND , D . G . M ., then tendered the thanks of the governors to the ladies' committee who managed the school , at whose suggestion

the prizes were given for needlework and good conduct , and trusted thot they would continue their services , for if it were not for the ladies they could not get on at all . The Most AVorshipful GRAND MASTER then rose and said—I only mean to address a very few words to the unsuccessful candidates . The system of the school has been brought so ably before you , that I need not address to you any explanation , but having myself never got a prize in my life , I wish to address the unsuccessful candidates ( laughter ) , and

I desire to tell them that , although they have not been successful , thcy may improve themselves , obtain great credit in the school , and hereafter benefit by it . As I said before , I never got a prize in my life ; I always endeavoured to do my best , aud by doing that I had tho kindness of all my masters ; they know it was not from idleness but from inability ; aud I think that may be made useful as a hint to you to take tho instruction which is given yon . Two hymns were then sung by the pupils , after which the proceedings terminated .

Scotland.

SCOTLAND .

EDINBURGH—ST . JOHN'S DAY . LODGE OP EDINBURGH MARY ' CHAPEL ( No . 1 ) . — This ancient Lodge held its annual meeting for the installation of officers for the ensuing year , on St . John's Day , Tuesday , the 27 th of December , when the following officers were appointed : —Bros . AVm . Mann , R . W . M . ; Francis D . McCowau , M . P ., S . G . D ., P . M . ; Alexander M . Clark , Dep . Master ; Officer , S . AV . ; Fernando , J . AV . ; Hinchfield , Sec . ; Owen Gough , Treas . ; DressdaleChaplain ; Robert DcewarMaster of Stewards ;

, , Swan , I . G . ; James Baikie , Tyler . At the conclusion of the installation ceremony the members of the Loclge sat dowu to a sumptuous banquet prepared by Bro . Kennedy . After the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , the R . AA . M . rose to propose " The health of Br . Dr . McCowau , " the retiring Master , and after a very eloquent speech , during which he passed several high eulogiums on Dr . McCowan's character as a man and a Mason , he presented him , in the name of the members of the Lodge , > with handsome chased silver hot water tankard the

a , bearing following inscription : " Presented to Bro . F . D . McCowau , M . D ., by the brethren of the Loclge of Edinburgh Mary ' s Chapel , No . 1 , in testimony of their high sense of his valuable services as R . AV . M . for a period of five years . St . John's Day , 27 th December , 1 SS 9 . " The inscription is inclosed within a wreath of massively chased Scotch thistles , entwined with Masonic emblems , and within a similar wreath on the other side is engraved the arms of the Lodge ; the whole being designed and wrought

out by J . Law ancl Sons , the wellknown Masonicjcwellers . Bro . MCCOWAN , in returning thanks , took the opportunity of presenting to the Lodge a duly attested extract from an ancient document of great interest to Lodge No . 1 , which had recently been brought to light , and which seemed to set conclusively at rest tho question as to the comparative antiquity and right of precedence of the Lodge "Mother Kilwinning , " and tho "Lodge of Edinburgh , Mary ' s Chapel , No . 1 . " The document in

question is entitled " The statutis and ordinances to be observit be all the Maister Maissonis within this realnie , sett down by AVilliam Schaw , Maister of wark to his Maiestic [ King Jani'cs the Sixth ] aud . general ! wardeue of the said craft , witli consent of the Maistcris after specifeit , " 2 Sth Dec , 159 S-9 , and was recently discovered by Mr . AVilliam Eraser , of the Register House , in the charter chest of tbc Earls of Eglinton , into whose possession it is supposed to have come as the representatives of the Earls of Kilwinning , ancl is published at length among the

" charters and family papers" ( vol . ii . p . 239 ) in a work which he lias just brought out under the title of "Memorials of the Montgomorie . v , Earls of Eglinton , by AVilliam Fraser , 1859 . " The document in question is divided into two parts , bearing dates respectively 2 Sth December 159 S and 1599 . The first part appears to be a duplicate or counterpart of that document with which the oldest ( preserved ) minute book of the Lodge No . 1 opens , and which is referred to iuthe Grand Lodge laws , an tlie oldest authenticated Masonic record extant in Scotland . The second

part , which appears to have remained unknown or undiscovered from its date [ 2 Sth December 1599 ] to the present time , an extract of which is produced by Bro . McCowau , is chiefly directed to tho Lodge " Kilwyniiiug" now known as " Mother Kilwinning , " and contains regulations to be observed by that Lodge , and all the Lodges subject to it , which would appear to be those lying "within tho boundis of the Nether AVaird of Cliddisdaile , Glasgow , Ayr , and boundis of Carrick . " But the most important and most interesting parts of the documents arc

those wherein it is declared that it was thought needful and expedient by my Lord AVarden General , that Edinburgh should in all time coming , "as of befoir , " be the first and principal Lodge of Scotland , and that ' Kilwynning should be the second Lodge , " as of befoir , " and that such was aud ought to be their relative position , the document bears , was not onolie manifest in our awld antient " writtis ; " ancl wherein a uutiiiav