The Masonic Mirror

THE MASONIC MIRROR

MASONIC MEMS . At the meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence , AVednesday , 22 nd July , 1863 , W . Bro . Henry Empson , P . G . S . B ., in the chair , nine petitioners were relieved with sums amounting in the aggregate to £ 100 .

The Provincial Grand Lodge of Hampshire is appointed to assemble at Portsca , on Wednesday , 26 th August , for appointment of officers and transaction of general business , as well as to celebrate the jubilee of the Koyal Sussex Lodge ( No . 324 , late 428 ) . The venerable , and worthy Mason , Admiral Sir Lucius Cnrtis , Bart ,, K . C . B ., Prov . G . Master , will , no doubt , preside ,

and have the satisfaction of presiding at the jubilee of a lodge of which he saw the birth . The Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset is to be held in the New Town Hall . AAlmborne , on the 13 th August next .

The Boys' School.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL .

A quarterly general court of the governors and subscribers to this charity was held on Monday , at the office , 16 A , Great Queen-street , Bro . John Symonds , V . P ., in the chair . Bro . BIXCKES , the Secretary , road the reports of the committee , from which it appeared that , with respect to the proposed new building at Wood Green , the House Committee

reported that having advertised for plans and designs for the neAV school-house , thirty sets of drawings had been submitted in ¦ competition , and from these six designs had been selected . It "had been ascertained , however , from competent authority , that the cost of carrying out the execution of either of the six designs selected , would exceed the amount originally proposed

to he expended , the estimated amount being-from £ 14 , 000 to £ 20 , 000 . Six other designs of a plainer and less ambitious ¦ character had been selected , the probable cost of which was being inquired into . The report was adopted . Bro . the Earl De Grey and Bipon , D . G . M ., was elected a

trustee of the general fund . Bro . BINCKES said he had received tho sum of £ 1000 in contributions towards the new building . For the next three or four years he could calculate upon the sum of £ 10 , 000 , taking £ ¦ 1-000 from the funded property , and lie Lad every reason to believe that he could raise the sum of £ 15 , 000 for the building

an a few years . It having been decided to call a special court to consider and decide upon the new building , the proceedings terminated with ¦ a-vote of thanks to the chairman .

Provincial.

PROVINCIAL .

CHESHIRE . IvNursroBD . —De Tabley Lodge ( No . 1213 ) . —A lodge of emergency Avas held on Saturday , June 6 th , at the assembly room , when , in the absence of Bro . Lord de Tabley , AV . M ., Bro . X . Davies , P . M . 620 , presided . There were also present Bros . Goodwin , as J . W . ; Twiss , P . Prov . G . Org ., as Org . ; J . AV . Newell Tanner , P . Prov . G . Chap ., as Chap . ; Clarke , P . Prov . G . SecSecretary ; BarlowS . D . Jackson 334 as

JDMul-, , ; , , .. ; lins , I . G-. ; the honourable Wilbraham Egerton , M . P ., Siddeley , Cutter , Hulme , AVoodcoclc , AVildgoose , and several other brethren . Bro . Egerton was raised to the sublime degree , the ceremony being conducted by Bro . Davies , P . M . The brethren adjourned to an excellent banquet prepared by Bro . Hurst . Bro . Twiss , P . M ., presided . It being- the day appointed for celebrating the birthday of the Queen , Her Majesty health AVIAS

most loyally drunk . The other toasts followed . The acting W . M . proposed " The Health of the newly raised Bro . AVillbraham Egerton , " who , as a member of a noble family , a country representative , and magistrate and a Mason , had won much esteem . Bro . Egerton , in returning thanks , said that he had been much impressed by the solemnities of the evening , which would never be effaced from his memory . He assured the brethren that while he desired the prosperity of the Craft

generally he had an earnest wish for the success of the De Tabley Lodge , of Avhich be was delighted to be a member . Its formation was of much importance , and he was sure all present would acknowledge how much the members were indebted to the ability and zeal of Bro . Clarke , P . M ., who bad undertaken so much labour and responsibility for them , and with such good results . Bro . Egevtou then proposed "The Health of Bro .

Twiss , P . M ., " the acting AV . M ., who suitably responded . In proposing the health of Bro . Clarke , the acting AA . M . said that he quite echoed Bro . Egerton ' s expression of thanks for the unremitting attention displayed by Bro . Clarke , whose services Avere highly prized , and not the less so because they Avere so cheerfully rendered . Bro . Clarke said be deprecated the lavish compliments dictated by too great a generosity .

It behoved every brother to do his utmost in the extension of tho usefulness of the Craft , and in rendering its benefits obtainable by all who deserved them ; and Avhen any brother had fulfilled that duty he had no claim to extraordinary praise , as it was a simple performance of a very plain obligation . If , indeed , reward were needed , it would surely follow in the natural course of every real Masonic action . An

ample reward to him Avas to see men of character and means availing themselves of the privileges and opportunities which Masonry afforded for strengthening character and duly estimating our duties with regard to our means ; and a still greater reward was it to see well tried brethren uniting for the purposes of Masonic truth and virtue . A brother amongst them had that nig ht been raised to a position in Masonry which Avould enable

him to understand it to be truly a progressive science , teaching invaluable lessons to those who were deserving of Avisdom ' s light . And jnst as the vessel launched from her stocks has yet to be completed before the voyage is undertaken , so the entered

apprentice has yet to receive that which is to make him fit for life's journey . And so again the vessel may have its cargo and stores , and the last touch of the skilled artizan may have left it a perfect and beautiful specimen of handicraft , but without man . or compass on board how shall the distant shore be reached , or the object of the vessel ' s construction be realized ? Thus , with the fellow Craft , an advancement has been gained , but still the source of direction and the power of execution has yet to be

obtained . But when the lifelike ship , " well manned , victualled , and found , " braves the ocean wave , and is the pride of her builder , owner and captain , the safe conveyance for those AVIIO con ride in her strength and swiftness , then does she resemble the newly raised Master Mason , who , entering upon life ' s rough main with a well regulated compass which knows no variations , a chart where every shoal and rock is marked , and every haven

rightly pointed out , and signals Avhich , if rightly used , will never call for aid in vain . And if the . intoxicating sight of "the elegant seagoing craft suggests a Masonic career , does not the "Missing A essel " offer some com parison to the "Missing Brother ?" The brother who , sotting out with a full determination to preserve every obligation inviolated , starts aside like a broken bow ? The ' ' Missing Vessel" may tell of slow starvation ten thousand miles

from home , or of fearful piracy and rapine , or of the sudden splitting upon the solitary rock , or the cruel effect of imprisonment of ship and crew amid icebergs , or the midnight ravages of unrelenting Bre . Tho missing brother might tell of the mental starvation and distress consequent upon his removal through vice or folly from the genial sympathies of his brethren , or of being i ' rozen by pride or prejudiceand so alienated from

, the glowing sphere of Masonic love and light , or of being wrecked upon some rock of doubt or despair , from which due reference to his chart -would have saved him , or the right use of his signals would have relieved him . Missing ships and missing brethren might not be good post-prandial topics , but he Avould rather urge all to do their duty in the good ship Masonry , than be himself the subject of their overkind praise . He was always

at the service of his brethren , and his wish and hope Avas that he might more and more deserve their good feeling . Bros . Hulme and Jackson enlivened the proceedings Avith suitable songs . The health of the Macclesfield brethren Avas duly honoured , and the brethren separated at an early hour ,