Masonic Charities.

Masonic Charities .

ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . Of £ 2 , 200 subscribed at the last festival in January , the whole has been collected with the exception of £ 20 from one Lodge . Two or three more such efforts , and the whole of the candidates will he provided for . A few stewards for the next festival in January , 1860 , are still wanted . FREEMASONS' GIRLS' SCHOOL . A QUARTERLY Court of this School was held at the Freemasons ' Tavern , on Thursday , October 13 th , Bro . John Udall , P . S . G . D ., V . P .,

in the chair . The minutes of the various committees were read and adopted ; these minutes contained a vote of condolence to the family of the late Bro . John Barnes , vice-president of the charity , on the great loss they had sustained . The minutes of the Audit Committee were then read and approved , the balance in hand being £ 1 , 084 18 s . The Treasurer was requested to pay the quarterly accounts of £ 506 17 s . llrf . ; and on the building account £ 66 4 s . A report was also read from the Treasurer to the

, effect , that an additional £ 500 stock on account of the institution had been bought , in pursuance of a resolution of the last general meeting , and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bro . Udall moved that the number of children in the school should be increased from seventy to eighty . Their funds were yearly increasing , and he thought the time had arrived when the number of children might be increased . He had been informed that b y increasing the number of children they might injure the health of

those in it ; but he had consulted the medical man and the matron , who assured hiin that the number might be increased to ninety or one hundred without danger . Bro . Biggs seconded the proposition , which after a slight discussion was carried , it being stated that after providing for all expenses , £ 2 , 500 had been invested in the last three years , and that there was now a balance of upwards of £ 1 , 000 in hand . The election for six children out of nine candidates was then proceeded with—and the poll was declared as follows :

Annie Kilpin , 1 , 775 ; Alice Freeman , 1 , 748 ; Emily Jane Nixon , 1 , 709 ; Emily Ann Morris , 1 , 670 ; Adela Annette Gray , 1 , 640 ; Lavina Watts , 1 , 621 ; Emily Mary Campbell , 358 ; Jemima Thomason Laws , 22 B ; Mary Ann Emma Williams , 76 . The first six were declared duly elected . A vote of thanks to the chairman and secretary closed the proceedings .

THE BOYS' SCHOOL . A QUARTERLY Court of this School was held at the Freemasons ' Tavern , on Monday , October 17 th , Bro . John Udall , P . G . D ., presiding . The minutes of the last court and various committee meetings having been read and confirmed , the Secretary reported that since the last court , twenty-eight boys had been admitted into the new school , making a total of fifty-four . Twelve were to be elected that day , and four were being educated out of the school , of whom one was of the

Hebrew persuasion ; two , whose time was nearly out , would finish at their present schools , and one was imbecile . The business having been disposed of , the election of twelve boys out of nineteen candidates was proceeded with—the following being the result of the poll : — ELECTED . 1 . Hand , Ernest ( London ) 5570 2 . Saunders , Henry L . ( London ) 5334 3 . Wesson , Horold G . ( London ) 2625

4 . Jay , Charles H . ( Loudon ) 2526 5 . McDowell , John ( London ) 2072 6 . Gregory , Henry C . ( London ) 2038 7 . Carlin , ' Herbert Samuel ( Loudon ) 1667 8 . Wentle , Edward ( London ) 1341 9 . Dutton , Alfred W . ( London ) J 217 10 . Kilpin , Edwin ( Northampton ) 1177 11 . Johnson , Alexander ( Newcastle ) 1096 12 . Stark , George ( Exmouth ) 960

NOT ELECTED . 13 . Morris , Chas . ( London ) 957 14 . Pescote , Thomas H . ( Chichester ) 304 15 . Campbell , Alfred C . ( Monmouth ) 201 16 . Webber , Edward C . ( Lincoln ) 163 17 . Clatworthy , John M . ( Brixton ) 82 18 . Ashfield , Edward T . ( London ) 69 19 . Davis , John W . ( London ) 15 At the General Committee of this Instution , on Saturday last , Bro . Hopwood presiding—it was resolved to confirm the descision of the

House Committee , and give notice to the second master to terminate his engagement—there appearing to be no likelihood of his dissatisfaction with his position being overcome . It was also resolved , on the motion of Bro . Symonds , that the House Committee should apply to some gentleman having experience in tuition and hi the inspection of schools , to organize the school and lay down a proper scheme of education to he adopted—having regard to the position in life the boys were likely to fill on leaving the school . As we know many of our subscribers are engaged in the scholastic profession , with a view

of obtaining as much information upon the subject as possible we publish the scheme of education as agreed to by the present masters of the school : — The first master to superintend the first and second classes , on alternate days , in Greek , Latin , History , Jurisprudence , Rhetoric , Correspondence , Reading , Dictation , Science , Writing and Entering , General Knowledge , Religious Knowledge . The second master to take , on alternate days , the first and second classes in Writing and Entering , English Grammar , Geography , Arithmetic , Mensuration , Euclid ; and the third and fourth classes , daily , excepting Tuesday , in—Elementary Knowledge , Grammar , Geography , Reading , Spelling , Writing , Arithmetic .

Provincial.

Provincial .

BERKSHIRE . CONSECRATION OF ST . JOIIN ' S LODGE , NO . 1 , 097 , AT MAIDENHEAD . A warrant having been obtained , the consecration and opening of this lodge was fixed for Monday , October 25 th , and the rooms of the Orkney Arms Hotel , where it is to be held , not being sufficiently spacious for the ceremony , the R . W . Prov . Grand Master granted a dispensation to celebrate the consecration at the Town Hall , the use of which was conceded by the mayor . At high twelve , nearly forty brethren being present , a lodge was opened by the W . Bro . Jeremiah

How , P . M ., and Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . Hertfordshire , who was authorised by the M . W . Grand Master to perform the ceremony of consecration ; Bro . Astley , Prov . G . Supt . of Works , Berks , filling the Senior Warden's chair ; and Bro . Bursey , of No . 839 , being the J . W . ; the Rev . Bro . W . A . Hales , No . 201 , being the Chaplain on the occasion ; Bro . Geo . States , P . M ., No . 166 , acting as Dir . of Cers . The consecration ended , Bro . How ' resigned the chair to Bro . John B . Gibson , Prov . G . Sec . of Berks , who then proceeded with the installation of the W . M . ( Bro . E . P . Cossens ) , named in the warrant

as the first Master , who was duly proclaimed and saluted in the several degrees , Bro . Gibson delivering the address in his accustomed admirable manner . Bro . Charles Venables was invested as S . W ., and Bro . John Langton as J . W . A ballot was then taken for the admission of the following gentlemen , which being unanimous in their favour , and all being present , they were initiated into ancient Masonry in the most perfect and effective way by the W . M ., Bro . Jordan , acting as S . D .: —H . \ V . WilliamsG . BowyerH . H . HodgesW . H . Merrittand William

, , , , Skindle , jun ., and T . Greenhalf as serving brother . At five o'clock the lodge was closed in ancient form , with solemn prayer , and the brethren removed to the Orkney Anns Hotel , where an excellent dinner was prepared , at which thirty-six brethren assembled around the W . M .

CHESHIRE . The Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master , Field Marshal Viscount Combermere , having appointed Wednesday , Sept . 28 th , for the meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge—in obedience to the summons , the brethren began to assemble from all parts of the province , at the Royal Hotel , Chester , at twelve o ' clock . The Provincial Grand Lodge having been duly opened , the examination of the hooks of the several Lodges in the province was proceeded with by the Deputy Provincial Grand Master , Bro . G . C .

Antrohus ; and the Provincial Grand Treasurer ' s accounts passed by three W . M . 's of Lodges in Cheshire , showed a steady increase in the benevolent fund . The Provincial Grand Chaplain , Bro . the Rev . J . N . Tanner , then proposed in suitable terms the re-election of the Provincial Grand Treasurer , Bro . Bland , which was seconded by the Deputy Prov . Grand Master , and carried unanimously . Bro . Bland gave notice of motion , '' that in consequence of the valuable services of the Provincial Grand Secretarya committee

, should he appointed to consider what amount should be added to his salary for the very onerous duties he has to perform , " which being seconded by Bro . Bennett , was carried . A committee was then nominated , consisting of five brethren — Bros . Antrobus , Bland , Tannert , Bennett , and Cruttendcn . A proposition and notice of a similar character was made by the Prov . Grand Chaplain , and seconded by Bro . Cruttenden , Prov . G . R .,