Masonic Charities.

flicted disgrace on the Institution . Now it might be said of schools for children , as of other things , " by their fruits shall ye know them . " The best of schemes often failed ; and plans , however well laid down , often failed 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 he managed as it had hitherto been , it would persevere to produce good fruit . It was unnecessary for him in that assembly to enter at any length into the history of the objects of the Institution . 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 the Institution which was somewhat peculiar , and which particularly commended itself to notice—that whilst all who entered the school had to go through the same round of general training , those children who , had their pirents not sunk into misfortune , might have looked for a superior education , were afforded the means ol regaining their position in society , the means were taken to assure their sharing with others in the general business of the Institution . He thought that no

means could be found of more fully carrying out those principles of the Craft—those principles of brotherly love upon which their Order was founded , than to replace , or rather giving the children of their distressed Brethren the means of replacing themselves in society in that position which their parents formerly held , and nothing could more effectually do so than by giving them a liberal education . Before he resumed 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 he had no doubt that those whom he 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 competition now existing amongst 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 hall for the same object of supporting the Institution , it might be enabled to be said of the children before him , as it had been said of others , that after leaving the Institution their conduct had been such as never to reflect

disgrace upon it . ( Cheers . ) It was upon the manner in which the female children were brought up the virtue and happiness of England mainly depended , and therefore it was of the highest importance that they should keep their Institution in the highest efficiency . He begged to propose " Prosperity to the Royal Freemasons' School for Female Children . " ( Applause . ) Bro . F . Crew , the respected and worthy Secretary of the Institution , then proceeded to present the children with their various prizes

consisting of workboxes , books , & c . The Chairman then placed a medal round the neck of one of the children , accompanied by a few words of advice respecting her conduct in after life , as it was only by following in the footsteps of her predecessors , and remembering the lessons inculcated upon her in the School , that she could hope for happiness here and hereafter . The Children , having sung " Good Night , " then retired , laden with the fruit of the dessert , amidst loud applause . The list of subscriptions amounted to close upon £ 1 , 900 , with two lists to come in , so that it may be fairly estimated at very near £ 2 , 000 , making close upon six thousand Jive hundred pounds given this year by the Freemasons , at their three charitable festivals , all held within three months , for the relief of the aged and the young .

ROYAL MASONIC BOYS' SCHOOL . On Thursday , March 31 st , a Special Court of the governors and subscribers of this Institution was held under the presidency of Bro , G . Barrett , V . P ., and similar resolutions , as for the Girls' School agreed to . THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL . The Anniversary Festival was held at the Freemasons' Tavern , on Wednesday , March 30 th . The chair was occupied by the Right Hon .

Lord Panmure , R . W . D . G M ., supported by Bros . Bowyer , Prov . G . M ., Oxfordshire ; C . P . Cooper , Prov . G . M ., Kent ; Hammond , Prov . G . M ., Jersey ; B . Bond Cabbell , Prov . G . M ., Norfolk ; W . G . Clarke , G . Sees W . P . Scott , S . G . D . ; Hopwood , J . GD . ; Potter , P . G . D . ; Evans , P G . S . B . ; Lo Vean , P . G . S . B . ; Walmisley , P . G . S . B . ; Farnfield , Asst . G . Sec ; F . Slight , Prov . G . W ., Surrey ; Shaw , P . Prov . G . W ., West Yorkshire ; Job Austen , Prov . G . Orgt ., Esses ; Col . Western ; Aid . Rose ; Frederic Ledger : F . Crew ; G . Barrett ; F . Binckes ; Stuart ; Head ; Z . Watkins ; ilerapath ; Symonds ; and about one hundred and eighty other Brethren . » At the conclusion of the dinner , which was most admirably served , and after the usual routine toasts had been disposed of , the report of

the committee was read , and a number of the boys were introduced into the room , and ranged in front of the dais . The R . W . D . G . M . said he now rose to propose a toast which , after the interesting spectacle they had just witnessed , of the young boys entering the room , he was sure would require very few words from him to recommend to their notice , it being what was generally called the toast of the evening . He felt sure that they were all most anxious to respond to the toast , and he should therefore detain them with but few observations . One of the peculiar objects of

Freemasonry was to cultivate the practice of virtue , and more especially that crowning virtue , charity . There was no charity more important than that of affording a good and sound education to the children of their poorer Brethren , who , from misfortune , were themselves prevented doing so . It had been truly said that there was no more important legacy to the young , and no greater blessing in their power to bestow than that of educating the child , so that when he entered the world he might not onlbe enabled to provide for himselfbutshould they

y , , require it , to aid his parents in the decline of life . Formerly they only educated and clothed the sons of Masons , but within the last few years efforts had been made to obtain a school-house , in which twenty-five of the boys were educated , and it was hoped that within a very short time the whole seventy whom they now educated mi ght be brought under one roof . It seemed that an opinion some time since got abroad that the benefits of the institution extended little beyond the metropolis ; but it was not so , and it had been shown that

it was open to all the Graft , and that the children of the Brethren in the provinces were equally cared for with those of the metropolis . He was pleased also to find that the Brethren of the provinces were now beginning to take a greater interest in the prosperity of the charities than they had formerly appeared to do ; and lie was sure that with their united efforts , their institutions would be placed at the head of the various noble charities which adorned the country . It was the more important that they should extend to the children of their Brethren the advantages of a good education—because he would

remind them , and now he spoke to the boys themselves—that owing to the free constitution of this country , there was no man having the talent and the determination to make his way , there was no position , however dignified , which a subject could hold , to which he might not aspire—and even some of the children then before them might arrive some day at the distinguished position of Grand Master , or Deputy Grand Master of England . In proposing success to the Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , he would ask to be allowed to couple with it the name of Bro . Benjamin Bond Cabbell , their Treasurer . He was sure there was no one to be found who had devoted himself more thoroughly to the promotion of works of charity than Bro . Cabbell , and it was his earnest hope that he might long be spared to be amongst them , and add dignity to their Order , whilst , by taking care of their funds , he greatly benefitted the charity . The toast having been received with loud applause , Bro . B . B . CabbellProvincial Grand Master for Norfolkand Treasurer of the

, , Boys' School , thanked the R . W . Deputy Grand Master for the handsome manner in which he had connected his name with the last toast , and the Bi ethren for the very kind and affectionate manner in which they had received it . The R . W . D . G . M . then proceeded to distribute the medals and prizes to the boys whose names are given at the close of this account , addressing to each some appropriate remarks . The list of subscriptions was then read , headed by the name of Her

Majesty for £ 10 10 s ., and amounting in the whole to £ 1 , 854 , with three lists to come in . The combined lists of Bros . Shaw , No . 342 , and Batley , No . 937 ( Stewards for West Yorkshire ) , amounted to £ 306 . The R . W . D . G . M ., in announcing the amount of the subscriptions , specially commended the exertions of the Brethren of West Yorkshire , whom he considered entitled to the warmest thanks of the company , ' and felt that he could only say to the other provinces , " Go ye and do likewise . " The following is the annual report of the Committeewith that of

, the Examiner of the boys in the school , circulated in the course of the evening : — " In presenting to the subscribers the annual statement of receipts and expenditure , the Committee cannot but congratulate themselves and the supporters of the Institution generally , on the success which has attended their efforts during the past year—the amount received being larger than that of any former year . The Committee must regard this as the best evidence of the approval by the Craft at large

, of the steps they have taken with a view to improve the efficiency of the establishment , and to extend , as far as possible , the benefits it is so well calculated to afford . The future remains with the Brethren who have never been appealed to in vain when their support has been solicited , and who , it is confidently hoped , will , at the ensuing festival , not only renew , but increase , the assistance which the Committee now so gratefully acknowledge .