The Boys' School Festival.

As to persecution , we may be sure there will be nothing Avhich can bear so harsh a designation suggested by the Committee , and , however much it may be doubted in some quarters , fair play and a fair hearing will be given and

required by the Special Court before any final decision ; in respect of which decision if justice demands a certain fiat we may rest assured of the interposition of a mason ' s characteristic virtue before utter condemnation .

As will be seen by our report of the proceedings of the meeting of the General Committee , held on Saturday last , the Provisional Committee of Management has lost no

time in fulfilling the charge deputed to it of reforming the whole arrangements of the Institution , and its members have given proof that in their hands the best interests of the School will be protected .

The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The !) lsfc Anniversary Festival of this Institution was held afc the Alexandra Palace , Muswell Hill , on Wednesday , the 3 rd inst .. under the presidency of V . W . Bro . Richard Eve . Past Grand Treasurer . P . Prov . G . S . Warden , Hants and Isle of Wight , and a Patron of the Institution . We regret that we are unalile to speak in terms of commendation of any circumstance connected with it

beyond the fact that the total amount contributed by the •"•> . > stewards whose lists were read , is , under all the circumstances of the recent agitation , much more satisfactory than might have been expected : and that to them and to the Chairman , Bro . Eve , for his hig h-spirited and manly support in a time of difficulty and discredit , the thanks of the Craft arc eminently due . The selection

of the place of gathering was m many respects most injudicious , as affording but little comfort or convenience to the large pari }' whilst assembling ; and a dining hall more deficient in those acoustic properties which are essential to the success of pus . prandial speeches and musical entertainment it would be difficult to find . Of the repast set before the visitors—it would be ridiculous to call

it a dinner—the less said the better . We are certain that the " scramble " was as much against the wishes and intentions of the stewards as it was objectionable to the guests . Still , and notwithstanding these drawbacks , the Festival might have proved acceptable , but for unfortunate allusions to the deplorable circumstances which have caused so much diversity of opinion , and raised

such a storm of censure during the past twelve months . In reference to those allusions we shall have something to say in other columns of this number of our paper . After grace had been sung , the chairman proposed the health of " The Queen , " remarking on the pleasure with which that toast is always received in assemblies of Englishmen , and by none more so than Freemasons , with whose

beneficent order Her Majesty was intimately connected by relationship as daughter , mother and grandmother , and more particularly with the Institution itself as its Grand Patron . The customary honour was paid to this toast and the National Anthem sung . The chairman next proposed the health of " II . R . II . the Prince of Wales . K . G .. kc . M . W . Grand Master , and President of the

Institution , ' for whom Freemasons felt the greatest devotion , and of whom he could say that he knew of none who had a stronger affection for the Order . This toast was also received with enthusiasm . With the toast of " The Right Honourable the Earl of Carnarvon , M . W . Pro . Grand Master ; the Right Honourable the Earl of Lathom . R . W . Dep . Grand Master : c , e ojlicio Vice-Presidents

of the Institution ; and the Provincial Grand Master , and Present and Past Grand Officers" the Chairman , after a brief reference to the respective valuable services to the Order of the first named , and the distinctions enjoyed by those whom the Grand Master had selected for office , coupled the name of V . W . Bro . Cama , Past Grand Treasurer . Bro . Cama in reply expressed the pleasure it gave him

to return thanks on behalf of that body with which he had been associated through the interests of many of the brethren then present , and also thanked the Chairman for the honour he had personally conferred by mentioning his name in connection with so important a toast . V . W . Bro . Col . Shad well II . Gierke , Grand Secretary , then proposed the health of the Chairman , Bro . Eve , who

was not only well-known and esteemed as a private gen __ eman but was also a highly distinguished and highly honoured Mason . For some thirty or more years he 'had been active , energetic and enthusiastic on behalf of the Order , and the proof of the estimation in which he was held was to be found in the fact that his election some four years ago as G rand Treasurer was welcome to the entire

Craft of England . Xot only was his qualification for chairmanship on this occasion consequent on his previous services , but it was strengthened by the fact that he stood in the proud position of being a Patron of each of the Masonic Charities . It reflected great honour upon Bro , Eve , that such eulogium was well merited and he hoped the toast would be enthusiastically received . After the applause with which the Grand Secretary ' s remarks were greeted

had subsided , Bro . Eve thanked the brethren heartily for their encouragement , and assured them that he had taken his present position as Chairman with some amount of hesitation ; but he felt that , after pressing invitation , he had a duty to perform towards the Institution , particularly when it was in need of energetic and prompt action . . More particularly so as possibly the rumours as to the adverse character of a certain report had deterred many more distinguished brethren than himself from accepting the

The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Chairmanship at this Festival , and he now felt that if his acceptance of that position had been of advantage he had reason to be highly gratified , and the Institution , if it required a friend should never fail to find a friend in him . He was highly honoured in having the opportunity of acting in that capacity at this Festival . After a brief pause the Chairman again rose to propose the tcast of the

evening , " Prosperity to the lloyal Masonic Institution for Boys . " In a lengthy speech in the course of which Bro . Eve , was unfortunately betrayed into a reference to matters which are still sub-j it-dice , and which reference was not met with general approval , he said the toast was one which he was sure the company would receive with much \ leamre , and bono \ r with enthusiasm . He

approached it with some diffidence as ue considered himself but a weak instrument in the advocacy of the claims which the Institution had upon them and the Craft in general . It had been in existence some ' . 10 years , and was consequently approaching the centenary of its establishment . Consequent on the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School last year on which occasion the M . W . Grand Master

presided , the large contribution of over X ;" , 0 , 000 then made by the Craft had naturally affected the result of the Boys' School Festival which was held subsequently in 188 S . cn which occasion only £ 8 , 000 formed the sum total of the stewards' lists . As some , C 12 , < IOO to . LI 3 . 000 are required annually to support the Institution a deficit was created which made it all the more necessary that the return

this year should be , as he hoped it might be , sufficient to make up the average and place the boys in a good position . ( We heartily wish that our worthy and distinguished brother had terminated his address at this point , or hnxl , at least , concluded with a few general remarks which would not have touched upon the ' burning question . " The remainder of our report must be a

reproduction of what has been elsewhere published , and is very fairly and accurately recorded . ) Bro . Eve . continuing , said , " Well , they had had another matter which had also retarded , to some extent , the movements of the Boys' School . He referred to the Inquiry —( hear , hear)—which , through the wisdom of the brethren and subscribers of the

Institution , had been held . ( Applause . ) They desired that this inquiry should be made . The inquiry had been made : it had taken nearly twelve months to make a Report upon that inquiry . The report had been before the brethren ; the brethren could best consider the report . And at a great meeting of the brethren and subscribers to the Institution , it was determined to receive the report and carry

that report into effect . The brethren might depend upon it Masons never shrank from a duty—they might be mistaken in carrying it out , but they never shrank from it , and the Masons who had the conduct of this great institution —( cries of " Question " )—they had devoted their best abilities for the purpose . His object was to show —( clamour , and cries of ' ¦ Chair " )—there might be differences

of opinion , but he was sure that any brother who fairly considered the matter —( renewed noise ) . He was going to put some few figures before them ; he was not saying anything against the fact that the report had been made , and that there were grounds for the report , but he was telling them that they must not forget the past of the great Institution of which they were now holding the

Festival , for , until the year IS 57 , the Institution was simply tor clothing and educating the boys of Freemasons ; but in the year 1857 that was departed from , and another portion—and a very heavy portion , too—of the expenditure of this Institution was then incurred , namely , not only the clothing and education of the boys , but then was added to it the maintenance of the boys of

Freemasons . Xow , he asked anybody—and he was sure all the Committee of Inquiry would go with him—that they could not forget , and they would not forget , what was the state of the Institution as such in the year 1857 ; and he wanted to call attention to these figures in order that they might realize the true position of it . In that y ear maintenance was extended to

them—( cries of "Question" ) . He was surprised the brethren should question the great increase of the Institution . His ( Bro . Eve ' s ) object was not to s . 't brethren by the ears , but to bring them together , and to show brethren , whether they be the Committee or Special Committee for the Inquiry , he was not doubting the ability , the time , the anxiety which had been devoted by the brethren of

the inquiry , and he thought a debt of gratitude was due to those brethren who undertook the inquiry . He wished to be perfectly understood—he was not saying anything against them—and he was sure that they , after knowing that their report had been adopted , would lie the last to forget that , because he knew that all of them were men who had a love for Freemasonry , and would do

anything for the good of this grand Institution . Notwithstanding , there might be many defects , and brethren could not shut their eyes to the fact that there were at present about 200 boys who were now educated , clothed and maintained in that Institution , and . it was his object as well as theirs to do that duty faithfully , fairly and honestly . That being so , their object was to get as much as

possible from the brethren , and unless they could show that it was being carried on honestly and economically , they could not expect to receive the support of the brethren ; but he did believe that the brethren were satisfied with this . ( Hear , hear , ' -Xo , " and confusion . ) His great object was the prosperity of the Institution , and if : he said one word calculated to injure the prosperity of the

Institution he invited the brethren to call him in question . He was very glad of the inquiry , because it had suggested that a considerable reduction could be made in the expenses . He should only lie too happy to find that that reduction could be made . He had for a long time , for many years , spoken often , year after year , of the high expense of each boy in the School , and he said if

thisinquiry resulted in nothing more than in reducing the expenditure a great object would have been attained , and instead of educating 2 ( i 0 boys they would be able to add some ( id or 70 boy . 'i to tin School . Bro . live proceeded to say that he wanted to call then attention to the historical part of the Institution . In the yeai 1857 the subscriptions did not amount to , L 2 , 000 a year , but in _ tin year 1862 the amount was doubled , as compared with the prcvioiu