Our Trestle Board

OUR TRESTLE BOARD

" For the Master to lay lines and draw designs upon . "

Our readers will be good enough to notice that we have removed the Offices of THE MASONIC ; KTAU to r >!) . Moor Lane . Fore Street . E . C .. London , to which address ALL communications should be forwarded . Those velatiivr to Editorial matter to be addressed to the Enrr-u ; : and all others to Messrs . ADAMS TVn < is .

The Quarterly General Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys will be held at the Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street . W . C .. London , on Friday , the 2 ( 1 th inst .. at 12 noon . From a list of 75 applicants 21 boys will be elected , the ballot commencing after the usual business of the Court shall have terminated , and closing at 3 p . m . precisely .

* * * * * The Quarterly General Court of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will be held at the Freemasons' Tavern . Great Queen

Street . London . W . C ., on Saturday , the 27 th inst .. at 12 noon . From a list of (> 3 applicants nine girls will be elected . The election will commence at 1 p . m ., or after the usual business is concluded , and will close at 3 p . m . precisely .

In reference to the foregoing announcements , we desire to call attention to the number of last applications in the respective lists of candidates . In the case of the Boys' School , there are as many as -nine lads , whose final chance must be determined on the 2 ( ith inst . : and in that of the Girls' School , four children on the 27 th .

Governors and Life Subscribers of these Institutions are referred in the former ease to Nos . 1 . 2 , 4 . ( 5 . 20 , 32 . 34 . 40 and 4 !) in the proxy papers : and in the latter to Nos . 3 . 4 . 11 and 52 . Settingaside for the moment considerations of the Masonic connections and services of the parents of these children , we ask our readers

to reflect for awhile on the heart-sickness of hope deferred which has been for some period , more or less lengthy , endured by the parties interested in the several candidates : and to bear in mind that each and all of them have passed before the Committees of the respective Institutions , and have been downed

worthy of support . We would have those privileged to vote think somewhat on the feeling of utter disappointment which will attend a final rejection , and , remembering that chances will be still left

to other applicants , use whatever interest they may have in favour of those unfortunates now standing , in fear and trembling , outside the portals of our Institutions , awaiting the verdict of acceptance or rejection for ever .

A question has lately been propounded as to the advisability or otherwise of admitting a limited number of paying pupils to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . We do not hesitate to say that any attempt to pervert the original intention of the founders of our Benevolent Institutions should be resisted to the utmost .

Our schools are for the children of Brethren deceased , or unable to provide education for them ; our Benevolent Institutions for Aged Brethren and the widows of those with whom we have associated

under more fortunate circumstances : and to depart m any way from the princip les upon which any or either of these Institutions were founded , and have hitherto been conducted , would inflict a grievous wrong upon individuals and the Craft at large .

We should think that at the present tune our several Institutions , and one in particular , have quite enough to do to meet the grievances already under discussion without affording opportunities for further questioning as to conduct and management . It would be a

wise step for the respective governing Committees to at once determine that no departure from the hitherto all-sufficient rules of their Institutions would receive attention , and to publish that determination .

A departure has been made from what has of late years seemed a settled matter in respect of " gratuities " tooiilcials connected with our charitable institutions , and we are pleased to note it . At the last monthly General Committee Meeting of the " Girls' School" a proposition was made for the grant of a gratuity and an increase

of salary to the secretary ' in consideration of his great exertions at the Centenary Festival , and of his general efficiency . " The potency of the reasons for this proposition cannot be gainsaid , our worthy Bro . Hedges having merited , by the display of more than average ability , the utmost consideration from the craft at large . But the

acknowledgment thereof should not take the form of a monetary gift from funds subscribed for the support of those elected to the benefit of our institutions . It is wrong in principle . On the other hand , an increase of salary proportionate to increase of work and

the anxiety of office is justifiable , and it may well be that the salary of the secretary to the Girls' School should be placed " on the level " of those holding a similar position in the other institutions . The proposition for a gratuity was very properly withdrawn , and the suggested increase of salary granted .

Our Trestle Board

there appears to be a strong desire on the part of very many members of our Order and subscribers to our Institutions that the whole question of expenditure in respect of the several executive ? should have early and serious consideration . If the gross amount disbursed in thesu directions is as represented to us . all we can say is , in the words of Dominie Sampson . ' PmiDlOiors ! "

Bro . W . A . Vining . of Mhow . India , is thanked for his postcard and P . O . O . for 17 s . The amount should be . for two subscriptions . £ 1 Is . 8 d . Will W . A . V . kindly remit the balance . ' In the meantime we will forward THE MASONIC STAR as ordered . * * = x = i' f % L In reference to the letter in our last impression , under the head

of ' Charity Jewels . " we believe that some explanation could be ; afforded which might put a different construction on our correspondent ' s assumption as to thoimeaning of the two entries he refers to . A communication has been made to us . but it is not sufficiently explanatory to set before our readers . Probably in our next issue we may have more to say on the subject .

We really should be glad to know who / . •> the oldest Freemason on the register of the Grand Lodge of England . Can the followingrecord be beaten . ' —Bro . G . J . Wilson , the present W . M . of Resolution Lodge . No . 111 . occupied a similar position in that lodge as far back as 1835—53 years ago . The date of his initiation is

unknown to us , but it must have been , in all likelihood , some years anterior to that date . We know that he was invested as Prov . G . J . D . for Durham in the year of his first Mastership , and was installed as M . E . Z in Royal Arch Chapter in 1847 . It would seem

that our worthy brother , who resides at Darlington , must be . mosi probably , the oldest member of Grand Lodge and of the Prov . G Lodge of Durham . Many of our readers doubtless interest them , selves in such particulars , and we therefore publish these the mort readily that we have assurance of the facts stated .

Notes And Observation.

Notes and Observation .

Freemasonry is not usually regarded as an active Christian agency , but Mr . J . Ramsden Riley claims this for the " craft" in a published lecture lately delivered in the Humber Installed Masters' Lodge of Instruction . The solid foundations on -which Masonry rests , he says , is the practice of every social and moral virtue . "No man can actively take part in lodge duties without reflecting upon the wisdom , the omnipotence , and also on the mercy of the G . A . 0 . T . U . " Mr . Riley has " personally known two former atheists , who both owe their conversion to a Masonic Lodge , and that , too , on the night of their initiation . "—Christian World .

The usual monthly meeting of the Wentworth Lodge , No . 1 . 230 . Sheffield , was marked by proceedings of a specially interesting character . During the evening Bro . Dr . W . R . Thomas , who has lately removed from Sheffield to Bournemouth , was presented with a massive silver loving-cup . subscribed for by a large number of brethren whose names were inscribed on a beautifully illuminated address . The presentation was made by the W . M . Bro . Isaac Eyre

, , in eloquent terms , which were feelingly supplemented by Past Masters Garnett . Tyndall , Bennett , Holiday and Scargill , and Bros . Dodworth and Stokes . Bro . Dr . Thomas thanked the brethren for their expression of goodwill to him and the kindly appreciation of his Masonic , social and professional services .

MASONIC PRESENTATIONS AT TORQUAY . —On the 1 st inst .. a number of important presentations were made at the monthly meeting of the St . John ' s Lodge of Freemasons , No . 32 S , at the Masonic Hall , Torquay . Past Masters' jewels were presented to the following worshipful brethren : —C . J . Harland , P . P . G . J . D .: W . Wakeham . P . P . G . S . B . : D . J . Allams , P . P . G . D . C . ; W . Taylor . P . M . Sec . ; J . Grant , P . M . ; J . Salter , P . M . ; and E . Richards . I . P . M .

The presentations were made by Bro . R . L . Mugford , W 31 .. and W . Bro . Richards having been made W . M . during the past year received aijubilee jewel , the other jewels having a gold bar bearing the inscription " Veteran " in recognition of their services to the lodge . Bros , the Rev . Elphinstone Rivers . Babbacombe . and Conway Couch were raised , . and the brethren afterwards partook of a cold collation , which was served in the banquetting room of the hall by Bro . Harrison , of the Queen ' s Hotel .

-ff -A' - & ¦/? $ f Next year will -witness the first centenary of a Masonic Lodge in Brighton—the ' Royal Clarence" Lodge , No . 271 , consecrated August 2 ( ith , 17 S ! I , at the White Horse Inn . East Street ( now forming part of Brill ' s Baths ) , by Bro . Samuel Hulse , then Prov . Grand Master for the County of Sussexthe Lodge received its

, name from the Duke of Clarence ( afterwards King William IV . ) . It subsequently met at the Old Ship , where on December 31 st . 1800 . " The festival of St . John the Evangelist" was duly celebrated . It is now held at the Royal Pavilion , and will meet on the l ! lth inst .

# * * * * The Right Worshipful the Earl of Lathom , Provincial Grand Master for West Lancashire , has appointed Bro . Alfred J . Henoehsberg , Provincial Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies for that province . Bro . A . J . Henoehsberg is a founder and a P . M . of the Lodge of Israel , No . 1502 , Liverpool : a P . M . of the Lodge of Israel , No . 205 , London : and Past Principal of the Israel and Joppa Chapters , London .