The Old Masonians And Our Boys' School.

mcnt of their excellent Society , mid in solicitation for further support from those Freemasons who can appreciate their efforts . As will be apparent from a perusal of our brief report and the foregoing observations , they are not wanting the friendship and assistance of some of our most

distinguished brethren . But the scope of their operations is large , and yet capable of considerable extension . Further additions to their roll of Vice-Presidents would , it is almost needless to say , be heartily welcomed , and , whilst affording them increased means and opportunity for

doing good , would greatly redound to the credit of those who might so connect themselves with the society . In any case , they have so far advanced by their action the cause of Masonic Education , and justified the claims which the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys has upon

the craft generally for unstinted support and liberal contributions , that what they have already accomplished must ever be a source of satisfaction to themselves , and ultimately will assuredly meet with the reward which invariably attends patient perseverance in well doing .

The Masonic "Poet's Corner."

THE MASONIC " POET'S CORNER . "

IS CHIVALRY STILL POSSIBLE ? To the Editor of THE MASONIC STAR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER . Chivalry was still possible—at least amongst Masons—in the earlier part of the present century , as is evidenced by the enclosed , which I send vou to fill up next week's " Corner . "

Chivalry is not only still possible amongst Masons . It is one of the predominant features of the Craft , and oar wives and sisters recognise it . and not only tolerate but encourage our attending ' Lodge , when I am sure they would " comb our hair " pretty roughly if we announced our intention of spending an evening elsewhere without a very full explanation of the why and the wherefore .

They know instinct ! rely ( they don't know as a fact , for if they did they would all urge their admirers—as the lady in the enclosed ballad did—to become Masons ) that we are bound to protect them , and that there is " naught but what ' s good to be understood " in the Craft : and if any lady ever came across—and I fear many of them have been initiated thus far—our leading lyric , she would know that on " every occasion " we ' re " true and sincere in our love to the fair , " and that " no mortal can more the ladies adore than a free and accepted Mason . " Yours fraternally . 19 ! i , Clapham Road , April 11 th , 188 !) . FRIAR TUCK .

THE CHIVALROUS MASON .

A MASON ' daughter , fair and young , The pride of all the virgin throng , Thus to her lover said—Though . Damon , I your flame approve , Your actions praise , your person lore ,

let still 111 live a maid . None shall untie my virgin zone , But one to whom the secret ' s known Of famed free masonry ! In which the great and good combine To raise , with generous design , Man to felicity .

The Lodge excludes the fop and fool , The plodding knave and party tool , That liberty would sell ; The noble , faithful , and the brave , Xo gold or charms can e ' er receive In slavery to dwell .

This said , he bowed , and went away ; Applied , was made without delay , Returned to her again ; The fair one granted his request , Connubial joys their days have blest , And may they e ' er remain .

Teaching In Lodges Of Instruction.

TEACHING IN LODGES OF INSTRUCTION .

| f (||| X recent issues of The Smith- African Freemason there are H HI published three very instructive articles on the subject of H Hi Lodges of Instruction , which wc feel assured will prove of liyilj considerable interest to the great majority of our readers . In nearly every particular they express sentiments not merely our own but tin so of others interested in ihe advancement of our

younger members in Masonic ritual and ceremonial . Our contemporary has x > aid us the compliment of reproducing some portions of our writings on Masonic subjects , and we are certain will not take objection to our utilizing its pages in the reproduction of the articles we refer to .

• 'Lodges of Instruction ought to be far more frequently heard of than is the case . In the oldm times the necessity for such institutions was not particularly evident , inasmuch as most of the work now relegated to them formed an integral part of ordinary lodge routine . With that elaboration of the ritual which came about by a natural process of evolution , and with the increase in the number of degrees conferred , it has been found in most lodge s impossible to find time , even with a goodly number of emergency

Teaching In Lodges Of Instruction.

meetings , to do anything except confer degrees and transact business . It thus happens that Lodges of Instruction , primarily intended merely as schools wherein Masonic tyros might rehearse the ritual , have gradually become regarded not only as the proper arena for lecture -work , but for extemporaneous lectures , original papers , and Masonic discussions . "Wo do not say this is

a good thing . On the con . ra"y , we are decidedly ot opinion that the more thoroughly the wo k of communicating knowledge is interwoven with the regular w irk oi ; the private lodge , the more interesting Masonry will become , and the mere efficiently its principles will be exemplified . But when wc are told on all sides that it is literally impossible for an advancing lodge to do more at

its business meetings than con tor degrees with a proper attention to detail and a due avoidance of late hours , we are driven to the conclusion that it is far bettor that those portions of Masonic work which really constitute tho soul' of the Craft should be performed in a subsidiary institution than neglected altogether . But unfortunately this is not recognised as it should be , and in many , if

notmost of the lodges of this ' Austral Africa' of ours , we have presented before us the very fatuous and entirely illogical spectacle of a body of men meeting together to repeat certain forms of words and gesture which seem to lead to nothing , and are to the great mass of the members almost devoid of meaning . That they are wonderfully beautiful goes without saving , but two thirds of their

beauty is never discovered for want of the light requisite to the Masonic beginner who is desirous of unveiling them . Were instruction made a constant feature of lodgv ; work , or were attendance at Lodges of Instruction regarded ; s absolutely obligatory on all young Masons—and old ones too for that matter—we should hear far less of that bane of the Craft , the brother who , full

of enthusiasm at first , gradually ceases to attend , and finally drops off the subscription list , or if good luck hath it so , formally resignsaltogether . "Wc are afraid that a very large majority of the brethren in this countiy have never so much as heard a single section of the orthodox lectures gone through , and that a still larger number have never in their lives been present at the

reading of a Masonic essay . This is not as it should be . It is morally wrong of us to be perpetually dinning into the ears of our recruits the necessity of making a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge , when we never give them the opportunity of doing anything of the kind . The State might almost as reasonably pass a compulsory Education Act without building a single school

or providing a single teacher . Lodges of Instruction should be organised wherever a private lodge exists , and in fact , might be formed with advantage where there is no such lodge at all . Their work should be , of course , primarily that of providing instruction such as will qualify the junior members for properly doing the duties of the various offices of the lodge , but if the private lodgo

cannot find room for the authorised or extemporaneous lectures ,, and for discussions , ilie . se should be added to the programme also-Xow , a great deal of confusion seems to exist between " ' Lodges of Instruction' and ' meetings for instruction . ' The former are separate bodies , certainly deriving their authority from , and being responsible to , some private lodge , but they are at the same time

distinct entities with their own by-laws , books , and officers . But ' meetings for instruction' are merely meetings of a private lodge summoned for the purpose of instruction instead of for conferringa degree upon Bro . So-and-so . Both institutions have the same object in view , but the former seeks it . in our humble opinion , in a more svsteniatic manner , and ' after a more excellent way . ' A 'Lodge of

Instruction' has its definite work to do , has full possession of its own sphere of Masonic labour , acquiring more dignity thereby , and has probably at its head a Preceptor and a Secretary who have made that particular line their hobby , and can be trusted to work out its details pretty correctly . And , moreover , it enjoys the very great advantage of continuity of purpose and teaching . The

responsible head , the Preceptor , is probably more or less a fixture . He is , presumably , selected from amongst his peers because of his special aptitude for digesting , assimilating , and imparting Masonic lore , and once placed m his position , is , in nine cases out of ten , kept there as long as he cares to remain . In the ' instruction meeting ' of the private lodge , on the contrary , the W . M . for the

time being must constitutionally bear sway , and although an excellent representative of King Solomon in certain respects , he may not inherit any very large share of that monarch ' s wisiom . Many points have to be taken into account in the selection of a Master , only one in that of a Preceptor . And , moreover , it is certain that Masonic teaching will remain pure and uncorrupted

almost exactly in an inverse ratio to the frequency of changes in the occupancy of the teacher ' s chair . If we want to check innovation in ritual , Lodges of Instruction under more or le * spermamnt Preceptors will compass the work more effectually than any other agency . And then , a de facto ' Lodge of Instruction' can still more narrow the field open to ii n ivators by uniting several private lodges in one scheme of ritual and teaching , tending

powerfully to promote that uniformity which we all profess to desire . And even if only one lodge exists in a place , the work of instruction is , for reasons just stated , carried on more continuously and with greater uniformity if the instructing institution possesses a separate entity . Unofficial Masonic teaching finds its best level when most diffused , official instruction is best concentrated to the utmost possible extent . " ( To be continued . ' )

"Under the title of "Masonic Orations , " W . Bro . John Chapman , P . M ., I -J 02 . & c , P . Prov . U . D ., Devon , publishes , by subscription only , at ;")/ - per copy , a series of 25 Orations , delivered by W . Bro . L . P . Metham , P . D . Prov . G . M ., Devon , on the occasions of the consecration

of several lodges and chapters . & c . in Devon and Cornwall , with an introduction by W . Bro . W . J . Hughan , P . U . D ., England , & c , & c . The profits arising from this work , which will doubtless bo of great interest , will be devoted to the funds of the " Iloyal British Female Orphan Asylum " at Devonport .