Our Scholars In After Life. Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

annual surplus of the Fund of Benevolence shall be appropriated for theltoyal Masoniclnstitution for Boys , and another third for the Royal Masonio Institution for Girls , in forming funds for apprenticing tho children of Freemasons who have been in those Schools , or in otherwise assisting them to commence life .

( b . ) " Snch one-third parts respectively shall be invested in the names of four Trustees for eaoh School , to be appointed by Grand Lodge , and the dividends paid to the Treasurer of each School . ( c . ) "The General Committee , on the recommendation of the

Honse Committee of each School , may apply the divi . dends of the funds respectively appropriated to the School for tho benefit of children who have been at the School during the preceding twelve months , in appren

ticing them to any business or profession , or otherwise aiding them to obtain employment , or in applying any sum granted , by annual instalments , for a limited period , for the benefit of those proceeding to any School , College , or University .

(< J . ) " No sura exceeding £ 25 shall bo appropriated for the benefit of any child , without the consent of the Quarterly Conrt of the School , and snch Court shall render to Grand Lodge an annual account of the receipts and expenditure on account of the said funds . "

Your Committee recommend the adoption of this Scheme b y Grand Lodge , and suggest the following motion to be made in Grand Lodge for the purpose : —

" That the Scheme , as recommended by the Committee , be , and the same is hereby adopted by Grand Lodge , and added to the Book of Constitutions under the head Fund of Benevolence , after No . 16 , as Nos . 17 , 18 , 19 , and 20 . "

And , in the event of tho foregoing motion being carried , " That No . 3 under the same head be amended by adding , after the word ' shall' in the second line , the words ' except as provided for by Clauses Nos . 17 , 18 , 19 and 20 . '" It is , of course , in the knowledge of our readers that

these suggestions of Bro , Clabon and the Special Committee of Grand Lodge were never acted upon , hut we think that if the matter was again brought forward , , backed , as it now is , by the experience gained during the past few months , something would be contributed by Grand Lodge ,

either in the form of a donation or annual grant to the Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund , or by adopting the suggestion of the Committee of 1868-9 . The prominence that has been given to this subject during the last few months has naturally led to discussion

on the merits of the proposals set forth by the founders of the Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund , and opinions have been freely expressed on the desirability , as well as the practicability , of carrying out the scheme as kid down by them . It is generally admitted that the proposal in itself

is good , and that some sort of assistance would doubtless prove of immense benefit to a person in the start of life , but opinions , vary considerably as to the form the assistance shall take , and by whom it shall be rendered . Brethren object to the pupils or their friends being led to

think that for all time they will he justified in making claims on the generosity of the Craft , and naturally so , but the proposals as at present put forward do not justif y the belief tbat anything approaching such indiscriminate

charity is contemplated , nor do we imagine a suggestion so demoralising would be entertained for an instant . Others point out that the amount annually spent on the education of the children in the Schools at Wood Green andBattersea

is sufficient to allow of their being prepared in such a way as to suit them for any position they may be called upon to fill , and if they require that a large sum of money be

expended before they are capable of accepting a situation , then their education is not carried out as it ought to be . We would refer such objectors to the report quoted above , and further point out that the first work of the Assistance Fund

should be to provide situations , and later on , to offer premiums to be contested for , either by ballot or as may afterwards bo determined ; but that the money grants should be so limited in amount as to be in reality but prizes , just sufficient to enable a boy or girl to provide the

necessaries of life during the first few months of their business career , when , as a rule , the salary given is a mere nominal amount , meant more as an encouragement than as payment for services . These grants might be renewable , under certain conditions , say up to eighteen months , or even two

years ; but we would make the limits so narrow as to preclude any possibility of the generosity of the Craft being put to an unworth y use . The real object being to start the pupils on their business career , we think that tho Conimittees of the Schools are not among those best suited

Our Scholars In After Life. Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

to undertake such a work , their duties being already of a sufficiently onerous nature . More will be done by personal interest or individual attention than could ever be hoped for if money alone were to be the motive power . It is not so necessary that a boy or girl should have a position

purchased for them , as it is that they should have a friend to watch and direct their course , and this , we think , can only be secured by forming an Association distinct from the two Schools , in so far ns constitution and funds are concerned , but working together in all matters likely to tend to the pupils' advantage .

In urging on our readers tho fact that influence will count for more than money , we do not wish it to be understood that we imagine the project can be carried out without funds being provided , such a course would be impossible , but we are certain that when the matter is clearly

explained , and its relation to tho existing Charities understood , there will be no lack of support . There are Lodges at the present time who periodically vote amounts for the purposes contemplated by the Pupils' Assistance Fund , notably the Westminster and Keystone Lodge , which , since

I 860 , has annually given a guinea ; this amount , though small , is sufficient to show that the members take some interest in the future of their protegee , and if the example was followed by other Lodges , a sum nearly sufficient for the carrying out of the desired objects would be forthcoming from this source alone .

The support given to the proposals as set forth in the preliminary circular of the Royal Masonio Pupils' Assistance Fund- as shown by the list of names published on another page—is of so satisfactory a nature as to encourage tho founders in furthering the formation of the Fund , aud to

warrant their appealing to the Craft at large to join in supporting them . The first step should be to convene a meeting , to which every member of the Craft should have free access , in order to lay down some more definite programme than was possible at the start , and we feel certain success is then assured .

As we had the pleasure of announcing a few weeks since , a donation of twenty guineas has already been received from H . R . H . the Duke of Connaugbt , while a like amount hns been promised by H . R . H . Prince Leopold . Nine of the Provincial Grand Masters , among whom may be

numbered the Deputy Grand Master of England , and thirteen Deputy Provincial Grand Masters , have expressed their approval of the scheme ; so that the Craft in the provinces may fairly be reckoned as likely to be ably represented in anything that may result from the efforts already made .

Nor is support from north of the Tweed wanting , two Past Grand Masters of Scotland and one Scotch Provincial Grand Master appearing on the list . We think it but just that special reference should be made to one of the

two Past Grand Masters of Scotland—we need hardly say we allude to the Right Hon . the Earl of Rosslyn—whose remarks at tho Festival of the Boys' School , in June last , formed the basis on which the Fund has been established .

We hope ero long we shall have occasion to report the holding of a meeting , and that the support then given will amply justify the further advance of the work .

The Royal Arch At York.

THE ROYAL ARCH AT YORK .

IN tnrning over the collection of books and papers belonging to the York Lodge , No . 236 , a few days since , with Bro . J . Todd P . M ., for the purpose of making a catalogue , I opened an otd M . S . minute book , which , at the first glance , I suspected wa 3 hitherto undescribed . Further inqniry and examination has convinced mo that this is the case , aud I have great pleasure in announcing that tho York Lodge

leckons amongst its relics a minute bnok of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of AllEngland , dating from 1762 , which is , I take it , sixr teen years earlier than any previous minute of that body known to be in existeuce . Our learned Bro . Hiiuhan , in his " Sketches and Reprints , " tells nsthat "the earliest ; ( illusion to Royal Arch Masonry

is the Treasurer s Book of tho Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons , commencing April 29 th , 1768 , which says : — " A most sublime Royal Arch Chapter was opened 8 th Febrnary " 1778 , & c . " This is ono of the M . S . books which formerly weiu in tho possession of the Grand Lodge of England , and presented by that body to the York Lodge No .

236 , a few years ago . It begins with the date 8 th Feby . 1778 , and ends Sept . 10 th , 1781 . The minnte book , which now lies before me , opens with the date 7 th Feby . 1762 , and ends 6 th Jany . 1776 , thns completing the chain of history of thi 3 Grand Chapter from 1762 . There are several peculiarities in connection with this Grand Chapter worthy of notice , and to make them more intelligible it will be