Monetary Qualifications.

MONETARY QUALIFICATIONS .

THEEB are some among even the leaders of the Order who seem to think that the standard of Freemasonry can be raised by the imposition of higher fees , and hence it is we occasionally hear of Lodges desirous of improving the tone of their composition adopting the expedient of raising their dues ,

or a new Lodge will be started with ambitions apparently higher than those of its neighbours , and in order to secure some sort of superiority they settle the fees of initiation and the annual subscription at amounts in excess of others in their immediate neighbourhood , or in other respects in apparently equal

circumstances . Does the result in such cases justify the course adopted ? or have the effect that is desired ? We hardly think so , being of opinion that monetary considerations are of little or no

moment to those who desire to enter the Craft from unworthy motives . Indeed , we would rather expect an undesirable candidate to seek admission into a high priced Lodge than a cheaper one , because he would imagine by so doing he would

stand a fair chance of becoming acquainted with a higher section of society , but at the same time we are inclined to recognise that different grades of Lodges are desirable , in

order to provide for the requirements of different sections of society in the same neighbourhood , although the main principle of Freemasonry is rigorously opposed to anything like a departure from equality in our midst .

How , then , it may be asked , are we to have distinctions without a difference in price , and for answer we would say , merely set a higher standard at the outset , and resolutely object to the introduction of any candidates who do not come up to

that standard . This is the most effectual method , and at once removes the mercenary element , which is not only most objectionable from a Masonic point of view , but , to our mind of thinking , wholly ineffective .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Installation meeting and annual Festival will be held on Wednesday next , Grand Lodge being summoned for 4 o ' clock in the afternoon , and the formal proceedings being set down for commencement at 5 o ' clock .

North Wales.

NORTH WALES

A N emergency meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of £ X North Wales was convened for the 18 th at Barmouth , in connection with the consecration of the new church , the Litany Desk of which has been presented by the Brethren .

Gloucestershire.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge has been fixed by Sir Michael E . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., the Provincial Grand Master , for Wednesday , Sth June next , at Gloucester .

Gloucestershire.

By permission of the Dean of Gloucester , Lodge will be held in the Chapter House at 2 , and at 2-30 there will be a Masonio service in the cathedral , at which the Dean will be the preacher . Dr . Spence ' s appearance in this capacity on the occasion will be

especially appropriate . It is an open secret that he has been honoured by selection as Grand Chaplain of England at the approaching annual meeting of Grand Lodge . — " Cheltenham Examiner . "

The Boys School.

THE BOYS SCHOOL ,

AMONG the business of the Quarterly Court of this Institution , which was held yesterday , was the election of Life Governors to fill vacancies on the Board of Management , the result of the Ballot in connection with Provincial Brethren being as follows ( the five highest on the list being elected ) : 1 Oliver Papworth ... ... ... polled 182 Votes .

2 Harry Manneld ... ... 181 „ 3 C . K . Benson ... ... ... „ 167 „ 4 George Corbie ... ... ... „ 155 „ 5 Edward Margrett ... ... ... „ 101 „

— W . Whittley ... ... 80 „ — W . H . Spaull ... ... ... „ 41 „ — William Wright ... ... 20 „ — Frederick Levick ... ... ... „ 11 „

The result of the election for twenty-three boys into the Institution is given in our advertisement column , while tha following is a list of the unsuccessful candidates , with particulars of the votes brought forward and recorded yesterday on their behalf . In these cases the votes will be carried forward to the next election , if the candidates are then eligible .

No . on List . Name . Votes : Forward . Polled . Total 29 Goode , J . A . ... ... — 2140 2140 12 Tremlett , T . P . ... ... 54 2040 2094 5 Vernon , A . S . ... ... 888 1107 1995 13 Collins , D . L . ... ... 1352 607 1959 3 Vockins , R . 0 . H . ... ... 1004 587 1591

44 Fillan , C . T . ... . ... — 1540 1540 14 Knight , W . H . ... ... 860 537 1397 26 Williams , C . A . ... ... — 1373 1373 17 Lang , F . S . ... ... 354 636 990 1 Baker , A . ... ... 415 453 868 27 Nichols , W . G . ... . ... — 743 743 34 Scarlett , E . H . ... ... — 660 660 41 Ward , C A . ... ... — 578 578 8 Elderkin , J . V ... 205 167 372

22 Craighead , P . A . ... ... — 347 347 33 Linnett , B . W . ' ......— 281 281 24 Fallot , CF . ... ... — 203 203 45 McCallum , M . M . ... ... — 174 174 46 Aberdein , J . H . ... ... — 102 102 23 Smith , C C . ... ... — 46 46 35 Cochrane , C H . ... ... — 22 22 15 Heney , W . J . ... ... 9 3 12

Under the auspices of Lodge Edinburgh St . Andrew , No . 48 , a service in aid of the Annuity Branch of Scottish Masonic Benevolence was held on Sunday evening in Abbey Parish Church . The event also in a manner commemorated the 150 th anniversary

of the Lodge ' s charter , which is dated April 1745 , although it existed previous to that date under the title of Scots Lodge , in Canongate . The Chaplain of the Lodge , Bro . the Eev . J . E . Sabiston , preached . There was a large attendance of Brethren , and the sollection was well responded to .

The more experience we get in Freemasonry , the more we learn how little the tenets of it have been understood by many of its members , some of them have even passed the chairs , and have

held positions in which they spouted the ritual with the precision of a phonograph , yet have absolutely failed to apply the words inwardly , and are as ignorant of the true spirit of Freemasonry as is a South Sea Islander ' s wooden God!— " Masonry . "