Our May Meetings.

OUR MAY MEETINGS .

TpWO great events in the work of English Free-* masonry will require attention in the coming month—the laying of the Foundation Stone of the new Schools for the Royal Masonic Institution for

Boys , at Bushey , by H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , on the 12 th ; and the 112 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , under the presidency of the Right Hon . the Earl of Dartmouth

Prov . G . M . Staffordshire , on the i 6 th . Tickets for the first of these two ceremonies may be obtained from the Secretary Bro . J . M . McLeod , on or before Tuesday next , ist prox . We may here

point out that the London and North Western Railway has arranged special fares for visitors , from the North of England and other stations on the system , to and

from Bushey ; and , indeed , everything has been done that could be thought of to ensure the success of the day ' s proceedings .

Next week we hope to devote attention more fully to the approaching Festival of the Girls School . We sincerely hope it may prove a success , and are

cheered in our anticipations in this direction by the utterances of its Secretary Bro . Hedges , at the Grand Festival on Wednesday , when he expressed a hope that at the next Festival of his School he would have

the privilege of announcing a similar amount to what Bro . Terry had this year thus far secured for the Old People—X 22 , ooo .

The Boys School Festival.

THE BOYS SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

WE are asked to announce that H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught Past G . M . has been pleased to fix Tuesday , ioth July next , as the day on which he will preside over the 102 nd Anniversary Festival of the R . M . I . Boys , at the Royal Pavilion , Brighton .

The installation ceremony will be worked by Bro . B . DaCosta P . M . 1349 , at the Israel Lodge of Instruction , No . 205 , of which he is the Preceptor , to-morrow ( Sunday ) evening , at the Rising Sun , Globe Road , Bethnal Green ,

commencing at 7 o ' clock prompt . Bro . N . Goldman J . D . 1349 wiH afterwards give the charge in the second degree . Brethren are cordially invited to attend , and will be heartily welcomed by the Secretary Bro . H . Harris P . M . 1349 .

The Skelmersdale Lodge of Instruction meets on Sunday evenings , at 7 o ' clock , at the Rockingham , Newington Causeway , S . E ., and should prove very convenient for South London Masons who can devote a few hours to the study of the ritual on that day .

The Yarborough Lodge of Instruction , No . 554 , has recently been removed to Bro . R . Buthn ' s , the Citizen , Houndsditch , E . C ., where meetings will be held every Tuesday , at 8 o ' clock .

Sussex.

SUSSEX .

THE Provincial Grand Master H . R . H . the Duke ot Connaught has decided to hold the annual Grand Lodge of Sussex at Brighton , on the occasion of the Anniversary Festival of the Boys School , over which he will preside on Tuesday , ioth July next . It is not often two such

great events are crowded into one day , and probably there are some among us who will hardly relish so much " work" in the height of the summer ; on the other hand there will

doubtless be many who will visit Brighton for the Festival who will avail themselves of the opportunity of attending the Provincial meeting . The energy of our Royal Brethren is proverbial—it will certainly be evidenced on this occasion .

The "Daily Telegraph" recently paid a compliment to the Craft , the members of which , says our contemporary , do not manifest diminished interest in their scheme , of aid for Our Soldiers' Widows and Orphans , despite the exactions of their own immediate charities .

The Dover Masonic Hall Company , Limited , has been registered , with a capital of £ 3 , 000 in £ 5 shares . Object as indicated by the title . The first Directors ( to number not less than three nor more than nine ) are to be appointed by the Subscribers ; qualification , 10 shares . Registered Office : Masonic Hall , Snargate Street , Dover .

We tender our congratulations to the new Grand Officers , one and all , but if we may be allowed to make a distinction we desire to especially compliment our Bro . H . A . Hebb , M . A ., one of the Brethren on whom the Prince of Wales

conferred past rank to mark the completion of twenty-five years Grand Mastership . As Head Master of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys Bro . Hebb has done much good work , and he richly deserves the honour awarded him by the head of the Order .

Sir Gerard Smith is the Governor of West Australia ; he is also a Freemason and a Grand Master , remarks a contemporary , and not long ago , on the occasion of a Masonic ceremonial , he was reported to have declared that "he was

not prepared to sit down and tamely submit to the aspersions which had been cast upon the Craft . He asked those present to remember that they were Freemasons , and , being such , they would ever remain faithful to their God and their country , no matter what their ignorant traducers might say

of them . " The report caught the eye of Bishop Gibney , the Roman Catholic Bishop , and he forthwith put on the shoe and wrote to the Governor , and a lively correspondence was the result . The Governor denied the accuracy of the report , but he took occasion nevertheless to instruct the Rev . Bishop

in the principles and fruits of Freemasonry . This he failed in doing , so far at least as to lead to any modification of his views . The Bishop remained satisfied that even in England Freemasonry is infidel " in the sense of ignoring Christ and His teaching , as the basis of moral conduct : " indeed , says ,

the Bishop , this "is so marked a feature in all that the outside world is permitted to know of the society that it is marvellous to me that gentlemen whom I know to be good Christians can identify themselves with it . " Its good works

he knows and appreciates , but these , he adds , " are perfectly reconcilable with the Deism of the English branch of the society . " It is needless to add that the combatants left off where they began .