The Earl Of Lathom, D.G.M., And Prov. G.M. West Lancashire.

are also in a condition of prosperity , such as fully justifies the pride taken in them by our West Lancashire brethren and their respected chief . As regards our Central Charities , the two Schools and the Benevolent Institution , we have already mentioned that his

lordship has acted with marked success as Chairman at one of each of their Festivals , and was President of the Board of Stewards for the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School—the senior

Charity . It should , however , be added that his lordship has qualified as Vice-President of all three , and has served a Stewardship in the ordinary course for each of them , while in the case of the Girls' School and Benevolent Institution he has for some

years past held the office of Trustee . As regards his public career , Lord Lathom has played an active part in the political world , having for a long term of years been the chief Conservative Whip in the House of Lords . During the Conservative Ministry of 1866—8 he was a

Lord-in-Waiting , and from 18 74—80 Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard , while during the two administrations of the Marquis of Salisbury he has held the more important office of Lord Chamberlain . While at Oxford he was a prominent oarsman , and but

for medical orders mi ght have taken part in the annual contest on the Thames between the representative crews of Oxford and Cambridge . He is also a leading member of the Royal Agricultural Society , and has long enjoyed the reputation of being one of our most successful breeders of Shorthorn stock . In i 860 he

married the Lady Alice Villiers , second daughter of the late Earl of Clarendon , K . G ., there being issue of the marriage the Hon . Edward George , Lord Skelmersdale , who , like his father , was

educated at Eton , and is in the Royal Horse Guards , and three other sons and four daughters . One of the sons , who was a young naval officer of great promise , having , to the deep sorrow of both his parents , died not so very long ago .

Thus briefly have we sketched the Masonic and general career of the Earl of Lathom , our respected D . G . M ., and the Prov . G . M . of the large and influential Province of West Lancashire . We have not enumerated the whole details- of his

life , but we have said enough , however , to show that his lordship well deserves the honours that have been from time to time conferred upon him , and still more the esteem and respect in which he is held by all classes and conditions of men , and especially by his brother Masons throughout the whole country ,

111 whose estimation he is regarded as one of the stoutest pillars of the Craft . In conclusion we can only express the hope that his lordshi p may be spared for many years , retaining full health and strength to continue in the performance of those duties , be they social , political , or Masonic , which have justly obtained for him so great a reputation .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

QUARTERLY COURT .

The Quarterly Court of the Governors and Subscribers of this Institution was held on the 25 th ult ., at Freemasons' Tavern , Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . T ., in the chair . There was a large attendance of brethren . After the minutes had been read and confirmed ,

Bro . BINCKES , Secretary , said he was not sure that the communication he had now to make with very great regret ought not to take precedence of all other business . He had to announce the death of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart , P . G . D ., one of the trustees of the Institution , which took place on the 13 th of April . That sad event left a vacancy in the trusteeship .

Bro . J AMES BRETT , P . G . P ., then moved a vote of condolence with the widow of Bro . Stewart , and stated that that brother had always been most energetic , not only on behalf of this Institution , but of both the other Masonic Institutions . Bro . A . H . TATTERSHALL seconded the motion . Bro . EVE said that for 30 years Bro . Stewart had been most strenuous in his

efforts on behalf of the Masonic Institutions , and it was with very great regret the brethren heard of his demise . Bro . Stewart was always a very useful member of the Order—one who had devoted a great deal of time on all occasions to the Institutions , and all the brethren must regret his loss . The motion was carried nem . con .

Bro . BINCKES said it was in the province of the Court now to elect a trustee to fill the vacancy , or it might adjourn it to a future occasion . The law of the Institution on the subject said nothing about notice being given . He then read the law .

Bro . HENRY SMITH , Dep . Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire , said he had much pleasure in proposing Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . for Hants and the Isle of Wi ght , as trustee in place of the late Bro . Raynham W . Stewart . A more suitable brother to take that position could not be found in the Craft .

_ Bro . S . G . HOMERAY , D . P . G . M . for Monmouth , had much pleasure in seconding the motion . All the brethren knew what services to Masonry Bro . Beach had rendered , and how great was the interest he took in the Craft . Bro . Beach was a Mason in whom every member had the most complete confidence . The motion was carried .

Bro . SPAULL had much pleasure in proposing Bro . George Plucknett , P . G . D ., for re-election as Treasurer of the Institution . He did not think they could do better than re-elect their old friend , who had done such good service to the Institution .

Bro . J . S . EASTES , D . P . G . M . for Kent , seconded the motion . The motion was carried unanimously . The following brethren were elected on the General Committee : Bros . Geo . Adamson , T . R . Barton , C . W . Bennett , W . B . Blackmur , John French , A . Gravatt , Charles Greenwood , Noah Martin , E . C . Massey , C . H . McKay , Tohn Stock , and H . Wood . Bro . W . MASTERS then brought forward the following motion on behalf of the Sanitary Sub-Committee :

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

That a sum not exceeding . £ 3000 be expended in erecting class rooms , and altering dining hall so that one kitchen may be sufficient for the whole establishment . He said this question of class-rooms was mentioned in the report of the Investigation Committee , which stated that the class-rooms in use were very dark , and not at all suitable for the purpose to which they were applied . Very likely some of the brethren thought the Provisional Committee had been very much behind hand

in not bringing the subject forward sooner . The Committee ' s only excuse was that , though they had been nine months in existence as a Provisional Committee , there had been so many things for them to look after in the appointment of a new Head Master and putting the School properly under him that they were obliged to defer some of the matters . That was the reason there had been so much apparent delay . The great question was whether the brethren thought the Committee

ought in the present position of affairs to spend money in altering and extending the Boys' School . Six months ago a proposal was passed by the Quarterly Court that the sum of ^ 2500 should be spent in erecting a swimming bath . That was a very popular proposal , and it was passed without any trouble . But when they tried to go further they found difficulties . It was of no use having a swimming bath unless they had water at a cheap rate to put into it . Therefore they found

that for the bath to be of any service there would have to be a large expenditure for water , which would have to be changed twice a week . By rights , it ought to be changed three times a week . But they found that the charge of the New River Company would be very hig h . At the present moment the Committee had under consideration a scheme for finding water , if possible , on the Institution ' s own property , so as not to incur the cost of water from the New River Company .

At present they paid £ 300 a year to that company for water , and it would be £ 600 a year if the New River Company supplied the water for the bath in addition . That would be too large a sum for them to expend . The bath had , therefore , not been proceeded with . The reason was that they had not the water . They were not going to proceed with the bath this year at all , or approach the spending of money in that way , and he thought the Court might simply leave the Committee

to spend a sum not exceeding £ 3000 on the class-rooms and altering the dining hall , so that one kitchen mig ht be sufficient for ( he whole establishment . They were not prepared at present to alter the kitchen arrangements . That must be left till after midsummer ; but the cost of altering the class-rooms , including a short corridor connected with the existing building , would be about ^ 2400 , and the Committee thought that the other . £ 600 would enable them to

alter the dining room entrance and kitchen , so that they might save a large sum of money in the establishment charges , because they would be able to do without some of the servants . They wished to know what the brethren thought of these proposals . They were not afraid of the criticism ; they rather wished it . If any of the brethren would take the trouble to go up to

the School and see what the Provisional Committee had done and were doing and proposed to do , he thought they would say they were doing their best for the good of the Institution . He hoped if they left the Committee to build these classrooms that possibly in less than 12 months from the present time they mig ht admit 20 , 30 , 40 , or perhaps 50 more boys into the School , and be able to teach , clothe , and feed them at the same cost as the School was now being maintained at .

Bro . J . E . LE FEUVRE , Deputy Prov . G . M . Hants and the Isle of Wight , seconded the motion , and said he wished it to be understood that the sum now asked was not to be added to the ^ 2000 already sanctioned . That expenditure would come before the Court on a further occasion . If the brethren would look at the

report of the Investigation Committee they would see that very great stress was laid on the fact of the class-rooms being so ill-adapted to the use of the boys . The boys suffered from complaints of eyesig ht , and many had to be sent to the infirmary . Certainly , the provision of adequate class-rooms seemed to be the very first consideration for a school . With regard to the alteration of the kitchen arrangements it was contemplated that a very considerable sum of money would be saved in the annual working expenditure by the proposed new arrangements . The motion was carried unanimously .

The CHAIRMAN said that Bro . Hobbs , the architect of the alterations , was present , and if any brother wished him to explain the p lans or would like to speak upon them , although such subject was not on the agenda paper , and although he did not think it concerned this meeting , yet , perhaps , the brethren might like to hear something about it .

Bro . HENRY SMITH , D . P . G . M . for West Yorkshire , said he thought it very important if Bro . Hobbs had anything to say on the subject that he should say it now . All the brethren were very much interested in knowing that there appeared to be a prospect of a large saving on former expenditure . It was important , because it would enable them to put more boys into the School . On another point he wished to observe that the scheme propounded by the Provisional Management

Committee for getting together a sum of £ 2500 to be paid to Bro . Binckes on his retirement from the office ; of Secretary should be actively taken up by the lodges in London and the provinces . There was no reason in the world why the money should not be forthcoming , and he thought it was rather a reflection on the brethren that the scheme had not been carried out at once . They evidently did not understand it . They must remember that those who gave quickly gave twice , and there would be a large saving of money if they adopted the scheme . Out of

75 lodges in West Yorkshire 74 had contributed something like ^ 40 more than the province required . The West Yorkshire quota was £ 178 ios ., and so pleased were the West Yorkshire brethren with the scheme that the lodges had paid ^ 210 . The money had been paid to the fund , and they intended to devote ^ 25 to promoting the interests of the boys : ^ 10 for their printing press ; ^ 10 for the carpenter ' s shop ; and £$ for the games . He hoped the scheme would be carried out by the lodges in London and the provinces . He asked permission for Bro . Hobbs to explain the plans , if there was anything that required explanation .

Bro . RICHARD EVE said he should not call on Bro . Hobbs to explain the plans , as this business was not on the agenda paper ; but he would put it to the Quarterly Court whether the members wished to say anything , or to hear any explanation of the plans from Bro . Hobbs , on the understanding that there was to be no controversy . Was it the view of the meeting that they should hear Bro . Hobbs ? ( General cries of " No . " )

The Court then proceeded to elect 30 boys out of an approved list of 68 candidates . For result see advertisement columns . ?

G . E . LESSING . —Born in 1726 , and died in 1781 ; librarian at Wolfenbiittel and Hofrath . He was , as the "Handbuch" succinctly puts it , " one of the clearest thinkers whom Germany has ever possessed , and the father of German criticism , " and we may well , as Freemasons , rejoice to think that he was numbered amongst our brethren . He appears to have been made privately by Von Rosenberg , in the lodge , under the Zinnendorf system , " Zu den drei goldenen Rosen , " at Hamburg ,

about 1771 , and to have received the Three Degrees , than which he never appears to have gone hig her . At least , in a lodge list of 1778 , his name appears as No . 52 . He is well known by his " Ernst und Falck , " which has been often translated , and which appeared in 177 8 ; by his drama , " Nathan der weise , " which was published in 1779 ; and "Die Erziehung des Menschengeschlechts , " in 17 80 . If his historical views of Freemasonry were imperfect , and such as modern Masonic

criticism , and even contemporary , declined to entertain , his kindly and humanitarian opinions and his tolerant teaching have always found an appreciative circle of readers . We do not profess to accept aU his theories in their logical resulsand their fullest extent ; but at any rate we can all truly admire the critical genius of the writer and the Masonic philanthropy of the man . —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .