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CONTENTS . PAGP . The Approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ... 127 Freemasonry in Bengal ... ... ... ... ... 12 S [/ nited Grand Lodge of England ... ... ... _ ... ... 12 S The Recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... ... 129 Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons ... ... ... ... 130 Festival of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement ... ... ... 131 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ( Scholarship Fund ) ... ... ' ... 133

Ladies'Night of the Loyalty Lodge , No . 1607 ... ... ... 133 Boyal Masonic Institution lor Boys ( Entertainment at Blackheath ) ... ... 133 Masonic Notes ... •••••••••••••••> 35 Correspondence ... ... .... - •¦•... ' . 16 Reviews ... ¦••••¦ •••••••••¦••l 3 > Consecration of the Humphrey Chetham Rose Croix Chapter ... ... 136 Masonic Benevolence in West Lancashire ..: ... ... ... 136 Presentation to Bro . G . Everett , P . G . Treas . ... ... ... ... 137 Masonic and Military Orders of Knights of Rome and the Red Cross of Constantine , & c . ... ... ... ... ... 137

Craft Masonry ... ... ... ••¦ •••... 137 Royal Arch ... ... ... ... - — - 140 Mark Masonry ... ... ... ¦¦••••... 140 Knights Templar ... ... ... ... ... ... 140 Ancient and Accepted Rite ... ... ... ... ... 140 Lodges and Chapter of Instruction ... ... ... ... 140 Obituary ... ... ... ... ••¦ -.. ... 141 Masonic ard General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 142

The Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

Now that the Festival of tiie Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution—the first of the three great Festival gatherings of the year—has been held , the duty devolves upon us of calling the attention of our readers to the claims of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls upon their support . It has been known

for a considerable time past that this Anniversary will take place on Wednesday , the 13 th May , under the presidency of Bro . the Right Hon . the Earl of YARBOROUGH , who was inducted into office as Prov . G . M . of Lincolnshire in the course of last year ,

and who will thus signalise his appointment to that dignified position by acting as Chairman at the Festival of our senior Charity at the first available opportunity . This is very far from being the first occasion on which his lordship's family and the

ini'ls School have been thus closely associated . Mis grandfather , lhe second Earl , when Lord WORSLEY , M . P ., being at the time S . G . W . of England , presided , in the unavoidable absence of the Hnke of SUSSEX , M . W . G . M ., at the Jubilee Festival of the

Institution in 1838 , when what at the time was regarded as the huge sum of £ 1000 was raised . He presided for the second lime the year following when Past S . G . W ., and at three subsequent Festivals in 1850 , 1851 , and 1855—when Deputy G . M . We

may reasonably assume , therefore , that his lordship takes an hereditary interest in the Masonic Charities , and that as his grandfather exerted himself so frequently , and considering the smallness of the School in his days , so successfully on its behalf , so his lordship will do the utmost he possibly can to promote the

success of a Festival at which he lias himself undertaken to preside as Chairman . That Lord YARBOROUGH will have no 'lilliculty in furnishing other adequate reasons , for his interest in w School is beyond question . The Institution has grown apace since the year the Jubilee was celebrated . Then there were only ' 5 children on the establishment , now there are 26 9 . Then the ucation was of the most elementary character ; now it will

' 1 'iiiparc favourabl y with the systems in force at our best middlee'ass Boarding Schools for Girls . Then the sum annually re-. 1 •] tne School expenditure was on a very moderate scale , ^ me now it amounts to fully £ 13 , , and though there has » ni oubtedl y been a substantial increase in the permanent

ca ft 1 ng tlle P 5 years , the increase in the invested 0 ' f a ,, as ^ no racans k ept pace with the requirements sr-1 . JllSLl tution . Everything , indeed , is on a larger Juli'K , p " •W ' Ilis , orclsm V grandfather presided at the ' estival . There are 200 more girls to clothe , maintain ,

The Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

I and educate ; the system ot education is more costly ; there are larger premises to maintain and keep in thorough repair ; and last , but most important of all , there is now an annual deficiency of £ tr , ooo to make good , in order lo keep the Institution at its present standard of efficiency . If these reasons arc not

sufficiently impressive , there is at least one more of a very important character which cannot be too strongly urged upon all English Freemasons , namely , that the sums annuall y raised for the Institution are turned to the best possible account . Not only are they the means of providing a home and a sound

education for the daughters of deceased and indigent members of our Order , who would otherwise be without help in these respects ; but at stated periods during each successive year there is invariably forthcoming evidence of the most conclusive character that the system of training generally , both mental and physical , moral

and religious , is of the very highest order of excellence . The pupils from our Girls' School show this , as we have said yearly , by the facility with which all of those who are entered for our

public examinations succeed , with here and there an exception , in satisfying the examiners , many of them going still further and having special distinctions in one or more subjects and honours in one or other of the classes awarded them . Thus , as our readers

are aware , whatever amounts they contribute , they are certified beforehand that the money will be well , and usefully , and profitably expended . We have said that the sum which has annually to be raised in order to keep the Institution on its present footing is

£ 11 , 000 , and the question arises—What prospect is there of this amount being obtained at the Festival in May ? It is far too early to think of doing more than hazard the vaguest conjectures . Indeed , we have nothing to guide us in any attempt to form an opinion , while the unwisdom of taking up the role of prophet

at any time , whether early or late , is proverbial . The success of the recent Benevolent Festival augurs well for the aggregate of the year ' s Returns generally , but it has before now happened that a big success at the anniversary of one of our three Masonic Charities has had a prejudicial effect on the Returns at those of

the other two . The aggregate of the donations and subscri ptions to all three may amount to as much as they amounted to last year , but it may happen that not all three will be sufficientl y benefited . At the approaching Girls' School Festival there will be a distinguished Chairman , but his Province of Lincolnshire ,

however loyal it may be to him—and its loyalty admits of no doubt —• and however desirous it may be to ensure the success of his debut as a Festival Chairman , is far from being numerically strong , there being only 24 lodges on the roll of its Provincial Grand Lodge . It has done exceedingly well on several occasions during the

past few years , and we have every confidence that it will put forth extraordinary exertions in support of its Prov . Grand Master . Still , the number of lodges is limited . Then the Board of Stewards , as at present constituted , is far from being as strong as we should like to sec it ; but now that one of the three

competitors for the support of lodges , chapters , and brethren is out of the way for the present year , and while there still remain a full two months in which to strengthen the Board , there are grounds for hoping that as the day for the celebration of the Festival approaches , a Board sufficiently strong to obtain the

required sum will be constituted . But in the interests of the Girls ' School , wc have to impress upon lodges and brethren the desirability of their coming forward at the earliest possible date , while there is still time for those who undertake the duties of Steward to canvass for subscriptions and donations with some prospect

of success . We appeal to all who are not enrolled on the Board as yet or are not committed to the support of the sister School , to come forward as soon as possible and do all in their power to ensure the success of the Festival in May next . We can promise them that whatever moneys they may succeed in raising will be most thankfully received and properly applied . .