French Freemasonry Fifty Years Ago.

And not to make the article too long , or the selections too many , though-the power of choice is almost unlimited , we will conclude with the following Masonic prophecy which unlike some prophecies even to-day , we hope will prove true in every respect . L'Art Royal que nous professons N ' a rien ; "i redouter des maitres de . Ia terrc , II est indiipendant , antique , salutairs ,

II brave les climats , la foudre , et les saisons . Est il persecute ? Ie voile du myst & re Couvre alors ses travaux , fait circuler ses dons , 11 entoure , ie instruitl' un etl' autre hemisphere Pars des sermons sacres , par d' austeres Iecons , Oui , tantque du soleil brillera la lumiere , II existera des Francsmacons ! So mote it be . .

Consecration Of The Royal Forest Of Dean Mark Lodge, No. 340.

CONSECRATION OF THE ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN MARK LODGE , No . 340 .

The Mark Province of . Gloucestershire has just received an addition to its strength by the consecration , on Wednesday , of the Royal Forest of Dean Lodge , No . 340 . This event took place at the Speech House Hotel , Forest of Dean , the Consecrating Officer being Bro . C . F . Matier , in the unavoidable absence of Bro . F . Binckes , P . G . VV . and Grand Mark Sec , on whom , in the first instance , it was arranged that the important duty should

devolve , There was a numerous gathering of brethren to witness the interesting ceremony ; and 10 Craft . Masons having been advanced to the Mark Degree by Bro . Walker , the office of consecration was begun , and carried out most impressively , by Bro . Matier , who was very ably assisted fn his task bv Bros . Baron de Ferrieres , M . P ., Past G . M . O ., as S .. \ V . ; John Walker , as J . W . ; Rev . Will Lynes , D . D ., M . D ., S . W . designate , as

Chaplain ; Geo . Norman , Prov . G . Sec . Gloucestershire , as Sec .. ; W . W . Forth , Past Prov . G . S . VV . Gloucestershire , as D . of C . ; and G . Clarke , jun ., P . G . Stwd ., as I . G . Bro . VV . W . Forth then- took the chair , and installed Bro . W . C Heape , W . M . designate , after which the latter appointed and invested his officers for the year , Bros . Rev . VYill Lynes , D . D ., M . D .,

and J . Shaw Carleton being the Senior and Junior Wardens respectively . The beautiful ceremonial of-this degree was most admirably and impressively rendered , and the labours of the day being closed , the brethren celebrated the auspicious occasion with a suitable banquetj followed by the usual array of Mark Masonic toasts .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

A special meeting of the House and Building Committee was held at Freemasons' Hall , at 4 p . m . on Thursday afternoon , for the purpose of examining the tenders for the erection of the new building at Wood Green . Among those ' present were Bros . Berridge , J . 'L . Mather , VV . Roebuck , and Bro . F . Binckes , Secretary . The following firms , fourteen in number , tendered estimates for the work , namely , Mr . E . Conder , Messrs . Bangs

and Co ., Humphreys and Co ., E . Laurence and Son , Ashby , Bros ., Ashby and Horner , Perry and Co ., Deakin and Son , Martin Wells and Co ., Grimwood and Sons , Peto , Bros . Fish , P ' restage and Co ., M . Patrick and Son , and W . and T . JDenne , the work for which'these were submitted being * ranged under the three heads of schools and laundry , assembly hall , and ' sundry fittings as follows :

School and Assemblv Sundry T „ . „ I . ' Laundry . Hall . Fittings . 10 ta '\ D . King and Son ... ... £ 8530 . £ 3820 . £ gS 5 £ . 3 , 335 Ashby and Horner ... S 543 3627 J 054 13 , 224 Humphreys and Son ... ' . S 700 3500 950 13 , 150 M . Patrick and Son ... S 400 3600 950 12 , 950 Bangs and Co . .. .. ... 8 403 35 S 3 94 S 12 , 934 Grimwood and Sons ... S 475 3440 9 S 4 . 12 , 899

VV . and T . Denne ... . .,.- S 450 . 3438 930 . i 2 , Sn E . Laurence and Son ... 8255 3595 943 ' , 793 Ashby Bros S 307 31 S 2 gSS 12 . 777 Peto Bros . ... S 273 3442 9 6 $ 12 , 6 7 s Perry and Co Si 2 g 3525 950 12 , 604 Martin , Wells , and Co . S 400 3250 S 60 12 , 510 E . Conder S 094 3333 gio 12 , 327 Fish , Prestage , and Co . 7966 3400 94 < 5 12 , 312 ( Accepted . ) Architect's estimate ... £ 8282 £ 3560 £ 943 £ 12 , 78 5

History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

HISTORY OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

{ Continued from page 384 ) . Tha portrait was painted by Bro . S . Rosenthal , who voluntarily agreed to accept in remuneration of his labour the sum of 70 guineas in lieu of the customary charge of 120 guineas , and still adorns the walls "of the dining hall , as a worthy and artistic memorial of one who laboured unceasingly to promote the welfare of the Institution , to which , as to the other

Masonic Charities , he proved to be one of the most generous of benefactors . A successor to him . was found in the person of Bro . Algernon Perkins whose name has already been mentioned as having presided at the laying of the first stone of the new School building in 1863 , and who , like Bro ! Cabbell , was a Past G . J . Warden of the Grand Lodge of England . Unlike Bro . Cabbell , however , Bro . Perkins ' s tenure of the Treasurership was

very brief . His death occurred on the 15 th November , 1872 , and at the Quarterly-Court held on the 13 th January , 1873 the following resolution of sympathy with his-relatives was passed unanimously , namely : "That this Court , having been informed of the decease of R . W . Bro ., Algernon Perkins , ( P . G . W . ) , a Vice Patron , Treasurer , and a Trustee of this Institution , desires to convey to his relations and friends the assurance of its

heartfelt sympathy and warmest condolence in the bereavement they have sustained . Profoundly sensible of the long and valuable services rendered by the late Brother Perkins to Freemasonry generally and notably to the Charitable Institutions connected with the Order , this Court bears vividly in grateful recollection the special interest manifested by him in the welfare of

this Institution . during the many years he was so intimately associated with it , and is anxious to place on record its high sense and appreciation of the manner in which Brother Perkins discharged the duties of his distinguished and . responsible position ; and in so doing to pay a fitting and merited tribute of admiration . and regard for the memory of one whose loss it so deeply

History Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

deplores . " This resolution was ordered to be entered on the Minutcyand a copy sent to the family of the deceased Treasurer , by whom it was appreciated most highly . At the same meeting Bro . George Plucknett , who still happily retains the position , was elected successor . to Bro . Perkins in the Treasurership , while the Earl of Carnarvon , at the time Deputy Grand Master , was chosen to occupy the vacant Trusteeship of the General Fund .

• About the same time that Bro . Cabbell disappears from the scene as an active participant in the labours of the . Executive—he remained a strenuous supporter of the Institution till the day of his death—we lose sight of another familiar and zealous worker , Bro . J . S . S . Hopwood , P . G . D ., who , both as Chairman ol" the General Committee for several years , and likewise , after the resignation , by Bro . R . ' H . Giraud , in 1 S 64 . of the office of

Honorary Solicitor , by his professional advice and assistance had rendered valuable aid to the School . In May , 1 S 66 , Bro . Hopwood announced his intention of vacating the Chairmanship of the General Committee—which office was abolished _ a few months later—and at the close of the meeting , Bro . J . Symonds being anxious the Committee should not separate without marking their sense of his services . to the Institution , moved , and Bro .

Udall seconded , a resolution to the effect " That the most cordial thanks of this Committee be given to the Worshipful Bro . J . S . S . Hopwood , P . G . D ., for the valuable services he has rendered as Chairman of the General and House Committees for the past three years , and for the time and attention he has devoted to the affairs of the . Institution . " The motion was agreed to unanimously and warmly acknowledged by Bro . Hopwood , who in the

course of his remarks assured the Commutes that " though retiring from the discharge of active duties amongst them , it was not his intention to abandon them . He ever had felt , and he should continue to feel the warmest interest in the welfare of the Institution . " Unfortunately , Bro . Hopwood did not long survive . his resignation as recorded . He " died in October , 1868 , in the very midst of certain negotiations that were being carried on in

relation to a plot of land at - Wood Green which had been enclosed erroneously as part of the School estate , but which turned out to be the property of a Air . Grineau , and a letter of condolence was written by the Secretary on behalf of the House and General Committees and then sent to the family . From this we take leave to extract the following testimony to Bro . Hopwood's zeal and ability : "They /'—that is , the House and

General Committees , — . " cannot fail to remember the lengthened and disinterested career of Bro . Hopwood , marked by untiring earnestness in carrying out the duties of . 'the various positions he was called upon to fill , those particularly in connection with the Masonic Institutions , notably as an ardent friend and supporter of this School . They beg to testify to the singleness of purpose by which he appeared ever to be actuated , to the

cordiality with which he acted . with those whose views assimilated with his own , and to the indulgent consideration he invariably extended to those from whom in the conscientious discharge of duty it may have , been his lot occasionally lo differ . They are anxious to express their deep sense of the value of the professional services rendered by their deceased brother from time to time in matters of serious importance , and their warm appreciation

of his practical attention to every detail affecting in any way the interests of this Institution . They do-not presume to trench on the domain of domestic privacy , but they wish to embody as vividly as possible their feelings with reference to their lost friend in the various relations of life ; to endorse the eminently favourable opinions unanimously passed on his public services , to

record their esteem for him as a member of the Order in the cause of which he so long laboured ; ever bearing in mind with pleasure , now tinged with regret , the kindness , courtesy , and urbanity , by which he was distinguished , and cherishing enduring recollections ' of the many qualities of ' head and heart which endeared him to a wide circle of friends , and which cannot fail to foster and maintain a lasting regard for his memory . "

In the same year , 1 S 6 S , but in the first month , not towards its close , there died another brother , Bro . W . Thiselton Dyer , who in the capacity of Honorary Aledical Officer for upwards-of thirty years had likewise rendered valuable assistance to the Institution . In September , 1 S 62 , Bro . Thiselton Dyer tendered his resignation , having at the time held the office for five and twenty years , but at the earnest request of the General

Committee , formally conveyed by the Secretary , he very kindly consented to retain the office . In January , 1868 , however , it devolved on Bro . Dyer ' s , son to repeat on his behalf the act of resignation , but in a manner which admitted of no hesitaton in accepting it , the illness which rendered such act imperative being described as of such an alarming character as to entirely preclude " the hope of his ever being able to resume professional

work of any kind . In fact , in the brief interval that elapsed between the date of his son ' s letter and its formal submission to the Quarterly Court , Bro . Dyer had succumbed to the attack , and the Court instead of accepting the resignation as they would have done , had the melancholy duty of recording their sorrow at his loss , Bro . Wharton P . Hood , AI . D ., the present Honorary Surgeon , a member of Lodge of Antiquity , being-elected ' as

Bro . Dyer s successor . One other change may be noted , but being of an official character , we need not- be at the pains of referring to the personal services of the brother referred to . In 1870 Earl de Grey and Ripon was elected M . W . Grand Alaster in succession to the late Earl " of Zetland , and as a matter of course , his lordship , who , like his predecessor , had on several occasions evinced his deep interest in the School , became President of the

Institution . But it hardly comes within our province to enter with any marked particularity into the circumstances of Lord Zetland ' s career as head of the Institution . To him , undoubtedly , belongs the honour of having encouraged those efforts towards establishing a School as part of the Institution which had been so strenuously resisted by his predecessor , the Duke of Sussex . To him also we are indebted for the exercise of his great

influence in Grand Lodge in aid of the building , as ' well as for the display of a deep and warm-hearted personal interest in the conduct of the Institution . But more than this it is unnecessary to say . Lord Zetland helped the Boys' School , as he helped everything connected with Alasonry , both from his high sense of official duty and Irom his personal predilections in favour of extending the Institution . '

The most conspicuous feature , however , in the conduct of the Institution will be found in connection with the Anniversary Festivals . Hitherto we have bestowed only a few passing remarks on these celebrations , partly because , the School being more limited in point of members , there may not have appeared to the authorities the same necessity for any special , exertion

on these occasions , and partly because they do not seem to have been allowed to play so leading a part in the transactions of the Institution . But with the advent to office of Bro . Binckes , a new spirit was infused into the Executive , and , through his instrumentality , the Festival at once asserted its position as the great event of the year . ( To be continued-. )