Freemasonry In 1900.

lhe Board of Management , in 1891 , till his decease had held the responsible post of Chairman . Previously he had taken an active part in promoting the welfare , ancl proved himself a generous friend , of this , and indeed , of all our Central Charities . But from the moment he became Chairman of the Boys' School

Board , he redoubled his energy in its behalf . In whatever he thought necessary or expedient in order to strengthen ancl improve its administration ; in whatever was best calculated to make the boys happier in their School life , and lit them morally , mentally , and physically to confront the duties ancl

responsibilities that await them on leaving their Alma Muter , Bro . ICvc was the central , directing , ancl controlling spirit . From him , the Board he presided over derived its chicfest energy ; to his wise counsel it was indebted for its best ancl most serviceable inspirations ; ancl by his death it has experienced a loss which

years alone will be able to repair . Moreover , he was as kind and courteous in his bearing towards others , as he was wise in counsel ancl lirm in the discharge of his duties . lie spared not himself , when he considered his presence at the Board or at an important function connected with the School was desirable , and

it is by no means unlikely lhat as the Prov . Grand Master of Hants and the Isle of Wight , who knew him well , remarked at the annual meeting of his I ' rov . Grand Lodge , his death was due as much to his excess of zeal as lo the sickness which laid him low . By his will he has bequeathed a considerable sum to be

divided among our Institutions , ancl nothing remains but for the Boys' School Executive to inaugurate some kind of memorial in the shape of a " Richard Eve " Scholarship , or Prize or Prizes , that shall serve to perpetuate his unequalled services to this Institution . But to continue our record . On Saturday , the

12 th May , the foundation stone of the new buildings at Bushey was laid with full Alasonic ceremonial by the Dukeof Connaught , K . G ., M . W . Past Grand Master , acting on behalf of H . R . H . the Prince o [ Wales , K . G ., M . W . G . M ., and President of the Institution . Mis Royal Highness was assisted by the Grand Oflicers ,

and welcomed by Bro . W . \ V . B . Beach , M . P ., one of the Trustees of the Institution , there being present to witness the interesting spectacle some 1500 people , amongst whom were a numerous gathering of Hertfordshire and other brethren , with many ladies , and the Earl of Clarendon , Lord Lieutenant , and other notabilities of the county . When the stone was laid , a

-. iiei . ell . viu . r . s v .. Ki' . vsi' . i-.. I ' . e' . n . move was made lo the site eif the chapel , which is being erected at the cost of Bro . C . E . Keyser , P . G . I ) ., P . P . G . W . 1 Jerl ' fordshire . This second stone having also been laid , there was an adjournment to tlie marquee , in which luncheon had been provided , and

here the Duke of Connaught , the ( irand Ollicers , the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire ' , and a number of ladies anil brethren partook of refreshment under the genial presidency of Bro . Richard Eve , Chairman of the Hoard of . Management , toasts appropriate to the * occasion bi'ing proposed , including that of his

Koyal Highness ' s health , which was give : n from the Chair , ancl "lhe Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , " which the Duke of Connaught , after acknowledging his health , himself proposed , ¦ ind which was responded to by Pro . ( . ' . IC . Ke-yser , P . G . I ) ., the Treasurer of tin : Institution . Tin : meeting , which had proved a

brilliant success , shortly afterwards terminated , the arrangements 1 ' " oil ) beginning to end having been carrie-el out most admirably , while : lhe presence of the band of the Royal Artillery and the

excellence of the programme : they performed added greatly to tho pleasure : of those who attended . A fortnight later the annual porls were held in the playing fields at Wood Green , and the form exhibited by the boys thai competed in the several

events showed that the physical training of the youngsters is well looked after . On Friday , the ist June , the Duke of Connaught , with his daughter , the Princess Margaret , as the representative of her mother , the Duchess of Connaught , visited the School at Wood Green , and the Princess distributed the prizes

to thc successful pupils of the year—the kindness of the Princess in fulfilling this most pleasant duty being cordially acknowledged by the authorities . On Tuesday , the ioth July , the 102 nd Anniversary Festival was celebrated , but the Duke of Connaught found it impossible , owing to tbe pressure of his

military duties , to preside and the place of his Royal Highness was filled , and we need hardly add , most ably Iiiled by Earl Amherst , M . W . Pro Grand Master , and Prov . G . Master of Kent . The Board of Stewards was composed of 481 ladies and brethren , ancl the Donations and Subscriptions raised by their

efforts amounted in the aggregate to £ 16 , 8 34 > 4 S - 6 d . ; London , with 233 Stewards , contributing £ 8506 os . 6 d . ; the Provinces , with 239 Stewards , £ 8136 16 s . ; and Foreign Stations , with nine Stewards , £ 191 17 s . 8 d . The highest list included in the London Returns was that of the Richard Eve Lodge , No . 2772 ,

for which our late respected brother had acted as Steward , the subscriptions obtained by him amounting to £ 315 . Bro . IT . K . Newton , representing the Alfred Newton Lodge , No . 2686 , was entered for £ 305 5 s . ; Bro . W . Oliver Smith , ' of the Telegraph Cable Lodge , No . 2470 , for £ 225 15 s . ; and Comp . W . H . Cole

supported by the whole body of the newly-consecrated Mizpah Chapter , No . 1671 , for £ 215 5 s . In the Provincial total , in the compilation of which 3 8 Provinces took part , the Duke of Connaught ' s Province of Sussex held the place of honour with the handsome contribution of £ 1395 , West Yorkshire giving

, 6500 , Surrey £ 474 I 2 s ., Essex £ 47 8 6 s ., Kent £ 442 Is ., and Hertfordshire , £ 427 2 s . Passing from the Festival results to those of the Examinations , for which sundry of " Our Boys " are entered , we lind the generous support which the School receives is fully justified by the excellence of the training and instruction .

At lhe Cambridge Locals in December , 18 99 , 84 boys were entered , of whom as many as 7 8 succeeded in obtaining Certificates . In the Senior Division 15 passed out of 16 , three of them with second class honours , ancl one distinction was awarded . In the Junior Division , 30 passed out of the 35

entered , two being placed in Honours ( 2 nd class ) , and four in Honours ( 3 rd class ) , while in the Preliminary Examination all the 33 boys that entered obtained Certificates , three distinctions being also awarded . It is also worthy of record that the School sent several exhibits to the English Education Exhibition ,

which H . R . H . the Prince of Wales opened at the Imperial Institute on the 5 th January , and that sundry of these were deemed worthy to be reserved for sending to thc Paris Internationa ! Exhibition in May . As for the progress that is being made with the new buildings at Bushey , it is unnecessary for us

to say more than that the work is being carried forward as rapidly as circumstances will permit . In short , the Institution has fared so well that our congratulations could not have been

heartier or more sincere had its " pilgrim of love" accepted the honour of knighthood and thereby rendered still more brilliant the " halo of glory " with whicli one of his admirers has encompassed him .

PROVINCIAL AND OTHER CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS .

In the preceding Section of our Review of Freemasonry during the present year we have given the leading particulars of the work done by and the support given to our Central Masonic Institutions , the benefits of which arc open to approved candidates from all parts of thc English Jurisdiction . But these are

far from representing the whole of the good that is done b y our lodges ancl brethren in relieving the wants of our poor members and their widows and orphan children . Nearl y every District abroad has some kind of organisation supported by the voluntary contributions of lhe Craft , and specially intended lo aid

those and their families who have ; had the misfortune to fall upon evil days , among those to which our attention is most freijuently called being the Associations maintained by our District Grand Lodges in India and in South Africa . At home there are : many Provinces— -and the number has of late years been greatl y

augmented—vvhich have established Benevolent anil Educational Funds or Associations , the benefits of which are restricted lo their own members and their families . In this lick ! of Masonie- useliilness West Lancashire with ils four Institutions , known , respectively , as the Educational , I lamer , Allpass ,

and Victoria Institutions , uneloubli'dly takes the lead . The-se Provincial Charities are lortunate : in possessing amongst the-in a very large amount of invested capital , while the : services liveware rendering are of incalculable value in hel ping those who stand sorely in need of help . East Lancashire , with ils Sysle-