Hidden Mystery, No. 1.

my second step showed that this bar , when started , had the power of throwing another heavy inert bar of iron , at a distance , into the same violent movement , provided the two masses of iron were in perfect sympathy and could thus influence each other . A startling proof that by sympathy alone , without material contact ,

p hysical work can be accomplished beyond that which a man , exerting all his strength directly on that mass of iron , can produce ; you have seen that the slightest want of sympath y between the masses completely destroyed their power to influence each other , and , when the uns > mpaihetic masses were forced to work together , the quarrelling was most distressing not only to themselves but to those who were looking on .

May we not see in this Mystery of Sympathy the reflection or evidence on the material plane of that wonderful Infinity expressed in those well known words ( - ) eo ? ayt ' nrij eariv " God is Love . " The whole obj-ct of a Human Soul , when using the words " Tliv Will be done " is to brivg itself

closer and closer into perfect harmony with the Diity ; when that is accomplished we may understand from our simile that not only must we and our aspirations be influenced by the Will of T . G . A . O . T . U . but that then our wishes , in their turn , must have great power with God and even mountains be removed and cast into the midst of the sea .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The January Quarterly Court of the Subscribers to this Institution was held on Friday , the 14 th instant , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Richard live , P . G . T ., was voted to the chair , and there were also present , among others , Bros . W . Russell , H . Manfield , A . C . Chapin , C . H . Webb , Major John W . Woodall , Henry A . Tobias , W . F . Smithson , H . Massey , W . J . Everett , F . J . Grey . Charles E . Keyser , William C . Lupton , William Vincent , R . Clowes , J . P . Fitzgerald , Manuel , Trew , Pidduck , C . J . R . Tijou , W . H . Saunders , H . Pritchard , R . J . Tucker , C . Pulman , J . G . Stevens , and J . M . McLeod ( Secretary ) .

The minutes of the Quarterly Court held on October 8 th last were read by Bro . J . M . MCLEOD , Sec ., and confirmed , after which the minutes of the Council meetings of October 2 gth , November 26 th , and December 31 st were read for information .

Bro . J . M . MCLKOD next read a letter that day received by him from Bro . Hedges , Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , reporting what had been done at the Quarterly Court of Subscribers to that Institution on the 13 th instant with reference to the question of perpetual presentations ; that the report of the special Committee against perpetual presentations had not been adopted , but had been referred back for consideration and report as to what sum should be received for perpetual as well as life presentations .

Bro . RICHARD EVE inquired whether the brethren would like to follow th 1 example set by the Girls' Quarterly Court on Thursday and appoint a Committee of the Boys' Institution to consider the subject . He thought it would be well that such Committee should be appointed , as they would be adopting in principle what had been done by the Girls' Institution ; it would be a right thing to do .

Bro . H . A . TOUIAS moved that it be referred back to the same Committee . Bro . H . THOMSON LYO . V considered that it should be referred to the Council . Bro . C . E . KEYSER , P . G . D ., believed the brethren did not quite understand what had happened at the Girls' Institution . The Girls' School appointed three representatives at the Quarterly Court on October 7 th , 1897 , to consider the

question of a perpetual presentation . The quarterly meeting of the Boys' School was held the next day and the brethren then assembled came to the conclusion that the Boys' Institution should take part in the inquiry and they appointed representatives . All the Institutions were represented on the Committee , and it met and made a report . That report was not unanimous , and when it came before the Quarterly Court of the Girls' Institution on the 13 th inst . it was not adopted ,

but was sent back for the Committee to report upon what sum might be accepted to purchase perpetual presentations . The reference to the former Committee was whether there should be allowed any perpetual presentations at all . The majority of the brethren , members of the Girls' meeting yesterday , thought that that was not right and they agreed with the minority of the Special Committee and deemed it proper that the question should be referred back with different instructions , and

life presentations were also made part of the reference . Bro . Russell and he ( Bro . Keyser ) had been on the Special Committee as representatives of the Boys ' School , and the brethren perhaps might consider it proper that they should again take that position on the joint Committee . If they had the brethren ' s confidence , the motion of Bro . Tobias would no doubt meet with their approval . The motion having been seconded ,

Bro . W . RUSSELL said the brethren were asked to concur in what had been done by the Girls' School . It was universally admitted that the Institutions should not be in competition on such an important matter . The brethren had arranged among themselves to let all the Institutions act in unison . They had been what was done at the Girls' meeting , and what thty asked that day was to let the representatives of the Boys' meet the representatives of the Girls' and the Benevolent .

Bro . RICHARD Evii remarked that the Committee to represent the Boys' was . ippointed by the Board of Management . If the brethren concurred with what the Committee appointed by the Board of Management did yesterday at the Quarterly Court of the Girls' institution they would now confirm it by voting for 'lie motion of Bro . Tobias .

The motion was carried . Bro . W . RUSSEI . 1 ., A . G . D . C , then moved " That Law 79 " ( Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ) " be suspended . '' He said Law 79 put it in the power of any brother on presenting 500 guineas to the Institution to demand a life presentation . Hie other two Institutions had not such a law , and as the whule matter of the purchase of presentations was before a joint Committee , he thought the Boys ' Institution

should be protected in the interim . Seeing that by By-Law 45 no law could be altered or suspended without due notice being given , arid that alterations Jid not become binding unless confirmed three nunths after the 'Iteration or suspension had been agreed to , a long period must ^ J ipse during which the Institution should be protected against brethren villaining a privilege which could be purchased by the payment of what was

a CKnowledged to be a totally inadequate sum of money . It was solely with this tiliject of protecting this Institution from selling life presentations too cheaply '" a he brought forward his motion . The whole question of presentations was Wore the special Committee . He was really proposing that this Law 79 should be Imperative until the Committee had decided by what amount the £ 525 should be 'icreased .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Bro . Major WOODALL , P . G . T ., seconded the motion . Bro C . E . KEVSER , P . G . D ., was not quite clear about the financial result Would it not be better to leave the matter until the Joint Committee had reported ? If they reported that 500 guineas were not enough that of itself suspended the law . Life presentations were very different from perpetual pres 2 ntations . Bro . H . THOMSON LVON wished to know what would be done if any one should give ^ 525 flow .

Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . T ., said he sh ould hold thai if anybody presented Soo guineas for a life presentation the Institu tion would be bound to accept it . There was nothing to prevent anyone presenting 500 guineas to the Institution . Bro . W . H . SAUNDERS thought the matter might be well left over until they were in possession of the report of the Special Committee . Bro . RICHARD EVE informed the brethren that if the motion of Bro . Russell

wascarnea it could not possibly take effect until after the next Quarterly Court in April , when it would have to be confirmed . The law remained in statu quo , and if 500 guineas were offered they must be accepted . If the Committee reported that . £ 525 was not enough a larger sum that they named might be filled in . Bro . Russell ' s motion was carried by 13 votes against four . Bro RICHARD EVE , P . G . Treas ., next said the brethren would remember that at the last Quarterly Court he made the announcement as to what the Board of

Management had done with reference to the new Bushey site for the Boys ' School . He then informed them that six architects had been selected for the purpose of preparing plans for the approval of the Board . Out of those six , one of the firms declined to go further , and withdrew their name . The five remaining firms had prepared pians , and these had been examined by the Board of Management and their excellent assessor , Bro . Rowland Plumbe , Past Grand Supt . of Works . Bro . Rowland Plumbe had presented his report which would be read . Acting upon

Bro . Plumbe ' s advice , and at the same time taking into consideration the views of those pirticular brethren who were on the Committee with reference to the plans , they came to the conclusion , which was unanimous , that the first in order of merit were lhe plans of Messrs . Gordon , Lowther , and Gunton , of Finsbury-buildings . He might say now that they were unanimously approved as first in order of merit in every way , and any one looking at them must remark what skill and ability had been shown in the preparation of the plans . The estimated cost was close upon

. 6100 , 000 . It was a large figure no doubt ; still there were points with reference to the cost which might be slightly reduced upon consultation with the assessor . However , it was but fairto tell the meeting that the estimate was . £ 99 , 000 . There was on the ground plan — as would oe seen—a very splendid erection of a chapel , but that was not included in the estimate of . £ 99 , 000 . Bro . Keyser had taken all that on his hands , and was going to put the chapel up for 5000 guineas ; but that sum might not be sufficient . Everyone must admit that the

chapel added greatly to the beauty of the plan . The buildings would provide for 400 boys to begin with . Everything was completed for 500 boys , except additional sleeping accommodation for 100 ; but they proposed to have 400 boys to begin with . He thought it would be well now to have read Bro . Rowland Plumbe ' s report on the plans . Bro , J . M . MCLEOD read the report of Bro . Plumbe , after which ,

Bros . Gordon , Lowther , and Gunton , the architects , were here introduced to the Quarterly Court , and they were received with cheers . Bro . MCLEOD said each partner was a Mason . » Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . T ., congratulated them on being the distinguished architects whose plans had been selected ; but he informed them that , of course , it was for the Board of Management to take further steps before anything was done .

Bro . GORDON , for himself and partners , said it was a distinguished honour that had been conferred upon them . When he said they did not expect to be the fortunate candidates , he bore in mind that although they had had very considerable experience in connection with large works , they had as competitors for the plans of the Boys' School , Sir A . Blomfield , Mr . Waterhouse , and other very distinguished men in the profession . They knew they were in very warm company , but they made up their minds to do their very best , and they set to work

individually ; they felt that in a great and important building like this , the greatest merit would be attached to the planning ; so they set to wjrk and made their separate plannings . Unnder the circumstances , they thought that would be the best way . After they had made up their minds as to the plan , he might safely say it resulted in a portion of the plan of each of them being adopted , and they had a feeling of confidence that they would be honoured by the position of getting praise ; they did not altogether expect to be chosen . They knew they were in

excellent hands , and he might say on behalf of himself and his partners , that never was a competition instituted on fairer lines than this one ; nothing could be more honourable ; there was nothing to indicate the amount j they were told incidentally that certain gentlemen would be in their company ; but , listening to the report of the assessor , as they had for the first time , and to hear the Chairman ' s remark , was eminently gratifying . On behalf of his partners and himself , he thanked the Board most heartily for the honourable position in which they had placed them . ( Cheers ) .

Bro , C . E . KEVSER , P . G . D ., thought the Institution was very fortunite in having accepted these plans . They were no doubt the best , and had been very carefully worked out . They on the Committee had the opportunity of judging what every part of the building was to be . They agreed that the design was most masterly . The architectural point was very good ; and when they looked at the figures more closely , they had no doubt they would be able to carry it out in its entirety . They believed they could do it for £ qg , ooo . The brethren during the meeting examined the designs .

Bro . MCLKOD reported the withdrawal from the list of candidates for election on April 15 th of Leonard Oliver Manley , who had been selected by the Boird of Management to fill a further extraordinary vacancy . The Court afterwards approved and adopted a recommendation from the Council of December 31 st , 1 S 97 , that 27 boys be elected from an approved list of 50 candidates at the April Quarterly Court .

Bro . MCLEOD said he had now to report what the brethren had already heard from the minutes of the Council of December 31 st—that the income of the Institution for 18 97 was . 623 , 303 . Bro . MCLEOD reported that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., who would preside at the Centenary Festival of the Institution on a day in June to be hereafter fixed by him , had selected the Royal Albert Hall as the place of meeting .

Bro . J . G . STEVENS next brought forward the case of the boy Lapham , who had not been adopted as a candidate for the April election by the Petitions Committee , the late father having been returned as in arrear . He submitted that as the arrears had since been paid the boy was eligible . Several brethren spoke on the subject , many of whom contended that it was a hard case , that the dues had been paid up , and therefore that the rules had been

compiled with . On the other hand , it was stated that it was in many of thcbe instances only when it was found that something beneficial was to be got that arrears were paid up , and that but for this circumstance the arrears would sti . ll have remained . In the present case , when the father of the candidate died , and the boy was brought forward , the arrears were paid up to a date when the father had ceased to exist .

Bro . RICHARD Evu pointed out that it would be q lite irregul ar to have the name put on now , because by the laws of the In : titution tne names must be passed by the Petitions Committee b / a certain day for recommendation to the Quarterly