Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS iSr Old K . T . Certilicate 1 S 2 Grand Lodge of New South Wales 182 Masonic Facts versus Fiction 182 Provincial Grand Chapter of East Lanca- shire : 183 CormsspoNDENCE— Binding of the 17 S 4 Constitutions 1 S 5 An Appeal for Assistance to Build a Lodge at Kissingen , Bavaria 18 $ Notes and Queries 186 K IHORTS OF MASONIC MIITINOB— Craft Masonry 186 Instruction .., 1 S 9 Roval Arch—Instruction 190 Mark Masonry 190 Knights Templar igo Order of the Secret Monitor ' . 191 Ireland 191

Eist Indies ... . _ . ; --,- " " > Laying the Foundation Stones ot New Masonic Hall at Sittingbourne 191 Dinner of the Shepherd and Flock Masonic Club •I 03 Annual Supper of the Rose Lodge of Instruction , No . 1622 19 3 Annual Ball and Banquet of the Fidelity Lodge , No . 230 , at Devonport 192 A Presentation to Bro . Walter 11 . Marcus , W . M . 1839 and S . W . 2264 192 The Recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution 193 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys 193 The Brook Smith Memorial Window 192 Obituary 193 Theatres 193 Masonic and General Tidings 194 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iv .

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IT must be a consolation to those brethren who , through good Another Boys' an ( j ev ;| report h . ave preserved undiminished faith in the ex-School Success . r , r . .. -n tn / i cellence ot the system of training at our Koyal Masonic Institution for Boys , that at the Cambridge Middle-class Examinations in

December last its candidates fully maintained the reputation of the School . Nineteen boys were entered for these examinations , of whom three obtained Second Class Honours and three Third Class Honours , while eight satisfied the examiners . Thus , as nearly as possible threerfourths of the candidates

were successful , while only the one-fourth failed to attain the prescribed standard for passing . We congratulate Bro . Dr . MORRIS , the Head Master , and his staff , as well as the governing authorities of the School , on this further evidence of the care bestowed on the boys . Full particulars of the result will be found in another part of our columns .

* * * WE have already referred on one or two occasions to the The Approaching . 1 u .- c . u J .. A Festival of the approaching- celebration of the second great Anniversary R . M . l . for Girls . p ; vai 0 f the year—that of the Royal Masonic Institution

for Girls—but as the date of the Festival has now been fixed for Wednesday , the 22 nd May , and consequently there remain only a few weeks in which to complete the necessary arrangements , it is desirable we should look round and note the prospects which await us in connection with this annual event . We shall not conceal from our readers that we anticipate a

very substantial reduction on the average total of receipts during the last 10 years . Indeed , no one would be rash enough to expect it should be otherwise . The sum raised at the Centenary Festival last year was not only sufficient to cover the ordinary annual expenses , and the large extraordinary outlay of - £ 20 , 000 contemplated for the erection of a new Hall

and the enlargement and re-arrangement of the existing premises , but it also left a margin of some thousands for investment if the Committee should consider an increase of the funded property desirable , or for appropriation in any other way they might consider more in accordance with the permanent well-being of the Charity . We thus admit there is money in hand and to spare

for all immediate requirements , but we take leave to point out that all the advantages which the authorities are anxious to reap from the product of the Centenary will be lost if the ordinary receipts of this and the next year or two are too seriously affected . Many , in fact , will suggest—not without reason—that we had better have had no huge success in 18 SS if

its immediate effect is to diminish by one half or thereabouts the Festival totals of this and following years . But , without dwelling further on this question , we think our readers will agree with us that efforts should be made to raise in May next a sum which shall as nearly as possible provide for the ordinary expenditure of the School during

the next 12 months . At present , however , we must admit that the outlook is not particularly hopeful . We maybe sure that Bro . Lord HENNIKER , who has undertaken the duties of Chairman , will exert all his influence in order to secure the largest possible Return . We are equally confident that the Province of Suffolk , over which he presides , will support him to the

very utmost of its ability . But we must not impose too serious a task on a Province which is neither large nor wealthy , and which , moreover , at our more recent Festival gatherings , has been contributing with more than its usual generosity . We must look , therefore , to the general body to provide the necessary means ; but , so far as we are aware , the Board of Stewards

U P to the present time—and we must remind our readers that there are onl y seven complete weeks between now and the day of celebration—musters under 100 brethren , even if that number has yet been reached . This is considerably less numerous than what of late years we have been accustomed 0 regard as the normal strength of either the London or Provincial section 0

. the Board ; while , if there were any grounds for hoping—and We fear there are not—that an extraordinarg high average , L . ' . _ £ 55 or £ 60 per list would make amends for 's inferiority of numbers , even then the total from all sources could hardly be expected to exceed from £ 5000 to £ 6000 , or about one half what is ordinaril y subscribed . We trust , therefore , to hear in the course

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of the next week or fortnight that many additions have been made to the Board of Stewards , and that the still remaining interval will be utilised in raising a sum more nearly equal to the year ' s requirements than present appearances warrant us in expecting . Lastly , it must be remembered that at the Quarterly General Court next month it will be proposed

to increase the number of Children by 20 . This will necessitate an additional annual expenditure of about £ 750 , and is a further and stronger reason than we have mentioned heretofore against too seriously diminishing the average annual total , because of last year ' s magnificent success . Indeed ,

it strikes us we owe it as a duty to the brethren who achieved that success that our efforts in behalf of the coming Festival should be characterised by the same energy as in ordinary years , so that the advantages which the School looks to reap from their labours may not be frittered away .

* * * WE heartily congratulate Bro . Col . FOSTER GOUGH , P . G . The New Prov . G . M . of Std . Br . of England , and for many years past D . P . G . M . of Staffordshire . Staffordshire , on his appointment , to the higher and more

important office of Prov . G . Master , sometime since vacated by Bro . Col . TUDOR . Col . GOUGH is known to have adorned as well as filled the many positions to which he has been elected or appointed during a long and varied experience in Masonry . He is universally esteemed and respected by the brethren of his province who have had innumerable opportunities of

estimating his qualificatians as a ruler during the period of his Deputyship to their late chief ; nor can it be doubted that , under a brother who is so genial and yet so firm , who has the faculty of making friends and seldom , losing them , and who , above all , has a practical acquaintance with the duties of administration , the Province of Staffordshire will find its interests as well cared for and its

condition as prosperous as under the most successful of his predecessors . As regards Bro . Col . TUDOR , he takes with him into his retirement from active duty the affectionate regards of his Staffordshire brethren . We are

confident that his counsel and assistance , should they ever be invited , will be at the service of his successor , and we sincerely trust he may be spared for many years to enjoy the goodwill and respect of his fellow Masons , and that repose to which he is so clearly entitled .

* * * TI u t d ^ reac ^ w '" nave gathered from our last week's article Grand Lodge of on the " Proposed Grand Chapter of Victoria " that the con-Victona . stitution of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria was

appointed to take place on Wednesday , the 20 th inst ., and therefore , this auspicious event , to which we have been looking forward for months past , has already come to pass . However , it will be many weeks ere we shall be in a position to publish full particulars of the ceremony and of the installation of Bro . Sir W . J . CLARKE , Bart ., as the first M . VV . G . Master of the new

Grand Lodge , and consequently we must content ourselves for the present with a review of the preliminary steps by the Committee in charge of the arrangements for the purpose of accomplishing what we know is already accomplished . It is evident , from a glance at the Australasian Keystone for last month , that the plans of the Committee must have been well conceived

and well carried out , the feature which characterises them most strongly throughout being the manifest desire that everything should be done in strict accordance with what is generally believed to be the constitutional mode of procedure to be observed on such occasions . We knew months ago that the proposal for effecting a union of the different

constitutions in the colony was sanctioned by an overwhelming majority of the brethren . Yet none the less does the Executive Committee appear to have considered it its bounden duty to send round circulars to the vaiious lodges , in order that their formal and authoritative adhesion might be officially returned or withheld . as the

brethren might see proper to determine at a special lodge to be summoned for the purpose of hearing the articles of Union , as agreed to by the joint Committee , and then resolving the question . Nor does the Executive seem to have overlooked the importance of securing an influential attendance of brethren from the New South Wales

and South Australian jurisdictions on so momentous an occasion ; and it is gratifying to know that the invitations addressed to Lord CARRINGTO . V , Governor of New South Waies , and M . W . G . M . of its United Grand Lodge , and the Hon Chief Justice WAY , M . W . G . M . of South Australia , to be present and take the chief part in the ceremonies of constitution and

installation , had been accepted , and that both these distinguished brethren , with several of their Grand Officers , would attend and give additional dignity to the proceedings . It had bean further settled that the ceremony of

constitution on the 20 th instant , as aforesaid , should take place at Freemasons ' Hall , Melbourne , and that the Grand Lodge having been constituted , the brethren should at once proceed to the election of a Grand Master . On the day following , the G , M . was to be installed in office with the necessary