Untitled Article

institution . ( Hear , hear . ) He had the great ' satisfaction—a satisfaction , however , alloyed with regret that his relative and excellent Brother was still suffering from illness—to propose to them the " Health of the Earl of Yarborough , " for he knew that his heart was with them , and that his liberality to the charities of the Craft was as great as ever ; and in conjunction with the toast he would couple the names of the worthy Brethren , the Past and Present Grand Officers . Bro . Bagshaw , Prov . G . M . of Essex , briefly replied to the compliment .

The boys , whose appearance gave general satisfaction , having been introduced into the room , The M . W . G . M . rose and said , as he considered the toast which he was now about to give a most important one , he would beg of them to lend him their attention for a short time and to be silent . The toast which he had to propose was , " Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ;" and , in doing so , he wished to bring as prominently as it was in his power before the Brethren what might be the best manner of benefiting that charity which

they had met together to promote . There were now seventy boys , the sons of their deceased or decayed Brethren , on the books of the institution , receiving their education in various parts of England , but it was obvious that in these times , when there were such facilities for travelling and when the cost for doing so in a convenient manner was so trifling , that if they had a large building situated at a convenient distance from the metropolis and formed on the best model , many of those parents who now selected a school in their own immediate neighbourhood for the education of their boys , would gladly embrace the opportunity of sending

them to it for their clothing , maintenance , and the best possible education they could obtain . It was in the year 1852 that the idea was first broached of founding an institution such as would answer the purposes he had just mentioned , and there had been since then collected for that object a fund which now amounted to £ 2 , 500 , besides a farther sum of £ 500 voted by the Grand Lodge as a sustentationfund , to be applied to keeping the building , when erected , in suitable repair . Now it was obvious that a large sum of money was still required to enable the committee to carry into effect the object which they had in view , and he might say if

they could now double the sum which they had in hand they might fairly commence the work , as he had not the slightest doubt that every year the funds in aid of it would be increased . To give them some idea of the interest taken by the Brethren in the institution , he might mention , that whereas in 1826 , just thirty years ago , its funded property had been only £ 900 , it at the present moment amounted to £ 11 , 500 ( hear , hear ) —a pretty good proof that the Masonic charities had received some attention from the members of the Craft . ( Great

applause . ) The object of the present meeting was of a twofold character . The first was to increase the funds of the charity generally , and the other to add to the building fund , and papers would be handed round to enable the Brethren to contribute to one or both of those funds , for both were every way deserving of their patronage . ( Hear , hear . ) It was evident that when they got their building erected they would require a large increase to the amount of their annual subscriptions , and he doubted not , from what he knew of the Brethren , they would be ready to contribute to it . Here , however , he wished to remark that

centralization was not his object , nor was it that of the general body of the subscribers to the building-fund . ( Hear , hear . ) The sending of boys to the school which they proposed to establish should be perfectly voluntary , and the same opportunities would be given to the parents , as at present , of getting their sons educated in their own immediate neighbourhood , if they preferred'it . ( Hear , hear . ) Of the seventy boys now on the books of the institution there were thirty-five receiving their education in London , so that it was apparent that if the plan which he had

sketched were carried into effect all these could be brought together under one roof , nnd that very soon , instead of having in London only one-half the number of children under their protection , they would have at least three-fourths ; for although , as he had already remarked , there would be perfect freedom of action left to the parents , yet as it would soon become known that the boys in their own school received the best education that could possibly be given to them , even those who resided at a distance from the metropolis would feel desirous to see their