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Article THE BOYS' SCHOOL. ← Page 3 of 6 →
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The Boys' School.
Masons , that the committee had been enabled to purchase the freehold of the beautiful building they were then in , and the title-deeds of which lay before him , at a cost of £ 3 , 500 . The estate consisted of rather more than ten acres , and the building without alteration was capable of containing at least thirty-five boys ; and with a very trifling expenditure he believed it might be made to accommodate at least as many as were on the fQundation . At first , in consequence of the limited
funds at their disposal , the committee would not feel justified in admitting more than twenty-five boys , whom he hoped to see in the institution at Michaelmas ; hut he felt assured , that no sooner was the institution opened than the liberality of the Brethren would be stimulated to such a degree , that within a very few years it would rival in importance the kindred charity , the Girls' School . He would now hand the title-deeds to the M . W . G . M ., and ask him to proceed with the dedication .
The M . W . G . M . pro tern , then proceeded to dedicate the building in the following terms , scattering the corn , oil , and wine as he proceeded : — " I now proceed to perfect the great aiid good work for which we have this day assembled , and in fulfilment thereof I , in the name of the G . A . O . T . U ., dedicate this building to the uses of that charity the objects of which have just been so ably and eloquently proclaimed to you by the R . W . Bro . B . B . Cabbell ; and I may add , that charity thus exercised , is of that degree which we have well-founded reason to believe is
highly acceptable to the Lord and Giver of all good things , as not merelyeyidencr ing the anxiety of affording bodily relief and sustenance to our fellow-creatures , but of rescuing the needy from the ways of ignorance and darkness , when as yet they are unable to help themselves , and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; thus" affording them , at least , the means whereby they may secure to their-immortal souls that blessed immortality which the Creator of
the universe has assured to those who keep His laws , and obey His commandments . And whilst , by the judicious system of education and control exei-eised in this establishment , we place within the reach of all received within its walls , the means whereby this most-to-be-desired consummation maybe attained—the children to be here brought up , will , by that same system , be fitted during their progress through life to fulfil the duties of their several stations , with benefit to themselves ,
and to the advantage of the whole social community . And beseeching the Almighty Lord to bless and perfect these our honest endeavours , I here spread this corn , praying that it may indeed prove the corn of nourishment ; I pour out this wine as the spirit of refreshment , and this oil as the type of joy and gladness ; and declare this building dedicated as ' The Royal Masonic Institution for the Sons of Indigent and Deceased Freemasons . '"
Another hymn was then sung , and prayer offered up to the Almighty Architect for his blessing on the institution . At the conclusion of the ceremony , in which the M . W . G . M . was ably assisted by the Grand Chaplain and Bro . Jennings , G . D . C , the band played " God save the Queen ; " and the Brethren and their friends having been once more formed into procession , directed their steps to St . Michael ' s Church , where a most eloquent sermon was preached by the Rev . J . E . Cox , the Grand Chaplain ; the prayers being impressively read by the Rev . Mr . Winter , the curate of Tottenham .
The Rev . G . Chaplain took as his text verses 1 and 2 of the 13 th chap , of 1 st Corinthians— " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels , and have not charity , I am become as sounding brass , or a tinkling cymbal . And though I have the gift of prophecy , and understand all mysteries and all knowledge , and though I have all faith , so that I could remove mountains , and have no charity , I am nothing . " After eloquently pointing out that charity must exist in the soul , and not in the mere outward show of its practice , the Rev . Brother concluded as follows : —
" And now , lastly , there is yet one further illustration—though charity , as we have seen , does not consist exclusively of almsgiving—which ought to be given to our text , and which is suggested by this occasion of our meeting together . We have seen what charity is not , and what it is . It , therefore , now behoves us to take heed lest the illustration in practice rather turns towards the former than to the latter definition . Most sincerely do I hope— most firmly do I believe—that this rule has actuated those who for some years past have seen , and felt , and avowed , the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Boys' School.
Masons , that the committee had been enabled to purchase the freehold of the beautiful building they were then in , and the title-deeds of which lay before him , at a cost of £ 3 , 500 . The estate consisted of rather more than ten acres , and the building without alteration was capable of containing at least thirty-five boys ; and with a very trifling expenditure he believed it might be made to accommodate at least as many as were on the fQundation . At first , in consequence of the limited
funds at their disposal , the committee would not feel justified in admitting more than twenty-five boys , whom he hoped to see in the institution at Michaelmas ; hut he felt assured , that no sooner was the institution opened than the liberality of the Brethren would be stimulated to such a degree , that within a very few years it would rival in importance the kindred charity , the Girls' School . He would now hand the title-deeds to the M . W . G . M ., and ask him to proceed with the dedication .
The M . W . G . M . pro tern , then proceeded to dedicate the building in the following terms , scattering the corn , oil , and wine as he proceeded : — " I now proceed to perfect the great aiid good work for which we have this day assembled , and in fulfilment thereof I , in the name of the G . A . O . T . U ., dedicate this building to the uses of that charity the objects of which have just been so ably and eloquently proclaimed to you by the R . W . Bro . B . B . Cabbell ; and I may add , that charity thus exercised , is of that degree which we have well-founded reason to believe is
highly acceptable to the Lord and Giver of all good things , as not merelyeyidencr ing the anxiety of affording bodily relief and sustenance to our fellow-creatures , but of rescuing the needy from the ways of ignorance and darkness , when as yet they are unable to help themselves , and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; thus" affording them , at least , the means whereby they may secure to their-immortal souls that blessed immortality which the Creator of
the universe has assured to those who keep His laws , and obey His commandments . And whilst , by the judicious system of education and control exei-eised in this establishment , we place within the reach of all received within its walls , the means whereby this most-to-be-desired consummation maybe attained—the children to be here brought up , will , by that same system , be fitted during their progress through life to fulfil the duties of their several stations , with benefit to themselves ,
and to the advantage of the whole social community . And beseeching the Almighty Lord to bless and perfect these our honest endeavours , I here spread this corn , praying that it may indeed prove the corn of nourishment ; I pour out this wine as the spirit of refreshment , and this oil as the type of joy and gladness ; and declare this building dedicated as ' The Royal Masonic Institution for the Sons of Indigent and Deceased Freemasons . '"
Another hymn was then sung , and prayer offered up to the Almighty Architect for his blessing on the institution . At the conclusion of the ceremony , in which the M . W . G . M . was ably assisted by the Grand Chaplain and Bro . Jennings , G . D . C , the band played " God save the Queen ; " and the Brethren and their friends having been once more formed into procession , directed their steps to St . Michael ' s Church , where a most eloquent sermon was preached by the Rev . J . E . Cox , the Grand Chaplain ; the prayers being impressively read by the Rev . Mr . Winter , the curate of Tottenham .
The Rev . G . Chaplain took as his text verses 1 and 2 of the 13 th chap , of 1 st Corinthians— " Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels , and have not charity , I am become as sounding brass , or a tinkling cymbal . And though I have the gift of prophecy , and understand all mysteries and all knowledge , and though I have all faith , so that I could remove mountains , and have no charity , I am nothing . " After eloquently pointing out that charity must exist in the soul , and not in the mere outward show of its practice , the Rev . Brother concluded as follows : —
" And now , lastly , there is yet one further illustration—though charity , as we have seen , does not consist exclusively of almsgiving—which ought to be given to our text , and which is suggested by this occasion of our meeting together . We have seen what charity is not , and what it is . It , therefore , now behoves us to take heed lest the illustration in practice rather turns towards the former than to the latter definition . Most sincerely do I hope— most firmly do I believe—that this rule has actuated those who for some years past have seen , and felt , and avowed , the