The Constitution And The Constitutions.

doubtless , but what does it really mean ? Half that number have never been to Grand Lodge and probably never intend to go , and , to such , disfranchisement means little or nothing . Of the rest , the great majority have possibly been once , just as when they visit the metropolis they probably go to the theatre or Earl's Court , and with little or no appreciation of

the fact that they are assisting at the final court of Freemasonry , and may have to record an intelligent vote on matters they have never before heard of . To all these brethren , the right to sit and speak in Grand Lodge is little but a sentiment . When that right comes to

be of more limited application , then its value will be enhanced , and , incidentally , the right to sit and speak in Provincial Grand Lodge will be more appreciated . Hitherto the latter has commanded just so much regard as was due to the fact that

the Provincial purple was involved . But under the condition of things we are describing , Grand Lodge—the new Grand Lodge we mean—will delegate many of its present powers to the Provincial assembly , and thus a career will be offered to the brethren who cannot attend Grand Lodge , and find nothing open to them in Provincial Grand L-: dge . The

devolution of the powers of Grand Lodge is no new thing . It obtains already in District Grand Lodges , and membership of the District Boards is in consequence as highly prized as the District purple . With the establishment of Provincial Boards possessing similar delegated powers , we should have

the conferment of a valued and useful franchise , in the place of one often unvalued , more often useless , and wholly sentimental , and Grand Lodge would become in reality Grand , as well as distinctively imperial .

At The Sign Of The Perfect Ashlar.

At the Sign of the Perfect Ashlar .

An important step was decided upon on July 12 th in connection with the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , the quarterly court of which was held at Freemasons' Hall under the presidency of the Chairman of the Board of Management , Bro . C . E . Keyser , patron and trustee of the institution . The object is to create a new series of scholarships , value

£ 25 a year each , and available for outside education , with transfer to the schools at Bushey as vacancies occur , to be granted to lads from seven years upwards . It is proposed to add 100 of these '' oulsides" at once , thereby increasing the number on the charily to 500 . The existing schools cannot

accommodate more than 400 , and the course agreed to has been decided upon in preference to extending the buildings , on which and their equipment upwards of £ 150 , 000 has been expended during the last few years .

< £ > ij > « B > The Committee of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls has also recommended the creation of from 200 to 250 new scholarships for out education , the grants to be £ 15 per annum for girls between the age of six and nine , . £ 20 per

annum from nine to twelve , and £ 25 per annum from twelve to fifteen , with power to increase the payments up to - £ io per annum , and extend them to the age of seventeen . These new scholarships will be divided among the different divisions of the Craft , in accordance with the number of votes held by lodges in their corporate capacity , and elections will thereby be obviated .

OOO Viscount Valentia , M . P ., Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Oxfordshire , acting on behalf of the Provincial Grand Master the Earl of Jersey , officiated at the laying of the memorial stone of the John Hampden Hall , which is in course of erection at Chalgrove . The ceremony was

performed with full Masonic honours , and among those who assisted Viscount Valentia were many prominent Masons , including the Provincial Grand Secretary , Bro . P . Colville Smith , P . G . D ., and Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall . © « $ < 5 >

The death has taken place of Bro . Samuel Taylor of Kidderminster , at a very advanced age . He was one of the oldest Freemasons in the country , having been a member of the Craft for considerably over half-a-century . He was a professional musician , and held in the highest esteem in

Kidderminster . For some years he was Organist of the Hope and Charity Lodge . He took also a great interest in the Foresters' Order , and had filled various important offices in the body . O 1 © O

The Grand Lodge of Liberia is one of the few Grand Lodges composed of our colored brethren recognised by the Grand Lodge of England , although not to the extent of exchanging representatives . Formed about twenty years

BRO . THK HON . T . C . O . KING .

since , it has pursued the even tenor of its way to the advantage of the Craft in the little republic . The first Grand Master was M . W . Bro . the Hon . C . T . O . King , and our illustration is from a sketch taken when on a visit to London some years since .

00 ® The Constitution of the new Mark Lodge , the " Torbay , " at Paignton , by the R . W . Bro . Major Strode , D . L ., J . P ., & c , on the 18 th July , was of a very interesting character , and a source of great gratification to the founders . The first Master and Wardens of N o . 5 86 are the V . W . Bro . John Taylor ,