What Is The Good Of Freemasonry?

has a great deal to do with Freemasonrythat virtue , which , " like its sister Mercy , hlesseth he who gives , as well as he who receives . " To a comparative few of the uninitiated is it known , that the Freemasons of England especially , possess three

splendid and substantial evidences of the watchword of the Craft , viz ., Charity . I allude to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , a precisely similar institution for Girls , and another designed as an asylum for aged Freemasons and their widows .

All three are under the patronage of her Majesty the Queen , and will it be credited by our friends , who suggest that Masonry means little more than eating and

drinking , that at the three sejiarate Festivals , this year ( dinners if you like , cavillers ) the extraordinary sum of close upon £ 40 , 000 was voluntary subscribed to keep the Boys' aud Girls' Schools , and the " Old Folks '" Institution running for another twelve months . And this goes

on year after year , mind . Some weeks since , when in London , the writer had the opportunity aud pleasure for the first time—and a sincere pleasure it was—to run over the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , which is situated close to

Clajjham Junction station . Arriving there about two o ' clock , the girls , after dinner , were enjoying their hour ' s leisure , prior to resuming school , for the remainder of the day . The head governess ( who has five assistants under her ) and a subordinate , proved most obliging chaperons , and I saw and learnt more in half-an-hour or so than

could possibly be imagined . Tastefully laid-out flower parterre , among which troops of healthy looking and neatlydressed girls were joyously romping , provided the first scene . Next , being shown into the committee room , there are some interesting historical reminiscences of the

Institution , in the shape of a portrait of the Chevalier Ruspini , its , principal founder iu the year 1778 , another of the Duke of Sussex , a former Royal Grand Master of -England , as also a large sampler worked b y the irlsand dedicated to his Royal

g , Hi ghness more than half-a-century since . Going through the school rooms , everything evidenced a superior class of education , the principal of which were the specimens of drawing and needlework , while music seemed to be a " siui qua uon , "

from the number ofjjianoforr . es one noticed here and there . The head governess , very kindly requested one of the elder girls to play , and a solo , with variations , on " Believe me , if all those endearing young charms , " was perfectly good enough for a

concert hall . A g lance at the dormitories , —spacious and well ventilated apartments—with the lavatories , in which were conspicuous natty little bags containing the tooth brushes , and other etcetera of a young lady ' s toilet , and then , a little

mademoiselle , an orphan , and a daughter of a Cockermouth Mason , whom I had specially gone clown to visit , was sent for . Perfectly happy , and apparently at home , the little girl's speeimeus of her studies in writing , English composition , French , and music , were smilingly paraded for

inspection , and easily passed muster . At present , there are about 170 girls in the school mentioned , and a newly-erected wing for the purpose of an infirmary will bring up the accomodation to a couple of hundreds . It is also satisfactory to learn that the poor orphansmany of them

, fatherless and motherless , in the legal sense of the term , have found parents at this noble institution , indeed , the little girl I have alluded to , was eloquent in her praises of the head-governess and her assistants , one and all ; and as to the

headmatron , here is the report , " verbatim et liberatim , " anent that estimable lady : "We do so love Miss ; when any of us are ill she waits upon us like a mother ; we call her grandma 1 " The above is but a cursory sketch , and the writer trusts he has shown there is

something good and sound at the bottom of Freemasonry and its votaries—none of your cold and stony disciples of Ralph Nickleby , whose sole-heart purpose through life , till the grim monarch steps in , is money-making—who never tasted the milk of human kindness—nay , in a few

words , never experienced the following sentiments , which , in common with every true Mason , all over the world , have been felt and practised by an American poet and brother—For the widow distress'd

There's a chord in my breast—For the helpless and orphan a feeling . H 2