keep all the statutes of the Lord, pure and undefiled. May charity and brotherly love always abound amongst us, and when we have finished our work here below, may our transition be from this earthly tabernacle to the heavenly temple above; and may we there appear among thy jewels in glory everlasting.

We pray thee to bless and prosper every branch and member of this fraternity, throughout the habitable globe. May thy kingdom of peace, love, and harmony come. May thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, and may the whole world be filled with thy glory. Amen.

A Benediction, which may be pronounced after the Instalment of a Grand Master.

. MAY the Supreme Architect of the Universe shed his blessings abundantly upon this society. Enable his servant, now raised to the office of grand master, over our lodges, to discharge the duties of his important trust, to the honour of his holy name, and to the credit of this happy fraternity.

Amen! So mote it be. Amen!

CHAPTER XXVII.

Of the Education of the Children of Indigent Masons.

A PLAN for the education of the children of indigent masons, had, for some time, been an object of consideration with the grand lodge of the state of New-York, and on the 6th of September, A. L. 5809, the committee, composed of the masters of the several lodges in the city, who had been appointed to take this truly important subject into consideration, made a report to the following purport.

First, that it was essentially necessary, that measures should be adopted to compel a prompt discharge of dues, to effect which, they recommended the adoption of the following resolution.

"All members of lodges, who are, or shall be, in arrears for one year's dues, may be suspended by their respective lodges from all masonic communication, and upon report being duly made to the grand lodge, they shall be notified thereof by the grand secretary, and enjoined to discharge or commute the same, within twelve months from the date of such notice, on pain of being excluded, by a formal expulsion, from all communication with, or benefit from, the institution; which penalty, on failure, and at the instance of the lodge

to which the delinquent belongs, shall be duly inflicted."

From the adoption of this measure, or of something similar, the committee anticipated the most beneficial consequences, and stated, as their opinion, that if their calculations were not extremely erroneous, the lodges in the city of New-York, would speedily be placed in such a situation, as would afford, without difficulty, the contributions contemplated in the following plan.

"PLAN,

"For the education of fifty poor children, whose fathers are, or have been, members of the ancient and honourable fraternity of free and accepted masons.

"1st. Each lodge in the city of NewYork, (of which, at the date of the report, there were twenty-two,) shall pay ten dollars per annum, making two hundred and twenty dollars.

"2d. The grand lodge shall contribute, annually, eighty dollars, which, with the preceding sum of two hundred and twenty dollars, from the subordinate lodges in the city, would amount to three hundred dollars, the sum required.

"3d. The above sums are to be paid regularly, by the respective lodges in advance, on, or before the quarterly communication,

next preceding the anniversary of St. John the Evangelist. Each lodge thus contribut ing, shall have the right of naming two children, to receive the benefit of this charity, which privilege, if not exercised, at, or before the time prescribed for making the advance payment, is to be considered as relinquished, and to rest in the grand lodge school committee, who shall fill the remaining six places, as also all vacancies, which may occur from individual lodges declining, or neglecting to recommend, as aforesaid."

The general business is conducted by a committee of three, to be chosen by, and from, the grand lodge, and to be denominated, "The Grand Lodge School Committee."

This report was agreed to by the grand lodge, on 30th August, 1809, and has, since that time, been uniformly in operation. It was in contemplation, that these fifty children, should not only be taught, but clothed at the expense of the fraternity. The funds, however, were, at that time, deemed too low to answer both purposes. It was, therefore, deemed expedient, for the present, to confine this charity to the education of the above number of poor children; but, it is believed, that it will not be long, before the funds will be adequate to all the purposes originally contemplated.

We are, likewise, happy to learn, that in all parts of the world, where the craft has

become sufficiently numerous, they have very humanely directed their attention to the education of the children of their poor and deceased brethren.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Ceremony of Constituting and Consecrating a Lodge, Installation of Officers, &c.

ANY number of master masons, not less than seven, desirous of forming a new lodge, must apply, by petition, to the grand lodge of that state in which they reside, setting forth, " that they are regular* master masons; that they are at present, or have been, members of regular lodges; that, having the prosperity of the fraternity at heart, they are willing to exert their best endeavours to promote and diffuse the genuine principles of masonry; that, for the sake of having a place of meeting convenient to their respective dwellings, and other good reasons, they have agreed to form a new lodge, to be named and have nominated and do recommend A. B. to be their first master, C.D. to be their first senior warden, and E. F., to be the first junior warden of the said lodge;

* By regular masons, is to be understood, persons initiated into masonry in a constitutional manner, agreeably to the charges and regulations of the order.

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