The Coming Festival Of The Girls' School.

Steward ; --, smaller in number than usual , but , if we may be allowed tho expression , they are , taken as a whole , somewhat inferior in quality . It is well known that the majority of Stewards are usually confined in their operations to their own particular Lodges , but , in a few cases ,

usually among Hie Provincials , a more extended circle is open ti > them . ' There are , on most of tho l sts , a number of brethren who act as representative Stewards for their respective Provinces , and to the amounts bronght up by these brethren the Institutions aro usually indebted for a

perceptible increase in tho average contributed by the general body of Stewards , but so far this year ' s Girls ' list is particularly deficient in this respect , the number of tho Provincial representatives is very small , and , as a consequence , the number of large lists to be expected from

the country is small also . There is another form of deficiency which strikes us in this year's list—the absence of any representative from very many of the Provincial Districts . Thero are always some Provinces which do not

como forward at the several Festivals , but we aro afraid that when this year's list comes to be analysed it will be found that the number of absentees is even greater than usual .

Hearing , therefore , in mind that the actual number of Stewards is small , the number of representative Provincial Stewards also small , and the number of unrepresented Provinces larger than usual , wo can but feel that an extra effort is needed by all who have enrolled their names on

tlie list of workers for this year's Festival . We hope that the result may be of snch proportions as to compensate for any additional exertions undertaken by individual Stewards , to one and all of whom we tender our heartiest good wishes .

Oath Of Fealty.

OATH OF FEALTY .

IN every regular Masonic organisation , there are laws , rules and regulations for the government of those who become members of it . Each one has a system of government peculiar to itself . In the several branches of what is known as the York Rite , there is a general similarity

in the management of affairs , the points of difference being principally snch as arise from an adherence to certain fixed principles , designated as " landmarks" of the

Order . Each branch of Masonry has these landmarks peculiar to itself , and in framing laws they are ever kept in view and preserved inviolably , and in this manner each has been kept within the scope of its original design .

In Ancient Craft Masonry and in the more modern organisations of the York Rite there is a grand or governing body and its constituent bodies . Ono or more of the principal officers of the latter compose the grand body , and thus become a legislative body , invested with full

powers to make laws for the government of the constituent bodies and their members . As these Officers who compose the grand body are elected annually by the members of the constituent bodies , this system of government is a representative one , as much so as the State and

National governments of the United States of America . It is in harmony -with that idea of free , self government that characterizes all the institutions of this country , and that spirit of independence that our forefathers were ready to sacrifice even their lives to maintain .

When a man is made a Mason he becomes at once an active member of the Lodge conferring upon him the honours of Masonry . He is invested with all the ri ghts and privileges of the Order , and the way is open for him to advance to the highest official position , even to the rank of

Grand Master . He stands upon his merit the peer of every Mason in the world . The engagements he enters into in being made a Mason are deemed sufficient to entitle him to the full confidence of his brethreu , and no special oath of fealty to any Grand or Supreme body is required . He is

not looked upon with suspicion by those appointed to rule over him , but his honour , integrity and fidelity are honoured with the fullest confidence . In the beautiful language of Masonry all meet upon the level ; act by the plumb , and part npon the square .

In striking contrast to this representative system of government and equality among Masons , the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite occupied a position directly in opposition to it . Its Supreme Council , or governing body , is a self perpetuating oligarchv in the fullest sense of the

Oath Of Fealty.

word . All other bodies of this Rite are not constituents of the Supreme Council , but are subordinate to it in the most abject sense . They are not represented in it ; have no voice in the selection of Officers to rule over them , nor in framing the laws by which thev aro governed . They

cannot elect or even nominate suitable brethren to become active , or even honorary members of the Supreme Council ; nor do they havo this privilege in the appointment of a Deputy for each State . This Deputy is not required and sometimes does not hold a membership in a subordinate

body . Representation is the reverse of the York Rite , being from the Supreme Council to its subordinates , and not from the lower to the higher body . We believe it is only government of this sort that is tolerated in this free

and enlightened country . It is not therefore so very surprising that an oath of fealty is required to hold it together . It is more surprising that it is permitted to exist at all ; and the efforts of some of the active members of the

Supreme Council to perpetuate their power in the Rite by tho aid of an oath of fealty , indicates that thoy fully appreciate the importance of strengthening their position by every means at their command . In view of what has already been dono in that direction , and tho further

disposition shown to take from individual members the right to think and act for themselves in matters over which the Supreme Council has no lawful control ; and lest we may be accused of disloyalty , Ave will quote the sentiments of

one whoso loyalty will not be questioned , but who stands to-day at the head of tho Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States of America , M . S . Sov . Grand Commander , Albert Pike . Our illustrious Brother

says : — " It will not do for ns to forget that onr power has nothing on which to rest but opinion , and must be most discreetly exercised , orit will be set at nought . No man can , in this conn try , bo the master of

others who are quite his peers . It chafes a free man to be governed at all by one or more men , in making whom rulers he and the people of whom he is one have had no voice or vote . Oaths to support constitntions , and bear allegiance aro cancelled , when the burdens that they impose on free souls are too heavy . "

If it be true , as our illustrious brother says , that the power of the Supreme Council " has nothing on tvhich to rest but opinion , " it is liable to fall in pieces at any time . Oligarchial forms of government are weak at best . They must bo especially so when the subjects are in every

respect the peers of their rulers . Usurpers may rise at any time , and the strongest would win . A struggle of this kind was but recently ended , and another is already inaugurated . These things do not occur in the York Rite . There all is peace and harmony , and will remain so . If the

bcottish Rite will adopt a similar form of government , making it representative , it would at once become so strong that no rival could possibly exist for any length of time . We commend the subject to the consideration of those who are seeking to perpetuate their power by an oath of fealty . —Masonic Advocate .

The Salutation" Tavern" And Its Vicinity.

THE SALUTATION" TAVERN" AND ITS VICINITY .

THE locality in which the great fire of Wednesday , tbe 2 nd inst ., occurred has connected with it many interesting historical associations , so that it is impossible to traverse any of the streets and courts which intersect it without culling to mind some of the events and personages which have figured in its history . Indeed , well nigh every part of Old London—thou _; h its present aspect is suggestive of anything but old age—has been the scene of more or less stirring

events which have in time had their effect in shaping : he history of this country , and certainly Newgate-street is no exception from this general proposition . Its proximity to Smithfield brings vividly to onr minds the terrible scenes that were enacted in the reign of the first Mary , or , if we are minded to go still further back , to the jousts and tournaments that were held in still earlier days . The Newgate

itself , which was erected in the days of Henry I . or Stephen , arouses the most dismal associations , having been used as a prison for felons and trespassers from the reign of King John , and having witnessed more hnman vice and wretchedness than any other spot perhaps in London . To the rear of the houses on the south side of the street stood till quite recently what was the principal meat market in the metropolis .

Before the Great Fire there was here a market house for meal with a middle row of sheds which had gradually been converted into houses for butchers , tripe sellers , and tho like . So crowded and inconveniently arranged was it that tho country peoplo who brought provisions thither were forced to stand with their stalls in the open street ,

exposed to all the coaches , carta , horses , and cat'lo that wero continually passing . Yet as tho sheds nnd stalls were removed from Butcher Hall-iane—now moreenphuistically known as King Ed > vard - street—und the localities round about the church of St . Nicholas Shambles , it became b y degrees a principal centre of trade , and so remained till the market was removed to the more convenient dig .