The Pro Grand Master At Reading.

THE PRO GRAND MASTER AT READING .

THE visit of the Earl of Carnarvon to Reading , for the purpose of setting the memorial stone of the new Public Buildings , which was recently postponed in consequence of the illness of his Lordship , is now fixed to take place on Monday next , the 3 rd inst . ; on which

occasion a special Grand Lodge of the Province of Berks and Bucks will be opened at the Corn Exchange , at 11 . 30 a . m . After the ceremony a luncheon will be provided at the Foresters' Hall , West-street , whereat a numerous attendance is expected .

Caution And Charity.

CAUTION AND CHARITY .

TTvEW words should be needed to bring to the mind of JC members of the Craft their first Masonic experience of these two characteristics of the Brotherhood . One part of the preparation which each had to undergo previous to being admitted within the portals of the Lodge was meant as an exemplification of the necessity for the former , while

that part of the ceremony of initiation wherein they were taught to lend a helping hand to a brother in time of need was intended forcibly to impress them with the desirability of the latter . It sometimes strikes us that our Ritual is very deficient , in so far that it does not give a Masonic

explanation of these and other terms , although it might reasonably be urged that it should not be necessary to call to the mind of a candidate the signification of words whose use is so frequent , and meaning so clear , as the majority of those employed in our ceremonies ; still , it is very certain

that the maxims taught in Freemasonry are occasionally used in a very different sense to that intended ; and perhaps in no case is this more apparent than in the conjunction of the two words which head this article . A few weeks since we extracted from a contemporary the remarks of an

American brother to the members of his Lodge to whom he had appealed on behalf of two widows who were in need of assistance ; in the one case , the brethren excused themselves on the ground that the deceased husband was not a Mason ; on the other , that although the husband had been

admitted to a participation of the secrets , he was not in good standing at the time of his death , apparently forgetting that this last fact may have been owing to his inability to continue his subscri ption during his illness , and was itself but additional evidence of the need of some help being

rendered to his widow . It is not necessary for us to cross the Atlantic to find instances corresponding to that cited by Bro . Patrick , but here the general cry is—be cautious . First , we are urged to be cautious how we receive the statements of the brother or relative who applies for relief ;

next we are admonished to be cautious that the particular case comes within the limits for which our funds were intended ; to be cautious not to spend more than can be reasonably afforded ; to be cautious lest we form a precedent which shall be quoted in the future , and thus lead

Freemasonry to be looked npon as a mere benefit society ; and after other cautions have been urged and acted on , one particularly cautious brother proposes that the question stand over , in order that further inquiry may be made , lest

by any mistake an unworthy person should be relieved . And all this is done under the plea that at our initiation wo were taught to be cautious , or else urged in the interest of " true charity . " Was this the caution or the charity tho

Caution And Charity.

compilers of our Ritual meant to teach , or is it a perversion of the meaning intended ? Wo will not answer the questions , but leave it to the charitable instincts of individual brethren to supply the necessary replies ; our ideas on the point being of a character that might be distasteful to some of our readers .

Now , as regards Masonic Charity . What is it ? At the time of initiation we are told that it is the distinguishing cha . racteric of a Freemason ' s heart ; but how many of those who repeat these words fully understand the true meaning of what they utter ? To be charitable , so far as we

understand it , is not merely to throw a copper to a poor hungry fellow creature , but rather to pour sympathy into tho wounds which the rough treatment of the world occasion , ally make in the hearts of us all . Some are favoured , and have to contend with but few , while others seem to come

in for more than their share of troubles , but it is seldom that any can . be found who , at one time or another , has not had occasion to appeal for sympathy . The man who then does his best for his suffering fellow creature is the one who really understands the meaning of and knows how

to dispense true charity . Even in cases of real distress the charitable tendency of Freemasons is often diverted by ono or other of the many pleas which are urged—to some of these we have already referred—and although we aro aware it would be folly , if not even worse , to render aid

to every case in which an appeal is made , so are we certain that numerous instances of need are passed over Avithout any aid being afforded by those who , at the time of their initiation , promised to do all that their circumstances in life would permit .

Such , we think , is the case in the appeal now being made on behalf of the Rev . DL * . Daniel Ace , who is , unfortunately , called npon , in the closing clays of his life , to meet a demand which his position renders comparatively impossible , and for which he has received no personal benefit or any

recompense . This is , we feel assured , a case where true charity can be amply illustrated , and as the arguments used against the affording any relief chiefly border on the " caution " principle , we take it as a fair illustration of the extent to which such un-Masonic argument may be carried . We

maintain that the only reason that should be assigned for urging the consideration of the Doctor ' s appeal to Freemasons is , that he is a brother Mason of many years ' standing , and if any of those appealed to think that aid should only be rendered to such as have assisted others , we

refer them to the books of the three Masonic Institutions for a record of what our brother has done in this regard . We have been told that the object on account of which the appeal is necessary is not a Masonic one , and we agree that it has no claim to be considered as such , but are wo as

Masons , on this account , to refuse that help to a brother which we promised to render on every occasion to the fullest extent that lay in our power . If so , it is half way towards the adoption of the excuses of the American Lodge so justly reproved by Bro . Patrick , and only requires , in

order to relieve ns from all responsibility , the argument of another section , who urge that if a man can afford to enter Freemasonry , he ought to be able to meet all claims and leave his family amply provided for . We hope theso arguments will not be adduced , either in the case we have thus

specially referred to , or in any other that may arise . It were far better to adopt that excellent Masonic virtne—¦ Silence—than to hurt tho feelings of a distressed brother by taunting him with matters of which he may be entirely innocent . We think it is but necessary for a brother to remember that he is expected to afford only such relief as