The Past Year's Charity Work.

THE PAST YEAR'S CHARITY WORK .

fTlHE year 1884 has been ono of great prosperity to the Masonic Charities , as a cursory glance at the figures

Ave aro now able to give , and a comparison Avith the receipts of past years , will amply prove . It is true that the amounts do not total up to so large a sum as did those of the

previous year , but it must be borne in mind that the special efforts then made on behalf of the Boys' Preparatory School Fund raised the total of that Institution far above

the average , and it would hardly be fair to compare an ordinary year with one of such a special character . The totals of last , year reach the grand amount of £ 48 , 823 17 s 7 d

as compared with - £ 55 , 994 14 s 3 d for 1883 , announced by U 8 in our first number of 1884 , so that there is an actual falling off last year of upwards of £ 7 , 000 ; but as the special appeal on behalf of the Boys' School in 1883 realised between £ 10 , 000 and £ 12 , 000 , it folloAvs that last year ' s total shoAvs an actual increase over that of its predecessor of something like £ 5 , 000 . The folloAviug is a detailed statement of the receipts of tbe three Institutions as well as of the grants made by the Lodge of Benevolence , during the past year : —

Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Donations and subscriptions .. .. 15 , 654 2 2 Dividends ...... 1 , 915 o 6 Grand Lodge .... 1 , 600 0 0 Gravid Chapter - - - - - 150 0 0 Do . Special . - - . 500 0 0 Legacies - - - - . . 64 5 0 Bent of meadow - - - . 18 0 0 19 , 901 7 8

Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls . Donations and Subscriptions .... 13 , 051 4 7 Dividends—" Gfneral Fund "—3 qrs - - 945 0 0 „ " Snstentation Fnnd" —2 qrs . - - 173 1111 Grand Lodge .... 150 0 0

Grand Chapter - - . - - 10 10 0 Do . Special - - - - 500 0 0 Sale of Old Stores 1 -17 6 Sale of Lists of Subscribers - - - - 1 15 0 Legacies . - - - . 95 0 0 14 , 928 19 0

Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys . Donations and subscriptions . . .. 12 , 242 7 3 Dividends - - . . . - 572 16 8 Grand Lodge .... .. 150 0 0 Grand Chapter - . . . . 10 10 0

Ditto Special . . . 500 O 0 Purchased admissions ( 2 ) - - . - 357 0 0 Masio Fees - - - - . 63 0 0 Sale of Lists of Subscribers - - . . 2 17 0 Legacies - . - . - 95 0 0 13 , 993 10 11

Lodge of Benevolence . Month , Cases relieved . Amount . £ s d

January . . 16 - 535 0 0 Febrnary . . . 21 - 490 0 0 March - - - 32 - 890 0 0 April .... 29 - - 1 , 000 0 0 May .... 33 ¦ - 1 , 075 0 0

June •- - -22 - 855 0 0 July - - - -26 - - 615 0 0 August . - . . 16 - 535 0 0

September . . 19 - - 560 0 0 October - . . 34 - - 1 , 160 0 0 November - . 37 - - 710 0 0 December . - 38 . 827 0 0 323 9 , 252 0 0

A Word In Season.

A WORD IN SEASON .

rt IHE circular issued by the zealous and hard-working JL Secretary of the Boys' School , a copy of which appears in another column , is one which should command at once—as we have no doubt it will—the earnest attention of every Worshipful Master , Treasurer ,

Secretary , and the brethren also of each Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England . There is no necessity to remind the brethren of the steps which lasfc

year led up to the institution of the Preparatory School , the building of which was commenced last September , near the Boys' Institution , Wood-green , and which is expected

to be completed by Midsummer this year . That such a supplement to the Wood-green establishment was needful

and desirable was sufficiently demonstrated at the time ; and it became a subject for general congratulation when at length it was announced that sufficient support had been guaranteed to warrant the executive in commencing

operations . Now , however , comes the point to which Bro . Binckes so timely and forcibly draws the attention of the Craft , and we can only hope that the various Lodges will

give it thafc consideration which the importance of the subject demands . With no uncertain sound we are reminded that the executive are " face to face with the anxious

question" as to whence are to be derived the additional means necessary for the maintenance of the Subsidiary Establishment , for the advantages of which the Committee will no doubt be prepared to recommend the election of a

proportion of the number of boys for whom the additional accommodation is provided not later than afc the Quarterly General Court next October . The statistics recently issued with regard to the financial results of the Masonic year—and with which we deal more exhaustively in another

. article—reveal the fact that the Boys' School was lowest on the list in the amounts secured during the year in aid of the three Great Institutions . This may , of course , be accounted for in a greafc measure by the fact of the extreme pressure which was put upon the Craft during the

preceding year , to make a start for the Preparatory School ; and thus all the money which could be raked up , to the end of 1883 , was paid in , so as to secure the extra votes which the contributions handed in on or before 31 st Dec .

in the year carried . Wehave frequently heard it said that the services of individuals who make special exertions—often at great personal sacrifice—receive no recognition ; aud the question which may probably yet have to be considered is ,

.. whether it would not be to tho advantage of the Institution , and a great assistance all round , if a competent Collector were appointed , as in the case of the Benevolent

Institution , the result of which has shewn so satisfactorily during the last year or two . However , that is a matter of collateral interest in the face of the present appeal to the extended activities of the Craft . All we have to consider

now is : The school has been projected , and is nearing its completion ; how is ifc to be brought to a successful and happy issue ? We have more faith in the solid and business-like energies of our brethren everywhere than to

believe for one moment they will allow the work , so well began , to fall through in consequence of any apathy or niggardliness on their part . But we know , on fche other

hand , that the pasfc year has been exceptionally bad in every department of trade and commerce ; and thafc the balances in the hands of the bankers at the end of the year just closed are small compared with that of former

prosperous times . Por all that , we hope and believe the brethren generally will ponder over the circumstances of the case brought before them with a frankness and candour that are eminently characteristic of the Secretary of the Boys' School . Bro . Binckes does not beat about the

bush . He tells us , straightly , that supposing the experiment he tentatively tried by the admission of twentyfive boys , and the administration based on the most economic system possible , the expenditure cannot be leas than

from £ 1000 to £ 1200 over and above that now required . This is certainly not a very formidable request to make , and Bro . Binckes is fully justified in asserting that the long-contemplated extension of the Schools having been

carried out in strict compliance with the wishes of fche Craft , " nothing further in the shape of argumentative appeal need be resorted to . " The suggestion of organising and maintaining a steady annual subscription in every Lodge within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England is equally sensible and sound ; and we should hold but