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Article OUR THIRTY-THIRD VOLUME. Page 1 of 1 Article A YEAR'S BENEVOLENCE. Page 1 of 2 Article A YEAR'S BENEVOLENCE. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Thirty-Third Volume.
OUR THIRTY-THIRD VOLUME .
/ " \ UR readers can hardly appreciate the feelings with which we greet them on tho present occasion , when we have the pleasure of introducing our Thirtythird Volume to the notice of the Craft . 'We to-day start with a number which has been long recognised
as an important one in connection with the degrees of Masonry throughout tho world . We have arrived at the highest point known in the system popular in this country , and hope that in each of the thirty-two stages we have so far passed through wo have done
something to entitle us to yet further advancement . So let it be with our thirty-third degree . We cannot go on keeping pace with the established grades of Masonry , but we hope wo shall long be able to keep adding to our own grades , and that as year by year
the opportunity presents itself of addressing a few words to our readers on the commencement of another section we may have increased reasons for rejoicing , and an enlarged number of supporters to sneak to .
* - * XX X We are much indebted to all who have worked with us , or who have supported us in years gone by , and hope our doings in the future may be so satisfactory as to ensure increased encouragement and patronage from those for whose wants it will be our constant endeavour to cater .
A Year's Benevolence.
A YEAR'S BENEVOLENCE .
THE year 1890 , which has come to a conclusion during the week , has been a successful one for the great charity funds of English Freemasonry , while it will always serve to mark a great turning point in the matter of Masonic Benevolence in the sister Constitution of Scotland . It is only possible to form an idea of what is being done to-day in this direction by comparing the returns of the present
with those of former years , but matters have so altered in this respect that any comparisons based on such lines are nearly , if not wholly , illusory . A few years back the sums contributed to the three great Central Institutions of English Freemasonry represented nearly the whole amount spent in this direction , now there are so many Provincial Funds and Local
Organisations , that a considerable allowance has to be made for sums contributed independent of the London Charities for similar work . It would be very difficult to estimate the extent of these Local Funds , because at present so many of them are in a somewhat experimental stage , but an addition of at least 10 or 15 per cent , to the totals of the London Institu-
A Year's Benevolence.
tions might , we thmk , fairly be made without exceeding or even reaching the income of the various Provincial Charity Funds for the year . But until we can get definite details on this point it will perhaps be as well to omit consideration of such contributions from our annual summaries , as estimated statements on such matters must of necessity be very unsatisfactory - .
During the year just completed the three London Institutions havo received between them a total of £ 55 , 541 19 s 2 d , an amount which compares most favourably with the returns of the past , showing an
increase of upwards of £ 7 , 000 over tho total of 1880 . The Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls on this occasion takes the first placo , with receipts amounting to £ 21 . 763 19 s Id , then follows tho Roval
Masonic Benevolent Institution with £ 21 , 305 13 s 4 d , and last comes the Boyal Masonic Institution for Boys , with a return of £ 12 , 472 6 s 9 d . Tho high position secured during the year by the Girls' School arises from the fact that a sum of £ 5 , 000 is included in the receipts of that Institution during 1890 , as received from the London , Brighton , and South Coast Kailway , for an " easement , " that sum having been
arranged as compensation for ground required for tho purposes of the company . Of course this is a legitimate item to include in the returns , but it is of so exceptional a character as to really rob the Institution
of any credit which might attach to it , from the fact of its receipts being a few pounds above those of the Benevolent Institution . It is to that Fund first honours are due for the year 1890 , and we are very
pleased indeed to see this particular Institution has been so well supported . It has so many special features to recommend it , as compared with the Educational Charities , that we rejoice to see it leading in the matter of income—as it really does
this year , for the £ 5 , 000 on the Girls' total is more a matter of capital account than ordinary income , although it is the custom with the Masonic Institutions to ignore such matters as capital or amounts invested in their own land and buildings in making nn their balance-sheets .
When we say the Benevolent Institution has so many special features to recommend it we refer to the special way in which its benefits are distributed . With the two Schools there must always be different opinions as to the way in which funds are expended ,
whether this item is necessary or that judicious , whether too much is being spent on the education of the children , too much on their dress , or too much on food : but with tho Benevolent it is simply a question
of paying an equal sum to each annuitant , who is at liberty to do just what he or she pleases with the money , and it is no concern of the subscribers whether it is spent in rent , food or raiment , so long as the recipients are considered worthy of receiving it , and so conduct themselves as to bring no disgrace on the Fund from which they draw a large portion of their supplies . We recognise the impossibility of carry-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Our Thirty-Third Volume.
OUR THIRTY-THIRD VOLUME .
/ " \ UR readers can hardly appreciate the feelings with which we greet them on tho present occasion , when we have the pleasure of introducing our Thirtythird Volume to the notice of the Craft . 'We to-day start with a number which has been long recognised
as an important one in connection with the degrees of Masonry throughout tho world . We have arrived at the highest point known in the system popular in this country , and hope that in each of the thirty-two stages we have so far passed through wo have done
something to entitle us to yet further advancement . So let it be with our thirty-third degree . We cannot go on keeping pace with the established grades of Masonry , but we hope wo shall long be able to keep adding to our own grades , and that as year by year
the opportunity presents itself of addressing a few words to our readers on the commencement of another section we may have increased reasons for rejoicing , and an enlarged number of supporters to sneak to .
* - * XX X We are much indebted to all who have worked with us , or who have supported us in years gone by , and hope our doings in the future may be so satisfactory as to ensure increased encouragement and patronage from those for whose wants it will be our constant endeavour to cater .
A Year's Benevolence.
A YEAR'S BENEVOLENCE .
THE year 1890 , which has come to a conclusion during the week , has been a successful one for the great charity funds of English Freemasonry , while it will always serve to mark a great turning point in the matter of Masonic Benevolence in the sister Constitution of Scotland . It is only possible to form an idea of what is being done to-day in this direction by comparing the returns of the present
with those of former years , but matters have so altered in this respect that any comparisons based on such lines are nearly , if not wholly , illusory . A few years back the sums contributed to the three great Central Institutions of English Freemasonry represented nearly the whole amount spent in this direction , now there are so many Provincial Funds and Local
Organisations , that a considerable allowance has to be made for sums contributed independent of the London Charities for similar work . It would be very difficult to estimate the extent of these Local Funds , because at present so many of them are in a somewhat experimental stage , but an addition of at least 10 or 15 per cent , to the totals of the London Institu-
A Year's Benevolence.
tions might , we thmk , fairly be made without exceeding or even reaching the income of the various Provincial Charity Funds for the year . But until we can get definite details on this point it will perhaps be as well to omit consideration of such contributions from our annual summaries , as estimated statements on such matters must of necessity be very unsatisfactory - .
During the year just completed the three London Institutions havo received between them a total of £ 55 , 541 19 s 2 d , an amount which compares most favourably with the returns of the past , showing an
increase of upwards of £ 7 , 000 over tho total of 1880 . The Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls on this occasion takes the first placo , with receipts amounting to £ 21 . 763 19 s Id , then follows tho Roval
Masonic Benevolent Institution with £ 21 , 305 13 s 4 d , and last comes the Boyal Masonic Institution for Boys , with a return of £ 12 , 472 6 s 9 d . Tho high position secured during the year by the Girls' School arises from the fact that a sum of £ 5 , 000 is included in the receipts of that Institution during 1890 , as received from the London , Brighton , and South Coast Kailway , for an " easement , " that sum having been
arranged as compensation for ground required for tho purposes of the company . Of course this is a legitimate item to include in the returns , but it is of so exceptional a character as to really rob the Institution
of any credit which might attach to it , from the fact of its receipts being a few pounds above those of the Benevolent Institution . It is to that Fund first honours are due for the year 1890 , and we are very
pleased indeed to see this particular Institution has been so well supported . It has so many special features to recommend it , as compared with the Educational Charities , that we rejoice to see it leading in the matter of income—as it really does
this year , for the £ 5 , 000 on the Girls' total is more a matter of capital account than ordinary income , although it is the custom with the Masonic Institutions to ignore such matters as capital or amounts invested in their own land and buildings in making nn their balance-sheets .
When we say the Benevolent Institution has so many special features to recommend it we refer to the special way in which its benefits are distributed . With the two Schools there must always be different opinions as to the way in which funds are expended ,
whether this item is necessary or that judicious , whether too much is being spent on the education of the children , too much on their dress , or too much on food : but with tho Benevolent it is simply a question
of paying an equal sum to each annuitant , who is at liberty to do just what he or she pleases with the money , and it is no concern of the subscribers whether it is spent in rent , food or raiment , so long as the recipients are considered worthy of receiving it , and so conduct themselves as to bring no disgrace on the Fund from which they draw a large portion of their supplies . We recognise the impossibility of carry-