Charity Organizations.

As we have already said , the Association has been in existence since 1871 , and up to the present time tho amounts contributed to it from the members of Lodges in

the Province total up to £ 3 , 999 3 s fid , of which sum £ 3 , 452 lis Od was subscribed to tho A Fund , and £ 546 12 s 6 d to the B Fund , the subscriptions during the whole term , from the several Lodges being as follows : — A Fund . B Fund . No . £ s d £ a d

93 St . Martin ' s , Bnrslem - 111 6 0 11 5 0 347 Noah ' s Ark , Tipton . - 24 3 0 418 Menturia , Hanley - - 412 13 0 103 18 0 419 St . Peter ' s , Wolverhampton . 72 9 0 5 0 0 451 Sutherland , Bnrslem . - 206 17 0 3 15 0 456 Foresters , TTttoxeter - - 82 1 0 21 15 0 460 Sutherland of Unity , Newcastle 220 10 0 28 9 0 482 St . James , Handsworth - 284 11 0 22 13 6 5 ' 2 fi Hononr . Wolverhamoton . 130 4 0 18 10 0

539 St . Mathew ' s , Walsall - 225 15 0 71 15 6 54 G Etruscan , Longton . - 274 10 21 10 6 624 Abbey , Burton-on . Trenfc - 296 2 0 90 3 6 637 Portland , Stoke-on-Trent - 164 17 0 20 2 0 662 Dartmouth , West Bromwioh - 82 19 0 4 9 0 696 St . Bartholomew , VVednesbury 47 5 0 3 10 726 Staffordshire Knot , Stafford - 420 0 0 ? 4 12 0 966 St . Edward ' s , Leek - - 47 5 0 3 2 0

1039 St . John ' s , Lichfield - - iSl 13 U IB 8 0 1060 Marmion , Tam worth - . 110 5 5 0 1520 Earl Shrewsbury , Cannock - 96 12 0 10 6 6 1587 St . Giles , Chendle . . 4 4 0 5 7 0 1792 Tudor , Harborne - - 21 0 0 5 0 0 1838 Tudor Rifle Volunteers - 10 10 0 0 10 0 1914 St . Thomas , Kidsgrove - 1941 St . Augustine , Rugeley - 5 5 0 1942 Minerva , Fenton . . 29 8 0 Total - £ 3452 11 0 £ 546 12 6

The above figures show a state of affairs which we may describe as all but perfection . It is to be hoped that in future summaries there may not be even one blank among the list of Lodges , and then we think we might say the

Province of Staffordshire occupies a position as regards Charity Organization better than any other in the Kingdom ; as it is , we almost doubt whether there is any other which excels it .

The amount contributed to the A Fund during 1883 was £ 573 6 s Od , and of this £ 420 Os Od was expended in the purchase of eighty Life Subscriberships , 16 of which were appropriated to brethren who had completed their payments , while the remaining 64 were balloted for .

During the year , 87 new accounts were opened , 24 by old members commencing a new series , and 63 by new aspirants for the title of " Supporter of the Masonic Institutions , " while as regards the B Fund we have alread y given the figures for the year . The Committee desire

specially to urge npon the brethren "the necessity for increased support to this B Fund , as in the future many cases will have to be assisted , whose election to the London Schools cannot be relied on in consequence of the greatly

increased number of votes required to secure election . " This is a subject which will call for considerable attention at no very distant date , the difficulty of carrying an election at the present day being a matter of grave importance to all associated with the Institutions .

The Association has regularly-appointed Stewards for the Elections , and the way in which the brethren appointed to the office report their doings is not the least interesting of each year ' s work . It is here also that the members will feel the loss of Bvo . Bodenham , -who , with

Bro . Humphreys , has conducted the cases of the Province for some years past . There are other good men ready to take the post vacated by Bro . Bodenham—indeed , it would be very strange if among so many workers there were not—and there is no doubt but that the choice of the members will fall on the most capable . "We think we have now said sufficient to show the

thorough success which has attended the Staffordshire Masonic Charitable Association , and also to show that its founder has fully entitled himself to be ranked among the " Organizers of Charity . " In conclusion , we can but quote the concluding remarks of the Committee in their Report , when , in speaking of Bro . Bodenham , they sav : —

To him tbe Province ia indebted in tbe first instance as the Founder of the Association , and , afterwards , for 10 years down to 1880 , for undertaking the arduous duties , either as Secretary or Treasurer

( occasionally both ); the Elections at same time having been conducted by him with marked success at considerable personal cost and trouble . While ceasing to be so active a worker , it is to be hoped that in the position as life Vice-President , to which he was

Charity Organizations.

elected at the Meeting , held 29 th Jane 1883 , he may for manyyears continue to take an active interest in the welfare of the Association , and that the support from the Brethren may be such that he may watch its continued extension and success .

United Grand Lodge Of Ancient, Free And Accepted Masons Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF Ancient , free and Accepted Masons of England .

His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES , E . G ., & c , & c , & 0 ., M . W . GBAND MASTEB .

A SPECIAL Grand Lodge will be holden at the Fitzwilliam Hall , Peterborough , on Wednesday , the 7 th day of May next , for the purpose of laying , in Masonic Form , the Chief Corner Stone of The Central

Tower of Peterborough Cathedral , by the M . W . The Right Hon . The Earl of Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master , iu the unavoidable absence of the M . W . Grand Master H . R . H . The Prince of Wales , K . G .

The Grand Officers , Masters , Past Masters , and Wardens of Lodges are to assemble at Eleven o ' clock a . m . The Grand Lodge will be opened at a Quarter past Eleven o ' clock precisely .

The Brethren will appear in Black Coats , Trousers , and Ties , and in full Masonic Clothing . By Command of the M . W . Grand Master , Shadwell H . Gierke G . S . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . O . 25 th April 1884 .

rpHE Grand Festival was celebrated on Wednesday ; the - *• preliminary meeting was held in the Temple , at Freemasons' Hall , this being the first time of its being used for an assemblage of Craftsmen since the destructive fire which occurred on the 4 th May last year . Grand Lodge

was opened at five o ' clock , by the Earl of Carnarvon Pro Grand Master , when Lord Holmesdale Provincial Grand Master for Kent acted as Deputy Grand Master ( in the absence of the Earl of Lathom ) , with Viscount Ebrington Provincial Grand Master for Devonshire as Past Grand

Master . The following , amongst other Grand Officers , were present : —The Earl of Milltown S . G . W ., Victor A . Williamson as J . G . W ., Rev . J . Studholme Brownrigg as Grand Chaplain , John D . Allcroft Grand Treasurer , -33 . J . Mclntyre Grand Registrar , Sir John B . Monckton

President of Board of General Purposes , Colonel Shadwell H . Gierke Grand Secretary , Dr . E . E . Wendt Grand Secretary German Correspondence , R . Gooding S . G . Deacon , F . Green and T . H . Devonshire Junior Grand Deacons , Horace Jones Grand Superintendent of Works , Sir Albert Woods

( Garter ) Grand Director of Ceremonies , T . Dolling Bolton Deputy Grand Director of Ceremonies , Raymond H . Thrupp Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies , Colonel Peters Grand Sword Bearer , Lieut .-Col . F . Gough and E . Bowyer Grand Standard Bearers , L . F . Littell Grand

Pursuivant ; H . G . Buss Assistant Grand Secretary ; J . W . Havers P . G . W . ; Revs . * J . W . Hayes , R . J . Simpson , 0 . J . Martyn , H . A . Pickard , T . Cochrane ,

Thomas Robinson , Ambrose W . Hall , Dr . E . Cox , and C . W . Arnold Past Grand Chaplains ; Colonel J . Creaton Past Grand Treasnrer ; W . J . Hughan , T . Fenn , R . C . Else , Dr . Jabez Hogg , 0 . A . Murton , H . Maudslay , J . A . Rucker , R . Grey , J . M . Case , F . A . Philbrick , Q . C ,

J . Sampson Peirce , J . H . Scott , Frank Richardson , Captain 1 ST . G . Philips , Brackstone-Baker , C . W . E . Hntton , Peter de Lande Long , and H . J . Dumas , Past Grand Deacons ; H . D . Sandeman P . D . G . M . Bengal ; Hyde Clarke Representative Grand Lodge Columbia ; Messent ,

S . Mullins , and Charles Greenwood Past Grand Sword Bearers ; R . Turtle Piggott , D . C . L ., and C . A . Dumas P . A . G . D . C . ' s ; C . J . Jekyll P . G . Organist ; W . T . Howe , T . Cubitt , and W . Clarke P . G . Pursuivants . Amongst the other brethren present were Bros . Captain Colvill , C . F .

Hogard , W . Med win , Barclay Perkins , D . P . Cama , P . T . C . Keeble , Fred . Binckes , F . W . R . Hedges , James Terry , G . P . Festa , Bradshaw-Brown , W . Lake , H . Venn , A . M . Broadley , E . F . Storr , Pendlebury , Ockenden , Spratling , George Kenning , Stedwell , F . Adlard ,