Thankofferings.

We come now to Rev . Bro . Simpson's motion , that £ 1 , 000 be voted towards " such charitable objects in India as may be recommended by the Most Worshipful Grand Master . " We say at once , we are more directly opposed to this motion than to tho former . In the first place it is

utterly uncalled for , and for this reason alone we trust Grand Lodge will reject it offhand . India is wealthy enough to promote its own charitable objects . There might have been some reason in making some such proposition when , a short time since , there was a famine in that

country . Famine is one of the direst calamities that can befal the human raco , and India and England are parts of one and tho same empire . Yet if no aid were thought necessary iu such a crisis , no contribution towards a local Indian charity can be needed now . But over and above

this important primary objection , there are eminent reasons why tho funds of Grand Lodge should not be thus carelessly disbursed . It may tickle the vanity of Bro . Simpson to have his name associated with a proposed thankoffering of this character . Some there are , perhaps , who may even

go further , and suggest that a desire for personal fame is at the root of his proposal ; while a few may exceed this limit , and contrive to evolve out of his motion something of that spirit of flunkeyism for which the true Mason has so utter a detestation . We , of course , being perfectly

impartial critics in this and all other cases , and not unmindful of our obligation , not even to hint at , much less to think any evil of our fellows—we say , we very properly scout the existence of such ideas in our reverend brother ' s mind . We take his proposition as it stands . We deal with it on

its merits as they present themselves to men of common sense who are perfectly unprejudiced . Emphatically we urge on Grand Lodge not even to entertain the idea of such a disbursement . There is absolutely not the shadow of a reason why it should . India , we have said , is

wealthy enough to look after its own charities . True , there is enormous wealth in England , but , unhappily , there is a terrible amount of poverty likewise . There was reason in Grand Lodge contributing £ 1000 towards the Patriotic Fund . That fund was started to help ameliorate the

condition of British men , women , and children whom the misfortune of war had disabled , or who were so deprived of their natural guardians and protectors . Tho Prince of Wales ' s visit to India was a royal progress , undertaken for the purpose of cementing more closely the bonds which

unite India and England under the same sovereign Lady . Indians and Anglo-Indians have done much in the way of charity in that country in honour of that visit , and we here have rejoiced and are rejoicing that the Prince is home aeain . For this reason was

it the City of London recently held high festival , and formally congratulated him on his return . If a grand Masonic celebration of the event is thought desirable , by all means let there be one . Or if an enduring Masonic memorial of the visit is considered more appropriate , let

one be established . But , in the latter case , let the memorial be a home one , and if it take the form of a charitable contribution , let us bear in mind the very old yet very true saying , which Bro . Constable so pertinently quoted in his letter , that " Charity begins at home . " True

charity knows , no distinction ,, either of race or creed ; it is bounded by no geographical limits ; it characterises all peoples . But true charity likewise takes heed of that which is nearer , before it deals with that which is more remote . While then there remains any English

Masonic poverty to relieve , Indian or Anglo-Indian Masonic poverty has no claim whatever upon us in this country . Let it be borne in mind that this home Masonic poverty grows with the growth of our home Masonry . The more numerous we become , the more likely are we to have demands

made upon our resources for charity . Bro . Constable indicated , with sufficient clearness , in his short letter , the purposes to winch Grand Lodgo might appropriately devote a portion of any available snrplus it may have it in its power to bestow . Said he : " If Grand Lodge determines

to make a tluuikoftering at this particular time , let it take the form of a contribution to one of onr own charities—say the Boys' or Girls' School ; the former has hardly any invested funds , and a largo outlay ; close upon £ 10 , 000 is being incurred in enlarging the latter . " This was an

essentially practical suggestion , founded on reasons which are obviously sound . Let us go a little further . If we take only the last three elections to the . se charities , we shall find the number of candidates on each occasion was very largely in excess of the number

Thankofferings.

of vacancies . At the spring elections , in 1875 , there were thirty-one girl and forty-eight boycandidatesforthirteen and eight vacancies respectively ; at last autumn elections there were thirty candidates for six vacancies in the girls ' , and fifty-eight for ten vacancies in the boys '; at tho elections

held last month the numbers were forty-three for eleven vacancies in the former , and fifty-nine for sixteen vacancies in the latter . In other words , for every candidate chosen at one of these six elections there were , on an average , at the very lowest computation , about three for whom it was

impossible to make any provision . Would it be just , we ask , with such pressing necessities at home , to give so considerable a sum as £ 1 , 000 to some local charity in India ? If we have spare money to bestow in charity , let us give at home first , and abroad afterwards . While there is a single

Mason ' s son or daughter in this country who stands in need of help , let his or her claims be first satisfied , and let us disburse what then remains in assisting the indigent of other parts of the empire . If we were able to congratulate

our Rev . Bro . Simpson—which wo are not—on the very active part he takes in the working of our home charitable institutions , we should imagine he was induced to bring forward this motion of his in the belief that further

pecuniary assistance was not needed on their behalf . We do not find his name among the Vice-Patrons and Vice-Presidents , or on the Governing Committees of either of our own institutions . We conclude , therefore , that , in his enthusiasm for India , he has quite forgotten there are such

pressing wants at homo . If he merely wishes his proposed memorial should possess some distinctive Indian feature , let him move a gift to the Boys' and Girls' School to be called , as Bro . Constable suggests , " The Prince of Wales ' s Indian Commemoration Gift , " or by some such title . Or , if he

thinks these are already in sufficient funds , there are many other deserving charities in England which sorely need assistance . Under any circumstances , we say again , there is absolutely no shadow of a reason why the moneys of Grand Lodge should be dispensed on any charitable institution in India .

Bro . Simpson ' s motion , though in a certain sense concrete in form , is , in fact , an abstract resolution . He really invites Grand Lodge to bestow £ 1 , 000 on some Indian charity , of which in all probability the Prince will know little beyond the name , and Masonry not even that much . We condemn

all such vague unsatisfactory propositions in the strongest possible terms , and we trust Grand Lodge will reject it by an overwhelming majority . The honour of having obtained

from Grand Lodgo a vote of £ 100 towards exploring the site of King Solomon ' s Temple is enough for one brother to have achieved , even in this country of untold wealth and unrelieved indigence crying aloud lor help .

Masonic Portraits (No. 30.) Fortune's Conqueror.

MASONIC PORTRAITS ( No . 30 . ) FORTUNE'S CONQUEROR .

" I care not , Fortune , what you mo deny ; You cannot rob me of free Nature ' s grace , You cannot shut the windows of the sky , Through which Aurora shews her brightening face j *******

Let health my nerves and finer fibres brace , And I their toys to the great children leavo ; Of fancy , reason , virtue , nought can me bereave . " NATURE in spite of her acknowledged graces , is but a blind nursing mother ; she is constantly attempting

to do coarse work with the finest tools , and she often uses the coarsest and most clumsy weapons in her armoury for the most delicate and difficult operations . We should think ill indeed of a watchwaker who should attempt to separate

the beautiful mechanism of a watch with theturnscrew of a carpenter , or who should venture to lubricate its wheels and pinions with cart grease ; but Dame Nature is ever doing something of this sort . She places the men who shotild

rule , iu lowly stations , and governs us with intellects which would find more fitting employment at the bench or the plough . The square men are constantly and persistently placed in the round holes ; the commanding brains aro

usually subject to the will of fools , and the world jogs on without ever reflecting upon the enormous waste of talent and power which the existing condition of things entails . Occasionally a man of genius pushes his way from the workshop to the forum , or from the furrowed field to the