The Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

annually , firstly for thoso who have friends , and will need no help , and then for those who will require no more than is now given , we shall find but very few left who aro likely to possess talent which it will be wise on our part to encourage and develop farther .

Nor do we think there is any justice in the charge that by establishing a Pnpils' Assistance Fund we shall be placing tho children of our Schools on the level of mere " paupers . " We pride ourselves not unnaturall y on giving these children such an education as in all probability they

would have received had their parents lived or remained in prosperous circumstances—an education such as unhappily for them tho " pauper " children of this country are not in the habit of receiving . All it is proposed to do further is to place thoso retiring pupils who may need

such help , where they will have the opportunity of turning tho education wo havo given them to good account . Wo may trust tho Executive of tho Fund to investigate most carefully tho merits of each case submitted to them . ' Wo may take it for granted they will not assist those whoso

friends are in a position to help them or who are themselves unworthy of help . Wo see no reason , therefore , to suppose that tho Fund will bo administered extravagantly any moro than that there will be need of any large sum to meet all requirements . The children will feci they have some ono

to look to when they are entering on tho active duties of life , somo ono who will fulfil the part of guardians , but without undertaking all the customary responsibilities of guardianship . In short , whero an income reckoned by thousands is necessary towards tho maintenance of each

School a few hundreds will meet the exi gencies of the Assistance Fnnd and suffice for loth Schools . And be it remembered that in some of our largo public schools , where admission is obtained by presentation or nomination , and tho children aro fed and taught out of tho schools' funds ,

those of them who attain a certain position are retained for a further term of years and then sent up to Oxford or Cambridge afc tho school expense out of funds specially provided . We think we have reported pretty well everything that

can bo urged in favour of or against the scheme now under contemplation . As to the manner in which the Fund should be administered , it is hardly yefc timo to attempt delineating this . It may be managed in much the same fashion as the Fund of Benevolence , or as laid down in Bro . Clabon ' s

resolutions—which were , however , withdrawn—for the establishment by Grand Lodgo of a Pupils' Aid Fund . But of one thing wo are well assured . It will not need the services of a paid staff to do what will be required . There will bo somo kind of au Executive , the members of which will

be chosen out of the governors and other supporters of the Fund . There will be Trustees , in whoso name the moneys raised will be invested , an honorary Treasurer , and a Secret iry ; but as the duties of the last-named will be light , even if they do not partake rather of a formal character , it will

only bo necessary that his honorarium , if any , should he commensurate . However , we cheerfully leave for future consideration the arrangements it may be found necessary to make , in the full conviction that of whatever nature they may be , they will involve only a trifling outlay .

One word more and we have clone . It has been said that the promoters of the scheme havo mado an entire " change of front . " Of tho grounds for this assertion we are in ignorance . The ideas which havo animated tho brethren who have busied themselves so successfully and paved tlie

way for its establishment havo been tbo samo always . Certainly they havo acceded , in consideration of the largo amount of support they have received , to a wish widely expressed to incorporate as one of the first objects of the Fund the assistance of unsuccessful candidates for the

existing Charities , but this can hardly bo called a " change of front , " inasmuch as it was a part of the plan of the projectors—save that at first ifc was thought the rendering of this assistance would be out of the question for some years to come . It yefc remains to be seen whether

they have taken too sanguine a view of the position , but we are assured that experience warrants the assumption that at an early date a surplus will accrue , and this surplus wc agree with the Founders could not possibly ho devoted to a better object than to assist those candidates who , being

unsuccessful , are now debarred from participating in the bounty of the Craft . Small grants for short periods will hero bo the rale , and an incalculable amount of good must follow . Tho projectors have done what they have clone without hope or expectation of reward ; not only this , —they have taken

The Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

it upon themselves to defray out of their own pockets the expenses which havo been necessarily incurred . The moneys already paid over towards the Fund have been lodged in the Bank of England , and there they will remain till such time as the organisation has been settled and tho

Executive is in fall working order . A code of regulations having been drawn up , tho Fund will then be administered in the manner proscribed and for tho purposes contemplated from the outset , or since included in tho programme , that

is , in helping former pupils of our Schools , who may need help , in making a good start in lifo . And the Fund once launched into being will no doubt fulfil its object most successfully .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for tho opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name anl address of the Write , ; not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

I THE MASONIC RITUAL . I To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CnRoxicxt :. DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , — -I fancy I remember to havo onco hoard a story of a gentleman who was both owner and occupier of a vory

nico and well-built honse . Liko other houses , ifc had occasionally stood in need of repairs ; occasionally , too , it was fonnd thafc re-deeoration was necessary . Even ia tho best regulated mansions somo portions of tho wood or stono work require to be renewed now and again . TJnsightlinesses , iu tho form of dnst and other " matter in

tho wrong place , " havo to bo removed . Fresh fittings and furniture aro now and then necessary , nnd this particular honse was no exception to the general rule . But though tho periodical cleaning and furbishing up had been scrupulously attended to , tho original fabric remained substantially tho samo as when it was first built . All of a sudden the owner came to bo seized with a desire to re-arran > ' 0 tho

house ho had dwelt in with so much comfort for so many years . Ono of those kindly-disposed friends who aro never so happy as when suggesting or making somo change had visited him , and , whilo admitting tho houso wag a vory excellent one , had pointed ont that an enlargement here , a curtailment thero , a re-arrangement elsewhere , would make it tho most comfortable house in tho world . Tho

alterations wero begun accordingly . This room was enlarged afc the expense of tho hall , that afc tho expense of the library . One change led on to another , and when finally tho alterations wero complete , it turned out thafc little , if any , of tho original structure was loft , and after having incurred a large amount of expense , the owner -was any . thine but satisfied with tho new state of things thafc had resulted from

his friend ' s advice . "Well , ifc strikes mo that Freemasonry is like this " nice and well-builfc house , " and tho Craffc is the owner of it . In the course of its occupancy , extending now over upwards of 1 G 0 years , certain repairs and redecorations havo been found necessary , and , in particular , owing to some weakness in the foundations , or , moro probably still , to tho unsatisfactory nature of the soil in -which thoy

had been laid , there was for between seventy and eighty years a hugo fissure in the main support of tho building . Wise architects , how . ever , were called in . The foundations wero strengthened in every part , and afc length , by means of clamps and other appliances , tho gap was healed up , and tho houso afc once became noted for tho coin , fort and convenience of its arrangements , and tho richness of its

fittings and furniture . Of course , as years went on , rubbish had to bo removed , and tho rooms tidied up periodically ; yet tho building remained intact , and as solid and substantial as ever . All of : i sudden it occurs to somo one tho character of tho house should bo changed . Tho entrance is too narrow , tho space within ton contracted in some parts , and in others too extended . It may havo pivvii

satisfaction to tho occupants , but it is nofc in harmony with tho original design . In short , the Tomplo of Freemasonry , according to their ideas , must bo reconstructed . Tho notion that only tho removal of that extraneous matter , which is sure to find-its way info every building , is necessary is absurd . It is not enough thafc up till now it has been found sufficient for tho accommodation of all peoplo

who aro willing to express their belief in a Gud , or that its forms ami ceremonies have been so compiled and arranged as to coullicfc as Iittlo as possible with the religious idiosyncrasies of its dill ' eront profossmv . The Jews and others , says Bro- Gottheil , " labour under the necessity of so altering the sense" of our ceremonies " as to suit their convictions . " Possibly tho same may be said of Christian brethren . It

is the great merit of Freemasonry that it oners opportunities for men of all creeds to meet together in perfect harmony . . Insfc as different clergymen of the Church of England differently interpret the Articles of thafc Church , so Christian , Jew , Alahommcdan , Hindu , itc , are at liberty to interpret , each according to t ' uo light thafc is in him , the Aitides of Masonry . These Articles express

certain general truths , which existed when there were ID religious differences iu tho world , and exist still . Thoso truths , however , with all due respect for thoso who differ with me , aro not , it . seems to me , possible of acceptance by men of no creed at all , because , with ; ill tho liberal-mindeduess I am anxious and able to bring to boar wvm

tho question , I da not see how such people can he brousrht fo . 'i ^ ypi anything they will regard as binding on what , for want of a befer word , I suppose I mnst call their " conscience . " I cannot couceiro how any one can live and not be a deist of somo kind or other . Ail nations offcho earth , with the exception of some not nwh ht ' ylu-r than brutes , in all ages of tho world , have had somo kind of deity or doit ioj