Our Next Care.

OUR NEXT CARE .

HAVING , with such marked success , disposed of the Anniversary Festival of the Benevolent Institution , it might be urged that the Craft could now rest on its laurels for a brief period , and allow its members to pause ere they again took

action in the particular branch of Masonic benevolence in which are to be found the three great Institutions of English Freemasonry . But the exigencies of those great Charities allow of no such respite—with them there must be no rest , but rather

continued and constant activity , in order to maintain them in their present state of efficiency , and through them provide for some few of the needy among the Masonic Brotherhood , or the widows and orphans left by deceased members .

No sooner is one task accomplished in this direction than another looms before us , of like importance with its predecessor , and with equal claims on the generosity and kindheartedness of

members of the Order , and particularly of those who devote themselves to the furtherance of the cause of benevolence in our midst . Thus it is that we find ourselves this week in the

position of welcoming as it were the coming , while we speed the parting guest—adding a word of further congratulation to the Benevolent Institution on the result of its splendid celebration last week , and expressing an equally sincere wish on behalf of

the Festival next to follow : in support of the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls , which is arranged for the 13 th May next , when the Eight Hon . the Earl of Yarborough will preside over a meeting which we trust will prove equally as successful as the first of the celebrations held this year .

Were it not that the traditions of the past do not justify such an assumption , one might be disposed to fear that the grand result of the Old People ' s Festival would militate against the success of its successor on behalf of the Girls School , but

happily the work of benevolence in Freemasonry has so firm a foundation that one outburst of enthusiasm does not of , necessity constitute a source of weakness elsewhere , although in very exceptional cases , such as the celebration of the Centenary of the

Girls School , and the Jubilee of the Benevolent , we have seen a period of comparative quietness following the exceptional efforts made . On the other hand it has often happened that a marked success of one Festival has been followed by a hearty and widely

diffused desire to not only achieve equal results on behalf of the succeeding ones , but to even attain something better—the spirit of friendly rivalry being strong among members of the Craft , and often being happily introduced into the work connected with the support of its Charitable Institutions .

The principle of equality that occupies so important a place in Freemasonry itself is well to the fore in connection with the Institutions , which are usually coupled with each other as equally beneficial in their objects , and similarly deserving of

sympathetic support . No jealous rivalry is made manifest on behalf of the different funds , the feeling rather being to allow each to take its course independent of the others , except , as has often been pointed out , that it frequently seems the official of one or other of them appears to be more concerned as to the

Our Next Care.

success of his companions , than mindful of the needs of his own Institution , although , with such a body as the Masons of England to deal with , and with such a cause as the Institutions of the Craft to work for it is fair to believe that " all things come

to him who waits , " and if one or other of the Institutions is supported by a Lodge in any particular year , to the exclusion of the remaining two , it is generally recognised that it is merely a question of turn , and that in due course support will be accorded

the others . With such a feeling then , prominent amongst us , it is needless to say that the Girls Institution looks with no envious eyes on the Festival just held on behalf of the

Benevolent , or that the supporters of that Festival are upset when it is hoped that the result achieved by the Girls School Stewards may equal the efforts just put forth , or even put them wholly into the shade .

It is not only in pleading on behalf of the Institutions , however , that the equality of Freemasonry is recognised ; it also makes itself manifest when we have occasion to refer to the different Funds ^ each of which is at work in a good cause , each

performing its alloted task , and each equally deserving of support at the hands of Brethren who are able to afford it . True it is that a few of the more enthusiastic supporters of Masonic

benevolence attach themselves to one particular Institution / and seem to work on its behalf to the exclusion of its fellows , but their number is small and their reason for displaying a preference is generally easily discovered .

On the other hand , we do not know of a single case where it can be said that preference is shown to the detriment of the others . The argument always is , do something on behalf of all three if possible , but if a selection must be made then commence

with this or that . This being so we have no necessity for explaining why we so abruptly dismiss the Festival of the Benevolent Institution just held , and turn to that in the near

future on behalf of the Girls School , than to say that the latter is next in order , and as such deserves the attention of the Craft at the moment .

The work accomplished by the Girls School is the principal recommendation to induce general support for the Festival to be held in May next , and this work can be summarised in a very few words : there are 269 pupils on the books of the Institution ,

all of whom are being clothed , educated and maintained as the result of the liberality of the Graft in supporting this most estimable Charity ; but in addition to this very powerful argument there is the fact that , however successful have

been the results of past years , the present moment displays a position of affairs that calls for strenuous efforts if the records are to be maintained—and surely there are none among us who would look with equanimity on a retrogression in this most important adjunct of Freemasonry .

The success of a Festival depends , to a considerable extent , on the number of Stewards who enrol themselves in support of the Chairman for the time being , and we are afraid we are not far

wrong when we say that this year the Girls is particularly short in this respect , the outlook being anything but promising , unless a large number of additional workers can be enlisted in