Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Subscription Lists At The Recent Festival.
THE SUBSCRIPTION LISTS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL .
"TTTHILE it would never occur to us wantonly to go out W of the way for the purpose of giving offence to any section of the Craft , we are so convinced that those who have taken upon themselves to criticise our analyses of former subscription lists , havo had so little heed for the motives which influenced us that wo hesitate not to submit
a similar analysis of the subscriptions to the recent Boys Festival . As we are moved by the same purpose now as on the previous occasions , and in order that this purpose may not , for the third time , run the chance of being misunderstood , we tell our readers again why it is wo make
these analyses . We said in February , when we discussed the aspect of the List at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , we said again last week , in answer to Lord Leigh's criticism of our conduct , and we repeat now , that our sole object is to show not only what
has been done for the Boys' School this year and by whom , but likewise , and indeed as a natural consequence , " where brethren of energy may find fields open to them in their zealous promotion of the cause of charity . " "We have before remai'ked , and we remark again , that ' •' it is not inst
that the same brethren should be called upon to repeat their donations every year , while others are entirely overlooked , and left out in the cold . " We are anxious " the support accorded to our Institutions " should be " not sectional , but general . " We are aware that many of those who
did not figure on the previous occasion have given freely and without stint at the other Festivals . Some gave last year , others may be reserving themselves for the work of 1877 . Others again are active in supporting local Masonic charities . Still , when we have made every possible
allowance for every possible contingency , there is yet a very considerable section of the Craft which , for reasons we will not stop to inquire into , is " entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " We have no reason for supposing this section is less mindful of its duties . Wo do not doubt
their contributions will be forthcoming when their support is solicited . It is quite on the cards that those who give not are as liberally disposed as those who give . We may analyse a list as it appears in these columns , but we shall not undertake the thankless task of analysing people ' s motives , nor were it Masonic we should do so . We are
content with pointing out who do and who do not give in the recent list . We wish it , moreover , to be understood that we are not going to establish an invidious comparison between this and that Province or Lodge . Wo have no wish to force people into giving . Gifts so given partake
of the character of a forced levy . They are not unlike the " benevolences " of old , to which the sovereign helped himself , whether his subjects were willing or not . In short , we state the plain facts of the case . We leave it to others to
draw what inferences they think proper . Having , for these very obvious reasons , been as careful as we can be to guard ourselves against every possible misconstruction of our motives , we now pass to the consideration of the last subscription list .
The amount of the contributions this year to the Boys ' School , as published in our last issue , represents the very handsome total of £ 12 , 100 , with twenty lists still to come
in . As previously , we class them under three categories—London , the Provinces , and Abroad . Of these , London , represented by eighty-three Lodges , two Chapters , and a Mark Lodge , contributes £ 4 , 675 . Last year eighty-two
The Subscription Lists At The Recent Festival.
Lodges and two Chapters figured in the list , the Mark Degree being represented by " Royal Sussex , " No . 75 , with £ 514 Of the Lodges no less than forty-eight ancl one Chapter appear both years . According to Grancl Lodge Calendar for 1875 , there wero 212 London Lodges ; in
1876 the number had increased to 224 Lodges , and other ? have since been consecrated . It follows then that about one-third , more or less , of the London Lodges have not contributed to the support of the Boys' School , at all
events , since 1874 , at the Annual Festivals . Some of these of course , may have given at odd times during one or other of these two years , while others have supported the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , or the Girls , ono or both . Still there must be a considerable number in which
the cause of Masonic Charity is " entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " We advise our more energetic brethren to bestir themselves , and prevent the recurrence of a like misfortune in future years . For the remark , by no means original , will bear repetition , that what is of general interest
should be supported generally . The Provinces are down for £ 7 , 384 . There are , as our readers are aware , 41 , or taking Beds , Isle of Man , and the Channel Islands into account , 44 Provinces , or groups of Lodges in England . Thirty-one of these are included in this year ' s list , the thirteen
absentees being Beds , five Lodges ; Bristol , eight Lodges ; Cambridgeshire , four Lodges ; Dorset , thirteen Lodges ; Herefordshire , four Lodges ; Monmouth , eight Lodges ; Northampton and Hunts , eight Lodges ; South Wales , Western Division , eight Lodges ; Worcestershire , ten
Lodges ; Yorkshire North and East Ridings , twenty-two Lodges ; Man , three Lodges ; Jersey , seven Lodges ; and Channel Islands , four Lodges . Of these , however , five , namely : Bristol , Dorset , Northampton and Hunts , South Wales—West , ancl Yorkshire North and East , contributed
in 1875 . Still , it remains that eight Provinces or groups are not among the contributing bodies to this Institution , either in 1875 or 1876 . Of the provinces included in the list , Berks ancl Bucks , with fifteen Lodges , is clown for £ 132 , the representative Lodges being 771 ( Windsor ) , 945
( Abingdon ) , and 1101 ( Reading ) , its contribution last year being over £ 280 . Cheshire comprises thirty-eight Lodges , gives a similar amount , and is represented by the same number of Lodges , 425 ( Chester ) , 537 ( Birkenhead ) , and 1357 ( Sale ) . Bro . Hughan acted as steward for the Province
of Cornwall ( twenty-four Lodges ) , and very zealously must he have worked , for the amount of his list is largely in excess of any other steward ' s , and amounted to no less a sum than £ 453 , including the twenty guineas voted recently to our worthy brother by the P . G . L . for his
expenses , ancl by him transmitted to this Institution . Cumberland ancl Westmoreland include seventeen Lodges , the aggregate of whose subscriptions reaches a total of £ 147 . This Province and Cornwall were not in last year , but Cheshire was represented by three Lodges , for a lesser
amount . Derbyshire , with seventeen Lodges , figured both last year and this , four Lodges sustaining its honour at each festival . A Sidmouth Lodge ( No . 164 ) , and an East Stonehouse ( No . 189 ) , the latter with £ 173 and odd shillings , do battle for Devonshire . A Seaham Harbour
Lodge ( No . 661 ) represents the twenty-three Lodges of Durham , the stewards' lists reaching the very considerable amount of £ 275 . Two of the fifteen Essex Lodges contribute together close upon £ 145 . Gloucestershire includes
fourteen Lodges , four of which are represented , ancl contribute together over £ 276 , while the twenty -eight Lodges in Hants and the Isle of Wight arc represented by four of their number , whose joint subscriptions just exceed £ 176 ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Subscription Lists At The Recent Festival.
THE SUBSCRIPTION LISTS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL .
"TTTHILE it would never occur to us wantonly to go out W of the way for the purpose of giving offence to any section of the Craft , we are so convinced that those who have taken upon themselves to criticise our analyses of former subscription lists , havo had so little heed for the motives which influenced us that wo hesitate not to submit
a similar analysis of the subscriptions to the recent Boys Festival . As we are moved by the same purpose now as on the previous occasions , and in order that this purpose may not , for the third time , run the chance of being misunderstood , we tell our readers again why it is wo make
these analyses . We said in February , when we discussed the aspect of the List at the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , we said again last week , in answer to Lord Leigh's criticism of our conduct , and we repeat now , that our sole object is to show not only what
has been done for the Boys' School this year and by whom , but likewise , and indeed as a natural consequence , " where brethren of energy may find fields open to them in their zealous promotion of the cause of charity . " "We have before remai'ked , and we remark again , that ' •' it is not inst
that the same brethren should be called upon to repeat their donations every year , while others are entirely overlooked , and left out in the cold . " We are anxious " the support accorded to our Institutions " should be " not sectional , but general . " We are aware that many of those who
did not figure on the previous occasion have given freely and without stint at the other Festivals . Some gave last year , others may be reserving themselves for the work of 1877 . Others again are active in supporting local Masonic charities . Still , when we have made every possible
allowance for every possible contingency , there is yet a very considerable section of the Craft which , for reasons we will not stop to inquire into , is " entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " We have no reason for supposing this section is less mindful of its duties . Wo do not doubt
their contributions will be forthcoming when their support is solicited . It is quite on the cards that those who give not are as liberally disposed as those who give . We may analyse a list as it appears in these columns , but we shall not undertake the thankless task of analysing people ' s motives , nor were it Masonic we should do so . We are
content with pointing out who do and who do not give in the recent list . We wish it , moreover , to be understood that we are not going to establish an invidious comparison between this and that Province or Lodge . Wo have no wish to force people into giving . Gifts so given partake
of the character of a forced levy . They are not unlike the " benevolences " of old , to which the sovereign helped himself , whether his subjects were willing or not . In short , we state the plain facts of the case . We leave it to others to
draw what inferences they think proper . Having , for these very obvious reasons , been as careful as we can be to guard ourselves against every possible misconstruction of our motives , we now pass to the consideration of the last subscription list .
The amount of the contributions this year to the Boys ' School , as published in our last issue , represents the very handsome total of £ 12 , 100 , with twenty lists still to come
in . As previously , we class them under three categories—London , the Provinces , and Abroad . Of these , London , represented by eighty-three Lodges , two Chapters , and a Mark Lodge , contributes £ 4 , 675 . Last year eighty-two
The Subscription Lists At The Recent Festival.
Lodges and two Chapters figured in the list , the Mark Degree being represented by " Royal Sussex , " No . 75 , with £ 514 Of the Lodges no less than forty-eight ancl one Chapter appear both years . According to Grancl Lodge Calendar for 1875 , there wero 212 London Lodges ; in
1876 the number had increased to 224 Lodges , and other ? have since been consecrated . It follows then that about one-third , more or less , of the London Lodges have not contributed to the support of the Boys' School , at all
events , since 1874 , at the Annual Festivals . Some of these of course , may have given at odd times during one or other of these two years , while others have supported the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , or the Girls , ono or both . Still there must be a considerable number in which
the cause of Masonic Charity is " entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " We advise our more energetic brethren to bestir themselves , and prevent the recurrence of a like misfortune in future years . For the remark , by no means original , will bear repetition , that what is of general interest
should be supported generally . The Provinces are down for £ 7 , 384 . There are , as our readers are aware , 41 , or taking Beds , Isle of Man , and the Channel Islands into account , 44 Provinces , or groups of Lodges in England . Thirty-one of these are included in this year ' s list , the thirteen
absentees being Beds , five Lodges ; Bristol , eight Lodges ; Cambridgeshire , four Lodges ; Dorset , thirteen Lodges ; Herefordshire , four Lodges ; Monmouth , eight Lodges ; Northampton and Hunts , eight Lodges ; South Wales , Western Division , eight Lodges ; Worcestershire , ten
Lodges ; Yorkshire North and East Ridings , twenty-two Lodges ; Man , three Lodges ; Jersey , seven Lodges ; and Channel Islands , four Lodges . Of these , however , five , namely : Bristol , Dorset , Northampton and Hunts , South Wales—West , ancl Yorkshire North and East , contributed
in 1875 . Still , it remains that eight Provinces or groups are not among the contributing bodies to this Institution , either in 1875 or 1876 . Of the provinces included in the list , Berks ancl Bucks , with fifteen Lodges , is clown for £ 132 , the representative Lodges being 771 ( Windsor ) , 945
( Abingdon ) , and 1101 ( Reading ) , its contribution last year being over £ 280 . Cheshire comprises thirty-eight Lodges , gives a similar amount , and is represented by the same number of Lodges , 425 ( Chester ) , 537 ( Birkenhead ) , and 1357 ( Sale ) . Bro . Hughan acted as steward for the Province
of Cornwall ( twenty-four Lodges ) , and very zealously must he have worked , for the amount of his list is largely in excess of any other steward ' s , and amounted to no less a sum than £ 453 , including the twenty guineas voted recently to our worthy brother by the P . G . L . for his
expenses , ancl by him transmitted to this Institution . Cumberland ancl Westmoreland include seventeen Lodges , the aggregate of whose subscriptions reaches a total of £ 147 . This Province and Cornwall were not in last year , but Cheshire was represented by three Lodges , for a lesser
amount . Derbyshire , with seventeen Lodges , figured both last year and this , four Lodges sustaining its honour at each festival . A Sidmouth Lodge ( No . 164 ) , and an East Stonehouse ( No . 189 ) , the latter with £ 173 and odd shillings , do battle for Devonshire . A Seaham Harbour
Lodge ( No . 661 ) represents the twenty-three Lodges of Durham , the stewards' lists reaching the very considerable amount of £ 275 . Two of the fifteen Essex Lodges contribute together close upon £ 145 . Gloucestershire includes
fourteen Lodges , four of which are represented , ancl contribute together over £ 276 , while the twenty -eight Lodges in Hants and the Isle of Wight arc represented by four of their number , whose joint subscriptions just exceed £ 176 ,