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Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
. 411 Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , aot necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our t ' nrrespondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIE AND BROTHER , —The following passage in the opening paragraph of yonr account of the Boys' School Festival has struck me as being worthy of general consideration . It reads thos : " The amount which Bro . Binckes announced in the course of the evening was £ 11 , 588 , which , it must be conceded , was a goodly sum ,
but nofc exactly in correspondence with what we bad hoped for . Perhaps it is not altogether surprising thafc this Festival of Wednesday shonld have yielded only what it has . The year began very successfully , with an aggregate of subscriptions to the R . M . B . I . amounting , as announced at the time , to £ 12 , 237 , afterwards increased to £ 12 , 500 . The Festival of the R . M . I . G . in May yielded still mora
abundantly , the total being £ 13 , 232 , with , as nsual , more lists to follow . The £ 11 , 588 of Wednesday exhibits the reaction , which is but natural perhaps , after the prodigious exertions afc the previons Festivals , bufc which , in respect of the Boys' School , is none the less lamentable . " Now I am quite ready to admit that Bro . Binckes has had his fair
share of success as compared with the Secretaries of the other Institutions . Ifc cannot be expected , nor is ifc indeed desirable , that the largest subscription list shonld always be in respect of one particular Institution . At the same time , it is impossible to deny that the Boys' School is heavily handicapped in the race for the post of honour for the year . When the Benevolent Festival takes place in February ,
the Craft has had a seven months' rest , if not from Masonic labour , at all events from the anxieties entailed by the canvassing for subscriptions to onr Charities . It is usually in a happy frame of mind , and has its energy for the work of the new year , almost—I might well nigh say entirely—nntrenched upon . In May when the Girls' School Festival is held , there is still plenty of ground remaining to be
worked npon , and quite willing to be turned to good account . But , when we arrive at the end of June , a very large proportion of the Craft's surplus cash has found its way into the coffers of the Benevolent and Girls' Institutions , and the field available for Bro . Binckes ' s labour , having been commensurately circumscribed , cannot in reason be expected to yield so profitable a result . That it has done so on
more than one occasion during the last eight years gives Bro . Binckes an additional claim on the consideration of Brethren , and it is probably owing chiefly to his great energy thafc the School with which he has been officially connected for some twenty-one years has been able to hold its own . My purpose in troubling you with this letter is to suggest that each Institution in turn shonld hold its Festival at the commence .
ment of the year , taking the second place the next year , and the third place in the year following . Thus , if the Benevolent takes the lead in 1883 , let it come third in 1884 , and second in 1885 ; the Girls' School being second in 1883 , first in 1884 , and third in 1885 ; and the Boys' third in 1883 , second in 1884 , and firsfc in 1885 , and so on . By this arrangement , each of the three would have in turn such benefit as must attach to beinsr first in the field and the Craft
rested for half a year from the importunities of canvassers . I do not say this is the best or the only way by which the three Festivals could be arranged , but it has at least the merit of being a fair and eqnitable arrangement . Ifc will be said , perhaps , that Lodges and Provinces give each Institution a turn , and therefore the dates when the Festivals are held
are immaterial—as shown by the returns , in whioh each Institntion will be found to have had the honour of securing the highest amount . Yet I think a reference to the tables yon have published from time to time will show that the Boys' School has only headed the list once in the last five years , while the Benevolent has
done so twice , if not three times . At all events the question is a fair one to consider , and the time is favourable for its consideration . In the hope that others more competent than myself will express their views , I remain , Fraternally yours , L . C . D .
PROVINCE OF DEVON AND THE R . M . I . B .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Referring to the Analysis of the several Stewards' lists for the Provinces , in respect of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys' in your last issue . After giving the amount subscribed by Devon to the late Festival as £ 241 10 s Od , you remark , " But here again we have a local
Charity , which diverts to its own use some of tbe moneys raised by the Craft in the county . " If , by the foregoing you would have it inferred that a portion of the funds of the Province , i . e . ( the Funds at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devon ) , have been taken , used or vi ted
for the local Charity , viz ., the Devon Educational Fund , and by reason of same the amounts given to our Great Central Charities are diminished thereby , —you are in error . As one of the founders of the local fund—the "Devon Educa . tional "—I may state , as a matter of fact , not one penny of the funds of the Province have , up to the present time , been given to the local
Correspondence.
fnnd—the " Devon Educational , " that fund being wholly supported ( as ifc shonld be ) by voluntary subscriptions and donations of indi . vidual brethren . Looking at the very large amount of money received by Devon annuitants annually , male and female , with the many boys and girls elected by Devon into the great Masonic Schools , I trust it
will be long before any portion of the small amount of Provincial funds proper , annually at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge , will be diverted from their legitimate use , namely , to aid and help support our Great Charities in part return for the many benefits received by Devon through its numerous annuitants and orphans elected b y Devon into and upon the Great Charities .
Yours fraternally , CHARLES GODTSCHALK , Representative of the Committee of Petitions of Devon at the Great Charities . 107 Devonshire-road , Holloway , London .
[ Our worthy Bro . Godtschalk must forgive us for pointout that he is in error in supposing that in our statement , " But here again we have a local charity , which diverts to its own nse some of the moneys raised by the Craft in the County , " we had the slightest intention of suggesting that
any portion of the Prov . Grand Lodge funds were diverted from the Central Charities to the Local . What we were anxious to point out was this . Devon has fifty Lodges , and its contribution on this occasion was a little over £ 240 —not so very large a sum for so considerable and
influential a Province , in spite of the fact that it has given most liberally at other Festivals . But we knew there had been latterly established a local educational charity , and that it had already done serviceable work . We knew further , that a Province which has an institution of its own , like
Cheshire , which we also singled out , and Devon , cannot , in reason , be expected to contribute so freely to the Central Institutions , for the simple reason that they are already , by means of their local charity , doing a vast amount of good , and are constantly relieving those central
Institutions of a considerable portion of the pressure which is brought to bear upon their resources . A Province which promotes the education of its own impoverished children cannot possibly be expected to contribute as liberally as
we feel assured it otherwise would contribute to a Charity that is common to the Metropolis and all Provinces . In this sense only must we ask Bro . Godtschalk to interpret our remark , nor had we , at the time of making it , the slightest idea it could have been interpreted in any other sense . —ED . F . C ]
MASONIC MENDICANCY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I should not have considered it worth while to notice the letter of your correspondent" CONSTANT READER , " wbo apparently desires to constitute himself the champion and apologist of Masonic tramps had it not been that two or three brethren have expressed to me their apprehension that snch opinions as his
might , if not met with a reply , have a prejudicial effect on the minds of young and inexperienced Masons . 1 much regret fcbafc " C ONSTANT READER" should have refrained from publishing his name and address , which might possibly have added force to his letter . As it is , I think most Masons will come to the conclusion that tbe anthor is either very young indeed in the Royal Arfc , or that he is himself
the hero of the veracious story he relates of the " destitute " brother who unsuccessfully tackled the brethren afc the bar of some imaginary hotel . Probabilities seem to point to his being the identical " wayworn " gentleman in question , for in any other case I fail to see how he could have arrived at his touching " facts . " If this be the correct rendering of " CONSTANT READER ' S " letter there is no more to be
said , bufc if he is only a very young brother , unacquainted with the subject concerning whioh he writes so fluently , then the sooner he makes himself acquainted with the real facts the better . Living as I do in a city that occupies a central point for travellers , and on the high road between North and South , I have had , perhaps , unusual opportunities of seeing specimens of the Masonic mendicant ,
and when your correspondent expresses his belief that there are " very few who adopt the nomadic profession iu Freemasonry , " he only convinces me that his experiences are of a very limited character . The almoners of the two Lodges in this city could tell a very different story . But your correspondent says , " Such an unworthy brother would surely be detected , and without publishing his name
and bis doings to the world , there shonld be a means of cutting short his career of imposture . " I should be glad to know of a simpler means than the very simple one of exposing him in the Masonic press . " unfortunately happens thafc Masonic tramps have a cunning way of finding out newly made brethren , and , being plausible fellows , usually manage to work upon their feelings and get at their pockets . For tne
some time there has been an understanding in this city that almoners of the Lodges shall be the media for dispensing charity , and that all beggars are to be referred to them . The result of this arrangement has been the detection of a large number of professional beggars , and the sensible diminution of unworthy app lications , which , a few years ago , were unpleasantly frequent . In no case has a worthy brother in distress been refused , bnt , as ifc is the practice to g ive all
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
. 411 Letters must bear the name ani address of the Writer , aot necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our t ' nrrespondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .
THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL
To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIE AND BROTHER , —The following passage in the opening paragraph of yonr account of the Boys' School Festival has struck me as being worthy of general consideration . It reads thos : " The amount which Bro . Binckes announced in the course of the evening was £ 11 , 588 , which , it must be conceded , was a goodly sum ,
but nofc exactly in correspondence with what we bad hoped for . Perhaps it is not altogether surprising thafc this Festival of Wednesday shonld have yielded only what it has . The year began very successfully , with an aggregate of subscriptions to the R . M . B . I . amounting , as announced at the time , to £ 12 , 237 , afterwards increased to £ 12 , 500 . The Festival of the R . M . I . G . in May yielded still mora
abundantly , the total being £ 13 , 232 , with , as nsual , more lists to follow . The £ 11 , 588 of Wednesday exhibits the reaction , which is but natural perhaps , after the prodigious exertions afc the previons Festivals , bufc which , in respect of the Boys' School , is none the less lamentable . " Now I am quite ready to admit that Bro . Binckes has had his fair
share of success as compared with the Secretaries of the other Institutions . Ifc cannot be expected , nor is ifc indeed desirable , that the largest subscription list shonld always be in respect of one particular Institution . At the same time , it is impossible to deny that the Boys' School is heavily handicapped in the race for the post of honour for the year . When the Benevolent Festival takes place in February ,
the Craft has had a seven months' rest , if not from Masonic labour , at all events from the anxieties entailed by the canvassing for subscriptions to onr Charities . It is usually in a happy frame of mind , and has its energy for the work of the new year , almost—I might well nigh say entirely—nntrenched upon . In May when the Girls' School Festival is held , there is still plenty of ground remaining to be
worked npon , and quite willing to be turned to good account . But , when we arrive at the end of June , a very large proportion of the Craft's surplus cash has found its way into the coffers of the Benevolent and Girls' Institutions , and the field available for Bro . Binckes ' s labour , having been commensurately circumscribed , cannot in reason be expected to yield so profitable a result . That it has done so on
more than one occasion during the last eight years gives Bro . Binckes an additional claim on the consideration of Brethren , and it is probably owing chiefly to his great energy thafc the School with which he has been officially connected for some twenty-one years has been able to hold its own . My purpose in troubling you with this letter is to suggest that each Institution in turn shonld hold its Festival at the commence .
ment of the year , taking the second place the next year , and the third place in the year following . Thus , if the Benevolent takes the lead in 1883 , let it come third in 1884 , and second in 1885 ; the Girls' School being second in 1883 , first in 1884 , and third in 1885 ; and the Boys' third in 1883 , second in 1884 , and firsfc in 1885 , and so on . By this arrangement , each of the three would have in turn such benefit as must attach to beinsr first in the field and the Craft
rested for half a year from the importunities of canvassers . I do not say this is the best or the only way by which the three Festivals could be arranged , but it has at least the merit of being a fair and eqnitable arrangement . Ifc will be said , perhaps , that Lodges and Provinces give each Institution a turn , and therefore the dates when the Festivals are held
are immaterial—as shown by the returns , in whioh each Institntion will be found to have had the honour of securing the highest amount . Yet I think a reference to the tables yon have published from time to time will show that the Boys' School has only headed the list once in the last five years , while the Benevolent has
done so twice , if not three times . At all events the question is a fair one to consider , and the time is favourable for its consideration . In the hope that others more competent than myself will express their views , I remain , Fraternally yours , L . C . D .
PROVINCE OF DEVON AND THE R . M . I . B .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Referring to the Analysis of the several Stewards' lists for the Provinces , in respect of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys' in your last issue . After giving the amount subscribed by Devon to the late Festival as £ 241 10 s Od , you remark , " But here again we have a local
Charity , which diverts to its own use some of tbe moneys raised by the Craft in the county . " If , by the foregoing you would have it inferred that a portion of the funds of the Province , i . e . ( the Funds at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Devon ) , have been taken , used or vi ted
for the local Charity , viz ., the Devon Educational Fund , and by reason of same the amounts given to our Great Central Charities are diminished thereby , —you are in error . As one of the founders of the local fund—the "Devon Educa . tional "—I may state , as a matter of fact , not one penny of the funds of the Province have , up to the present time , been given to the local
Correspondence.
fnnd—the " Devon Educational , " that fund being wholly supported ( as ifc shonld be ) by voluntary subscriptions and donations of indi . vidual brethren . Looking at the very large amount of money received by Devon annuitants annually , male and female , with the many boys and girls elected by Devon into the great Masonic Schools , I trust it
will be long before any portion of the small amount of Provincial funds proper , annually at the disposal of the Provincial Grand Lodge , will be diverted from their legitimate use , namely , to aid and help support our Great Charities in part return for the many benefits received by Devon through its numerous annuitants and orphans elected b y Devon into and upon the Great Charities .
Yours fraternally , CHARLES GODTSCHALK , Representative of the Committee of Petitions of Devon at the Great Charities . 107 Devonshire-road , Holloway , London .
[ Our worthy Bro . Godtschalk must forgive us for pointout that he is in error in supposing that in our statement , " But here again we have a local charity , which diverts to its own nse some of the moneys raised by the Craft in the County , " we had the slightest intention of suggesting that
any portion of the Prov . Grand Lodge funds were diverted from the Central Charities to the Local . What we were anxious to point out was this . Devon has fifty Lodges , and its contribution on this occasion was a little over £ 240 —not so very large a sum for so considerable and
influential a Province , in spite of the fact that it has given most liberally at other Festivals . But we knew there had been latterly established a local educational charity , and that it had already done serviceable work . We knew further , that a Province which has an institution of its own , like
Cheshire , which we also singled out , and Devon , cannot , in reason , be expected to contribute so freely to the Central Institutions , for the simple reason that they are already , by means of their local charity , doing a vast amount of good , and are constantly relieving those central
Institutions of a considerable portion of the pressure which is brought to bear upon their resources . A Province which promotes the education of its own impoverished children cannot possibly be expected to contribute as liberally as
we feel assured it otherwise would contribute to a Charity that is common to the Metropolis and all Provinces . In this sense only must we ask Bro . Godtschalk to interpret our remark , nor had we , at the time of making it , the slightest idea it could have been interpreted in any other sense . —ED . F . C ]
MASONIC MENDICANCY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I should not have considered it worth while to notice the letter of your correspondent" CONSTANT READER , " wbo apparently desires to constitute himself the champion and apologist of Masonic tramps had it not been that two or three brethren have expressed to me their apprehension that snch opinions as his
might , if not met with a reply , have a prejudicial effect on the minds of young and inexperienced Masons . 1 much regret fcbafc " C ONSTANT READER" should have refrained from publishing his name and address , which might possibly have added force to his letter . As it is , I think most Masons will come to the conclusion that tbe anthor is either very young indeed in the Royal Arfc , or that he is himself
the hero of the veracious story he relates of the " destitute " brother who unsuccessfully tackled the brethren afc the bar of some imaginary hotel . Probabilities seem to point to his being the identical " wayworn " gentleman in question , for in any other case I fail to see how he could have arrived at his touching " facts . " If this be the correct rendering of " CONSTANT READER ' S " letter there is no more to be
said , bufc if he is only a very young brother , unacquainted with the subject concerning whioh he writes so fluently , then the sooner he makes himself acquainted with the real facts the better . Living as I do in a city that occupies a central point for travellers , and on the high road between North and South , I have had , perhaps , unusual opportunities of seeing specimens of the Masonic mendicant ,
and when your correspondent expresses his belief that there are " very few who adopt the nomadic profession iu Freemasonry , " he only convinces me that his experiences are of a very limited character . The almoners of the two Lodges in this city could tell a very different story . But your correspondent says , " Such an unworthy brother would surely be detected , and without publishing his name
and bis doings to the world , there shonld be a means of cutting short his career of imposture . " I should be glad to know of a simpler means than the very simple one of exposing him in the Masonic press . " unfortunately happens thafc Masonic tramps have a cunning way of finding out newly made brethren , and , being plausible fellows , usually manage to work upon their feelings and get at their pockets . For tne
some time there has been an understanding in this city that almoners of the Lodges shall be the media for dispensing charity , and that all beggars are to be referred to them . The result of this arrangement has been the detection of a large number of professional beggars , and the sensible diminution of unworthy app lications , which , a few years ago , were unpleasantly frequent . In no case has a worthy brother in distress been refused , bnt , as ifc is the practice to g ive all