Benevolent Institution Lodge Votes.

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION LODGE VOTES .

WHE N the members of Grand Lodge rejected , as they virtually did at the December Communication , the proposition put forward on behalf of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution to confer the rank of Vice-Patron

and Patron on Lodges , Chapters and Masonic Societies , the chief objection urged against the proposed amendment was the harm it was likely to do to the companion Institutions the two Schools ; the votes proposed to be conferred by

the Benevolent Institution being out of proportion to the sums required to be paid for the different qualifications , as compared with those already allowed by the Royal Masonic Institutions for Girls and Boys .

As we said at the time , we do not wholly agree with those who regard the proposal as a direct source of danger to the Educational Eunds , as , in the first place , we do not believe a Lodge or other Society that has decided to give one or two

hundred guineas to either of the Institutions would be influenced by mere number of votes received in return for their money , while in the second place it seems to us that matters would

soon find their level , for if either of the Institutions gives away votes with a lavish hand the number of proxies needed to secure a candidate ' s election to the benefits of that Institution

is almost sure to rise in proportion . As we said in December , such an alteration as was then proposed might affect the Schools for a period , but we think it would lead to serious complications for the Benevolent Institution for all time .

The whole question is one that calls for consideration just now , as it will be seen from the advertisement that appeared in our last , issue that a Special General Meeting of Governors and Subscribers of the Benevolent Institution is to

be held on Wednesday next , to again consider the proposal to enable Lodges , Chapters and Masonic Societies to qualify as Vice-Patrons and Patrons . We can hardly imagine that similar proposals to those of December last will be put

forward , but for our present purpose we are justified in considering the possible results on the basis then set forth , and in doing so we think we shall strengthen the hands of those who are opposed to the suggestions as then submitted .

The proposal that came before Grand Lodge at the December Communication was agreed to at a Special Meeting of the Benevolent Institution on the 15 th November last , and was to the following effect :

"A Lodge , Chapter , or Masonic Society , or any office therein , subscribing One Hundred Guineas in one sum or in sums of not less than Five Guineas each , shall during its existence be entitled to thirty Votes for Annuitants on the particular Fund to which the Donation is paid .

and the Master , or First Principal , or other Officer of such Lodge or Chapter , for the time being , shall be a Vice-Patron of the Institution in right of such payment , and for every additional sum of Five Guineas thereafter subscribed , to four Votes at each election . A Lodge , Chapter ,

or Masonic Society , or any office therein , subscribing Two Hundred Guineas in one sum , or in sums of not less than Five Guineas each , shall during its existonce be entitled to ninety Votes for Annuitants on the particular Fund to which the donation is paid , and the Master , or inrst

Principal , or other Officer of such Lodge or Chapter , for the time being , shall be a Patron of the Institution in right of such payment , and for every additional sum of Five Guineas thereafter subscribed , to six Votes at each election . "

Benevolent Institution Lodge Votes.

The source of the danger we see connected with this proposal is the immense power it would confer on wealthy Lodges or Provinces , if they chose to avail themselves of the privileges offered . It will be in the recollection of our

readers that we question the policy of allowing perpetual presentations to the Benevolent Institution at the price fixed by the Committee—twelve hundred guineas , if the matter is to be treated wholly from a business point of view , as we think it is self evident that the Institution cannot afford to

promise a regular payment of £ 40 a year in return for £ 1 , 260 , that being nearly 3-f * per ceni ., without making any allowance for the management or working expenses of the Institution , which should , to a certain extent , be charged to each

annuity in proportionate sums ; but it seems to us this latest proposition goes much further , for a Lodge or Province giving the £ 1 , 260 outright would be entitled to such an immense number of votes in perpetuity as would enable it to secure

the election of a candidate every two , or at most three years , irrespective of the number of annuities it already enjoyed as the result of using the votes received by reason of the payment of the original £ 1 , 260—a much better arrangement than

purchasing the right to one perpetual presentation , when , of course , only one annuity can be enjoyed at a time . We are not in a position to quote figures in proof of our surmise , but we think six or eight annuities of £ 40 each might

possibly all be in force at the same time , as the outcome of the £ 1 , 260 contributed—a fine return for money . it must be admitted , but one that would entail a heavy drain on someone ' s resources .

To make this statement clearer we may refer to the proposed alteration of November last , quoted above , when we find that the payment of £ 1 , 260 would secure 1 , 310 votes for each election , in perpetuity , as the following summary will show :

100 guineas , first payment , would bring - - 30 votes 100 „ subsequently ( four votes for each five guineas ) - - - - 80 „ 1000 „ ( six votes for each five guineas ) - 1200 „

1310 „ If we take the average number of votes needed to secure the election of an Aged Mason to the £ 40 annuity we think it will be found a judicious use of these 1 , 310 votes each year will result in the return of a candidate every two years ;

sometimes it might be necessary to borrow votes , at others it would be found possible to lend some , and we are of opinion this discloses a state of affairs that justifies our statement that the proposed alteration is , in reality , a source

of danger to the Benevolent Institution itself , far more so than it is to the companion Charities ; and this being so we are anxious to see what course the Governors and Subscribers of

the Institution will adopt at the coming Special Meeting , in order to protect its own interests as well as preserve the good feeling that has hitherto existed between the three Funds of English Masonic Benevolence .