Masonic Charity Outside The Institutions.

gathering at home . Sightly or wrongly , we shall not now attempt to decide , there is no gainsaying the fact that , under the plea of doing everything as well

as it is possible to do it , the Masonic Institutions spend an enormous amount per head on those they assist . We have often expressed the opinion that , so ui

long as tnere are so many deserving applicants us present offer themselves , it would be well to consider the advisability of adopting some different plans to

those at present in vogue , so as to help a much greater number even at the cost of reducing the amount of each individual ' s relief . Gatherings such

as we are this week enabled to record an example of convince us that our views are shared by others , and that some prefer to afford moderate assistance in their own district rather than devote all their energies

to keeping up the grander , but at the same time—in the minds of many—most expensive luxuries of the Central Institutions .

We have often expressed the wish that it was possible to discover the amount annually expended by Freemasons in England—under all heads—in the practice of Benevolence , and as often have we regretted the impossibility of forming even an approximate

estimate of the amount , which we are sure would be a surprise , not only to the outside world but to those within the Masonic Order . With such Lodges as the

St . Kew to be considered , and happily there are many others on the Register of England who do as much , but perhaps adopt other ways of doing it , we are convinced that even the most enthusiastic guesses which

we have heard ot would tall short ol tne actual total ; while the amount of indirect assistance afforded by Ereemasonry , both to those within its ranks and

those outside of it , is simply incalculable . We cannot do better in concluding our present remarks than tender our fraternal greetings to the

members of St . Kew Lodge , and again offer them the hearty thanks of the Craft for the happy manner in which they have proved to the outside world the beneficial effects of our noble Institution .

Refreshment After Labour.

REFRESHMENT AFTER LABOUR .

IN no matter waa the wisdom of the founders of our Fraternity better displayed than by their inclusion of Refreshment and Labour in the regular curriculum of the Craffc . We must have had Labour , bufc we might not have

had Refreshment . Ifc might have been supposed thafc sufficient social enjoyment could be obtained in the Lodge , between the intervals of Labour ; but we know it could nofc . During Labour no proper opportunity is afforded for this

enjoyment , the intervals referred to being too fragmentary to allow fit occasion for its exercise . The customary law of the Craffc , in this regard , is simply perfect . It was so

afc the beginning , and it has been so maintained in its integrity to the present day . The conservative power of Freemasonry is wonderful : what has been is , and will be .

One of the famous Pharaohs of Egypt , who was distinguished by common sense no less than by royal titles and honours , was Amasis . It was the custom of Amasis to transact all the business which was brought before him in

the morning of each day , and to devote the remainder of the day and evening to entertaining and feasting with his guests . When expostulated witb , by one of his intimate friends , on account of what the latter styled a waste of

time , Amasis replied ( according to Herodotus ) : " Bowmen bend their bows when tbey wish to shoot , and unbrace them when the shooting is over . Where they kept always bent they would break , and fail the archer in time of need . So it is with men . If they -u , ive themselves to

serious work , and never indulge a while in pastime or i sport , they lose their senses , and become mad or moody , j Knowing this , I divide my life between business and pas- ; time . " it is not surprising that this Pharaoh flourished ,

and Egypt prospered under his rule . He is interesting to us , also , as a patron of thu Ancient Mysteries , having erected a Temple to Isis at Memphis , and a sepulchral altar to Osiris afc Sais—the latter of which is now preserved in the Egyptian Gallery of tbe British Museum , London .

Refreshment After Labour.

Imagine a Freemasonry without Refreshment ( for you will have to imagine it , since it has never existed in fact ) , and you will have a work-a-day fraternity whi . ; h would wear out as certainly as a human body , or a wagon . Tho globe

wo inhabit could nofc endure , were it nofc tor the fact ( h . ifc tho several seasons regularly succeed and supplement ; each other . Winter is tbo period for the earth ' s rosfc and recreation , while summer is its time for labour . Men can

never go astray in following tho example of nature . What is best for nature is best for man . Did it never occur to yon how very human nature is ? Ordinarily ifc is regular nnd commendable in its processes—sunshine and shadow ,

heat and cold , rain and snow following each other in the best possible order . But , occasionally , there comes a superheated term , or a drowning rain-fall , or a hlinding , wounding , killing blizzard , and then we look upon nature with

awe . But these are extraordinary proceedings . In human phrase , we should say , nature is then beside herself with passion , or forgetful of her training , or regardless of tho feel in PS of her neighbour—man . We do nofc wonder thafc

certain ancient philosophers asserted thafc there is a soul in nature , that it is a sentient entity , thafc it fell from its high estate , as did man , but will rise again and become regenerate in the future . We believe it will . We believe the

" new earth" will be all that the old earth ought to have been , and a fitting place for fche exemplification of the ancient and conservative Mystery of Freemasonry . But we are nofc left to conjecture as to what

Freemasonry is—ifc is before us— " a thing of beauty and a joy for ever . " It is better than the globe we inhabit , or man that inhabits ifc . It does nofc appear to contain the soeds of its own destruction . Certainly the nobility of its

principles and the beauty and propriety of its customary everyday life are calculated to maintain it in perpetual existence . With Refreshment after Labour as the law of its being , it is destined to hold its place in tho affections of all of its

initiates . Ifc is very well to say that philosophers and moralists could exist without refreshment , bufc we doubt ifc . Philosophers and moralists have hearts as well as minds , stomachs as well as omniums , affections as well as wills ,

and can enjoy amusement and partake of a banquet in a manner tbat is truly unaffected , Freemasons are all-round men . Besides , there is room in the Fraternity for all of us . Whether we be devotees to religion , morality , charity ,

philosophy , the gospel of common sense , or tbe enjoyment of those creature-comforts which tickle the palate , gratify the ear , and please the eye , we find them all in Freemasonry . If we chose , we may select for our personal

enjoyment any one of tbe many sided features of the Craft , bufc the most of us choose to enjoy all . We would not only nofc dispense with either Labour or Refreshment , bufc we would nob have either of them deprived of any marked

characteristic . We have no amendment to propose to " Refreshment after Labour , " as we have none to the Landmarks of Freemasonry—nothing to add , nothing to

substraefc . We have only to desire that the spirit of fraternity shall continue to permeate the brotherhood , and bind it together witb a power more lasting than hooks of steel . —Keystone .

A Masonic ball ( under tbe patronage of the Royal Victorian Jubilee Lodge , No . 2184 , and Henley Lodge , No . 1472 ) will take place at Bro . Buxton's , The Horns Assembly Rooms , Kennington Park , S . E ., on Wednesday , 16 fch inst . Lancing fco commence afc 9 o ' clock p . m .

Brethren fco wear Masonic Craffc clothing . The proceeds ( after deducting expenses ) will be devoted to the Masonic Charities . Double ticket ( to admit lady and gentleman ) , including supper , 15 s ; single ditto ( lady ) , 7 s 6 d ; ditto

( gentleman ) , 10 s 6 d . Tickets may be obtained of tbe Stewards or Committee , or of Bro . Geo . Hughes , Secretary 2184 , 11 Argyle Road , Leytonstone Road , Stratford , London , E .

HOIXOWAY ' OI * YTM * EXT AND Puts .-Old Wounds , Sores and Ulcers . —Dailyexperience confirms the fact wtairh has triumphed over all oppositon for more than forty years , viz .. that no means are known equal to Hollo-way's renrie lies for curing b id legs , bad breasts , sores , wounds , diseases of the *••i n pry a * pel-is , abscesses , burns , scalds , and , in truth , all maladies where the ? kin is broken .

To cure these infirmit es quickly is of prirarv imno-tance . as compulsory confinement i-idoors weakens the general health . Tho ready means of cure are found iu Holioway ' s Ointment and PilLs , which heal tho sons and expel their cause . In the very worst cases the Ointment has succeeded in effecting a perfect cure after every other means had failed in giving adequate relief .