Masonic Aid To Outside Charities.

MASONIC AID TO OUTSIDE CHARITIES .

\\^ E by any means desire to be regarded as » ? selfish in regard to the dispensing of purely Masonic Funds , neither do we intend to entirely sympathise with those who , recognising that Masonic

Chanty should begin at home , also desire that it should stop there ; but at the same time we think it desirable to sound something in the shape of a note of warning in response to the suggestion of the Provincial Grand

Master of Cheshire , who is reported as having said , at the recent meeting of his Provincial Grand Lodge , that " there seemed to him also to be one step further that Masonic benevolence might go—and he believed it was a step that would have the support and sympathy

of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales—namely , that the Province should have the power of subscribing to hospitals and convalescent homes , not necessarily within the Province , to send disabled or convalescent Brethren to those Institutions . "

We are of opinion members of the Craft should be very careful before undertaking anything in the way of an extension of their responsibilities in the matter of Benevolence . The Order at present stands

committed to a very large contribution year by year in order to maintain the three Institutions of the Craft , and nearly every Province into which English Masonry is divided is trying to do something in

addition , wholly in its own district , in the same good cause . Is it wise to start upon a new and almost boundless field of new operations ? We are afraid those who do so will have to curtail their contributions

towards meeting existing responsibilities ; and however commendable it may seem to extend operations it should be our first care to see that existing Funds are

placed beyond the reach of actual want , even if by so doing we have to turn a deaf ear to most deserving outside appeals .

We suppose it may be urged that the three central Institutions of English Freemasonry have no actual right to expect support from members of the Order , and that if the subscribers to Masonic Funds

choose they may give their money elsewhere , without being called to account by their Brother Masons . This is doubtless true , but at the same time we think

it a somewhat dangerous policy to attempt any further alienation of Masonic Funds from those Institutions , if it is desired to maintain them on their present basis .

There are many who consider money can be put to a much better use on behalf of the rising generation by being locally expended than by being contributed to either of the Educational Institutions , and several of

our leading Provinces practically prove this to be the case ; this latest field for the operation of Masonic Benevolence , if it becomes general , may have an

almost similar effect on the Benevolent Institutionand none would regret such a result more than ourselves .

Cheshire.

CHESHIRE .

fHHE annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of J- Cheshire was held at the Chester Town Hall , on Wednesdaj ' , gth inst ., under the presidency of Earl Egerton of Tatton Prov . G . M ., who was accompanied by his Honour Sir Horatio Lloyd D . P . G . M ., and a full attendance of Provincial Officers present and past .

The roll call revealed the fact that there was but one Lodge in the whole Province , namely , the Warren , No . 1276 , not represented , while a considerable number of the Lodges were represented by twenty to thirty Brethren each .

The minutes of the last annual meeting and subsequent special meetings having been confirmed , the Provincial Grand Treasurer ' s financial statement was adopted , on the motion of Colonel Dean P . P . S . G . W .

Colonel Dean next moved , and Brother H . Jackson acting Prov . J . G . W . seconded , the adoption of the annual report of the Committee of Benevolence . This stated that the funds of the Province remained in a very satisfactory condition , and that the fees and dues payable by Lodges

showed an improvement over last year . The amount standing to the credit of the Fund was £ 128 . The sum of £ 10 5 had been subscribed from the Provincial Fund of Benevolence to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , London . The amount subscribed during the year to the

Cheshire M . B . I , was £ 133 , which was regarded as small for a Province with fifty-two Lodges , though the report conceded that many donations had been diverted by the Centenary Festival appeal in London . The Committee of Management of the Cheshire Educational Institution had educated and

clothed forty-eight children , at a cost of £ 386 . This Committee especially thanked the Brethren at Birkenhead for the great assistance to the Institution , at a time when the Province was making a great effort to raise £ 3 , 000 for the Centenary Festival of the Boys School . The report was adopted .

Earl Egerton of Tatton , in the course of his annual address , congratulated the Brethren on the continual and gradual spread of Freemasonry in the Province , as shown by the fact that there were 2 , 625 members of the Craft in the Province compared with 2 , 466 last year . That was a

substantial increase . He was also glad to learn that all the returns of Lodges had been duly sent in and all the dues paid . He observed that the Committee of Benevolence had passed a resolution inviting an annual subscription of two guineas from each Lodge to the Benevolent Institution . He thought

that was a very good suggestion . They were already supporting seven pensioners , and with an additional £ 100 a year they would be able to assist materially a further number of deserving candidates . He had particularly to thank the Brethren of the Province for their response made to the

appeals on behalf of the great Masonic Institutions in London . Having given such excellent support to the great London Institutions , perhaps they might now take a step in advance and give further relief to those of their Brethren in the Province who might be temporarily laid up or disabled by

illness . There seemed to him also to be one step further that Masonic Benevolence might go , and he believed it was a step that would have the support and sympathy of H . R . H . the

Prince of Wales , namely , that the Province should have the power , by subscribing to hospitals and convalescent homes , not necessarily within the Province , to send disabled or convalescent Brethren to those Institutions . He would ask

the Committee of Benevolence to consider this question and make a report to the next Provincial Grand Lodge . Sir Horatio Lloyd D . P . G . M . proposed for the office of Provincial Grand Treasurer Bro . William Peers P . M . 721 and 2609 , Chester , and P . P . S . G . D . Bro . Edward Cuzner P . M . 425 , Chester , seconded . No other name was proposed .