Guard The Lodge Funds.

GUARD THE LODGE FUNDS .

IlHE writer has always considered it a mistake to use the initiation fees for the Lodge expenses . They should form a charity fund , only the interest of which should be used for charity . If the income should be more than sufficient to meet the annual calls for charity , there would be no impropriety , perhaps , in appropriating the balance for running expenses .

As it is , there seems to be a disposition to expend ( not to say squander ) fche Lodge funds upon furniture , paraphernalia , & c . The result is , that when there is a call for charity many Lodges excuse themselves for not answering it with the plea , " No funds in the treasury . "

The cornerstone , foundation and superstructure of the Masonic edifice in Charity . A Masonic Lodge which does not " help , aid and assist all poor , distressed , worthy Master Masons , their widows and orphans , " is nofc worthy of the name , and ought to have its Charter revoked .

The society of the Cincinnati ( of which the writer has the honour to be a member ) was founded by the commissioned Officers of the Continental Army in 1783 . Every Officer who was admitted a member contributed a month ' s pay to constitute

a charity fund , which was to be kept , saved and invested , the income only to be devoted fco fche relief of indigent members and their families . The result is that the State Societies of the Order have large , permanent funds , securely invested , to meet all calls for charity .

Now , suppose this had been the rule at the initiation of all the Lodges ? All , or almost all , would now have ample funds to render aid and assistance to needy Brethren and their families .

" But , " says some one , "if the initiation fees are all to be laid by to form a charity fund , how shall the Lodge expenses be met ? " In tbe same way that church expenses are met , by voluntary contributions , or by a per capita assessment .

" But , " says another , " some Lodges would nofc be able to meet their expenses in this way . It is hard work to collect the small amount assessed for annual dues . Mauy Lodges would go down , if the members had to pay the running expenses out of their own pockets . "

Well , let such Lodges go down . The Order would be better off with less Lodges ; especially Lodges composed of Masons who are not willing to " pay their own way . " What would be thought of an insurance company which should expend all its receipts in fees for running expenses ; laying up no fund for the payment of losses ?

To be sure , Masonry is not an insurance company , but ifc is liable to calls for charity , and every Lodge ought to have a permanent fund to draw on for relief of beneficiaries . There are Lodges with indigent and distressed members who need help which spend every year hundreds of dollars for rent ,

salaries and other current expenses , whose annual charities do not amount to one-tenth of their disbursements for the above objects . Indeed , it has come to be a proverb , "If you want help during sickness and distress , join tbe Odd Fellows , and you will get a

weekly benefit . It you want to depend on charity , join the Masons , and get—nothing ! " This matter will bear thinking of . Let every Mason put on his " thinking-cap" and consider it . — " American Tyler . "

West London Election Association.

WEST LONDON ELECTION ASSOCIATION .

ON Tuesday , 3 rd inst ., a well attended meeting of the West London Masonic Election Association was held at the Town Hall Tavern , Kensington , with Bro . W . Hellier P . M . as President , and Bro . F . Craggs P . M . as Vice President ; both the Secretaries were also in attendance . The case of Leonard William Cox , as a candidate for the Boyal Masonio Institution for Boys , was warmly supported , and the members present unanimously agreed to do all in their power to carry the case to a successful issue .

West Australian Shares.

WEST AUSTRALIAN SHARES .

HANNAH ' ASSOCIATED MINES . WE referred recently to the £ 1 fully-paid shares of Hannan's Associated Mines ( Limited ) as well worth tho attention of tbe speculative investor at their then price of 10 s per share . Since then they have been largely dealt in on the London Stock Exchange , and are now quoted at about 15 s . Mr . W . G . Brookman , the discoverer of the Great Boulder and other successful West Australian mines , states in his report as follows : "You

have an extremely valuable combination of leases , which will , I have no doubt , prove to contain the Great Boulder Main Lodes , the Ivanhoe Main Lodes , and others , and probably the Lake View Lode . I congratulate you on securing it , and I have no hesitation in recommending this property as one which will yield handsome dividends . " Hannan ' s Associated Mines

( Limited ) owns eleven mining leases , with an area of about two hundred and twenty-eight acres , situated ou the famous Hannan ' s Field , Kalgoorlie , only one hundred and sixty chains south of the Great Boulder , Lake View , and Ivanhoe Mines , and it is expected that the company will strike the celebrated lvaijhoe Lode at tbe 500 ft . level , in which case the price of the shares will rise cut of all proportion to present quotations .

Masonic Garden Party.

MASONIC GARDEN PARTY .

ON Tuesday , 1 st inst ., for the second time within the last four years , by the invitation of Bro . Captain Parry Worshipiul Master of the Palladian Lodge , No . 120 , Hereford , a large number of the Brethren of the Provincial Lodge ( including parties from Ross , Hereford , Ledbury , and other

parts ) had a very enjoyable outing at Harewood Park , proceeding there in Drakes . The Brethren spent the afternoon viewing the picturesque surroundings of Captain Parry ' s residence , and at six p . m . they set down to a sumptuous dinner , which was laid out in the billard room . Bro . E . Knibbs , King's Head Hotel , Ross , was the caterer .

After dinner Loyal and Masonic toasts were honoured , Bro . H . C . Beddoe Dep . Prov . Grand Master responding for the Provincial Officers , which was proposed by the Host , Bro . Captain Parry . Bro . Boddoe proposed tho health of Bro . Parry W . M ., and it was drunk with honours . Bro . C iptain Parry , in responding , expressed the pleasure it gave him to see the Brethren present that day . Songs were afterwards contributed by several of the Brethren , and the party broke up , after spending a most pleasurable day , at about 9 p . m .

Holiday Trips.

HOLIDAY TRIPS .

EXCURSIONS to Ireland and Scotland are still a prominent feature with thc Midland Railway Company , fortnightly trips being arranged to run from St . Pancras and city stations to different parts of the Emerald Isle and Scotland , while return tickets at a third class single ordinary fare for the double journey are also issued to the latter , available for return afc any time within sixteen days .

Cheap trains are also announced to run from St . Pancras on Saturdays , 19 th and 26 th inst ., to the Midland Provinces and different sea-side resorts served by the Company , while there are weekly summer excursions to the Isle of Man , and trips to the Lake District , Lancashire , Yorkshire , Derbyshire and other parts .

THE Great Central Company announce that a special express will be run to Nottingham ( Arkwright Street ) , for the convenience of visitors to fche Nottingham August Races , on Friday and Saturday , 18 th and 19 th inst ., leaving London ( Marylebone Station ) at 9 . 0 a . m ., and returning each day from Nottingham ( Arkwright Street ) at 5 . 50 p . m . Tickets can be obtained from Messrs . Dean and Dawsons , 55 Charing Cross , S . W ., and at the usual ticket agencies .

The five largest Lodges in the United States are : Minneapolis No . 19 , Minneapolis , Minn ., 823 members ; Hiram No . 1 , New Haven , Conn ., 752 members ; Genessee Falls , No . 507 , Eochester , N . Y ., 726 members ; Covenant No . 526 , Chicago , II ., 684 members ; and Grand Eapids , Mich ., 603 members .

Ifc is rather funny to see editors of Masonic papers grow red in the face as they effervesce on the beauties of the universality of Masonry , and then have an epileptic fit over the action of fche Grand Lodge of Washington on the Negro question , — " Orient , " of Missouri .

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The Theatres, &C.

The Theatres , & c .

Court . —8-30 , Wheels within Wheels . Matinee , Saturday , 2-30 . Criterion . —8 ' 15 , First in the Field . 9 , The Wild Rabbit . Globe . —8 , The Gay Lord Quex . Matinee , Wednesday , 2 . Lyric—8-30 , El Capitan . Matinee , Thursday , 230 . Princess ' s . —8 , One of the best . Savoy . —8-30 , H . M . S . Pinafore . Trial by Jury . Matinee , Saturday , 2-30 . Shaftesbury . —8 , The Belle of New York . Matinee , Wednesday and Saturday , 2 .

Alexandra . —Next week , A royal Divorce . Grand . —Next week , Carl Rosa Opera Co . Queen's Opera House , Crouch End . —Next week , Sweet Lavender . Alhambra . —7 . 45 , Variety Entertainment . A Day Off , La Tortojada , & c . Aquarium . —The world's great Show . The Great Fight . Varied Perform anoes , twice daily . Empire . —7-50 , Variety Entertainment . Round tha Tovra again , & c .

London Pavilion . —8 , Variety Entertainment . Oxford . —7-30 , Variety Entertainment . Saturday , 2-30 also . Palace . —7-50 , Variety Entertainment . New American Biograph , & c . Saturday , 2 also . Royal . —7 * 30 , Variety Company . Saturday , 2-30 also . Tivoli . —7 - 30 , Variety Entertainment . Marie Lloyd . Saturday , 2-15 also . Alexandra Palace . —Varied attractions daily . Fireworks , Thursday and

Saturday , & c . Crystal Palace . —Varied attractions daily . The Dream of Whitaker's almanack . Polo , Article Club Industrial Exhibition , Sec . Earl's Court . —Savage South Africa , <& c . Egyptian Hall . —3 and 8 , Mr . J . N . Maskelyne ' s entertainment . Madame Tussaud ' s ( Baker Street Station ) . —Open daily . Portrait models of modern celebrities , & c .