Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Lettcra must lear the name ant address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , hut as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications .

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE IN 1882 . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR Sin AND BROTHER , —Like every one else I have read with the greatest satisfaction your statement of particulars showing the amounts received from all sonrces dnring the past year by onr different Charitable Institutions and the Grants made by the Lodge of

Benevolence daring the same period . Especially worthy of praise ia the total of the "Donations and Subscriptions" which , for the Schools and Benevolent together , amount to £ 40 , 893 17 s 9 d ; and if to this be added , as I think may fairly be done , the " Huyshe Devon Presenta . tiou " to the Boys' School of five hundred guineas , we have a sum of

£ 41 , 418 17 s 9 d raised by the benevolent exertions of the Craft during the year 1882 , of which £ 14 , 139 18 s 8 d—including the aforesaid Huyshe Presentation of £ 525—was received by the Boy ' s School , £ 13 , 927 8 s 4 d by the Girls' School , and £ 13 , 351 10 s 9 d by the Benevolent Institution . As regards the other subscriptions we have , in

respect of the R . M . B . I . for Dividends , Interest and Kent £ 1 , 893 16 s lOd ; from Grand Lodge £ 1 , 200 ( the full amount for the year is £ 1 , 600 ) j and from Grand Chapter £ 150 j together £ 3 , 213 16 s 103 . For the Girls' School we have Grand Lodge £ 150 and Grand Chapter £ 10 10 s 5 Dividends and Interest £ 1 , 499 8 s Id

Purchase Case £ 187 10 s ; Music Fees £ 186 7 s 6 d ; and Miscellaneous £ 8 lis 9 d 5 total £ 2 , 042 7 s 4 d . For the Boys' School Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , as in the Girls' School , together £ 160 10 s ; Dividends £ 530 j Music Fees £ 49 7 s ; total £ 739 17 s . These figures show the following results as regards ( 1 ) Fluctuating Income from

" Donations and Subscriptions and ( 2 ) Permanent Income from Grants by Grand Lodge and Chapter and Dividends—fche other items , such as interest on moneys on deposit , mnsic fees , presentations , & c , being for obvious reasons omitted from the calculation . For the sake of perspicuity I will state them thus : —

"ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . Fluctuating Income from Donations and Subscriptions in 1882 , say £ 13 , 350 0 0 Permanent Income , viz .: — Dividends , Hay £ 1 , 830 Grants 1 , 750 * 3 , 580 0 0

Total £ 16 , 930 0 0 * N . B . Only three-fourths of tho full grant from Grand Lodge received lost year . ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION TOE GIEIS . Fluctuating Income from Donations and Subscriptions in 1882 , say £ 13 , 927 0 0 Permanent Income , viz .:

—Dividends , say £ 1 , 455 Grants , say 160 1 , 615 0 0 Total - * . - ¦ . £ 15 , 542 0 0 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION JOB BOYS . Fluctuating Income from Donations and Subscriptions

in 1882 , say £ 13 , 615 0 0 Permanent Income , viz .: Dividends £ 530 Grants , say ...... 160 690 0 0

Total .... £ 14 , 305 0 0 It will be seen that while the Fluctuating Income of the three Institutions varies but inconsiderably , the Permanent Income of the

Benevolent is vastly more than double that of the Girls' School , and five times as much as that of the Boys' School , while that of the Girls' School is as nearly as possible two and one-third times as much as that of its sister Institution at Wood Green .

Then ihe "Investments stand as follow : — Benevolent Institution £ 64 , 000 Girls' School , say £ 45 , 000 Boys'School £ 15 , 000 There is then a vast inequality in the Permanent Incomes of the

three Institutions , both in respect of those derived from Investments and the Grants by Grand Lodge and Chapter . As regards expenditure , I shall not , I imagine , bo very far out when I state it to be in round figures as follows , expenses of management being included in the case of each Institution : —

Benevolent Institution £ 13 , 500 Girls'School £ 10 , 000 Boys' School £ 10 , 000 Total . . . . £ 33 , 500 This is the sum that mnsfc he provided under any circumstances , if the Institutions are to bo maintained in their-present state ofeffi .

Correspondence.

cienoy . Of course , it will be said—What could be better under the circumstances ? Here is an Income from voluntary contributions of over £ 40 , 000 to meet an expenditure of no more than £ 33 , 500 . Consequently , there is a balance on the right side of the account of £ 5 , 500 , to say nothing of the certain receipt from permanent sources ot a further £ 5 , 885—say , £ 5 , 900 . What I wish to ask , however , is

—How will ifc fare with our Charities , if at some time , nearer or more remote , the Donations ancl Subscriptions from the Craft show a substantial diminution from , say , £ 13 , 000 to £ 10 , 003 for each Institution in the year ? Such a contingency mnsfc be taken into account by a wiso administrative body , and ifc ought in my opinion to be so taken into account forthwith . Wo havo before now had bad harvests , there

may bo , as there has been before , a stagnation in trade , or the country may find itself engaged in a great war , with a triple income tax and heavily-increased customs' dnties to provide for . Whence , in either of these cases , shall we look to obtain the wherewith to maintain and educate our 450 Boys and Girls , and find the annuities for 325 Old Folks ? Wo cannot always expect to have sunshine , and when the

rainy weather comes and is prolonged for some years , as ifc was during fche long war at the close of the last and the beginning of the present century , and as it may be again , can we hope that the Craffc collectively will be much better off than the rest of their countrymen , and that they will be able to find the requisite funds for fche necessities of their Institutions , inst as they do in these piping times of peace ? Much as

T shonld like to do so , I cannot picture to myself so fortunate a state of things . I remember the Crimean War , whioh , though it lasted but little more than two years , cost about one hundred millions sterling . Tbe then income tax of—if I remember rightly—lljd and 16 d in the pound , according to the amount of income—pressed heavily on the well-to-do professional and trading classes from which come

the majority of Craftsmen , and left them bat a narrow margin for the luxury of Charity . We were on the verge of war in 1878 , and , though I have no desire to he thought a Cassandra , it is by no means improbable , that , when the Eastern or some other great question affecting British interests crops up again , we may not be so fortunate as we were a few years ago , and keep clear of the diaturbauo . In short ,

we must not look forward to be always in a position to extract £ 40 , 000 a year from the pockets of the Fraternity . In these circumstances , 1 hold that it will be well if we look the future boldly in the face . During the last few years we have pursued the plan of extending the benefits of onr Institutions , aud having regard to the fact that the permanent income of our three

Charities together is less than one-fifth of their liabilities , I think ifc behoves us to adopt , for some time to come at all events , a policy of consolidation . Let us resolve on making no additions to the strength of our Schools and Benevolent Institution , afc least until the vast inequality between the permanent income and normal expenditure of each is greatly reduced .

I am well aware that this is the reverse of the popular view in regard to our Institutions . They have prospered of late so marvel , lously that it does nofc appear to enter into the minds of Freemasons that the contingency of a war , a succession of bad harvests , or a financial crisis must seriously affect the receipts of our Charities . I am equally well aware thafc a policy of increase has about it a

glorious fascination . I am moreover well aware that the expression of so unpopular a view would be quite uncalled for , if every subscribing Mason gave only the small sum of five shillings a-year to each Insti - tion . Then they would have the wherewith to make the necessary provision for present requirements and afc fche same time to largely

increase their investments against the inevitable rainy day . Bufc I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that between the increased expend , iture of , and the increasing demands upon , our Charities , we are going oufc of our way to invite the very failure of our obligations whioh all members of our Fraternity are so anxious to avoid . Apologising for the length of this letter , I remains fraternally yours , "Q . " London : 8 th . January 1883 .

Masonic Literature.

MASONIC LITERATURE .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAE SIE AND BEOTHEE , —Permit me to congratulate yon , whilst reciprocating the " Compliments of the Season , " upon the new departure whioh your excellent journal has taken , and the improvements which are visible at the outset of your new arrangements . Few but those intimately connected with journalistic work know the

amount of anxiety , thought , and care—to say nothing of expensethat is involved in the production of a newspaper , and if this be true in an ordinary sense , I imagine it is far more so in dealing with a class journal , and particularly one devoted to the interests of our Craft . As a rule , I fear Masons are not quick to appreciate the means placed within their reach , of acquiring information and a store of useful

knowledge . Masonio journals are often heedlessly thrown aside unopened and unread , much to the disadvantage of those who profess to strive after " more light" in pursuance of their study of the Art , All the greater credit is due , therefore , to persistent enterprise , such as your own , to keep before such as are desirous of acquiring knowledge a record of events which are of daily occurrence and interest to the Craft , which should be more nnivesally appreciated than they

are . I have watched with pleasure the steady , consistent course which the FREEMASON ' S CHEONICLE has pursued during the eight years of its existence , and consider tho Craft is indebted to you for the mass

of valuable information and record of Masonic intelligence contained in the volumes which I am proud to point afc , ranged on the shelves of my library . They aro to me a source of infinite pleasure in the hours of relaxation , and invaluable for reference on many points which call for thoughtful consideration in the execution of my Masonic