Outside Charity Appeals.

OUTSIDE CHARITY APPEALS .

IN another part of this issue we give a copy of the reply received by the St . Michael Lodge , No . 211 , from the Grand Secretary , in answer to the petition of its members that the Grand Master would sanction a Masonic appeal on

behalf of his Metropolitan Hospitals scheme , and from this we learn that—at least on the 13 th of last month , the date of the letter—the subject was under the consideration of the Grand Master , whose pleasure would be communicated to the

Craft when a final decision was come to . But , as the Secretary of the St . Michael Lodge remarked , the Quarterly meeting of Grand Lodge , on the 3 rd inst ., having been allowed to pass without any reference to the subject , it may

be presumed the matter will be allowed to drop—which we believe will be the wisest course , for , as we said when writing on the subject on a previous occasion , we think that English Freemasonry might rather be asked to specially support its

own funds , as a means of celebrating the long reign of Her Majesty the Queen , than have to meet an official appeal on behalf of outside Charities , no matter how deserving or needy they -may be .

That our views on this question are not in accord with those of the whole of the Metropolitan Lodges we are fully aware , but unanimity upon such a subject is hardly likely of realisation . We know that the suggestions of the

members of No . 211 are entertained by others among us , a fact that is clearly demonstrated by the letter that appeared in the " Daily Telegraph" of yesterday ' s date , from Past Master Street , of the St . James ' s Union Lodge , No . 180 ,

accompanying a donation of twenty-one shillings from twentyone members of that Lodge , and announcing that the Lodge has resolved to make an annual subscription of £ 2 2 s to the Hospital Fund . But this does not prove a general appeal to be either suitable or desirable .

Kent Masons And Canterbury Cathedral.

KENT MASONS AND CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL .

THE following circular letter has been addressed by the Provincial Grand Master ' of Kent to the Brethren under his rule : Montreal , 23 rd February 1897 . DBAB SIB AND BBOTHEB , —Referring to my Circular Letter of 20 th July last , I have now the pleasure to inform you that about £ 800 has already been promised by the Kentish Brethren towards the . window we propose to place in the Canterbury Chapter House .

Unfortunately , my informants misled me as to the cost ; and I find now the total cost of the work will be £ 1 , 000 . Any further subscriptions , therefore , that the Brethren or Lodges may be inclined to give will be thankfully received . As it is necessary that the subscription list should be closed this spring , may I ask that all intimations of further subscriptions should be sent to the Prov . Grand Secretary not later than 15 th May . The subscriptions themselves can be sent to the Prov . Grand Treasurer .

Tbe Dean and Chapter have earnestly pressed for the commencement of the window , that it may be finished by June , when the restored Chapter House will be opened . The window is now in hand , and will , I hope , be an enduring credit to the Freemasons of Kent .

Believe me , Yours faithfully and fraternally , AMHERST .

Sympathy With Greece.

SYMPATHY WITH GREECE .

THE Eev . Canon Eawnsley writes to the " Daily Chronicle " : " At the close of our Masonic Lodge meeting at Keswick , a few Brother Masons determined to forward to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Greece a note of sympathy with

Greek Brethren throughout the world , at this grave crisis in their nation ' s history . The Craft is non-political , non-partisan , but it has a heart , and there seems no reason why , unofficially , it should not let Greek fellow Masons know of its tender concern for their welfare at this juncture . "

Freemasonry And Christianity.

FREEMASONRY AND CHRISTIANITY .

WE have pleasure in re-producing the following forcible remarks of Bro . M'Phail , who addressed the members of St . John Lodge , No . Ill ( S . C . ) , on the occasion of its annual soiree and ball . Eev . Bro . M'Phail , Hobkirk , said he had again to congratulate Lodge St . John on its prosperity , and trusted it might long

continue . Freemasonry was a Christian Institution , the maxims of Christianity were inculcated , and belief in God one of its fundamental pillars in this country . Yet in a highly respectable religious magazine , largely read in England and Scotland , the question was lately put : — " Should permission to hold Masonic

funeral services in churches be granted or refused ? " The answer given was that it should without the slightest hesitation be refused , the reason for this being " that Freemasonry knew nothing whatever of Christ as a Saviour ; the Grand Lodge of France knew nothing whatever of even a God . With that

exception Freemasonry distinctly acknowledged belief in one God ; it refused to receive an avowed atheist into its membership , but it made no distinction between Jehovah , Jove and Lord—Allah and Brahm—it boasted that it welcomed Christians , Jews , Mohammedans , and Pagans . That being so , it then knew

nothing whatever of the Lord Jesus as a Saviour , hence His holy name was most carefully kept out of all its prayers , which always ended with the words ' so mote it be . ' It would be an utter violation , therefore , of the principles of Freemasonry to use in any of its prayers , such an expression as ' For Christ ' s sake , '

accordingly would it not be dishonouring to Christ to allow funeral services in which there was not the slightest reference to Him to be held in a building professedly set apart for His worship .

While admitting that there were many excellent Christians in the Masonic body , for the aforementioned reasons the laying with Masonic ceremonies of the corner stone of a church should be strongly opposed . "

Such misleading statements he could not allow to go unchallenged , and while he for several years acted as Chaplain both to their Lodge and the Provincial Grand Lodge , he had again and again closed his prayers with these words , " For Christ ' s sake . " To say that Freemasons knew nothing of Christ

was so palpably false that unless it was a mark of inexcusable ignorance , the wonder was how a man could twist his conscience to utter it . Masonry needed no defence , but every time these false statements were made , some good true soul was injured , and a word of simple statement of fact could nob be amiss .

Continuing , Bro . M'Phail said : If Jesus Christ is not referred to in the Masonic burial service , then most of those church members who are Masons have not understood their own liturgy . What does this language mean ? " And having fully discharged the great duty we owe to God , to our neighbour , and to ourselves ,

when at last it shall please the Great Master of the Universe to summon us to His presence , may the trestleboard of our whole lives pass such inspection that it may be given unto us each to

eat of the hidden manna , and receive the white stone , with the new name written , that will ensure happiness at His right hand . " Such language bears but one construction . It was spoken by the Holy Spirit to St , John the Eevelator , and was addressed to all