Correspondence

CORRESPONDENCE

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

THINGS ONE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I notice in your columns an advertisement , headed " London Masonic Charity Association , " wherein it is stated that the Committee of that Association have selected six cases of applicants ( namely Nos . 15 , 30 , 16 , 73 , 77 and 60 ) for admission into tho Bov's School , and six cases , numbered 17 , 27 , 9 , 8 , 15 and 23

from tho list of applicants desiring to bo elected into the Sister Institution at Clapham , as worthy of their support . Is this a sign of tho Association ' s previous success , or is it emblematical of weakness ? I ara myself strongly inclined to view the announcement under the latter phase , as it seems hardly credible that an Association , however strong its voting capabilities may be , has tho power of electing six

candidates from each list ; unless it should happen that tho selection has been made of cases having already high figures carried to their credit , and whose chances of return on tho Scrutineers' list of successinAa are TetrcAexccA almost cevtaia bv theprevioua exertions of friends apart from tho Association , a circumstance which I trust for the credit of the executive of the L . M . C . A . has not been , by them , taken

into account . It is within my remembrance that in the early days of the Association great stress was laid upon the fact that the cases to bo taken up by it were to be those which , to all appearances , had been left out in tho cold by friends instrumental in effecting their location on the list of accepted candidates ; can it be that so largo a number as twelve como at this time under that category ?

I have been for some timo past anticipating the publication of a report detailing what was done at the last election for boys and girls , with a statement of tho Association's action at the election for annuitants in May last , but have hitherto failed to seo it in cither of the two Masonic weekly issues . It wonld bo interesting to know the position of the Association as regards its liabilities for votes borrowed

to secure the return of cases previously advocated , and to read an avowal of tho means proposed to be taken to advance the welfare of tho twelve cases above referred to : I sincerely hopo that tho numerical increase of the cases they purpose working for has not been induced by a desire to obtain assistance from the friends of the applicants whose causes they cxnouso , in order to carry weight before

tho Craft as a successful body of co-operatives , trusting to tho prominence thus freely given of their respective candidature bringing in such a number of votes as will enable tho executive to redeem outstanding pledges , and at the samo timo take to themselves the credit of securing tho election of so largo a number of applicants . Can you or any of your readers enlighten me heroin ! Yours fraternally , QUEIilST .

LONDON MASONIO CHARITY ASSOCIATION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAK SIE AND BROTHEK , —I havo just received a circular , purporting to emanate from a body styling itself the "London Masonic Charity Association , " in which I am informed that tho Committee of tho Association , " having carefully considered the respective claims of the London candidates , " have decided npon recommending

certain cases , of which a list is given , for tho support of the London brethren at the ensuing elections , and my voto and interest are earnestly solicited on their behalf . May I inquire what is this Association ? and what claims it possesses to tho confidence of tho brethren ? Tho signature of a wellknown and highly esteemed brother is appended to the circular , and

if I had received from him , as an individual , an application for my votes on behalf of any single candidate iu whom he might be interested , I should certainly ( unless my votes had been promised beforehand ) , give them in favour of that candidate , as I should assume , and no doubt rightly , that he was thoroughly conversant with tho case , and considered it deserving .

But an Association , whatever may be its constitution , sitting in judgment upon a number of cases , of tho majority of which tho members can havo no personal knowledge , is quite another question ; and I , for one , object to have " recommended " candidates thrust upon mo by a body which must be irresponsible , aud , therefore ,

open to influences likely to render an impartial selection impossible . How can I , for instance , tell whether or not each of the candidates selected is not tho nominee of some member of the Committee , or of somo friend of a member , who pulls the strings at secondhand ?

Now , I have been solicited to support a case which I know to bo most deserving—at least as deserving as any of the " recommended" candidates appear to be ; and it would be interesting to know what ia the process of " careful consideration" to which the claims of the candidates nre subjected , when a gcnttinely deserving

caso is deliberately passed over and relegated to the list cf the not " recommended . " I would advise the brethren not to entrust their votes to this Association until they are informed what process of inquiry was gone through before the twelve candidates were selected , ancl are moreover satisfied that their votes ( if sent open , which I presume is the

Correspondence

intention ) , are not given to one or more especially favoured candidates , instead of being equitably divided amongst those who have already met with tho favour of tho Committee . Yours faithfully and fraternally , A P . M . AND LIFE GOVERNOR .

CURIOUS OLD TAPESTRY .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —During the annual meeting of the Cambrian Archaeological Association they visited , on tho 30 th August , the old timbered residence called "Lymore" formerly belonging to the Lords Herbert of Cherbnry , and which , by the conrtesy of the present owner , tho Earl of Powis , was freely opened for inspection .

This old house , amongst other antiquities , boasts of its well preserved tapestry . Ono room is hung with a magnificent specimen of tho art , depicting the " Visit of tho Queen of Sheba at the opening of the Temple . " Tho figures are drawn very large , and two of them are illustrative of the five points of fellowship . As this tapestry bears

the date 1556 , it evidently must havo been removed from Montgomery Castlo on its destruction in 1619 by order of Oliver Cromwell , tho Herberts being stout Eoyalists . Does any one know * f other tapestry , bearing such evidence of tho antiquity of our ritual ! D . P . OWEN , P . M ., P . Z . 99 S .

Committee Meeting Of The Boys' School.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BOYS ' SCHOOL .

THE monthly meeting of tho General Committee of tho Eoyal Masonic Institution for Boys was held oa Saturday last , in tlio Board Eoom , Freemasons' Hall . Thero wero present—Bros . Joyce Murray ( in the chair ) , Donald M . Dewar , AV . IT . Ferryman , S . Eosenthal , Arthur E . Gladwell , AV . F . C . Moutrie , II . Massey , J . AV . M . Dosell , James AViuter , Frederick Adlard , Dick Badclyft ' e , and F . Binckes ( Secretary ) . Tho minutes of the former meeting having been road

and confirmed , two petitions were read , one from Oldham , Lancashire , and the other from Berkeley , Gloucestershire , nnd tho children petitioned for woro placed on tho list for the election in April next . Ono outfit was granted to a lad who , since leaving the school , had obtained a situation and conducted himself well . Bro . Binckes road two motions , of which notice had boon given for tho next , Quarterly Court in .

October . By Bro . 0 . F . Matier— " That , in law 55 , line 3 , after tho word ' seven' tho word'consecutive' bo omitted . " Hy I ' m . J . A . Birch , proposed alteration of Ilulo 73 , sub-section 2 , to read as follows : — "Tho election and removal of tho Secretary shall bo vested in tho General Committee ; tho voting to bo by balloting piper dnlv forwarded to each qualified member not loss than fourteen days befor . ) tho date o ( election : such balloting papers mtwt be sii'iied by the lvirtv ontitled

thereto , and may bo presented by a member of the Genera ! Committee on his or her behalf nt tho timo of election . " Itio . D ' ck Ear loly tie ' s circular , asking the approval of tho members of tho Committee , as individuals , to the scheme for forming a ' Eoyal Masonic Schools ' Pupils Assistance Fund , ' was explained by liro . Binckes , and the brethren having stated their approval , and givon in their names , the Committee adjourned .

Committee Meeting Of The Benevolent Institution.

COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE Committee of the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution held their monthly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday last . There were preseut—Bros . Col . Creaton Grand Treasurer ( in the chair ) , Col . H . S . Somerville Burney , Capt . K . G . Philips , Dr . Jabez Hogg , S . Eawson , Thomas Cubitt , 0 . J . Perceval , James Brett , L . Stean , Raynham AA . Stewart , C . G . Hill , A . IT . Tattershall , Thomas Good , C . G . Dillej ' , John G . Stevens , F . Adlard , Charles F .

Hogard , and James Terry Secretary . After the minutes had been read and confirmed , Bro . Terry announced tho death of one of the male candidates for election , who had been twice at the head of the unsuccessfullist . The Warden ' s report announced the departure of some of the inmates of tho usylnm for a brief period , and their due return . Bro . Terry also read the Committee ' s report of their visit to

tho Institution , where they found the inmates in good health , considering their years , aud tho Institution in a satisfactory condition . They also recommended that a tool-house should be erected , as it would vacate a portion of the Asylum which might be adapted for the residence of one moro annnitaut . Bro . Terry read aa

estimate which had been given for the erection of a tool-house for £ 38 . On tho motion of Bro . Raynham AV . Stewart , it was resolved to build a tool-house , and to accept the tender which had been read . One widow was granted half her lato husband ' s annuity , and one candidate was added to tho list for the May 1880 election , after which the Committee adjourned .

The Fifteen sections will bo worked at the Corinthian Lod ^ e of Instruction , "No . 1382 , commencing at 0 . 30 p . m ., by the Members of tho Whittington Lodge of Instruction , No . 862 , at the George Hotel , Glongal-road , Poplar , on Tuesday , 23 rd September . Bro . E . R

Tate S . D . 8 G 2 iu tho chair ; H . G . Gush I . G . 1511 S . W ., J . S . Brown SG 2 J . W . FIRST LECTURE—Bros . MeCnllock , Kearney , Gash , Abell , Long , Brown , Thompson . SECOND LECTURE —Bros . Pizzard , Marston , Fox , Hallam sen ., Stacey . THIRD LECTURE—Bros . Larchin , Snellin <* , Hallam jun . W . Long P . M . 435 Preceptor and Hon . Sec .