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Article THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL. Page 1 of 1 Article THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL. Page 1 of 1
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The Subscriptions At The Recent Festival.
THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL .
WE are extremely sorry to hare wounded the susceptibilities of any member of the Craft . We necessarily endeavour to convey any strictures we may feel it our duty to make in the kindest and gentlest tone possible . It is evident , however , from a letter which
appeared last week in these columns , and which bore the signature of " P . M . 408 "—No . 468 being Lodge Light of Birmingham—that sundry of our comments , in an article we published on the 26 th ult ., have caused pain to that worthy brother . We hasten , accordingly , to express our
sorrow . We cannot , of course , expect to please every one , but we may at least hope to wound nobody ' s feelings . However , if P . M . 468 , who has assumed for the nonce what is so often the unpleasant duty of critic , will kindly accompany us through the remarks we made on the
composition of the subscription list at the recent Festival ot the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , we feel sure he will see grounds for altering , or , at the least , considerably modifying the judgment he has passed upon tho tone of our article .
He will kindly note , perbaps , in the first instance , that our opening and closing remarks were for the most part general , not particular . When we came to analyse the list with a view to pointing whence came , and whence did not come the subscriptions , we had necessarily to
individualise . In noting , too , the results of our analysis , that we should specify certain districts was unavoidable . Otherwise , however , we sought to be—and with every respect for "P . M . 468 ' s" judgment , we opine we
wereentirely general in our comments . Again , at the very outset , we stated the purpose of our analysis was " to show our readers not only what was done " on tbe occasion of the Recent Festival , " but also where brethren of energy may find fields open to them in their zealous promotion of
the cause of charity . " And we added significantly , " it is not just that tbe same brethren should be called upon to repeat their donations every year , while others are entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " The meaning of this
is obvious . Certain sections of the Craft give to this particular Charity , and give twice , or even , it may be , many times , because it is brought under their notice and their aid solicited . Other sections , we suggested , have not given on this , or other occasions , not because the inclination to
give was wanting , but because the Institution has not been brought under their notice . It is very evident that if the canvass for subscriptions is not general , tbe subscription list cannot be generally representative of the Craft . Thus we began by palliating , if not entirely excusing , those
Provinces which were unrepresented in the last subscription list , by suggesting the unlikelihood of people giving to a particular charit y if its claims were not brought under their notice . We desired to impress upon our readers that Institutions , such as the Royal Masonic
Benevolent Institution , should be actually as well as nominally supported by the general body , and in this endeavour we were only iterating what the Marquis of Ripon , when he presided at one of our festivals , urged in far more pointed language than any to be found in our recent
article . He went so far as to say , that while a handsome subscription was very gratifying , it was creditable to those who gave , but the reverse of creditable to those who , being able , yet stood aloof from giving . Other presidents have spoken ia similar terms , if not with as forcible
The Subscriptions At The Recent Festival.
language as he did . The idea , therefore , we were insisting upon was very far from being original . Then we cited , in our analysis , both Staffordshire and Lincolnshire as having freely contributed last year , and we
assigned this as the reason why , possibly , the former did not figure at all , and the latter for only a very small sum in the present year . In the next place we must draw the attention of P . M . 468 to the following clause , which occurs towards the end of the article , " Nor do wo for
one moment affirm that the Lodges and Provinces which have not contributed to this Charity have overlooked the claims of the Boys' and Girls' Schools . " And , later on , we add , " we have no hesitation in saying that , apart from what may have been , or will be done for the other two Institutions ,
the claims of the Benevolent Institution are not as warmly or as generally supported as they deserve to be . " Thus taking , in the first instance , the general tenour of the article , and in the next the particular sentences or clauses to which we have just drawn attention , we see no valid
reason why our remarks should not have been accepted in the sense they were evidently intended to bear , and in no other . True , in speaking of Birmingham , wo observed that it was down for nothing this year , and only gave last year " a paltry " ( that is , insignificant ) ( ir sum towards the
service of Masonic Charity . But we are surprised P . M . 468 did not see the evident lapsus calami in this passage . It is so obvious that it should have been read as " the service of this Masonic Charity , " that we confess to feelino *
not a little amused at our correspondent ' s sensitiveness . It was open to him to question the pertinence or propriety of our remarks , but he might have given us credit for not intentionally and flagrantly contradicting ourselves in the course of half-a-dozen lines .
We heartily congratulate " P . M . 468 " and our Warwickshire brethren on the picture he draws of their zeal for the cause of charity . Wo are aware there is no more active member of the Craft , or one more ready to do good service , than Lord Leigh . Nor have we any misgivings
that the Craft in his Province will support him loyall y and handsomely on tbe occasion of the Boys' School Festival in June next . Yet we justify having noted the absence of Birmingham from tbe recent subscri ption list , and having done so " with all the conspicuousness of
italics . ' Birmingham is one of our most populous and wealthiest towns , and with a few exceptions there is none that has a greater number of Lodges . We feel , under these circumstances , that it is incumbent on Birmingham to figure in all three subscription lists , in proportion to its
population and wealth , every year . We have no desire " to goad brethren to contribute to fhis , " or any other " Institution . " Gifts so given would not be charity . We have no desire , indeed it is our duty studiously to avoid holding up Birmingham or any other town " to the reproach of
our Brother Masons . " But a duty , how unpleasant soever it may be , must not be shirked . On glancing at the subscription list which recently appeared in these columns we found large towns and whole provinces unrepresented .
We suggested more than one apology for their absence , at the same time we laid down the very intelligible proposition that institutions whose benefits are open to the o-eneral body should be generally supported .
We have the pleasure to announce that the Grand Lodge of Idaho , U . S . A ., has recognised the Grand Orient of Egypt , and that Grand representatives have been exchanged .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Subscriptions At The Recent Festival.
THE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT THE RECENT FESTIVAL .
WE are extremely sorry to hare wounded the susceptibilities of any member of the Craft . We necessarily endeavour to convey any strictures we may feel it our duty to make in the kindest and gentlest tone possible . It is evident , however , from a letter which
appeared last week in these columns , and which bore the signature of " P . M . 408 "—No . 468 being Lodge Light of Birmingham—that sundry of our comments , in an article we published on the 26 th ult ., have caused pain to that worthy brother . We hasten , accordingly , to express our
sorrow . We cannot , of course , expect to please every one , but we may at least hope to wound nobody ' s feelings . However , if P . M . 468 , who has assumed for the nonce what is so often the unpleasant duty of critic , will kindly accompany us through the remarks we made on the
composition of the subscription list at the recent Festival ot the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , we feel sure he will see grounds for altering , or , at the least , considerably modifying the judgment he has passed upon tho tone of our article .
He will kindly note , perbaps , in the first instance , that our opening and closing remarks were for the most part general , not particular . When we came to analyse the list with a view to pointing whence came , and whence did not come the subscriptions , we had necessarily to
individualise . In noting , too , the results of our analysis , that we should specify certain districts was unavoidable . Otherwise , however , we sought to be—and with every respect for "P . M . 468 ' s" judgment , we opine we
wereentirely general in our comments . Again , at the very outset , we stated the purpose of our analysis was " to show our readers not only what was done " on tbe occasion of the Recent Festival , " but also where brethren of energy may find fields open to them in their zealous promotion of
the cause of charity . " And we added significantly , " it is not just that tbe same brethren should be called upon to repeat their donations every year , while others are entirely overlooked and left out in the cold . " The meaning of this
is obvious . Certain sections of the Craft give to this particular Charity , and give twice , or even , it may be , many times , because it is brought under their notice and their aid solicited . Other sections , we suggested , have not given on this , or other occasions , not because the inclination to
give was wanting , but because the Institution has not been brought under their notice . It is very evident that if the canvass for subscriptions is not general , tbe subscription list cannot be generally representative of the Craft . Thus we began by palliating , if not entirely excusing , those
Provinces which were unrepresented in the last subscription list , by suggesting the unlikelihood of people giving to a particular charit y if its claims were not brought under their notice . We desired to impress upon our readers that Institutions , such as the Royal Masonic
Benevolent Institution , should be actually as well as nominally supported by the general body , and in this endeavour we were only iterating what the Marquis of Ripon , when he presided at one of our festivals , urged in far more pointed language than any to be found in our recent
article . He went so far as to say , that while a handsome subscription was very gratifying , it was creditable to those who gave , but the reverse of creditable to those who , being able , yet stood aloof from giving . Other presidents have spoken ia similar terms , if not with as forcible
The Subscriptions At The Recent Festival.
language as he did . The idea , therefore , we were insisting upon was very far from being original . Then we cited , in our analysis , both Staffordshire and Lincolnshire as having freely contributed last year , and we
assigned this as the reason why , possibly , the former did not figure at all , and the latter for only a very small sum in the present year . In the next place we must draw the attention of P . M . 468 to the following clause , which occurs towards the end of the article , " Nor do wo for
one moment affirm that the Lodges and Provinces which have not contributed to this Charity have overlooked the claims of the Boys' and Girls' Schools . " And , later on , we add , " we have no hesitation in saying that , apart from what may have been , or will be done for the other two Institutions ,
the claims of the Benevolent Institution are not as warmly or as generally supported as they deserve to be . " Thus taking , in the first instance , the general tenour of the article , and in the next the particular sentences or clauses to which we have just drawn attention , we see no valid
reason why our remarks should not have been accepted in the sense they were evidently intended to bear , and in no other . True , in speaking of Birmingham , wo observed that it was down for nothing this year , and only gave last year " a paltry " ( that is , insignificant ) ( ir sum towards the
service of Masonic Charity . But we are surprised P . M . 468 did not see the evident lapsus calami in this passage . It is so obvious that it should have been read as " the service of this Masonic Charity , " that we confess to feelino *
not a little amused at our correspondent ' s sensitiveness . It was open to him to question the pertinence or propriety of our remarks , but he might have given us credit for not intentionally and flagrantly contradicting ourselves in the course of half-a-dozen lines .
We heartily congratulate " P . M . 468 " and our Warwickshire brethren on the picture he draws of their zeal for the cause of charity . Wo are aware there is no more active member of the Craft , or one more ready to do good service , than Lord Leigh . Nor have we any misgivings
that the Craft in his Province will support him loyall y and handsomely on tbe occasion of the Boys' School Festival in June next . Yet we justify having noted the absence of Birmingham from tbe recent subscri ption list , and having done so " with all the conspicuousness of
italics . ' Birmingham is one of our most populous and wealthiest towns , and with a few exceptions there is none that has a greater number of Lodges . We feel , under these circumstances , that it is incumbent on Birmingham to figure in all three subscription lists , in proportion to its
population and wealth , every year . We have no desire " to goad brethren to contribute to fhis , " or any other " Institution . " Gifts so given would not be charity . We have no desire , indeed it is our duty studiously to avoid holding up Birmingham or any other town " to the reproach of
our Brother Masons . " But a duty , how unpleasant soever it may be , must not be shirked . On glancing at the subscription list which recently appeared in these columns we found large towns and whole provinces unrepresented .
We suggested more than one apology for their absence , at the same time we laid down the very intelligible proposition that institutions whose benefits are open to the o-eneral body should be generally supported .
We have the pleasure to announce that the Grand Lodge of Idaho , U . S . A ., has recognised the Grand Orient of Egypt , and that Grand representatives have been exchanged .