Public Recognition Of Public Services.

PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF PUBLIC SERVICES .

WHEN wo look around and fcraco fche origin of some of the grandest schemes of which the world can boast , we find them to bo the work of men who hare given their time , their energy , and their experience in

order that others mighfc reap the benefit of their labours . They have striven to establish and maintain organizations for the assistance of their fellow creatures , sometimes at

great personal sacrifice to themselves , bnt throughout tbey have acted with the utmost disregard of self , and have only thought of the benefits which they hoped would accrue from their exertions . Tears afterwards thoy

have perhaps seen the realisation of their fondest hopes , and although the result of the work they accomplished may be the talk of tho world , it not un frequentl y hapoeus

that they—the founders and earl y workers—are almost forgotten , unthought of perhaps , except by one or two with whom they worked in the prosecution of their desires .

We can full y believe it was not the wish of these philanthropists to win distinction when they worked so hard in years gone by , they did not think of the return they would receive for what they were doing , neither

do they now lament having clone what they did , oven if they are without any reward save that to be derived from a clear and satisfied conscience ; bufc is this the way to treat those who have done so much—to leave them

unnoticed and unrewarded ? It cannot be right , but how shall we alter it ? If we make public heroes of all who win that distinction b y their disinterested efforts to benefit the world at large , we shall at onco put a check on the

good work which is ever going on , for those who take the foremost part in it are of that class who do not care to let their left hand know what their right hand is doino * , but there are ways in which tbey can be rewarded honourabl y and satisfactorily .

Applying these views to fche Masonic Order we find that Freemasonry presents numerous instances of men who have done much with the hope of benefiting their fellows , with no other object in view than thafc of cloino * good . '

They have striven hard , have devoted their means and their time in the cause of humanity , and have neither had nor looked for , any public reward for snch services . We need not look further than the Charitable Institutions of

Freemasonry for actual proof of this . Those noble Charities are really the outcome of efforts made years a 0 * 0 by such men as we have referred to , ancl they have been maintained during the many years they have been in existent *

ancl are now being maintained , by the descendants of snoh disinterested workers , men on whom have fallen the mantle of benevolence , and who in turn will transmit it io

others ; for we can hardly imagine that tho world -vill (> V ( H be deprived of a goodly proportion of men who congi'd-n it their duty to do thoir best to relievo distress

Our views in regard to the rewards offered to brethren who work on behalf of the Masonic Charities are known to our readers . We consider them woefully neglected in comparison with the amount of good they accomplish but

at the same time we recognise there is a , difficult y in making any alteration in existing arrangements , although that difficulty is surely one of sentiment rather than ° o reality . The brethren who act as Stewards on behalf of

Public Recognition Of Public Services.

the Masonic Institutions , or who support the Charities in other ways , really perform a public service , but Masonry has not " yet learnt to recognise their actions inf that rop-ard , although wo are nofc without evidences that

a change is gradually taking place . What is really wanted is official recognition from Grand Lodgo , and wo yet have hope that this may some day be forthcoming . Already we find some of tho Provinces undertaking the

duty we would relegate to Grand Lodge—to publicly reward public services ; and occasionally wc hear of a private Lodge making a departure in the same direction , bufc these instances are so rare as to make them stand oufc

the more prominently as exceptions to the general rule . We recently bar ! fcho plea-mre oi witnessing in a private Lodge , such a departure from custom as that to which we here refer , and we are convinced that the brethren then assembled must have felt with us that the innovation .

was well merited , and wished that it was of more frequent occurrence . A member of tho Lodge had acted for three successive years as Steward for one or other of the Charities , and had secured no small amount of credit for his

Lodge by the efforts he had put forward . No doubt he had reaped a most gratifying recognition from fche knowledge that he had done something on behalf of the aged ancl tho orphan , and there are perhaps some who will say

he also has a reward in fcho shape of extra votes for future elections , bufc the members of his Lodge considered him worthy of yet further distinction , aud they conferred on him the highesfc honour it was in their power to

bestow when they publicly presented him with a charit y jewel , the wearing of which is at all times a gratifying distinction , but when it is the g ift of a Lodge the honour attached to ifc is far greater , and yefc the instances when the jewel is thus publicly conferred are rare .

If we look at the matter from a strictly business point of view , we come to the conclusion that a Lodge does nothing more than i . s jusfc when its members present the charity jewel to such of their number

as secure the right to wear it , as it is the Lodge , rather than the individual Steward , which has the credit of raising the money it i . s intended tho jewel shall attract , but the price charged by the Grand Lodge for the

distinction is such as to deter many Lodges from doing what they desire in this respect . We are aware that what costs nothing is apt fco be looked upon as of little value , but when wc remember the price afc which the right to

wear the charity jewel is purchased , we must admit that argument does not apply in connection with it . As we have previously said , we should like to see Grand Lodge publicly recognise the exertions of brethren who act , as

Stewards for the Charities , by presenting the Charity jewel of Freemasonry to all who win the ri ght to wear it , the same as is now done by a few of the Provincial Grand Lodges , and , ns wo have said , occasion , ' ; lly by Private Lod < rof > .

The cost of the Charity jewel is , wo imagine , tho chief obstacle in the way of snch a course as we propose , bufc this could he obviated by making a now design , or so modifying the existing one as to bring its cost , down to a

few shillings , —ifc is nofc tho intrinsic value of such a distinction , but the fact that it is a badge of honour which makes it of value . Even if a jewel similar fco that sold

at the present time by Grand Lodge was presented , it would be a very cheap way of recognising fche immense amount of good which is anmmlly accomplished b y those