Charity; Is It Giving?

Craft , which , by illogical action , stands seriously imperilled , to insist that mere giving ia not charity , and that consideration and discrimination , as well as money , aro necessary . With the Old Men and Women's Institution , I tiud no fault , for I know of no faults of management in connection with it . You , Mr . Editor , cau see that I

have not failed iu " logical" support to it ; but I shall only support others when I feel convinced that the money is fitly applied—for charity money can only he " faithfully applied" ( as ia promiaed iu Masonic teachings ) when it is so husbanded that much is done with little . In my humble judgment , Bro . Binckes baa yet to prove , in

regard to the Masonic Boys' School , that the reverse of this ia not the fact , and that the Masonio Institution for Boys does not do little comparatively with much . I , for one , shall be glad to find that this is not tbe case—if it can be shown , and I promise a " logical " , result if it can be .

I am , Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully , DEUX ETOILES .

Honorary Members.

HONORARY MEMBERS .

To the Editor of tht FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I believe that Bro . Smallpeice'a des . cription of the privileges of an honorary member were quite correct , and I myself heard Bro . Hervey , the Grand Secretary , state that an honorary member Lad no status whatever in a Lodge as regarded its

proceedings—that ho could not move or second a resolution , or assume any legislative function whatever , and that all he was entitled to was to attend a banquet of tho Lodge without invitation . I believe some years ago tho Board of General Purposes reported upon this subject to the Grand Lodge , so that all doobta as to the position of

honorary membera should for ever bo set at rest , and was to the effect of that stated by Bro . Hervey . At the same time , although this is tolerably well known , I have heard honorary membera entirely ignore the rule thus laid down , and address the Lodge , in moving and seconding resolutions , with all the authority of paying membera . It

would have been an unpleasant thing for any brother to interrupt the speaker , and tell him he had no right to speak ( unless wanted ) upon the question , but I am of opinion that if any important motion should be carried on the proposition of an " honorary member , " and

that fact was reported to the Board of General Purposes , that such motion would be held to be illegal . These are my impressions , but if I am wrong in my facts , perhaps Bro . Sraallpeice will kindly set me right . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , INQUIRER .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . SIR AND BROTHER , —I find on reference to my file of Grand Lodgo proceedings that the status of Honorary Members has been declared by Grand Lodge . On tho 7 th of December 1864 , a report from the Board of General Purposes to the following effect was accepted by Grand Lodge , and subsequently confirmed : —

_ " The Board have also to report that their attention has been directed to tho question of the status and privileges of what are termed Honorary Members of Lodges , who are not mentioned in the Book of Constitutions . Upon this subject the Board have received a communication from the Colonial Board , which embodies the views of the Grand Registrar , whose opinion the Colonial Board had

consuited . The Board fully coincide in the opinion expressed on the subject by the Grand Registrar , and adopted by the Colonial Board , viz ., that tbe Book of Constitutions does not in any way recognize Honorary Members of private Lodges . When that book speaks of Members , it means only those brethren who are regularly contributing members to tbo funds of the Lodge to which they may belong . Such

brethren only ought to be returned to Grand Lodge as Members of Private Lodges . The status of an Honorary Member must be strictly confined to the Lodge which so elects him , and can in no way give him any position in the Craft outside the door of his Lodge . He can . not , therefore , hold any office in the Lodge , or vote upon any subject which mi remotel

ght , oven y , affect tho Craft at largo . In short , his status and privileges as an Honorary Member entitle him to attend the meetings of the Lodge and partake of its refreshments without the necessity of being introduced by a Subscribing Member , provided always that ho be a Subscribing Member to some other Lodge . Honorary Members havo no other right or privilege whatever . "

This seems to confirm the view taken by your correspondent "FORTE , " to the effect that Honorary Members aro entitled to the privilege of attending the meetings of tho Lodgo conferring the Honorary Membership , and of partaking of ita refreshments without the introduotionof a Subscribing Member . I take it , without pay . m « nt of any fee is implied , though not expressed in tho foregoing Grand Lodge resolution . Yours fraternally , A P . M .

"Things One Would Like To Know."

" THINGS ONE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW . "

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your correspondent "FORTE" asks for further information as to the rights and privileges of honorary znemb » rB > I have carefully studied the Book of Constitutions ) and

"Things One Would Like To Know."

have no hesitation in giving as my opinion quantum valeat that they have no Ujal existence whatever . I have often been present at Lodges where brethren have been elected honorary members , and it hat always been done by show of hands immediately after tho proposition , and has been considered simply as a compliment equivalent to a vote ofthanks for some service rendered either to the Lodge or the Craft .

A few quotations from tho Book of Constitutions will , I think , decide the matter . On p 65 par . 12 : — " No lodge can make a mason , or admit a member , without strictly complying with all the regulations enacted for the government of the craft . " The italics are mine .

Again , p 83 , par . 1 : — " No brother shall be admitted a member of a lodge without a regular proposition in open lodge , nor until his name , occupation , and place of abode .... shall have been sent to all the members in the summons for the next

regular lodge meeting ; at which meeting the brothers grand lodge certificate , and also the certificate of his former lodge are to be produced , and tho decision of the brethren ascertained by ballot . "

Again p 96 , par . 2 : — " Every member of each lodgo within tho London district shall pay towards the fund of benevolence one shilling per quarter . " And p 99 , par . 5 : — " No mason registered under the constitution

of the grand lodgo of England shall receive the benefit of this fund unless ho have paid the full consideration fee . . . . havo continued a subscribing member to a contributing lodge for at least two years , and during that period paid his quarterly dues to the fund of benevolence . "

And the only member of a Lodge exempt from the operation of this regulation are " secretaries who are by their lodges exempted from subscription , " who " shall be considered subscribing members of their lodge . " Now , in the face of the above , how can a Lodge be justified in electing honorary members who pay no subscription ?

and , as the names of all members must be returned annually to Grand Ledge , tho fund of benevolence might thereby be defrauded . If Lodges wish to put members on the free list there is nothing in the " Book of Constitution" to prevent a sum of money being annually voted to a member , and applied to the payment of hia

subscription , but I think that a brother who would accept membership of a Lodge on such terms would not add materially to its dignity . In conclusion , 1 think you will agree with me in the opinion that I have given , that Jtoviorari / members of Lodges have no legal existence whatever .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , 6 Grays-inn . place . W . SIULLPEICE .

The "Off Night" At The Tranquillity Lodge.

THE " OFF NIGHT" AT THE TRANQUILLITY LODGE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLB . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —What a to-do aboat nothing , tyuite a little hurricane in a teacup . Who would have thought a simple word , the obviously intended meaning of which happens to be misapprehended , should be sufficient to create a commotion , causing " OLD FILE " to shake his merry sides with laughter , fill with dis .

gust the sensitive mind of "ONE WHO KNOWS , and irritate tbe presumably even temper of the Reporter of one of your contemporaries . And the cause of the disturbauce ? O ye who care to know , shiver while you read the awful revelation . Why , in these erst , immaculate columns , the supper provibed on the " Off Night" at Tranquillity No . 185 , was actually described as KRITG \ L . After such au outrage ,

what might not happen next r Surely , Brother Editor , if you have the slightest respect for tho reputation of your paper , and comfort of your correspondents , it is your bounden duty to at once dismiss the villainous reporter , order him to a place in the lower regions , or at all events reduce by one-half—at the very least—hia liberal " screw " by way of penalty for the past , and reminder to observe greater

accuracy in future . But , seriously . Iu their zeal the objectors seem to have overlooked that tho obnoxious term might perhaps have been employed in a relative sense . As , for instance , to dine at sixpence per diem may be deemed frugal when placed iu juxtaposition with luxuries obtainable for the expenditure of six shillings and sevenpence halfpenny per week . In like manner , in a Lodge where

fifteen , twenty-one , and on Installation meetings , as much as thirty shillings per head has been expended , and where occasionally a wondrous quantity of champagne and other costly wines and liquors are consumed , a supper , consisting of ordinary joints , with a glass of ale to wash it down , may , I think , fairly be described as frugal , in comparison , without being subjected to an outcry insidionsly implying

want of truthfulness , or , at any rate , lack of judgment . That the Lodge had to pay a rather stiff price for comparatively so poor a spread does in no way militate against the propriety of the description , or the legitimate use of the term . It is really sad to reflect that so much equanimity should have been disturbed by so insignificant a matter , and my sole excuse for occupying your valuable space ,

waste printer ' s ink , and bestow au infliction on your readers , or notice the affair at all , is , that I am reminded that the time is fast approaching when " peace and goodwill among men" is supposed to reign supreme , aud an anxious feeling to practise the Masonic injunction to " restore peace to troubled minds . " It will , indeed , be

most gratifying to learn that my explanation , meagre as it is , has had the effect of soothing the sensibilities of the triune objectors , restore their mental equilibrium , aud so enable them to enjoy the coming festivities ( alas , already marred by a sorrowful event ) , with greater ease and unruffled calmness . With hearty greetings and comp liments of the season to the objectore > the Craft in general } anil