Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

THE Board of Benevolence met on Wednesday evening for its June assembly , and was presided over by Bros . J . H .

Matthews . President , D . D . Mercer Senior Vice President , and H . Garrod Junior Vice President . Bros . W . Lake Assist . G . S ., W . Dodd , and G . S . Recknell represented the official department .

Recommendations that the Grand Master should approve of awards made at the May meeting to the amount of £ 740 were first confirmed , and the new list of thirty cases was dealt with as follows : £ 100 in two cases recommended for

the confirmation of Grand Lodge ; £ 40 in three cases , and £ 30 in eight cases referred for the sanction of the Grand Master ; seven grants of £ 20 each , one of £ i $ , four of ; £ io each , and one of £ 5 ; a total of ^ 760 . Three cases were dismissed , and one was deferred .

About Impostors.

ABOUT IMPOSTORS .

THE Masonic designation , " impostor , " may be justly applied to an individual belonging to either of two classes —the profane who pretend to be Masons , or unworthy

Masons . Practically now it may be almost limited to the latter class . In other words , it is impossible for a profane to prove himself a Mason . Get what knowledge he may clandestinely , it is unavailable in lawful Masonic circles . Any examining committee at all competent to perform its

duties can quickly detect such an impostor . This fact clears the field almost entirel y of the first class named . The second class is the troublesome one . Members of it may be able to stand the test of a rigid examination . They were all once " brought to Light , " but have since forfeited the privileges

of a Mason , and the right to aid in distress , by their own deliberate act . They have Deen suspended or expelled for un-Masonic conduct , or non-payment of dues . They have long ceased to be members of any Lodge , or to contribute anything for the support of the Craft . Such men are

withered branches , excrescences on the trunk of Masonry , Masonically dead . Their names are stricken from the roll , and the fault is theirs only . There are too many such Masons—Masons in name , vagrants in act . They go from Lodge to Lodge , striving to live off the Fraternity . They are ,

in the truest sense , unworthy . Yet their pretended needs are always great and urgent . They have no money , no home , no friends . They are strangers in a strange land . Misfortune has overtaken them . They would work , but cannot find an employer . They only desire to get to the next town or

city . Give them once , and you shall never see them again . Very true , perhaps . But many another Mason will see them , and have the same deceptive story retailed in his hearing at harrowing length . Yet , how can Lodges discriminate ? On the instant it is often difficult so- to do . That is the reason

the impostor is always in haste . He must have something " now . " If the Masonic body or Brother act now , he can only act on appearances . The questions to be answered are , First , Is the applicant a Mason ? Next , Is he a worthy Mason ? And last , Is he in distress ? His Masonry may be

discovered by an examination . His worthiness may be attested , to a degree , by his possession of a recently dated Masonic certificate , and the verification of his signature by a comparison of it with the signature on the margin of his certificate . If he be without this , the question of his

worthiness and distress on the instant can only be determined by catechising him with regard to himself and his recent history . Under the pressure of instant request for relief , mistakes cannot but be frequently made . The apparentness of this fact proves the wisdom of that course which , as a rule ,

relegates all such cases to a Board of Relief , or a Committee on Charity , which shall not act until inquiry has been made , and it is established that the applicant is what he assumes to be . Money undoubtedly is improvidently bestowed under any other form of procedure . The only trouble is , that such

a form forbids the granting of that instant relief which is asked , and sometimes required . At the same time it is possible now to communicate so speedily , by telephone , telegraph or letter , that in many instances the desired

information may be speedily gained that will justify the granting of relief , or the denial of it on account of unworthiness . In not a few instances the mere initiation of a process of inquiry will be sufficient to send the " impostor" away .

About Impostors.

Fie courts examination here and now , where he is unknown , not to-morrow , by those to whom he is well known . It is quite time that everywhere a systematic plan should be adopted to further the aid of the worthy distressed Mason , and the exposure and arrest of impostors . The latter have

no rights which good men and true are bound to respect . They are false Brethren , if Brethren at all . They discredit Freemasonry . They deserve to be cast aside among the rubbish . Whoever aids them fosters their imposture .

Whoever lends them is a deluded man . Whoever gives them aid helps a bad cause . The sooner it ceases to pay for the impostor to hang on the outskirts of the Fraternity , the better it will be for Freemasonry . Let the straggling clan of impostors be abolished , carefully , but surely . — " Keystone . "

About Impostors.

ABOUT IMPOSTORS .

BY the death on Sunday , gth inst , of Bro . Arthur Savill , Aldershot has lost another of its most familiar faces and a much esteemed citizen . Though he was never ambitious to share prominently in the government of the town , he took a

keen interest m all that pertained to its welfare and acquired considered property in the place ; it was , however , as a Freemason that he was perhaps best known . His mother Lodge was the Royal Military , at Canterbury , and with this he retained a connection to the last . At Aldershot he became

associated with the Panmure , No . 723 , of which he was elected W . M . ; with the Panmure Chapter , No . 723 , wherein he served as First Principal ; with the Military Mark Lodge , No . 54 , which chose him for its W . M . ; and with the William Stuart Preceptory , No . 76 , whose Eminent Preceptor he

became in due course . Quite recently he was admitted to the Royal Military Rose Croix Chapter , No . 89 . The funeral took place on the 12 th , the many lovely wreaths which hung about the funeral carriage , and gave it the appearance of a floral car , being further evidence of the

great esteem in which Bro . Savill was held , and of the wide circle of his friends . All the Masonic Lodges with which he was connected sent handsome tributes . That from the M . W . I , and Brethren of the Rose Croix Chapter bore indications of its origin in the red cross of geraniums which

lay across the centre of the wreath of white flowers . " Yesterday we welcomed , to-day we bid adieu , " was the inscription in reference to the short term of deceased ' s membership of the Chapter . The wreath from the Officers

and Brethren of the Panmure Chapter had the emblem of the R . A . in red and white in the midst , while other magnificent flowers came from the W . M ., Officers , and Brethren of the Panmure Lodge , and the Officers and Brethren of the William Stuart Preceptory , and the Military Mark Lodge .

THE funeral of the late Brother William Darling , of Keighley , took place on Wednesday , 12 th inst , and was numerously attended . A large number of workpeople , a number of the local Brethren and many business and personal

friends were present . A service at the Parish Church was conducted by the Rev . H . J . Palmer ( rector ) and the Rev . H . B . Lester ( senior curate ) , and Mr . Palmer performed the last rites at the cemetery . The floral tokens were numerous , and included one from the Keighley Lodge .

THE funeral of Bro . William Hugh Crouch , who died on the nth inst , at his residence , New Brighton , took place at Anfield Cemetery , on the 14 th , in the presence of a large

gathering of mourners . The deceased Brother was very popular amongst his colleagues , and had won the distinction of Treasurer of his Lodge , the Egerton , No . 2132 , which was well represented at the funeral .

THE funeral of the late Bro . Henry xkirrows , of Ormskirk , whose death took place under sad circumstances on Friday , 7 th inst , took place at the Onnskirk Parish Church in the presence of a large assembly of sympathisers , including many members of the Craft . Bro . Burrows was one of the Stewards of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 580 .

BRO . GEORGE BROWN Secretary of the St . George Lodge , No . 140 , died somewhat suddenl y at his residence at Brockley , on Saturday , 8 th inst . The deceased , who was

66 years of age , was initiated in St . George Lodge in 1 S 75 . He was elected Preceptor of the Lodge of instruction in 1878 , was W . M . in 1882 , and Secretary since 1883 .