Local Charities: West Lancashire.

LOCAL CHARITIES : WEST LANCASHIRE .

A MEETING of those charged with the management of the West Lancashire Hamer Benevolent Institution for Aged and Distressed Freemasons was held on the 16 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope Stieet , Liverpool , under the presidency of Bro . E . G . Bradley

P . M . 249 . There was a numerous attendance , and in the course of the proceedings an annuity of £ 26 was granted to each of six applicants . The 20 th annual report of the Executive Committee ( of which Bro . J . E . Bottomley is the Honorary Secretary , and Bro . T . J .

Jarman the Honorary Treasurer ) is as follows : —The Provincial Grand Secretary in his last report informed you that the number of Freemasons in this Province now totals 7 , 160 , being an increase on the previous year of 403 , but , notwithstanding this increase in the number

of our members , the donations and subscriptions to this Institution are only £ 9 over the amount received last year . We are sorry to receive so little support from Lodges outside the Liverpool district , as out of sixty-six Lodges so situated , only twenty have subscribed to our

funds , whilst , on the other hand , only one Lodge out of the forty-one town Lodges failed to make us some contribution . We do not expect these country Lodges to give so largely as town Lodges , but we certainly do think that every member ought to contribute at least the

modest sum of half-a-crown a year , in addition to what may be granted from the funds of the Lodge . But whilst our income is standing still , our expenditure is gradually increasing , and during the past year has amounted to £ 236 , distributed amongst thirteen poor

Masons , against £ 165 to ten distressed Freemasons in the previous year . From tho increased number of our members ( which during the past nine years amounts to 2572 ) , we may in future years expect more calls for assistance from this excellent Institution than have

hitherto been made . It is therefore but prudent to prepare to meet any applications which may be made by those who are in distress . As we have alluded to the many Lodges who have not assisted , so we must , on the other hand , express our thanks to such Lodges as

823 , 1182 , 1387 , 1473 , and 2215 ; but the Lodge which lias made the largest contribution ever received is the Kirkdale Lodge , No . 1756 , and , although not made in the exact style in which we should like to see it ( halfa-crown from each member ) , yet we are content , and

trust they will continue their liberal contributions . We also desire to thank all the other Lodges which are regular and consistent givers according to their means ,

and who , when the time comes to ask our aid , may do so without scruple and without diffidence . —Liverpool Mercury .

THE same afternoon , under the presidency of Bro . Captain J . D . Murray P . G . Treasurer , a meeting of the Governors of the West Lancashire Alpass Benevolent Institution for Distressed Widows of Freemasons

was also held at the Masonic Hall , when the applications of fifteen candidates were considered , the result being that all the appeals were granted , the gross sum thus voted in annuities being £ 263 , the individual grants

raging from £ 12 to £ 26 . The statement of accounts showed an income of £ 1 , 790 17 s 6 d , no fewer than 88 Lodges of the Province out of 107 having contributed . The fund had made possible the placing of fifteen widows

on the benefits of the Institution . Bro . G . A . Harradon P . P . G . Treas . was elected as Treasurer , in place of Bro . E . Wylie , resigned , and Bros . E . Kite and J . Pittaway were re-elected as Honorary Secretaries .

Cornwall.

CORNWALL .

THE ninth annual meeting was held at Truro , on the 16 th inst . The statement of accounts showed a total sum of 190 guineas available for distribution by ballot , and various votes of five and ten guineas respectively were drawn . The officers were thanked for their services and re-elected .

Victoria.

VICTORIA .

AT the twenty-sixth annual meeting of the Freemasons' Charitable Institution of Victoria , held at

Victoria.

the Freemasons' Hall , Melbourne , it was announced that the donations received from Lodges and members for the past year were £ 161 2 s 9 d , as against £ 226 2 s 6 d received during the previous year , but considering the very great depression that existed over the colony , the

decrease , the Committee of Management thought , wd ' s not greater than could be anticipated . The special amounts received during the year included the sum of £ 85 7 s 7 d from the late District Grand Lodge Scottish

Constitution ; £ 10 from the Board of Benevolence of the Grand Lodge of Victoria ; and £ 131 12 s lOd being dividend of Is 3 d in the £ on the Institution ' s deposits in the Land Credit Bank .

Lectures In Lodges.

LECTURES IN LODGES .

E VEEY Masonic Lodge is under many more obligations to its individual members than would at first thought seem possible . "When a Lodge accepts a candidate who has petitioned in good faith , it assumes a

debt , not easily discharged , and one which is never paid in full until the last clod of earth has been placed on the little mound that marks his last resting place on earth .

When a candidate presents himself for initiation he should be received decoiously , and should be iufoimed by tbe W . M . or sonre old member of the fraternity , that the ceremonies through which he is about to pass contain many important and useful lessons ; that these lessons

are not to be taught by Hash lights thrown upon his mentality , to-Obe forgotten as soon as the last ray fades from the screen , but to be pondered—to be studied

earnestly , prayerfully , with a view to gaining the largest amount of benefit possible , not only to himself , but to all who may need the helping hand of the philanthropist .

No indecorous conduct should on any account be permitted in the Lodge or preparation room , nor should it be necessary to tell the candidate that noihing had been done in a spirit of levity , because levity can claim no place in Masonic ceremonies . In a church , where

persons of all ages and conditions are admitted , levity is not tolerated during services , then why should such a body , composed entirely of men who theoretically at least have arrived at an age that has put away boyish

things , be guilty of a breach of decorum in the presence of a candidate who is entitled to the highest possible amount of benefit to be derived from our initiatory ceremonies ? No person is allowed to receive the degree until all fees are paid .

If a member is in distress , from any cause , he is entitled to the sympathy of the Lodge , which should be shown in the manner best calculated to relieve his

distress ; but it may be well , in connection , to say that sympathy , either abstract or material , may be easily wasted ; consequently , care should be taken not to be so wasteful as to run the fountain dry .

While a Lodge may owe a needy member pecuniary assistance , it at the same time owes him an education in fortitude and self reliance that ought to prevent any man of ordinary ability from becoming a dependent .

It means that the Officers of a Lodge ought to be competent to give instruction to the members ; that the members ought to have sufficient . intelligence to profit by such instiuction . It means that Masonry is not for

amusement , but for mutual improvement . Not play , but work . It means that we are making a mistake in shelving the patriarchs of our Lodges , where temperance , fortitude , prudence and justice are the cardinal virtues .

Call upon good , intelligent men for lectures upon any topic concerning the welfare of humanity , and see that your W . M . delivers a lecture , or part of a lecture , on one of the first three degrees of Matonry at least once during his term of office . You will be astonished to see how

much talent you have m your Lodge , and will cease to be divided into factions on account of incompetent members crowding to the front . When you require

your W . M . to be something more than a parrot , you will have cropped the wings of some of your most ambitious disturbers . Dedicate your Master ' s chair to wisdom , and insist