The Latest Theory About Masonic Charity.

such report or reject it in favour of some other and still worthier proposal . This appears to us to bo a plain , straig htforward way of dealing with the matter . The movement is the movement of the Craft , which has made known its wishes through Grand Lodge . It will not be

too late or come with " a halting grace " in September . The grace of the whole thing lies in the determination to commemorate , not in the nature of the memorial , which , after all , is a matter of opinion only . And having advocated a particular proposition unavailingly , it appears to us to be a great

p iece of churlishness for any one to turn round and say to those who have prevailed : We admit your proposal is in accordance with the primary duties of the Order , that it is more popular than ours . Wo think , however , you have made a great mistake ; this being so , and as you , the majority , have

rejected the kind of memorial which we , the minority , advocated , let us have no memorial at all . Such a suggestion might very reasonably havo emanated from a certain personage in Lcndon Assurance , but it augurs ill for the wisdom of Masonic journalism when it is made with a

solemnity the most painful , and after a week ' s agony of mind the most intense . We are sorry so elaborate a preparation should have ended so ridiculously . We looked for some very imposing result , and we have an article , one-half of which is devoted

to self-praise , while the other half , when it states nothing mischievous or inopportune , is—and we say it with becoming respect—the most pitiful display of nonsense we have ever read . It is mischievous to lay it down that a primary duty may bo lightly regarded at any time . It is wrong to

attribute Masonic benevolence to selfishness , and narrowmindedness , under any circumstances , but especially inopportune is it to question the sterling character of our benevolence just a few clays before one of our most important festivals . It is just then AVO most need the co-operation

of tho whole Craft , ancl some , if they are told it is selfish and narrow-minded to give only to Masonic Charities , may close their ears and draw tight their purse-strings against every appeal for contributions rather than bo thought selfish ancl narrow-minded . As to the other utterances of

our contemporary , we havo shown thoy ai * c unfounded , or uncalled for ; more than this is not necessary . It only remains for us to add that , while its language more than justifies the remarks we have made , we do not for a single moment imagine that our contemporary means what it says . It is

far too anxious to promote the well-being of Freemasonry to intend anything detrimental to its own interests . When it has fully recovered from the recent strain imposed on its intellectual energies , it will , doubtless , recognise the errors it has unintentionally committed .

Masonic Portraits (No. 33). A Soldier Op Fortune.

MASONIC PORTRAITS ( No . 33 ) . A SOLDIER OP FORTUNE .

" O , your desert speaks loud ; and I should wrong ifc , To lock ifc in tho wards of covert bosom , When ifc deserves , with characters of brass , A forted residence ' gainst tho tooth of time , And raznro of oblivion . "

MANY a civilian who has never fought elsewhere than in the peaceful struggles of social life has just as much claim to the title of a soldier of fortune , as any of the brilliant throng of military men who have achieved eminence without the aid of any other weapons than their

swords . The hght for existence m a communit y like ours is always severe , and none but the robust in body and mind may hope to achieve success . Courage , perseverance , ancl industry , combined with talent , will help a man to the highest stations in life . " Luck " or " chance " have little

to clo with a man ' s social condition , but every "human failure " who lounges at a street corner , or wears out the remnant of his wretched existence as a mere drudge of the desk , is almost sure to point out his successful rivals as the favourites of fortune . The " human failure " declares that

the successful men who have passed him in the world ' s race have been exceptionall y favoured , while his merits and his labours have been unrecognised . Those amongst us who are accustomed to observe are fully assured that the men who

succeed are not , as a rule , able to boast of much aid from the fickle goddess . They had the good sense to make their opportunities ; they were observant enough to wait ancl watch for that flood tide in their affairs which should bear

Masonic Portraits (No. 33). A Soldier Op Fortune.

them far beyond the drones who " cared not how the metal of their minds was eaten by the rust of idleness . " In the course of a busy career it has been our fate to be acquainted with many persons who have been the architects of their own fortunes . Most of these successful men havo

exhibited marked and conspicuous ability ; thoy bad all the shrewdness of tho citizen of the world , ability to read the minds of those with whom they wero associated , and that fine tact and foresight which are so invaluable to a

man of business . No difficulties daunted them , no trials were too severe for their highly tempered patience , and they won because they were masters of that " high chess game whereof the pawns are men . "

The brother , whose firm and well-cut features are at this present writing vividly before our mind ' s eye , is one of tho many champions who have carved out a career without any aid from fortune or friends . He has fought a good fight , and has conquered . His career has been a

chequered one , but he can look back with satisfaction upon his battles with tho world , and may fairly boast that ho owes his present position to his own sturdy arm and clear and active brain . His march up the hill " difficulty " has been trying and tedious , but while the second rate men

were sliding slowly clown , his firm foot yielded no step of tho advantages it had gained , and his march was ever onward and npward . He was born at Plymouth in 1824 , of a good family , in which town his father was settled as a

merchant ancl ship broker . He received his education m the place of his nativity , and at an early age ho was sent up to the metropolis to prepare himself for a commercial career . He learned the first rudiments of trade in

ono or those great establishments which yearly absorb some of the best ancl brightest of our provincial youth ; and after gaining some mastery of the mysteries of buying and selling , he entered the service of a great firm in the stationery trade and assumed the management of a department . Ho

remained here some time , and wo next find him located in his native town in the , office of the leading journal of tho locality . In this position his literary tastes had some chance of development , and he soon acquired a knowledge of all the mysteries of journalism . Ho here acquired , also ,

a perfect mastery of his pen , in proof of which we may refer to his admirable letters on some abstruse points of Masonry which attracted much attention some years since . But our brother did not find journalism a royal road to wealth , ancl in 1845-6 we find him actively engaged in honourable

work connected with the then budding railway system of these islands . At this period he entered the service of an eminent firm of contractors , who were employed in the construction of a line of railway in the southwest of England . His duties were arduous , but he

brought a willing mind and untiring industry to bear upon his work , and had the satisfaction of learning that his zeal and intelligence were highly appreciated by his employers . He was afterwards actively engaged in important work in connection with the laying of the service pipes of tho

Great Central Gas Consumers' Company , and when he resigned his post for a better one , he received from the firm a high testimonial of his sterling worth as an able and conscientious employe . For a period of six years he was in the office of a gentleman at Clapham ; in

due time he became the head of the concern , and in this position he still remains . He has largely developed the business to which he succeeded , and at the present moment he is widely known , for his high business qualities , for his steady attention to the interests which are committed to

his charge , and for his urbanity and sound sense . Ho married at an early age , an example which Avas followed by his eldest son , ancl he has the pleasure of seeing his grandchildren growing up around him , carefully instructed in those principles of integrity which will tend to make

them good and successful citizens of the world . Recentl y four generations of the family were present at his hospitable board . It was an occasion for just and natural congratulation , and when the health of the good old great grandfather was drunk , some pleasant tears , " the raindrops of the soul , " were mingled with the generous wine . Onr brother ' s Masonic career has been a remarkable one .

He was initiated in the Robert Burns Lodge ( No . 25 ) , in the year 1857 , ancl afterwards joined the Panmure ( 720 ) , of which he is a P . M ., and for five years he was its

Secretary . He was the ori ginator of the Macdonald Lodge ( 1216 ) , ancl here he again passed the chair . He is the founder , and was first W . M . oi the Great City Lodge ( 1426 ) , and he was I . P . M . on tho memorable occasion