Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold , ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor respondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must hear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

CHAEITT STEWARDS . To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Those interested in our great Masonic Charities -will one aud all thank you for your very able article last Aveek on tho question of the supply of Charity Stewards . Tho remarks of our Deputy Grand Master were , in the abstract , Avell Avorthy of attention , but showed a great lack of practical Avorking

knowledge . When you say that " the bulk of the members know nothing whatever of the existence of the Institutions , " I believe you are not very far from the truth . In my own brief Masonic experience , both in this country aud our colonies , I early discovered that in very many Lodges the boasted charity of the Order was to be found iu theory but not iu practice . It is not long since you published a

letter analysing tho annual balance sheet of a prosperous Lodge ( I think in the . North of England ) Avhich showed that the extensive funds of tho Lodge were almost entirely spent iu feasting , and that a trifle of some ij ' J . 0 or so Avas given to the Charities . The toast of " the Masonic Charities " is usually conspicuous by its absence at Lodge gatherings . Not that drinking success to the Schools can do them

any servico , but the absence of the mention of the Charities at such times exhibits a want of regard for tho Institutions Avhich is much to be lamented . Nothing would be better calculated to extend a knowledge of what has been done , what i 3 doing , and what the future demands of us in regard to our Schools and Benevolent Institution , thau a system of Lodge visitation on the part of the Secretaries ,

or some Avorthy deputy on their behalf . Would it not be well spent money on the part of the three Institutions , to employ as their joint agent , a well-informed and worthy brother Avho should systematically visit the Lodges in the Provinces ( the Secroturies themselves should be able to manage the Metropolitan Lodges . ) , and enlist the sympathies and services of brethren as Stewards ? 1 merely

throw out the idea for consideration , but feel quite certain myself that a very happy result Avould inevitably follow such a step . Every one Avho has had actual acquaintance with the process of " raising the wind" for any purpose , charitable or otherwise , will agree with Bro . Binckes that to do away with tho Charity dinners would be a fatal error . Tho money gained by the process would be

far more than counterbalanced by the tapering off of the number of Stewards' Lists . No one supposes for a moment that our good Stewards , who givo time , labour aud mouey on these occasions , are influenced directly by the prospect of a feed to undertake their onerous duties , but on the other hand the social character of

the annual gatherings is greatly enhanced , according to English notions , by an assembly at the festive board , opportunities are afforded for mutual intercourse , and pleasant recollections are taken away to many Provincial centres , and afford matter for conversation at many au after Lodge meeting , thus conducing to influence other brethren to undertake Stewards' offices .

I trust you Avill pardon this rough note , Avritten iu great haste , aud believe me , Yours fraternally , T . B . WHITEHEAD , W . M . Eboracum 1611 . York , 20 fch August 1878 .

To the Editor o / the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAE Slit AND BROTHER , —1 must plead guilty to belonging to the class you , iu last Aveuk ' s article describe as not having completed the duty ot every energetic Mason . I have served one Stewardsbipon behalf of our Charities , aim one only . Although it is some time since I acted , 1 have nut givt-u up all idea of exerting myself for the others , though

1 am airuia it will not bo just yet . You make various statements as to the number of Stewards and so on , which I dare say are correct as lar as they go , they certainly show that there must be a great niany Masons wiiu know what the task of acting as Steward means , auu should therefore bo the best men to work again , but 1 consider it unlikely it many of them ever will . My principal reason

tor nut putLiug my uuiuu uuwu as Steward is the same as many give in this district , —it ousts tuo much , both , in time and money , if ) ou will anow uie , i will give yuu a list of my expenses iu connection vvitii Lut ) ohico , at tuu same timu 1 wish you to understand tn < it 1 du nut le ^ ieo having guiie so far ; I simply do not think 1 ought again iu luctir so mucii expense in uoing so little good , until 1 see my way clear ; din business must improve before that will occur . I

hist received Irani the oltiue of the lustii / ution a package of circulars , these 1 had to tnl up and post to the eighty-three members of my Loage ; as 1 got no replies , 1 had some circulars printed , asking if the ) lniouueti to subscribe , una vvnether they would accompany me to the iestivai . At the loliuwiug Louge meeting the sum of live guineas was voted by the Lunge , aud two brethren gave a like sum . 1 thus huu £ io iosiu uuumuii to £ 11 ) 10 s which 1 had decided to subscribe

. i > eioie leaving lor Luudou , i met several ot the members ol my iiuuge , and between mem , they put another five guineas on my list , i mus had thirty guineas as tne result of my labours , Avhich vuu mus ,, not judge oi iu proportion to results , as lean assure you tuu number oi miters 1 wrote , uutt personal applications 1 made , AYae

Correspondence.

considerable , in fact I found that the additional 10 s worth of stamps I bought especially for this business was exhausted long before the end of the work . The next matter I was called npon for was £ 2 2 s for my Steward ' s fee , and then railway faro to Loudon and back cost

24 s 8 d . Add to this the fact that my Avifo discovered that ladies could attend , and you Avill believe mo when I state that I put down the expenses of that Stewardship at - £ S . in addition to my donation . This outlay was more than twenty-five per cent , on the amount collected by me . Yours truly and fraternally , A STEAVARD AVHO HAS SERVED ONCE .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your efforts to promote the interests of our Charitable Institutions aro unceasing , and the point you have raised in the article Avhich appeared last week under the above heading , undoubtedly points to something which is in need of being remedied . But Avhile I freely admit somo great inducement should be

held out to brethren who take upon themselves tho onerous duties of the Stewardship to one or other of our Institutions , and while I fully recognise that every Craftsman should , if it be in his power , nndertake these duties on behalf of each of our Charities , I consider it is far more desirable that new men , Avho havo never charged themselves with tho task of canvassing , should bo led to accept such task

thau that tho same man should bo pressed into tho service again and again . The figures you have given are highly interesting , but it must not bo forgotten that figures may be made to provo almost anything . However , accepting the number of SteAvards presently on tho lists of subscribers to our three Charities , and your calculation as to the number of times they have served , and taking the

317 Avho have acted more than three times as having filled on an average five SteAvardships , the 3 , 200 brethren will represent , in round figures , 6 , 000 Stewardships , and this at 200 Stewards per annum for each of the Charities , or 600 in all , gives the Stewards who have for the last ten years served as such . We may take it , indeed , that there are at present borne on the lists of the subscribers

those who have acted iu this particular during the last fifteen years , as it is only of late that so many as 200 have done duty at our Festivals . Then it 13 quite possible , I may almost say quite certain , there are many others who have acted as Stewards and paid their fees , but only contributed one or two guineas as their own personal subscription , except in the case of those who have thus contributed during the

current year , their names would not appear m the list of annual subscribers . Taking the matter on its merits , I think we should try and get as many brethren to come forward and fulfil what cannot be other than a trying task rather than press those Avho have fulfilled it once or twice to go through the ordeal again and again . As to Charity dinners being a mistake , that is an open question 5

but judging from the nature of the general practice , I should say those in favour of the dinners far outnumber those who are against them . At all events , there is hardly a Charitable Institution iu the United Kingdom among those chiefly dependent for support on voluntary subscriptions which does not hold its annual festival , or , in other words , which does not think that the likeliest

way to obtain a full subscription is for the Stewards and their friends to have a good dinner as a preparative for the more serious business of the day . These dinners may be re . garded as a kind of tonic . They bring the guests into a genial , if not always a generous frame of mind , and the purse

strings are loosened more readily , and to a greater extent than if there were none . Our three Charity dinners cost about £ 1 , 800 per annum ; and the aggregate of the three lists has been of late £ 30 , 000 net . Query—How much less would the results have beea without the dinners ? This is a problem which I for oue should be moat unwilling to undertake the solution of . Fraternally yours , B . G . B .

Voting Organisation.

VOTING ORGANISATION .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Some little timo back several influential Masons at the Ea 3 t-end of London , had it under consideration to establish an organization Avhereby the votes of the Metropolitan brethren could be satisfactorily utilised . I have , during the last few

days , received an intimation that a second society for the same object is in cause of formation . I took some amount of interest in the work o ^ those eugaged in the first venture , and am still in hopes of seeing some practical result . I know that a vast amount of

useful information was collected as to the working of kindred assooiation in the Provinces , and trust Bro . Charles Lacey , who I believe was the moving spirit , will not relinquish his efforts . I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully , A CONSTANT READER

Freemasonry is an allegorical system . Fvery doctrine and ceremony has its mystical reference , which is not ahvays apparent at the first blush ; so that where the uninformed and weak find only mystery , the true initiate possesses food for tho employment of the noblest faculties . The true Mason will not rest satisfied with mere ceremonies , which in themselves are cold and heartless , but will study ta comprehend , their myefcical signification .