Our Institutions And Their Resources.

200 and 211 respectively . Taking these figures , and likewise making full allowance for the disbursements in aid of distressed brethren out of the Fund of Benevolence , we arc yet of opinion that Grand Lodgo does not fulfil its duty in respect of the Schools . It may , and doubtless will be ,

urged that had there been a diminution instead of an increase iu tho number of certificates issued by , aud the income of , Grand Lodge , the Schools would have benefited at its expense ; bnt considering that , as Bro . Binckes says , G ? -and Lodgo "has now nothing to do but to largely

accumulate funds , after providing liberally for every branch of administrative charge , " it occurs to ns that it could not do a better deed than appropriate annually of its

surplus funds a grant to each School more nearly equal in proportion to what it would have been had the old system been retained . Oftentimes a measure of justice—for we can describe it as none other—of this character is never

attempted , because no one seems to consider it his business to propose it . We should liko to see the question mooted , and that at an early date . No one grudges the Benevolent its £ 800 from Grand Lodge , and its £ 150 from Grand

Chapter , nor do we conceal from ourselves the fact that it is in some sense the child of Grand Lodge ; but admitting all this , we yet fail to see why the two Schools should be put off with an annual £ 150 each—an amount that is

oftentimes given to a single distressed brother . We trust the question will be still further discussed . We shall offer every facility to brethren who may desire to express

themselves , either for or against such an increase as has been suggested , and we trust that the interests of the two Schools may derive some advantage from the discussion It is certain they will suffer no harm .

Educational Fund For The Province Of Devon.

EDUCATIONAL FUND FOR THE PROVINCE OF DEVON .

AT tho Hnyshe Masonic Temple , Plymouth , on Tuesday afternoon , a meeting of Freemasons of the Province of Devon was held for the purpose of considering the propriety of establishing a fund for clothing , pdncnting , and advancing in life tho children of distressed or deceased brothren of tho Province . Bro . L . P . Metham D . P . G . M . presided , and there was a large attendance of brethren

representing the various Lodges in the county , and including 'Bros . . 1 . E Cnrteis P . P . G . S . W ., L . D . WestcottP . P . G . S . Works , J . B . Cover P . P . G . A . D . C ., C . Gndtschalk P . P . G . J . D ., W . Browning P . P . G . D . C , I . Latimer P . M . P . P . G .. T . W ., V . Bird P . P . G . T .. F . E . Tomes

P . P . G . R ., A . Pidslev W . M . 372 , S . Jew P . M . P . P . G . T ., J . Way P . M . 29 , P . B . Clemens P . M . DS 4 P . P . G . O ., 11 . Cole P . M . 1091 , J . H . Toms P . M . 1001 , H . L . Friend W . M . 1413 , W . Whittloy I . P . M . 150 P . P . G . C , S . Lorain P . M . P . G . D . C , J . Murray P . M . 1 . 402 .

IX . Lose P . M . 159 P . P . G . P ., H . Welch P . M . 202 P . P . G . P ., G . R . Barrett 1 , 255 , W . T . Eastoott , 1 , 099 , J . Harris F . M . 53 P . P . G . O . ( Somerset ) , J . Lynn P . M . 230 , J . R . H . Harris S . W . 230 , J . D . Barker O . 70 , C . D . Sfentiford S . W . 159 , W . Brown P . M . 248 , J . M . Hifley P . M . 227 , R . E . Holmes I . G . 1 , 255 , A . Rowe I . P . M . 230 , F . Hooper P . M . 1 , 212 , IT . W . Thomas P . M . 70 , J . II . Trounce S . W . 1 , 212 . A . E . Lean W . M . 70 , H . Miller P . M . 159 , R . Pengellv P . M . 70 , E . H . Littleton 230 , T . Searle W . M . 1 , 091 , J . Rhord P . M . 1 , 247 ,

J . Jarvis P . M . 105 , G , T . Firks W . M . 1 , 247 , W . Odam S . W . 70 , F . B . West . lnko A D . C 70 , E . Mnrch P . M . 202 , H . Horton 189 , W . II . Triplett ; P . M . 1 , 255 , E . Toutt J . W . 70 , and W . Cann J . D . 1 , 255 . Bro . Metham , in opening tho meeting , remarked that they were assembled there with the view of bringing to a critical point an object

which had been dear to many of them for several years ; which they had tried to carry , bnt which , unfortunately , had so far failed . He believed it would have been carried at tho Provincial meeting at Okehampt . on if he had not . been ill at the time ; but he was compelled to leave the meeting , and it fell through , although he thought it was a matter which might have been carried through in bis absence .

Regarding the establishment of snch a scheme , he believed he was one of the first to propose it , and was one of its steadiest supporters . He must , however , be allowed to claim for himself tho liberty of adhering or not to any resolution adopted by this meetine , or any plan pat before it , because he felt very strongly indeed , and thought it would be a great pity to establish anything which they could not

carry ont most thoroughly . They had better not do it at all unless thoy were prepared to do it completely . In the first place they would bring ridicule npon themselves , and it would be a groat , reflection upon the Craft if they put their hands to the plough and then turned back , lt would be a great disappointment to those who mi ght be looking to them for relief , so he would hold himself apart " from

adhesion to any resolution , unless he fell in with it , and then ho could go with them entirely . As things now stood , they had the greatest difficulty in getting any one of their candidates into tho London Schools . On previous occasions , arguments had been used against the s-jheme , and at tho meeting held at Exeter , when the subject was first introduced , ho was sorry to say they were thrown upon their

backs , solely by many of the Masters an . I Wardens of tho Plymouth Lodges going up to the meeting , pledged to a certain ronrse , " having received only an ex . parte statement . Many regretted exceedingly that they had not heard the other side of the question , bnt hnvinir been sent up as delegates they voted as they were instructed to vote , aud the scheme was thrown over , he believed , by ono vote . It had

been said they wanted to pauperise thoir deceased brethren , and that they wero making Freemasonry a gigantic Benefit Sooiety , but , the condition was one so totally opposed to benefit societies , that lie could nob conceive how such argumeuts had beou bronght against it . In an ordinary Benelit Society men paid a certain subscription with the view of getting a certain benefit ; bnt that was not the case

with Freemasonry . There were a few old and Uecayed brethren who looked to them for aid , but tho majority of tho claims made upon them eamo from the friends of children , whose fathers probably no more dreamt of their children being snpplian's for relief than did those present . The Committeo of Petitions had had that day the danghter of n solicitor , and the daughter of a wine merchant boforn

them . Tho widows of those two men were now left struggling with six or seven children each , every ono of whom , if their fathers had lived , would have been tilling respectable positions as young ladies aud gentlemen . Ho thought thoy could not be charged with degenerating into a Benefit Society , when they were seeking , in the most legitimate way , to benefit such cases as these . To give relief in that

which was the most important—good education , aud at the same time to assist thorn in maintaining their external appearances of comfort and decency , such as befitted their positiou—that could not be said to be turning them into a Benefit Society . It certainly was a claim which could fairly bo mado upon them , and so long as they professed the principles of brotherly love , relief and truth ,

they wonld all admit the claim . Bro . Cnrteis moved— " That in tho opinion of this meeting it is desirable to establish a fund for the education amd advancement iu lifo of the children of deceased or distressed Freemasons in this Province . " In so doing he desired it to bo understood that the scheme would be in no way confined in its operations to this end of

the province . It wonld bo in the recollection of most of thorn that a meeting was called several years ago to consider the proposition of Bro . Metham in furtherance of tho scheme . It was considered at a special meeting of tho Provincial Grand Lodge , and was favoured by a largo number of brethren , but thoro was a small majority on the other side who voted against it . He did not hesitate to say he

was one of those who voted against the resolution ou that occasion , but he bold , that every man had a right to change hia opinions , especially when he camo to the conclusion that thoso opinions hud been formed upon false premises , or there might be a change of circumstances , which might induce him to alter his viows . He thonghfc at that timo ifc was calculated to pauperise the Order , aud

that it was unnecessary to form another educational institution . But , upou looking moro carefully into the circumstances he had conio to the conclusion , not hastily , but after a considerable amount of deliberation , that they could not hope to give anything like a fair amount of relief to the children of the poor , and distressed brethren , unless they eithor made up their minds to treble , or

quadruple , the snbscriptionswhich they had beengivingto the great Masonic Charities , or to establish a fund on a much more humble scale , which would better suit tbe inclination of very mauy for whom it was iutended , thau an education in one of tho great schools . There were not very many amongst them , especially men of long families , who wonld feel themselves justified in giving to all their children an

education which would cost , in rough figures , something like £ 1 a week . That was a large sum , but it was about the cost per week in the London Masonic Schools , and it was educating a large number of children entirely beyond tho position in which they would have beon educated had their fathers continued to live . That being the case , they found that their ideas had overstepped their means , aud , therefore , they

must draw back their ideas to a proper level . That being the case , hotv were they to do it ? He bad given up the idea of tbiuking that they could in any way , or at any rate , to any mateiial extent , iucrease their subscriptions to tbe great Masonic Charities . He hoped those subscriptions would not full off . He did uot think they would ; but , at the same time , ho thought that the subscriptions which tho

brethren gave would be largely supplemented if they saw its effects amongst them , instead of having children away , and seeing none of tho good which their money was doing . That being tho case , it came to one of two propositions . Wero tbey prepared to quadruple their subscriptions to scud children to London and give them an education , iu many instances , beyond their position ,- or were they prepared to

put their hands in their pockets to a more hunted extent to educate a gieater number of children with a duo regard to their circumstances of life and the position in which their parents were placed . It was quite clear they had not such a number of votes at their disposal in relation to the Masonic Schools , as would really enable them to carry one out of the many of their candidates . The Committee of Petitions

had before them that day a list of eight candidates , and they could not by any possibility hope to get either of those children admitted into tho schools for tho nest 18 months . By that time some of them would hare passed the age , aud meanwhile what were the poor children to do ? If they adopted tho present scheme an opportunity would bo afforded of educating the majority of thoso children ,

and helping them on in life . It was such as these that they wanted to relievo most particularly . The motion first camo on at Exeter , but it was defeated . The motion ho subsequently proposed was ruled to be out of order , and at a later meeting at Okehamptou , the illheaUli of Bro . Metham caused it to be > till further postponed . Here the matter had been obliged to stand . Just look at the positiou

if nothing were now done . They wonld have to pass a distinct resolution at their next regular Provincial meeting . Then they would have to take certain steps fur putting the scheme before the Province , and getting it adopted , and the result would be actually this—ihat there would not be a single child lor whom they could perform the slightest benefit until late in 1 S . S 0 , or the beginning of 1881 . That had led to

this meeting , lt hiid been felt that they could not let the children go on for two years without being able to do something for them , but thut thoy shonld put their shoulders to tho wheel lor the purpose of bringing this scheme to nu issue , and g iving children a fair and reasonable education and a slur :, in life as soon as they possibly could . If they determined upon the scheme that day , the whole thing would