The Proposed Assistance Fund.

MY'TO . ? r <> v is th pro i : iuch hi the way of a defence of the ]¦ ' .- ;' ";• : ci . J C .: o : ; CPU :-:: »! inn . It is tho simplest tiling in the Avoi'lil to or . 11 every cue interested in the success of a scheme a clever r , in ? . inii ! ri : or , and tlio Committco so many puppets .

but a !;(¦¦• foment do 'S nob prove itself . As for the Committee bein . ' : " ; v . u ) ne ! s—well , that is bettor than being Don Oubrotos or idiots , and may bo regarded as a compliment . Having r : ot rid of tlio proposals , the promoters , and the Committee , Bro . Whilo then sets himself to tho task of

abusing the . Hovs School , and as a natural consequence , Lord Besslyn , tho former because tho system of education in force is of such a character that tlio pupils at sixteen are helpless to make a start in life , and tho latter because he is the original mover of the fund . He then oaves tho Girls '

nchoo ! a . ' ;! a ;> h : a ponderously funny way , and asks if it is in tended to provide for them marriage portions , and pay for tlio vaccination of their children . In tho last paragraph , lie , v ; ith an ai ' iieciation of q-randenr which is in

strict keeping with his previous remarks , says absolutely , " Y 7 o want no snch ' fund . ' ' If thoro aro any cases which require help ifc will bo forthcoming , but wc want , no irrationably enthusiastic brothers advocating that wo should go without great coats for a

winter , or breakfasts three times a Aveok , or installation banquets , or other means of ' saving , ' in order to endow with tho blessings of a paid Secretariat a new fund with a charity-rnn-mad programme ? " Hero , again , the stylo is ponderous . We suppose it is impossible for Bro . Whilo to write a

paragraph without expressing opposition or abuse , or insinuating something unpleasant . As to the opposition , we are content to placo the dictum of Lord Rosslyn last year , that some of tho boys on leaving school do want help , and that somo provision should bo made to meet this want ,

against that of Bro . While , who says deliberatel y that no fund of snch a character or for snch a purpose is wanted . Wo do not presume to think that tho brethren whoso names have appeared as patrons and supporters of the r . chcmo aro all '' puppets" who will allow themselves to

be conjured with by " clover manipulators . " Wo have at least enough of !\ asonic charity about us to givo them credit for possessing a certain amount of sense and feeling , and if we find their names entered as supporters , wo

venture to believe they know what ifc is they aro supporting . Bro . Whilo is not so minded . He is on the one side , and tho " puppets , " " clever manipulators , " & c , on tho other ; and who are these latter that they should be likely to prevail over tho former ?

As to onr contemporary , it is hopeless to think of helping a journal , which has known and foreseen everything whioh has happened in tlio past , to seo and judge clearly of what is passing now . Ifc " cannot now profess

or propose to support it . Ifc "thinks the scheme must soon fall through , and had bettor bo given up . " Be ifc so , but if onv worthy contemporary deprives tho Grand Master and all the other high dignitaries of the Craft of tho lierhfc

of its countenance , wc cannot hold ourselves responsible for the serious consequences which may follow . Let ns sincerely hope His Royal Highness will escape the threatening danger , and that no one else , not even our own unhappy selves , will be anything tho worse .

The City Masonic Benevolent Association.

THE CITY MASONIC BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION .

npHE report of this Association , which has now brought -ii _ its labours to a close , is eminently satisfactory . During the four years of its existence no less a sum than £ 873 10 s was received , and , with the exception of £ 6 15 s , returned to tho representative of a deceased member , found

its way into the coffers of our Institutions . Thus the Committee wero enabled to obtain for tho members no less than eighty-one Life Governorships , of which forty wero for the Royal Masonic Benevolent ; Institution , twenty-one for the

Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and twent y for the Royal Masonic Institution for . Boys . The expenses for printing , cJc , were almost nominal , and amounted to only £ 2 os , after deducting tho price of tho books sold . A balance of £ 23 Is remained in the hands of the Treasurer

at the v . - . iul up ot the Association , and of this two-thirds , or £ ' 15 7 s -id , were paid over to the Masonic Institutions , in U ; o nam a of Bro . J . Newton , tho Secretary , and the remaining third— £ 7 13 s Sd—in thai ; of Bro . G . Ward

The City Masonic Benevolent Association.

! Verry , Treasurer . Only ono death occurred during tho existenco of tho Association , and , as wo have said , tho deceased brother ' s payments , amounting to £ 0 15 s , wero

returned to his representative . I he report concludes with an expression , on the part of the Committee , of their " unqualified thanks to Bro . Newton and Bro . Verry for their untiring energy in bringing the Association to so successful an issue . "

The account shows the following figures : —Receipts , £ 873 10 s ; Disbursements : —Life Governorships , £ 841 15 s , making , with the £ 23 Is paid over to tho Institutions , in tho names of Bros . Newton and Verry , £ 8 G'i lGs handed over to our Charities ; repaid in respect of deceased

brother , £ 6 las ; and expenses , £ 2 os . Undeniably a most excellent result , and ono that does the greatest credit to tho Committee , and especially to thoso to whom tho Committee ' s

thanks wero so heartily accorded . We may add that a new Association is in course oi being established , and wo hope and believe that its results will bo as satisfactory as those we have recorded . There is no doubt whatever that

theso Associations do an infinite amount ot good , not only in a quiet , unostentatious way , but they entail no pressure on tho purses of tho members . Tho subscription is only a shilling a week , and of course in a given timo every ono becomes a Lifo Governor .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for iho opinions of our Correspondents . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . All Letters must bear the name an I adclre's of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith .

' : ROTAL MASONIC PUPILS' ASSISTANCE FUND . . To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —As I perceive that thoro aro somo inaccuracies anrl misconceptions respecting tho abovo Fund , permit mo to inform you that it is not by any moans intended to abandon this scheme of supplementary bonovolence , bnt it will iu no way

interfere with tho existing Charities , or in the slightest degree destroy the independence and the self-reliance of thoso who aro intended to profit by it .

Tho Fund will , on calmer consideration I believe , meet with tho approval of every ono ; it will not clash with any existing Charity , and it will qnickly do a very noblo aud useful work . It will bo tho completion of tho edifice , tho copo stono of tho wall .

Yours fraternally , EOSSLYN F . C . M . F . S . —Tho assistance of Urn , Eadclyffo will bo cheerfully anrl gratuitously given , and for tho future , r : s heretofore , his energy and experience will be of inestimable advantage

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have this day forwarded a letter , of which the following is a copy , to yonr contemporary . It is strange to note how favourable your correspondents' letters are , and what a contrast to your contemporary . However , as the adverse

criticism may bo read by your readers , I hope , although it is not usual to publish tho same letter in two papers , yon will allow mo to do so ou this occasion . The qnostion is of general interest ; consequently ,

my remarks may bo usetul m explaining tho position of the Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund in regard to any future action . I beg to thank "WELL-WISHER" and "SEBRIC" for their remarks , which , I assure them , shall not bo overlooked by

Yours fraternally , DICK EADCIYFFE . To the Editor of the FREEMASON . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Permit mo to answer seriatim—and , I hope , to explain—several misunderstandings in yonr editorial remarks

and correspondence in to-day ' s issue . I am at a loss to understand why yon shonld consider "Othello's occupation gone . " I fail to seo what should lead yon to this idea . If 1 am illustrated as Othello , I think tho remarks of our Most Worshipful Depnty Grand Master and Lord Eosslyn , as also the

resolutions passed to adjourn tho meeting until His Royal Highness Prince Leopold is able to preside , as well as tho appointment of the Committee , Honorary Treasurer , and Secretary , go to show that I shall have much occupation for some timo to como ; but if I can bo instrumental in doing good I shall be pleased . H ; id your reporter given

the report of the meeting in cxtenso , several matters would have been explained . I bag most emphatically to state I never intended even to hint at the establishment of a fourth Mnsonic Charity , with

paid officials . I think there aro plenty of good Masons to bo found who wonld act on Committee , and as Treasurer and Socretary , without par . I am at a loss to understand on what ground you now with-