Albert Victor Lodge, No. 1773.

soft balmy breezes of Charity , for thoy may fan some burning brow ease some aching heart , wipe away some scalding tears , and bind up somo bleeding spirit that may rise np to call yon blessed , when the monumental stone shall cover your mouldoriug dust . " House to some work of high and holy lovo , And thou an Angel ' s happiness shall know ,

Shall't bless tho earth , while in the world above Tho good begun by theo shall onward flow , In many a branching stream , and wider grow . The seod that in thoso few and fleeting hours Thy hands unsparing and unweai-ied sow , Shall deck thy grave with amaranthine flowers , And yiold the fruit Divine in Heaven ' s immortal bowers . "

The worthy brother , having concluded his lecture , sat down amidst the loud and prolonged applause of his appreciative brothren . The J . W . proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Bro . Statham for his able lecture , and expressed the feeling of all when he said it was a rave intellectual treat . The motion was seconded

by Bro . J . L . Ihuo . who expressed himself delighted , and remarked if snch abilities wero more prevalently displayed in Lodges we should not hear that they had " nothing to do . " Bro . Hino paid a high tribute of respect to the Worshipful Master and Brethren ; bo evidently takes a deep interest in the prosperity of this Lodge . Tho vote was carried by acclamation . The Worshipful Master , in

acknowledgment , said : It has been with a considerable amount of trepidation that I bare proparod and delivered this lecture , knowing that many of you aro equally woll informed upon this subject , if not hotter so than myself . I feel not only thankful , but proud of tho vote of thanks you havo boon pleasod to accord mo . I yield to no man iu my loyalty to Masonic principles , and am most anxious to seo them

carried out in their strictest integrity . This is tho only motive by which I havo beon actuated in bringing this subject before you . Thanking you , my brothron , most sincerely for tho patient attention you have given me , I can only say that any service I can at any time givo to tho glorious cause of Freemasonry will bo choerfully ron . dered . Tho W . M . is eminontly and justly proud of his Lodgo , which

wo aro assured comprises a number of truly worthy and devoted Past Mastors and brethren , who warmly and ably support thoir W . M . in his endeavours to carry out the true principles of the Craft . This Lodgo was only consecrated last Ootober , and notwithstanding tho largo expense necessarily involved in furnighing , tho brethron gonerously contributed over sixty guineas to the late Festival of the R . M . B . I .

Tho Charity box now went round , and resulted in tho collection of £ 5 for tho East Lancashire Educational Institution . Tho bnsiness of tho ovening being ended , the W . M . received the hearty good wishes of the Visitors , and tho Lodgo was closed in harmony , with solemn prayer . The brethren adjourned to tho festivo board , at which tho W . M . presided . Tho usual Loyal toasts wore offered and heartily

received , aftor which tho W . M . proposed the health of tho nowlyinitiated brother . Ho had como among them highly recommonded , and ho hopod that Freemasonry would receive that study and attention from Bro . Moffatt , which would confor a great reward on him . Tho toast was roceived with all honours , and Bro . Smith obliged with a song . Bro . Moffatt was greatly impressed with the beauty of tho

ceremony , and would try to do what tho Order taught him . Bro . J . W . proposed the health of tho Visitors . He felt he could not givo them too hearty a welcome . In the namo of the Lodgo he extended a cordial greeting to one and all . After a song from Bro . Almond , BroB . Hooper , Wedgwood , Davios , and Hansbrow returned thanks for the hononr dono the Visitors , and expressed themselves much delighted

with tho ablo lecture . Bro . J . L . Hine proposed Prosperity to tho Masonio Charitios . He complimented tho Province on its noble works , and congratulated East Lancashire on the result of the late Festival . He attributed tho success to proper and complete organisation . Thore was no stone left unturned to ensure success for this Institution of tho Institutions . Ho was huppy to know tho

Province could carry in all their candidates . It was a great credit to havo about niueteen boys and ten girls in tho Schools , and many aged Masons and widows of deceased brethren well cared for . Tho Province had no jealonsy against any other . Thero was no anta" -onism—East Lancashire did not confine her charity to tho Metropolitan Institutions merely ; the Province possessed admirable

Institutions of its own . There are local claims , and always will be , which we take in hand and administer , but by attending to these we aro not debarred from giving to those Charities which aro more extended in thoir operations . He wished Bro . Davies to realise the fact that East Lancashire acted generously , hut she felt that if she threw her bread upon the waters , she would receive it back in ample proportion .

Bro . Hine continued at somo length , but it is Known to all East Lancashire Masons what a deep interest he has taken in the Charities , and how ably he has worked up the organisation of the Province . We only hope that worthy "Time-Honoured Lancaster" may livo long to carry on the good work ho is so admirably adapted to discharge . The toast was cordially received , and was followed by other toasts and songs .

"he Fifteen Sections will be worked by the members of the High Cross Lodgo of Instruction , No . 754 , which meets at the Coach and Horses , Lower Tottenham , on Thursday the 10 th of April next , commencing- at seven o ' clock p . m . Bro . Turquand P . M . 1550 will preside .

At the last meeting of the York Time Immemorial Mark Lodge , on Tuesday , the 18 th inst ., the Rev . Danie . Aco , D . D ., W . M . 227 , was elected an honorary member , the reverend gentlemen having been advanced in that Mark Lodge twenty-three years antecedently .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

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

THE DEVON MASONIC EDUCATIONAL FUND .

To the Editor of THE FREEMASON ' S CIIBONICXE . DEAB SIB AND BBOTHKB , —A meeting of the Gonoral Committoe pro tern of the above recently founded Fund was held at Plymouth , on Wednesday , the 19 th inst . Tho most important of the business before the Committee was to receive the Bye-Laws for adoption and confirmation ; the Chairman , Bro . L . P . Metham D . P . G . M ., remarked

that npon theso , in a great moasure , depended the future well-being of tho Fnnd . I am induced to trouble you with these remarks—not from a supposed personal importance in connection with this Fund , bnt from the fact that from the first I have takon a doop interest in bringing tho schemo to a successful issne ; and also as having tho honour to

represent tho Committe of Petitions of Devon . I feel , as do others in the Province equally interested in the success of the Fund , —the salient features of which have been well thought out , and defined dnring several years past , —that no law should be admitted iu tho working or management likely to injure the Groat Charitios in London , but that tho Fund should be kopfc

within tho strict limits of usefulness to tho Provinco . Afc tho mooting referred to above an attempt was made in a direction likely to causo loss to the funds that by a natural right should go to tho Great Charities , thereby causing ultimata injury to those Institutions . This attempt , doubtless mado unwittingly aud with the best motives , failed . The remarks made in support of tho

proposition to incorporato in Law I . the right of the Committee to add the wovd maintain , showed a sad want of knowledge of the goneral working of our Charities , both in London and locally . A speaker at this meeting stated that ho had heard mo at the provions meeting advocating this local Educational Fund , and now he folt astonished to hear my arguments against maintenance . I must ,

therefore , refer that speaker to what I havo both published and advocated at varions mcetings'throughont the Province ; ho will find a full report of all I stated at the General Meeting of tho Masons of Devon , held 21 st January 1879 , at Plymouth , in Daily Mercury of 22 nd January , also in tho FUKKMASON ' S Cnuofi ICLK of tho following Saturday . Being as ardent an advocate as evor for this local Educational Fund ,

I point to what I liava hitherto written and spoken , and without fear of contradiction say , I havo novor swerved from tho original ideas and opinions expressed , viz ., to found a Fund that shall give , at small cost , education , clothing , and advancement in lifo to thoso orphans duly qnalifiod , whom wo , as a Province , cannot by any possibility elect into tho groat Charities in London . To add

maintenance to tho foregoing , is to increase fourfold the cost for oaoh child so elected . Nor can wo by any means find out whether monoy given for maintenance is legitimately applied . If the Province could do its duty by giving now aud again tho proper amounts to tho great Charities , aud also maintain its surplus orphans at home , under proper supervision , I and all others would

gladly say do it , bnt thoso who do the actual work of the Charities know too well the contrary . Thoy know that Devon is not now giving its proper share of funds to the great Charities , in proportion to tho bonefits recoived . The meeting held on 21 st January , composed of donors and subscribers to tho Fund , was summoned to discuss the dosirability of

" establishing a Fund to educate , clothe , and advance in life tho children of deceased or distressed Masons of Devon . " I am therefore more than astonished to find the word maintain has been added to this bye law , and this addition has been mado without the knowledge or sanction of tho constituent body of donors and subscribers to the Fund .

Not one word was stated in that Circular in roferenco to maintenance or sustentation , nor one word mentioned at that mooting , either by the Chairman or by ono of tho speakers , as to maintenance , The donors and subscribers , ono and all , promised their respective monies for the purposo of giving education , clothing , and advance , ment in lifo . I therefore snbinit this Committee have no power to add

maintenance , that beinguopart of the original scheme , and never having been brought beforo the body of doners and subscribers this Committee has no power to make a law to divert thia fund from its original purpose without first calling the donors together and taking their opinion npon tho proposed alteration . Further do I say , and I do not hazard these romarks without a thorough practical knowledgo of the truth

of the dame , tlmt to introduce maintenance or sustentation iuto this local schemo will so impoverish our power as a Province with tho great Charities , as to reduce us from a position of influence , which wo now hold , to ouo of absoluto dependence . A child elected on this fund with maintenance , clothing , education , nnd if nocossary , advancement in life , wonld bo in reality in a far

btttor position than if elected into the Boys' or Girls' Schools in London . I presume the smallest sum you could maintain a child for ( allow , ing it is on the fund six years—that is from eight years of ago until fonrteen ) is 10 s per week , or £ 25 per year for maintenance ; to this

add clothing aud edncation , and you reach at lowest estimate a sum approaching £ 10 per year for each child . For that sum the original promoters of this local fnnd , those who for years past have thoroughly thought out the wellbeing and successful working of a local institution , proposed to give the real benefit of a good education , clothe , aud afterwards advance in life four poor orphans , for the same