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Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

A North Country P . M . — -In our next . H . WRIGHT . —W < l 0 not think it well to renew the discussion to which your letter alludes . There is a good deal of force in your remarks . You will note that wc also put forward a " saving clause . " Wc shall bc much obli ged if Correspondents forwarding Newspapers will ki , „ H y mark the paragraphs to which they desire to call attention .

Births ,Marriages And Deaths.

Births , Marriages and Deaths .

BIRTHS . BIIOOKS . —On the 28 th ult ., at Tangier , the wife of J , Brooks , of a son . JONES . —On the ist inst ., at South Park , Scvcnoaks , Ihc wife of H . W . Jones , of a daughter . STYLES . —On the 27 th ult ., at 55 , Edithna-slrcet , Landorroad , Stockwell , S . W ., the Wife of Alfred Styles , of a daughter

DEATHS . BINGEMANN . —On the 28 thult ., at Mornington-road , Bowroad , Henrietta , the wifc of J . Bingemann , aged so . WINCH . —On the 15 th ult ., William Winch , of St . Peters , Thanet , aged 45 .

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THEFREEMASON, SATURDAY , J 6 , 1878 .

The Close Of The London Masonic Season.

THE CLOSE OF THE LONDON MASONIC SEASON .

At the time we write , in the sultry heat which has set in , " work " becomes pure labour , and oven refreshment ceases to refresh tis any more . Many of our brethren are already '' off and away , " our lodges are closing and closed , and for

the next three m onths Masonic life in the metropolis is confined to the lodges of instruction , which . seem somehow to survive alike the effects of the weather , and the departure of our brethren . And on the whole we have had a srood

working season . A kindly and genial spirit pervades our lodges , and never at any time was Freemasonry so active and so energetic , so valued among ourselves , so commended by the outer world . And yet there comes over the thoughtful Mason the unavoidable feeling , that ,

after all is said and done , there is yet a good deal of room for improvement and for amelioration —in one repect especially — and that is the greatest of all , Masonic charity . We wish we could think that in this respect our lodges and chapters are doing their duty . But

we fear , that we all must admit this , even those of us who take the most roseate hue of Masonic matters , that while a large sum is expended on the social circle , far toe little is done for the great charities of the Order , by lodges and chapters ^ qua lodges and chapters . Everything

is left to the individual , which we hold to be unfair to him , and not sufficient is done by the aggregation . But we do not wish to be severe , or to seem to be always finding fault , and in this very hot ' weather we make every allowance for a possible little irritability in some of our good readers , so we will simply add , that when London

lodge life recommences in November next , we shall trust to see a new effort made on the part of all the lodges and chapters to do something for our excellent and central charities . Let the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution in 1879 shew that lodges and chapters have begun this good work in real fervour and full energy .

Masonic Memorials.

MASONIC MEMORIALS .

There are those of us who sometimes object to Masonic presentations , and think that there is too great tendency to " get up " testimonials . On the whole we are inclined to think that there is very little in the objection , inasmuch as by way of "compensation , " admitted if you will that some

are over-rewarded for work done , a great many resolute workers never receive any acknowledgment at all for the hearty and unselfish labours of years . Like as in all things here , taking " all things round , " therefore , wc are pretty much , it

seems to us , on a " level , after all . But there arc some testimonials , —those which assume the feature of a memorial to the departed , — which are without possible objection of any kind , and which alike deserve our commendation and

claim our support . Such is the movement set on foot in West Yorkshire to raise a memorial to the late lamented Bro . Bentley Shaw , its old D . P . G . M ., by a perpetual scholarship for the Girls' School . Those of our readers who

know anything of the Masonic life or work of that most distinguished province arc well aware that to it is entirely owing the impetus to the Provincial movement for the support of the Metropolitan Charities , which has culminated in such noble results , and in which Bro . Bentley

Shaw took such a leading part . As we write today memory takes us back to a day at Sheffield , when Bro . John Symonds and Bro . Hopwood first advocated the cause successfully of the Boys ' School , as well as to the subsequent visit of Bros .

Crewes and Patten , who at Doncaster pleaded the claims of the Girls' School . We are reminded of Lord Mexborough and Bro . Dr . Fearnley , of Bro . R . R . Nelson , and many other good old Masons and true , since passed away , of the best of Provincial Grand Masters ,

Masonic Memorials.

Lord Ripon , and his amiable , warmhearted , and excellent Deputy , our lamented Bro . Bentley Shaw . If Bro . Henry Smith , the active Secretary of W . Yorkshire , reads these lines , he can best tell us , if he will , the somewhat startling result as regards returns

to the Central Charities , which since 1859 have been witnessed in W . Yorkshire , up to the present hour , close npon twenty years ago , and towards which " noble consummation " the brethren of that good province have laboured with such commendable zeal , unity , and devotion . The present authorities , under the

distinguished presidency of Sir Henry Edwards , have most wisely favoured this new movement , and rememhering Bro . Bentley Shaw ' s remarkable and pleasant rule , his immediate excelling qualities , and his many claims on the affectionate and grateful remembrance of his brethren , we feel sure that such an appeal will not be made to West Yorkshire brethren in vain . It is an effort which

we deem alike seasonable and befitting in every sense , and we trust to hear that it has met , from a large-hearted province , that success which it so incontestable' and fairly demands .

The Chaucer Chapter.

THE CHAUCER CHAPTER .

The consecration ofthe Chaucer Chapter , which took place on Friday week , under all the drawbacks of very hot weather and a very small room , was , nevertheless , a great success . Our esteemed Comp . John Hervey was , as usual , most

effective , and we refer our readers to a full report elsewhere . We rejoice to note the progress of the Royal Arch Grade , and hope that other lodges will follow the good example of the Chaucer Lodge .

The Secretarial Election, July, Ii, 1878.

THE SECRETARIAL ELECTION , JULY , II , 1878 .

As we said last week , there are now nine candi dates for the vacant Secretaryship of the Girls ' S chool before the subscribers , and up to the pres ent time , we believe , that all intend to go to the p oil . In all probability a large number of votes will be recorded , larger than at any previous election ,

Woman's Work.

WOMAN'S WORK .

It is said , though we repeat the statement with some reserve , that beneath the gay and even gorgeous surface of a civilized and intellectual society there exist depths of moral weakness and evil enough to make the mind depressed and the heart to mourn deeply . We fear , that from what

we know ourselves , there is a considerable laxity just now in , thc sociality of the hour , and that as regards the men of the day , especiall y old and young married men , the sanctities of the home are too often forgotten , and the decorum of duty is often and too easil y laid aside . We do not , however , presume to lecture , nor do we seek to " pile

up the agony , ' but we propose rather to turn the thoughts of our readers to that far brighter aspect which the good sense and warm heart of woman still alFord , whether to the cynical or crying philosophers amongst us . Luckily , amid the crazes of the day , the uniform good sense and moral steadiness of woman have saved her

from those hyper-everythings , for the most part , in which some of our young men make such exhibitions of themselves . They have been so far happily preserved by a kind Providence , just as for the happiness and safety , of a former generation from the weak and shallow ineptitudes of scepticism , or the destructive tendencies of

Ultramontanism . _ It may be possible , that following the tendencies of the age , they have "gone in " for " rcstheticism " in all things , and not tho least ¦ ' reli gious worship , " but we have yet to learn , that that aesthetic taste of theirs overpasses the bounds , of what is reasonable ,

decorous , and above all , English . VVe doubt very much whether our often blamed young ladies are at all blameable , in any measure , for extreme views , or fantastic proceedings . And one thing is quite clear , greatly to their honour , namely , that they have given themselves up to work for others , perhaps often as a happy and