Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS i Masonic Benevolence in 188 J 2 Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire 3 Provincial Grand Lodge of Derbyshire 4 " Masonic Facts and Fictions " 4 New Year's Entertainment at Croydon £ Presentation to Bro . J . Nicholson and Mrs . Nicholson , of Maryport ,, , i Obituary J

RSPORTS OF MASONIC MEETINGSCraft Masonry ' . 1 Instruction 10 Mark Masonry u Red Cross of Rome and Constantine n Scotland 11 East London Masonic Concert 11 Masonic and General Tidings 12 Lodge Meetings for Next Week iv .

Ar00101

THE general expectation that the year which ended on Satur-Benevoience day last , and which has been characterised by such almost m 1887 . unexampled generosity towards charitable institutions of every kind , would be more than usually productive of benefit to those Masonic

Institutions which minister to the needs of our poor brethren or the members of our poor or deceased brethren ' s families , has been fully realised , the returns which are published in another part of our columns exhibiting- a total of income from all sources very considerably in excess of the amount recorded in any previous year . It is true—and we have noted the

fact in former articles—that the sum raised for the purposes of our Institutions during 188 7 has been unequally distributed amongst them , but it is likewise true that the Institution whose requirements were the heaviest received the largest measure of support , and the Craft is , therefore , entitled to the praise of having been as discriminating as it has been generous in

the exercise of its benevolence during the past year . The largest amount ever raised in any one year for our three Charities was in 1 S 83 , when it reached £ 56 , 11045 . 3 d . ; in 1887 , it was £ 61 , 059 03 . 1 id ., the difference in favour of the latter being not far short of £ 5000 . Of this £ 61 , 059 , Benevolent Institution , which at the brginning of the year found itself in

circumstances of especial difficulty , with a formidable array of applicants and hardly any vacancies to be filled , obtained £ 28 , 9 68 4 = . 4 d ., while the income of the Girls' School amounted to £ 16 , 429 os . 6 d ., and that of the Boys' School , to £ 15 , 661 16 s . id . In 1886 , the returns were—for the Benevolent Institution , £ 1 8 , 194 13 s . 6 d . ; for the Girl-. ' School , £ 15 . 546

18 s . iod . ; and for the Boys' School , £ 13 , 056 15 ? . 5 d . ; so that , in comparing the two years , we find that 1 S 87 has the better of its predecessor—in the case of the Benevolent Institution to the extent of £ 10 , 773 10 s . iod . j in that of the Girls' School to the extent of £ 882 is . 8 d . ; and in that of the Boys' School to the extent of £ 2605 os . 8 d . ; the total of

the excess over 1886 being £ 14 , 260 13 s . 2 d . If to this we add the £ 6000 voted by Grand Lodge in the summer in shares of £ 2000 to each of the three Charities , but , owing to the absence from England of the PRO GRAND MASTER , not yet paid over , the real excess will amount to upwards- of £ 20 , 000 . However , confining ourselves to the sums actually received we

find that the overplus of £ 14 , 260 more than compensates the Institutions for the very serious diminution of income in 1886 as shown by the totals of that year and 18 S 5 respectively , that of the former being £ 46 , 79 8 7 s . 9 d ., while the income of the latter was £ 54 , 416 2 s . 7 d . One circumstance connected with the returns of 188 7 , which is particularly gratifying , is that ,

while each Institution shows a large increase of income , a portion of this increase must come under the head of " Donations and Subscriptions , " and must have been obtained irrespective of the Festival receipts . Our reason for drawing attention to this circumstance is that last year in noting the sums received under this particular head in respect of 1886 , we had occasion

to point out that " Donations and Subscriptions " yielded for the three Charities onl y £ 38 , 69 6 , while the three Festival receipts amounted to £ 40 , 201 as announced , or , with outstanding lists and additional amounts subsequently received , to £ 40 , 718 . In 1887 the three Festivals yielded together close on £ 42 , 100 , while the donations and subscriptions are set

down as amounting in the aggregate to £ 44 , 029 zs . id . The increase of income is in great measure explained by the grants from Grand Lodge , and in the case of the Benevolent Institution by the sum received from West Yorkshire for two Perpetual Presentations to the Widows' Fund , but independently of these there has been a heavier receipt in " Donations

and Subscriptions , ' and we are gratified that we have not again to notice so large a discrepancy as last year between the Festival Returns and the general contributions of the Craft . As regards permanent income , the Benevolent Institution has a decided advantage over the other Charities . Its annual grants from G . Lodge and G . Chapter together amount to £ 1750 ,

and its dividends were £ 2524 , giving a total of £ 4274 . The Girls' School received £ 160 ios . from Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , and from dividends £ 1900 , making together £ 2060 ios ., while the Boys' School received also £ 160 ios . from Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , and only £ 637 in dividends , or , together , £ 797 Ios . The returns for the Board of

Benevolence show that the amount dispensed in relief was £ 10 , 500 , the number of cases being 405 . In 1886 , 385 cases were relieved with £ 10 , 68 3 , so that though there was an increase of 22 cases in 188 7 over 1886 , the grants were £ 183 less in the aggregate . It is hardly necessary , however , that we should carry our observations further . There is a large amount of money continu .

Ar00102

ally being disbursed by local associations and lodge Benevolent Funds , and if we took account of ail these , in addition to the expenditure of our Institutions and the Board of Benevolence , the money disbursed in Masonic

benevolence would be something almost astounding ; but we have said enough to show that the Charity exercised by the Society of Freemasons is something real and substantial , and that this has never been made more manifest than during the Jubilee year of Queen VICTORIA ' reign .

* * * The usual New Year ' s entertainment to the inmates of the T e c ° o lks R ° V al Masonic Benevolent Institution at Croydon , which took place on Wednesday , passed off most satisfactorily . There was a larger gathering of visitors than in most previous years , while the

old familiar friends and supporters of the Institution were in as great force as ever . The special facilities offered by the London and South-Eastern Railway management were greatly appreciated , and when the visitors reached the Asylum at the appointed time , they found our worthy Bro . TERRY and his staff ready to accord them a hearty welcome . That the Old Folks

enter thoroughly into the spirit ot these seasonable merrymakings is well known to all who have had the good fortune to be present at one of them . There is good cheer for all , and in the evening plenty of musical and other entertainment , and if there is any regret experienced either b y hosts or guests , it must be on the score that such friendly meetings cannot be

prolonged or multiplied indefinitely , and life in the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution at Croydon made into one continuous period of enjoyment . However , what is possible on these occasions is carried out with hearty

goodwill on the part of everybody , and we congratulate Bro . TERRY , with whom the idea of holding these periodical meetings originated , on the success of Wednesday ' s proceedings .

THERE must be a rare amount of good solid work done in the . n b Cr ^ Province of Derbyshire , at which the brethren , and especially their respected ruler , the Marquess of HARTINGTON , must be greatly pleased . The lodges seem to prefer working quietly and

unostentatiously , and therefore , perhaps , it is we hear so little of their doings ; but it will be seen from our report of their Prov . G . Lodge meeting on the 20 th ult ., that Fieemasonry has made great strides in Derbyshire during the last lew years . Bro . NAYLOR , who , as P . G . Sec , must speak authoritatively , said on this occasion that during the 17 years he had been connected with

the Province the lodges had increased from 15 to 22 and the members from 465 to 1023 ; while Bro . WRIGHT , Past Provincial Senior Grand Warden and Chairman of the Charity Committee , mentioned that the Province had contributed during the past year to our Central Charities no less than £ 657 5 s . 6 d . ; and it is still fresh in our memory how

splendidly the Province supported its distinguished Chief in 1885 , when he presided at the Festival of the Boys' School . That much of this progress is due to the popularity of Bro . Lord H ARTINGTON , the ability of his worthy Deputy , Bro . OKEOVER , and the zeal and energy of Bro . NAYLOR , Prov . G .

Secretary , does not admit of question , and we are pleased that , as regards the last-mentioned of these , our Derbyshire brethren have recognised his important services by presenting him with a valuable testimonial . We trust that future years may be as productive of good fortune to the Province as that which has just been concluded and its predecessors .

* # * THE year 1887 closed for the Province of Devonshire with a Ceremony grand flourish of trumpets , the meeting which was held on the at Plymouth . 2 gth Decernber last , when Bro . Lord EBRINGTON , M . P .,

Prov . Grand Master , laid the first stone of a new Masonic Hall at Plymouth , being very numerous and enthusiastic . This is not very surprising . As regards the number of its lodges , Devonshire stands high among our provinces , while as to the zeal of its members and their readiness to fall in with every proposal calculated to advance the interests of the Craft , there

never has been the slightest question . Every one has recognked that with the greater numerical strength nowadays of the brethren in the Three Towns—Plymouth , Devonport , and Stonehouse—the Huyshe Masonic Hall would very soon become inconveniently cramped , and it was an excellent , and seems likely to prove , financially , a successful idea , to erect a

new building on the Limited Liability principle , which should serve both as a Hall , in which the lodges and chapters could meet comfortably , and as a Club , in which the members of the Craft might be able to meet and enjoy each other's society . We shall no doubt have occasion to refer again to

the proceedings , and hence we are content for to-day to offer our congratulations to Bro . Lord EBRINGTOK , P . G . M ., and our Devonshire brethren generally , on the success of the ceremony of laying the first stone at Ply mouth ,