Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00200
notably in 1 S 83 , when Lord HOLMESDALE—now Earl AMHERST—was Chairman , and the total result was over £ 23 , 000 . In . fact , the 25 Festivals held under his auspices have yielded in round figures £ 235 , 34 6 , giving an average of nearly £ 9414 per Festival , and as there have been sundry supplemental collections at the laying of corner stones , & rc , we sha'l assuredly
not be exaggerating if we state the amount realised mainly through Bro . BINCKES ' S instrumentality at £ 250 , 000 , that is , at £ 10 , 000 per annum during the period of his Secretaryship . Of this sum quite £ 100 , 000 remains in the shape of the school buildings and land and the money invested—about £ 17 , 000 . But this by no means represents the whole of the
picture . Not only has the School bcen enlarged to the extent we have described and the number of boys in it tripled , but the educational benefits bestowed by the Institution have been materially enhanced , and what was once hardly on a higher level than a National School now holds a foremost rank among the best of middle-class scholastic establishments . The smattering
of a rudimentary English training has given place to a well-conceived and well-taught system of education such as the boys of well-to-do parents receive , and the successes obtained year after year in the Cambridge local and other examinations by the pupils of our Boys' School in competition
with those of other Schools bear conclusive testimony to the manner in which the system has been applied . To the chief share in the merit due to these achievements Bro . BINCKES is undoubtedly entitled , and the proposal to present him with a testimonial in recognition of his services will doubtless receive the consideration it deserves .
• # OF course , we know well enough there is a class of critic who will retort that he has been paid for what he has done . That is so . He has been paid for what he has done , and had he never moved hand or foot in behalf of the Institution beyond what the strict letter of his bond
required of him , had he measured out his services at so much per £ 1 sterling of emolument , we might feel inclined to concede to our crictical friend that his retort had in it some appearance of justice . But Bro . B INCKES ' S whole career shows indubitably that so mean a'view of duty never entered his mind . In April 1869 , a Committee which had been appointed to inquire
into the duties and emoluments of the Secretariat , reported that " though , by the strict letter of his engagement made at the time of his election , Bro . BINCKES ' S attendance at the office was limited to four hours per day for three days in the week , yet that' from the date of such election ' he had ' given daily attendance , and , owing to the rapid increase of the business ,
for nearly the entire day , for the first two or three years , and since then his regular attendance during the whole of each day , save when visiting the provinces , or absent from illness . ' More than this , he had been ' compelled lo engage assistance during the years 1863-7 at * " * c ° st t 0 himself , ' as shown in the tabulated statement annexed . " Other illustrations might also be
adduced , but this one will suffice to exhibit the spirit in which Bro . B INCKES has fulfilled his part of the bond or agreement wilh the electors , and , we are sure , it is in this spirit of generous consideration that the present scheme for presenting him with a testimonial will be received generally throughout the Craft , not in that wretched spirit of parsimony , which would try and
reduce all feelings of loyalty , honour , zeal , generosity , to the level of a strict money value , buying or disposing of them at so much per foot , pound , or pottle . For ourselves the scheme has our heartiest sympathy and best wishes for its success , our great desire being that the testimonial , when presented , shall be worthy alike of the donors and the recipient .
• • • THE Masonic Exhibition at Shanklin , Isle of Wight , which has been organised with so much care by Bro . GREENHAM , W . M ., and the officers and members of the Chine Lodge , No . 1884 , was most successfully inaugurated on Thursday afternoon by our respected Bro . W . W . B . BEACH ,
M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Hants and Isle of Wight , to whom , having regard to the natural bent of his mind as well as to his distinguished position as a ruler of the Craft , the fulfilment of such a duty would be a most welcome task . We are glad to learn that everything passed off most satisfactorily . Bro . BEACH was well supported by his Prov . Grand Officers , and
there was a very strong muster of the brethren from the lodge in the pro vince as well as from those more remotely situated . Under these circum stances taking into consideration the large number of exhibits , we are justi
lied in anticipating that the Shanklin Masonic Exhibition will prove worthy of its predecessors at York and Worcester , and chat in course of time it will in company wilh them head a long series of similar Exhibitions in London and throughout the provinces .
# * # His Royal Highness the Duke of CONNAUGHT has ordered that the annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex is to be held at Brighton on the 12 th October , the W . Bro . J H . SCOTT , P . G . D ., D . Prov . G . M ., will preside . There is no lack of business for that assembly , several important
reports to be made to the Prov . G . Lodge , two having reference to the late R . W . Bro . Sir W . BURRELL , Bart . The election of a Prov . G . Treasurer , and the appointment of Prov . G . Officers are also noted on the agenda . The banquet is to be served at thc Royal Pavilion , seats being reserved for those only who obtain tickets before the Sth October .
* * # THE detailed report of the Annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire has been printed and duly circulated . In the R . W . Bro . Colonel LE GENDRE NICHOLAS STARKIE the province has an
able ruler , and the consequence is that the progress and prosperity of the Craft in East Lancashire arc well assured . Ninety-two out of the 94 lodges were represented at the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Bury , and everything was done with the greatest precision and order .
Ar00201
COLONEL STARKIE had a few words to say to the brethren in his address , which were of special importance , particularly those with respect " to the dishonourable , if not dishonest , practice prevailing in many lodges of mixing funds subscribed lor Charitable purposes wilh the lodge funds . " His sound advice was to the effect thai "All lodges should have two separate funds , one for lodge purposes and thc other for Charity . "
* # THE R . W . PROV . GRAND MASTER announced that a " History of the Provincial Grand Lod ge of East Lancashire " was being compiled by our indefatigable Bro . J AMES NEWTON , P . Prov . G . D ., and now the Asst . Prov . G . Sec . Colonel STARKIE stated lhat it was " his earnest desire and
request that- the fullest information should be supplied to Bro . NEWTON , so that , ihe work might be as accurate and complete ns possible . " This is just as it should be . Bro . NEWTON is working for the province , not for himself , and deserves the hearty support and co-operation of every lodge and brother in East Lancashire .
* * THE members of the lately formed and prosperous Grand Lodge of South Australia are much delighted with the Masonic good feeling and kindness displayed to them by H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , as Grand Master of England , who has not only cheerfully recognised their independence
Masonically , but has decided to exchange Representatives . The R . W . Bro . ROBERT CUNLIFFE , P . G . W ., has been appointed as the Representative at our Grand Lodge , and the Grand Master , M . W . Bro . S . J . WAY , has been appointed in a similar capacity to represent England in the Grand Lodge of South Australia . The commission of the latter , signed by Lord
LATHOM , D . G . M ., by command of the M . W . G . M ., is given in full in the last published Report of the Grand Lodge of South Australia , and bears date the 21 st January , 1886 , the chief business of that Grand Lodge on July 21 st being "To invest the M . W . the Grand Master b y request of the Grand Lodge of England , with the jewel of the Representative of that Grand Lodge . "
* MENTION is made of the " very handsome jewel " forwarded , to be worn by the Grand Representative for the time being , and the Grand Master of
South Australia " has decided to communicate to H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , the Grand . Master of the Grand Lodgeof England , an assurance of a fraternal and cordial welcome by the Freemasons of South Australia , should he determine to visit that country . "
# # WE understand that the jewels forwarded to our Representatives at the various Grand Lodges , were designed by our esteemed Grand Secretary , who has more than once displayed his artistic tastes in that direction .
# * WE have been honoured with a communication from the respected Grand Master of Maryland , M . W . Bro . T . J . SHRYOCK , respecting our reference to the debt on the Masonic Temple belonging to that veteran Grand Lodge . Bro . SHRYOCK informs us lhat the representatives of the lodges at the
annual meetings of the Grand Lodge " have never been paid since the debt was contracted . " It appears that some 20 years ago a few enthusiastic brethren decided to build the Masonic Temple , and ihe credit of the Grand Lodge being exceedingly good , an unwise debt was contracted . Our
distinguished brother , with a full knowledge of the circumstances , states , " We have fought our way through the fight , and the dark clouds that surrounded our Grand Lodge have at last broken away . There is no question about the fact , that in a very lew years our Grand Lodge will be entirely free from such an incubus . "
»*« THE GRAND MASTER considers he might soon clear off the sum now owing by making an appeal to the brethren in the manner we suggested , but as the centennial celebration is to be next year , he prefers to leave the final struggle until then , well knowing that the Maryland Craft will not
allow the funds to be any longer crippled ; and this triumph will be one of the special forms of commemorating the formation of the Grand Lodge of Maryland , which has been " the leader in all the great Masonic movements for the past 100 years , in fact has originated a great many things that have been of inestimable value to the Craft , such as the General Masonic Relief Associations of the United States and Canada . "
Lodge True Friendship, No. 218, Calcutta.
LODGE TRUE FRIENDSHIP , No . 218 , CALCUTTA .
The following history , recently compiled by two members of the lodge will , doubtless , be interesting as indicating some of the vicissitudes of foreign lodges . My investigations show that the existing lodge , which was then under the " Modern " organization , dates from 1788 only . It , however , changed
its Constitution for an "Athol ' warrant in 1797 . The phrase used by the compilers , " Ancient York Constitution , " is , as Bro . Hughan has frequently pointed out , erroneous . They mean a Constitution under the "Ancient" or " Athol" Grand Lodge , and not under the York Grand Lodge , wilh which it had no connection whatever . Torquay , 6 th Sep ., 1886 . JNO . LANE .
A HISTORY OF LODGE TRUE FRIENDSHIP , NO . 218 , COMPILED BY BROS . J . MILNE AND J . W . BROWNE . Calcutta , ist January , 1885 . From our only record of Lodge True Friendship , we find that it was originally attached to the third Army Brigade and was in existence in December , 1773 . under a warrant from Bro , Samuel Middleton , the then Provincial
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ar00200
notably in 1 S 83 , when Lord HOLMESDALE—now Earl AMHERST—was Chairman , and the total result was over £ 23 , 000 . In . fact , the 25 Festivals held under his auspices have yielded in round figures £ 235 , 34 6 , giving an average of nearly £ 9414 per Festival , and as there have been sundry supplemental collections at the laying of corner stones , & rc , we sha'l assuredly
not be exaggerating if we state the amount realised mainly through Bro . BINCKES ' S instrumentality at £ 250 , 000 , that is , at £ 10 , 000 per annum during the period of his Secretaryship . Of this sum quite £ 100 , 000 remains in the shape of the school buildings and land and the money invested—about £ 17 , 000 . But this by no means represents the whole of the
picture . Not only has the School bcen enlarged to the extent we have described and the number of boys in it tripled , but the educational benefits bestowed by the Institution have been materially enhanced , and what was once hardly on a higher level than a National School now holds a foremost rank among the best of middle-class scholastic establishments . The smattering
of a rudimentary English training has given place to a well-conceived and well-taught system of education such as the boys of well-to-do parents receive , and the successes obtained year after year in the Cambridge local and other examinations by the pupils of our Boys' School in competition
with those of other Schools bear conclusive testimony to the manner in which the system has been applied . To the chief share in the merit due to these achievements Bro . BINCKES is undoubtedly entitled , and the proposal to present him with a testimonial in recognition of his services will doubtless receive the consideration it deserves .
• # OF course , we know well enough there is a class of critic who will retort that he has been paid for what he has done . That is so . He has been paid for what he has done , and had he never moved hand or foot in behalf of the Institution beyond what the strict letter of his bond
required of him , had he measured out his services at so much per £ 1 sterling of emolument , we might feel inclined to concede to our crictical friend that his retort had in it some appearance of justice . But Bro . B INCKES ' S whole career shows indubitably that so mean a'view of duty never entered his mind . In April 1869 , a Committee which had been appointed to inquire
into the duties and emoluments of the Secretariat , reported that " though , by the strict letter of his engagement made at the time of his election , Bro . BINCKES ' S attendance at the office was limited to four hours per day for three days in the week , yet that' from the date of such election ' he had ' given daily attendance , and , owing to the rapid increase of the business ,
for nearly the entire day , for the first two or three years , and since then his regular attendance during the whole of each day , save when visiting the provinces , or absent from illness . ' More than this , he had been ' compelled lo engage assistance during the years 1863-7 at * " * c ° st t 0 himself , ' as shown in the tabulated statement annexed . " Other illustrations might also be
adduced , but this one will suffice to exhibit the spirit in which Bro . B INCKES has fulfilled his part of the bond or agreement wilh the electors , and , we are sure , it is in this spirit of generous consideration that the present scheme for presenting him with a testimonial will be received generally throughout the Craft , not in that wretched spirit of parsimony , which would try and
reduce all feelings of loyalty , honour , zeal , generosity , to the level of a strict money value , buying or disposing of them at so much per foot , pound , or pottle . For ourselves the scheme has our heartiest sympathy and best wishes for its success , our great desire being that the testimonial , when presented , shall be worthy alike of the donors and the recipient .
• • • THE Masonic Exhibition at Shanklin , Isle of Wight , which has been organised with so much care by Bro . GREENHAM , W . M ., and the officers and members of the Chine Lodge , No . 1884 , was most successfully inaugurated on Thursday afternoon by our respected Bro . W . W . B . BEACH ,
M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Hants and Isle of Wight , to whom , having regard to the natural bent of his mind as well as to his distinguished position as a ruler of the Craft , the fulfilment of such a duty would be a most welcome task . We are glad to learn that everything passed off most satisfactorily . Bro . BEACH was well supported by his Prov . Grand Officers , and
there was a very strong muster of the brethren from the lodge in the pro vince as well as from those more remotely situated . Under these circum stances taking into consideration the large number of exhibits , we are justi
lied in anticipating that the Shanklin Masonic Exhibition will prove worthy of its predecessors at York and Worcester , and chat in course of time it will in company wilh them head a long series of similar Exhibitions in London and throughout the provinces .
# * # His Royal Highness the Duke of CONNAUGHT has ordered that the annual Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex is to be held at Brighton on the 12 th October , the W . Bro . J H . SCOTT , P . G . D ., D . Prov . G . M ., will preside . There is no lack of business for that assembly , several important
reports to be made to the Prov . G . Lodge , two having reference to the late R . W . Bro . Sir W . BURRELL , Bart . The election of a Prov . G . Treasurer , and the appointment of Prov . G . Officers are also noted on the agenda . The banquet is to be served at thc Royal Pavilion , seats being reserved for those only who obtain tickets before the Sth October .
* * # THE detailed report of the Annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire has been printed and duly circulated . In the R . W . Bro . Colonel LE GENDRE NICHOLAS STARKIE the province has an
able ruler , and the consequence is that the progress and prosperity of the Craft in East Lancashire arc well assured . Ninety-two out of the 94 lodges were represented at the Provincial Grand Lodge held at Bury , and everything was done with the greatest precision and order .
Ar00201
COLONEL STARKIE had a few words to say to the brethren in his address , which were of special importance , particularly those with respect " to the dishonourable , if not dishonest , practice prevailing in many lodges of mixing funds subscribed lor Charitable purposes wilh the lodge funds . " His sound advice was to the effect thai "All lodges should have two separate funds , one for lodge purposes and thc other for Charity . "
* # THE R . W . PROV . GRAND MASTER announced that a " History of the Provincial Grand Lod ge of East Lancashire " was being compiled by our indefatigable Bro . J AMES NEWTON , P . Prov . G . D ., and now the Asst . Prov . G . Sec . Colonel STARKIE stated lhat it was " his earnest desire and
request that- the fullest information should be supplied to Bro . NEWTON , so that , ihe work might be as accurate and complete ns possible . " This is just as it should be . Bro . NEWTON is working for the province , not for himself , and deserves the hearty support and co-operation of every lodge and brother in East Lancashire .
* * THE members of the lately formed and prosperous Grand Lodge of South Australia are much delighted with the Masonic good feeling and kindness displayed to them by H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , as Grand Master of England , who has not only cheerfully recognised their independence
Masonically , but has decided to exchange Representatives . The R . W . Bro . ROBERT CUNLIFFE , P . G . W ., has been appointed as the Representative at our Grand Lodge , and the Grand Master , M . W . Bro . S . J . WAY , has been appointed in a similar capacity to represent England in the Grand Lodge of South Australia . The commission of the latter , signed by Lord
LATHOM , D . G . M ., by command of the M . W . G . M ., is given in full in the last published Report of the Grand Lodge of South Australia , and bears date the 21 st January , 1886 , the chief business of that Grand Lodge on July 21 st being "To invest the M . W . the Grand Master b y request of the Grand Lodge of England , with the jewel of the Representative of that Grand Lodge . "
* MENTION is made of the " very handsome jewel " forwarded , to be worn by the Grand Representative for the time being , and the Grand Master of
South Australia " has decided to communicate to H . R . H . the Prince of WALES , the Grand . Master of the Grand Lodgeof England , an assurance of a fraternal and cordial welcome by the Freemasons of South Australia , should he determine to visit that country . "
# # WE understand that the jewels forwarded to our Representatives at the various Grand Lodges , were designed by our esteemed Grand Secretary , who has more than once displayed his artistic tastes in that direction .
# * WE have been honoured with a communication from the respected Grand Master of Maryland , M . W . Bro . T . J . SHRYOCK , respecting our reference to the debt on the Masonic Temple belonging to that veteran Grand Lodge . Bro . SHRYOCK informs us lhat the representatives of the lodges at the
annual meetings of the Grand Lodge " have never been paid since the debt was contracted . " It appears that some 20 years ago a few enthusiastic brethren decided to build the Masonic Temple , and ihe credit of the Grand Lodge being exceedingly good , an unwise debt was contracted . Our
distinguished brother , with a full knowledge of the circumstances , states , " We have fought our way through the fight , and the dark clouds that surrounded our Grand Lodge have at last broken away . There is no question about the fact , that in a very lew years our Grand Lodge will be entirely free from such an incubus . "
»*« THE GRAND MASTER considers he might soon clear off the sum now owing by making an appeal to the brethren in the manner we suggested , but as the centennial celebration is to be next year , he prefers to leave the final struggle until then , well knowing that the Maryland Craft will not
allow the funds to be any longer crippled ; and this triumph will be one of the special forms of commemorating the formation of the Grand Lodge of Maryland , which has been " the leader in all the great Masonic movements for the past 100 years , in fact has originated a great many things that have been of inestimable value to the Craft , such as the General Masonic Relief Associations of the United States and Canada . "
Lodge True Friendship, No. 218, Calcutta.
LODGE TRUE FRIENDSHIP , No . 218 , CALCUTTA .
The following history , recently compiled by two members of the lodge will , doubtless , be interesting as indicating some of the vicissitudes of foreign lodges . My investigations show that the existing lodge , which was then under the " Modern " organization , dates from 1788 only . It , however , changed
its Constitution for an "Athol ' warrant in 1797 . The phrase used by the compilers , " Ancient York Constitution , " is , as Bro . Hughan has frequently pointed out , erroneous . They mean a Constitution under the "Ancient" or " Athol" Grand Lodge , and not under the York Grand Lodge , wilh which it had no connection whatever . Torquay , 6 th Sep ., 1886 . JNO . LANE .
A HISTORY OF LODGE TRUE FRIENDSHIP , NO . 218 , COMPILED BY BROS . J . MILNE AND J . W . BROWNE . Calcutta , ist January , 1885 . From our only record of Lodge True Friendship , we find that it was originally attached to the third Army Brigade and was in existence in December , 1773 . under a warrant from Bro , Samuel Middleton , the then Provincial