The New York Masonic Home.

the methods they adopt for help ing them are somewhat different from ours , they bestow a large amount of hel p upon the deserving , and are thus enabled to do a considerable amount of service in the shape of permanent relief to the aged and of

sound training and education to the young . Among the many Grand Lodges which have of late years established what in the States are called Masonic Homes , that of New York occupies a foremost p lace . As soon as it had cleared off the debt ithad incurred

in erecting its stately hall in the City of New York , it set about the task of founding a Home at Utica , and successive annual reports have made it clear that this Home is becoming year b y year more valuable b y reason of the amount of good it does .

The latest of these reports was laid before Grand Lodge at its annual communication in June last , when the Trustees found themselves in a position to speak most warmly of the successful

efforts which had been made in the past and the encouraging nature of the prospects which seemed to await them in the future .

The Trustees , after mentioning that " the Reserve Fund of the Masonic Hall and Asylum now amounts to more than 200 , 000 dollars ( £ 40 , 000 ) , " confine their attention to the latter . They point out , among other things , that the number of inmates

was increased during the past year Irom 151 to 180 , and that the cost of maintenance is 191 . 52 dollars ( between £ 3 8 and £ 39 ) per head , or less b y about £ 4 15 s . than in the previous year . This reduction in cost , however , is due principally to the fact

" that , while the number of inmates has been increased , the working force has remained about the same . " They lay particular stress upon the further fact that " no part of the reduction has been obtained by any change in the quantity or quality of

merchandise purchased , " it being their belief that " true cconomy consists in always procuring the best of everything required . " They also mention that " the ' Memorial Building , ' which was erected for the use of the children only , has proved of great

advantage , and that both the old people and the young are far more comfortable now that they are occupying separate buildings , the children in particular " showing a marked improvement in their appearance , and also in their mental and moral training . "

They express the hope that the day is not far distant when they will be in a position to erect another building for the children , and thus have separate accommodation for the girls and boys . They have procured p lans for an extension of the east wing of

the main building which shall serve as an infirmary and hospital , and have two wards completel y isolated for the use of those who may be suffering from any contagious disease . Their plans

for the improvement and extension of the Home appear to be worthy of all praise , and we hope to hear in some future report that they have carried them out as completel y as they themselves can desire .

There are other paragrap hs 111 the Report to which we must only briefly refer . In the first place , they express their gratitude to the Masonic members of the medical profession resident in Utica for their kindness and attention to the inmates of the

I lome , and to the clergy and members of several religious societies in Utica for the kindl y advice and assistance which at all times they have so ungrudgingly rendered . In the next place , they invite all masons to make a stricter examination into " the merits of each

app lication submitted for approval , pointing out that cases have occurred in which undesirable persons have been admitted into the Home . We trust this salutary caution will have due effect

and that as years elapse , the New York Masonic Home will become worthier and still more worthy of the brethren in the Empire State .

Old Masonic Charges.

OLD MASONIC CHARGES .

Since the publication of my "Old Charges of British Freemasons , " 1 S 95 , the following MSS . have been traced or made known . I append particulars and distinctive titles , so as to put students in possession of the latest information as to this important subject in relation to the early history of the Fraternity .

C 4 . •'Henry Ilcade MS . " This document was noted by me in iSyj , and given the number X 10 . Bro . Speth saw it described in Cochrane ' s Catalogue of i 8 _> 6 ( No . ( 133 ) . I have since traced it in catalogue of Libri ' s Sale of his valuable MSS ., & c . ( as No . 05 ) . Br 0 - W . M . Uywater first noted it a few weeks since in the

Old Masonic Charges.

Report of the "Historical Manuscripts Commission" ( nth Report , Part VII . ) , which includes the MSS . of the Inner Temple , London ( but it is incorrectly described as by " Hen . Heale " ) p . 308 . " From Mr . J . O . Halliwell ' s Library , who bought it at M . Libri ' s " sale . " The MS . is on paper , and of the " William Watson" text , being similar to that important Roll , and is dated 1675 . It belongs to the Plot Family .

D 40 . "Langdale MS . " ( c ) . This is a late 17 th century transcript , and on a paper Roll ( c / o " Newcastle College of Rosicrucians' Library . " ) It was printed in the Freemason for December 7 th , 1 S 95 , from a copy made by Bro . F . F . Schnitger , with an Introduction by me . The Scroll is of the Grand Lodge Family-Branch ( c ) .

E 16 . "John T . Thorp MS . " ( a ) . This fine vellum Roll of A . D . 1629 , lately announced by me in the Freemason , belonged to Bro . Henry Brown , of Northampton , and I called it after him . Since then , however , it has been acquired by Bo . John T . Thorp , of Leicester , after whom I have now named it . It is very curious and

valuable , because of the " Sloane Family" and 17 years older than any hitherto discovered of that group ; hence its importance . Bro . Thorp and I have sent it to Bro . Speth for the Transactions of the "Quatuor Coronati " Lodge , Part 3 , now in the Press , so that the text thereof will sojn be made public , and Bro . Thorp will , later on , publish it in the Transactions of the " Lodge of Research , " of which he is the Editor .

F 5 . " Macnab MS . " This document was once a paper Roll , but since made up in Book form . It is in the celebrated "West Yorkshire Masonic Library , " and was published in the Series of Reproductions , edited by Bro . William Watson ( 18 9 6 ) , with an Introduction by me . There is also a facsimile of a portion . Copies may be had from Bro . George Kenning at 25 . 6 d . each , post free . It is an important MS ., as it contains the New Articles and the Apprentice Charges .

Of the " Missing MSS . " the "Henry Heade , " of 1675 , has been discovered ( X 10 ) . The MS . once in the possession of the late Bro . T . Lamb Smith has not been traced and is numbered by me X 11 ; and another referred to in the minutes of the " Anchor and Hope" Lodge , No . 37 , Bolton , Lanes ., in the year 1788 , is still to be found . This is No . X 12 . The "Aberdeen MS . " ( D 11 ( i ) ) I have had privately printed ( 50 copies ) , and also in Freemason , Nov . 23 rd , 1895 .

Corrections needed for my " Old Charges , " 1895 . P . 21 , should read 3 S pp . both sides of each leaf . P . 29 , 60 copies not 100 . P . 37 Fdivard Thompson . Pp . 49 and SS , Vol . V . ( not . VI . ) . P . 59 , No . 1 tris . P . 78 , fourth line , up g ( not 9 ) . Pp . 80-1 , Dumfries Kilwinning 3 ( not 4 ) , as to reference . P . 109 , Rule 19 , Mast' - W . J . HUGHAN .

Consecration Of The Albert Lucking Lodge At Southend-On-Sea.

CONSECRATION OF THE ALBERT LUCKING LODGE AT SOUTHEND-ON-SEA .

The Earl of Warwick , Provincial Grand Master , Essex , visited Southend-on-Sea on Saturday , the 29 th ult ., for the purpose of consecrating a new lodge , to be named the " Albert Lucking , " after the highly respected brother who for twenty-five years has occupied the post of Director of Ceremonies of the province .

His Lordship , accompanied by Bro . Col . Lockwood , M . P ., the newlyappointed D . P . G . M ., Bro . Richard Clowes , P . G . Std . Br . and P . P . S . G . W ., and other brethren , reached Southend soon after three o ' clock , and was met at the West Cliff Station by Bros . Thomas Hood , P . M . 1000 , P . P . G . R ., the W . M . designate of the new lodge ; and Thos . J . Railing , the Prov .

G . Sec , and was driven in an open carriage to " The Grove , " Bro . Hood ' s residence , were light refreshments were partaken of . The party afterwards proceeded to the West Cliff Hotel , the coffee-room of which had been transformed into a very handsome lodge room , and in which a large number of members of the Craft had assembled .

The lodge having been opened by the Provincial Grand Secretary , his Lordship and Deputy , accompanied by a goodly array of Present and Past Provincial Grand Ollicers , entered , and were received with the honours due to their Masonic rank . His Lordship then appointed as his officers to assist in the consecration ceremony : Bros . Richard Clowes , P . G . Std . Br .,

P . P . S . G . W ., as S . W . ; Col . Landon , Prov . J . G . W ., as J . W . ; Ven . Archdeacon Stevens , P . G . Chap ., and Rev . Wm . Cree , Prov . G . Chap ., as Chaplains ; Thos . J . Railing , P . A . G . D . C , Prov . G . Sec , as Sec . ; Albert Lucking , P . G . P ., Prov . G . D . C , as D . C . ; and Geo . Graveley , G . Purst ., as I . G .

In opening the proceedings , Bro . the Earl of WARWICK said it gave him great pleasure to come to Southend , where he knew he had many Masonic friends and where the work of the Craft was so well carried out . But it was especially gratifying to him that the object of their assembly that day was to consecrate a lodge to be named after one so well known to all the Essex Masons , and who had done so much for the good of the Craft in the county .

( Applause . ) He believed that Bro . Lucking had been over 30 years a Mason , and for 25 years he had been Director of Ceremonies ' for the province . ( Hear , hear . ) That was a long period of service , and it seemed to him most fitting that Bro . Lucking ' s name should be commemorated in this way in the annals of the Craft in Essex . ( Applause . ) The ceremony of consecration was then proceeded with in Masonic form ,

in the course of which an eloquent oration on the nature and principles of the Order was given by Bro . the Ven , Archdeacon STEVENS , who said-He thought he mi ^ ht assume that they were met that day as something more than brethren—they were met as believers in Freemasonry , and as such were desirous that a new centre should be formed from which all that was good in the Craft might radiate . They were met also as believers in the principles of their

Order , and desirous that they should be more widely known and more fully recognised . Some time ago he assisted at the consecration of a new lodge in Staffordshire of a very remarkable kind . It was formed to perpetuate the memory of one who had for many years been Provincial Grand Master—it was the Foster Gough Lodge—and in the fulfilment of the duties of that important position •had made his mark . The circumstances of that consecration were of a striking