Charity Elections.

the subcribers in voting , exercise their undoubted right of selection . That eminent judge , Sir Colin Blackburn , in a recent case before the Court of Queen ' s Bench

arising out of an agreement to exchange or sell votes , seemed to intimate that in his opinion , the voting power of the subscribers was accompanied with an implied condition to ascertain the worthiness ofthe individual case .

But he forgot , as it seems to us—we say it deferentially—that with the subscriber " ceteris

paribus , " on the ground of worthiness , by the acceptance of the case b y the House Committes , it is to the individual subscriber only a question of degree , and of personal opinion .

There is no a priori reason why A should not say to B , " If you vote for my candidate , No . io , this time , I will vote for yours , No . 12 , the next time ; or if you can get me 30 votes for No .

10 this half-yearly election , I will get you 30 votes for No . 12 next half-yearly election ; and what A can say to , and do with B , C , D , and E can say to and do with F , G , and H .

Hence it must be very difficult to interfere with the liberty of the individual voter , or to say to the subscribers of any institution , " We , the committee recommend you to vote for certain

candidates , " because the inevitable result of such a system would be to make a close election of what is now an open election , to diminish individual interest and personal energy in particular

cases ; to reduce the general income of the society ; and to introduce a "' remedy" worse than the '' disease . " With some modifications and amendments in

existing arrangements , which must be left to the governing bodies to initiate and carry out , we do not think that at present much material change can ^ be made in the rules and regulations of our

many and valuable charities . We do think , indeed , and have always thought , that , something might be done to lessen the large numbar of disappointed candidates , year by year ,

as in our Masonic Boys' and Girls' Schools . It has occurred to us , that , the managing committee might have power to select from those candidates , year by year , { who have failed twice ,

and whose candidature is feebly supported , a certain proportion of " cases of urgency , " and place them on the roll of the school or the charity .

Beyond this we do not well see , what can be really done without seriously affecting the very existence of the charities themselves .

We have said all this , having considered the question very carefully for many years , and we feel certain that , with all due deference to others , we are right in deprecating hasty changes and

unpractical interference with the working of our great and valuable charitable institutions . But whatever wc do , now and hereafter , let us keep clear of " sensationalism" in charitable

questions and work . Let us seek to look at all these questions in a calm and kindly frame of mind , remembering that our endeavours should

not be directed to carry out particular views , but to advance the cause of true charity , and to benefit our fellow man .

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Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England was held on Wednesday , 4 th inst ., at Freemasons ' Hall . Comp . the Rev . John Huyshe occupied the Z . chair , Comp . R . Hamilton the H . chair ,

and Comp . Murray the J . chair . Comps . John Hervey , S . E . ; W . Pulteney Scott , N . ; John B . Monckton , P . S . ; Col . Whitwell , First A . ; W Glaisher , Second A . ; were in their places , and the following companions were also present : —

John Whichcord , D . C : Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . Prin . S . ; H . J . P . Dumas , P . G . S . B . ; N . Bradford , P . G . D . C . ; Benjamin Head , P . G . S . B . ; H . Browse , P . G . S . N . ; C . A . Murton , P . G . A . S , ; E . S . Snell , P . G . S . B . ; Major J . Creaton ,

P . G . S . B . ; G . Campion , Z . 19 ; John Boyd , P . Z . 145 ; Joshua Nunn , P . G . D . C . ; J . Bellerby , P . Z . io ~ 4 ; H . G . Buss ; Joseph Dixon , P . Z . 271 : H . Radcliffe , P . Z . it ; H . Massey , Z .

619 ; Thomas Cubitt , Z 177 ; A . A . Richards , Z . 8 ; J . A . Rucker , H . 12 ; S . G . Foxall , P . Z . 382 ; A . A . Pendlebury , P . Z . 1056 ; F . B . Davage , P . Z . 185 , F . Adlard , P . Z . 214 ; and S . L . Tomkins , P . G . P . S .

Comp . Hervey read the minutes of the Quarterly Convocation of August , which were put and confirmed , and Comp . W . Pulteney Scott then moved , and Comp . Joshua Nunn seconded , " That the report of the Committee of

General Purposes be taken as read" and "received , and entered on the minutes . " The motions were carried . The following is the report : — To the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal

Arch Masons of England . The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 16 th July , to the 14 th October , 1873 ,

both inclusive , which they find to _ be as follows : — To Balance 16 th July ^ 462 14 8 „ Subsequent ] Receipts 245 7 6

^ 708 3 2 By Disbursements during the Quarter £ i $ S 6 10 „ Balance 549 15 4 £ 708 2 2

which balance is in the hands of Messrs . Willis , Percival and Co ., Bankers of the Grand

Treasurer ; The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following petitions : — ist . From Comps . Henry Radcliffe , as Z ; Charles Fish , as H . ; Henry John Reynolds , as J . ; and seven others , for a chapter to be attached

to the Lodge of Regularity , No . 91 , London , to be called " The Chapter of Regularity , " and to meet at Freemasons' Hall , London . 2 nd . From Comps . Nicholas James "West , as Z , ; John Coombe , as H . ; John Pearce Smith , as J . ; and eleven others , for a chapter to

be attached to the Cornubian Lodge , No . 450 , Hayle , to be called " The Hayle Chapter , " and to meet at Freemasons' Hall , Hayle , Cornwall . 3 rd . From Comps . Lieut . Col . Francis Burdett , as Z . ; Robert Wentworth Little , as H . ; Frederick Davison , as J . ; and nine others , for a

Chapter to be attached to the Burdett Lodge , No . 1293 , Hampton Court , to be called "The Burdett Chapter , " and to meet at the Mitre Hotel , Hampton Court , Middlesex . 4 th . From Comps . Samuel Gover Foxall , as Z . ; Antonio John Codner , as H . ; James John

Pope , as J . ; and eight others , for a chapter to be attached to the St . Marylebone Lodge , No . 1305 , St . John ' s Wood , to he called "The St . Marylebone Chapter , " and to meet at the British Stores , New Street , St . J ohn ' s Wood , St . Marylebone , Middlesex .

Tlie foregoing petitions being in all respects regular , the Committee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee regret to have again to report the violation of the regulations b y two Chapters , the St . John ' s Chapter , No . 80 , Sunderland , and the Stamford Chapter , No . sod . < , Altrincham ,

Supreme Grand Chapter.

having each exalted a companion within the period prescribed b y the Royal Arch Regulations Article 23 , page 20 , edition 1869 . In their last report the Committee had to direct the attention of Grand Chapter to the fact of their having considered , it necessary to endeavour to check a

growing evil by the infliction of a fine of three guineas on the offending chapter , as reprimands alone appeared to be of no avail . In the present instance the cases are not so flagrant , but the Committee have deemed it their duty to inflict a fine in each case of two pounds , they have also

ordered the two companions to be respectively re-obligated , the issue of the certificates to be suspended until that has taken place , and been duly certified , and that the Principals of each chapter be reprimanded , and ordered to be more careful in future .

Ihe following notice of motion has been given by Comp . Edward S . Snell , P . G . Sword Bearer : — " That the meetings of Grand Chapter in future be held at eight o ' clock , instead of seven o ' clock ,

as at present . ( Signed ) W . PULTENEY SCOTT . President Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 15 th October , 1873 .

The recommendations of the Committee that the petitions for the new chapters be granted having been agreed to , Comp . Scott said , he had nothing further to trouble the Grand Chapter with but the subject of the violation of Grand Chapter

Regulations by chapters at Sunderland and Altrincham , Exalting brethren within the time appointed by Grand Chapter was a breach of the regulations , he was sorry to say , of very frequent occurrence , and the Committee had again found it necessary to impose fines on the offending chapters . He

stated this merely for the information of Grand Chapter , and he hoped that Grand Chapter would disseminate the resolution it had come to , so as to prevent a repetition of the offence . Comp . the Rev . C . J . Martyn enquired whether the Principals of the offending chapters were summoned before the Committee .

Comp . Scott said that the fullest enquiries were always made by correspondence . Comp . H . Browse also informed Comp . Martyn that the Principals were not summoned , but they were communicated with , and had every opportunity given them of justifying their acts . Comp . ScottJ : And of appealing if they thought

proper . Comp . Browse added that the offence committed was much on the increase , and the Committee had inflicted a fine to stop it . Comp . John Hervey , with reference to the remark of Comp . Browse , that there was an

opportunity given for justification , said that there was no justification . A chapter in the return it made to Grand Chapter of the brethren exalted , named the day on which the exaltation took place . In the return to Grand Lodge , of brethren raised to the third degree , the day of

raising was also named ; so that the times of raising and exaltation were put beyond the possibility of question . There was no opportunity for explanation why a discrepancy appeared , and no chapter could justify its breach of the regulations . Grand Chapter laid it down distinctly

what time should elapse between a raising and an exaltation , and chapters were called upon to conform to these regulations . The following letter was read by Comp . Hervey from Lord de Tabley in explanation of his non-attendance .

" I very much regret that absence from London will prevent my attendance in Grand Chapter on the 5 th November . Pray make my excuses to the companions , and believe me , " Yours truly and fraternally , WARREN DE TABLEY . "

Comp . E . S . Snell , on bringing forward his motion "That the meetings of Grand Chapter in future be held at 8 o ' clock , instead of 7 o ' clock , as at present" said that when the alteration of

the hour of meeting in Grand Lodge from 8 to 7 was made , the reasons were strong and powerful ; but with regard to Grand Chapter the same reasons did not hold . Grand Chapter was never detained so long in transacting its business