Freemasonry In 1899.

first Festival in aid of its two Charities , the day chosen being the 12 th April , when under the presidency of Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., Pro . G . M ., a total of over £ 2500 was raised in donations ancl subscriptions , thc result being , that each of these

Provincial Charities can point with pride to an invested capital of £ 3000 and upwards . This Festival , indeed , must be _ looked upon as the chief event of the year in connection with this class of local Masonic Charity , while in 1900 the principal gathering will be in behalf of the East Lancashire Institution . Devonshire

has an Educational Fund , ancl also its Fortescue Annuity Fund ; Cornwall , ? n addition to its Association for helping the Central Charities , has also its Educational Institute , and so have North and East Yorkshire , Dorsetshire , Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , ancl West Yorkshire ; while Warwickshire will hold a

Festival next year in aid of its Benevolent ancl Pupils' Assistance Fund . There arc , doubtless , other similar Charities , whose sphere of operations is restricted to the Provinces ancl Districts in which they are located . But those we have enumerated are

the best known , and the benefits they confer locally are very greatly appreciated . A brother with ample leisure , and zealous , ancl painstaking beyond the average , would do Freemasonry a service by compiling a handbook to these local charities .

THE BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE . The returns showing the number of cases relieved and the amounts distributed amongst them month by month , from the ist December , 18 9 8 , to the 30 th November , 1899 , are as follows : — December , 1898 , 24 cases relieved with £ 615 : January , 1899 , 18 cases with £ 460 ; February , 22 cases with £ 530 ; March ,

39 cases with £ 930 ; April , 24 cases with £ 515 ; May , 25 cases with £ 7 8 5 ; June , 15 cases with £ 515 ; July , 25 cases with £ 730 ; August , 13 cases with £ 395 : September , 13 cases with £ 313 ; October , 25 cases with £ 895 ; and November , 42 cases with £ 1075 ; giving a total for the 12 months of 285 cases ,

relieved with £ 77 60 . During the corresponding period in 1897-8 , the totals were 355 cases , and £ 9470 . In 1896-7 , 334 cases were relieved with £ 9000 ; in 18 95-6 , there were 352 cases , among whom was distributed £ 8532 ; ancl from ist December , 1 S 94 , to 30 th November , 18 95 , there were 370 cases ,

among whom the sum of £ 8800 was distributed . Thus during the 12 months which ended on the 30 th ult ., there has been a substantial reduction , both in the number of cases that have

been relieved , and in the total amount distributed , ancl yet on referring to the monthly details , so far as the } ' may properly be published in these columns , the Board would appear to have been as generous in their individual grants as ever .

MASONIC LITERATURE . We have certainly good reason to congratulate ourselves on the new works on Masonry , few though they happen to be in number , which have been published during the present year . One of the earliest to make its appearance was from the prolific pen of Rro . W . J . Hughan , P . G . D ., to whom wc are indebted for

a further work on the " Constitutions of the Freemasons , " forming Volume II . of Bro . Geo . Kenning ' s " Arch . 'cological Library . " The work contains a complete review of the several editions which have appeared from time to time of the laws and

regulations of the Craft , commencing with the first , which was compiled by Bro . the Rev . James Anderson , and published under the authority of the Grand Lodge in 1723 , down to that published by the present G . Secretary , under the same sanction a nd authority , in 18 9 6 . To this is added a complete facsimile of

Freemasonry In 1899.

the " Rare Appendix of A . D . 1776 to the Constitutions of 1767 , " the latter having been edited by Bro . the Rev . John Entick , while the Appendix was the work of Bro . William Preston , author of the well-known " Illustrations of Masonry . " The book also contains portraits of Bros . Entick and Preston , and

facsimiles of the Title Pages of the Constitutions published in } 7 3 > ' 738 , and 1 746 , for which Bro . Anderson was responsible ; in 1756 ancl 176 7 , by Bro . Entick ; and in I 784 , by Bro . John Northouck . The work , which , as we have said , was issued as Volume II . of Bro . Kenning ' s " Archaeological Library , " is

dedicated to Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., than whom , by reason of his familiarity with the Laws and Regulations of United Grand Lodge , there is no brother so worthy of such a compliment from a writer of such ability and experience . The present

year has also seen the publication of the long-promised work on " Military Lodges , " by Bro . R . F . Gould , P . G . D ., in which that greatest of all authorities on the history of our Craft has brought together such a mass of interesting and authentic particulars concerning these lodges ancl the naval and military men of all

countries who have been Masons , as well as of the influence of Masonry in time of war , as only a man of infinite powers of labour and research could have compiled . The book has onl y just been issued from the press , ancl our readers have had but little time to familiarise themselves with its contents , but it is

well worth reading , and those who make acquaintance with its pages will be delighted with the fund of anecdote as well as of sound and trustworth y information with which they are furnished . Another work , which has been most deservedly welcomed , is thc History of the Old King ' s Arms Lodge , No . 28 , by Bro .

A . F . Calvert , W . M . 18 9 8-9 . This lodge was founded in I 725 , ancl though , unfortunately , the earliest Minute Book has been lost , Bro . Calvert has been able to compile an authentic history from 1733 till the present time . From the article which Bro . Hughan wrote for this paper , and which appeared in our issue

of the 14 th October , there can be but little doubt as to this being about the most important of the numerous lodge histories that have been published during the last 15 or 20 years , its chief merit lying in the light it throws on the condition of English Masonry anterior to thc establishment in 1751 of the Grand

Lodge of England , according to the Old Institutions . Another work which , though edited by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Hamburg , and published under the auspices of the correspondence circle of Hamburg , has a claim upon" our attention , is the second volume of the " Medaillenwerk , "—a

work in which the medals which have from time to time been struck to commemorate important events and personages in the history of Freemasonry in different countries are illustrated and described . Thc work when complete will be in three volumes , and will contain photographic copies of some 300 medals both

obverse ancl reverse , with accompanying descriptive letterpress . Volume I . which was published last year related entirely to Germany , while in the second volume which was issued two or three months ago , will be found medals commemorative of Masonry in Sweden , the Netherlands , ancl Belgium , with a few

relating to Germany and elsewhere . The number of plates comprised in the two volumes that are published is 40 and the number of medals reproduced by photography and both historically and biographically annotated is 2 S 7 . The utmost pains have bcen taken in the compilation of the work which

cannot fail to be greatly esteemed by all lovers of the Craft . Nor must we pass unnoticed the Transactions of the Lodge of Research , No . 2429 , Leicester , for the compilation of which we are indebted to Bro . John T . Thorp , P . M ., Secretary , or those of the Lodge Quatuor Coronati , No . 2076 , more familiarly known as " Ars

Ad01202

THECANCERHOSPITAL(Free) FOUNDED 1851 , BROMPTON,LONDON,S.W. 1 'ATUOXS-UIS GRACE THK AROIlltlSIIOl' OP CANTKRHURY . IIIS UUACK THE ARCHBISHOP OF YORK . HIS GliAC . 'K TIIE DL'KK OF NORFOLK . THE MOST 11 OX . THK MARQUIS OF SALISBURY . HIS EMINKNCE CARDINAL VAUGHAN . A special refuge for poor persons nfiiided with this terrible disease who are admitted free without the trouble of procuringa Subscriber ' s Letter . A . number of beds tire provided for Patients who may remain for life . . All Applicants arc seen each week-day at Two o ' clock . The llvispilal has been opened 1-8 years , and has given relief to over 50 , 000 persons suffering under this terrible scourge to humanity . The Diet provided has ( 0 he fhe most generous , and the Treatment of the most expensive ' kind . NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS ARE URGENTLY SOLICITED . Chairman—Sir GEORGE S . MEASOM , J . P . Treasurer—W . R . MALCOLM , Esq . Bankers—Messrs . COUTTS & Co ., 59 , Strand , W . C . Secretary—FBED W . HOWELL .