To Correspondents.

To Correspondents .

P . G . M . —A Second Edition is already in the Press . Y . Z . —Most certainly nit .

BOOKS , & c , RECEIVED . "Brief , " " Sporring Life , " "Spoilsman , " "The Paper Consumers' Ciicular , " " Royal Cornwall Gazette , " " Alliance News , " "Broad Arrow . " "Woman ' s Works and

Worth , " " Sunyay Times , " " Bie Baiihutte , " " Cheltenham Examainer , " " Leicester Daily News , " " Masonic Herald , " " Voiceof Masonry , " " Hebrew Leader , " " Keystone . " "Graham ' s Temperance Gu'de , " " Night and Day . "

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

[ The charge is 2 s . 6 d . for announcements not exceeding Four Lines under this heading . ] BIRTHS . BunitEi . i .. —On the 15 th inst , at Thelford , Ncifolk , the wife of C . Burrell , jun ., of a son . SETON . —On the 14 th inst ., at Lowton Grangef the wife of A . D . St ton , of a daughter .

MARRIAGE . PONDEII—GAnoNr . il . —On the 17 th inst ., at the parish church of Walton-on-Thames , John Edwin . Ponder , of Broadwater House , Brixton , to Constance , daughter of W . W . Gardner , of Walton-on-Thames .

DEATHS . ArtNOLU . —On the iSth inst ., at Great Russell-street , Bloomsbur } -, Samuel son of the ia'e E . Arnold , i-f Bccclcs . HCGIIES . —On the 16 th inst ., at 4 , Rutland-street ,

Brompton , after a lingering illness , Elizabith , the beloved wife of George Ilughis , aged 51 . PAGE . —On the 13 th inst ., after a short illness , Bro . K . J . Page , P . M . of the Grand Stewards , Globe , and Kennington Lodges , anel Vice-President of all the Masonic Charities .

Ar00609

THE FREEMASON . SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 22 , 1879 .

The Provinces And The Charities.

THE PROVINCES AND THE CHARITIES .

Our correspondent "P . M . " contributes his curious figures as regards the Boys' School and its provincial supporters . It appears that there are no less than 16 , 049 votes for the Boys ' School in the provinces ; of these West Yorkshire claims 244 s . East Lancashire 1804 , Kent

1644 , Warwickshire 9 83 , and Hants 703 . We note that the Province of Monmouthshire has only , 6 votes , Cambridgeshire 27 , Herefordshire 23—which surely is not , and cannot be right . We trust that the publication of these figures will stir up those provinces as well as

Nottinghamshire , which has only 9 8 votes to come " to the fore " in t 88 o for the Boys' School . Our correspondent has properly called attention to the splendid position of West Yorkshire , which is , indeed a fact to remember and be proud of . West Yorkshire has had , however , this

advantage , that it inaugurated the movement about i 860 , that it has been at work ever since , quietly and unostentatiously , and that it has the peculiar privilegeof possessing an admirable Charity Committee— warm-hearted , zealous brethren ; and has been presided over by sagacious and

largehearted rulers , while it has been aided by most efficient officers . But , looking back to-day , we are pleased to think and to remember how great endings often come from small beginnings here , and that of those kindly and geuial brethren who once Set to work in good earnest for the great

Charities of our Order in the good old Province of West Yorkshire , if many have , alas , passed away , if some have left us , many yet survive to realize pleasantly what Masonic union , liberality , and perseverance can do in a good cause , nay , in the best of causes—Masonic Charity . We thank our Bro . Past Master for his most

valuable statistics , and trust that he may contrive to favour the Freemason with figures which speak to us all more forcibly than eloquent speeches or glibly uttered words .

Masonry Rediviva.

MASONRY REDIVIVA .

At length in our " great metropolis " Freemasonry is assuming its " normal form , " and sending out its " summonses , " and puttingon its ornate appearance . Our lodges are reassembling after our "long vacation , " and idlers and workers , bees and drones j the supporters , like Bro . Ste-

Masonry Rediviva.

vens , of unity of ritual , and the adepts of the "knife and fork" Degree , are equally obeying the pleasant but stern appeal of indefatigable Secretaries and watchful W . M . ' s . The Masonic season for 1880 has now fairly begun for London , and a few considerations seem to " crop

up" inevitably , which press upon our own mind , and . which we deem it well to submit to the notice and consideration of our readers and co-labourers in our metropolitan lodges . The position of Freemasonry in London is both abnormal and special . Owing to the fact of the

late hours in London , and also that the great majority of our Order are devoted to professional pursuits of one kind or another , all our London lodges , without any exception , we believe , to use a familiar expression , are " dinner lodges / ' that is to say , the " refreshment" which follows "

labour " is a bona fide dinner , the usual and necessary dinner of each day when the business occupations of the day are ended . In the provinces , as a general rule , the lodges are what we term , " supper lodges , " that is to say , the time of dining being earlier among men of business in our

large towns , the lodge when it passes from work to sociality does not go to dinner , as in London , but to supper . Hence the two systems are entirely distinct and different . In the provinces , the subscriptions being low , nothing is

appropriated to the expenses of the " social circle , " whereas in London , the subscriptions being high ( comparatively speaking ) , provision is made for the dinners as laid down by the bye-laws . We do not here profess or seek to profess any opinion whatever on the relative merits or value of either

system . Both have their advocates , for both much may be advanced , but we think it fair to say this much , that we doubt if the provincial system is workable in London . It is pleasant to realize , notwithstanding the "drain" upon their resources , how much the metropolitan lodges

and brethren have done for the Charities , and it is well for us to bear in mind to-day , amid the enlarged and happy flow of provincial support to our metropolitan Institutions , that the time was not very far distant , when they were mainly supported by the London lodges and brethren . We

are then anxious to impress upon our good brethren of the metropolis , at the commencement of another Masonic season , two points—economy and self-denial . Many of the lodges are largely indebted ( often unavoidably so we know ) to their Treasurers . Let them curtail their

expenses in 1880 . Each lodge , in our opinion , should have votes , more or less , for all our Chari ties , and it would be a worthy and Masonic exercise of self-denial if in any case when the lodge or brethren are deficient in their support of the Charities , that a dinner should be

suppressed in the coming season , and the proceeds , or a portion , should be devoted to charity . At the same time we say this , we are not insensible to the fact that we are treating a very difficult subject ^ and treading on very dangerous ground , in the opinion of some , whether friendly or

hostile to us , and we , therefore , beg to conclude our remarks with the assurance , ( which we trust is hardly needed ) , that in all we venture to suggest or propose , we are only actuated by sincere regard to the London Lodges and brethren , and warm interest in the principles and progress

of Freemasonry . We cannot conclude this article without drawing attention to the notice of Bro . Carter , in Lion and Lamb Lodge , No . 192 , reported in last Freemason , to set apart 10 per cent , of the entire receipts for the lodge Charity Fund . This is , undoubtedly , a step in the right

direction , and so tallies with the remarks we have made above , and so commends itself to our minds , that we think it well to direct special attention to it . We trust that this healthy proposal will be adopted by the members of that old and distinguished lodge .

The Girls' School.

THE GIRLS' SCHOOL .

Wc see that a motion will be made to-day , ( Saturday ) , by our excellent and esteemed Bro . Colonel Creaton , Grand Treasurer , to purchase Lyncombc House and grounds , adjoining the Girls' Schooi , for the sum of £ 6 $ oo . We are very glad to hear of this proposal , as it will tend , if it be carried , greatly to the advantage of the Girls' School in many ways . For one thing

The Girls' School.

must be borne in mind . Tho Girls' School has a permanent and ' local habitation and name " than which it would be difficult to find a more convenient or healthy one , and all propositions are therefore to be supported " de bene esse , " as the lawyers put it , which tend to protect the

Girls' School from building speculations , and render it master of its position , and free and open on all sides . We feel sure that the subscribers will heartil y thank Bro . Colonel Creaton , considering especially the financial position of the

Schools , for thus taking the initiative , seasonably and reasonably , to extend the area of the School grounds , and to increase thereb y the striking advantages , aliite froai its position and arrangements , of a great Institution , one of which the entire Order may feel justly proud .

Resignation Of The Grand Secretary.

RESIGNATION OF THE GRAND SECRETARY .

It is with the sincerest regret wc have to announce the imminent retirement fiom office of our worthy and Worshipful Brei . John Hervey , for many years past Grand

Secretary of the United Granel Lodge of England , and in this regret we feel assured that every one of our readers , and , indeed , eiery one of the Masonic brothethooil in Englandaiul its Coli'iiics and Dependencies , will join most heartily . What intens-ifics lliis regret is the knowledge

that Bro . Hervcy ' s resignation has been induced by his failing health , which , for the last few months , has prevented him from giving that scrupulously conscience us attention to the important functions of tint hi gh office It is no rxagi ; cialion on our part to say that Bro . Hervey ,

during the term of his official career , has endeared himself to eiery English Mason by his maiked kindness and courtesy to all who have had occasion to transact any business , even of the slightest import ; whi ' e it will be extremely difficult to find one to replace him who shall

possess a larger or more Taried experience , and a deeper knotvleelge of the arcana of Masonic law and custom Bro . Hervey , in fact , may have bad some equals in the world of Masonry , but unejuestionably he has had no superior . That he will carry with him into his

comparative retirement the respict and affectionate regard of all his fellow Masons goes without saying , and equally so that every one will unite most cordially with us in hoping that he may yet be spared for many years , not only to

the more immediate circle of his relatives and friends , but also that more extended circle of Masonic friends and acepjaintances who have known and admired him as one of our brightest lights , and in knowing and admiring him as such have also loved and respected him so dearly .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ YV' : itn not liolel onrfclvcs responsible for , or even approving of , thei opinions expresseel by our correspondents , but we wish in 1 spirit of lair play to all , to permit—within ccrrain necessary limits—free discussion . ]

THE PROVINCES AND THE CHAU 1 T 1 ES . To the Editor of the " Frcimason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — With reference to the statistics sent by me , and published in your issues of the 8 th and 15 th inst ., your article on " Facts and figures " shows that you have so singularly misapprehended the scope and purpose of the

tables that I fear my first letter could not have been sufficiently explicit , and must , therefore , beg a few lines to further explain , for the benefit of any who may have made a similar mistake . You complain that my figures to the end of 1878 ( 1101 1879 , as you print it ) " haidly cover the whole ground . " Certainly they woulel not if your idea that 940 lodges

subscribed to make up 8435 votes for the Girls' School was what I hail intended to convey . But the number of lodges given are the total number of lodges in each province , as taken from this year ' s Calendar , anil without any reference to the fact of their subscribing or not to the Charities . The votes comprise the whole of the life votes possessed by individual members , lodges , chapters , or other

Masonic societies in each province , as taken from this year ' s official lists . The votes per lodge mean , therefore , the proportion which the life votes of the whole province bear to the number of lodges in the province ; and I really cannot see , with all deference to your opinion , how this can fairly be called "a deceptive way of putting the average . " As I stated in my first litter , annual subscribers are

omitted , because they vary so much from year to year as to be wholly unreliable for the purposes of this return . No doubt the figures will be altered next year , and every year , 1 trust ; but as this year ' s lists will not be published until next spring how can that invalidate the completeness of the present returns ?

Wiih regard to errors , I have done my best to ensure accuracy , but " humanum est errare . " I shall be quite ready to acknowledge any serious discrepancy if pointed out , but will those who wish to verify the tables p lease bear in mind what I have stited above as to the mode in which they are made up ? Yours fraternally , A PAST MASTER .