Contents.

CONTENTS .

L EADERS ior The "Cosmo . " for iSSg 102 Masonic Facts -versus Fiction 102 Masonic Literature , our Charities , & c 103 Aldersgate Lodge No 1657 103 Consecration of the Danom Mark Lodge , No . , Q 8 , at Doncaster io < Hungrf tor Social Enjoyment ... Z ... 105 C ORRESPONDENCE— Re Masonic Charities—A Suggestion ... 107 Reviews , 107 R IPORTS or MASONIC MIKTINOS— Craft Masonry 108 Instruction .., in

RETORTS or MASONIC MEETINGS ( Continued)—Roval Arch ,,,, Instruction 11-Ancient and Accepted Rite A" ]]]!"""!! ns Red Cross ot Rome and Constantine 113 0 rder of the Secret Monitor 113 r » , c r , , Board of Benevolence „ 3 First Ball of the Barnato Lodge , No . 2 ! 6 *; 113 Scotland 113 Obituary 113 Theatres , 113 Masonic and General Tidings 114 Lodge Meetings for Next Week n <

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WE have drawn the attention of our readers on more than one The Festival . of the occasion to the approaching Festival of the Royal Masonic Masonic Benevolent Institution , and as Wednesday next , the

27 th inst ., is the day appointed by his Royal Highness the GRAND MASTER for its celebration , we must avail ourselves of the only opportunity that remains to us of reiterating our previous exhortations to all interested in the efficient maintenance of this Charity to use their utmost efforts to obtain the required sum of at least £ 15 , 000 for the expenses of the coming year .

The rules and regulations of the Institution and the system on which its affairs are administered may not be as widel y known among the Craft as they deserve to be , but as the two Annuity Funds were founded by Grand

Lodge itself , the Male Fund in 1842 , and the Widows' Fund in 1 849 , we may reasonably assume that all English Masons are acquainted with the very laudable objects for which the Charity was established , namely , permanently lo relieve from want those brethren , and those widows of brethren .

who from age , infirmity , and the blows of adverse fortune are no longer able to support themselves . We may also in reason assume that from the annual appeals which have been made to the brethren at large for the funds to enable the Institution to fulfil these objects , and the ever-increasing earnestness with which they have been laid before them , a tolerably just idea

must prevail generally as to the extent of the relief vvhich is thus afforded and the apparentl y inexhaustible array of worthy candidates who are appealing for a share in its benefits . However , though people may have a general idea about these matters , the rate at which the benefits conferred by the Institution have been increased has been so marvellous during the past few years that it is difficult for them to realise the full extent of its

present responsibilities and the difficulties which are , of necessity , incurred in fulfilling them . There are many brethren still living who have known the Charity since its establishment , and can well remember how small were its requirements in the earlier stages of its existence as compared vvith what they are now . But even these must have some difficulty in

realising the labour and anxiety which the raising of so large a sum as £ 15 , 000 annually entails . There are 180 male annuitants and 229 widow annuitants , and a certain number—which is always fluctuating—of widows in recei pt of half their late husbands' annuities , the sum annually required to satisfy the obligations of the Charity towards these poor brethren and

widows being close on £ 15 , , while the permanent income about suffices tor the cost of management , maintenance of the Asylum at Croydon , and unforeseen contingencies . And what renders the present position of the Charity still more deplorable is that , notwithstanding the various augmentations which have taken place latterly , there are no less than 143 candidates

~~ men and 81 widows—on the lists for the election in May next , and of these it will be only possible to elect , including both imme-¦ ate and deferred annuitants , 27 , namely 17 men ( 14 imme-* ate and three deferred ) and 10 widows ( seven immediate and three deferred ) . Howeverit is satisfactory to note that the prospects

, or Wednesday ' s gathering are undoubtedly favourable . The Board of Wards ' about 330 strong , and though , after the tremendous success of 6 Viirls' School Centenary Festival in June last , it is hardly to be expected at the Returns will maintain as high an average per list as in past years , are sanguine enough to believe that the sum required will be

forthi j ° 'ng . Bro . the Earl of EUSTON , Prov . G . Master of Northants and I unts , who has undertaken to preside as Chairman , has been exerting his ! t L ° - "fluence in order to secure a favourable result . His province , ! ° ugh a very small one , has bestirred itself , as we anticipated it would do , \ e toe Stewards generally have been doing their part earnestly . VVe have fo T ^ ence ^ at these various efforts will suffice , or very nearly suffice , | ^ accomp lishment of the main object of next week's Festival , and that subscri ptions and donations—promised and paid—will amount to , or

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fall very little short of , the necessary ^ 15 , 000 . But that will not enable the Committee to undertake the responsibility of reducing the number of candidates , who will remain on the list as unsuccessful after May next . More annuities may fall vacant between now and the third Friday in May ; but even then there will remain at least a hundred men and widows , with

nothing to comfort them in their poverty but the hope deferred which , in reality as well as proverbially , maketh the heart sick . VVe look , therelore , to the generosity of the Craft to supply the needful means , so that the Committee of Management may be justified in recommending a further small increase in the number of annuitants , and we hope and trust we shall not look in vain .

T OUR Hertfordshire brethren have every reason to be proud of Hertfordshire their chief , Bro . T . F . HALSEY , M . P ., and the manner in Lodge . which he has performed his duties as their Prov . G . M . It is

not many years since the Province was spoken of as " little Herts , though even at the time this familiar appellation was the most appropriate as regards the number of its lodges , there was nothing "little , " but , on the contrary , much that was commendably great , in its loyal observance of the principles of Freemasonry . Now , however , that it has as many as 17

lodges on its roll—of which nine have been consecrated since Bro . HALSEY vvas appointed to office—with between 500 and 600 subscribing members , it has lost its title to be a diminutive Province , and may claim to rank with those which , only a few years since , were its bigger sisters . Moreover , with its material growth , it has retained , and even enlarged , its love forthe tenets

of the Craft , and as a consequence , there is no Province in England which is more deservedly respected . We have no doubt the Kingswood Lodge , No . 2278 , which was consecrated at Elstree on the 4 th inst , by the Prov .

G . Master , in the presence of a more than ordinarily strong muster of the brethren , will prove a serviceable addition to the roll of the Province . It has begun well , and we have every confidence that it will continue as it has begun . It certainly has our heartiest good wishes for its success .

IN no province 111 England nas a " Masonic Charity Associa-Masonic Charity ,, , . . . . „ ,, Association tion been more of a conspicuous success than in Cornwall . of Cornwall . Started in 1885 , it has now had four annual meetings , and each report has had a striking tale to record . For 1888 account the large

sum of 272 guineas has been received , the number of members and lodges being now 223 , whereas there were not more than 205 the previous year . Already , by this admirable plan , over £ vzoo have been raised for the three Central Masonic Charities , and without injuring in any way the excellent local Masonic Benevolent Annuity and Educational Fund . This

remarkable and satisfactory result has been brought about mainly through the efforts of the indefatigable and enthusiastic Secretary , Bro . G . B . PEARCE , of Hayle , to whom the origination of the Association is due . On the 13 th inst . thirty-seven Life-Governorships of five guineas each , and eight of the

value of 10 guineas each , were duly drawn for , and , though there were doubtless some disappointments , all must ultimately become Life-Governors when the term ends . We know no better scheme , either viewed economically as respects management or practically as respects the total contributions .

IT is pleasant to come across a little common sense in connec-D f- ts " '' ' ' ^ theory , which is rife in many United States Masonic jurisdictions , that a man who has some physical defect is ineligible for initiation into our mysteries . It was necessary in the days of Operative Masonry that those who joined the Guild should have

their bodies furnished with the regulation number of legs and arms , or they would have been unable to discharge many of their duties as Masons ; and even now , in these speculative days , we can well understand that a man without a head would be an unsuitable candidate for acceptance by a lodge , or , if accepted , that he would not be likely to make much progress in the

Craft . But it has always struck us as being eminently ridiculous to reject a man of refinement and culture , of high moral character , and well set up in means to adorn any position he might be called upon to fill , merely because he has a wooden leg or arm , or fewer fingers and toes than otner people . Bro . CORNELIUS HEDGES , Grand Secretary of Montana , is evidently in

agreement with us in this matter . In his latest Report on Correspondence , he is quoted in the Voice of Masonry for the current month as having said , in reference to the action of the Grand Master of New Jersey in forbidding the initiation of persons deficient of limbs , & c , that " now that Masonry has become altogether speculative , the standard of qualification should be

principally moral instead of physical ; " and he adds a little further on : " We do not turn members out of our lodges if they lose arms or legs after having joined , and yet such members have just the same need of making themselves known as new members . " This may or may not be in accordance with the ancient landmarks , but it is sound common sense .