The West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

to deal with every case brought before them , where the papers have been found in order . " This is most creditable to the Province of West Lancashire , which we heartily congratulate on the prosperity of its Educational Institution . If we take the figures contained in the Report and Statement of

Account , we find that the total Receipts , including a Balance brought forward from 1893 , amounted to £ 2912 6 s . Sd ., and of this the amount realised by the Annual Ball on the 9 th January , 1894 , was ^ 207 ( s . ad ., which the Committee point out " is a considerable falling off from last year , and a still greater falling off from the previous year . " It is probable ,

however , that their surmise is correct , that this is due to the fact " that many Lodges hold balls on their own account , and Brethren are not inclined to support more than one Masonic Ball . " The amount received in respect of Donations and Subscriptions from Lodges and Brethren , & c , is ^ 843 3 s . ad ., which exceeds that for 1893 by a very considerable sum—^ 126 7 s . 2 d . —and by the

there is also entered a Donation of ^ 47 13 s . 4 d . Masonic Club . But the Committee feel themselves under the necessity of pointing out that , as many as 47 lodges have made " no return whatever , whilst amongst them they have had 26 children on the Foundation , at a cost of - £ 269 ios . 3 d ., in the past year , and four of these lodges are now applicants for children to

be placed on the funds . " The amount received for Interest is ^ 755 ios . 4 d ., cr less by ^ 83 135 . 2 d . than in 1893 , but to what cause this diminution is attributable is not stated . There is also-an item of £ 24 received from Hervey and Land . Turning to the Expenditure , we note that ^ 63 163 . 4 d . was paid for " Printing , Stationery , and Postage "; £ 5 4 s . nd . for

" Stamps , & c , for new Trust Deeds , & c . " ; and £ 600 on the purchase of a Dock Bond ; the amount paid " for Education , Clothing , Maintenance , and Advancement of Children on the Foundation" being ^ 1523 5 s . 8 d . The total outlay was thus £ 2192 6 s . 1 id ., and the Balance in Bank on the 31 st of December last / 719 19 s . gd . The

number of children who have received the benefits of the Institution during the past year is 215 , and of these 47 are on the combined Fund and receive education , maintenance , and clothing . In addition to this , however , there must be taken into account the sum of X 181 ss ., being the year's proportion of the purchased rights of presentation

to schools in London , so that the true disbursement under this head is ^ 1704 ios . 8 d . The Invested Capital and the Cash in Bank represent a total value of £ 21 , 448 6 s . gd ., to which must be added the Present Value of Sundry Presentations to Schools in London , making the " Total Value of Invested Funds on December 31 st , i 8 g 4 , " / 22 , 85 i 18 s . 3 d .

The Institution was founded in 1850 , so that while it has been rendering material assistance to the Province by helping in educating the children of necessitous or deceased ; brethren , it has been able , through the excellent manner in which its affairs have been administered , to accumulate this very substantial amount of assets . Therefore , though there appears

to be a certain amount of reluctance on the part of a considerable number of the lodges in West Lancashire to bear their share of the responsibilities undertaken by the Fund , the Province , as a whole , deserves infinite credit for having established an Institution , which , in the course of its 35 years ' existence , has accomplished so large an amount of good .

Friends Or Foes?

FRIENDS OR FOES ?

We have never been greatly impressed with gushing accounts of our Masonic philanthropy , either in contemporary public journals or those of the Craft . Nor can we say that we are quite satisfied with modern methods of relief in response to obligations of a Masonic character . Still , we are hopeful ; and it is far better to be so , than eternally growling , as some do , instead of bowing with a good grace to the decisions of majorities .

We are not seriously concerned as to whether recent correspondents in the Sunday Times are or are not Masons . For anything we know , " Past Master " and " Sunday Reader " may be one and the same person ; anyhow , the only thing we care about is the fact that a Past Master should have serious complaints to make of the Craft , and make those complaints through

other than Masonic channels , and under the screen of a 110 m de plume which almost anybody might assume . Inasmuch as redress could not be expected from sources not Masonic , we may reasonably assume that he had little desire that steps should be taken to verify his statements , and tectify such defects as were necessary to be remedied .

It may be that individual members of the Craft , here and there , have not bad the measure of value placed upon their services , either in their own lodge or outside it , to which they think themselves entitled , and look around for some such vehicle as the current correspondence in the Sunday Times affords , to work off a little of the annoyance they are unable to get rid of any other

way . Well , they will , we hope , be all the better for it , and , for their present comfort , we can assure them that it is just about as easy for individuals to illuminate the Order , or any body of men as numerous as even one lodge by adopting this course , as it is to make a horse drink , or , indeed , make all brethren set up strictly to Masonic principles and duties .

However , apart from the righteousness or otherwise of these proceedings , there is a point of some significance on which something may be said . It is a fact we ought not to regard too lightly in these times—and not so important on account of any lendency to * -pr < -ad false opinions abroad amongst those who are un > b ' e to * nalys ** ( hem , as the supci ficial Masonry which is brought

to light—that the Craft has more to fear from its own rank and file within , tbiin non all iheiombimd forces tlat have ever been raised , or are likely ever to be r * . is . d , from outvde . Ar-d I-1 us hop . lh-it it -nay become mon apparent 10 the present generation of Masons that it is necessary to know as much as possible of what is going on around them if they are to cope with ) idden foes , and qualify themselves to defend their princi ples .

Friends Or Foes?

It is no part of our duty to notice the attacks of anonymous writers ; but it is our duty to raise a warning voice against wolves in sheep ' s clothing . After all , if we could recognise the legitimacy of these statements against the Craft , and were we able to admit their truth to some extent , what do they amount to *? We know that amongst the thousands who rank under its

banners , Freemasonry includes a large proportion of Masons who are such in heart— -but a great many possibly are not ; and this we cannot help . The one class has no better Masonic education and no greater opportunities than the other , for the difference may show in one and the same lodge ! We shall find exactly the same failing of human nature in every church , but what sane man would blame the church for it ?

We are willing , if need be , to do battle for the just rights of those we know to be Masons ; but we have a right to complain of those who , however dissatisfied and even wronged they may feel themselves to be , rail at Freemasonry from behind the cowardly shelter of anonymity in the . public press .

An Extinct Chapter.

AN EXTINCT CHAPTER .

Bro . George Powell , P . M . and Sec . No . 142 , has sent me for examination two volumes respecting Royal Arch Masonry that will interest my Sussex companions especially . The first is the Minute Book of the " Mount Moriah Chapter , held under a warrant from the Grand Chapter of England , removed from the Wheat Sheaf Inn , Arundel

to Freemasons' Hall , Chichester , " which begins on Friday , February 14 th , 1817 , and commences as if narrating the first work after the removal . Five companions were present and two joining members , who were then elected , Nine brethren " received the several degrees of excellent and Super excellent Masons , " and then were "duly exalted to the degree of Royal Arch Masons . "

The Rules were revised February ] 8 th , 1817 , and agreed to on the 24 th of the same month . On the iSth also was passed a vote of thanks to " Comp . D . Jacques & H . Parker for their engenious & indefatigable conduct in surmounting & overpowering every obstacle to the removing of the Mount Moriah Chapter to the Hall of the Lodgeof Harmony" [ Chichester ] . On August 12 th , 1817 , the Chapter assembled at Arundel , 19 being

present , of whom 11 were " re-obligated . " Possibly this requirement was consequent upon the union of the two rival Grand Chapters , though the Chapter does not appear to have then regularly become connected with a Lodge or duly made a return of the fact . On September 1 ith , 1817 , it was again at Chichester , and on 5 th February , 1818 , Comp . Jacques was empowered " to go to town with the warrant ( ie )

Craft and Arch , and get the same united under the Craft , No 52 ; the members deciding on the 17 th of the same month to petition the Grand Master accordingly ; though "Extracts from the Minutes of the Howard Lodge , No . 72 , " had been read and taken into consideration on the same subject . No . 52 Lodge is the " Union , " now No . 38 , and No . 7 S is the " Howard Lodge of Brotherly Love , " changed 1056 in 1863 .

On November 19 th , 1818 , it was resolved "that we return to the Companions at Arundel the Warrant , & c , & c , Belonging to the Mount Moriah Chapter , and deliver the Minute Book , Treasurer's Accounts , & c , & c , to such Companions as shall be deputed to receive the same . " Eleven companions promised to continue as subscribing members , though no longer to meet at Chichester .

No minutes occur until records in pencil are pasted in of 26 th March , 1821 ( place not stated ) , and then from 19 th January , 1826 , at Arundel as before , the entries concluding on 26 th June of that year . By-laws are also preserved of February , 1817 , in manuscript , and signed by the companions , but they are not noteworthy in any way .

Bro . Thomas Francis , in his " History of Freemasonry in the Province of Sussex " ( 1883 ) , states that it appears this chapter was " founded about 1810 without the authority of the Grand Chapter . " He has overlooked the list of regular chapters in my " Origin of the English Rite of Freemasonry " ( 1884 ) , which contains four chapters in Sussex , one ( the senior ) , however , being extinct before 1813 , viz .:

71 , Love and Harmony , Chichester , 1790 . 160 , Mount Moriah , Arundel , 1 S 11 . 164 , Lennox , Brighthelmstone , 1811 . 181 , Cyrus , Chichester , 1813 . The two which concern the present enquiry were on the roll of the United Grand Chapter of A . D . 1 S 23 , as 72 , Mount Moriah , Arundel . 632 , Cyrus , Chichester .

It is evident , therefore , that the " Mount Moriah " must have been recognised by the authorities in 1823 , though in 1821 only the " Cyrus Chapter had fallen into line . How long these bodies worked I cannot say at present , as it would take too long to investigate , but they eventually collapsed , and from 1874 the " Cyrus " has been revived . _>___: _V ________, \\ . J . HUGHAN-

Provincial Grand Chapter Of Leicester Shire And Rutland.

PROVINCIAL GRAND CHAPTER OF LEICESTER SHIRE AND RUTLAND .

A special convocation of the above Provincial Grand Chapter was held at Freemasons' Hall , Leicester , on Monday , the I ith inst ., for the purpose of installing Comp . the Right Hon . the Earl Ferrers as Grand Superintendent . The Provincial Grand Chapter was opened , and there were present Comps . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Grand J ., as Grand Superintendent ; S . SPartridge , P . Z . 27 Q and nob . P . G . S . B .. Prov . G . H . : John T . Thorn . P . Z- 2 fy

P . P . G . J ., acting Prov . G . J . j Joseph Tuckfield , P . Z . 779 , Prov . G . Treas . ; F- j Walmer , P . Z . 1560 , Prov . G . Reg . ; Rev . H . J . Mason , M . A ., P . Z . H 4 6 afl M . E . Z . 1560 , acting Prov . G . Principal Soj . ; George C . Olliver , M . E . Z . > °° '' Prov . G . S . B . ; W . W . Vincent , P . Z . 1560 , Prov . G . D . C ; T . A . Wykes , CW 1560 , Prov . G . Org . ; E . Letchworth , F . S . A ., Grand Scribe E . ; J . H . Matthe ^ P . G . D . C , who acted as Prov . G . D . C ; I . Young- . P . P . G . I .. S . Knight ,

Tref-P . P . G . Soj ., J . B . Waring , J ., Thomas Coltman , P . P . G . Treas ., J . Harrison , f *'' A . G . S ., T . G . Charlesworth , W . D . Grant , A . Fergusson , L . Staines , 1 ' - » , Bellson , G . Neighbour , H . Goodacre , Marriott , Alex . Laurence , H . Howe , JCleaver , W . Bream , and George J . B . Woolley , all of 279 ; W . A . Mus , , ' P . P . G . R ., W . S . Allen , P . P . G . J ., and George Bullen , H ., all of 779 ; „ ; . Wilkinson , P . P . G . J ., C . Lowenstein , P . P . G . S ., W . M . Williams ,. H ., J- Rave ' Scribe E ., C . F . Oliver , and T . Paget , P . Soj . all of 1007 ; F . Griffith , H . i' 3 ' E . Holmes , 1560 ; and Fred Masters , 1560 .