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Articles/Ads
Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article To Correspondents. Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 1 Article WHICH SHALL IT BE—"CHARITY" OR "DINNERS?" Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00702
PARASCHO CIGARETTES Possess a delicious natural aroma . When smoked or inhaled do not irritate the throat or nostrils . Are made ONLY from the finest YENIJEH ( Turkey ) TOUACCO . Are rolled in specially prepared paper , tasteless , and free from nitre , and are different from and superior to all others . A sample box containing 24 , will be forwarded to any address on receipt of 2 s . 6 d , in Stamps or Postal Order . SOLE ADDHE ^ Sbit PARK STREET , GROSVENOR SQUARE , LONDON , W .
Ad00703
A . FOR MANSIONS OR VILLAS , ^ ^ fa , MPERISHAB 0 L | FLOORING tyfefty FLOOR COVERING . % Oj Estimates Free . < 2 G , BERNERS STREET , W .
Ad00704
KNITTING AT HOME , BY which Incomes can be Increased and recreative as well as Healthy Employment secured . Apply for terms to—PATENT AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINE CO ., LONDON : 417 , Oxford-street , W .,- 159 , Upper-street , Islington . LIVERPOOL : 39 , Islington . GLASGOW : 7 , Howard-street .
Ad00705
_ . J . C CORDING & Co . 'S fi ^ WATERPROOFS FOR ALI , CLIMATES . ^ Ladies' Cloaks for Travelling , ^ In New Patterns . ^ ^ 5 ORIGINAL MAKERS OF THE ^ ^ Ventilating faterprooof Coats ^» p FOR «^ * Shooting , Fishing , Riding , c £ t Travelling , & General Use , ^ DRIVING APRONS IN BOX CLOTH £ ^ A \* D OTHER MATERIALS . ^ J ig , Piccadilly , Corner of Air St . ST ( Only Mihess . )
Ad00706
F . READ , READ , TA / L 0 R & OUTFITTER , __ . . Sixteen years with ALFRED WEBB MILES IV 1 A R K 5 and Co ., 13 , Brook-st ., Hanover-sq . AND SPECIALITE 63 s . SUITS and __ . _ ... 16 s . and 21 s . TROUSERS . LEARN , 14 , Brook Street , Bond Street , W .
Ad00707
CARRIAGES . F and R . SHANKS particularly call c attention to their light ONE-HORSE LANDAUS , of the very best materials , and fitted with their patent Self-acting Head . Several building to order to be seen in all stages at their manufactory , 70 & 71 , Great Queen-st ., Lincoln ' s Inn-Fields . Drags and new and second-hand Carriages of all descriptions . Estimates given for repairs .
Ad00708
£ > 2 By Special Appointment to H . R . H . ££ , The Prince of Wales . & & John Underwood & Sons , # # v SCULPTOES & MASONS , ^ ^ v ' ^ to , Duke . st ., Grosvenor-sq ., W ., \ . ^ S * * IIUCKHURST HILL , N . E ., AXD CHINGFORD A ^ <^_/ / . MOUNT CEMETERV . ^ ^ V Reredoses , Pulpits , Screens , Fonts , / Ky Mosaic in Glass or Marble , Inlaid and Cg * Incised Work . Designs , Estimates and References free on application .
Ad00709
OUR EYES . Just Published , Third Edition . HOW to USE OUR EYES , and HOW to PRESERVE THEM , from INFANCY to OLD AGE , with Special Information about Spectacles . By JOHN BROWNING , F . R . A . S ., F . R . M . S ., & c . With 54 Illustrations . Price is . j doth , is . 6 d . , " How to Use our Eyes , " by John Browning , F . R . A . S ., is a thoroughly practical little manual . "—Graphic . , "Gives many a useful hint to those who en ; oy good eyesight and wish to preserve it , and gives the advice of an occulist to those obliged to wear spectacles . "— Pall Mall Gazette . Chatto and Windus , Piccadilly , London , W ., and all Hooksellers . Sent free for is . 2 d . by the Author , John Browninc . Ot . Strand . London . W . C .
Ad00710
Naval , Military , and Tropical ^ ^^ T ^ BOOT MAKER ^^ g ^§! ji ^^ - ^ j Se ^^^ T „ - "" " PICCADILLY , LONDON , W . NEW
Ad00711
D ^ NT' ^ ILLUSTRATED . « .- J . N A . O CATALOGUE of HIGH-CLASS WATfTTTI ' Qi WATCHES and CLOCKS at M . O . J . UJXEiD . REDUCED PRICES , sent post < $ ^« jL ' ree on application to E . DENT jfifjr ^^ 5 fc . and Co ., Makers to the Oueen , > vDENIV 6 l > STRAND , LONDON , W . C , ll or 4 , ROYAL EXCHANGE .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
S 71 . —We imagine the reason is that the third or final obligation crowns the second and first obligations , as the Third Degree crowns or consummates the two inferior . Several communications stand over . BOOKS . & c , RECEIVED . " Le Moniteur de la Chance Universelle , " " The Helgian News and Continental Advertiser , " " Broad Arrow , " , ( Sunday Times "
( New York ) , "Citizen , " " Bulletin du Grantl Orient de France , " "Keystone , " " Court Circular , " " El Taller , " "Allen's Indian Mail , " " The Freemason " ( Toronto ) , " Sunday Times " ( London ) , "Odd Fellows' Register and Masonic Journal , " "Freemasons ' Repository , " "Liberal Freemason , " "Canadian Craftsman and Masonic Record , " " Jewish Chronicle , " " New York Dispatch , " and " The Freemason" ( Detroit)—April 25 th to June jjth .
Ar00712
SATURDAY , J 25 , 1885 . « . .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
CWedo not hold ourselves responsible tor , or even approving of theopinionsexpressedby ourcorrespondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
THE RECENT BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I take the earliest opportunity of thanking your correspondent , "A Life Governor of the Three Charities , " for his courteous endeavour to satisfy my very natural curiosity . I am prepared to allow that his explanation as to the falling off in the contributions at the recent Boys '
School Festival has some amount of reason in its favour . Festival receipts , like all other similar returns , follow a certain law of average , and you cannot well disturb that average in order to swell the total of any particular year to an exceptional amount without affecting detrimentally those of the years that follow . But I cannot bring myself to endorse his view that "the premium votes" of 1 SS 3 "inflicted a very serious injury on all of the three Masonic
Charities , by destroying the confidence of many of their supporters , who not unnaturally regarded the allotment of such extra votes as a direct violation of the terms on which they had previously been induced to become Governors . " I presume your correspondent will agree with me that special measures of some kind or other must be devised in order to meet an emergent expenditure such as was caused by the necessity for enlarging the Boys' School . In that
case , of course , we have only to consider what , if any , better means were possible than those which the Executive of the School , in the exercise of its discretion , saw fit to adopt . It might , for instance , have set about accumulating a Special Fund by diverting a certain proportion of its annual receipts to the purpose in view , and so spreading the work of accumulation over a term of years . But the objection to this course was thatthe need for enlargement was
immediate and imperative . While this Fund was being raised , many of the poor children whom it was desired- to admit would have grown old enough to leave the School , or at all events too old to be admitted . When the Governors of the Institution resolved on having a School of their own , something like five or six years elapsed between the time when the resolution was formulated and the admission of the first batch of 25 boys , and then it was onlv a auestion
of some £ 3000 or , £ 4000 over and above an annual expenditure of about £ 1000 , with a fixed income of about £ 500 . _ In this case the additional expenditure involved was estimated at , £ " 12 , 000 or £ 15 , 000 , with an annual outlay of about £ 10 , 000 and a fixed income within £ Soo . I do _ not think the Committee were ill - advised in rejecting this scheme which would have required too many years to complete . Then , as in 1864 , the funded property
of the Institution might have been sold and the new premises erected out of the proceeds ; or , as in 1865 , a mortgage might have been raised on the existing building ; but apart from the fact that it took something like 15 years or more to replace the funded property thua sold out and to pay off the mortgage of £ 10 , 000 thus raised , the weak point in the Boys' School finance is that the permanent income already ) bears too small a proportion to the income
required , and I fancy few will grumble that the Committee did not see their way to the adoption of this alternative . But what was to be done in order to meet the pressing emergency , with these avenues for raising the wind closed against them , or a postponement for several years until the special fund had been raised ? Well , the Committee having in view the special character of the emergency , and remembering at the same time that the ordinary annual
expenditure of quite £ 10 , 000 would have to be met , resolved on holding out to brethren as an inducement to give more liberally than usual the privilege of double votes . By this inducement , or "bribe , " as your correspondent calls it , they obtained the greater part of what they wanted in addition tothe moneys necessary for the ordinary expenditure . Having done this , they resumed last year the old arrangement as to votes , and the Festival yielded £ 14 , 000
to the General fund as against £ 15 , 000 General Fund and ^ 8000 Special Fund , or together £ 23 , 000 in 1 SS 3 . Thus the Special Fund having been got rid of , there was no very serious falling off from £ 15 , 000 in 1 SS 3 to £ 14 , 000 in 1 SS 4 , no more , indeed , than must be expected , and has , indeed , occurred in many previous years . But the average returns , or about the average , having been resumed in iS 8 ^ , I do not think we can account for the further diminution of over £ 2000 in the current year b y
the " premium votes , the disturbing effect of the special privileges being necessarily weakened the further we get from the year in which they were offered . But be this as it may , the " bribe " of double votes has done no harm to the other two Charities , both of which have raised more this year than they did last , and more in 1 SS 4 'han they did in 1883 . I have more to say but will reserve it for a future letter . —Faithfully and fraternally , ALPHA .
Which Shall It Be—"Charity" Or "Dinners?"
WHICH SHALL IT BE— "CHARITY" OR "DINNERS ? "
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , "Cakes and Ale" has not quite understood my letter . I expressly said I did not seek to abolish "dinners . " I agree with him that to do so would seriously affect the " Charity " which I so desire to see extended . But it is
possible , in the way 1 have pointed out , to continue the "dinners , " and yet increase the amount the "Charities " receive , an increase which would , I firmly believe , double the sum annually given by the Craft for the three Institutions . Reduce the expenses of the banquets in the mode I have suggested , and grant to the various Charities the money thus saved by thc lodge , and the thing is done . Let any lodge try it for a year , and see what the result will be .
I cannot supply all the data for which " Cakes and Ale " asks , having only joined the lodge some four years ago . I can tell your readers that it has a roll of about 70 members , and that it has not been an unusual thing for 90 to 100 to sit down to the installation banquet ; but at the other meetings the attendance has not usually been so large . Everybody knows that the visitor's fee does not—at least , in a
dining lodge—recoup the lodge the cost of the visitor . This lodge has been in existence a little over 20 years , and , so far as I can ascertain , has not contributed out ofthe lodge funds in any year more than 10 guineas to some one of the Institutions , and , if I am rightly informed , in some years nothing at all . But it has , I am told , always been a banqueting lodge , and , because I desire to see a little more
active "Charity " from the lodge . n ; a lodge , I have been called a " fanatic , " and have had thrown in my teeth the fact ( which I am proud to acknowledge , and desire to make still better known ) that , . individually , the lodge contains some of the most generous men it has ever been my lot to meet . Now , Sir , I take issue strongly on one point raised by
" Cakes and Ale . " The lodge , as a lodge , has no more right to take credit for any individual contributions to Charity , Masonic or otherwise , than it has to take credit for the payment by me of my rent and taxes . True , the contributions of such men as "A Poor Mason" ( whose letter appears in your issue of the 4 th inst . ) and myself go to swell the list of some ambitious brother , who sees
perhaps the prospect of a little fame or another medal , and it may be a vote or two , for a heavy list ; but Masons know how that list is made up . It is not for me to say more about it , or to do anything which may have the slightest tendency to stop the current of Masonic Charity . On the contrary , the mode I have suggested for the use of " Lodge Funds " would largely increase it , and instead of £ 44 000
, —twice that sum would be raised in a single year . I lately belonged to a lodge which out of an income of not quite £ 120 , voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year . How was this done ? By having only one , the installation banquet—on one or two occasions a p lain supper—and at the other meetings the brethren paying "pro rata" for
what they had after lodge was closed ., One other point and f have done . " Cakes and Ale " introduces to my notice quite a new character—one I have never yet met—the person who apologises for his presence at a banquet or dinner . I should look upon such a fellow , if I ever met him , as a humbug , and not believe one word
he said . I beg you will permit me to repeat , that until the Audit drew my attention to the figures , I had not , like , I venture to think , thousands of our brethren , given any thought to the subject . I do not want to abolish " Dinners . " My Masonic teaching has been based on what are , no doubt ,
now , old fashioned lines . I may be a " fanatic , " but , as the history of the progress of the world shews , most good things have been accomplished with the aid of those who have been , more or less , subject to that stigma ; and I shall be content if the seed I have sown does , in due time , germinate , and bring forth fruit , good in its season , to the Craft and its beloved Institution . —Faithfully and fraternally yours . C , E . G . July 20 th .
THE MASONIC CHARITIES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It has been pointed out on several occasions in your valuable paper that lodges and members do not subscribe to the Charities as fully as they might do , and that it is generally the same lodges and brethren who do subscribe from
time to time . There must be a reason for this , and the only one that I can imagine is that the amount asked for is more than many lodges and brethren can afford . To remedy this I would suggest that the Secretaries of the three Institions be permitted to receive payment on account of Life Subscriberships by instalments of 5 s . a month , and that a vote , or votes , be given at each of the elections , as long as a brother
continued to pay regularly ; thatall sums thus paid becredited to the lodge to which the brother belongs , and that any lodge subscribing £ 10 ios . be permitted to take credit ana receive votes for all sums thus paid by its members , or , in other words , receive the same privilege as Stewards . If this were done many lodges would , I feel assured , subscribe 10 guineas , at least , during the year , and would , no doubt .
give this sum to the Charitable Institutions turn and turn about ; and if only one member in each of our lodges , and I trust there would be many more , would embrace the opportunity of obtaining a Life Subscribership on these easy terms , it would , 1 hope , produce such an amount as would prevent the Secretaries being so despondent as they generally are prior to the Festivals .
It may be said that brethren wishing to obtain Life Subscriberships by easy terms of payment can do so by joining one of the Associations held at lodges of instruction , * but there are many brethren who cannot and do not attend instruction lodges , and others , again , who do attend hear of these Associations after they have been in existence tor
some time , and are debarred from joining because they would have to pay up from the beginning , and being unable to afford £ 1 or 30 s . as a first payment , they refuse to join . At any rate , the Charities could not lose by carrying out this suggestion ; but , on the contrary , would be a gainer , and I trust to a considerable amount . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , CHARITY . Royal Military Asylum , Chelsea , July 21 st .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00702
PARASCHO CIGARETTES Possess a delicious natural aroma . When smoked or inhaled do not irritate the throat or nostrils . Are made ONLY from the finest YENIJEH ( Turkey ) TOUACCO . Are rolled in specially prepared paper , tasteless , and free from nitre , and are different from and superior to all others . A sample box containing 24 , will be forwarded to any address on receipt of 2 s . 6 d , in Stamps or Postal Order . SOLE ADDHE ^ Sbit PARK STREET , GROSVENOR SQUARE , LONDON , W .
Ad00703
A . FOR MANSIONS OR VILLAS , ^ ^ fa , MPERISHAB 0 L | FLOORING tyfefty FLOOR COVERING . % Oj Estimates Free . < 2 G , BERNERS STREET , W .
Ad00704
KNITTING AT HOME , BY which Incomes can be Increased and recreative as well as Healthy Employment secured . Apply for terms to—PATENT AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINE CO ., LONDON : 417 , Oxford-street , W .,- 159 , Upper-street , Islington . LIVERPOOL : 39 , Islington . GLASGOW : 7 , Howard-street .
Ad00705
_ . J . C CORDING & Co . 'S fi ^ WATERPROOFS FOR ALI , CLIMATES . ^ Ladies' Cloaks for Travelling , ^ In New Patterns . ^ ^ 5 ORIGINAL MAKERS OF THE ^ ^ Ventilating faterprooof Coats ^» p FOR «^ * Shooting , Fishing , Riding , c £ t Travelling , & General Use , ^ DRIVING APRONS IN BOX CLOTH £ ^ A \* D OTHER MATERIALS . ^ J ig , Piccadilly , Corner of Air St . ST ( Only Mihess . )
Ad00706
F . READ , READ , TA / L 0 R & OUTFITTER , __ . . Sixteen years with ALFRED WEBB MILES IV 1 A R K 5 and Co ., 13 , Brook-st ., Hanover-sq . AND SPECIALITE 63 s . SUITS and __ . _ ... 16 s . and 21 s . TROUSERS . LEARN , 14 , Brook Street , Bond Street , W .
Ad00707
CARRIAGES . F and R . SHANKS particularly call c attention to their light ONE-HORSE LANDAUS , of the very best materials , and fitted with their patent Self-acting Head . Several building to order to be seen in all stages at their manufactory , 70 & 71 , Great Queen-st ., Lincoln ' s Inn-Fields . Drags and new and second-hand Carriages of all descriptions . Estimates given for repairs .
Ad00708
£ > 2 By Special Appointment to H . R . H . ££ , The Prince of Wales . & & John Underwood & Sons , # # v SCULPTOES & MASONS , ^ ^ v ' ^ to , Duke . st ., Grosvenor-sq ., W ., \ . ^ S * * IIUCKHURST HILL , N . E ., AXD CHINGFORD A ^ <^_/ / . MOUNT CEMETERV . ^ ^ V Reredoses , Pulpits , Screens , Fonts , / Ky Mosaic in Glass or Marble , Inlaid and Cg * Incised Work . Designs , Estimates and References free on application .
Ad00709
OUR EYES . Just Published , Third Edition . HOW to USE OUR EYES , and HOW to PRESERVE THEM , from INFANCY to OLD AGE , with Special Information about Spectacles . By JOHN BROWNING , F . R . A . S ., F . R . M . S ., & c . With 54 Illustrations . Price is . j doth , is . 6 d . , " How to Use our Eyes , " by John Browning , F . R . A . S ., is a thoroughly practical little manual . "—Graphic . , "Gives many a useful hint to those who en ; oy good eyesight and wish to preserve it , and gives the advice of an occulist to those obliged to wear spectacles . "— Pall Mall Gazette . Chatto and Windus , Piccadilly , London , W ., and all Hooksellers . Sent free for is . 2 d . by the Author , John Browninc . Ot . Strand . London . W . C .
Ad00710
Naval , Military , and Tropical ^ ^^ T ^ BOOT MAKER ^^ g ^§! ji ^^ - ^ j Se ^^^ T „ - "" " PICCADILLY , LONDON , W . NEW
Ad00711
D ^ NT' ^ ILLUSTRATED . « .- J . N A . O CATALOGUE of HIGH-CLASS WATfTTTI ' Qi WATCHES and CLOCKS at M . O . J . UJXEiD . REDUCED PRICES , sent post < $ ^« jL ' ree on application to E . DENT jfifjr ^^ 5 fc . and Co ., Makers to the Oueen , > vDENIV 6 l > STRAND , LONDON , W . C , ll or 4 , ROYAL EXCHANGE .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
S 71 . —We imagine the reason is that the third or final obligation crowns the second and first obligations , as the Third Degree crowns or consummates the two inferior . Several communications stand over . BOOKS . & c , RECEIVED . " Le Moniteur de la Chance Universelle , " " The Helgian News and Continental Advertiser , " " Broad Arrow , " , ( Sunday Times "
( New York ) , "Citizen , " " Bulletin du Grantl Orient de France , " "Keystone , " " Court Circular , " " El Taller , " "Allen's Indian Mail , " " The Freemason " ( Toronto ) , " Sunday Times " ( London ) , "Odd Fellows' Register and Masonic Journal , " "Freemasons ' Repository , " "Liberal Freemason , " "Canadian Craftsman and Masonic Record , " " Jewish Chronicle , " " New York Dispatch , " and " The Freemason" ( Detroit)—April 25 th to June jjth .
Ar00712
SATURDAY , J 25 , 1885 . « . .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
CWedo not hold ourselves responsible tor , or even approving of theopinionsexpressedby ourcorrespondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ]
THE RECENT BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I take the earliest opportunity of thanking your correspondent , "A Life Governor of the Three Charities , " for his courteous endeavour to satisfy my very natural curiosity . I am prepared to allow that his explanation as to the falling off in the contributions at the recent Boys '
School Festival has some amount of reason in its favour . Festival receipts , like all other similar returns , follow a certain law of average , and you cannot well disturb that average in order to swell the total of any particular year to an exceptional amount without affecting detrimentally those of the years that follow . But I cannot bring myself to endorse his view that "the premium votes" of 1 SS 3 "inflicted a very serious injury on all of the three Masonic
Charities , by destroying the confidence of many of their supporters , who not unnaturally regarded the allotment of such extra votes as a direct violation of the terms on which they had previously been induced to become Governors . " I presume your correspondent will agree with me that special measures of some kind or other must be devised in order to meet an emergent expenditure such as was caused by the necessity for enlarging the Boys' School . In that
case , of course , we have only to consider what , if any , better means were possible than those which the Executive of the School , in the exercise of its discretion , saw fit to adopt . It might , for instance , have set about accumulating a Special Fund by diverting a certain proportion of its annual receipts to the purpose in view , and so spreading the work of accumulation over a term of years . But the objection to this course was thatthe need for enlargement was
immediate and imperative . While this Fund was being raised , many of the poor children whom it was desired- to admit would have grown old enough to leave the School , or at all events too old to be admitted . When the Governors of the Institution resolved on having a School of their own , something like five or six years elapsed between the time when the resolution was formulated and the admission of the first batch of 25 boys , and then it was onlv a auestion
of some £ 3000 or , £ 4000 over and above an annual expenditure of about £ 1000 , with a fixed income of about £ 500 . _ In this case the additional expenditure involved was estimated at , £ " 12 , 000 or £ 15 , 000 , with an annual outlay of about £ 10 , 000 and a fixed income within £ Soo . I do _ not think the Committee were ill - advised in rejecting this scheme which would have required too many years to complete . Then , as in 1864 , the funded property
of the Institution might have been sold and the new premises erected out of the proceeds ; or , as in 1865 , a mortgage might have been raised on the existing building ; but apart from the fact that it took something like 15 years or more to replace the funded property thua sold out and to pay off the mortgage of £ 10 , 000 thus raised , the weak point in the Boys' School finance is that the permanent income already ) bears too small a proportion to the income
required , and I fancy few will grumble that the Committee did not see their way to the adoption of this alternative . But what was to be done in order to meet the pressing emergency , with these avenues for raising the wind closed against them , or a postponement for several years until the special fund had been raised ? Well , the Committee having in view the special character of the emergency , and remembering at the same time that the ordinary annual
expenditure of quite £ 10 , 000 would have to be met , resolved on holding out to brethren as an inducement to give more liberally than usual the privilege of double votes . By this inducement , or "bribe , " as your correspondent calls it , they obtained the greater part of what they wanted in addition tothe moneys necessary for the ordinary expenditure . Having done this , they resumed last year the old arrangement as to votes , and the Festival yielded £ 14 , 000
to the General fund as against £ 15 , 000 General Fund and ^ 8000 Special Fund , or together £ 23 , 000 in 1 SS 3 . Thus the Special Fund having been got rid of , there was no very serious falling off from £ 15 , 000 in 1 SS 3 to £ 14 , 000 in 1 SS 4 , no more , indeed , than must be expected , and has , indeed , occurred in many previous years . But the average returns , or about the average , having been resumed in iS 8 ^ , I do not think we can account for the further diminution of over £ 2000 in the current year b y
the " premium votes , the disturbing effect of the special privileges being necessarily weakened the further we get from the year in which they were offered . But be this as it may , the " bribe " of double votes has done no harm to the other two Charities , both of which have raised more this year than they did last , and more in 1 SS 4 'han they did in 1883 . I have more to say but will reserve it for a future letter . —Faithfully and fraternally , ALPHA .
Which Shall It Be—"Charity" Or "Dinners?"
WHICH SHALL IT BE— "CHARITY" OR "DINNERS ? "
To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , "Cakes and Ale" has not quite understood my letter . I expressly said I did not seek to abolish "dinners . " I agree with him that to do so would seriously affect the " Charity " which I so desire to see extended . But it is
possible , in the way 1 have pointed out , to continue the "dinners , " and yet increase the amount the "Charities " receive , an increase which would , I firmly believe , double the sum annually given by the Craft for the three Institutions . Reduce the expenses of the banquets in the mode I have suggested , and grant to the various Charities the money thus saved by thc lodge , and the thing is done . Let any lodge try it for a year , and see what the result will be .
I cannot supply all the data for which " Cakes and Ale " asks , having only joined the lodge some four years ago . I can tell your readers that it has a roll of about 70 members , and that it has not been an unusual thing for 90 to 100 to sit down to the installation banquet ; but at the other meetings the attendance has not usually been so large . Everybody knows that the visitor's fee does not—at least , in a
dining lodge—recoup the lodge the cost of the visitor . This lodge has been in existence a little over 20 years , and , so far as I can ascertain , has not contributed out ofthe lodge funds in any year more than 10 guineas to some one of the Institutions , and , if I am rightly informed , in some years nothing at all . But it has , I am told , always been a banqueting lodge , and , because I desire to see a little more
active "Charity " from the lodge . n ; a lodge , I have been called a " fanatic , " and have had thrown in my teeth the fact ( which I am proud to acknowledge , and desire to make still better known ) that , . individually , the lodge contains some of the most generous men it has ever been my lot to meet . Now , Sir , I take issue strongly on one point raised by
" Cakes and Ale . " The lodge , as a lodge , has no more right to take credit for any individual contributions to Charity , Masonic or otherwise , than it has to take credit for the payment by me of my rent and taxes . True , the contributions of such men as "A Poor Mason" ( whose letter appears in your issue of the 4 th inst . ) and myself go to swell the list of some ambitious brother , who sees
perhaps the prospect of a little fame or another medal , and it may be a vote or two , for a heavy list ; but Masons know how that list is made up . It is not for me to say more about it , or to do anything which may have the slightest tendency to stop the current of Masonic Charity . On the contrary , the mode I have suggested for the use of " Lodge Funds " would largely increase it , and instead of £ 44 000
, —twice that sum would be raised in a single year . I lately belonged to a lodge which out of an income of not quite £ 120 , voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year . How was this done ? By having only one , the installation banquet—on one or two occasions a p lain supper—and at the other meetings the brethren paying "pro rata" for
what they had after lodge was closed ., One other point and f have done . " Cakes and Ale " introduces to my notice quite a new character—one I have never yet met—the person who apologises for his presence at a banquet or dinner . I should look upon such a fellow , if I ever met him , as a humbug , and not believe one word
he said . I beg you will permit me to repeat , that until the Audit drew my attention to the figures , I had not , like , I venture to think , thousands of our brethren , given any thought to the subject . I do not want to abolish " Dinners . " My Masonic teaching has been based on what are , no doubt ,
now , old fashioned lines . I may be a " fanatic , " but , as the history of the progress of the world shews , most good things have been accomplished with the aid of those who have been , more or less , subject to that stigma ; and I shall be content if the seed I have sown does , in due time , germinate , and bring forth fruit , good in its season , to the Craft and its beloved Institution . —Faithfully and fraternally yours . C , E . G . July 20 th .
THE MASONIC CHARITIES . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , It has been pointed out on several occasions in your valuable paper that lodges and members do not subscribe to the Charities as fully as they might do , and that it is generally the same lodges and brethren who do subscribe from
time to time . There must be a reason for this , and the only one that I can imagine is that the amount asked for is more than many lodges and brethren can afford . To remedy this I would suggest that the Secretaries of the three Institions be permitted to receive payment on account of Life Subscriberships by instalments of 5 s . a month , and that a vote , or votes , be given at each of the elections , as long as a brother
continued to pay regularly ; thatall sums thus paid becredited to the lodge to which the brother belongs , and that any lodge subscribing £ 10 ios . be permitted to take credit ana receive votes for all sums thus paid by its members , or , in other words , receive the same privilege as Stewards . If this were done many lodges would , I feel assured , subscribe 10 guineas , at least , during the year , and would , no doubt .
give this sum to the Charitable Institutions turn and turn about ; and if only one member in each of our lodges , and I trust there would be many more , would embrace the opportunity of obtaining a Life Subscribership on these easy terms , it would , 1 hope , produce such an amount as would prevent the Secretaries being so despondent as they generally are prior to the Festivals .
It may be said that brethren wishing to obtain Life Subscriberships by easy terms of payment can do so by joining one of the Associations held at lodges of instruction , * but there are many brethren who cannot and do not attend instruction lodges , and others , again , who do attend hear of these Associations after they have been in existence tor
some time , and are debarred from joining because they would have to pay up from the beginning , and being unable to afford £ 1 or 30 s . as a first payment , they refuse to join . At any rate , the Charities could not lose by carrying out this suggestion ; but , on the contrary , would be a gainer , and I trust to a considerable amount . —I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , CHARITY . Royal Military Asylum , Chelsea , July 21 st .