The Irish Grand Lodge Returns For 1877.

By Woodward—Clothing for G . M . and Repre- £ s . d . sentatives ... ... ... ... 42 8 o „ Capitation Fees for 1876 refunded to Lodge 730 9 10 o „ Dillon and Son's Law Costs 30 13 7

„ Sundries and Petty Charges 49 8 5 „ Masonic Orphan Schools—Girls , £ 100 ; Boys , £ 100 200 o o „ Interest on Advances in 1876 by Bank ... 252 „ Balance in Bank , including £ 100 grantfor 1877 to Charity Fund 305 10 2 £ 4733 3 6

Irish Masonic Orphan Boys' School.

IRISH MASONIC ORPHAN BOYS ' SCHOOL .

The report of this interesting institution is so lucid and explicit , that we think it well to give it verbati m , as also the balance sheet . " The Governors of the Masonic Orphan Boys' School have to report , for the information of the subscribers , that during the year 1877 the

Institution has prospered . An account of the receipts and expenditure during the year is attached , from ¦ which it will be seen that the total receipts from all sources , including a cash balance from they ear 18 77 of ^ 391 18 s . od ., amounted to £ 2214 < s . 3 d ., and that there was a balance to the

credit of the Institution on the 3 \ st December , 1 877 , of £ 552 7 s . 3 d ., and that a sum of £ 479 ios . 3 d . was during the year , invested in the purchase of Government New 3 per cent . Stock . With regard to the finances of the School , the Governors wish to draw attention to

the following facts . * That there has been a small increase in the subscriptions of the Individual Annual Governors of £ 6 4 s . od ., and of Annual Official Governors , of £ 11 ios . od ., while there has been a considerable decrease in the amounts received for Life Donations , viz . — In Vice-Patrons and Vice-Presidents a decrease

of £ i io ; in Individual Life Governors a decrease of £ 4 6 ios . od , and in the Permanent Official Governors a decrease of £ 17 . ios . od . The market value of the invested funds of the

Institution , on the 31 st December , 1877 , was , - £ 9959 15 s . 6 d . During the year 18 77 an important change was effected in the management of the School , the rules and regulations having been assimilated to those ofthe Masonic Female

Orphan School , and thereby the General Committee ceased to exist , and the control is now exercised by the Board of Governors , which meets at the Freemasons' Hall on the second Tuesday in every month , at 4 o ' clock p . m , and Education , Finance , and Apprentice Committees

have been appointed , and the Governors expect that this change will promote the prosperity of the School . During the year 1877 five boys left the School—viz ., George A . Du Noyer , Henry G . Wilson , Frederick S . Clayton , Julian H . Vernon , and Edward T . Shields , and five

pupils were elected—viz , Wilis Ballantine , Thos . H . Barnwell , S . Waugh , A . H . Berney , and H . Kei ! y . The nuirber of boys under the care of the Governors is twenty-one , and they are still maintained and educated at the establishment of Bro . the Rev . S . S . Skeen , Adelaide Hall ,

Merrion . The Christmas examinations were conducted by the members of the Education Committee—viz ., Bros . Rev . J . A . Galbraith , F . T . C . D . ; Crawley , Edge , Furlong , and Stannel , kindly assisted by Bro . Rev . T . T . Gray , F . T . C . D ., whose reports were most satisfactory .

The Governors have much reason to be grateful for the success which has been vouchsafed to the Masonic Orphan Boys' School since its establishment in the year . i 8 < 5 i * t but they would appeal to the members of the Order in Ireland to assist them by liberal subscriptions in carrying on and extending their good work .

RECEIS-TS . To Balance on the ist January , 1877 ... £ 391 18 o „ Annual Subscriptions : — Annual Governors ( Individual ) ... 637 13 o Annual Official Governors ... 105 3 o 1 , Life Donations : — Vice-Patrons and Vice-Presidents iso o o

Life Governors ( Individual ) ... 116 o o Permanent Official Governors ... 213 16 o „ Received at Breakfasts 390 „ Miscellaneous Receipts 410 „ Donation from the Grand Lodge of Ireland 100 o o 1 , Bequests i 00 o o

Irish Masonic Orphan Boys' School.

To Dividends and Interest of Money , viz .: — £ s . d On Stock , New 3 per cent . Annuities 20 n 4 On India 4 per Cent . Stock ... 177 15 o On Midland Great-Western Railway 4 per Cent Preference Stock 3112 o On Great-Southern and Western

Railway 4 per Cent . Preference Stock 29 12 6 On Dublin , Wicklowand Wexford Railway 4 per Cent . Debenture Stock 50 7 2 On Masonic Hall Company's Shares ( 5 per Cent . ) 74 II o On otber Moneys 5 6 3

£ 2214 S 3 EXPENDITURE . By Education and Maintenance ... £ 945 ° ° „ Breakfasts 28 14 6 „ Salaries ... . . . ... ... 70 o o

„ Postage 15 2 8 „ Stationery 38 16 11 „ Outfits ... 40 o o „ Travelling Expenses 10 2 3 „ Incidental Expenses ... 22 e 11 „ Miscellaneous Payments 12 5 6

„ Securities Purchased , viz ., £ 500 Stock , New 3 PerCent . Annuities 479 10 3 „ Balance on the 31 st December , 1 877 , viz ., as per Bank Pass Book ... 535 1 7 „ ADD . —Sub-Accountants' Balances , viz ., R . L . Whitty Dr 7 S 8 S . B . Oldam , Dr 10 o o

£ 2214 5 3 We congratulate our brethren in Ireland on the success cf this needed Institution , and trust that our good Irish brethren will pay attention to the remarks and regrets of the Committee .

Original Correspondence.

Original Correspondence .

[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even as approving of the opinions expressed by * our correspondents , but we wish , in a spirit of fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . —ED . 1 THE LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE . 7 * o the Editor 0 ) the " Freemason . " Dear Sir anil Brother , — Whilst feeling that I am unnecessarily occupying your space , because the question is doubtless now settled for r . n indefinite time , I must > et ask you to allow me to say that I quite agree with you anel your correspondents , Bros .

Simpson and Gould , that some concentration of our Lodge of Benevolence is , and is ever more and more , becoming a great and crying necessity . At the same time , whilst resisting to the utmost any change in the title or working of the lodge , I must claim for the brethren at large , that any such change should involve no departure from the old lints .

The present representative lodge is a conccntra tion of the lodges in the shape of their W . M . ' s , and I respectfully urge that any further concentration should be in the form of miking the reduced lodge representative of these representatives .

Such wris the schem-j that I ventureel to propose to Giand Le . dgc , and such is ihe scheme , or the basis of the schemr , that I should a ^ ain urge , if spared to see the time when it shall be again brought forward . Faithfully am ! fraternally yours , WILLIAM Tnnns .

To the Editor if the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Did 1 think that there was the slightest use in continuing this discussion I should like , in a most amicable anil fraternal way , to " break a lance" with our esteemed Bro . Gould , and the undoubtedl y able and lucid "Yorkshire P . M . " But as I

deem it quite a waste nf time and words to discuss a subj-. ct about which two-thirds of our W . M . 's have made up their minds for the moment , I will not occupy more sp . ic . ; in your crowded pages than will suffice me to say that , with elue submission to both your

correspondents , a veiy great fallacy lies at the bottom of all their arguments , a fallacy which in itself , in my humble opinion , is utterly fatal to the propositions they put forward with such great clearness and such marked ability . I am , dear Sir and Brother , jours fraternally , A MEMBER op GRAND LODGE .

THE LiVl'E BRO . LITTLE . To the Editor of tbe "Freemason . " De 3 r Sir and Brother , — Although knowing that our Bro . Little was in delicate health , I was shocked to read in Saturday ' s Freemason of his death and burial , and that he leaves a wife to lament his loss .

Surely the brotherhood of which he was so zealous a member will endeavour in some measure to sweep the thorns from the widow's path . I am certain the Craft Masons , by whom his worth was so thoroughly recognised , will endeavour to do so in a

manner befitting our Order—the Mark Masters and Royal Arch Masons will not forget that he bore the burden and heat of the day , having been Prophet , Piiest and King , without receiving a higher wage than the ordinary workman . The Knights Templar will , I am sure , gladly assist ,

Original Correspondence.

for he was a true and courteous Kni ght , and the Ancient and Accepted Rite in this as in other good works lead the way—for was he not a Prince Mason and a Knight-Kadosb . And lastly , there will be little need to appeal to those Orders which owe their revival and existence in England

to Bro . Little's untiring zeal and Masonic ability . I allude to the Knights of the Red Cross and appendant Orders , and also to the Society of the Rosicrucians . I have no doubt that Bro . Dr . Woodman , with whom our departed brother has beea long associated in Masonic matters , has , ere this , taken steps to appeal to the brethren

in stronger and more eloquent terms than 1 can hope to do , and that it only remains for me to enquire the address of the brother who has been apptinted Treasurer of the Widow ' s Fund , in order that I may forward my mitefeeling certain that in the present instance 1 need not

apologise for the trouble I give , knowing that the subject matter of my letter will have your hearty co-operation . I am , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , F . G . IRWIN * , P . M . Inhabitants Lodge , 153 , < Src

MASONIC CONCERT IN MANCHESTER . To the Editor ofthe "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — I notice in your isiuc of Saturday last that you hoped to give a full report oE the Masonic concert held in the Free Trade Hall here , on Tuesday , April nth .

I met Bro . Batchelder on Saturday ( the promoter of the concert ) , and I undertook to intimate to you on his behalf that the press in the neighbourhood have circulated the statement that the whole of the artistes , with the exception of two or three , gave their services ; this is incorrect : the lady vocalists were all paid , also the members of the Craft , save one or two of the minor singers , ft is

unfortunate that reporters should arrive at conclusions , instead of troubling to ascertain facts . Bro . Batchelder will feel greatly obliged if you will attach a correction to your report * , feeling that your journal will remedy the evil . I believe the concert will realise a good sum nett . I am , dear Sir and Brother , fraternally yours , J EDWARD ILIFF , J . W . 1458 . Manchester , April 16 th .

AN OLD MASONIC BOOK . To the Editor ofthe " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — Can any of your readers give me some information concerning a book called " The Complete Freemason , or Multa Paucis for Lovers of Secrets . "

It has a curious engraved title , without any date ( which must , however , be 176 3 or 1764 ) . The contents comprise a history of the Order , and the proceedings ol Grand Lodge , in Anderson's style ; a list of all lodges in London , in the country , and abroad , with days cf me ting ; and a

collection of Masonic songs . A curious feature in the records is a statement that in 1735 111 c Earl of Crawford was re-elected Grand Master , Lord Weymouth ' s name bting altogether omitted . I am , dear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally , I . P . M . 533 .

CHARITY REFORM . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , — A lite-loni *; experience has convinced me of the almost impossibility of "convincing any man against his will , " cf the fact that our charities are at this moment

more abused than it is possible for some amongst us to conceive or exaggerate . I may , however , be permitted to say that a very careful examination into the mode of administering our charities has thoroughly convinced me of the truth of Madame Roland ' s aphorWm— " Oh , Charity , how many evils are done in thy name 1 " Our own i-pec ' ial

chanties may , perhaps , be the exception that proves the rule ; but the more our London charities have b en examined into , the more unsatisfactory has been the result , and the less have they , apparently , adapted themselves to the changing circumstances of the times . For my own part , 1 know of no truer charity than that cf looking into

the necessity for , and the administration of Charity , in order that the benevolent may be protected from the mischief of sham charities , and the really necessitous be made partakers of that intended for their use ana benefit . The question is a very large one , and I will not venture to occupy your valuable space by entering upon an elaborate

argument for or against the views enunciated in the Freemason , but as you promise in your next issue to show in a "common-sense practical manner" how the evils attendant on the administration of charity may be dealt with , I venture to enclose for your perusal a few printed papers bearing on the subject , and which , I think , clearly expose

the grevious shortcomings of chatitism . With regard to the abuse of our medical charities , I would direct particular attention to the remarks of Sir William Gull , who , at the meeting you refer to , of the Charity Organisation Society , and in a speech of considerable force , urged the establishment of provident dispensaries , because

there were " a million of persons receiving gratuitous medical relief in our metropolitan hospitals , " to the great injury of the general practitioner residing near to hospitals , but " not for the relief of the deserving , suffering over poor , who vainly strive to reach them . " So great

added Sir William , is this difficulty felt , that he had himself once suggested that hospital letters should be scattered broadcast amongst the applicants , and that those who secured them should not be attended to , they being obviously the strongest . " Upwards of 50 , 000 of such applicants obtain indiscriminate advice and medicine annually at the London Hospital , Now although