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To ADVERTISERS . THE Circulation of THE FREEMASON being now at the rate oiweaxly Half-a-million per annum , it offers peculiar facilities to all who advertise . It is well known that the Fraternity of Freemasons is a large and constantly increasing body , mainly composed of the influential and educated classes of society ; and as The Freemason is now the accepted organ ofthe Brotherhood in the United Kingdom , and also enjoys an extensive sale in the colonies and foreign parts , its advantages as an advertising medium can scarcely be overrated . For terms apply to GEORGE KENNING , 2 , 3 , & 4 , LITTLE BRITAIN , LONDON , E . C .

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NOTICE . On and after October ist , the Subscription to THE FREEMASON will be \ os . per annum , post-free , payable in advance . Vol . I ., bound in cloth 4 s . 6 d . Vol . II ., ditto 7 s . 6 d . Reading Cases to hold 52 numbers ... 2 s . 6 d .

Births, Marriages, And Deaths.

Births , Marriages , and Deaths .

BIRTH . M'EWAN . —On the 23 rd inst ., at 133 , Sydney-street , Glasgow , the wife of Comp . Wm . M'Ewan ( M . E . P . Z . 69 ) , of a daughter .

DEATHS . LAURIE . —On the 26 th inst ., at Edinburgh , Bro . William A . Laurie , G . Sec . G . L . of Scotland . MORTON . —On the 23 rd inst ., at his residence , 25 , Halliford-street , Islington , after a few days' illness , Brother Henry Morton , W . M . 228 , S . W . 1227 , P . S Chapter 174 .

Answers To Correspondents.

Answers to Correspondents .

—•—AH communications for THK FREEMASON should be written legibly on one side of the paper only , _ and , if intended for insertion in the current number , must be received not later than 10 o'clock a . m . on Thursdays , unless in very special cases . The name and address of every writer must be sent to us in confidence .

LEX . —Masonic Clubs of Instruction are not sanctioned by Grand Lodge , therefore , at your suggestion , wc will not insert them in the List of Lodge Meetings . We are obliged to you for calling our attention to the subject . SPHINX . —If a subscriber .

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BOOKS JiECEIVED . "The Kingston Masonic Annual , 1871 . " M . C . Peck and Son , 10 , Market-place , Hull . [ A magnificent contribution to our rapidly-increasing stock of Masonic infonnation . For review in our next . —En . P . ]

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TheFreemason, SATURDAY , OCTOBER 29 , 1870 .

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THB FREEMASON is published on Saturday Mornings in time for tlie early trains . The price of THE FREEMASON is Twopence per week ; annual subscription , 10 s . ( payable in advance ) . All communications , letters , & c , to be addressed to the EDITOR , a , 1 , and 4 , Little Britain , K . C . The Editor will pay careful attention to all MSS . entrusted to himbut cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by postage stamps .

The English Masonic Charities.

THE ENGLISH MASONIC CHARITIES .

IT will scarcely be denied even by its enemies that Freemasonry is essentially a charitable institution ; but the light in which its beneficence is occasionally

regarded even by its friends is not calculated to advance its pretensions in this respect in the estimation of intelligent minds .

In the first place , we would observe that eleemosynary relief is one of the lowest forms of charity , although it is doubtless frequently necessary , and should in such

cases be cheerfully rendered . When a man enters the Masonic Order , he acquires a moral claim upon the good-will and

sympathies of the brethren ; but it by no means follows that he establishes a claim upon their pecuniary resources . True , he is

The English Masonic Charities.

admitted shorn of all the external advantages of fortune , and the duty of aiding his fellows when similarly circumstanced is at once forcibly inculcated . Yet , let it be

remembered that this obligation to assist the distressed applies only to those who , being necessitous , are also found worthy ; and not to the undeserving , simply because

they are Masons . Let it be borne in mind that neither the funds of the Craft , nor our means as individuals , are to be wasted upon those who bring upon their own shoulders ,

by misconduct , the leaden weight of poverty and woe . If this great truth were thoroughly disseminated amongst the lodges , we should hear lessof those itinerant

impostors who prey upon the mistaken benevolence of the Fraternity ; there would be less of casual relief , but more of support , to the genuine cause of charity .

And this brings us to the more immediate subject of this article—namely , the position of the Masonic . Charitable Institutions of England . To begin with the

oldest , we have first a school for the maintenance and education of female children ; and , secondly , a similar institution for the benefit of boys . The laws of these several

establishments being almost identical , our remarks as to their management and government will apply equally to both . Their objects are mutatis mutandis—the

same ; and may be fittingly described by an extract from the printed laws , No . 2 : — " To receive under its protection , and to maintain , clothe , and educate the children

of Freemasons of every religious denomination under the English Constitution , who , from alteration of circumstances , arising from the death , illness , or misfortune of

their fathers , are reduced to a position requiring the benefits of the Institutions . " And well and worthily are these objects achieved by the excellent brethren who

devote their time and attention to the executive and administrative departments of the schools . Every care that humanity and kindness can suggest , every appliance

of comfort that science can produce , is freely bestowed upon the children , whose habits are formed and perfected by the influence of a discipline rarely

demonstrative , but nevertheless supreme . Of the education which our protege ' s receive—of the mental training which forms and regulates their future—we need only say that it

has elicited invaluable tokens of approval from many eminent men , whose experience in the great education question renders their judgment specially important . Thc

Girls School is situated at St . John ' s Hill , Battersea Rise , and the Institution for Boys at Wood Green—both being localities easily accessible by rail ; and a visit to

either school will not only be welcomed by the resident officials , but will amply repay the time that may be devoted to its inspection . The question next arises , how are

these truly Masonic institutions supported in their career of usefulness ? Wc again turn to the " Laws , " and find that by an annual subscription of one guinea every

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member of the Craft can become a partaker in the good work ; that a contribution of five guineas will constitute him a Life Subscriber ; a donation often guineas a Life

Governor ; and one of fifty guineas a Vice-President of either of these noble charities , with proportionate votes at each election of children . In addition to these privileges ,

every Vice-President and Life Governor is ipso facto , a member of the General Committee , by which body the ordinary business is transacted ; but the actual supervision of the local establishment is

entrusted to a House Committee , selected from the members of the General Committee . Financial matters are , in like manner , superintended by the Finance and

Audit Committee , whose duties are sufficiently indicated by their title . And , in conclusion , it may be stated that no child is eligible for election unless the father

shall have been a subscribing member to a lodge for at least five consecutive years , except in the case of death or other

irremediable misfortune . We now come to the Royal Masonic Institution for Aged Brethren , with its sister charity for the Widows of Freemasons . For the

accommodation of those who have no homes of their own , or friends to receive them , a capacious asylum has been built at Croydon , and is now inhabited by old people

of both sexes , who are in the receipt of a small yearly pension . Annuities are also granted to a considerable number who do

not desire to avail themselves of the shelter offered by the asylum , or for whom there is no room within its walls . The male

annuitants receive £ 26 each per annum , the females £ 2 $ —sums which we contend are totallyinadequateto their requirements , and which we hope to see increased at no

distant day . Thecontributionstobothbranches of this charity are fixed on a lower scale than those of the two schools , inasmuch as a donation of but five shillings secures a

vote at the annual election of either the male or female candidates , and the qualifications of the Life Governors and Vice-Presidents are likewise obtainable for a

proportionately smaller sum . The management of the asylum is also confided to a committee possessing powers almost identical with those enjoyed by the House

Committees of the other Institutions , and each charity has its separate organisation with paid secretaries , clerks , and collectors . From this resume our readers can form an

opinion as to the work now being accomplished by benevolent members ofthe English Craft , and they will also agree with us in opinion that if we offer a magnificent

education to the child of a distressed brother , we ought surely to do more for the brother himself than dole out to him the miserable pittance of six-and-twenty pounds .

Brethren elected as annuitants are presumably men who have laboured for the good of Freemasonry , and we may also

assume that they have been in their day worthy and reputable members of society . Let us therefore add to their comforts in