The Masonic Mirror:

98 THE MASONIC MIRROR . their distress the Freemason regards all men as brothers whom it is his boundeu duty to comfort and assist to the best of his ability . In giving notice 01 his motion , the M . W . G . M . made an eloquent appeal to the brethren

to assist , by subscriptions from their private Lodges , the good cause , so that the grand total received from the Order of Freemasons may shew to the world that we not only preach , but practice charity . The appeal has been already most liberally responded to hy various Lodges , not only in the metropolis , but throughout the country—indeed , in some it was anticipated—and sure we are that the Thousand Guineas from the Grand Lodge , though handsome in itself , will be but a mere per centage

on me nm amount contributed , by the craft . It would be presumption in us to suppose that our humble efforts have tended much towards this great end ; but as we took the liberty in our last number to advocate the movement , and of a liberal donation being made from the Grand Lodge , to head the subscri ption and give it a proper standing in the craft , before-we had the possibility of knowing what were

the views and intentions of the M . W . G . M ., we may be . allowed to tender our congratulations to ihe brethren , that the head of our Order has come forward with such a motion , and so eloquently brought it under the consideration of the brethren—for from no other ' brother could it have more appropriately emanated than the noble lord who so worthily fills the distinguished position of G . M . of the Freemasons in England , and who , throughout his life , has set so bright an example to the brethren of the manner in which they are called upon to exercise their Masonic duties .

THE "WIDOWS ANNUITY FUND . AT the same meeting of the Grand Lodge , to which we hare alluded above , it was also resolved to increase the annual subscri ption from Grand Lodge to the Widows Annuit y Fund , from £ 100 to £ 200 per annum . This also is most gratifying to us , for from the first moment we came before the brethren as journalists—and in our capacity as private

members of the Order , we have been endeavouring to get some steps taken which should put this Fund on a footing more worthy of the Order than it now enjoys . True it is , that the Fund is a comparatively new charity amongst us ; but Masons ought not to allow the widows of their brethren to come before them three , four , or more times to seek for votes to enable

tnem to obtain that aid wmch we ought to be in a position to accord them at once , if they are found worthy of our assistance . The additional vote from Grand Lodge will do something towards p utting us in that position , and it is most pleasing to us to know that , acting upon the hint which we gave in our article on " the Craft and the War , " in our last month's publication , a number of the brethren are forming themselves into a

committee , with the view of calling a meeting of the craft , at no distant day , to devise means for so increasing the Fund , that no deserving widow will hereafter have to appeal for our assistance without the certainty of receiving- it . The brethren who have honoured us by acting upon our hint have claimed our aid in canving out their charitable intentions , and they may rely upon it that any exertions on our part which can possibly tend