London V. Country.

Stebbing , for instance , upon the Board , Avell knowing his capabilities on all matters of business connected Avith the Order , and the general justness ofhis conclusions . " So do we , and so do , Ave undertake to say , nine tenths of the London brethren ; and moreover , we Avill even guarantee that either Bro . Stebbing , or even Bro . Sherry himself , Avould be elected if he Avould pledge himself to attend to the business—the

Board meeting once in every month , its sittings sometimes extending to three or four hours , to say nothing of various committees into Avhich it is subdivided . But if Bros . Stebbing , Sherry , or other country brethren , have not been placed on tho Board of General Purposes , is it wholly the fault of the Boardor of the London brethren—or have not the friends

, with whom they usually act had something to do Avith it ? Let us see . In 1857 , Bros , the Pv , ev . G . B . Portal , and the Earl of Carnarvon , entered into a contract Avith certain brethren on the dais , for the formation of a list for the Board of General Purposes , and not one member from the country did thoy propose , though they were then agitating the

provincial brethren for support ; but Bros . Portal and Carnarvon were amongst the elected , though Bro . Portal forgot a pledge Avhich he gave to another brother only three days before , and Avas , Ave believe , the first to propose the omission of his name , as too independent for either party . Bro . Portal will understand the allusion A \ dien we state , that there were more "detectives" in the field than one on that occasion .

How Avell or how ill the brethren to whom Ave have alluded attended to the duties of the offices they undertook , it Avould bo impossible , with the secrecy which the members of the Board of General Purposes are bound to maintain , for us to say ; but a sufficient excuse for nonattendance on the part of the noble earl Avould be found in tbe iact that

he shortly afterwards became a member of her Majesty ' s government . Whether our reverend brother attended to his duties Ave knoAv not , but this we distinctly assert , that he soon found that close attention to business Avithout the opportunity of forensic display did not add to notoriety ; and though he has acknowledged that he had a hand in arranging

the list for the next year , 1858 , still forgetting his country friends , he joined with the Grand Master in denouncing the impertinence of a brother who could pat him in nomination , " without his authority , " for a position the duties of which he , never properly fulfilled . In 1859 , a list was arranged Avithout the assistance of

Bro . Portal , and then came the denunciation . of brethren Avho had not paid due attention to the country interests—AVIIO had the bad taste to nominate brethren for office , not one of whom was undistinguished for their services to the Craft either through their personal exertions or b y their purse , Avithout consulting Bro . Portal . But Bro . Sherry tells

us"Many Lodges in the country disliked giving their money ( for they all contributed their quota to the general fund ) for any other purposes than charity , especially to the otherwise- spending of large amounts . No application for relief b y distressed Masons should be refused if any funds were in hand . Men had been refused year after year , though in their previous life of prosperity they had contributed to the same funds , from which they inio-ht and properly should , receive relief : and he believed there was sufficient to meet OA'ery eligible claim that had ever been made . "

Here wc are again bound to take exception to the statements of our worthy brother , and declare that they are unfounded ; in fact , that they are the direct opposite to the truth . No brother worthy of relief has ever been refused by the Board of Benevolence—and , if he had , it Avould be the fault of the Masters of Lodges , who , being all throughout the Order

members of the Board of Benevolence , have neglected to perforin their duties by attending—and here we Avould appeal to Bro . Sherry to obtain a return of the number of London and country brethren who havo attended that Board — the real almoners of the charitable , funds of the Order . Hero AVO AVI ' SII it to bo distinctl y understood that

AVC draw a great and substantive distinction betAveen those funds Avhich aro raised by quarterly payments throughout the Craft for the relief of the distressed , and those admirable institutions Avhich , though no part of the constitution of Masonry , are most beautiful adjuncts thereto—tlio two schools and the Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and their Widows ; the Avhole of which areand Ave trust ever

, Avill bo , mainly supported by tho friveda benevolence of the brethren , though to some extent assisted by Grand Lodge ; and sorry indeed should we be to see that assistance so far extended as to sap the springs of private benevolence . Wo are told by Bro . Sherry , that the country brethren contributes as largely to the funds of Grand Lodge as the

London ; but what are the facts ? The London brother has to pay four shillings per annum to the fund of benevolence , Avhilst the country brother has to pay two shillings ; and here Ave may be fairly answered that the country brother may be called upon for a like amount for his Provincial Grand Lodge . But we would askhas it ever made any difference

, as to the amount of relief afforded to country brethren ; and Avhether they have not fared as fairly through the administration of London brethren as they could through that of country brethren who have neglected their duties by not attending ( or deputing some Past Master of their Lodge , as they have the power to do ) to the Board of Benevolenceto

, look after the interests of candidates for relief from all parts of the kingdom—nay , all parts of the world 1 But Ave arc further informed by Bro . Sherry"If they do not do what has been proposed (/' . e ., build " castles " ) , then the amount of money so saved could be applied as it ought to be , that is , to charitable purposes . They could

then meet all claims upon the Order in the way of charity that yet remained in existence and unrelieved . With the large amount of funds in hand they had quite sufficient to minister to every case of distress that had been heard of . "

Bro . Sherry appears to have forgotten that Freemasonry is not a benefit society ; that its charities are only graceful additions to the Order ; and that the funds of Grand Lodge are divided into sections—one , the benevolent , consisting of four shillings per annum from every enrolled London brother , and two shillings from every enrolled country brother ; and a general fundarising from the payment of one pound seven

, shillings and sixpence upon the initiation and registration of any London brother , and seventeen shillings and sixpence for every country brother ; and the latter payment it is Avhich creates a fund aA'ailable for the general purposes of the Order apart from charity , otherwise fairly provided for ; the benevolent fund ever having beon kept sacred and intact

for the purposes for which alone it is subscribed , and the A otes from which during the last year amounted to no less than £ 1 , 884 . If the London brethren have some few privileges , by reason of their position , over those in the country , it must not

bo forgotten that they have also fairly accepted the responsibilities of that position : wo do not wish to refer to the report of the committee upon charities , in which it Avas shown that nine tenths of the support came from the London brethren , because it must be fairly owned that since the publication of that report many country brethren haA'e been labouring hard to reduce the proportionand none more so

, than Bro . Sherry himself , who , upon tho occasion of serving the stewardship of one of the charities , produced a list of subscriptions from Hampshire Avhich could Avell vie with any other steward ' s list ; but we may be allowed fairly to call attention to the approaching festival of the Boyal Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and their Widows , where we

find that in round numbers 130 London Lodges send SC Stewards , and the GOO country Lodges only 12 , Avho come from Oxfordshire , Warwickshire , Isle of Wi ght , North and . East Yorkshire , Somersetshire , Durham , and Hampshire , no question ever being ashed as to what part of the kingdom the candidates have belonged , and there being at tiie close of