Provincial.

Bro . LA CROIX , P . M . No . 90 , said he had been deputed to introduce a toast , but- it was one he had hoped ivould have come from the chair . The uncertainty of human prosperity had been alluded to , and in respect to the importance of keeping up their Charities in a sound state much could be said , for no one could tell the changes of circumstances that might occur in the course of a man's life . ( Hear . ) Like things happened to good and badas conveyed in the words of Solomon : — " The race is not

, to the swift , nor the battle to the strong , neither yet bread to the wise , nor yet riches to men of understanding , nor yet favourto men of skill , but time and chance happeneth to all . " He believed that if they looked into the antecedents of those parties who at the present time were the recipients of the Masonic Charities , it would be found that many of them had once been in . circumstances as good as those of them now in prosperity , but by

reason of unforeseen circumstances had suffered deprivation and fallen into the depths of poverty and adversity , experiencing all those evils ivhich tend to make lifeaburden rather than a blessing . ( Hear , hear . ) He considered that the true teachings of Masonic sympathy would direct them , not only to rejoice with those who do rejoice , but to weep with those that weep . Ever holding out thesympathetichand to those in suffering and in distress . ( Hear . ) The virtue of charity had already been touched upon by many ,

yet he felt inclined to offer a few more remarks . He should like , as it were , more to materialise their charity , so as to make it much more than a mere name , and more a permanent and established thing than as ' yet known , Bro . Payne , in the course of his speech , had alluded to the Boys' Institution as containing only 72 inmates . That was a very small number for the Fraternity to educate , considering the eminent position it held . Freemasonry had been compared to Odd Fellowship , placing the latter in a

somewhat derogatory position , but the Odd Fellows were doing more good , comparatively speaking , in the way of assisting the sick and bereaved , than any other charitable institution in existance . The mere sustenance and education of 72 boys was a very meagre instance of what formed one of the great Masonic institutions , and it was not sufficient to gain them much esteem in the outer world . The members of the Masonic Craft were certainly from the higher class , sociably speaking , but the Odd Fellows were the more benevolent , comparing their means , and

they had and professed to have the same fraternal feelings towards each other as the Masons . Odd Fellowship might to a certain extent be said to be an offspring of Freemasonry , but in generosity it had exceeded its parent . He should like to see a bona ¦ fide annual subscription , and devote the proceeds to making their Charities what they ought to be—above and supreme to all others . The annual subscription should be in addition to the contents of the miserable boxes they saw sent round at their

meetings and banquets . The benefits available at hand in case of necessity should , be much more extensive than they were , for God alone knew how many among them might some day require worldly help . ( Hear . ) At any rate their Charities must be distributed with a careful hand , because the number of applicants was large , ancl the recipients of bounty very few . It was painful to see the amount of money spent in banquets and personal enjoyment , and then consider the little in comparison that they

contributed to the Charities . It was true that a majority of . their subscriptions were for refrestments , instead of being devoted to the assistance of those who required help . It had been said by some that the Freemasons should look to elevating their Order ; he should rather argue that they must first elevate themselves as men , and decrease their extravagant expenses within some of their lodges . The great wish should be to increase their Charitiesand therebmake Masonry one of the lories of the

, y g land . ( Hear . ) He would conclude by proposing " The Health of their energetic friend Bro . Sherry , " whose efforts in behalf of the Masonic Charities were to his eternal honour . ( Cheers . ) Referring to the Boys' School , he called attention to the case of a candidate named Moss , the son of a man than whom there could not have been a better Mason . He had heard his praises resounded on all hands , and understood that the son's

case would be supported by those of high position and large sympathies . He hoped the province of Hants would give what assistance they could in order to benefit the son of such a good Mason . ( Hear . ) The health of Bro . Sherry was enthusiasticall y received and duly honoured . Bro . HICKMAN took exception to some of Bro .- La Croix's observations , in comparing Freemasonry With Odd Fellowship , and ivhich he thought he could explain away . Bro . La Croix has got somewhat into error . With the general tenour of his remarks , he was bound to say he entirely agreed , but as to

the Odd Fellows , there was this important fact to be advanced . That society had been formed and was conducted throughout for the very purpose of conferring pecuniary benefits upon its members , whilst Freemasonry was entirely the contrary . All persons initiated into Freemasonry were from the very first led to believe that he ivould get nothing from it of a pecuniary kind . Odd Fellowship , on the other hand , was this—for certain sums , periodically paid in , a man reaped proportionate benefits—¦

there were death payments , and weekly relief in sickness . The Masons did not initiate brethren into the Order if they were not in circumstances that were such as to make it apparently unlikely he ivould ever require charity ; but supposing that unforseen misfortune should come upon a brother , then it was right for their charities to be brought into action for his assistance . ( Hear . ) In . respect to the exertions made by the brethren generally in the cause of the Masonic charitieshe did not mean

, to say , for a moment , that they did what thoy ought to do , and admitting all that Bro . La Croix had advanced upon that point , he had only risen to show that the comparison drawn between Masonry and a more modern institution had not been rightly put forward . ( Cheers ) . Bro . the Eev . T . A . WILIS , in further calling to notice the case of the son of the late Bro . Moss , of Fareham , said it was one deserving the exertions of all the members of the province .

Bro . Moss had ^ possessed christian-like qualities , and had been in his lifetime a most useful and ready brother , and if they could now do any good for his son they jivere bound to do it . Every vote ivould be useful , and perhaps they might succeed in getting their candidate on the institution on his first application . There were many who had promised to support the case from South Wilts , and be should only be too happy to obtain the interest of the North Hants members . The widow Moss

had but £ 40 per annum to support her , and there were eight children , seven of whom were dependent upon her . If it was not a special case for the sympathy of the brethren , he did not know of one . ( Hear . ) Bro . BIGGS said they must all support tbe ease as one most deserving ; he expected it ivould receive help from Wiltshire lodges , and from Bath , ancl he ivould do all he could . Bro . PAYNE said the case would receive support from the

brethren of Southampton ; and Bro . EMERY said the same in reference to those of the Portsmouth districts . Bro . C . SHERRY , P . M ., No . 90 , ( since whose health had been drank , several members had interposed remarks ) said he now rose to respond , but he was sure every brother present must see the pretty mess he had got into . ( Hear and laughter . ) Everything he wanted to say had been said , or at least touched upon ,

by some other brother . ( Laughter . ) He had wished to advocate the Charities especially , but it was now quite unnecessary for him to enter upon that fond subject of his so fully as he had intended . But still , perhaps he could enlighten some of the members present as to particulars of the position of the Charities . ( Hear . ) Some few years ago the Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows had only a triennial Festival , and the pecuniary result was the receipt to its funds of £ 1400 or £ 1500

once in three years . He was one of the first of its friends to move in the matter , with a view of getting an annual Festival , and he was happy to say that they carried the proposition after some delay . £ 6000 was now produced to the Institution in three years , and he was proud of having been one of the first to press for the alteration . The Royal Benevolent Institution had now funded property . ( Hear . ) The Boys' School had got to a low ebb , very far below what it should he . At present it

needed support more than any . The Girls' School was very well off though he still could wish to see it better . But he wished to impress this upon the brethren , that at present they could not do better than give their support to the Boys' School . He had lent the Royal Benevolent Institution his aid in 1859—a year when it required help , like the Boys' School did nowand took up to the Festival a tolerable sum of money . He believed in that year he took up £ 45 , and the Mayor of

Southampton , his co-Steward , £ 50 , making the handsome sum of £ 95 between them . On the part of the Boys' School he wished to advance its special claims , and for his doing so there was this justification—that in every particular it was worse off than either of the other institutions . For example , it was the worst housed . The building was an adapted private mansion , added to from time to time . The total value ( including original purchase , additions , and recent acquisitions of land , the whole comprising , say , 12 acres ) being about £ 6500 . The Girls' School