Masonic Notes And Queries.

when the Christian is a Freemason also . —CHARLES PURTON COOPER . 03 ? WHAT THE TRITE FREEMASON IS THE DEPOSITARY" ? In compliance wifch the request of a learned brother I put into Avriting the Avords to which he alludes . Thetrue Freemason , although not a Thiesfc , bufc

_ Christian , Jew , Parsee , or Mahommedan , I regard as ihe depositary of the great Truths of Natural Religion . Such truths are the foundation upon AA'hich repose the Positive Reli gions , Avhich Christian , Jew , Parsee , aud Mahommedan respectively profess . — -CnABirEs PFJRTON COOPER .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

¦ S'lie Editor is not responsible for thc opinions expressed by Correspondents . SUGGESTIONS AS TO OUR CHARITIES . 10 THE EBITOtt OE THE HllSEirASOX-s' 3 ti . GiZI . YE AXD 3 IAS 0 JTIC MlliUOIl . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Our very excellent brother , the indefatigable Secretary of ' the Boys '

School , is again doing his best to induce members of the Craft to undertake the duties of SfceAvards afc the Institutions next festival , being , I suppose , especially anxious to clear off the debt still resting upon the building . Most cordially do I trust that his appeal will be numerically responded to , and that pecuniarily

the result may be a complete success . His energy and courage deserve it . I would suggest that every lodge should nominate a Charit y Secretary who should be kept by Bros . Binckes , Patten , and Parnlield au courant as to their wants and wishes . As a quaudarn Charit y Secretary , I can assure you , a good deal of ignorance still exists about those glories of our Praterity and Charities ; aud a constant stream of information needs to be kept floAving through tlie

-orair . 1 would iurther suggest that this Charity Secretary should not be the W . M ., who has quite enough work of his own to do if he will do it that he should plead , whenever occasion may serve the cause of the Charities , urging it upon individuals , AVIIO in so many lodges think that there is no necessity for private subscriptions and donations if one or tAvo

pounds are voted year by year from the lodge funds ; that he should seek out non-affiliated ( or non-visiting ) brethren , AVIIO are not certainly discharged from their promise of freel y giving Avhen they have it by them , although they take no heed of summonses ; also that this brother , knoAving the pulse and purse of his

immediate Masonic nei ghbourhood should be permitted to for Avar d the object in view in any legitimate and Masonic Avay ; and that ( as in other societies of a philanthropise and religious character ) encouragement should be held out to him for exertion , say iu the shape of a medal , etc ., according to collections or services , etc .

You know , as well as I do , that the unrewarded servant is a careless servant , and I do not see that Masonry modifies the rule . And you know , as Avell as I know , that the appeals for charity aud reminders which come from head quarters are ' of sen without a word of comment consigned to the Lod

ge Secretary ' s desk or the "W . M . ' s waste paper basket . Our Charities flourish certainly , but they AVOUICI flourish more if they were systematically brought before the mass of our brethren , by especially

appointed sgents ; plenty of whom would be , I am sure , forthcoming , if properly requested aud communicated AA'ith , duly recognised , and according to circumstances , stimulated by honorary rewards . I do not say that quite enough would not he forthcoming Avithout this last condition ; bufc they certainly Avould

require those previousl y noted . But our brethren , the three secretaries in London , should combine to render the plan perfectly effectual ; and one word more to cheer them : in England , and especially amongst masons , there is money to be got for the asking let them get them , the askers , to work .

But , sir and brother , now we have this magnificent building for our boy's school , are Ave doing enough for the boys and with the building ? In the first place , could Ave not have foundationers and lAon-foAAVidacionei-s within its Avails . Those , I mean , who have been elected 'to all its

benefits , as upon a charity basis ; aud those AA'ho are sent thither ( their parents being masons ) as to a Avell devised and arranged b jardin g school under constant supervision and free from the £ s . d . considerations , which render the private cheap middleblass boarding schoolsso very oftensuch failures .

, , And here is the key to the Avhole of my idea . I should like to see the " Royal Masonic Institutions for Boys . " A Model Middle Class School . Why should nofc we masons , builders of civilization and true abettors of real progressfind it possible to point to our

, school as one leading the Avay , or at all events as amongst the foremost of those which are hasteningto fulfil the educational requirements of our age ? "We have room enough noAv to commence such a scheme , I Avould not call it experiment , for ray firm

belief is thafc at this educational crisis , there is no question aboufc its perfect success . And , moreover , I believe that properly aud energetically worked out , the idea would be eventually found a happy one for the defrayment of the present incumbent debt . A thorough modern education should be given to all ; a classical where required . But Continental and

Eastern language is scientific knowledge , not mere play work ; and mathematics of the highest kind should be basis of the curriculum . And for this , apparatus should be abundant ! } ' provided , aud laboratories built , masters obtained , and lectures instituted . But I Avill enter further iuto thisthe study

, course , another time , if permitted by you to do so . The question arises of course , Avhence is to come the income for all this ? Let me point out , to any brother likely to charge me Avith utopianism , that such schools do succeed as private speculations , and reply to the queristonce oifer to the Craft a good

, supply ; and a good demand , I believe , will be forth coming , in the shape of quite sufficient paying pupils , non-foundationers , to relieve the committee of all anxiety .

Willi the appliances ice have , let the school be thrown open as a first-class middle school , which is the great requisition of our day , and it must distance all private competitors . This is a long letter . I must plead the interest . of my subject as the excuse , and remain , at once , Yours fraternally , W . N . KIM .