Votes For The Masonic Charities.

charitable elections . in Masonry for many years past , I wish you to assist me in disseminating the knowledge that , whilst we are just as open to do acts of charity as the members of any other province , the candidates and their friends may save a very large amount of money annuallby not sending out cards

y and circulars to us , as it is quite useless their doing so . We have our own way of doing our own work , which we do ourselves , and we do not suffer ourselves to be personally canvassed and unnecessary time and trouble expended by the many for individual action , for we have a very perfect organization , by

which great economy of time , money , and energy is effected , and au authorized representative attends each of the elections . We advocate and throw the weight of our voting influence in favour of ths most deserving and urgent cases , irrespective of the province or district from which the candidates hail .

Your fraternally , A PROV . G . 0 . East Lancashire .

Freemasonry In Staffordshire.

FREEMASONRY IN STAFFORDSHIRE .

TO THE EOITOR OE THE EREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEBOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —Will you allow me a very small space in your columns to ask whether any complaints have reached you as to the present state of Freemasonry in this province , or rather in this county and , if not , whether you are aware if it is in contemplation in head quarters iu the east to

adopt any steps to improve the existing state of things . I don't think it necessary to say more on this occasion , as it is not my desire to enter more fully into the subject just now , in the hope that something will be done for us shortly . Yours fraternally , A P . M . AND P . Z ., 01 ? STASEORDSIHR - .

Headless Provinces.

HEADLESS PROVINCES .

10 THE EDITOE OP IHE EIlEEMASONs' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIBEOK . Dear Sir and Brother , —We are told from time to time in every Masonic assembly , from Grand Lodge down to our private country lodges , that Freemasonry is making very rapid strides , that very large accessions are beingmade to its ranks year by year , that the various provinces are flourishingin factthat the machinery of

, , Freemasonry in England and in provinces and districts under the English constitution is in excellent working order . Well , Sir , I daresay it may be ; but , as I do not travel very far from home , I don't know so much about that ; but I do not know that in the county where I reside there is no head to tho province except the good feeling and fraternal intercourse which exists among individual members

of the private lodges about my neighbourhood . I know that Masonry hereabouts is not considered to bo in a very healthy state , for great dissatisfaction is expressed—of course , in an undertone , taking the shape of what wo call a growl—of the want of good government , and it is boldly said that we ought to havo a Prov . G . M . ; but , as I understand , this is not tho only without beadand

province a , as I see by the Calendar that such appears to bo tho case , I conclude- that although there are several provinces without a Masonic head , there are some that appear to have a head—though there may be but little activity or good management " in the government of tho province presided over- I do read your Magazine regularly and with pleasui'c tho occa-

Headless Provinces.

sional reports of grand doings in some of the provinces , and I sincerely wish that the whole of the Masonic provinces in this country wore iu the same healthy state as some of these appear to be in , of which reports have recently been published iu your pages . Yours fraternally , P . Paov . G-. OFFICER .

Complaint Of The State Of Masonry In The Provinces.

COMPLAINT OF THE STATE OF MASONRY IN THE PROVINCES .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EKEEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIEBOE . Dear Sir and Brother , —I am induced to address you with the view of directing attention to the present deplorable condition of Masonry in this province—tho Isle of "Wi ght . It is four years now since a Prov . G . Lodge has been held , and—surprising as it may seem—we really do not know whether we have a ProvGMor notThe

. .. . gentleman who last held the office—for we are really ignorant if he has or has not resigned the appointment —has become a myth , for , although the most searching inquiries have been made for his whereabouts , we cannot find him . The province contains five lodges , but how many of them are in good working order it would be hazardous to say ; two of them at least I have reason

to know are in a languishing state , and nothing short of the appointment of a thoroughly energetic Prov . G . M . will rouse them from their lethargy and bring them into a healthy condition . I have likewise good reasons for believing that this serious state of our once flourishing little province is not quite unknown to those in authority , and yet nothing is done to bring about a more

prosperous era- Sir , it seems to me that the remedy for such a state of things Masonic as I have here recounted is obvious enough . The future Prov . G . Masters should be appointed for a term of years only , and not for life as at present ; and the selection of these important officials should not be left in the uncontrolled and irresponsible power of the G . M ., but the members of the province should themselves have a voice in the appointment of their local chief . There can be no valid reason whv

Masons and their laws should not be open to wise and salutary reform as well as other bodies , and sooner or later the necessity for reform will become so apparent that it must be considered without prejudice in favour of the present antiquated system . According to the oresent constitution , I believe it is not competent for * the D . Prov . G . M . to summons and hold a meeting of Prov .

G . Lodge under the existing circumstances which prevail in this province . Some of tho other provinces that have no Prov . G . M ., but are under the Grand Registrar , are certainly in a better position than we are , although there the D . Prov . G . M . cannot—unless he holds acting power , as is commonly done in the case of Deputy District GM . —call a meeting of the provinceancl is

, , therefore , next to a nullity ; although ho has paid the fees for the honour of wearing Prov . purple , except during Prov . G . Lodge meetings or the meeting of some private lodge in the province , he is a nobody . Now this stato of things manifestly requires attention , and the sooner some important change is made in the direction I have indicated the better for Preemasonry in

the provinces . However estimable our D . Prov . G . M . may be as a man and a Mason , he is powerless to mend tho existing state of things . andour only chance of obtaining redress is by appealing through the pages of the Magazine to the Most Worshipful ' the G . M . ; and Jet us hope that when a new Secretary is appointed , many such complaints that havo been shelved ancl the complainants

snubbed may meet with the attention they so urgently require . Yours fraternally , P . M .