The Masonic Charities At Home And Abroad.

We met in Guernsey with an instance of filial respect and Masonic zeal combined such as we have never seen surpassed . It was our good fortune to be resident in the same house at St . Peter ' s Port as Bro . Christopher J . Carleton , of

Dublin . Bro . Carleton ' s father , the late Captain Carleton , Avas raised to M . M . and exalted to the H . R . A . in Doyle's Lodge and Doyle ' s Chapter of Fellowship . Instigated , therefore , by respect for his father ' s memory , and the desire to tread in the

Masonic footsteps of his deceased parent , Bro . C . J . Carleton had no sooner attained the required age than he left his home in Dublin and fixed his residence in Guernsey until he had been regularly made a Master Masou . An act of this description

speaks for itself , and it was no less honourable to Bro . 0 . than to the brethren of Doyle's Lodge , who may feel justly proud of the incident , testifying as it does to the excellence and celebrity of their lodge . Those Avho made Bro . Carleton's

acquaintance in Guernsey will join Avith us in anticipating that his Masonic career will be worthy of his mother lodge .

It is gratifying to observe that our brethren in Guernsey are ever ready to assist in Avorks of practical utility for the advantage of their fellow-men . Thus Bro . Dr . Collenette is Hon . Sec . of the Guernsey League , an association Avhich aims at the

improvement of the sobriety of the people ; Bro . W . H . Martin , W . M . of Doyle ' s Lodge , is treasurer of St . John's Young Men ' s Christian Association ; Bro . Smythson , I . P . M . of Mariner ' s Lodge , is an active labourer in the Working Men ' s

Association ; Bro . Wilcocks is an ardent social reformer ; Bro . Clarke is a popular lecturer to Sundayschools ; and many other brethren are "first and foremost in every good Avord and Avork . " We notice these matters as furnishing the best possible

answer to those slanderers of the Craft who have alleged that Freemasons are selfish un . d exclusive in their efforts to do good . Guernsey is , we believe , by no means an exceptional place ; for , look where Ave will , Ave shall find Masons among the

most zealous and consistent philanthropists of the day . We Avere not aware when in Guernsey that Victor Hugo was a Mason ; but Ave afterwards learnt in France that such is the fact . Bro .

Hugo has not mixed among his English brethren in the island , chiefly , no doubt , because of his incessant devotion to literary labours . M . Hugo finds time , however , for works of benevolence ; and the Freemasons' Magazine has already

published , from the eloquent pen of Bro . Dr . Hopkins , an account of one of his fetes to poor children , which are repeated every New Year ' s-Day . We Avere priAnleged to attend on the 1 st of January in the present year , and shall never

forget the scene . As Bro . Hugo remarked , "the little stream Avhich started in Guernsey has . swollen into a great river in London ; " and on the same day , or shortly after , it is probable that , through the efforts of the " Censor" of the

Morning Star , the Rev . G . W . M'Cree , sometimes dubbed the " Bishop of St . Giles's , " and others , there were Christmas dinners given to 30 , 000 poor children in the great metropolis . But Victor Hugo , like the Rev . Mr . M'Cree , does not

confinehis efforts to the season of Christmas ; every week he gives dinners to a certain number of poor children . In thus acting our illustrious brother sets an example to the Craft throughout the Avorld , and we Avould suggest to the brethren that at any rate they might once a year ensure " a merry Christmas " aud " a happy new year " to some of

our social outcasts , If the lodges in each town Avere to take this matter up , the expense Avould be trifling , and the great principles of benevolence uponAvhich our Order is founded Avould receive new and important significance . It was our good

fortune to be at the residence of Victor Hugo on another occasion , Avhen , instead of being surrounded by the elite of the island , there were no strangers Avhatever present excepting ourselves . This Avas when Bro . Hugo was photographed in

the midst of a group of the children who form the objects of his beneficence . This photograph can be obtained for a shilling of Bro . J . Millington , High-street , Guernsey . In the volume of the Freemasons' Review for

1843 , ire find a poem published under the initials " F . J . W ., " and entitled " A monody on his late H . R . H . theDukeof Sussex , Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . " This poem is " inscribed with

fraternal regard and respect to Bro . John Yates , Esq ., & c , W . M ., the officers , and brethren of Doyle's Lodge of Fellowship , Guernsey . "

The members of Doyle ' s Lodge appear to hare always been the "crack " Masons of the province . In . 1844 we find the Freemasons' Review olivor . ic . img a banquet given by this lodge to the eminent Craftsman , Dr . Lane , Past Grand Deacon for Oxfordshire . The correspondent of the Beview says : —