Contents.

CONTENTS .

E DITORIAL : OUR FUND OF BENEVOLENCE .. Front pagr . LODGE OFFICERS : T HE JUNIOR DEACON .. .. ' 7 ti E XTRACT FROM " MEMOIRES CASANOVA " .. .. 7 ( 1 THE MASONIC POET ' S CORNER .. ......77 OUR TRESTLE BOARD ..........77 REPORTS OF LODGE AND CHAPTER MEETINGS .. .. 78

R EPORTS OF LODGES OF INSTRUCTION MEETINGS .. 75 ) THE LORD MAYOR ON FREEMASONRY .. .. .. 7 < j ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE AND ANSWERS .. .. 81 MASONIC EXCHANGE AND MART .. .. .. 82 M ETROPOLITAN LODGE , & C , MEETINGS FOR PRESENT WEEK 82

HIGH T WELVE . THEATRICAL ANNOUNCEMENTS .. 81 DRAMATIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS .. .. .. 84 PROVINCIAL LODGE MEETINGS FORTHCOMING .. 83 & 85 METROPOLITAN LODGES OF INSTRUCTION FORTHCOMING .. 8 tf ADVERTISEMENTS ....Front , covnr , 74 , 80 , 87 , 88

Our Fund Of Benevolence.

Our Fund of Benevolence .

E stated in our last issue that in tin ' s we should direct the serious attention of the Craft to the alarming decrease of the accumulations of the most important of

Masonic funds—that of the Board or Lodge of Benevolence . Our sole object in this article will be to endeavour to

awaken a slumbering indifference which , if permitted to continue , will inevitably in course of time , and perhaps not many years hence , prevent the exercise of that

benevolence which is the principal mison d ' etre for the existence of the Order of Freemasonry . Our remarks will be of an abstract nature , as we are fully convinced that

there are many amongst us who will so deeply interest themselves in the state of things which render these

remarks necessary , that there will be no difficulty in separating presently the aggregation of causes tending to the existing evil .

Briefly , then , let us state that whilst in 1883 the Consols Fund of the Board of Benevolence stood at

. £ 47 , 000 , the balance remaining invested at the end of 1887 was but 38 , 000 ; so that , in a period of about four years , no less than £ 9 , 000 was sold out to provide for the

assistance of distressed brethren and the widows of those deceased and requiring help . In the year ending December 31 st , 1887 , the contributions of Lodges to the

Fund amounted to £ 7 , 923 , and other receipts from dividends , fees of honour , and privileges swelled that total to £ 9 , 343 . But in that year there was voted and paid to

petitioners £ 10 , G 83 , and alter paying a small balance of £ 304 to the Fund for general purposes , £ 800 as donations

to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and a small printing account of £ 34 , the balance struck against the Benevolent Fund was no less than £ 2 , 478 , which has now

Our Fund Of Benevolence.

to be provided for by still further reduction of the accumulated fund ; so that , what but live years ago was represented by £ 47 , 000 , will now , or presently , stand at only , in round numbers , £ 35 , 000 !

Now , before we express our own opinions and those oi others as to the remedies which can be applied to mitigate , if not to entirely do away with , so serious a diminution oi

funds which should increase by interest and the addition of unused balances year by year as a reserve against a period of general disaster or grave calamity , let us ask it

the time has not fully arrived for earnest consideration oi the whole subject of relief through the direct contributions of our several Lodges ' ? The question at issue is not one

of a personal character in any respect . The Lodges are to be honoured and credited for their loyalty in observing the rule which regulates and specifies the amount of their

contributions ; and the members of the Board of Benevolence and those who assist them are deserving of all praise for their sacrifice of time and the labour they

undertake month by month in carefully , and thereby properly , distributing the funds with which the Craft entrusts them . The former cannot , under existing

regulations , do more in the way of contributions , and the latter desire to do no less than they have always done as the honoured almoners of English Freemasons .

It is evident that as the income from the contributions

by " quarterage " of the private Lodges is insufficient by more than £ 2 , 000 per annum to meet the calls made for relief , and as evidences are not wanting that , whilst the

former can only increase , it it can increase at all , by small increments , the latter will certainly not only not decrease in number , but most probably will be largely

supplemented in the future , some immediate action is necessary if the Craft means to maintain its ancient reputation for splendid benevolence .

What shall that action be ? There is a great diversity of opinion in regard to the respective policies ( 1)—oi increasing the payments of the private lodges

proportionately to their present " quarterages , " for all do not pay alike ; and ( 2)—oi assimilating the dues for benevolent purposes throughout all Lodges under the English

Constitution , on the ground that every Freemason who can , when and should necessity arise , appeal to the Beliei Fund should have previously borne an equal share in its support .

Some years since it was proposed in Grand Lodge to make the payments for London brethren six shillings

instead of four shillings per annum , and of country ( provincial ) brethren three shillings instead of two shillings per annum ; and this would , as the circumstances we have