Contents.

CONTENTS .

EDITORIAL : THE G RANTING- OP PENSIONS n QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF UNITED GRAND LODGE 12 MASONIC POET ' CORNER : " I'll Meet them when the Sun goes down" ... ... 12

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE 13 NOTIFICATIONS 13 OUR TRESTLE BOARD 13 , 14 BAKEWELL NEW TOWN HALL 11 THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MARK LODGE OF NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM 14 ADVERTISEMENTS Front cover , 10 , 14 , 15 , 16

The Granting Of Pensions.

The Granting of Pensions .

UT for the remark of our contemporary The Freemason , in connection with its quotation of certain expressions to which we gave utterance at the General Meeting of the

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , held on the 10 th inst ., we should most probably have refrained for some little

while , and , at least , until a debate on the anticipated retirement of an officer of the Institution was imminent , from further discussing the question of pensions in this

journal . When , however , it is suggested that a study of unimportant details has made us ( in the singular person ) needlessly contentious , " and that suggestion is coupled

with the statement that " the question arising out of a recommendation of the Provisional Committee has nothing

to do with the source of income from which the pension will be paid , " we throw aside the reserve we had contemplated , and contest the dictum of our contemporary .

That there is no rule which forbids the practice of granting pensions is no argument whatever that such grants are unexceptionally in accordance with strict justice ,

or even with propriety ; and the anticipations of wellsalaried officers of institutions , supported by the voluntary contributions of any class or section of society , do not

constitute a title thereto . If it has not been '' so nominated in the bond , " there is nothing to justify even those anticipations ; and if they be indulged in , and in the result meet

with disappointment , no blame can be attached to any other than the disappointed anticipator . If officials do not devote themselves to their appointed duties , —for the discharge

of which they have been willing to accept , as a full return , whatever stipend or reward was at first agreed upon , and the increments thereto which generally accompany faithful

service , —with all the energy and spirit , and it may be , with increased ability resulting from a more familiar acquaintance with the nature of the duties of their appointments

then they do not prove themselves the qualified persons they were presumed to be when they entered upon their engagements . The increased reward having kept pace

The Granting Of Pensions.

with the increased energy , spirit and ability , what further is there to constitute a claim for additional recompense ? That a generous recognition of past

service should accompany the termination of a more than ordinarily zealous , useful and honourable career must be generally admitted by all men and masons alike ; and there

are none likely to grudge the disposition of whatever funds can legally and with propriety be devoted to such a purpose . We contest the claim , but not the privilege . To

be worthy of such recognition is one thing , to have a vested interest enforcing it is quite another . And here it is necessary to say that we are in the fullest agreement with

those who consider that " a more than ordinarily zealous and useful career" in connection with our Boy ' s School is about to terminate ; and we reiterate our statement that

"it would be a disgrace to Freemasons to allow the official referred to to retire without some recognition of his services in the past , " or , as our contemporary better puts it , to

" cast him adrift like so much useless lumber . " That must not be , and means should be found to prevent so great a scandal !

If there is funded property belonging to the Institution beyond the amount representing capital the interest of which would sufficiently provide for the existing engagements undertaken by the Governors of thc Institution , such

as are comprised in the proper maintenance of the buildings , the staff expenses , and the support of all the pupils now in the establishment until the periods of their respective

discharges shall have arrived , then it may well be conceived a grant could be made in respect of which no objection might arise . But is there any such excess of necessary

capital ? We have reason to believe there is not , and that , on the contrary , sums , which for the present we need not specify , have been taken wrongly into account as yearly

income , and will have to be dealt with in connection with capital account when re-arrangement is made by responsible auditors . Can the proposed grant , therefore , be

charged on the funds of the Institution ? We fear not ; but if it can be , and if it is found agreeable to the Governors and Life Subscribers to make the grant , we are

sure that no objection will be taken to the adoption of that course . As our contemporary says , though in a somewhat different sense , " there will be no difficulty about that , il the proposal is agreed to . "

But when we come to consider that it is contemplated that the burden of the proposed pension should be borne by the income to be derived from future charitable

contributions , we unhesitatingly repeat that we believe it is not in the power of the Committee to apply such subscriptions in the way of pensions ; that the distinct purposes of the School in the maintenance , support , and education of those