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Articles/Ads
Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Ad Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article To Correspondents. Page 1 of 1 Article Untitled Page 1 of 1 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 Article Original Correspondence. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00503
PARASCHO CIGARETTES Possess a delicious natural aroma . When smoked or inhaled do not irritate the throat or nostrils . Are made ONLY from the finest YENUKII ( Turkey ) TOBACCO . _ Are rolled in specially prepared paper , tasteless , and free from nitre , and are diil'crent from and superior to all others . A sample box containing 24 , will be forwarded to any address on receipt of 26 . Gd . in Stamps or Postal Order . Sou- ' . Aumiv : ^—0 $ , PARK STREIiT , GROSVENOR SQUARE , LONDON , W .
Ad00504
>> FOR MANSIONS OR VILLAS , . W fr AN <&> ^> IMPERISHABLE FLOORING tyfa ^ i ? FLOOR COVERING . ¦ >"/^ V Estimates Free . ¦ f 2 C , BERNERS STREET , W .
Ad00505
" KNITTING AT HOME , BY which Incomes can be Increased and recreative as well as Healthy Employment secured . Apply for terms to—PATENT AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINE CO ., LONDON : 417 , Oxford-street , W . ; 159 , Upper-street , Islington . LIVERPOOL : 3 < j , Islington . GLASGOW : 7 , Howard-street .
Ad00506
co - J * C . CORDING AND Co , £ *? FOR THE BEST ^WATERPROOFS ff 3 £ 3 * FOR § <^ SHOOTING , « 3 3 FISHING , /& ^ TRAVELLING . to P £ ^ 7 "~ Only Address—£ ? Corner of AIR STREET , ^ PICCADILLY .
Ad00507
F . READ , READ , TAtL 0 R & OUTFITTER , nm ••- » ir Sixteen vears with ALFRED WEBB MILES MAR K , and Co ., 12 , Brook-st ., Hauorer-sq . AN . SPECIALITE 63 s . SUITS and — . . >< 3 s . and 21 s . TROUSERS . LEARN ' 14 , Brook Street , Bond Street , W .
Ad00508
CARRIAGES . F and R . SHANKS particularly call . attention to their light ONE-HORSE LANDAUS , of the very best materials , and fitted with their patent Self-acting Head . Several building to order to be seen in all stages at their manufactory , 70 & 71 , Great Queen-st ., Lincoln ' s Inn-Fields . Drags and new and second-hand Carriages of all descriptions . Estimates given for repairs .
Ad00509
£ -, By Special Appointment to II . R . II . &? The Prince of Wales . &A *JohnUnderwood&Sons, ##" SCULPTOKS & MASONS , " % * ¦ -c ^ , A ? io , Duke-st ., Grosvenor . sq ., W ., V *^> - * Hi . * CKiiuRvr HILL , N . K ., ANU CIIIXUIURD , 1 ^ / y MOUNT CEMETERY . < fej ? Reredoses , Pulpits , Screens , Fonts , ^ 5 * Mosaic in Glass or Marble , Inlaid and cgy Incised Work . Designs , Estimates ^ and References free on application .
Ad00510
OUR EYES . BROWNING'S IMPROVED METHOD OF SUITING THE SIGHT WITH SPECTACLES either personally or by correspondence . Browning ' s axis-cut pebbles are the most perfect lenses made , being cut from pure crystals of Brazilian pebbles at right angles to the axis , and every lens tested separately by the polariscope . Spectacles of superior quality from 4 s . Cd . per pair j with pebble lenses in best steel frames , from 10 s . Gd . per pair j and in gold frames from £ 1 3 s . Cd . Full particulars of Browning ' s Method of Suiting the Sight by correspondence , and testimonials post free . —JOHN BROWNING , O 3 , Strand , London , W . C .
Ad00511
NaYal , Military , and Tropical ^ <^ BOOT MAKEKS . ^ - ^^ C ^^' ^ ' 9 i . ^^ ^ V $ y ^ - ' 21 , "" " PICCADILLY , LONDON , W .
Ad00512
DFNT'Q NEW ILLUSTRATED J-SXZtlM 1 O CATALOGUE of HIGH-CLASS WATPTTPQ WATCHES and CLOCKS at VY-ttXf . Ll . ElO . REDUCED PRICES , sent post jS /^^ ^ 4 , ^ on application to E . DENT jeKr ^ V & and Co ., Makers to the Queen , VTIFMTNT Ci , STRAND , LONDON , W . C , y UL "' \ ! or . | , ROYAL EXCHANGE .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
The following stand over : Banquet to Bro . Darasha Ratanjee Chichgur . Summer Picnic of the Honour Oak Lodge , No . 10 S 6 . Annual Summer Banquet of the Merchant Navy Lodge of Instruction , No . 7 S 1 .
Ar00513
jl ^^^^^^ A ^ A ^ -SS *^ ^ AAAAAA 44 M ^K^^fe^S SATURDAY , AUG . I , 1885 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinionsexpressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ] . .. .
THE RECENT BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I will , with your kind permission , supplement the letter of last week , which , in the belief that I should trespass too considerabl y on your space , was closed somewhat abruptly . My remainine remarks will not OCCUDV lonir .
Having stated why I consider untenable the proposition of your correspondent " A Life Governor of the Three Charities , " namely , that the falling off in the contributions at the . recent Boys' School Festival was caused by the " premium votes" offered in 1 SS 3 having destroyed the confidence of many of its supporters , let me , having given the subject careful thought in the interim , attempt an answer to my
own question . Be it noted at the outset that in 1 SS 4 there were 290 Stewards , and the sum of their contributions was £ 14 , 000 . _ Last month there were 275 Stewards , and they raised conjointly a total which has probably by this time reached £ 12 , 000 , or which , for the general purposes of comparison , I will take the liberty of setting down at £ 12 , 000 in round figures . Now , had the smaller Board of
Stewards raised about the same average per list as the larger , the returns for the current year would have amounted to about £ 13 , 250 . But the total was £ 12 , 000 , so that the falling off must be accounted for otherwise than by the diminution in the number of Stewards . Your correspondent endeavours to account for this by the " premium votes" of 1 SS 3 . 1 think it is due solely to the enormous
success of the Benevolent Festival in February , when the sum of £ 17 , 770 was raised , and the chances of the Boys' School getting an average return were knocked into a cocked hat . When , some time before the Festival , Bro . Terry announced there were no vacancies on the Female Fund , and So old women candidates , the excitement was tremendous , and a great effort was made , with the result
I have stated , that the subscriptions amounted to £ 17 , 770 . The Girls' School festival followed in the month of May , and over £ 14 , 000 was announced ( £ 1050 of it being from West Yorkshire in respect of the "Sir Henry Edwards Presentation " ) so that when the time came for the Boys ' Festival to be held , the spare resources of the Craft were pretty well used up , and , to use Bro . Binckes' expression
the Institution had to content itself with the crumbs that were left . The enthusiasm of the Craft was at Summer Heat in February , and it raised close on £ iS , ooo ; by May it had descended well on its way towards Temperate , and could only give £ 14 , 000 ; while in June it had descended below Temperate and was on its way to Freezing , the total of its contributions being only £ 12 , 000 . I think we need not travel outside this simple
record in order to explain the falling off to which attention has been called . The Benevolent Institution , with an exceptionally strong case to rest its appeal on , came first , and received the superior amount ; the Boys' School , also with a strong case to rest its appeal on , came last , and had to put up with the inferior amount . This , I submit with all deference , is the true answer to my question , not the dissatisfaction excited by the " premium votes " of 1 SS 3 . — Yours fraternally , ALPHA .
WHICH SHALL IT BE— " CHARITY » OK "DINNERS ?" lo the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I fully and gladly recognise that "C . E . G . " did not in his first letter propose the abolition of "dinners . " 1 stated my views , as well as I could , on broad and general
principles , without reference to him personally , or the lodge he quoted , and if I have seemed to misunderstand or have misrepresented him , I tender herewith a most sincere apology . Let me thank "C . E . G . " for having so readily furnished such information , of the character I specified , as was in his power or he felt justified in doing . His statement as to the strength of the lodge and the numbers dining , in my
opinion , places its conduct , so far as expenditu re is concerned , in the best possible light . I suppose I may suggest that taking one meeting with another , the average attendance at dinner , members and visitors both included , would be about 60 per meeting ; this for live meetings in the year gives 300 , and for the four years 1200 , whose dinners cost , in round figures , £ 900 . From this I deduce by the ordinary
arithmetical process that rjs . is the price of a single dinner , which is by no means an extravagant sum , especially if we bear in mind that as the brethren meet only five times in the year they would not be over particular as to a shilling more , or less , provided the dinner was a good one . "C . E . G . " further states that the lodge contains " some of the most generous men " it has ever been his lot to meet , and , this being so , 1 take it the lodge is to be commended very highly
for its modest outlay on dinners . A nice banquet at 15 s ., well served , with good wine and pleasant surroundings , to say nothing of the glorious interchange of goodfellowship , which it is the means of promoting , is the very pink of moderation . "C . E . G . " has clearly audited his figures without studying them . I had an idea his case was a weak one , but I did not expect it would have turned out as weak as it has . "C . E . G . " then tells ua that he lately belonged to a lodge
Original Correspondence.
"which out of an income of not quite £ 120 , voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year , " and , though he says nothing about membership ; , he goes on to explain how this was done . Let me congratulate "C . E . G . " on having made what I consider a decided change for the better . 1 don't think I like that £ 120 lodge , notwithstanding it " voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year . " If the spirit of
those who give enters into the money that is given , and exercises b y some inscrutable process , a certain subtle influence on the recipients of the gift , I should say the contributions of that £ 120 lodge must have had a disturbing effect on the inmates of our Institutions . You may depend upon it that , if in the year in which this particular sum of 40 guineas was voted , there was an abnormal
amount of irritability among those inmates , that irritability was begotten of the worry and anxiety which the members of the iodge must severall y and collectively have endured in order to screw and contrive so , proportionately , large a sum out of such slender resources . I know that if I don ' t raise my voice against Jones when he runs up against me and says : "Look here , old 'Cakes
and Ale , you are an abstemious Fellow , but if you will just give up one glass of sherry per day for a year , I can put you down for £ 10 10 s . on my * list as steward for the .... next year "—1 say if I don't object to this kind of thing , I shall have Robinson calling upon me one fine morning and suggesting that I ought not to have bought that last new suit of Sunday best clothes , because 's little girls
have only half their proper complement of chemises and flannel vests , or 's boys are hard up for boots and shoes . I hope and believe I am not less kindly disposed than my brother Masons . I am sure if 1 met a fellow in distress that , whether he was a Mason or not , I should be man enough to help him to the best of my ability , and send him on his way happy for the next few hours : but I don't
call it pleading the cause of Chanty to go about telling people they should have fewer and less expensive dinners , and hand over the proceeds of their economy to the poor . I call this kind of thing worrying people into giving against their will , and if the practice is continued and extended I foresee that our Institutions will suffer in the long run . " C . E . G . " considers " the mode " he has " suggested for
the use of * Lodge Funds ' would largely increase " the " current of Masonic Charity , " and that " instead of £ 44 , 000 , twice that sum would be raised in a single year . " 1 sincerely hope that he will not prove a true prophet , for in that case Freemasonry would be little else than a large benefit society . All Masons are proud of their Institutions , and I assume they will all do their utmost to maintain them
at a proper strength and in a proper state of efficiency , but it must not be forgotten that these Institutions were born of Freemasonry , not Freemasonry of the Institutions . They have been a neccessary appendage to our Society , ever since that Society so _ increased in numbers , that a comparatively few and isolated cases of distress became a multitude , which it was beyond the power of the Committee
of Charity to cope with successfully . But they are a very long way off from being the "be-all and end-all" of Freemasonry . But if I go on like this , I shall be letting your readers in for a sermon , so I will hark back to the original question — " Which shall it be—* Charity ' or ' Dinners ? ' and my answer is "Both , or you will get neither . " Moreover , I
give priority of place to the " Dinners "—provided they are good dinners , —because there is no other institution I have ever heard of which has done and does so much as they to kindle into activity the best feelings of our human nature . If a modern "fanatic "—I am convinced "C . E . G . " is too good a fellow to take this as intended for him personallyis desirous of organising a fund to supply the children of
central Africa with cocked hats and moral pockek-handkerchiefs , I know of no way in which he is likelier to succeed than by calling together his friends and acquaintances and entertaining them at dinner . The toothsome viands and the generous wines will have the instantaneous effect of opening their purses , and he will raise the necessary £ 1000 or £ 2000 without an effort . But if he goes about telling
them that if they will only give up an occasional dinner or two or pay rather less for their dinners , they will be in a position to subscribe , without so much as feeling the loss of it , the sum he requires for his little nigger friends , then I venture to say he will get nothing , and the last state of
that " fanatic " will be decidedly—and deservedly—worse than the first . Thus , I give my vote in favour of " Dinners " and " Charity , " and taking some slight but necessary liberties with the text , exclaim with the man in the play , — He who denies me my good "dinner " Denies me that which not enriches him , And makes me poor indeed in " Charity . " Faithfully and fraternally yours , CAKES AND ALE ,
MARK BENEVOLENT FUND . To the Editor of the " Freemason " Dear Sir and Brother , Permit me to rectify an error in the place which is assigned to my name and contribut ion in the Stewards ' list , and also in your remarks on the recent most successful Festival of this Fund .
You observe that " The total , as stated elsewhere , reached £ 1721 ids . Gd ., being the joint contributions of London , as represented b y 19 Stewards , of whom 11 were unattached , and 24 provinces . " In your list of provinces you give " the Province of Leicestershire , Northants , and Derbyshire , four Stewards , who raised amongst them £ Si 7 s . Cd Lincolnshire , per Bro . Jack Sutcliffe , Prov . G . M . M . M . gave £ 10 10 s . "
Now , Sir , my name appears as the tenth on the list of unattached Stewards , and consequently as belonging to London . My intention was that my contribution ( like that of R . W . Bro . Sutcliffe ) should be placed to the credit of the province over which for 27 years I have had the honour to preside . The Stewards for this province should consequently be five , instead of four , and the amount of contributions £ gi 17 s . 6 d ., instead of £ Si 7 s . ( 3 d . Kindly insert this rectification , and oblige . —Yours fraternally ,
WILLIAM KELLY , PROV . G . M . M ., Leicester , Northants , and Derbyshire . Leicester , July 27 th . [ We have much pleasure in compl y ing with Bro . Kelly ' s request . We regret with him the mistake has arisen , and recognise the justice of the claim he advances for his Province to be credited with £ 91 17 s . Cd ., instead of £ Si 7 s . 6 d . We have only to add that the list we published was taken from the printed list of Stewards futtiishod to us . —VLv . FMA
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ad00503
PARASCHO CIGARETTES Possess a delicious natural aroma . When smoked or inhaled do not irritate the throat or nostrils . Are made ONLY from the finest YENUKII ( Turkey ) TOBACCO . _ Are rolled in specially prepared paper , tasteless , and free from nitre , and are diil'crent from and superior to all others . A sample box containing 24 , will be forwarded to any address on receipt of 26 . Gd . in Stamps or Postal Order . Sou- ' . Aumiv : ^—0 $ , PARK STREIiT , GROSVENOR SQUARE , LONDON , W .
Ad00504
>> FOR MANSIONS OR VILLAS , . W fr AN <&> ^> IMPERISHABLE FLOORING tyfa ^ i ? FLOOR COVERING . ¦ >"/^ V Estimates Free . ¦ f 2 C , BERNERS STREET , W .
Ad00505
" KNITTING AT HOME , BY which Incomes can be Increased and recreative as well as Healthy Employment secured . Apply for terms to—PATENT AUTOMATIC KNITTING MACHINE CO ., LONDON : 417 , Oxford-street , W . ; 159 , Upper-street , Islington . LIVERPOOL : 3 < j , Islington . GLASGOW : 7 , Howard-street .
Ad00506
co - J * C . CORDING AND Co , £ *? FOR THE BEST ^WATERPROOFS ff 3 £ 3 * FOR § <^ SHOOTING , « 3 3 FISHING , /& ^ TRAVELLING . to P £ ^ 7 "~ Only Address—£ ? Corner of AIR STREET , ^ PICCADILLY .
Ad00507
F . READ , READ , TAtL 0 R & OUTFITTER , nm ••- » ir Sixteen vears with ALFRED WEBB MILES MAR K , and Co ., 12 , Brook-st ., Hauorer-sq . AN . SPECIALITE 63 s . SUITS and — . . >< 3 s . and 21 s . TROUSERS . LEARN ' 14 , Brook Street , Bond Street , W .
Ad00508
CARRIAGES . F and R . SHANKS particularly call . attention to their light ONE-HORSE LANDAUS , of the very best materials , and fitted with their patent Self-acting Head . Several building to order to be seen in all stages at their manufactory , 70 & 71 , Great Queen-st ., Lincoln ' s Inn-Fields . Drags and new and second-hand Carriages of all descriptions . Estimates given for repairs .
Ad00509
£ -, By Special Appointment to II . R . II . &? The Prince of Wales . &A *JohnUnderwood&Sons, ##" SCULPTOKS & MASONS , " % * ¦ -c ^ , A ? io , Duke-st ., Grosvenor . sq ., W ., V *^> - * Hi . * CKiiuRvr HILL , N . K ., ANU CIIIXUIURD , 1 ^ / y MOUNT CEMETERY . < fej ? Reredoses , Pulpits , Screens , Fonts , ^ 5 * Mosaic in Glass or Marble , Inlaid and cgy Incised Work . Designs , Estimates ^ and References free on application .
Ad00510
OUR EYES . BROWNING'S IMPROVED METHOD OF SUITING THE SIGHT WITH SPECTACLES either personally or by correspondence . Browning ' s axis-cut pebbles are the most perfect lenses made , being cut from pure crystals of Brazilian pebbles at right angles to the axis , and every lens tested separately by the polariscope . Spectacles of superior quality from 4 s . Cd . per pair j with pebble lenses in best steel frames , from 10 s . Gd . per pair j and in gold frames from £ 1 3 s . Cd . Full particulars of Browning ' s Method of Suiting the Sight by correspondence , and testimonials post free . —JOHN BROWNING , O 3 , Strand , London , W . C .
Ad00511
NaYal , Military , and Tropical ^ <^ BOOT MAKEKS . ^ - ^^ C ^^' ^ ' 9 i . ^^ ^ V $ y ^ - ' 21 , "" " PICCADILLY , LONDON , W .
Ad00512
DFNT'Q NEW ILLUSTRATED J-SXZtlM 1 O CATALOGUE of HIGH-CLASS WATPTTPQ WATCHES and CLOCKS at VY-ttXf . Ll . ElO . REDUCED PRICES , sent post jS /^^ ^ 4 , ^ on application to E . DENT jeKr ^ V & and Co ., Makers to the Queen , VTIFMTNT Ci , STRAND , LONDON , W . C , y UL "' \ ! or . | , ROYAL EXCHANGE .
To Correspondents.
To Correspondents .
The following stand over : Banquet to Bro . Darasha Ratanjee Chichgur . Summer Picnic of the Honour Oak Lodge , No . 10 S 6 . Annual Summer Banquet of the Merchant Navy Lodge of Instruction , No . 7 S 1 .
Ar00513
jl ^^^^^^ A ^ A ^ -SS *^ ^ AAAAAA 44 M ^K^^fe^S SATURDAY , AUG . I , 1885 .
Original Correspondence.
Original Correspondence .
[ We do not hold ourselves responsible for , or even approving of the opinionsexpressed by our correspondents , but we wish in a spirit of fair play to all to permit—within certain necessary limits—free discussion . ] . .. .
THE RECENT BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL . To the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I will , with your kind permission , supplement the letter of last week , which , in the belief that I should trespass too considerabl y on your space , was closed somewhat abruptly . My remainine remarks will not OCCUDV lonir .
Having stated why I consider untenable the proposition of your correspondent " A Life Governor of the Three Charities , " namely , that the falling off in the contributions at the . recent Boys' School Festival was caused by the " premium votes" offered in 1 SS 3 having destroyed the confidence of many of its supporters , let me , having given the subject careful thought in the interim , attempt an answer to my
own question . Be it noted at the outset that in 1 SS 4 there were 290 Stewards , and the sum of their contributions was £ 14 , 000 . _ Last month there were 275 Stewards , and they raised conjointly a total which has probably by this time reached £ 12 , 000 , or which , for the general purposes of comparison , I will take the liberty of setting down at £ 12 , 000 in round figures . Now , had the smaller Board of
Stewards raised about the same average per list as the larger , the returns for the current year would have amounted to about £ 13 , 250 . But the total was £ 12 , 000 , so that the falling off must be accounted for otherwise than by the diminution in the number of Stewards . Your correspondent endeavours to account for this by the " premium votes" of 1 SS 3 . 1 think it is due solely to the enormous
success of the Benevolent Festival in February , when the sum of £ 17 , 770 was raised , and the chances of the Boys' School getting an average return were knocked into a cocked hat . When , some time before the Festival , Bro . Terry announced there were no vacancies on the Female Fund , and So old women candidates , the excitement was tremendous , and a great effort was made , with the result
I have stated , that the subscriptions amounted to £ 17 , 770 . The Girls' School festival followed in the month of May , and over £ 14 , 000 was announced ( £ 1050 of it being from West Yorkshire in respect of the "Sir Henry Edwards Presentation " ) so that when the time came for the Boys ' Festival to be held , the spare resources of the Craft were pretty well used up , and , to use Bro . Binckes' expression
the Institution had to content itself with the crumbs that were left . The enthusiasm of the Craft was at Summer Heat in February , and it raised close on £ iS , ooo ; by May it had descended well on its way towards Temperate , and could only give £ 14 , 000 ; while in June it had descended below Temperate and was on its way to Freezing , the total of its contributions being only £ 12 , 000 . I think we need not travel outside this simple
record in order to explain the falling off to which attention has been called . The Benevolent Institution , with an exceptionally strong case to rest its appeal on , came first , and received the superior amount ; the Boys' School , also with a strong case to rest its appeal on , came last , and had to put up with the inferior amount . This , I submit with all deference , is the true answer to my question , not the dissatisfaction excited by the " premium votes " of 1 SS 3 . — Yours fraternally , ALPHA .
WHICH SHALL IT BE— " CHARITY » OK "DINNERS ?" lo the Editor of the "Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , I fully and gladly recognise that "C . E . G . " did not in his first letter propose the abolition of "dinners . " 1 stated my views , as well as I could , on broad and general
principles , without reference to him personally , or the lodge he quoted , and if I have seemed to misunderstand or have misrepresented him , I tender herewith a most sincere apology . Let me thank "C . E . G . " for having so readily furnished such information , of the character I specified , as was in his power or he felt justified in doing . His statement as to the strength of the lodge and the numbers dining , in my
opinion , places its conduct , so far as expenditu re is concerned , in the best possible light . I suppose I may suggest that taking one meeting with another , the average attendance at dinner , members and visitors both included , would be about 60 per meeting ; this for live meetings in the year gives 300 , and for the four years 1200 , whose dinners cost , in round figures , £ 900 . From this I deduce by the ordinary
arithmetical process that rjs . is the price of a single dinner , which is by no means an extravagant sum , especially if we bear in mind that as the brethren meet only five times in the year they would not be over particular as to a shilling more , or less , provided the dinner was a good one . "C . E . G . " further states that the lodge contains " some of the most generous men " it has ever been his lot to meet , and , this being so , 1 take it the lodge is to be commended very highly
for its modest outlay on dinners . A nice banquet at 15 s ., well served , with good wine and pleasant surroundings , to say nothing of the glorious interchange of goodfellowship , which it is the means of promoting , is the very pink of moderation . "C . E . G . " has clearly audited his figures without studying them . I had an idea his case was a weak one , but I did not expect it would have turned out as weak as it has . "C . E . G . " then tells ua that he lately belonged to a lodge
Original Correspondence.
"which out of an income of not quite £ 120 , voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year , " and , though he says nothing about membership ; , he goes on to explain how this was done . Let me congratulate "C . E . G . " on having made what I consider a decided change for the better . 1 don't think I like that £ 120 lodge , notwithstanding it " voted 40 guineas to the Charities in one year . " If the spirit of
those who give enters into the money that is given , and exercises b y some inscrutable process , a certain subtle influence on the recipients of the gift , I should say the contributions of that £ 120 lodge must have had a disturbing effect on the inmates of our Institutions . You may depend upon it that , if in the year in which this particular sum of 40 guineas was voted , there was an abnormal
amount of irritability among those inmates , that irritability was begotten of the worry and anxiety which the members of the iodge must severall y and collectively have endured in order to screw and contrive so , proportionately , large a sum out of such slender resources . I know that if I don ' t raise my voice against Jones when he runs up against me and says : "Look here , old 'Cakes
and Ale , you are an abstemious Fellow , but if you will just give up one glass of sherry per day for a year , I can put you down for £ 10 10 s . on my * list as steward for the .... next year "—1 say if I don't object to this kind of thing , I shall have Robinson calling upon me one fine morning and suggesting that I ought not to have bought that last new suit of Sunday best clothes , because 's little girls
have only half their proper complement of chemises and flannel vests , or 's boys are hard up for boots and shoes . I hope and believe I am not less kindly disposed than my brother Masons . I am sure if 1 met a fellow in distress that , whether he was a Mason or not , I should be man enough to help him to the best of my ability , and send him on his way happy for the next few hours : but I don't
call it pleading the cause of Chanty to go about telling people they should have fewer and less expensive dinners , and hand over the proceeds of their economy to the poor . I call this kind of thing worrying people into giving against their will , and if the practice is continued and extended I foresee that our Institutions will suffer in the long run . " C . E . G . " considers " the mode " he has " suggested for
the use of * Lodge Funds ' would largely increase " the " current of Masonic Charity , " and that " instead of £ 44 , 000 , twice that sum would be raised in a single year . " 1 sincerely hope that he will not prove a true prophet , for in that case Freemasonry would be little else than a large benefit society . All Masons are proud of their Institutions , and I assume they will all do their utmost to maintain them
at a proper strength and in a proper state of efficiency , but it must not be forgotten that these Institutions were born of Freemasonry , not Freemasonry of the Institutions . They have been a neccessary appendage to our Society , ever since that Society so _ increased in numbers , that a comparatively few and isolated cases of distress became a multitude , which it was beyond the power of the Committee
of Charity to cope with successfully . But they are a very long way off from being the "be-all and end-all" of Freemasonry . But if I go on like this , I shall be letting your readers in for a sermon , so I will hark back to the original question — " Which shall it be—* Charity ' or ' Dinners ? ' and my answer is "Both , or you will get neither . " Moreover , I
give priority of place to the " Dinners "—provided they are good dinners , —because there is no other institution I have ever heard of which has done and does so much as they to kindle into activity the best feelings of our human nature . If a modern "fanatic "—I am convinced "C . E . G . " is too good a fellow to take this as intended for him personallyis desirous of organising a fund to supply the children of
central Africa with cocked hats and moral pockek-handkerchiefs , I know of no way in which he is likelier to succeed than by calling together his friends and acquaintances and entertaining them at dinner . The toothsome viands and the generous wines will have the instantaneous effect of opening their purses , and he will raise the necessary £ 1000 or £ 2000 without an effort . But if he goes about telling
them that if they will only give up an occasional dinner or two or pay rather less for their dinners , they will be in a position to subscribe , without so much as feeling the loss of it , the sum he requires for his little nigger friends , then I venture to say he will get nothing , and the last state of
that " fanatic " will be decidedly—and deservedly—worse than the first . Thus , I give my vote in favour of " Dinners " and " Charity , " and taking some slight but necessary liberties with the text , exclaim with the man in the play , — He who denies me my good "dinner " Denies me that which not enriches him , And makes me poor indeed in " Charity . " Faithfully and fraternally yours , CAKES AND ALE ,
MARK BENEVOLENT FUND . To the Editor of the " Freemason " Dear Sir and Brother , Permit me to rectify an error in the place which is assigned to my name and contribut ion in the Stewards ' list , and also in your remarks on the recent most successful Festival of this Fund .
You observe that " The total , as stated elsewhere , reached £ 1721 ids . Gd ., being the joint contributions of London , as represented b y 19 Stewards , of whom 11 were unattached , and 24 provinces . " In your list of provinces you give " the Province of Leicestershire , Northants , and Derbyshire , four Stewards , who raised amongst them £ Si 7 s . Cd Lincolnshire , per Bro . Jack Sutcliffe , Prov . G . M . M . M . gave £ 10 10 s . "
Now , Sir , my name appears as the tenth on the list of unattached Stewards , and consequently as belonging to London . My intention was that my contribution ( like that of R . W . Bro . Sutcliffe ) should be placed to the credit of the province over which for 27 years I have had the honour to preside . The Stewards for this province should consequently be five , instead of four , and the amount of contributions £ gi 17 s . 6 d ., instead of £ Si 7 s . ( 3 d . Kindly insert this rectification , and oblige . —Yours fraternally ,
WILLIAM KELLY , PROV . G . M . M ., Leicester , Northants , and Derbyshire . Leicester , July 27 th . [ We have much pleasure in compl y ing with Bro . Kelly ' s request . We regret with him the mistake has arisen , and recognise the justice of the claim he advances for his Province to be credited with £ 91 17 s . Cd ., instead of £ Si 7 s . 6 d . We have only to add that the list we published was taken from the printed list of Stewards futtiishod to us . —VLv . FMA