Freemasonry In Tennessee.

FREEMASONRY IN TENNESSEE .

THE several Masonic Grand Bodiesof this Statehelcl their annual meetings afc Nashville in November last . Grancl Master Edmundson presided in Grand Lodge , ancl the address which , in accordance with custom , he delivered -was excellent , containing much interesting matter . The business transacted was of the usual character . There were

Reports from the Committees on Bye-laws , Appeals , Jurisprudence , & c , & c , and then some further business of purely local interest , such as the increase in the number of members to serve on the standing Committees to five , with the exception of that on Masonic Jurisprudence , which includes

all the Past Grand Masters of the State , and is , in the opinion of the Masonic Jewel , to whom AVO are indebted for these particulars , in consequence " too numerous and expensive . " The folloAving are among the principal Grand Officers

for the year—namely , Bros . A . V . Warr Grand Master , N . W . McConnell Deputy G . M ., L . B . Adams S . G . Warden , R . L . Blair J . G . Warden , W . H . Morrow Grand Treasurer , and John Frizzell Grand Secretary .

In Grand Chapter , there Avas but little business transacted . An attempt to allow the Council degrees to be conferred in subordinate Chapters did not find favour with Comp . John Frizzell , General G . H . P , of the United States , and , therefore , was not pressed as strongly as it Avould

otherwise have been . A Committee of five , however , was appointed to consider the matter . Comp . H . M . Aiken G . H . P . was unfortunately prevented from being in attendance on account of illness , and , consequently , his address Avas read by Comp . J . S . Pride , his Deputy . The officers for the ensuing year are— Comps . J . S . Pride G . H . P ., B .

P . Haller Dep . G . H . P ., J . H . Bullock G . K ., G . R . Gwynne G . S ., N . S . Woodward G . Treasurer , and John Frizzell Grand Secretary . The Meeting of the Grand Council was brief and unostentatious . Little Avas done , for the simple reason that

there appears to have been very little to do . M . Ill , G . M . Haller delivered a short , yet effective address . The new Officers are Comps . Bradford Nichol M . 111 . G . M ., B . R , Harris D . I . G . M ., G . H . Morgan G . P . C . of W ., N . S . Woodward G . Treas ., and John Frizzell G . M . G . Recorder .

Our Charities.

OUR CHARITIES .

A YEAR'S WORK .

WE are now in a position to place before our readers the complete results of the year ended the 31 st ult ., in respect of our three Charitable Institutions . These results are eminently satisfactory , for they reach an amount never previously attained , and it is with great pleasure we

fulfil the important duty of bringing the figures under the notice of our readers , in order that they may read , mark , learn , and inwardly digest them . We need hardly pause to dwell on the lesson they teach us—it is so obvious that

these things are and will be done only by societies like ours , Avhich are practical as well as theoretical , ancl the members of Avhich are in downright earnest . There is a good deal of lip-service everyAvhere , and Freemasonry is no

more exempt than any other system from hypocrisy . We have in our ranks our clue proportion of sleek professors , Avho talk much but do little . There should never be any difficult y in raising the necessary funds for our Charities ,

Our Charities.

if all who join us are mindful of their obligation ; but many members there are Avho allow Festival after Festival to pass by Avithout bestoAving so much as a single thought on the needs of the Institutions for Avhose benefit they are held , much less contributing of their means towards their

support . We do not , of course , refer to the very limited number of brethren who are willing enough to give , but lack the means of gratifying their inclination . Rather have Ave in our minds the far more numerous body of Craftsmen Avho have the means to contribute something but nofc the

AVUI to do so . If our readers Avill be at the pains of scanning , somewhat more closely than , perhaps , they are in the habit of doing , tho subscription lists for only a single year , they will find there are certain Lodges Avhich aro invariably represented by one or more Stewards , and

certain other Lodges Avhich are as invariably conspicuous by their absence . In other Avords , the duties of a Freemason , in respect of Charity , are regularly fulfilled by some , by some as regularly neglected . This , Ave are aware , is no new proposition , bnt has been stated again and again by

successive Chairmen at our Festivals , but we are anxious to emphasise it as much as possible , if only that some few among the neglectful may , even at a late period and after much perturbation of mind , be aivakened to a proper sense of their responsibilities , and do that for others which they

do with so much intense eagerness and amiability for themselves . Thus , though the measure of success which has attended the charitable efforts of the Craft during the past year is beyond all previous experience , and therefore the more gratifying , there are obvious reasons ivhy Ave feel that

more might have been done had the Avhole body of English Freemasons acted Avith tho same liberality Avhich has distinguished a part of them . But let us pass Avithout comment to the figures themselves . These , it is true , tell their own tale , bufc Ave may be excused if Ave ponder over them

regardfully . First in order of time—as regards ifcs Festival —as in results comes the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , which , in the twelve months ended on Monday , has had paid into its coffers the handsome sum of £ 16 , 43119 s 5 d . Next in order of results , though last in point of time , is the

Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , which has received in hard cash the sum of £ 14 , 3 G 9 14 s 9 d . Lastly , the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , though the oldest of the Charities , brings up the rear Avith - £ 11 , 854 10 s 5 d . These figures represent the actual amount of cash received during

the year , there still being a considerable amount promised , but still outstanding , in the case of all three Institutions ; but these promises will not be realised , perhaps , for some little time to come , and even when they are will form parfc of the present year ' s income . For instance , in the case of the

Boys' School , Ave know that , in particular , there is the " Watkin Testimonial" on ifcs way , and also a similar amount for a perpetual presentation from Staffordshire . With these , however , we have nothing whatever to do noiv . When we speak of this or that Festival resulting in such

or such a sum , we combine the moneys promised Avith the moneys paid . We are now dealing Avith cash transactions only , ancl the promises , therefore , are wholly excluded . Thus to Bro . Terry belongs the honour of heading the list , with a total income from all sources of very little short of

* 1 G , 500 , a larger amount than has ever been received—so far as our knoivledge goes—not only by the Institution of which he is the Secretary , but by any one of the

Institutions . We offer him our hearty congratulations on the result of his labours . Wo knoiv how hard he has worked to obtain—in the true spirit of a chivalrous rivalry—the lead of his brother Secretaries , and Ave