Royal Masonic Pupils' Assistance Fund.

lators" ? It is said that even a worm will turn when trodden upon , and even a Mason may be pardoned for declining to be made the subject of impertinent remarks by a brother Mason , though his retort courteous may take only tho form of the modest and unoriginal tu quoque . Tho third paragraph of Bro . While ' s letter is a long one . I need say

nothing about boys " embarking on a begging-letter career in soliciting votes to bo helped by tho ' Fund . '" Bro . Radclyffe has already explained that the votes , if any , which are to be given to the several classes of subscribers , will be used for the election of the Committee , to whioh will bo entrusted the administration of tho Fund , so that electors and the elected may have greater confidence , the former that

tho regulations will be properly carried out , and the latter that tho arrangements thoy may see fit to make will havo tho approval of the general body of subscribers . Having perfect faith in the sincerity of Bro . Radclyffe , Bro . Whilo is anxious to save him from " the mortification which may come to him hereafter when he finds , as he assuredly will , that his energies havo been dovoted to raising money with the

result of doing that which he never dreamt of doing , and which no honest man would ever dream of doing . " I have no doubt Bro . Radclyffe will feel eternally obliged to Bro . While for furnishing him with this certificate of the sincerity of hi 3 motives ; but even supposing the intended scheme were the most ambitions project ever started by the brain of man , I cannot for the life of me see anything

in any of its proposals to which an " honest man may not subscribe , I can understand its being described as a mistaken act of generosity to help people to get on in life , but there is nothing dishonest about it . I may be a fool , but it does not follow as a consequence that I must be a knave . Again , I ask , who is Bro . While that he should be permitted with impunity to call some people " pnppet 3 , " and others

" clever manipulators " and " charitable wire-pullers , " and question the honesty of purpose of those who are helping to set this Fnnd on its legs . But says Bro . While , the object of these wire-pullers is to " get subscriptions , " " get money , " and they are laying out the organisation for a fourth Masonic charity , " without , however , as yet , making provision for the paid secretary . " I cannot be in the

secrets of these wire-pullers , for I do not know who they are or even if there be any , neither have I tho gift of divination , so as to be able to trace out clearly the future of the proposed Fnnd ; bnt even if it should turn out that the services of a " paid secretary" were required , I see nothing in that to evoke all these terrible denunciations . I maintain it is a scandal to Freemasonry when any brother goes

deliberately out of his way to ascribe other people's actions to unworthy motives without the shadow of a justification for so doing . So far a 3 I know , I am not a " puppet , " a " charitable wire-puller , " or a " clever manipulator , " nor have I thrown out any suggestions , " Qnixotic , " " idiotic , " or other , and no attack by Bro . While will deter me from doing all I can , in my small way , to make the proposed

Fund a success . Nor had I the wealth of Croesus and the wisdom of Solon should I think of withholding any contribution I might think proper to make till the plan was more matured and the arrangements in something like working order . Having faith in the disinterestedness of the interim Committee , Treasurer , and the Secretary , I am content

to wait till they , and those whom they invite to act with them , have sifted and examined the various proposals , retaining those which may be thought practicable , and dismissing those which may seem illadvised or out of place . I hope it will be clearly understood that , in saying this , I am not so presumptuous as to figuratively pat these gentlemen on the back . I merely desire to indicate my belief that

they will loyally fulfil the duties they have undertaken , and I should say the same of the Committee were it otherwise constituted , unless , indeed , I knew it was composed of unscrupulous " wire-pullers " with a sprinkling of " puppets " to give it the semblance of respectability . I am not singular in the belief that , having started on his denunciatory expedition , by calling people hard names and ascribing to

sundry of whose existence there is no proof whatever all kinds of evil-mindedness , it is rather late in the day for Bro . While to think of posing before the Masonic public in the role of injured innocence . He , forsooth , may attack people , but as he does so only in the interests of purity , good taste , and gentlemanly feeling , none may venture to oppose him . He may step forward and say to the Craft and to the

public ( who are appealed to for aid ) that , until more is known of the ourpose of the "' Fund' and the organisation which will direct it , contributions should be withheld , however high in position and wellmeaning may be those in front ; " but for another person to tell the Craft and the public that such a warning is uncalled for , and such distrust nn-Masonic , is of course a slander on , or abuse of , Bro .

While . I confess my inability to appreciate this kind of one-sided action , in which one man is at liberty to pommel another to his heart ' s content , while the latter is gagged and bound hand and foot , so as to be unable to offer either remonstrance or resistance , and if in saying so I lay myself open to the charge of offending against good taste , good breeding , and fair play , I must fain plead guilty .

I fear I have trespassed a little on the space at your disposal , and the patience of your readers . Let me , therefore , in conclusion , suggest to Bro . Whilo the reasonable probability that the good men and true who take an interest in the success of this Fund are quite capable of protecting themselves against the insidious machinations of those imaginary wirepullers and manipulators of whose existonce he speaks so unctuously . If they ever do require the services of a

champion , it strikes me they will go elsewhere than to Bro . While , chiefly because a champion , to be of any help , must exhibit discretion as well as valour , and additionally , in this particular instance , because , being a Mason among Masons , he will be expected to display quite as much kindliness of feeling as common sense . Certain of these are just the very qualities which , in his recent letters , Bro . Whiie has shown unmistakably he does not possess .

Dear Sir and Brother , Faithfully and fraternally yours , QUOUSOUE TANDEM ?

The Art Of Polite Letter Writing.

THE ART OF POLITE LETTER WRITING .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have been very much amused by reading Bro . While ' s communication in tho Freemason of last week . In it he complains of having been assailed " in the most violent terms , " of the " slanders " published in a certain Masonic journal , of the " personal attack whioh has been made" upon him , and the

" abuse which has been levelled at him . Ono might imagine from all this that Bro . Whilo is a very ill-used man , and that , being himself harmless and inoffensive , he has nevertheless been made a butt for the abuse and slanders of others . I do not know Bro . While , but I am one of those who think it is only fair the publio should have both sides of a dispute placed before them , so that they may form an

impartial judgment as to which of tho disputants is most to blame . Confining my attention to the letter I have referred to , I find it contains the following passages which are doubtless fair specimens of those amenities of journalistic correspondence for which Bro . While is so great a stickler . " Behind even Bro . Radclyffe , there stands a ' charitable' cliqne ,

whose idea of charity is , ' Let us raise subscriptions ; others must be called upon to subscribe , in order that we may arrange how it shall be spent . " " I will not allow the public or the Craft to be misled either by the subtle or the foolish , or , as is sometimes the case , by both together . " " I am pressed into the service of combating folly and cunning by

the varying phases of this gigantic scheme , as well as by the abuse which has been levelled at me . " " When he " ( Bro . Radclyffe ) " finds , as ho assuredly will , that his energies havo been devoted to raising money with the result of doing that which he never dreamt of doing , and which no honest men would ever dream of doing . "

" So with the charitable wire-pnllers behind Bro . Radclyffe . They have given him a pen , and they spur him on to the one end— ' Get subscriptions' from Lodges , Ladies , Masons , and the publio . Work upon all ; but' get money . '" " An objection is raised that' a fourth Masonio charity is not wanted , and they answer , this is not one ; bnt , at the same time ,

they procceed to lay out the organisation for one , without , however , as yet , making provision for the paid Secretary . " " I say to the Craft and to the public ( who are appealed to for aid ) , that until more is known of the purpose of the ' Fund' and the organisation which will direct it . " " Before the publio and the Craft are asked to subscribe to this

proposed lottery we must know the necessity of the class for whom this elaborate ' Assistance Fund' is nominally sought to be created . " I will not bore you or your readers with any remarks of my own about tho sentences or clauses I have quoted above . I will merely ask , in the most general terms , whether any one who allows such passages to occur in his letters—and it must bo remembered that the

letter preceding this contained similar sentences—has the right to complain that he is attacked , assailed in most violent terms , slandered , and so forth . Either let Bro . While conduct his polite letter writing in the manner prescribed by the usages of society , or let him have the manliness and good sense not to begin whining and crying out when others retaliate upon him with his own weapons . Faithfully yours , London , Gth April 1880 . N . S . E . & W .

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

TRINITY COLLEGE MARK MASTER MASONS ' LODGE , No . 244 .

THE second installation meeting of this Lodge was held at the Lodge Rooms , 61 Weymouth-street , Portland-place , London , on the 1 st instant . In consequence of the unexpected absence of the W . M ., whose business engagements had compelled his resignation of membership , the Officers of the Lodge had invited the assistance of the V . W . Bro . James Stevens P . G . J . O ., and W . Bro . Thomas Poore P . G . I . G ., to perform the necessary ceremonies , and those brethren

were ably supported by tho W . Bro . Croft Worgan Dew , Past Grand Chancellor of the Supreme Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland . The Lodge members having assembled , Bro . Stevens opened the Lodge , and all matters relating to the business of the past year , including audit report and correspondence , were disposed of in due order . Tho resignations of the W . M . and Treasurer were received . Bro . Poore

then presented the V . W . Bro . Professor Edwin M . Lott L . Mus ., 30 , G . M . O ., the W . M . elect , and tho ceremony of installation was carried through in the perfect manner identified with the able working of the distinguished brethren who undertook the duty . The newly-installed Master appointed his Officers in tho following order , viz .: —Bros . H . J . Stark B . Mus ., L . Mns ., S . W ., M . A . Cuffe LL . D . 18 , J . W ., Rev . H .

G . Bonavia Hunt B . Mas ., L . Mus ., M . O . and . Chaplain , E . J . Hoare S . O . and Secretary , Plant Martin J . O ., J . Gabriel S . D . and Treasurer , W . J . Jennings B . A ., L . A ., J . D ., Professor J . G . Saunders D . Mns ., L . Mus ., I . G ., A . W . S . Hoare Organist , G . Harrison Tyler . After the delivery of the addresses to W . Master and Officers , the W . M . made grateful acknowledgment of the services rendered by the installing

Officers , and by the unanimous vote of the Lodgo they were severally elected honorary members , with privileges of subscribing members . The W . M . then requested Bro . James Stevens to accept the collar as acting I . P . M . for the ensuing year . Bros . Stevens , Poore , and Dew expressed their thanks for the honour which the Lodge had conferred on them . Arrangements wero suggested for an early meeting

whereat the musical talent of the members might be made available for an exposition of the ceremony of advancement with full musical service . The Lodge was then closed in due form and the brethren dined together , and at the close of a most harmonious and agreeable evening separated , well pleased with the results of their unanimous proceedings .