The Next Elections For The Masonic Schools.

how small the list , if it could be relied upon year after year it would be particularly welcome . Ifc is not one or two exceptionally large contributions which have placed the Institutions in their present position , or which keep

them in a state of activity , but numberless small offering . * from brethren all over the country . No pains , then , should be spared to render these gifts regular , and as numerous as possible . What has been done during the

last few days towards increasing the number of children m the Masonic Schools has been rendered possible by the large number of small contributions which were sent up last year , and similar increases will be possible in the

future if increased support of a like kind be forthcoming . The result is worth striving for , and we earnestly hope that some of our readers may find it in their power to take an

active part in securing it . Let them remember that as the result of last year's good work eleven new vacancies have been declared , and that , in spite of this , thirty-two distressed families will be sent away after the next electionsunrelieved for want of funds .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Correspondents . All Letters must bear the name and address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected commtimcat-ions .

FINANCIAL TABLES FOR THE YEAR .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —I have just received the reprint of a letter sighed " P . M . 1607 , " which appeared in the FREEMASON ' S

CHRONICLE of the 21 st of November last . To this letter ia appended a table purporting to show the sums contributed daring the past seven years by each Province to the three Masonio Charitable Institutions .

I am sure thafc any one reading these figures and the satirical paragraph near the end of " P . M . 's" letter would infer that the Lodges and brethren of the Province of Herefordshire , which he has specially held up for derision , had during the period referred to ( 1879-85 ) contributed nothing to the Royal Masonic Benevolent

Institution , nothing to the Girls' School , aud the paltry sum of £ 53 lis only to the Boys' School fnnd . Permit me , therefore , through your columns , to correct these misstatements , tbe fact bein < r that during the years in question I myself have remitted £ 477 15 s from the brethren of the Province , viz .:

—To the Boys' School .... £ 194 5 0 To the Girls' School - - - - 152 5 0 To the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution . 131 5 0 Total . - - - 477 15 0

To this must be added various sums contributed by Lodges and brethren , the amount of which I do not know , as it does not come before me . Possibly the fallacious figures given by " P . M . " include only the sums taken up and presented' to the Annual Festivals , and he

ignores remittances made through post . However this may be , they are , ao far as the Province of Herefordshire is concerned , inaccurate and most unfair . I hardly need say thafc before castigating his brethren " P . M . " shonld have taken due care that the figures whioh he thought fit to

give to the Masonic world were fair and correct , and contained all the facts necessary for an impartial jndgmenfc , or he should have added thafc for aught he knew , in addition to the amounts he had stated , considerable sums might have been remitted by the Lodges and brethren of a Province .

I may say that Herefordshire is a very small Province , its four Lodges containing but 110 members , so that a remittance of £ 477 15 s from the Association referred to under my signature is very creditable , and especially so when regard is had to the fact that our claims upon the Institutions during the same period have amounted to £ 32 only .

"P . M . " Masonically insinuates thafc the Province of Herefordshire would not have given even the paltry sum with which he credits ifc but in the hope of getting it back . If his figures and insinuation were true , how fatal they would be to any candidate from the Pro . vince ; whereas , on the contrary , a full and true statement of the

facts would be benefioial . If " P . M . 's" other figures are reliable , it would appear that Herefordshire is one of the few Provinces which , daring the past seven years , has remitted to the Association £ 440 more than it has received .

I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , W . BARLE P . M ., Prov . G . S . Hon . Secretary Herefordshire Masonic Charity Association . 8 th January 1886 .

"Masonry" In Court.

"MASONRY" IN COURT .

To the Editor ofthe FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTEER , —Flashes of humour and lapsus lingua } often break forth spontaneously to vary and relieve the monotony of the proceedings of onr law courts , and a peculiarly funny instance came under notice not verv Ions ago . Din-infra recent visit to tho Lord

Mayor ' s Court , Bro . H . Wildey Wright and Mr . Lewis Glyn wero tho opposing counsel , and the former having addvessed the jury on behalf of his client , the latter rose to reply , prefacing his observations with that bland smile for which he ia noted , and sundry gesticulations which are familiar to gentlemen learned in tho law . The pause being

moro prolonged than usual , Bro . Wright sprang to his feet and exclaimed , " If you wish to address tho jury do so , but don't address them by Masonic signs . " To this Mr . Glyn imploringly assured the jury , " Gentlemen , they were not Masonio signs to you . " The foreman of the jnry said , he could nofc understand them if they were ;

whereupon the learned judge ( Mr . Woodthorpe Brandon ) comforted the jury thafc ifc was " merely a figure of speech . " Ifc need hardly be said that the amusement in court was intense , aa many thero knew thafc Mr . Lewis Glyn is nofc a Mason .

I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Fraternally yours , Quiz ,

Professional Singers And Their Friends.

PROFESSIONAL SINGERS AND THEIR FRIENDS .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In the course of a lively conversation with a brother the other evening tho subject turned accidentally npon the desirability or otherwise of incurring the heavy expense cf engaging professional and r . on-Masonio " talent" at our banquets ,

and we mutually agreed thafc there ia , or should , be sufficient vocal and instrumental ability amongst the members to render any such extraneous aid unneceisary . I am willing to admit thafc the performance of an overture during dinner adds zest to the meal , and the singing between the toasts tends materially to heighten the

enjoyment of the proceedings . But whether the brethren are justified in putting a Lodge to such an expense as must accompany professional engagements of the kind to whioh I refer is a question which calls for very serious consideration . The subscriptions of the brethren shonld be devoted to none but Masonic purposes , and

musical services rendered in our Lodges should be voluntary and gratuitous , not expensively charged for . But even admitting that three or foar artists are engaged for , say a guinea each per night , and their banquet , which costs probably aa much moro , thafc should be the outside ; and I always thought it was , until enlightened by

my veteran brother , the other night , who seemed to " know the ropes . " " Bless you , " he remarked , " in these cases the first cost is not all . For instance , a young lady ia engaged to sing . She must have a lady friend to assist her ab her toilette , and a gentlemen friend to turn over the leaves of the music , and so on . The gentle .

men artists frequently have their attendants , too ; and of course all these aides expect to be entertained the same as the rest . Thus , if four professionals are engaged to take part in the musical accompaniments of a banquet , the harmonious party is very often largely increased , and it is easy to calculate the expense which is

thus unnecessarily thrust upon the Lodge funds . I am aware that I shall be open to the retort that it is no business of mine , and that the brethren have a right to do as they please ; but I venture to think in a majority of such oases the brethren either do not know or do nofc care to enquire the extent of the outlay incurred by this

luxury , the payment for which , out of Lodge funds , is unjustifiable , and a waste of money . Perhaps some of the luxurious Worshipful Masters or Treasurers may take a different view of the matter , and let ua know what thafc view is ; also , whether the charge can be upheld by Masonic law .

I remain , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , A LOVER OT MUSIC ,

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —After nearly two years' severe illness , the G . A . O . T . TJ . ha 8 graciously restored mo to health , and since my almost exhausted aesources were further depleted by the cruel

burglary at my residence , on Christmas Day , I am once more desirous , able and willing , to obtain some employment to assist my broken fortunes . I trust , therefore , some of the many brethren I have known in my happier and more prosperous days will be able to come to my rescue .

Yours faithfully and fraternally , CHARLES J . PERCEVAL P . M . 1607 . 8 Thurloe Place , S . W .

Bro . Charles Greenwood P . M . P . G . S . B . England , was re-elected Treasurer . The installation meeting will take place on the second Tuesday in February , when Bro . Alfred Withers P . M . will undertake the duties of Installing Master .

The election of the St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 211 , took place on Tuesday . Bro . Henry Martin S . W . was unanimously chosen as Master for the ensuing twelve months .