Lodge Names.

should express one or more of the unities of which it is composer ! , should express a concrete and not a single idea . With all dne respect to the brother especially referred to I venture to say he is scarcely known outside his Province , and if he is it is only among those who take especial interest in Grand Lodge , and who form a

small and by no means the bettor part of tho Craft . What has this brother done for Freemasonry that his name should be so conspicuously associated with it ? Has ho thrown any light upon its esoteric mysteries ? ITas he left the mark of gen ins upon its ritual ? Is he distinguished for his knowledge of the jurisprudence of tho

Order ? If he cannot claim auy of these qualities , he is just in tho position of crowds of others who have done much good and honourable work , whose long service is rewarded by promotion ivher « possible , and whrse name lingers in the Lodgo as long as it . can b ;> serviceable . A timo does come when names of infinite greater moment

than that of the brother in question lose their virtue , and it i ? , hardly to be expected that this latter should escape th > general doom . With tho decay of a name is often associated ( he decay of the cause with which the name is associated , and although Masonry is

not likely to be seriously affected by any name given or withheld , yet it is possible Lodges bearing special local titles may suffer when the original ceases to exist . An honour like that referred to carries with it the seeds of its own destruction , whereas a general name lives on , and escapes tho discredit that attaches to failure .

Local names given to Lodges create jealousy . I hey stimulate a selfish ambition . They are a temptation to the wealthy brother and a stumbling-block to many of the really worthy .

The foregoing are a few reasons against using names of persons for Lodges . There are others , one of which 1 commend to i " SUBURBAN . " True merit vannteth not itself , nor will it suffer . others to play the trumpeter . ;

Yours fraternally , CANDOUR . 16 th June 1885 . I

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your correspondent " SUBURBAN , " in challenging yonr views on this subject , has tonched on a somewhat delicate point— "the naming of Lodges after well-known brethren , " and if yon will allow me , I will endeavour to explain one or two

matters in connection with it which appear to me to uphold your view of the case , To my mind , the principal objectiou which can bo raised against the naming of Lodges after well-known brethren is that it seldom happens tho " well-known brethren " are tho only persons of the same name in tho district , or eveu if they are at the

time they may not always continue so . Then it sometimes happens that ovents may occur which rob the name of some of its gloryperhaps eveu at a distance of two or three generations—and a name once respected and revered in association with a thorough gentleman , may many years after become a reproach in view of its association

with some local scamp or criminal . The naming of Lodges after mere individual members of the Order , no matter how well known or deferring of honour they mny he , seems to me lo detract from tho honour cf Freemasonry , by making it , in a measure , subservient to its component members while at the

same time it virtually raises the brethren selected to the rank—may I say it—of a god in the Masonic circle . You may have other objections to urge in support of yonr view , aud

other brethren may be able to argue in opposition to it , but I feel this letter , provided you give it insoitiou iu your pages , will be some answer to your correspondent ' s query .

Believe me , Yours fraternally , ANOTHER SUBURBAN- .

Northern Counties Lodge.

NORTHERN COUNTIES LODGE .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAU SIR AND BROTHER , —Kindly allow me , through tho medium of yonr valued journal , to remind all North Country Masons who

may bo hviug in , or passing through London , that the meeting convened by Bro . J . S . Cumberland to further consider and finally arrange tho matter , will ho held on Thursday next , tho 25 th inst ., at 3 p . m ., in tho Masonic Booms , 16 a Great Qneen-streer .

On that occasion it is to bo hoped that Bro . Cumberland will bo supported by a numerous assemblage of the brethren , and that opinions and advice , which I know he is anxiohs to obtain , will be freely tendered by those present at tho meeting . Yours faithfully ,

W . LT . BULLOCK , ( No . 10 SG , Walton . ) 7-1 Alciersgate-street , E . C ., 19 th Jane 1885 .

Libel And Masonic Privilege (?)

LIBEL AND MASONIC PRIVILEGE (?)

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Before reading tho letter in your last issue on this subject 1 was inclined to oppose your view thai anything rrnfamed in a Masonic cornmnni ¦ atitin—even if print : d—could be made C ' subject of an i-ct ion for f : bel , but now I mu-t admit . I nm so fnr

shaken in my opinion as to ; ili bur . agree with yon , I inny s : iy in fnlb coincide -. villi yt ; iv view :-. Your Corrr .-p > t ; de : i t . ; i ]; FfiUT , NOT MlGUT " l ' . 'i .-i , 1 . ti i ; , k , e : \| nv :-3 "d the wh > le gi . sf . of the sui . jict in his s-igitaUuo . Fvceinauoury n . r . y ceiiuir . ly give n * "niigh ' . " of an exceptional nature , but it , dees not give ns " right . " to injure another : indeed its

Libel And Masonic Privilege (?)

teachings are in every way opposed to such a course , and it must be admitted tin circulation of anything approaching a libed must be detrimental iu some way or other , even though the injury may be deserved or justifiable . Your correspondent ' s idea that Masonry would suffer if " Masonic "

documents wore privileged I now see is quite correct . It would soou become a difficult matter to draw a line between Masonic aud non . Masonic papers , and whilo tho squabble was progressing tho Ordei would be open to every insult and abuse that could be poured on it . 1 am not so well informed as to tho legal standing of Freemasons

even as yonr correspondent is , but I always thought we were fully recognised by law , and that our meetings and proceedings were perfeefcly legitimate . However , it is useless my discussing subjects of which I admit I have no knowledge , and which I Inp . i it will never

be my province to test . All I desire to say is , that [ now approve of your view as to the non-exUtonco of Masonic privilogo in all case 3 where the law of tho laud is violated , and I beg to thank your correspondent for having brought mo to my senses . lam , yours fraternally , E . B .

The Benevolent Institution.

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE Committee of the Royal Masonic Betieyoleat Institution assembled on the 10 th instant , at Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen-street , London , under the presidency of Bro . H . B . Marshall , Past Gran . I Treasurer . Tho deaths of fiye annuitants —two male and three female

—were reported , and other matters of detail transacted The Finance Committee for the ensuing- year was constituted , as follows : —A . H . Tattershall , * W . J . Murlis , T . W . C . Bush , C . F . Hogard , and J . E . Dawson , while

the following were re-elected to serve as the House Com mitteo : —Raynham W . Stewart , J . A . Farnfield , C . J Perceval , Thomas Oubfcfc , and Edgar Bo wye r . Bro , C . H . Webb proposed that thi ^ ee of the widows unsue

cessfnl at the last election , being over eighty years of age , and having competed at two elections , should , in . accordance with Law 37 , be placed on the list of annuitants without further competition . The pro

position was duly seconded , and discussed by the brethren present , who ultimately agreed to place one of the widows on the Fund forthwith . The Secretary announced that

that meeting was the twenty-first anniversary of his election as an officer of the Institution , and gave the following statistics of the position of the Institution at that time , arid at the present . t nr * i -t rw * ¦ *

l » J-i . lOOD . Income Male Fund .... £ 2990 £ 8 , 398 „ Widows' Fund .... 1 , 8 17 11 , 39-1 Permanent Income Male Fund - - - 1 , 098 2 , 017 „ ,, Widows' Fund - - - 5 < i 3 1 , 575 Invested Capital Male Fund - - . 1 ( 5 , 600 39 , 450

„ Widows' Fnnd - - - 7 , 100 28 , 075 Paid in Annuities , Male Fund - - - 1 , 562 6 , 920 Widows' Fund - - - 992 6 , 461 Festival , 69 Stewards producing - - - 2 , 376 „ 352 „ „ 17 , 770

Number of Annuitants Male Fund - - 80 173 „ „ Widows'Fund . . 47 202 The above will give an idea of the increase of the work in connection with the Institution , and will also show what

immense strides have been made in the cause of Masonic Charity . As Bro . Terry pointed out , the only additional expense incurred in the management of the Institution now , as compared with twenty-one years ago , was that of

the clerk ; while in the interval the Annuities had been increased from £ 2 G to £ 40 in the case of the Male Branch , and from £ 25 to £ 32 in that of the Female . That the figures were a surprise to the brethren was evidenced from

the enthusiastic manner in which they proposed and carried a vote of thanks and congratulation to Bro . Terry , while their hope thathi .-i tenure of office might be prolonged

for vary many years will be universally endorsed throughout the Craft . The customary vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

Ihe Board of Benevolence held its monhtly meeting at Freemasons' Hall , London , on Wednesday , tho 17 th instant . Bro . James Brett Senior Vice President presided , with Bro . C . A , Cottebrune Junior Vice President

in the chair of Senior , and Bro . Driver J . G . D . in that ot Junior Vice President . The recommendations made at the May meeting having boon confirmed , twenty-nine new cases were taken into consideration . Two of these

were deferred , and the remainder relieved with a total of £ 703 , made up of one grant of £ 3 , one of £ 5 , six of £ 10 each , nine of £ 20 , three of £ : 0 , one of £ 40 , five of £ 50 , and one of £ 75 .