Good Work In South Africa.

GOOD WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA .

Whether the movement to establish a sovereign and independent Grand Lodge for South Africa will ultimately succeed or not remains to be seen . There are those who see no reason why the Craft in South Africa should not follow the example set them by the Craft in the different Australasian Colonies , and on the strength of the success which has attended the latter ,

are busily engaged in pressing their opinions on the brethren without troubling themselves lo consider whether time and circumstances are altogether so favourable as they were when the several schemes to establish the Grand Lodges of South Australia , New South Wales , Victoria , and Tasmania were started . On the other hand , there are many who deem it better

in the interests of the Craft generally to let things remain as they are . There is very little doubt Freemasonry in South Africa is in a fairly prosperous condition , and we cannot blame brethren who desire to " leave well alone , " preferring to endure the occasional friction which may arise among the members of the different Constitutions rather than risk

other inconveniences they wot not of . But whichever of these parties may ultimately prevail , there is , as we have said , no shadow of a doubt that the Craft in South Africa is at the present time in a condition of prosperity , and that of late years especially , it has been doing excellent work , which is greatly to its credit , and of which it has every reason to be

proud . Thus , as the South African Masonic Record — the new Masonic organ to which we referred a short while since—points out , " The Masonic Education Fund of South Africa " is becoming every year more and more worthy of support . It was founded in 1887 , on the suggestion of sundry members of the Lodge " De Goede Hoop , " Cape Town , as a

memorial of the Jubilee of her Majesty ' s accession to the throne . Itwas not , however , till the close of the year 1889 that anything like a practical result followed , and then the cost of educating two boys and one girl was undertaken . In July , 1890 , two more boys and two more girls were taken in charge , and in March , 1891 , the number was increased to 10 . A year

later there were 17 children being provided for , of whom all but three were boys , while at the present time there are 25 children who are being educated at different schools in the Colony , the school fees being at the rate of £ 5 to £ (> per child . According to the Statement of Account for the year ended the 31 st March , 1892 , the amount received from the brethren in donations and

subscriptions was not far short of . £ 300 , while the Balance Sheet showed investments and cash at bank amounting to ^ 540 . For the half year from ist July to 31 st December , 1892 , the donations and subscriptions reached , £ 22 7 , and as the Fund becomes stronger so will its ability to undertake further responsibility be enlarged . The support it receives is derived from

the lodges and chapters under the different Constitutions and individual brethren , and , from the article in our aforementioned contemporary—which , by the way , is signed by the Hon . Secretary of the Fund , Bro . W . H . TIFFANY—it it evident the Charity has already established itself firmly in the affections of our South African brethren , who appear to have made up their minds that a scheme , which is in itself so beneficial , and which was

started as a memorial of our Gracious Sovereign , shall be well and generously supported . But this is not the only evidence we are able to place before our readers that Freemasonry is in an extremely flourishing state in this part of the British Empire . On the 14 th January last there were grand doings in

Woodstock , a suburb of Cape Town , in honour of the function appointed lor that day in connection with the proposed Suburban Hospital . His I ' -xcellency the Governor of thc Cape , Bro . Sir H . li . Loan , G . C . I } ., had very kindly undertaked to lay the Iirst stone of the new building , and the Craft turned out in considerable numbers , under Bro . the Very Rev . C . W .

RARNKTT -CLARKU , M . A ., District Grand Mastcr of the Western Division ° f South Africa , to support him on the occasion . The municipal authorities , among whom were the Mayor and Town Clerk of Cape Town and the Mayor of Woodstock , were likewise present in great force , and there were

the children from the local schools , the band of the local rifle corps , and a vety large number of spectators , who were delighted wilh the opportunity ° witnessing so im ^ cct | stqmp 4 a spectacle , Ri | t naturally the chief attrac-

Good Work In South Africa.

tion was the Masonic Craft , who appear to have turned out to the number of quite 200 , and marched in procession to the site of the proposed hospital , conspicuous in the rank ' s being the Very Rev . the District Grand Master and his Excellency the Governor , while immediately preceding them was Bro . Sir RICHARD SOUTHEY , Past District Grand Master of South

Africa . The lodges represented were five under the English , three under the Dutch , and three under the Scottish Constitution , together with the oflicers of District Grand Lodge , members of the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , with the Deputy Grand Master for the higher Degrees , visitors from sundry lodges , and members

of an English Royal Arch Chapter and Dutch Rose Croix Chapter . At the outset the Mayor of Woodstock presented an address of welcome to the Governor , and the Hon . Secretary of the hospital read a report , from which it appeared that the cost of erecting the hospital is set down at £ 1500 , of

which about £ 200 has yet to be raised ; but the Committee appear to be in hopes that the requisite sum will be forthcoming . The Governor , having acknowledged the address , was presented with a silver trowel , suitably inscribed , while the District Grand Master received , as a memorial of the

event , a handsome mallet , and the stone having been laid in accordance with ancient usage , the Very Rev . the District Grand Master delivered a long and eloquent address , which was listened to with profound attention by those present , and which will be found to contain sundry injunctions and remarks which , coming from a brother occupying so exalted a position in

Freemasonry , who is at the same time a dignitary of the Anglican Church , may be accepted as a complete refutation of the absurd charges which are every now and then directed against our Order . How , for example , can a Society be engaged in war against constituted authority , when , as Bro . BARNETT - CLARKE points out , " loving loyalty to the throne and to all rightful authority

is one of our distinguishing characteristics and ennobling traits , and has been our boast and glory and custom for centuries ? " Why should this ridiculous assertion that we are the enemies of all government be repeated again and again , though it may be in different forms and under varying conditions , when , as Bro . BARNF . TT-Cr . ARKE rightly says -. " We are bound

to be obedient to all ruling powers lawfully constituted , be they Imperial , Monarchical , Republican , or Masonic , in the land in which we dwell . The OUEEN—God bless her!—is our Masonic Chief Ruler and Potentate , for our Sovereign Lady commands an affectionate allegiance as a holy , godly , virtuous matron , and as a gracious , mighty monarch . Her Majesty is the

daughter of a hreemason j she is the matron and patron of English Freemasons . Her sons and grandsons , with her full and free assent , are rulers in the Craft . " Do we need any further refutation of the charge that our work is diabolical 1 If so , let us note the District Grand Master ' s impressive invocation—which was more particularly addressed to the Mayor of

Woodstock— " May God grant that within these walls suffering may find solace , pangs be mercifully alleviated , weakness strengthened , life prolonged , Death ' s terrors and throes be mitigated by loving medical skill and patient devoted nursing . May the Great Ruler of the Universe bless and prosper your Worship the Mayor , the municipal rulers and officers , and all

who zealously have , in times past or shall in the future , put forth the full strength of their best efforts to make Woodstock a thriving , healthy , and wealthy suburban township . " Again , so far from Masonry being an irreligious or anti-religious Society , Bro . BARNHTT-CLARKE affirms that it is " a religious organisation in its

faith , its ritual , and its precepts . " " It is easy , " he told his hearers , " to asperse and vilify Masonry ; for in all that is good and excellent a child or a dotard , a wise or an unlearned , male or female , ma ) ' spy out faults and decry defects in their nearest and dearest flesh and blood . The sun has its spots , and Freemasonry , too , being human , is in the same position precisely

as nations , as empires , as rulers , as peoples , as churches , as communities . There are Masons and Masons , as there are citizens and citizens , good men and bad men . " Much more having the same tendency to uphold our

Society as one that is continually engaged in doing good might be quoted , but enough has been done to show that Masonry—under the English Constitution at all events—is well and wisely governed , and its acts directed into channels which cannot be otherwise than beneficial to South Africa . Its

presence at this laying of the first stone of a cottage hospital , and the report of its Educational Fund show further that it is able as well as willing to promote all works of Charity , and we are but too pleased to have had this opportunity of giving publicity to its acts , if for no other reason than that it enables us to show how admirably the work of our Society is being carried on in this remote part of the British Empire .