Correspondence.

Correspondence .

We ( li ) not liuld omselvtv re > poii * . b ! e Un' ilia opinions expressed liy our rori'espomlenl . s but we wish , in a spirit uf fair play to all , to permit—within certain necessary limitsree discussion .

MARK BENEVOLENT FINANCE . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother . The opportunities of attending the meetings of Grand Lodge are so rarely within the cable-tow of brethren in the remote provinces , and the danger so great in that august assembly of being "out-of-order , " or of being crushed minnow-like beneath the ponderous feet of some mighty Triton , that I venture to

ask you to grant me the courteous aid of your columns to bring this subject before the notice of Mark Master Masons , and to appeal to a larger audience , possibly one more sympathetic , for calm and deliberate consideration . In doing this , I do not wish to enter upon a desultory , still less an acrimonious , controversy , but rather to regard myself as opening a friendly discussion in an ordinary assembly , with the privilege , if necessary , of one reply before the guillotine falls and the question is now put .

The information respecting this good work is contained in tvio official reports— "List of Donors and Subscribers" and "Minutes of Proceedings at Quarterly Communications , & c . " As the accounts in these reports do not exactly cover the same period , there is some difficulty in making accurate comparison . The first-named ends its year on 31 st December , the second 31 st March , with the result that the sums contributed do not coincide . A few years of

course furnish mutual compensation , thus : 31 st March 31 st December 1898 £ 3262 18 97 £ 3091 1899 1 589 1898 1783 1900 2524 1899 2 I 99 1901 4753 1900 5104

£ 12 , 128 £ 12 , 177 Even this slight discrepancy might , however , be easily avoided by including all the details of the Benevolent work in one report . The report of subscriptions and donations is presented with most com . nendable accuracy , with such checks that an error is scarce Iy possible ; but it contains a large number of useless details , donors ot a solitary contribution years ago ,

names of dead men , obsolete addresses , & c . The latest issue , at a rough estimate , contains some 2800 names , with full address and number of votes to which they are entitled . Of this number only a little more than 600 contributed anything during the year , and nobody ever heard of the exercise of any voting power , so that jive pages are used where one would suffice , and the printer ' s bill would be less in proportion .

The "Mark Benevolent Fund Festivals" have , since 1809 , been held annually , and have been so successful that all claims in its three branches have been met , and on 31 st March last there was an invested capital of £ 28 , 505 , so that with the current year we may safely predict the magnificent sum of £ 30 , 000 , the interest on which forms a substantial permanent endowment .

Thc average total sum annually expended in thc three branches during the past seven years has bien ^ , 885 , which in future will be nearly met by the annual interest of its capital . Indeed , the experience of the past four years ( with a smaller investment income ) has been that out of a total collection of £ 12 , 128 it has been necessary to expend , as a supplement to the dividends , the comparatively insignificant sum of £ 1262 . The admitted cost of this devotion of £ 1262 to the cause of benevolence has been £ 1036 under the undetailed head of " expenses of printing , postages , Charity jewels , & c , & c . & c . "

The sacred work of Charity is so intrinsically a feature of our Craft that it is necessary only to make our needs known to ensure an abundant inflow to our exchequer . The promoters of a Charitable movement are so implicitly trusted that we must , however , exercise the strictest caution never to make an appeal unless there is real necessity , and we should also remember that much of what comes in response to this appeal is only a diversion of what under other circumstances would probably have gone to other Masonic Charities as useful as our own and much more necessitous .

Few things are more destructive to the support of pure benevolence than the " plethoric ill " of a huge endowment , and it seems something akin to the cry of Wolf I to appeal to a generous clientele when there is no real necessity . It is evident that the necessity for special "Mark Charities" beirs no proportion to the generous provision for it , and the reasons for Jhis discrepancy are

not far to seek-. ( 1 ) Mark Masons being also Craft Masons benefit as such from the greater Craft Benevolent Funds , ( 2 ) The Craft allowances are on a more libeial scale than the Mark , ( 3 ) Speaking generally , it is only the elite of Craft Masons who proceed to the Maik Degree , and , naturally , as a body they are less needy .

lhe General Fund of Grand Lodge also shows that the revenue is ample to admit of substantial contributions , if necessary , to its benevolent work . The account shows even a minute analysis of classified disbursements , except that the enormous and increasing sum of £ 1129 15 s . 5 d . is lelt undivided and unexplained

under Ihe compiehcnsivo head of " salaries . ' In each of the last three years it has been able to pay something more than £ 700 in liquidation of its practical moitgage dtbt to the Benevolent Funds , which now happily has cuised to exist . The "lees of honour" and an annual grant may , therefore , in futuie be well devoted to the cause of Charity .

I heartily approve of this excellent organisation and desire only that through ils agency the greatest good may be rendered lo " [ he greatest number " tf worthy applicants for its bounty . I venture , therefore , respectfully to surest the following amendments . Other Mark Master Masons may devise other improvements , and some may be of opinion that the present management and regulations are all that can be desired :

1 . —Revise the annuities to , at least , the amounts granted by the Royal Benevolent .

2 .- Purchase in the Boys' and Girls' Institutions one or more perpetual presentations , to be bestowed on the children of Mark Master Masons . 3 . — Discontinue the annual Festivals , and encourage , through lodge Charity Stewards , the regular inflow of smaller contributions from lodges and . their members—a less spasmodic and more genuine test of disinterested motive .

. ( . — Issue annually i .-. u- rcf . irt with clear statement of receipts and expenditure for the year , anil a list of all hie members as well as actual subscribers in the peiiod covered by the report . EDWARD 11 . SHORTO , P . M . 15 , P . P . G . W . Devonshire . Norwood , Exeter , 31 st August .

Correspondence.

A MASONIC VAGRANT . To the Editor of the " Freemason . " Dear Sir and Brother , May I , through your columns , warn your readers against an impostor , who is wandering round the country and living on the charity of brethren ? He gives the name of G . D—ck n , and states that he was a member of the Hindpool Lodge , No . 1225 , Barrow-in-Furness .

I have written the Secretary , and he states that they have no such name upon their books , nor any near it . I think it would do good if the man when caught could be prosecuted . —I am , dear Sir , yours faithfully and fraternally ,

ALFRED PARKER , Arrow Lodge , No . 2240 . Kington , Herefordshire , September 3 rd .

Reviews.

Reviews .

A new Art publication has been issued by Messrs . Dobbs , Kidd and Co . Limited . It will be published fortnightly , and will contain finished reproductions of the most noted pictures by the great masters of all schools . Each part will contain eight plates , with crisply-written comments ( biographical and critical ) , and will be enclosed in the familiar " Golden Brown " paper wrapper . The pictures included in No . I are : "Cupid's Spell , " by Henry Woods , R . A . ; " River Scene , " by F . R . Lee and T . Sidney Cooper , R . A . ; " Blossoms , " by

Albert Moore , R . W . S . ; " Morning , " by George Morland ; " The Maid and the Magpie , " by Sir Edwin Landseer , R . A . ; " Return of the Oyster Fishers , " by Chevalier F . N . A . Feyen-Perrin ; " The Vagrants , " by Fred . Walker . "Beautiful Pictures" is published at the popular price of 6 d ., and is obtainable of all booksellers , stationers , and bookstalls . It is a work that is entirely produced by British workers—English paper , and printed and made up in London .

Instruction.

Instruction .

ISLINGTON LODGE , No . 1471 . The opening meeting was held on Tuesday , the 3 rd instant , at the Cock Tavern , Highbury , N ., when there were present : Bros . VV . Hancock , Preceptor , VV . M . ; F . M . Wenborn , S . W . ; IL J . Dunaway , J . VV . ; A . F . Hardyment , P . M ., Asst . Preceptor ; C . M . Coxon , P . M ., P . P . G . D . Herts , Treas . ; J . Duncan , P . M ., Sec . ; J . Horstead , S . D . ; E . Lucas , J . D . ; C . Weston , I . G . ; J . Birks , P . M . s M . Relph , E . Rxhards , W . Lee , H . Coxen , E . P . Fischer , H . Goring , [ . Foxcroft , W . A . Evans , R . E . Maskall , H . J . May , D . Meredew , II . J . Neale , and H . C . Kerly .

_ The lodge was opened and the minutes read and colirmed . The ceremony of raising was rehearsed , Bro . Coxen being the candidate . The Traditional History was given . Bro . Wenborn was elected VV . M . for the ensuing week and appointed the officers in rotation . The lodge was then closed .

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