Masonic Jurisprudence.

presidents elected b y Grand Lodge , it comprises all Present and Past Grand Officers , all actual Masters of lodges , and 12 Past Masters of lodges elected by Grand Lodge . In practice much of the actual work of the Board falls on the shoulders of the latter .

Eight y articles of the Book of Constitutions refer to the composition of the Board , and it is very noticeable that there is an anxiety that every lodge shall have representation . If the actual Master is not able to attend , then his immediate' predecessor , and failing him , another Past Master . Inasmuch as

every lodge contributes to the funds it is quite right and proper that every lodge should have a voice in the distribution of such funds . They are . very considerable . Four shillings a year from each London brother and two shillings a year from each brother in the provinces make up a very respectable total .

In 1897 , quarterages , as they are called , amounted to no less than £ 10 , 785 2 s ., dividends on investments came to £ 1170 2 s . 4 d ., and fees of honour £ 159 12 s ., a total of more that £ 12 , 000 . Of that large total , £ 88 74 Is * 2 ^* was paid to sundry petitioners . An analysis of the figures produces very interesting results , but

it is scarcely germane to our subject . Lodges in districts are exempt from contributions to the General Fund , but under Article 104 ^ both District and Provincial Grand Lodges may , under conditions laid down , establish local funds of a similar

description . This fund cannot be established without the concurrence of two-thirds of those present at a meeting . Its income may be composed of quarterages , not exceeding 6 d . a head in England , registration fees and fees of honour , all of course exclusive of those payable to the general fund .

These two Funds of Benevolence—the local and generalbeing controlled b y the Grand Lodge and governed by the Book of Constitutions , are on a different footing from the various other charitable ^ organisations in connection with Freemasonry to be met with in London and the wealthier provinces . These take

the form of schools , scholarships , endowments , and pensions , and are privately governed , although , by their bye-laws , their benefits are still confined to Freemasons and their connections . With these latter we have nothing to do . At the same time , although dependent on the private charity of the Craft , and

enjoying no such official income as that described , the three great London Institutions are not without recognition in the Book of Constitutions . There are provisions in that volume inserted as a sort of appendix , and not numbered as articles , under which

the wearing of special jewels is permitted to those brethren whose exertions on behalf of the Institutions appear to demand recognition . The fact of application being made for assistance from the Benevolent Fund need not necessarily become public .

In the printed reports the recipient of relief is never designated b y name . The number of his lodge and its location are alone mentioned . Persons eli gible are brethren , and the indigent widows and children of brethren . The Constitutions provide ( Article 244 ) a form of petition , but it is not obligatory .

It is merely a business-like precis of the Article preceding . The petition must be recommended b y the lodge of which the petitioner is or has been a member , or—in certain cases by some other contributing lodge . Although not actually specified , it is generally understood that in the latter case there are

circumstances which justif y the petitioner seeking the endorsement of a lodge to which he has never belonged . Such , for instance , would be the fact that he was a member of a lodge holding under a foreign jurisdiction . If there were no such justification

then , although not actuall y debarred from relief , it would be quite natural that the Board should ask why the brother could not get a recommendation from his own lodge , and the presumption might not improbably be that his own lodge knew too much about him .

We have in a former article referred to the elasticity of the fegulations affecting the administration of this fund . Charity can never be worked with the precision of the rule of three , nor does the Craft wish its bounty to take the form of a dole by "ie relieving officer . In the article now under reference ,

therefore , there is a final dispensing clause to meet the case of the destitute brother from foreign parts who has not had the ? Pportunity of becoming well enough known to a lodge to justif y the members in recommending him . In this case the endorsement of any brother of good repute is sufficient .

TJiese , however , are the exceptional cases , and do not j quire detailed comment . The usual routine is that after its avourable consideration by the lodges the petition shall be sent 0 the Provincial Grand Secretary for remark . It shall then be tft with the Grand Secretary three days before the projected

"letting of the Board It is a further condition that the Board snail have for its consideration a report , which may be conlie "tial , setting forth every particular likely to be of service in L 'A-mining the exigency of the case . These particulars include statement of the means of his family , and what help he is

Masonic Jurisprudence.

getting or is likely to get from them , as well as any other prospects . In the case of widows and children it is desirable also to know in what way the proposed grant is likely to be of assistance , e . g ., whether to stock a business , or to pay an apprenticeship premium . All this is highly necessary as much in the interests of the petitioner as in those of the Board .

The amount that the Board may recommend is not limited . The writer does not recollect more than £ 200 , and £ 5 seems to be the lowest sum of late years . Smaller amounts would come within the scope of the local fund . The recommendation of the Board is however dependent on the consent of the Grand

Master , and for grants exceeding £ 40 upon a vote of Grand Lodge . "Summary" grants may not exceed £ 20 in the case of a petitioning brother , and £ 10 for a widow or child . Whatever be the amount of the grant , however , the Board can , and generally will , pay these respective sums on account .

As a further illustration of the elasticity already referred to , an immediate grant of £ 5 may be made at the Board ' s discretion even though the routine has not been complied with . In view

of this last statement in Article 253 , requiring the Grand Secretary to read over these regulations annually , and enjoining the President on no account to allow them to be dispensed with , seems rather humorous .

Foreign brethren are not compelled even to produce their Grand Lodge certificates , evidence of distress being all that is necessary ; but it is significantly noted that relief , if substantial , is to enable such brethren to go back to their native

country at the earliest practicable date or , says the Article , to any other country in which he may have friends . This is not unlike giving the organ-grinder a penny to go to the next street .

With regard to Provincial Benevolent Funds , each Province necessarily has its own bye-laws , and it equally follows that no appeal can lie to any higher authority with regard to the employment of such fund . It would seem , therefore , that Masonic

official benevolence is well systematised , but , notwithstanding all this , private lodges have in nearly every instance private benevolent funds . Such funds are usually kept and maintained for the purpose of buying presentations in some or other of the great Institutions or in Provincial Institutions .

It seems undesirable that lodges should become systematic dispensers of casual relief . Whilst each lodge or group of lodges may have its Almoner , whom it keeps supplied with funds , it is in the highest degree undesirable that the private lodge should be connected to any great extent , or , at all events .

known to be so connected , with almsgiving . It encourages that pest—the Masonic loafer . Where there are several lodges in one town it would be desirable that there should be one Almoner for them all , thus affording a precaution against the exactions of the undesirable brother referred to . If that brother is making

capital out of his Grand Lodge certificate it is better that he should have the inconvenience of going from town to town rather than from lodge to lodge . If casual relief be a necessity it is better to give it in kind , such as a railway ticket or a meal , rather than in cash .

Upon the whole , however , it may be claimed that there is less abuse connected with the administration of Masonic Charitable funds than of those of any other Society in existence . The brethren in charge of this branch of our science are experts

in the highest sense . The funds are not swamped by cost of office . In the case referred to , the collection of more than £ 12 , 000 in 1897 , the only portion of that sum not devoted to Charitable purposes was £ 41 , or one-third of one per cent .

Supreme Grand Chapter Of England.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER OF ENGLAND .

The quarterly convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall , London . The chair of First G . Principal was occupied by Comp . John Thornhill Morland , M . A ., Grand Superintendent of Berkshire ; the chair of Grand H . was taken by Comp . Col . John Davis , A . D . C , Grand Superintendent of Surrey ; and the chair of Grand J . by Comp . Robert Townley

Caldwell , M . A ., Grand Superintendent of Cambridgeshire . Comp . E . Letchworth , Grand Scribe E ., and Comp . the Rev . Herbert VV . Turner , M . A ., Grand Scribe N ., were in their appointed seats ; Comps . Robert Grey , P . Grand Scribe N ., acted as P . S . , * Sir Bruce Maxwell Seton , P . P . G . Soj ., as ist Asst . G . Soj . ; and Rear-Admiral William St . Clair , P . Asst . G . Soj ., as 2 nd Asst . G . Soj .

Among other companions present were—Comps . Dr . Clement Godson , Lennox Browne , E . Beaumont , Dep . G . Reg . ; Thomas Lean Wilkinson , P . Dep . G . Reg . ; Alderman Vaughan Morgan , P . G . Treas . ; Col . Clifford Probyn , P . G . Treas . ; Harry Manfield , G . Treas . ; John Strachan , K . C , P . Dep . G . Reg . j Frank Richardson , P . Asst . G . Reg ., G . D . C . j J . Whitaker

Burgess , Walter Wellsman , Dep . G . D . C ; Walter S . Whitaker , Asst . G . Dir . of Cer . ; W . H . Cummings , Mus . Doc , Grand Organist ; Sir George David Harris , President Committee of General Purposes ; Ralph Clutton , W . F . Lamonby , P . G . Std . Br . ; C . J . R . Tijou , P . A . G . D . C . ; Charles Pulman , P . A . G . D . C ; I . E . LeFeuvre , P . G . S . B . ; Thomas Henry Gardiner , P . G . S . B . ; A . C . Spaull , P . D . G . D . C . j and W . G . Kentish . P , G . Svd , Br .