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Masonic Notes.

Masonic Notes .

SATURDAY , J ULY IG , 18 9 8 .

The 30 th Anniversary Festival in behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund on Wednesday , proved , under the circumstances , n great success , and we heartil y congratulate the Chairman—Bro . the Hon . Alan de Tatton Egerton , M . P ., Prov . G . Master of Cheshire , and his Board of 123 Stewards on the excellent total of

l- n < i , which they succeeded in raising . No one expected that the record lota I of last year would be equalled or even very nearly approached . The Boys ' ' . ol Centenary had absorded so much of the atten-> ""> s of the brethren that even the claims of the

; ciicyo ! c „ t Institution and Girl , ' School were , for the J '"" - ' being , put in the shade . But the Mark Benevo" > festival is always a popular gathering and the m obtained will more than satisfy the requirements tie year and leave a comfortable margin over for '" vestment . I

Masonic Notes.

The Board of Stewards was a fairly strong one and the total compiled by the Provinces and Stations Abroad was not so very much below that which the Provincial section of the Board had the pleasure of realising in 1 S 95 ; and it is quite on the cards'that if

the Chairman's Province of Cheshire had been a stronger one , the total of three years since would have been equalled or even surpassed . However , the result is beyond what any one expected , and for this reason our congratulations are all the heartier .

It is to be regretted that at the meeting we reported last week of the Excelsior Mark Lodge , No . 226 , Bro . Major Weston , Past G . I . G ., in responding for the officers of the Mark Grand Lodge , did not confine himself to the subject-matter of the toast . Had he

replied in the stereotyped form to the effect that it was a great honour to be a member of so distinguished a body , which was always ready and willing to do its utmost to advance the interests of Mark "Masonry , he would have shown judgment ,

even though his remarks would have been far from original . But it was in bad taste , as well as impolitic , to go out of his way to sneer at the great Central Charitable Institutions of the Order . He is reported to have said that " the Benevolent Chanties

of the Degree were not nearly as well supported as they ought to be ; that they " —the said Mark Charities — " did not employ a large staff of officers and officials , but yet they educated their boys and girls and looked after their old people : " that " there was no sounding

of trumpets in Mark Masonry ; there was no , £ 134 , 000 for their Charity ; some two or three thousand was all they got , and they wanted more , as more claims were being made on them ; " and , finally , that " they had had hitherto no elections , thanks to the care and

kindness of their esteemed Grand Secretary , Bro . Matier ; but some day there would be an outburst from that brother , and they would be able to make as big a show as the other Institutions . " These remarks , as they had nothing whatever to do with the coast of the Grand Officers , were decidedly out of place .

* * * We have always taken a kindly interest in the Mark Benevolent Fundandhave never missed an opportunity of writing in its behalf , when wc have thought that any remarks of ours were calculated to promote its

success . But this part of Bro . Weston s speech was , as we have said , in bad taste and impolitic . It was in bad taste , because a sneer is a poor requital to make to those who have laboured in the cause of Charity , and it was impolitic because the constituency to which the

Mark Benevolent Fund looks for support is part of that greater constituency to which the Central Charities of the whole Order appeal . Moreover , Mark Masons in their capacity of Craft Masons are eligible to receive the benefits of these greater Charities .

» » * It is also to be regretted that Bro . Major Weston was not somewhat better informed as to the circumstances of the Fund , to which we venture to think he has done a disservice . The Male Annuitants are in

receipt of £ 26 a year and a Christmas gift of £ 5 , and the Widow Annuitants of . £ 21 a year with a Christmas gift of the same amount as the men . As for the children they are educated at Schools in the neighbourhoods they reside in and are given , 65 a year towards

their clothing . There is no need for any School premises , because the number of those who are benefited is small . Again , it is true there have never been any elections since the Educational and Annuity branches have been established , but this is not due to

any act of the Grand Secretary—though we all recognise " the care and kindness " he exhibits in connection with the Fund and the splendid manner in which

he works to promote its success—but because the Fund has been able to provide for all who have offered themselves as candidates . However , the matter is not worth pursuing further .

It will be seen , from the report we puMWh elsewhere , that the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution have rescinded the resolution passed in November , 18 9 6 , by a small majority , to celebrate in an especial manner the jubilee

Festival of the Widows' Fund . That hund was established by United ( irand Lodge in IS ^ , and next year , therefore , will have completed an existence of half a century . Considering the keenness of the competition

for support among our three Central Charitable Institutions , there would have been nothing unreasonable if the Committee had decided upon making a special appeal to the Craft in respect of this'Jubilee ; but the brethren do not appear to havo taken very kindly to

Masonic Notes.

the proposal , and it has , therefore , been very wisely resolved not to carry out the original plan ; but the Secretary will be content with calling attention to the claims of this particular Fund to the support of the bre'hren in the Jubilee year of its existence . We trust the amount of support which may be forthcoming in 1 899 will be considerably enlarged in consequence . » * *

At the Provincial Grand Lodge of Norfolk , held on Thursday last , at Norwich , Lord Sufiield announced thit he had placed his resignation of the Provincial Grand Mastership in the hands of the Most Worshi pful the Grand Master , and that his Royal Highness had

intimated his intention to appoint Bro . Hamon Le Strange to the post . The announcement was received with much regret at a crowded meeting , and a resolution to that effect was passed ; but it was decided to postpone a more formal resolution till next meeting .

* * * The usual summer entertainment was given to the inmates of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution at Croydon , on Thursday , the 14 th inst . A number of ladies and brethren were present on the occasion , and

Bro . Terry , as usual , was in great form . Everything passed off admirably . The Old People enjoyed themselves thoroughly and were greatly delighted with the entertainment provided for them during the evening . * » *

The installation of the Duke of Portland , Past G . Warden of England , as Prov . G . Master of Nottinghamshire , in succession to the late Duke of St . Albans was attended with rather more than the usual pomp and circumstance . There was a grand gathering of the brethren , not only from all parts of the Province ,

but also from adjoining Province-. - , and even from still more distant centres of Masonic activity . Grand Lodge was very strongly represented , and there was little , if any , limit to the enthusiasm of those who had the good fortune to be present . A' leading feature about the ceremony was the fact of its being performed

by the Duke's younger brother , Lord Henry Cavendish Bentinck , M . P ., P . G . M . of Cumberland and Westmorland . From the manner in which the whole of the arrangements were carried out as well as from the success which attended the subsequent ceremony of laying the stone of the Jubilee annexe to the Nottingham

General Hospital , we have every reason to augur well for the presidency of the Duke of Portland over the Provi nee . His Grace has been preceded in his office by some of the ablest and most popular Masons of their day , and under his auspices the reputation of Nottinghamshire will be fully maintained .

* * » It was announced at the consecration at Brentwood the other day of the Weald Lodge , No . 2707 , that Bro . his Honour Judge Philbrick , finding it impossible

to continue in office as Deputy Prov . Grand Master , has made up his mind to resign that post and will be succeeded by Bro . Colonel Lockwood , M . P . We regret the retirement of Bro . Philbrick , at the same time that we welcome his successor .

* » * It appears that the Craftsman of Atlanta , Ga ., some time since , addressed circulai letters to lodges throughout the United States " soliciting contributions to a fund for the relief of distressed Masons in Cuba . " This circular " received the endorsement of a number

of Grand Masters , " and considerable sums were in consequence subscribed , chiefly by lodges in the South . A similar circular was addressed to the lodges in the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of New York , and the Grand Master was invited to give them his " official

endorsement , ' and solicit their support of the movement . However , after carefully considering thematter , and corresponding on the subject with the President of the United States , the Grand Master has declined to act as requested .

* * * The reasons for this action are fully explained in a letter written by Bro . E . M . L . Ehlers , G . Secretary of New York , which is quoted in the May number of the Voice of Masonry . " In the absence o ( a responsible Masonic medium , " says Bro . Ehlers , " through which

the assistance rendered by the Craft can be distributed , any effort in the direction of raising funds for the brethren in Cuba is absolutely useless . " Again , " although in correspondence with the Grand Lodge of Cuba , we have not received a communication from it

in two years The lodges of Cuba , I am credibly informed , have for the time being ceased to meet It is impossible to reach the families of the Cuban brethren in distress at this juncture , except through the instrumentality of their most relentless foe , the Spaniards . "

* » * Bro . Ehlers concludes his letter thus : "Let mc assure you , my brother , the Craft of New York ha :. never listened with deafness to the cry of distress , and that when the time comes for real benevolence it will

he found first among the foremost . " There is much we might remark on this letter and that which led to its being written , but we will content ourselves with expressing the opinion that when the present troubles in Cuba are over , then will be the time to help the Cuban brethren and their distressed families .