The Masonic Charities.

and enable them to play their parts and fight their battles in that greatest after all of all strifes and struggles—the great scene of this world ' s warfare and this world ' s duties .

I propose , then , to give an account UOAV of our great Masonic Charities , as I think , the reference to their past annals , a sort of summing up of what they have clone , a simple statement of what they are doing ,

may interest the Craft at large . Perhaps , also , Avhen AVO realize , what is their great value to us as an Order , in illustration of our great princip les and Avhen AVO remember not only the sympathy and support they have received from our brethren , but the

real and lasting benefits they convoy to others , shall all be stimulated alike— : Provinces and Brethren—to do more than AVO have hitherto done in the genial and eA er beneficent cause of Masonic charity and Masonic help . I can speak with some little authority ,

as to Avhat may be clone m such a cause by combined efforts and earnest zeal , Avhen I mention that it Avas my privilege to preside for ten years over the Charity Committee of West Yorkshire , during Avhich time Ave sent up £ 10 , 425 13 s . to the

Metropolitan Masonic Charities . That amouut , large as it is , does not represent by a considerable sum , the contributions remitted up to the festival of this year , nor does it include tAvo perpetual scholarships in the

Boys' School , m value £ M , U 40 . 13 ut tins is surely enough to convince doubting brethren Avhat can be done , if as the old saying runs , " Ave only put our shoulders to the Avheol ; " and if any should think that Yorkshire is a large and Avealthy province , and

that , therefore , the same rule does not hold good for all , I woidd only add , " no one knows Avhat they can .. do until they try to do it •" " go and do thou likeAvise , " and then Ave Avill discuss the matter and compare our figures . For I have long been of opinion that our Craft by no means acts up

to its full responsibility as regards the Charities , and that , despite our really wonderful Anniversary Returns , ancl the fact that this year the brethren have raised the noble amount of £ 21 , 000 for the Charities , yet such is our wealth as a body , really

and truly , such the poivor of combined action , that our support should each year become more general and more systematic , in order to uphold the Charities hi their fullest efficiency , ancl to break doAvn that sad list of disappointed candidates , especially in our Boys' and Girls' Schools .

NOAV Ave must bear in mind that this list owing to our increasing numbers is likely to increase instead of decreasing , ancl instead , therefore , of electing only one-third of the candidates , Ave should seek to enable the Charities to take in , at least , threefourths of the selected applicants for . admission . I am not one of those who think

that it would be desirable to be able to elect all candidates , ancl to have no competition . Competition is both Avholesome and advisable Avhen not pushed to extremes , ancl Ave must have it in one Avay or other , either by voting papers or by an

examination . For supposing that Ave coidd take in all properly qualified candidates annuall y , Ave should have to enforce a test of educational proficiency , even though it be a minimum , hi order to prevent the possibility of abuse of our Charities , and the tendency unavoidable always here , to alloAv personal

feelings or private interest to bias our judgment in the nomination of candidates . I may just remark that I do not , as of course I could not , in this , account of the Metropolitan Charities of our Order , include several excellent Provincial Institutions ,

Avhethor for relief or education . Some day it might be an interesting labour to endeavour to condense into a tabular statement all our Masonic Charities of every kind . But to-day I propose to call your attention to those great institutions of our Order of which Ave hardly IOIOAV as much as AVO