Masonic Missions.

respecting our supporting charitable institutions not immediately connected with our Order . " And thereupon we are treated to a long homily on the universality of charity , and the duty of the brethren to exorcise charity in its widest sense , without regard to class or position . We are then asked , " what are the charities to which the Province of Norfolk has given its contributions" and

in-, formed " hospitals , lying-in charities , institutes for the relief of the sick and the indigent , " all of which , ' if not exclusively Masonic , are open to Freemasons and their families , " should they need their assistance . Ho far so good ; we freely acknowledge that a Freemason ' s charity should know no bounds , save those of prudence , and

that the cries of distress should never be allowed to go unheeded , no matter from whence they proceed , if in our power to solace or relieve the distressed . Here , then , there is no difference between Bro . Cabbell and ourselves . We deny , however , that Bro . Cabbell has correctly quoted us ; or if he has done so , it is only by a suppression of part of what wo said . When speaking of the

holding of the Prov . Grand Lodge at different towns we observed , " as Caere is no local Mrcsonicfuncl , and the province is not remarkable for contributing to llie charities , the collections made on each occasion were given to non-Masonic charities , a practi ce which may curry favour with the popular world , but which is not commendable . " Here ,

let it be observed that our complaints arose because " the j > rovmce is not remarkable for contributing to the charities ; " and were Bro . Cabbell a regular reader of the FEEEAIASONS' MAGAZINE he would have known that wo altogether disapprove of , cither by lectures or sermons , the endeavour to collect money from non-Masons for our charities , for the support of which we have a right to look to our brethren alone , and that we consider it as little commendable to collect money at churches for Masonic

charities , as it is to have Masonic collections for non-Masonic charities . Let the brethren support tho charities of their respective localities as liberally as they can afford in their individual capacity , but let them not make a great display of doing that as Masons which they have neglected to perform as citizens . Bro . Leedes Foxthe Prov . G . Secretaryexpressed his

, , gratification at the statement of Bro . Cabbell , and added , he knew perfectly well that "they ought to support their Masonic institutions , and so they did . " Now , here we take the liberty of differing with Bro . Fox , and reiterating that the Province of Norfolk "is not remarkable for contributing to the charities ; " and , though wo should

probably never have again alluded to the circumstance but for this festival , Ave now challenge Bro . Fox to prove that tho province does its duty in that respect . We have looked over the lists of subscribers to the various Masonic Charities , and we have been at a loss to discover that any large amount of support has come to those institutions from the Province of Norfolkif we except the

, munificent donations of the Prov . Grand Master himself . But the province can scarcely take credit for these , inasmuch as when ii . G . W . of England , aud even before that time , many—very many years—before he became Prov . G . Master for Norfolk , Bro . Cabbell was known as one of the warmest supporters of all our charities . We shall

be glad to be shown a list of the Norfolk brethren who have served the office of steward at the festivals of our charities , who are life governors or subscribers to either of our institutions ; and if we have done the province an injustice , no one will be more ready to acknowledge it , and endeavour to make all honorable amends than ourselves . But to proceed . Bro . Cabbell states , that it has also been mentioned " as a subject of lamentation that there are many towns in our province where there are no lodges , " and then gravely informs us , that " to have lodges

Ave must first have Freemasons , " and asks '" ' whether it is not the best way to increase our Order by showing a liberality in our dealings with the rest of the community , " it being " our duty to relieve all brethren in distress , whether they are brethren in Freemasonry or not . " We object to the dispensing of charity so ostentatiously as to " increase our Order by showing a liberality in our

dealings with the rest of the community , " being , if not in words , certainly in spirit , the holding out of undue and unworthy inducements to join our Order , an incentive which , spite of his words , we are convinced Bro . Cabbell would himself be one of the foremost to denounce and

discourage . But where did the first " lamentation , " with regard to the paucity of lodges in comparison with the size of the province , come from ? Not from the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , but from the Prov . Grand Secretary , Bro . Leecles Fox , who , on the occasion of the installation of the Prov . Grand Master , on the 25 th Oct . 1 S 56 , said "that Suffolkalthough the population was smaller by

, 100 , 000 , had more lodges than Norfolk . At present , there were onl y eight lodges in the latter county , but he hoped in a year or two there would be twenty , " and yet , at the end of four years , we find that the number has only been increased by one , just opened , and that , too , notwithstanding the " great exertions" of Bro . B . Bond

Cabbell , as Prov . Grand Master , and Bro . W . Leedes Fox , as Prov . Grand Secretary ; but whether all has been done to promote the true interests of the Order in the Province of Norfolk , we will consider hereafter . To proceed . Bro . Cabbell informs us that a third charge brought against the province was , that they had

no Masonic Hall . To that charge ( it was mentioned iu the MAGAZINE as a matter of regret , more than as a charge ) he states they must plead guilty ; and that he will be happy to lend his aid to relieve the province from that objection ; and , having so stated , we are sure Bro . Cabbell will liberally support any such movement . Therefore if a suitable hall does not shortlrise in

y Norfolk , tho Craft will know that the fault rests , not with the Prov . Grand Master , but tbe brethren themselves . Having exhausted the various offences of " somebody , who somewhere said something , " Bro . Cabbell proceeded to pass a high eulogium on the freedom of the Press , which is , however , " made amenable to the opinion

of every individual , however humble or insignificant he maybe , " and assured the company that , notwithstanding his remarks , he did not " ' undervalue in the least degree the great and glorious freedom of an enlightened , an intelligent , and an independent Press , " i . e ., those papers , we presume , who never disagree in opinion with Bro . Benj . Bond Cabbell .

We are , of course , aware that , as public journalists , we lay ourselves open to the criticism of every member of the Craft to whom we address ourselves ; and we would by no means wish to complain of such criticism , which ive rather court than otherwise , neA'er having refused to open our columns either to spoken or written replies to our statements ; but we do think thatin

, courtesy , we might be acknowledged by some more distinctive title than "somebody , who has somewhere said . " Without arrogating to ourselves any great degree of intelligence or enlightenment , we claim to be as independent in our opinions , and in our manner of expressing them , as any of our contemporaries in the

Press , notwithstanding the sneers and smart witticisms of Bro . Benj . Bond Cabbell , which fall as harmless on the writer of the article to which he has taken objection , as they did , during their delivery , on the gentleman b y whom we had the honour of being represented in Norwich , last week ; and who , though baring had nothing to do with the article brought under review , has sufficient