Correspondence.

brother must pay ? We might just as well believe it possible to make men religious by Act of Parliament . I think the " P . M . " is bound to consider , aud carefully weigh , one more argument against his proposal . The change from a voluntarily to an involuntary support must be a violent one , which would require great

caution ia its introduction . If it should fail , it would take years , perhaps a quarter of a century of hard labour , to re-awaken the interest now taken in the Charities , and unpopular as the tax would be—even growing as the Order is— 'ihe cases ivould remain longer on band than they do at presentand they not

, only would be crippledin the effective assistance they do afford , without compulsion , but the Charities would be inundated by applicants who would declare that they had au indefeasible right to their benefits

subject only to priority ot application ; Let tbe "P . M . " pause before he commits himself to his adopted scheme . Let him think of , honour , and venerate every patron and subscriber to those noble institutions who have , hitherto , with their largeheartedness , so ably and beneficently done more than their duty to their brethren , and let him not forget

his poorer brethren , who ask not charity themselves , but spare from their own wants some aid to swell the total of a Stewards' list , and who , if taxed , may be uuable to demonstrate the power of the shilling , and so be robbed of the gratification of adding to the great mass of prosperity which it is , happily , the good fortune of the Masonic Charities to share in common , and which the poor and struggling brother esteems a great privilege ,

for" In his home the humble virtues love to rest Secure , and sheltered in a brother ' s breast ; Like the sweet tenants of the hive , they dwell , Gentle companions of the poor man's cell . Bless'd memory tells how warm his bosom glow'd , For ills prevented , or for good bestow'd , While the small mite , in love , in pity given , Touch'd by his hand , became a gem in heaven . "

Thanking you most sincerely for allowing me to trespass at such length on your space , I am , dear Sir and Brother , Yours truly and fraternally , A W . M .

Masonic Charities.

MASONIC CHARITIES .

10 TUB __ D 1 T 0 I- 03 ? THIS _ . _ -EES _ ASO _ . S' XIAGAZ __ . E AKD MASONIC MIEBOB . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —Your columns have lately contained a correspondence relating to the various Charities connected with the Order , and how best to support them . Will yon favour me with space for a practical illustration of a recommendation

made a few years since at the Provincial Grand Lodge of this Province—that each lodge in the Province should , at the installation of the W . M ., elect one member to act as Charity Steward , his duty beiug to obtain and transmit subscriptions to the several Charities .

Bro . Charles Goodeve , an old and highly-esteemed member of the Lodge of Union ( No . 38 , late No . 45 ) , was appointed to the office in I 860 , ' and has been reelected every year . During these five years Bro . Goodeve has been instrumental in forwarding £ 209 lis . I am not aware how this plan has worked in the other lodges of the Province , as no return has ever been called for by the Provincial Grand Lodge ,

Masonic Charities.

but I have no reason to doubt tbat the table given below of the subscriptions sent from the Lodge of Union ( No . 38 ) may be taken as a fair average of the lodges in Sussex . I remain , clear Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally ,

GEORGE MOLESWORTH , P . M . No . 38 . Chichester , October 25 . G ' OJ . TI . IB'tn . IOJ . S FKOM THE I / ODGE 01 ? UEIOS' ( NO . 3 S ) , PES : BRO . C . GOODEVE , CIIAIUTV STEWAIID . Royil

Benevo-. lent Institution YEAK . BO _ -S' School . Girls' School , lov Ayed Freemasons and Widows . £ s . d . & s . d . £ s . ( .. 1860 13 13 0 5 5 0 14 9 0

1 SG 1 10 10 0 8 " "' 8 0 15 4 0 1 SG 2 17 17 0 8 8 0 10 4 0 -. 1883 12 12 0 16 16 0 15 9 0 1864 16 16 0 16 1 G 0 21 4 0

Total for 5 years 71 8 0 55 13 0 82 10 0

South Wales.

SOUTH WALES .

TO TH 2 EIIITOI . OP THE FREEMASONS SIAGAZIKT . AUD MASOXIC HmnOR . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —May I narrate a most remarkable incident in my experience of this entertaining province ? In common-with other members of a certain lodge , I was requested to attend a regular meeting , at which , after the ceremony of initiationan oriinal

lecture-, g was to be delivered by a member of the'lodge , I have no intention to criticise the lecture , although it contained quotations from the New Testament Scriptures , nor have I any wish to make any invidious remarks regarding the lecturer , who although a foreigner , was at tbe same time a member of au English lod and

ge , , I think , should have known better . I wish , on the other hand , merely to express my disapprobation of the conduct of the very aspiring W . M ., as regarded the clothing of a member of hislodge , taking so prominent a part in the proceedingsof a crowded meeting .

During the ceremony , the lecturer entered the lodge thus attired . He wore no vestige of an apron , but his neck was adorned with a collar of the following description ( were I a member of what are designated the Christian Orders Imightbe able to give it a cognomen ) _ - —Pour inch purple silk edged with gold , and embroideredalso in goldwith an immense Maltese cross (• $ <)

, , , with a jewel of the same design pendant . The brother , having taken up a position beside the chair , a member of the lodge , I believe one of the oldest and most experienced Masons present , very modestly ,, drew the attention of the W . M . to the brother , and expressed a desire to be informed if such clothing ;

was in accordance with the constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England . The W . M . replied that the brother was a " foreign Mason , " and clothed , he believed , in accordance- with the usages of his country-