FREEMASONS' CHARITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 228, 24 September 1918, Page 6

FREEMASONS' CHARITIES.

ILECOKD SUMS IN WAR TIME, One of tbc leasons learnt by the pnNie generally as the outcome of "the present! war is haw to give. The big sums given; for Red Cross work and iiwtitulioiw of different religious bodies at the front ie an evidence of this fact. In addition., there have also, notwithstanding the war, been rurord years for the various! Kritish foreign missions as far ac income wae concerned. Xo-.v rorocs Ihe evidence! tJiat v tjitnilar state of things exists iv ' rraspect to Uir charities of ihe English! Frecnißfoiß. Sr Alfred Robbing, president of the Board of General Purposes of the United Grand Lodge of England,' in the "Sunday Times" of July 7, slat-:*; | that, the war has sn-ved to stimulate and strengthen the craft. There is !e.?s h:m-1 ipipting/ and more lienevolence. New i lodges are coming ir.tr> existence not only at florae, but in distant parte of thx , limpire directly under the jurisdiction of| . the United Grand Lodge of Ungland, •»Stli a. rapidity unequaUed since thei ' Grand Mastership of the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VTL For the Girls' Institution of the Masons there was collected at the 11)14 festival i £27,492, for the boys £36,400, and for: the Old People's £35,030. Contrary to general expectations each of the first ■ two years of thenar showed increases ' upon those amounts, and in IDI7 the suras raised were as follows: Girls ■ £60,721, boys £53,75!?. and old people .£50,499. In 191S this was again eclipsed, the ligures being: Girle £55.950, buys £96,458, and old peojlc .£58.980.