The Board Of Benevolence.

Again , on December 2 Sfch , 1861 , we wrote : — " There are , in most countries , two systems of lawthe written and the unwritten , the latter being dependent on the habits and customs of the people , and often more clearly defined than the former , which is apt to be misread and misinterpreted . So it is in

Preemasonry ; we have one system of laws , as laid down iu the Boole of Constitutions , being the acts of the Masonic legislature , and another been handed down to us by tradition , and which guides us in many of our most important decisions . But in no case should a written law be overruled by an unwritten law ; and

yet it is so by the Committee or Lodge of Benevolence , of the inefficiency of which , for the relief of pressing and casual distress , we took occasion to speak some time since , suggesting that a standing committee to meet once or twice a week , or an officer , whose duty it should be to attend to such cases , should be

apjiointed , it being but poor relief that comes to a man seeking temporary assiatauce that cannot be obtained until a month afterwards , but which is rendered still worse under the regulations of the Committee of Benevolence—regulations of which a petitioner is not informed , and by which relief , if given , may bo withheld for another month on a mere technicality . In the Book of Constitutions it is laid down : —

"' Applications for relief must be by petition , stating the name , occupation , place of abode , and present circumstances of the petitioner ; tho name and number of the lodge in which , and the time when he was initiated , and the other lodges , if any , which he may have since joined . The applicant , unless disabled by disease or accident , must sign his name to the petition .

"' To every petition must be added a recommendation , signed in open lodge , by the Master , Wardens , and a majority ofthe members then present , to which the petitioner docs or did belong , or from some other contributing lodge , certifying ( see the form at tbe end ) that the } have knon-ii him to have boon in reputable , or at least tolerable circumstances , aud that be has been not less

than two years an actual contributing member , paying tbe stipulated subscription to tho funds of a regular lodge * as well as quarterage to the Fund of Benevolence , with such other observations as they may think proper ; and the Master , or some member of the lodge , except it be a country petition , shall visit the petitioner at bis own residence , and afterwards attend the committee , to speak to the truth of the statement set forth in the petition , and to certify that the signatures thereto are genuine . '

" Under this law it has been laid down that the Master , or some member of the lodge attending to support the case of a petitioner , shall have visited him or her at his or her residence , in order to verif y the truth of the statements contained in the petition , and speak as to the actual position of the applicant .

And of this we do not complain , because we believe it often most important to the applicants themselves that the full extent of their distress should be known , in order that it may meet with efficient relief . It will 7 ie seen by the extracts we have given that this does not apply to country petitioners ; and if not , we

should lilce to be informed how it can be niade applicable to mere wayfarers , who apply for relief under the following law : — " ' B l-cthrcn under tbe Constitution of the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland , as well as of foreign G-rand Lodges , may be relieved on the production of certificates

from their respective Grand Lodges , or other sufficient certificates and testimonials to tho satisfaction of the Lodge of Benevolence , and proof of identity and distress . ' " Now it will be seen , that it is not provided that a petitioner under this clause need ever be recommended to the committee—for how is a stranger in a foreign

land to find brethren to recommend him for reliefaud yet , without he does obtain such a recommendation , his petition would not be received ; prettycharity this ! But that is not all ; the Committee or Lodge of Benevolence have also ruled that he must be visited at his residence—perhaps a nig htly

lodginghouse ; perhaps a coffee-house ; perhaps the dark arches of the Adel phi—as if any information could be obtained by such a visit relative to a stranger without a friend within huudreds of miles . Anything more absurd could scarcely bo devised ,, but to the absurdity absolute cruelty is added , by the unfortunate petitioner not being made acquainted with the rule .

" Our attention has been particularly directed to this subject by what took place at the last Lodge of Benevolence . A poor Mason , named Mackintosh , who was for two years the Master of a lodge in Edinburgh , being iu London , in distress and out of employ , applied to the lodge for temporary relief . He did obtain the recommendation of a brotherwho

at-, tended and spoke in his behalf ; but because that brother had not visited him at his residence , a lod ginghouse in the precincts of Druiy-lane , the case was deferred for a month , during which the poor man may starve for anything likely to be done for him by Masons , as he must not apply to a private lodge for

relief , as that will be a bar to anything being done for him b y the Lodge of Benevolence , it being a charge against Mackintosh that he had visited and received relief from one or two lodges . What wonder if he had , seeing that this Committee meets but once a mouth , and that for the previous three weeks he had been without the means of obtaining a meal's victuals , having pledged much of his clothing to obtain the necessaries of life . "We are not arguing on behalf of

this individual , or of any other petitioner . ' The man might be an impostor , and undeserving of relief ; he might be malting begging his profession ; and , if so , the petition should be dismissed . But to defer it on a regulation of which the petitioner is kept in ignorance , is only getting rid of it by a side wind , and a

mockery of the wretchedness of the petitioner . To require such cases to be visited is an absurdity ; but if the Lodge of Benevolence have tho power of making such a regulation—which we deny—the least it should do ivould be to appoint one of its own members to perform the duty ; and there are two or three who are

constant attendants , who are certainly admirably qualifted for the office . "We repeat , our present system of granting relief in the case of wayfarers and temj > orary residents in the metropolis , is altogether wrong—a mere pretence of affording that which we do not give—and more

likely to tell to the advantage of the professional beggar ancl impostor than the really distressed , though honest man . " The means of affording immediate and efficient relief to the weary wayfarer at a moderate cost , and at the same time protecting the brethren from impos-