The Benevolent Institution.

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE shadow of coming events in the world of Masonic Charity is making itself very apparent at the present time , when the outlook in regard to the approaching Anniversary Festival on behalf of the Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution is anything but cheering , the falling off in the number of Stewards as compared with recent years being very considerable , the result—it need hardly

be mentioned—of the special efforts that have been made during the past few months in connection with the Centenary celebration of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys .

It is very unfortunate that the prosperity of one of the great funds of English Masonic Benevolence should be purchased at the cost of either one of the others , but this can hardly be prevented on such a particular occasion

as that shortly to be celebrated in connection with the Boys School . The Centenary of the establishment of that Institution is close upon us , and it is but natural that the English Craft should be specially appealed to for the

purpose of marking the event in fitting manner , while it also follows , in the ordinary course of events , that the enthusiasm displayed on this occasion in the one direction has a depressing effect in others , on the principle , as we

have always maintained , that the spring of Masonic Benevolence shows a tolerably regular flow , and any excess drawn at a particular time makes an appreciable difference until the level is again reached .

It happens , however , in this connection , that the Boys School is the last of our three Institutions to make such a special claim upon the Craft , for the same thing happened in connection with the Girls School , when it

celebrated its Centenary ; and with the Benevolent Institution , when the first fifty years of the existence of the Male Fund was completed ; and this being so there is nothing to actually complain of at the moment , even

if the usual friendly rivalry of the three Institutions was not so well known as to preclude the thought of such a course . But there is no overlooking the fact that a very serious drain is likely to be made on the resources of

the other Funds , by reason of the Centenary of the Boys , and this seems likely" to be specially noticeable in connection with the first celebration of the year—on behalf of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons .

The Annual Festival on behalf of the funds of our Old Folks' Charity is fixed for the end of next month , and although there is thus some time in which to work in order to ensure its success , the outlook at present is

anything but gratifying , for the number of Stewards already enrolled is much below the average of recent years , and there seems little or no chance of making good the deficiency in point of numbers during the two months

The Benevolent Institution.

yet before us , while th ^ reason anticipate that the quality of the lists to be Presented will be so far above the average as i ° make the totaI what a 11 would like to see it .

The good work carf > ed on b ^ Benevolent Institution is well known thf ^ * 10111 the country , for there is hardly a district to be f ^ within our borders that does not number in its midS * one or more of the

recipientsnew close on 500—of tl > bounty of the Craft distributed through this particular Institution , while the fact that it is found possible to assist 4 ° large a body of annuitants with ake l 1 to

regular grants does not ^ : necessary limit each of them to an insignificant amount , the payment being £ 40 a year for each aged M ^ ° > and ^ y ear for ea ch Widow elected on the F " tmds of the Institution .

It does not require ^ than a moment ' s thought to bring the fact forcibly tO one ' s mind that this lar £ e arra > of annuitants , each recei ^ substantial sum we have mentioned , entails a ve ^ heavy annual charge on the on lts

Institution , and the int ^ rest ^ vested funds being wholly inadequate to p * ° vide even a tithe of the annual distribution , if is self-e ^ dent that a ver y lar S e sum has to be raised in connect ^ with the Anniversary Festivals

held for that purpose ; ^ an y & reat diminution the number of Stewards w ^ rkin S with this ob i naturally occasions alarm , as to v / hether sufficient will be raised to

meet the calls of the yeP * ' > for > desPite the existence of a reserve ready to meet an ? SLlch emergency , it is a general hope that it will not V necessary to commence inroads upon it , for the purpose of making the receipts equal the

outgoings . It seems somewhat superfluous to make an especial appeal to our readers \ P something—however smallon behalf of the con > & Festival of the Benevolent

Institution , but it is ab ^ oluteIy necessary that a strong effort should be made di * S the next few weeks > else the Craft may find itself f ^ ce t 0 face with a deficit in this particular quarter . We ^ not so unreasonable as to ask

for a record return , un * ' the exceptional circumstances of the year , but we beli eve no' member of the Fraternity would wish to see the J ^ Centenary celebration benefit as a result of an actu ^ 1 deficit on either of the other

Funds . As long as the B ^ nevolent and the Girls Institutions can hold their own durii ^ y we believe no one wil 1 murmur , but as appeara ^ P 01 nt at P resent * somewhat

doubtful whether the tf « nevolent Institution will be able to do so , although , as i # wel 1 known ' there ls a stron & reliable band of workers

of this noble Institution . Comparisons betwee ^ the three Institutions are somewhat out of place-they are each so g ° od m their way tbat

it is next to impossible * ° detract from the merits of one of them , even with the greatest of desires to put a rosier complexion on either of the others ' but as one gradually