The Benevolent Institution.

THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

WITH the commencement of February the Masons of England are fairly brought within range-of the first Anniversary Charity Festival of the year , the celebration on behalf of the Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution being a fixture for the last Wednesday of that month . As a consequence

there are but three clear weeks remaining m which to complete the work of organisation in connection with the Festival , a labour that has been receiving careful and continuous attention for months past , and on the result of which so much of the near future of the Institution depends .

This period may be regarded by some as far too brief to allow of much more being done , but it is not so . There are a very large number of Lodge meetings to be held during the days yet remaining , and much might be accomplished if active

members could be induced to throw themselves heartily into the work , even at this eleventh hour ; a fact that is capable of easy demonstration , not the least successful among the

Stewards of the past being those who entered upon the work even nearer the day of celebration than this is—and entered upon it , be it understood , with the zeal and enthusiasm it seems to so richly deserve .

It might well be urged that the English Mason of the present day has no excuse for saying he is unacquainted with the great design of Freemasonry—to render help to those who , admitted members of the Order in their day of prosperity ,

have subsequently been reduced to the necessity of seeking assistance in order to provide themselves with the requirements of life , or the Widows or orphans of such Brethren ; and it might be urged with almost equal force that the ordinary

Mason should know something of the great Funds that are provided by tbe Craft to meet these claims . Yet there are many not sufficiently well acquainted with the details of

the work to induce them to lend it a helping hand , for in this connection we believe it is lack of knowledge as to what is being done that is to a great extent the cause of apathy , therefore our first care should be to instruct the masses .

The Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution is now annually paying away £ 16 , 080 hard cash in Annuities alone , that sum being distributed among 195 aged Masons , at the rate of £ 40 a year each ; 240 Widows , each receiving £ 32 ; 30 others

drawing half their late husband ' s pension , £ 20 each . This sum does not include anything for working expenses or the necessary expenditure in connection with the management of this great work , but the actual cash payment to the

Annuitants , and , as such , its genuineness and its correctness are absolutely beyond question . In this sum there is no inclusion of controversial items such as bricks and mortar , handsome buildings , expensive sites , or the hundred and one

such matters that often cause difference of opinion among supporters of other Charitable Institutions , where a considerable proportion of the amount regularly expended goes in the provision of what are often regarded as luxurious extravagances .

The Benevolent Institution.

The Masonic Benevolent Institution is conducted on entirely different principles in this respect , and such being the case its supporters have a special plea to urge on its behalf .

Having shown that the money subscribed to this Institution goes direct to those for whom it is contributed , we may devote a moment's consideration to the number of the

beneficiaries under the grants that are annually paid . From the figures already given it will be seen these amount to no less than 465 ; at least that is the number who are primarily benefited by the Annuities , while it is certain that many

others owe much of what they are enjoying to the kindly provision made by the Masons of England through this particular Fund . These two points are , to our thinking , in themselves sufficient to enlist the sympathy of our readers

on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , but there is yet another matter of prime importance and deserving of most serious attention , for in spite of the large number of Annuitants already elected there are many more equally

deserving of consideration , the number of approved candidates for the next election being no less than 115 , for whom but a very small number of vacancies will probably be available , but even this does not exhaust the special features that may bs

urged on behalf of the Benevolent Institution , for with its large outlay of £ 16 , 080 in annual pensions it has but £ 3 , 600 a year in the form of Permanent Income , leaving a

deficiency of £ 12 , 480 to be annually collected from the Craft , in addition to what is regularly required for management expenses .

The opportunity that presents itself at the present time is in connection with the Anniversary Festival , which will be held on Wednesday , the 27 th inst ., at Freemasons' Tavern , London , under the presidency of the Viscount Dungarvan

Provincial Grand Master of Somersetshire , for which Stewards are still urgently wanted . It is gratifying to know that Bro . James Terry the energetic Secretary of the Institution has already enrolled 250 such workers , but as we said at

the outset there is ample time for many additions , and we hope that ere the day of the Festival comes round that total will be considerably augmented . There is a special need for a heavy subscription this year , in view of the

falling off that has been experienced as a result of the strenuous efforts made to secure the success of the Jubilee of the Fund , which , as has been urged on previous occasions in our pages , not only led to large additional responsibility ,

but also had an appreciable effect on the amount subscribed in subsequent years . To help make good this discrepancy and to enable the Committee to continue the good workaye , and extend it—should be the aim and ambition of

every Brother who is m a position to do so . They must all remember the peculiar condition in which they were admitted to a participation of the Secrets of Masonry ; will

they take this opportunity of practising that virtue they then professed to admire ? Anything they have to give will be thankfully received , and faithfully applied .