What I Can, And What I Cannot Solve.

engravings of three Royal Arch Symbols . Under these symbols there are six Hebrew letters . There are also s nne Hebrew letters scattered over the above named symbols , some of which are correct and some are not . However , I

was able to decipher what the majority were designed to represent . The six letters underneath the symbols stand for " Hallelujah , " there is no mistake in that , but under the above Hebrew words is written

* » rmransb What those words meant I could not guess , I consulted a Rabbi , but he also could not make anything out of it . As , however , 1 intended visiting London in 1885 , 1 made up my mind not to puzzle more about it until I met with

my new esteemed friend Bro . Bywater . When wo met we had so much to say to each other that I forgot to ask for enlightenment on the above subject , and since then I havo thought no more of it , but as I felt a sincere desiro to

become a convert ( if possible ) to Bro . Sadler ' s Dermottic theory , and ns Bro . Sadler quotes from Bro . Bywater ' s book , I there f ore reperused Bro . Bywater ' s essay , but when I came to page 37 , the old puzzle revived . Last Sunday I

showed tho said page to an Hebrew Bro . Mason , but he could not enlighten me . On Monday morning I took the book tip again , and on applying a magnifying glass to the second word , written in diminutive letters , it struck me

that by changing the letter *\ in last word on the left side into an i ( the former would in English be equivalent to the letter D , and the latter would sound as an R ) and by expunging tho letter » which is placed after the D it would

then stand for tho Hebrew word Sopher , signifying scribe or secretary . As soon as I had succeeded in guessing that the second word stands for secretary , I camo to the conclusion that the ten Hebrew letters stand for the name

of the ' rocretary , and so thev do , after a fashion . Suppose now the Oxford Professor of Hebrew undertook to explain how those ten letters would sound in English letters , he would make tho name of the secretary read Lorentz Bermith

and an Israelite would pronounce tho name Lorentz Bermis . I lave however no doubt that it was designed by the Grand Secretary of the Ancients for his own name Liuvence Dcrmott .

So much for Dermott ' s Hebmvism , but Dermott ' s Latiiiiim , if ho meant it for Latin , is just as faulty as his Hebrew . I know that Domino is a Latin word , but as I have never heard about " Omino" I asked for its meaning

of two lawyers and a learned clergyman , but neither of them could answer . I then thought that perhaps the word might belong to tho high degree mysteries , and I inquired

for ils meaning of several learned thirty-thirders of the " Scotch Rite , " and to a ninety-fiver or sixer of the " Memphis Rite , " witho-it success . The question therefore as to what Bro . Dermott meant by tho mystic letters OMINO remains unanswered . Boston , U . S ., 5 th Feb . 1889 .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE Anniversary Festival of this Institution took place on Wednesday , at the PreemasonB Tavern , London , under the presidency of the Eight Hon . the Earl of Easton , Provincial Grand Master of Norths and Hunts . Before proceeding to detail the events of the day , we may cull tho following particnlars regarding the Institution from a statement drawn up by its Secretary , and whioh

gives tin ontl ne of tho rise and progress of the Charity . At a Qaar . erly Communication , held on the 2 nd of March 1842 , ( dutiug I he Grand Mastership of his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex ) , tho Grand Lodge of England founded this Institution , and voted to sum of £ 400 a year towards its object-the granting Annuities lo aged and dislressed Freemasons .

Oi U e 19 th of Mar , in the succeeding year ( 1843 ) , the first election took place , and fifteen brethren were chosen to receive Annuities , varying , according to age , from £ 10 to £ 30 annually . In 1815 , Ucr Most Gracious Majesty the Queen gave £ 50 to the

funds ft the Institution . In 1847 , ihe Supreme Grand Chapter voted £ 100 per annnm as ii . s Cf-niribiition , and in June of the same year the first Festival in aid of i he Fnnds w ;< s presided over by the Grand Master for the time bfi » s : (; he l ; ito Ea-1 < f Zetland ) , and was productive of a sum of £ 819 16 s 03 .

In 1872 , IT . R . H . the Piiuce of Wales , K . G ., M . W . G . M ., accepter ] the position of Patron of the Institution , and in the following year presided at its Anniversary Festival . As the Institution steadily progressed , it enlarged its sphere of

n ? e ' nlr . esa by establishing , in 1849 , a Fund for the Widows of Freema < o > s . To thiip , Grand Lodge voted an annual grant of £ 100 , and Grand Ch ipter £ 35 per annum . In the same year an amalgamation of this Institution was effected with the Asylnra for Aged Free , masons at Croydon—affording a home for thirty-three inmates—and ,

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

as the nucleus of a Sustenation Fund , to keep the buildings in repair , & r \ , Grand Lodero contributed the mim of £ 500 , which has been brought np by supplemental contributions to a fund of £ 1 , 000 . In 18 ^ 0 , tho first Annual Festival for the benefit of the Institution tonic pla' -e , before which time festivals bad only been held triennially .

In 1867 , the earlier system of classifying the Annuitants , accord - ing to a » e , was abolished , and all were made equal , so that the payment to a Brother is now £ 40 per annum , and to the Widow of a Freemason £ 32 per annum . At one time a large portion of the receipts used to be invested , but

now the Committep , desirons to effect the greatest amount of good , whilst being well assured of the permanence of the Institution , feel that subscriptions are intended to alleviate present wants—not to be laid by for future claims—and , therefore , invest only the surplus income of each year and suoh as accrue by testamentary bequests .

Since the formation of the Institution 735 brethren and 480 widows of Freemasons have been elected Annuitants . At the last cleotion 180 brethren were in receipt of £ 7 , 200 , 229 widows £ 7 , 328 , and 21 widows—at half their deceased husband's Annuities— £ 420 , or , in round numbers , brethren and the widows of brethren derived

£ 14 , 948 for the year from the sympathies and exertions of the Craft . At the next election there are 62 male candidates and 17 vacanoies , and 81 female candidates and 10 vaoancies only . Tho foregoing simple facts tell their own tale ; they show the

beginning , rise , and progress of the Institution . The brethren nobly did their duty when they established it . The generation that succeeded has cheerfully maintained it . The Craft of the present day is more munificent than its predecessors , but—with the daily increasing struggle to live , and the great

number of candidates for aid—it is necessary to supplement previous exertions , open up new channels of interest , and leave no effort untried that will bring home to every individual Freemason the claims of the Eoyal Masonio Benevolent Institution on his sympathies and means .

The banquet was provided by Messrs . Spiers and Pond , and served under the personal snporvision of Bro . Madell . Tho arrange , ments throughout were admirable , and reflected additional credit on tho already well known reputation of the establishment . After grace by the Rev . H . R . Cooper Smith , the Chairman

proposed tho Queen . The first toast is one that is always well received by Englishmen , and much more well received by all Masons . If there is one thing we Masons pride ourselves on it is our loyalty to the Crown in whatevfr country we dwell , and our obedience to tho laws and ordinances of that country . The toast having been

duly honoured , the Chairman again rose : The next toast I present to you is that of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , Most Worshipful Grand Master , Patron of this Institution . Very few words will be needed to bring this toast to yonr notice from the favourable way you have received it already . We can say this much , .

that we have tho greatest confidence in the Prince of Wales as Grand Master—we bear that true allegiance to him which we should do to the head of the Order , and we know that if we work as hard as he does for Freemasonry we shall do more than our duty . In speaking of the Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon Most Worship .

inl Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master and the rest of the Grand Officers Present and Past . The Chairman said : There is no brother who doubts me when I say that when we ask the Grand Officers lo come down to our respective Provinces to help in great works they find

a ready response . They are only too ready to give their assistance at any time ; in saying that I express the feelings of all the brethren . I ask you to couple with this toast the name of one who is well known to the Craft , who has served it well for many years and to whom we all look up with respect and affection— .

I mean the Grand Secretary . We all know how hard he works , and how ready he is to give his assistance to us on every possible occasion . I am certain of one thing—that with him as Grand Secretary ; to give us advice whenever we go to him to help us , we always shall find one ready to help us and to come

down and do his work ; and therefore we owe to him a deep debt of gratitude . He is most hardly worked , and none of us would like to go through the labour he does day after day . Co ) . Clerke , G . Secretary , in responding , said : Although I am not the senior Grand Officer in the room , yet I have to obey the command of the noble brother in

the chair , and to thank this large company for the exceedingly kind and flattering way in which they have received this toast . A very important toast it is , because it comprises the names of so many good and distinguished Masons who have done suit and service to onr Order and have been fortunate enough to have their

services recognised by the Most Worshipful Grand Master . I will not detain you in responding . It is an old toast , and I have to reply to it briefly . I would simply say that the Grand Officers are thoroughly grateful for the kind way in which they are always received . They try to make themselves deserving

of the praise which is bestowed upon them , and I am sure whenever they can do anything to serve the Craft they will only be too bnppy to do so . I am exceedingly thankful to you for the kind way in which you have received the t > ast , and to our brother President , who has mentioned me personally in such a kind way , and I only hopi

that I shall be always received with the same recognition at the hands of the brethren . The Chairman next introduced the toast of the evening in -the following terma : —The toast we havo all assembled here to celebrate and to honour to-night is the toesfc of Success to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged

Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons . I am quite certain that the Craft in general must be pleased when they see this grand assemblnge of Stewards from every Province under the Uui : od

Grand Lodge of England . It is a number ot Stewards that personally does me great credit . Last year the Board numbered 276 , this year there are 358 . The noble Chairman then detailed the facts wo have summarized above . Continuing , he said , after the last