The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

election there were 180 annuitants on the list receiving £ 40 a year , and I am sorry to say that there ia an enormous number who still want to come on that list . Times have not gone well ; what has hit one has hit another , and it has hit some very hard . Now , when I tell you that there are 64 male candidates for the next election , and

only 14 vacancies , it will convey to your mind how much we want to do beyond what we are doing . After stating the income from Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter , £ 900 a year , dividend on funded property made a total of £ 2028 a year , he pointed out the deficiency which had to be made up . Now , brethren , when you look at that

you will feel with me that we ought not every year to depend so entirely upon the subscriptions of the Craft , but that we should go on doing what we are doing to the best of our ability ; that we should use our income only in case of need ; that we ought to keep on increasing and increasing the invested funded property , so that if a

really bad year comes , which God grant it may not , we may then take the income and say , " we can tide over this . " But if we get hard hit and have to dip into our funded property , where are we going to be the next year ? If once you begin to dip into your reserve fund , you will find you will want to dip again , and again , and in

that way capital will soon go . Let ns be content ; let ua seek out the most deserving cases that oome before ns , and give them the annuities we can afford to give , and not try to go beyond our absolute power . As regards the Widows' Fund , after the last election there were 230 widows receiving £ 32 a year each , and some of them

residing at the homo of the Institution . The income of the Institution , £ 850 from the Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter and £ 882 from invested funds , makes a total of £ 1732 , leaving a deficiency of £ 6000 . In plain language , that means the brethren who have the interest of the Craft at heart , and endeavour to keep up not only the

name but the spirit of Charity , have to provide £ 15 , 000 yearly to keep this Institution going . I cannot tell you , but I suppose presently the Secretary will tell you , what we have got tonight . I can only say it is a good lift on the road towards that sum . We cannot expeot every year such a lift ,

particularly after the Centenary of the Girls' School , when the whole Craft was called upon and answered in a way that no Charities had ever been answered for before , for on that occasion £ 50 , 600 was forth , coming on the clay of the celebration of the Centenary of the Girls ' School at the Royal Albert Hall—a sum that we trust may do good

to that Institution , that may set it on its legs , and may enable it to make additions that they now require . They may not want so muoh the next two or three years ; they cannot expect it . They have raised an immense sum , and you must not forget the old saying that the young are all very well in their way , but there are many men

and many widows who are deserving the grants of £ 40 and £ 32 a year respectively at Croydon . One old lady I saw myself ; she had been 25 years at the Institution , and I may tell yon that before she came there she had every luxury in the world ; but when her husband died he left her penniless , after living in the greatest affluence and

ease , and that old lady is content and happy in the habitation provided for her by this Benevolent Institution . I do not want to detain you , but I do want to say one thing . I want you all to go back to your Provinces and to your respective Lodges and take the thanks of the Benevolent Institution for sending you here this

evening , and not only sending you np , but sending you up with a full hand . I think there is very little more to be said ; as we go on , let us never forget one Charity or the other . Let us keep the one great object of our Institution before us , and whatever the world may say of Freemasonry , whether they say we dine too well or

we enjoy ourselves too much , let us have that one consolation in our conscience , that we are doing good in every way we possibly can . Brethren , I give yon the toast of the evening , and that is Success to the Benevolent Institution for Aged Masons and Widows of Mason , and , while asking you to drink it heartily , I call

upon Bro . Farnfield to reply to the toast . Bro . J . A . Farnfield , in responding , said the large assemblage that we have here to-night does my heart good , because I fully believe that when so large a number of Masons are assembled together the outcome of that assembly will be a very large total on the lists of the Stewards . It

was with fear and tremblidg the Committee approached this year , because in reviewing our balance sheet at the last General Committee , we found that last year we were something like £ 2000 to the bad ; and after the bumper Festival that the Girls' School had we cannot hope to have as large a sum this year

aa the last . But everything comes to those that hope and do not despair , and seeing you all assembled round us to support his lordship in the chair , we have every hope that the total to-night will not be less than last year . In that hope I am sure you all will agree with me , and therefore I will not further

tresspass upon your time , but thank you all on behalf of the Committee and Executive of the Institution for so kindly responding to the toast . Bro . Terry then read the lists of subscriptions ; details are given on another page . Bro . Richard Eve P . G . Treasurer proposed the next teas *' , " The Health of our Right Hon . Chairman . "

Our chairman is a Provincial Grand Master who is well recognised in his province , and is one of the most popular of the Provincial Grand Masters . From the splendid reception he had from the brethren of his province , I am quite sure that he dwells in the hearts of all Masons of that province ; for by the way in whioh they have presented them .

selves to-night and supported him , by bringing so large a sum from a comparatively small province , we may conclude it shows their earnestness in supporting this Institution . I am not going to take up your time long , but I am going to tell you that although our R . W . Chairman i 3 a comparatively young Mason he has made great

headway in the Craft ; but he is not ashamed of minor positions , as at tho present time he is holding the office of Junior Deacon in a London Lodge . So that you will see he ia earnest in the cause—that

he is determined to support onr great Order , and to dignify it to the utmost of his ability . The Chairman said I have to thank my worshipful brethren for the way in which they have received this toaafc , and the very worshipful brother for the kind and flattering

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

way in which he haa proposed it . I assure yon I do not deserve as muoh aa he haa said . I oan only tell you that I try to the utmost of my ability to do whatever duty devolves on me—to me rather—from the position I have been placed in in the Craft ; and I only hope that when I do come and do what I am expeoted to do , I give you

satisfaction . That satisfies me . But there is something beyond that As our very worshipful brother told yon , I am net an old Mason ; but as a Mason I oan say this—I wish I had been a Mason when I was 20 years of age , because I do not know , going through all that you and I know about Masonrv , that there is snoh an Institution in

the world to compare with it—an Institution that , whether you are riob or poor , can do aa muoh good for—an Institution where the smallest mite is received thankfully , and applied faithfully . That is the great and glorious point of our Institution . We stand hand to hand and shoulder to shoulder , and we < nn face the world

and defy , calumny , beoanse the people who speak against us know nothing about ns . I remember once seeing in the newspapers that a letter was answered . I know what my remark was at the time , I said that I thought it was a mistake to answer it , because the person who wrote it did not

know what he was writing about . We , brethren , know whit wo aro doiti ? , and all loan say is that so long ns I live , so long ns I have health and strength , when you want me to do any service to the Craft I am at your command . One word more ; whatever we do , whatever we take into our hands to do , let us do it thoroughly and

with our best ability . In giving the toast , Success to the other Masonio Institutions—the Girls' School and the Boys' School—his lordship said : It is very difficult for me to say much , beanse I have exhausted almost all my ingenuity in trying to nviko a speech on the one Charity . I call to yonr notice that the G ' rla '

School Festival is in May , and the Boys' School Festival is on tho 26 th June . Now , although the Girls' School nu . y have had a very fair share of the good things of this world , I do not say they do rot want help , and I know you will all be ready to giv ¦ it . The Boys ' School also wants assistance , and I think a gr at de il of

assistance and I only hope you will all o irao f < rward again from yonr provinces , and help it so far a * you oan do so without detriment to yourselves or connection 1-. Every little helps . Do not be afraid of five shillings ; it all aids up . Although wo are anxious to take care of our Aged Masons and Widows ,

who from unforeseen circumstances of calamity and misfortune havo come to distress and want , we are also anxious that tho sons and daughters of Masons should have a start given them by us iu tho shape of a good education , and keeping them for a certain time of their lives till they are able to take care of themselves . And wo

only hope that the education they receive at the Girls' and Boys ' Schools will help them in earning their livelihood when they cjme to the age of maturity . I will not praise one Institution more than the other . I ask you to heartily drink success to the Masonic Institutions , the Girls' School and the Boys' School , aud I must call upon

Bro . Hedges , the Secretary of the Girls' School , to reply , Bro . Hedges said : —I rise with great pleasure on this occasion to acknowledge the very kind manner in which the toast has been received . It affords me a double pleasure , in that this is the third time within a very short space that I have had the honour of

replying to this toast when proposed by our noblo Chairman of to-night . The pleasure ia greatly enhanced in that it affords me an opportunity of rendering the sister Institution our most sincere congratulations on the great success whioh ha 3 attended the labours of the Stewards on this

occasion . I can only express the hope that the same liberality which has been extended to the Benevolent Institution to-day will be extended to the Boys' School in June . As you have already heard from your Chairman that Institution really needs assistance . The Gir ! s' School natu a'ly is looking forward to its Festival—the 101 st—in May next , and wo

shall be very grateful for the assistance to which your noble Chairman referred . But while saying that I would rather plead for the larger amount for the Boys' School , seeing that last year the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls had that glorious Festival at tho Royal Albert Hall to which reference has already been mado to night .

And I would ask to be allowed , my lord , to take this opportunity to tender , on behalf of that Institution , my most sincers and heartftlt thanks to all those who , by their unremitting energy and unbocnled liberality contributed towards that magnificent result , which wes at once a finanoial success unparalleled , and a Masonic celebration

whioh has never been surpassed . I will not trespass further upon your time , but will conclude by thanking you once moro for tho Boys' and Girls' Schools for the very kind manner in which this toast has been received to . night . Bro Bincke ? , in response to loud calls , said : On behalf of the Boys' School , I rise with extreme

reluctance to thank you for the very grateful respon . e you have given to this toast . My good friend Bro . Hedges has thanked you on 1 e' 1 of both the Girls' and the Boys' Schools , and I think it ii hard case that the assemblage should be troubled with a double response . But by the almost unanimous feeling o ' the

brethren assembled here they insist on a wcrd or two from me . I will only Bay the Boys' School has snffered very sev .- rely by the competition with the magnificent ce ' ebration of the Girls' School last year , and we place ourselves before yoa at the Festival of Juno 1889 aa really and truly deserving of all the sympathy and all the

support that you can possibly render to us . I do not know that I am prudent in alluding to the investigation which has been instituted with reference to the management of our Institution . I kr . o . v very well I am justified in alluding to it , because I am painfully awaro that a large number of brethren who are disposed to come to our

relief and to our assistance this year are withholding their support pending the production of the report of that inqniry . I haro no hesitation in stating to you that I believo that I have attended the meetings of that Committee over and over again , and whatever faults may have been found with reference to details as to our management , ( Continued on page 139 ) .