The Festival Of The Benevolent Institution.

THE FESTIVAL OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons was held at Freemasons' Tavern , Great Queen Street , London , on Wednesday last , under the presidency of Sir George Elliot , Bart ., M . P ., Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of the Eastern Division of South Wales , who was supported by an

iofluenttal B"ard of Stewards from various parts of t ^ e country . As one of the beat known stipp > rters of our Institutions observe 1 at the close of tho gathering , the doings at the Festivals seem to become year by year smaller by degrees and beautifully less . Whether it is that the brethren are less inclined to listen to long speeches , or the speakers

become less disposed to deliver them , we know not , but it is certain Wednesday ' s Festival was concluded at an exceptionally early hour , a result whioh afforded satisfaction to many of those present . Perhaps no small portion of the credit of the early finish is due to the good start which was made , the first part of the proceedings—the banquet

—being served in excellent form by Messrs . Spiers and Pond , whose manager at this establishment , Bro . Madell , is so active by nature as to induce activity in all under his oharge . The banquet having concluded , the Chairman proceeded with the toast list , whioh he disposed of in brief but appropriate terms . The health of Her

Majesty the Queen having been drunk , and the National Anthem sung , that of H . R H . the Prince of Wales , the Princess of Wales and the other members of the Royal Family was submitted . The Chairroan was quite certain no speech was expected from him in connection with this toast . The ability of the Prince of Wales was

well-known , he supposed , to every oue he was addressing , while his genial behaviour was of such a character as to delight all who came into contact with him . The next toast was that of the Pro Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers present and past . To this Bro . Saunders P . D . G . M . Madras responded .

He regretted the duty of replying to the toast had fallen on him , as he felt sure there were many who could do greater justice to it . It was , however , a somewhat easy task to perform , inasmuch as it embraced the Pro and Deputy Graud Master , than whom no better Masons could be found , together with those brethren whom the

Graud Master bad called around him to assist in the Government and maintenance of the Craft . He did not possess the power of speech to properly portray the ability of either tbe Pro Grand Master or the Deputy Grand Master , while in regard to the minor Officers of Grand Lodge the brethren around him were quite capable of

forming an opinion as to their merits . He should , therefore , content himself with a simple acknowledgment of their hearty thanks for the toast just proposed in their hononr . The Chairman then rose to propose the toast of the evening , Success to tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of

Freemasons . Before submitting the toast , he desired to make one observation . The room was a very large one , and he had a large audience ; as he should like to think that every word he uttered was heard in every part of the room , he appealed to the brethren to be as quiet as possible while he gave them a few

particulars of the very important Charity they were that night assembled to honour . He then proceeded : —The duty now devolves upon me of proposing the toast of the evening Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and as the purpose for which we are now assembled is that we shonld use our

utmost efforts to advance that prosperity , I am confident I shall have the sympathy of all present in the remarks I am about to make . The merits of the case are simple ; nor is ifc necessary I should adopt atone of exaggeration in laying them before you . As many of you know already , this Institution consists of a Male Fund and a Widows '

Fund . The former was established by Grand Lodge in 18-42 , towards the close of the Grand Mastership of the late Duke of Sussex , aud in the forty-six years that have since elapsed it has supported 711 agsd and necessitons brethren . After the election in May of last year it provided Annuities of £ 40 each for 179 brethren , the amount required

annually to meet this expenditure being £ 7160 . But the permanent income of the Fund is only £ 1986 , and there is therefore a deficiency of £ 5174 , whioh the Committee of Management have faith will be supplied by the voluutary donations and subscriptions of the Craft . The Widows' Fund , which was established by Grand Lodge in 1849 ,

in the Grand Mastership of the late Lord Zetland , has since supported 463 Widows of Brethren , and after the election in May last provided annuities of £ 32 each for £ 227 Widows . While in addition there are 15 Widows who receive for three years , and without election , the half of their late husband ' s Annuity—the total expenditure for

tbe Widows' Annuities and half Annuities being £ 7564 . Bub the permanent income of this branch is only £ 1518 , and consequently there is an annual deficiency , which we hope will bo made good by the brethren , amounting to £ 6016 . Besides all this , there is the Asylum at Croydon ( which accommodates 32 of tho Annuitants ) to be

maintained , aud there are also the working expenses , or expenses of management , which , I need hardly tell you , in au Institution of this magnitude amount to a considerable sum annually . Last of all , for the election , which will take place on the third Friday in May next , there are on the Male Fund 67 candidates aud ouly 16 vacancies to

be filled , and on the Widows' Fund 64 candidates and only seven vacancies , so that even under the most favourable circumstances , and in spite ofthe periodical increases in number which have taken place during the last few years , there will still remain quite 100 poor old brethren aud widows of brethren for whom no provision can be made

this year . Waa I not right in saying that the facts of the case are simple , and do not need to be exaggerated in order to assure your sympath y ? Bnt I should be discharging my duty as Chairman very imperfectl y if I did not say something as to who and what these

annuitants and candidates are , and what they have been . The candidates are all of them brother Masons of good standing , that is to say , they have been subscribing members of one or more of our Lodges for at least 10 years , and some of them over 40 years . Many

The Festival Of The Benevolent Institution.

have held high office , and some in their palmy days have contributed towards the support of our Masonio Institutions in the same manner , and by the same means , that we hope to employ successfully on this occasion . AU were onoe in reputable circumstances , many being even wealthy , but Fortune has b ^ en unkind , and

now they are old and feebl * , and , but for the benefits whnh they hope to obtain from this Institution , they would be in a condition of hopeless and absolnte poverty . And as with the Male Annuitants and Candidates , so it is with the Widows—their husbands were once in sood standing in Freemasonry and in good worldly ciroumstanoea ;

but now , a * for themselves , they are without moans , save what are provided , or they hope will be provided , by this Charity , and are too aged and inflrm to earn their livelihood . Tctif , then , is the Institution whoso cause it is my privilege to advocate this evening . I have told yun what it ha * done iu the past , and what it stands pledged to do in

the present . I have shewn you how small are its permanent reeonrces by compirison with its expenditure . I trust , therefore , my earnest appeal to you all for that support which is so imperatively necessary will not be in vain , a » d that the announcement which it will be the duty of Bro . Terry , a » Secretary , to make iu the course of the evt ning

will shew that the members of the Board of Stewards have succeeded n obtaining , in donations aud subscriptions , a sum sufficient not only iforthe expenses of the current jear , butaLoto justify the Committee of Management in recommending an increase , however small , in iho number of Annuitants on the two funds , so that when the day of

eleotion comes round in May next , as few as possible of the 131 applicants may be left unprovided for . Let me again remind you that these poor old people were formerly in good circumstauce p , but they have been sore stricken in the battle of life , and in their utter helplessness and poverty they have , humanly speaking , no other trust

than in your kindness and in the generous exercise of tbat MasoMJ principle of Charity which , I rejoice to say , is never appealed to in vain . Without further preface I give yon Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and I couple with tbe toast th » name o f Bro . Edgar Bowyer , the worthy Treasurer of this admirable Charity .

Bro . Ed ear Bowyer acknowledged the toast . He thanked Sir George Elliot for the very kind manner in which he had proposed Success to the Institution , and assured him the Committee thanked most sincerely for presiding there that evening , while they were equally thankful to the Board of Stewards for what they had done

on behalf of the Charity . Bro . Terry was then called upon to read the list of amounts contributed for the Festival . Never , perhaps , was he more heartily received than on this occasion , and if there were any present who previously entertained the opinion that hi * efforts as Secretary are less appreciatad now than they have besn in

the past , they must have beeu forcibly convinced that such was not the case . Cheer after cheer resounded throughout the hall , and it was only after an outburst of some minutes' duration that he could attempt to proceed with the tank before him . On the present occasion he said the Institution had the advantage of a Board of

Stewards , two hundred and seventy-four in number , a'td as an instance of the feeling which actuated many of them , be might men . tion that at that moment the number was eleveu greater than it was when they made up their return the day before . This he considered a great personal compliment to the Chairman of the day ,

as many of these latest arrivals had no doubt given in their names a " , the last moment in order to secure for Sir George Elliot as strong a body of followers as possible , Bro . Terry then read out the lists of donntions ( full particulars of which we give elsewhere , together with alterations and additions up to the

time of our going to press ) . The final announcement called forth another hearty roun I of applause , and when this had subsided , the toast of tbe Chairman was honoured , as also was that of the Sister Institutions , to which latter Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , P . G . Swd . B . S crpfcary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , responded . He

tendered his warmest thanks for the toast , and begged to congratulate the Benevolent Institution on the magnificent result of that day ' s Festival . As the brethren were aware , they would this year celebrate the Centenary of the Institution with which he had tbe hononr of being associated—The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . He

had hoped to have been able to announce that night the date of their Festival , and some other information in regard to it , which was anxiously awaited by the Craft , but he was unfortunately unable to do so , although he assured them his Committee would fc ike the earliest means of informing the Craft on the several matters . They

fully recognised the kindness and great liberality with which so many brethren were coming forward in support of the Centenary , and hoped , althousrh they at present had a splendid roll of Stewards , that the number would be largely increased before the date of the Festival . It was trne those associated with the Girls' School were

looking forward to a grand Fest ' val , and they were anticipating a heavy total as its outcome , but they did not believe it would prove detrimental to the other Institutions . Experience had taught them that when the Craft undertook to support any particular object in a special manner , it did not do it to the . detriment of other and equally

deserving objects . The result of that night's gathering had confirmed this opinion , and he hoped that wheu the announcement came to be made in connection with the Boys' School Festival , that also won Id go to prove the truth of his surmise . Bro . Major Woodall , P . G . Tr . a ? ., submitted the next toast . The duty allotted to him was a very

pleasant one , and ouo which he felt sure would meet the approval of all around him . It was to propose the toast of the Stewards of •¦ ¦ he clay , the health of those good brethren by whose exertions the Institution had secured so gratifying a result fur i > . * Annual Festival . He might say , in the language o :

the brave fisherman who toil upon the def-p , tnafc they had given a long pull , a strong pull , and a pull all tosiether , with the result that they bad landed a grand prize on tbi-f occasion . Bro . Tennaut , Deputy Provincial Grand Master Eastern Division South Wales , replied . As President of the Board of Stewards he acknowledged the toast which had been so heartily