The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty , and the number of females from eighty-eight to one hundred , as announced in our issue of 13 th February last , so this year , if our brethren but do their duty , we ought to hear of at least an equal , if not greater , addition to the numbers .

As regards the income of the Benevolent Institution , this , taking the male and female funds together , amounted to somewhere about ten thousand pounds , while tho inmates receive not far short of eight thousand pounds . Of the income , only about £ 2 , 100 , including contributions from

Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter to the , extent of £ 950 , is permanent , the rest being interest on invested moneys . Thus hardly less than six thousand pounds must be subscribed annually in order to maintain the Charity " only in its present state of usefulness . " But while it cannot be said to be

a loss to maintain this or any other institution at its normal standard of efficiency it must not be considered creditable to a body which is constantly increasing in numbers if the institutions it maintains do not increase in a corresponding

ratio . Last year there were thirty-four female candidates for eighteen vacancies , and thirty-three male candidates for twenty-eight vacancies , after making due allowance for the additions , by the Committee , of twelve female and ten male annuitants . Thus sixteen female

and five male candidates , all of whom had been approved as worthy of election , were doomed to disappointment . So long as we are obliged to disappoint worthy claimants on our support , so long must we labour to

increase the funds of the Benevolent Institution . It will be time enough , when there are more vacancies than candidates , to direct our surplus energies into some other channel .

We must not close these brief remarks without wishing the indefatigable Secretary , Bro . Terry , all the success he himself desires . He is a genial , good soul , whose efforts it is a pleasure to record . His labours to promote the comfort of our patriarchs are hardly less appreciated by

the Craft than they are by his ancient charges themselves . His uniform kindness , his unwearying , unselfish efforts on their behalf , do him honour ; and knowing and appreciating these efforts as we do , in common with all other brethren , it enhances the enthusiasm with which we support a

charity , when we know its management rests principally on his shoulders . In fine , let it be borne in mind , and acted upon , that five shillings per man all round the Order annually means , as we said on a former occasion

an income of something like £ 12 , 000 . If we cannot achieve this we ought—shall we say ?—to consider ourselves as only imperfectly discharging one of our most important obligations .

We append a List of the Stewards for the Anniversary Festival of 1876 : —

BOARD OF STEWARDS . President . Y . W . Bro . the Eev . J . E . Cox , D . D ., P . G . Chap .

Vice-Presidents . E . W . Bro . Lt .-Col . Sir Henry Edwards , Bart ., Prov . G . M . W . Yorkshire P . M . 61 W . „ J . M . P . Montagu , D . P . G . M . Dorsetshire ... P . M . 1383 „ Thomas Jovvitt , D . P . G . M . Herefordshire ... P . M . 120 . .. Edward J . Morris , D . P . G . M . South Wales

Prov . of Sonth Wales , E . Division „ T . W . Tew , D . P . G . M . West Yorks P . M . 910 „ Andrew Hay , P . D . D . G . M . Bombay V . W . „ Rev . J . G . Martyn ( Vice-Patron ) P . G . Chap . P . M . 1224 „ „ Rev . A . P . A . Woodford , P . G . Chap P . M . 2

W . Bro . Frederick Parker Morrell , J . G . D . Province of Oxon „ Eaynham W . Stewart , P . G . D P . M . 108 „ J . Daniel Moore ( M . D . ) P . G . S . B . P . M . 281 ... W . M . 1561 „ John Contts , P . G . P W . M . 1531 „ Thomas Cnbitt , P . G . P . „ Col . James Dnff , Prov . G . W . Norfolk ... W . M . 102 „ Wm . H . Brittain , Prov . G . J . W . W . Yorkshire P . M . 139 „ Capt . A . T . Perkins ( J . P . ) Prov . G . J . W .

Somerset W . M . 446 „ Charles Fryer , Prov . G . W . West Lancashire P . M . 113 „ Lt . Col . Thomas Birchall ( J . P . ) ditto P . M . 113 „ H . E . Cooper Smith , Prov . G . J . W . Oxon ... AV . M . 478

„ Dr . Brette , Prov . G . Chap . Middlesex Mark Lo . No . „ A . C . Veley , P . P . G . W . Essex J . W . 4 „ Eev . J . N . Palmer , P . P . G . W . Hants and I . of W ., No . 10 „ Henry Cawte , P . P . G . W . Hants and I . of W ., P . M . 309 „ R . Joynes Emerson , P . P . G . J . W . Kent ... P . M . 1206 „ Clement Stretton , P . P . G . W . Leicester , Prov . of

Leicester and Eutland „ George W . F . Loftus , P . P . G . W . Norfolk ... P . M . 1193 „ Lt .-Col . Addison Potter , P . P . G . J . W . Northnmberlaud , Prov . of Northumberland

„ John Lees , P . P . G . W . Surrey P . M . 416 „ John Prescott , P . P . J . G . W . West Lano . ... P . M . 580 „ M . M . de Bartolome , P . P . G . W . West Yorks ... P . M . 296 „ EnsorDrnry , P . P . G . W . West Yorkshire ... P . M . 296 „ Capt . John Wordsworth ( V . P . ) P . P . S . G . W .

W . Yorkshire P . M . 380 „ Eev . J . A . Lloyd ( M . A . ) P . G . Chap . Oxon ... Ml „ Eev . D . Shaboe , P . P . G . Chap . Middlesex ... P . M . 183 „ R . J . Critchley ( J . P . ) Prov . G . Treas . W . Yorks . P . M . 208 „ Hy . Griming , P . G . Eeg . Bristol P . M . 197 „ Dr . J . Kellet Smith , Prov . G . Eeg . W . Lano .

P . M . and Treas . 249 „ John Bowes , P . P . G . Eeg . Cumberland and Westmoreland , Prov . G . S . B . W . Lane . W . M . 148 „ R . Pearson , P . P . G . Eeg . West Lancashire ... P . M . 995 „ George Davies , Dist . G . Sec , Dist . G . Lodge of Punjab „ W . H . Lncia , Prov . G . See . Suffolk P . M . 1008

„ Henry Smith , Prov . G . Sec . West Yorks ... P . M . 302 „ Henry C . Tombs , Prov . G . Sec . Wilts Prov . of Wilts „ H . S . Alpass , Prov . G . Sec . VV . Lancashire ... P . M . 680 „ Henry Dubosc sen ., Prov . G . D . Devon ... P . M . 156 „ H . E . Frances , Prov . G . D . Surrey P . M . 452 „ Robert Wylie , P . P . G . D . West Lancashire ... P . M . 155

„ Robert Wilson , P . P . S . G . D . W . Lancashire ... P . M . 241 „ W . Leader ( V . P . ) Prov . G . J . D . W . Lane . .. CM . 1335 „ G . P . Brockbank , P . G . D . East Lane . P . Z . 37 P . / .. 221 „ Charles Laoey , P . P . G . D . Herts P . M . 1421 „ G . S . Woodwark , P . P . G . D . Norfolk P . M . 107

„ Harry Wm . Charrington , P . P . G . D . Surrey .. Sec . 1395 „ Joseph C . Gillman , P . P . G . D . West Lane . ... P . M . 1345 „ H . C . Levander , P . P . G . D . Wiltshire P . M . 1491 „ J . Lewis Thomas , P . G . Sup of Wks . Middx . P . M . 112 „ William Cutbush , P . P . G . Sup . of Works Herts P . M . and Treas . 1385 J . . JJLL uiuiL xicas . j . una

, „ Wm . Laidlaw , P . P . G . Sup . of W . W . Lane . ... P . M . 216 „ Bradshaw W . Rowson , P . P . G . Sup . of Works West Lancashire P . M . 203 „ Isaac Dan . McDougall , P . P . G . D . C . Middlesex P . M . and Hon . Sec . 90 „ C . M . Jones , P . P . G . D . of Cer . E . Lane . ... P . M . 54 „ J . P . Goepel , P . P . G . D . C . W . Lane P . M . 823 „ A . Lucking , P . A . G . D . C . Essex , P . M . 160 ... W . M . 1000 „ George Baxter , P . A . G . D . C . Norfolk , P . M . and Sec . 807

„ Robert H . Griffin , P . A . G . D . C . Norths , and Hunts . P . M . 442 , Prov . of Norths , and Hunts . „ Capt . J . W . Arrowsmith , Prov . G . S . B . Cheshire S . W . 321 „ J . Edward Curteis , P . G . S . B . Devon P . M . 189

„ John Thompson , P . G . S . B . N . and E . Yorks ... P . M . 57 „ Allan C . Wylie , P . P . G . S . B . Herts W . M . 869 „ Thomas Hastings Miller , P . G . Org . Middlesex ... 1489 „ Joseph Eeade , P . P . G . P . Oxon W . M . 1036 „ Engeno Henry Thiellay , P . A . G . P . Middlesex ... S . W . 1423 „ Edwin March , P . G . S . ... W . M . Gd . Stewards' Lo .

„ C . J . Morgan , Grand Steward S . W . 8 „ John E . Middleton , P . G . S P . M . 29 „ William Smithett , P . G . S . J . W . 58 P . M . 180 „ J . S . Banning , P . G . S P . M . 936 „ James Eberall , Prov . G . S . Sussex P . M . 315 „ Henry Campkin , Prov . G . Std . Herts W . M . 403 „ W . Gilbert , Prov . G . S . Herts W . M . 1327 „ J . Fowls Eoberts , Prov . G . Std . W . Lane . ... P . M . 1313 „ George Haigh , Prov . G . S . West Yorks ... W . M . 149 „ John Palmer ( V . P . ) P . M . 1348

Treasurer . W . BRO . THOMAS FENN ( V . P . ) P . G . D .

Bro . Hartridge , Fras . James 1 „ Havers , J . C S . D . 5 „ Crowley , L . T . ... P . M . 7 „ Marsh , W . E W . M . 9 „ Watson , Charles ... P . M . 11

„ Coombs , Eobert ... 12 „ Bristovv , A . Isaac ... S . D . 14 „ Chaplin , J . C W . M . 18 „ Stead , Jno . Knight ( P . M . 1297 ) 21 „ Phythian , George ... S . D . 22 „ Kent , Frederick ( P . M . 177 ) 23

Comp . Last , Joseph ... Chap . 25 Bro . Green , John W . M . 27 „ Lane , William P . M . 28 „ Harling , Joseph ... P . M . 30 „ Sugg , William Thomas 33 „ Bingemann , John ... W . M . 55 „ Preston , Henry ... P . M . 57

„ iiowyer , Edgar ... S . W . 65 „ Galland , Robert ... P . M . 66 „ Eayden , Charles W . M . Elect 73 „ Andrews , Charles ... P . M . 77 „ Hull , Charles P . M . 87

Bro . Flack , John W . M . 101 „ Hawkesley , G . W . ... P . M . 139 „ Webster , G . E . ... S . W . 139 „ Allen , George ... S . W . 144 „ Purkiss , George ... W . M . 145 „ Hatchings , J . J . ... 11 , 7 „ Levick , John M . ... 151

„ Wells , W . T W . M . 174 Comp . Mather , E . C . P . S . Chap . 174 „ Nairn , P . A . ... P . Z . Chap . 176 Bro . Sorrell , John Brockett W . M . 176 „ Everett , George ... I . P . M . 177