Analysis Of The Subscription List, R.M.B.I.

the Province Jsince its present chief acceded to office in 1878 .

Having thus cleared the way by explaining , as far as such exp lanation is possible or probable , the reasons which appear to us to justify or otherwise the non-representation at this Festival of the Provinces we have enumerated above , let ns devote some space to those who helped Bro .

Terry to achieve the grand result of last Wednesday week . First in order is Berks and Bucks , whose part on these occasions is always satisfactorily played . It has eighteen

Lodges on its roll , the one half of which are in Berks and the other half in Bucks . Six Stewards , five of whom represented as many Berks Lodges , together raised £ 207 19 s 6 d , of which £ 37 18 s 6 d -was the amount of the

Bucks Steward s list . We would suggest to our brethren in the latter county that it would look far better if its Lodges exhibited a somewhat greater degree of activity in

their support of our Institutions . Last year at the Benevolent it sent up the same number of representatives , their total , with one—a Bucks—list not accounted for , being £ 215 3 s 6 d . On this occasion there were four Berks and

two Bucks Stewards . At the Girls' Festival there were seven Stewards , all of whom acted on behalf of Berks Lodges , the sum of their lists being £ 506 14 s . At the Boys' School there were four Stewards , who raised together £ 105 18 s , but it did not appear to what Lodges these

Stewards were attached . However , we have said enough to show the force of our remark that a little more activity on the part of Bucks would seem to be desirable , if only in order to establish between it and its neighbour

something like a fair equilibrium . The Province of Bristol , with its eight Lodges , gives by its general representative the sum of £ 54 2 s . Last year its contribution to the Girls ' School was £ 216 6 s . It contributed on a small scale to

the Benevolent and the Girls' in 1879 . In 1878 the Benevolent and Our Boys received at its hands a fair share of attention , the former to the extent of £ 134 15 s , aud the latter to that of £ 81 18 s ; while in 1877 , with the Earl of Limerick P . G . M . as its representative , it contributed

£ 161 8 s to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . This is a highly praiseworthy exhibition of zeal for our Institutions . Cheshire , with its thirty-seven Lodges , may always be reckoned upon for its share of support , though it has a local Institution of its own which is in a most

flourishing condition . This time , with one Steward for the whole Province , and three brethren acting apparently ou their own account , its total is £ 243 12 s , of which £ 201 12 s , is entered for the Province . Last Jul y it sent up to the Boys' School eleven Stewards , whose aggregate

was £ 313 12 s 6 d . In April 1880 , by the hands of five Stewards , it contributed £ 151 4 s to the Girls' School , and it figures at the Benevolent Festival in the previous February for £ 69 . At the Girls' Festival 1879 it sent up £ 356 4 s . This bears out what we have

said—that Cheshire must be reckoned upon to a fair extent , and to one which , under the special circumstance we have alluded to , is worthy of its strength and reputation . Cornwall , with twenty-eight Lodges , gives £ 10 ls . It was unrepresented last year , but in 1879 , when Bro .

Hughan and another acted as Stewards , the former being the representative of the Province , it gave £ 378 . In 1878 it bestowed its attentions on the Benevolent , the Earl of Mount Edgecumbe and Bro . Hughan being its Stewards , and the amount of its contributions £ 570 . In 1876 the

Boys' School was favoured , Bro . Hughan being the sole representative of the Province , and the total of his list £ 432 12 s . Derbyshire ( nineteen Lodges ) has sent two Steward s , whose lists amount together to £ 110 16 s . At the Boys' Festival of July last it sent £ 47 6 s 6 d , and at

the Benevolent £ 132 3 s . In 1879 it helped the Boys' to the extent of £ 277 2 s , and is also to be credited with a contribution to the R . M . B . I . tho same year . Devonshire has a roll of exactly fift y Lodges , and figures for £ 63 . Last year it gave this Institution £ 191 13 sand the Girls '

, School £ 141 10 s . In 1879 it gave £ 241 ls to Our Girls , and £ 68 5 s to Our Boys . In 1878 all three of our Charities received support from it , the Benevolent to the extent ° f £ 110 , the Girls' £ 29 10 s 6 daud the Boys' £ 220 and

, ; the same remark applies to the year preceding , when the •tscn evolent had subscriptions amounting to £ 596 , the •fids' £ 52 10 s , aud the Boys' £ 63 . A reference to the » sts will show that the two brethren who take the leadin . tr

Part on these occasions are Bros . Godtschalk and Curteis . ' . Dorsetshire , thirteen Lodges , is another of •our Fro - unces , whose absence from these celebrations is of rare

Analysis Of The Subscription List, R.M.B.I.

occurrence . Its contribution this time is only a modest £ 45 4 s by the hands of Bro . R . N . Howard of the Portland Lodge , No . 1037 . Last year , however , it showed itself worthy of its reputation . At the corresponding Festival in February 1880 , it contributed £ 230 16 s—the

Province being represented by Bro . H . C . Burt to the extent of £ 180 10 s , and Bro . j . M . P . Montagu , acting for the St . Mary ' s Lodge , No . 707 , furnishing the difference . At the Girls' Festival Bros . Montagu and Howard between them handed in £ 95 , while the list at the Boys '

Anniversary was £ 161 ls . In 1879 it gave to the Benevolent per Bro . Grundy £ 101 ls , and to the Boys' School per Bro . Howard £ 295 2 s . In 1878 it figures for £ 150 to the Benevolent , £ 116 lis to the Girls ' , and £ 401 12 s to the Boys ' , Bro . J . M . P . Montagu being the Steward in

each case . In 1877 its present Prov . G . Master Bro . Montague Guest , M . P ., acted as representative , aud his list amounted to £ 305 . Bro . Montagu acted in a like capacity at the Girls' Festival and sent up £ 180 12 s , while the contribution to the Boys' Festival per Bro . Benet

Stanford Vere Fane was £ 80 17 s . Wo need not go further back in order to prove that Dorset has a reputation in these matters ancl loyally sustains it whenever it has a chance . Durham , twenty-six Lodges , has turned its first Festival , since the Marquess of Londonderry became its Grand

Master , to good account by contributing £ 174 0 s 6 d , of which the sum of £ 158 5 s 6 d found its way into the coffers of the Benevolent through the intermediary of Brother Babington Boulton acting for the Province . At the Boys ' Festival in 1880 , it contributed £ 136 10 s , and to the Girls '

it gave £ 108 10 s . Tn 1879 the Schools were the recipients of its patronage , the lassies having the lion ' s share £ 227 17 s , and the laddies £ 130 4 s . In 1878 the latter had it to themselves , Bro . W . H . Crooke's Stewardship yielding £ 155 8 s . In 1877 they were again helped through the

medium of the same worthy brother with £ 158 lis , but the Girls' fared better still and received per Bro . Babington Boulton , acting for the Province , £ 286 2 s 6 d . The year before it gave Our Boys' £ 275 2 s , Bro . Candlish , of the Fawcett Lodge , being * its representative . The bare

statement we have drawn out will speak far more eloquently than we could hope to do in showing that Durham , under its present chief , has fully resolved to maintain its character as a liberal and fairly impartial supporter of all three Institutions . When the timo comes round for its P . G . M to

occupy tho chair at one of these Festivals , it will doubtless bestir itself into even more than its wonted activity . The black diamonds for which it is famous arc likely to bo of service in more ways than one when that event takes place . One of the Home Counties—Essex—stands next iu

order , three out of its nineteen Lodges being represented , the sum of whose contributions is £ 57 19 s . In July last , with four Stewards , it contributed £ 89 5 s to the Boys' ; the Girls ' , in the April preceding , being still more fortunate , there being six Stewards acting on behalf of as many

Lodges , their joint lists representing a total of £ 237 8 s , while £ 89 13 s 6 d , with a list still to be accounted for , went to the Benevolent . In 1879 there were again two Lodges doing duty for the Province at the Boys' Festival , and they between them found £ 103 7 s 6 d , while a Chapter

grave a small contribution to the Benevolent . In 1878 , tbe R . M . B . I . received £ 88 16 s , the Girls' £ 40 13 s 9 d , aud the Boys' £ 233 5 s 7 d , Avhile the year before it assisted all three , the Benevolent with £ 113 13 s , the Girls' with £ 37 9 s , and the Boys' with £ 76 16 s .

The transition from the country of the East Saxons to Gloucostersnire is in one sense perhaps abrupt , yet it is made on this occasion with so much the greater pleasure because in making it we pass from the contemplation of a sum which is modest in amount to one of considerable

proportions . Gloucester has fourteen Lodges , and under the auspices of Lord Sherborne has figured at onr Festivals with much credit . It has now a new head in the person of Sir M . Hicks-Beach , Bart ., M . P ., and it may be that our brethren of this western Province were determined that , as

they distinguished themselves at the last Festival which occurred during Lord Sherborne ' s Mastership , so would they show respect to his successor , the aforesaid Sir M . Hicks-Beach . At all events , four of its Lodges , ancl the Chapter

attached to one of them sent up six Stewards , and their lists amounted , all told , to £ 263 lis , as against £ 234 5 s , taken up by five Stewards at the last Boys' Festival . At the Girls' Festival last April there w cro six Stewards , whose contributions amounted to £ 358 ls . At the Benevolent , two months earlier in the year , four Stewards took up