The Candidates For The Benevolent Institution.

mother Lodge , wherein he was initiated in 1852 ) , and 17 years as a member of No . 1037 , Portland . Decline of bnsiness , and bad health compel him to seek aid from the Institution . No . 23 , John Musham , an initiate of No . 200 , Scarborough , in 1871 , subscribed for 5 ^ years . Business

misfortunes and paralysis are given as the reasons for his present appeal . No . 27 , Frederick Allies , initiated in No . 529 , Worcester , in 1847 , continued his subscriptions until 1853—thirty years ago . He is in very straightened circumstances , and is paralysed . No . 40 , Thomas Ashmore ,

was for 18 j years connected with No . 823 , Liverpool , he having been initiated there in 1863 . His only income for himself and wife is £ 20 a-year from the " Hamer Masonic Benevolent Fund , West Lancashire . " No . 48 , Jonathan

Wright , shows a total of 34 years dues having been paid . He was initiated in No . 555 , Framlingham , in 1848 , and paid there until June 1858 . He joined No . 71 , Lowestoft , in 1852 , and again in 1859 . Through depression of trade , and old age , he is unable to obtain employment .

From abroad we have No . 4 , John Inwood , and No . 8 , Thomas William Sewell , both of whom now make a second application . The former was initiated in No . 153 , Gibraltar , in 1868 , and paid thereto until 1873 . He joined No . 697 , Colchester , in 1874 , and paid for one year . Age ,

infirmity , and a most painful disease combine to render him incapable of earning a living . He has a pension of Is 6 d a day . He brings forward 158 votes . Bro . Sewell first saw Masonic light in Lodge No . 1026 , Hong Kong , in 1873 . He is totally blind , and without any means of

support , a distant relative upon whom he was formerly dependent being now unable to maintain him . This , the last case of fche fifty on the list of Old Men candidates for the 18 th instant is certainly , to all appearances , one of the most deserving , even if it is not the one that should have first attention .

We have so far only devoted ourselves to the Male list ; there yet remains seventy Widows , each of whom is entitled to some notice at our hands , but we regret it is not in our power to consider their claims as fully as we have done in the case of the men . Our aged brethren have in a measure

the first claim on our attention , and such being the case , we have referred to each one individually , with the result that we have already outrun the space at our disposal . We must therefore be very brief in our remarks respecting the widows , although it must not be assumed that by such

action we consider the widows the less deserving of relief at the hands of the Craffc . London is responsible for twenty-two of the seventy candidates for the Widow Annuities , that is to say , the husbands in twenty-two of the cases were initiated in

London Lodges . Of the remainder , forty-five come from Provincial initiates , one from a Jersey Mason , one from a Military Lodge , and the other from New Zealand . Glancing first at the London cases , we find the following Lodges to be represented , viz . : —Nos . 1 , 7 , 8 , 11 , 22 , 25 ( two

applicants ) , 73 , 79 , 87 , 142 , 147 , 169 , 173 , 179 ( three applicants ) , 186 , 188 , 206 , 554 , and 780 . No . 28 , M . M . Rodgers , is a widow whose husband was initiated in No . 1 Lodge , he subscribed to it for 111 years . The present is her third application , and she brings forward

66 votes . No . 30 , A . T . H . Wood , Lodge 7 , shews 20 years payment by her husband to his Mother Lodge . She has 512 votes in hand from two previous contests . No . 53 , S . A . Mardon , is a first application . Her hnsband was initiated in and paid to No . 8 for 14 years . No . 12 , Mary

Geary , third application , has 243 votes in hand . Her husband paid for 34 ^ years ; as a member of Lodges Nos . 11 , 19 , and 120 . No . 33 , E . Haynes , whose husband paid for 18 years , in Lodges 22 and 27 , brings forward on this her second application 522 votes . The two

candidates from Robert Burns Lodge , No . 25 , are 29 , C . Muruss , and 67 , H . Rebbeck . The former's husband paid to his mother Lodge from 1840 to 1850 , and to No . 503 , Maidstone , from 1844 to 1859 . This is her third application , and she brings forward 594 votes . The latter ( Rebbeck )

can only show 5 j years payments from her husband , lj to his mother Lodge and 4 to No . 43 , London . No . 54 , S . •Tnnms , first application , records 10 j years payment by her husband , as a member ( and initiate ) of No . 73 . No . 59 , R- Perridge , is the representative of No . 79 , to

which Lodge her husband paid from 1863 to 1878 . He also joined Nos . 1320 and 140 , his total years payments being 25 J . The Vitruvian Lodge , No . 87 , puts forward No . 56 , M . Heppel , the husband of whom paid to that Lod ge for 14 £ years . No . 49 , J . Polkinghorne ' s husband

The Candidates For The Benevolent Institution.

shows a Masonic life of 27 years , 3 years of which was in his mother Lodge , No . 142 , and the remainder in No . 121 , Penzance . No . 26 , A . Roberts , brings forward 924 votes from two previous trials . Her husband was initiated in No . 147 , and remained a member for 10 years . The next

case , No . 27 , M . Nowlan is the representative , of No . 169 , also a Deptford Lodge , her husband was initiated in 1857 , and paid for 14 years . Lodge No . 173 is represented by No . 8 , E . Lafittau , widow of an initiate of 1866 , who paid for one year ; he afterwards joined No . 91 , iu 1871 , and

subscribed to the time of his death in 1879 . The Manchester , No . 179 , appears as the mother Lodge of three of the applicants' husbands , viz .: —Nos . 3 , 21 , and 45 . No . 3 , E . M . A . Child , now makes a sixth application , with only 430 votes in hand . The husband appears to have left

the Manchester Lodge immediately after his initiation , and joined No . 177 , to which he subscribed from 1836 to 1859 . No . 21 , L . Greig ' s husband , was initiated in 1851 , and subscribed for I 7 f years . She has been moro successful as regards votes , having secured 942 at the last two

eontests . No . 45 , H . Evans , brings forward 252 votes from last year . Her husband remained a member of the Manchester Lodge for 19 £ years ( 1838-1857 ) , and then joined the Vitruvian , No . 87 , to which he paid for 8 years ( 1857-1865 ) . No . 40 , E . Bowen , makes a second

application , and brings forward 275 votes . Her husband , an initiate of No . 186 , paid for 13 | years , 12 | to his mother Lodge , and one to 1223 , Westerham . The Joppa , No . 188 , has a representative in No . 66 , F . Isaac , whose husband , initiated in 1855 , subscribed for 15 f years . No . 20 , P . A .

Rumsey , bnngs forward 594 votes from two previous elections , her husband was initiated in No . 206 , in 1841 , and remained on its roll until fche time of his death in 1879 , a term of thirty-eight years . Brethren of the Friendship Lodge , is 594 votes the most you can collect for the widow

of this old member in two years ? surely 38 years " Friendship " should do more . The Yarborongh , No . 554 , initiated Brother Morrison , the husband of E . Morrison , No . 36 on the present list , and he continued a member until his death 11 £ years after . The widow had 1342 votes polled

on her behalf last year , another instance of the way in which this pattern East End Lodge helps its old members . This is in striking contrast with the last case . No . 17 , S . Rigarlsford , brings to an end the list of London representatives . Her husband saw the light of Freemasonry in the

Royal Alfred Lodge , No . 780 , in 1864 , aud continued a member thereof for 12 j years . She comes forward for the third time , with six votes . Brethren of the Royal Alfred , this is not as it should be ; we hope you have an answer to the charge of neglect which appears justifiable here .

Hampshire and Isle of Wight has five representatives . No . 11 , Mary Smith—husband initiated in No . 30 , Southampton , in 1839 , and afterwards joined No . 359 , Southampton , paying two years to the former , and twelve to fche latter . She brings forward 172 votes from two previous

contests . No . 18 , E . Hill , is also a Southampton case . The husband was initiated in No . 421 in 1851 , and continued his membershi p thereof until 1856 . He joined No . 251 , Barnstaple , in 1863 , and paid there until 1879 , total 20 years . The widow has 273 votes forward from two

elections . No . 19 , H . M . Madeley , comes forward for the third time , with six votes to her credit . Her hnsband was initiated in No . 342 , Portsea , in 1851 , and paid to that Lodge until his death in 1865 . He joined No . 903 , Gosport , in 1862 , and also paid there until his death . No . 42 ,

M . Russell , is a second application , and she has 263 votes to her credit ; the husband was an initiate of No . 132 , Ringwood , and subscribed to thafc Lodge for 13 T years

( 1844-1857 ) . No . 55 , L . Lovelock , is another Southampton case ; her husband was initiated in No . 359 , and remained a member thereof for twenty years , until his death in 1876 .

Kent is also represented by five widows , whose husbands were initiated in Kentish Lodges . No . 15 , E . Pearson , has 1279 votes brought forward , she having already stood two elections ; her husband was initiated in No . 503 , Maidstone , in 1847 , and continued a member for 25 ^ years . No . 16 ,

M . Pelton , has had similar experience as regards number of elections , but ifc is evident her turn for Provincial sup - port has not yet come , as she has only received ninety-four votes so far . Her husband was an initiate of No . 299 ,

Dartford , and remained a member of his mother Lodge for thirty-six years . No . 22 , Z . Emmerson , is another third application case , and she has secured 678 votes . The husband was initiated in No . 429 , Ramsgate , and was on