The Benevolent Festival.

THE BENEVOLENT FESTIVAL .

/~\ N Wednesday next the Anniversary Festival of the *** Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows will be celebrated , and we are pleased to think that this , the first Festival of

the year on behalf of the great Charities of English Freemasonry , promises to be a much greater success than many of us dared to hope , after the Centenary which produced so much for the Boys last year .

It is indeed most gratifying to learn that Bro . Terry Secretary of the Institution has been able to enlist the services of some four hundred Brethren to

act as Stewards on the occasion , in support of the Right Hon . Lord Llangattock Provincial Grand Master of the Eastern Division of South Wales , who

has kindly undertaken the duties of President for the year ; and with so strong a Board of workers we may reasonably look for a satisfactory result .

The necessity for a-substantial contribution year by year for this Institution is manifest when we refer to the fact that the amount paid annually in annuities is no less than ; £ 16 , 384 , distributed among 202 aged

Brethren , and 275 widows of deceased Craftsmen , the assured income of the Institution being a most insignificant proportion of this large amount . Further than this , we may point to the large number of 126

approved candidates waiting for their turn to participate in the bounty of the Craft through this grand Fund , with , so far , only twenty-three vacancies between them . While we should like to see the work of the

Institution widely extended—particularly this year , when the Widows' Branch of the Fund celebrates its Jubilee—it would be most unwise for the Committee to take upon themselves any new responsibilities unless

they see their way perfectly clear to meet them . This can only be done by the hearty and general support of the Craft year by year at the Anniversary Festivals ,

and we sincerely hope next week ' s celebration may be so successful as to allow of some increase being made to mark the special feature of the Jubilee , to which we have just referred .

Freemasons In Public.

FREEMASONS IN PUBLIC .

IT will be seen in another part of our issue that ¦ » Archdeacon Sinclair P . G . Chaplain referred in the course of his sermon at St . Mark ' s , New Barnet , on Sunday afternoon , to the criticism which has been

offered ( in our pages and elsewhere ) as to the desirability of continuing public displays of Freemasons in connection with Church Services .

It will be in the memory of our readers that we expressed ourselves as strongly opposed to the practice , and we are still of the same opinion so far as the London district , and other large centres are concerned . There was nothing , however , at which the

Freemasons In Public.

most fastidious could have found fault in connection with the public procession of Freemasons at New Barnet on Sunday , and we imagine the same can be said of similiar gatherings , under like conditions , in

other suburbs and quiet districts throughout the country . We should , therefore , most certainly be sorry to hear that any hard and fast prohibition had been found necessary , to put an end to public appearances of members of the Order under such

circumstances , but at the same time we hope the question will be fullv considered , as we believe the authorities of the Craft are now doing , so far as the metropolitan district is concerned , as it is well known some very

disagreeable things have been said and done at Masonic displays held in the midst of crowded neighbourhoods , and it is quite time something was

done to prevent the recurrence of some regretable incidents which have occurred , in spite of the best efforts put forward to prevent them .

It seems to us , for instance , about time to look fully into the matter when we find a clergyman unconnected with our Order arranging a special Masonic Service in his church , and explaining to a

full congregation that having heard of the great Masonic Charities and the large contributions collected on their behalf , he had enlisted their support , and trusted those present would enable him to complete

the restoration of his Church . If that was not trading on Freemasonry , by an outsider , we should like to know what is , and in face of such occurrences it is certainly time for Grand Lodge to step in and show

exactly where the line should be drawn , although , as some may urge , the fact that a dispensation was granted from Grand Lodge in this case , may be

accepted as evidence that the authorities did not consider the fact of the clergyman being a non-Mason any bar to the association of Freemasonry with his work of Church restoration .

Board Of Benevolence.

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE .

THE monthly meeting of the Board of Benevolence was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , London , Bro . J . H . Matthews in the President ' s chair , and Bros . D . D . Mercer and Henry Garrod in the Senior and Junior Vice-Presidents' chairs . The Board of Masters was first held , and the paper of business for Grand Lodge of 1 st March was read .

At the Board of Benevolence the Brethren had to consider twenty-seven cases for relief , and during a sitting of two hours they dismissed four , deferred one , and granted £ 530 in relief to the remaining twenty-two , in two sums of £ 50 each , five of £ 40 each , two of £ 30 each , six of £ 20 each , three of £ xo each , and four of £ 5 each .

By the kind invitation of Bro . Oscar Barrett , the pupils of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at Wood Green , attended the performance of " Dick Whittington , " at the Royal Adelphi Theatre , on the 8 th inst ., and thoroughly enjoyed themselves .