A Record Week.

A RECORD WEEK .

IT is safe to say that never before has so much * activity in connection with the charitable side of Freemasonry been crowded into one week as is the case with the period that has elapsed since our last

issue , and it is satisfactory to be able to announce that everything has passed off successfully , the expectations of the most sanguine being realised on all sides , even if they have not been exceeded . The special doings

of the week are as fully recorded elsewhere as our space permits , and we have been obliged to sacrifice a mass of general news to the claims of our Charities ,

but we do not think our readers will grumble on that account , the enthusiasm engendered by the actions on the Charitable side of Freemasonry being sufficient to counterbalance shortcomings in other directions .

The great event of the week has been the success attending the 112 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , on Wednesday , under the presidency of the Earl of Dartmouth , when a

record total—apart from the exceptional sum realised on the occasion of the Centenary of the Institutionwas announced , a sum of ^" 23 , 217 being contributed ,

at the hands of 763 Stewards ; the Chairman ' s Province of Staffordshire contributing no less than - £ 4 , 034 to this splendid result .

The proceedings on Saturday , when the Foundation Stone of the new Schools for the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , at Bushey , was laid by H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught , were of secondary importance

only because they were , in a manner of speaking , of a more formal nature ; we knew what was to be done , and there was no surprise result to announce as was the case at the Girls Festival , but none the less

anticipations were fully realised , and those who were present will doubtless long remember the close association of Royalty , Loyalty , and Freemasonry that was evidenced on the occasion . To crown all , yesterday saw the annual contest for the annuites of the Benevolent Institution , and in

this case tne benefits were alike direct and fully appreciated . Full details of the polling will be found elsewhere in this issue .

A Bright Prospect.

A BRIGHT PROSPECT .

TLTL / 'HILE the rejoicings of the Craft at the success * ? of last week ' s Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls were at their height the very gratifying announcement was made that the Pro Grand Master of England , the Rt . Hon . Earl Amherst ,

Provincial Grand Master of Kent , would preside at the similiar meeting of 1901 . Truly a , case of " The king is dead , long live the king" presents itself in this connection , and without any disrespect to the noble

Chairman of last week ; or any slight to his own

A Bright Prospect.

Province , which so nobly supported him , or to the very numerous body of other Stewards who co-operated so splendidly in securing the record amount which was announced ; we may safely look forward to even

greater things in the future . Seldom has a brighter prospect presented itself in connection with any of the great Charity funds of English Freemasonry than is the case in connection with " Our Girls" at the

present moment , and we trust that nothing will occur to upset or retard the splendid result which it is fair to anticipate will accrue from the presidency of our beloved and respected Pro Grand Master , backed up

as he will undoubtedly be , in the first place , by the important Province of Kent , and secondly by the large number of other Provinces and Lodges which will take

this opportunity of testifying their loyalty to the heads of the English Brotherhood . We are able this year to announce a record total for the Girls- —next year will surpass it .

The election meeting of the "Palestine" Sovereign Chapter Rose Croix will be held on Tuesday next , 22 nd inst ., at the Masonic Hall , 33 Golden Square , W . C ., at 5 o ' clock , under the presidency of Bro . H . Saunion M . W . S . The business on the agenda includes the ballot , and , if

approved , the Perfection of Bros . James Stevens 2535 , J . J . Lamigeon 2551 , G . S . Howell 2433 , W . J . Hiam 1364 , Richard Hoffmann 29 , V . T . Hantke 820 , Joseph Harlegrove Catten P . M . 1687 , Edward L . H . Davis 435 , and ( by special

dispensation ) C . D . Frangopulo 2500 ; the election of M . W . S .. and Treasurer for the ensuing year , and appointment of Auditors , and other matters of interest to the Chapter . The work will be followed by a banquet , at 7 ' 30 p . m .

The following Grand Officers have already signified their intention of being present at the Installation Meeting of the Lodge of Honour and Generosity , No . 165 , to be held on Tuesday next , 22 nd inst ., at the Inns of Court Hotel : The

Archdeacon of London P . G . C ., Alderman Vaughan Morgan P . G . Treas ., J . D . Langton P . D . G . D . C , Dr . Swinfen Eady , Q . C ., P . D . G . Registrar , William M . McConnell , Q . C ., P . D . G . Registrar , Imre Kiralfy P . A . G . D . C ., and Stanley J .

Attenborough P . A . G . D . C . Brother Richard Eve P . M . P . G . Treas . will be the Installing Master , and the musical programme is placed in the efficient hands of Bro . Dalgety Henderson .

000 An influential meeting of the supporters of Bro . Captain John Barlow , in connection with his candidature for the office of Grand Treasurer of England for igoi-2 was held on Thursday ,, at the Holborn Town Hall , Gray ' s Inn Road , Bro . James Irvine P . M . 862 , & c , in the chair . Further particulars will be given in our next issue .

On Tuesday , 24 th ult , the Lodge of Instruction in connection with the Henley Lodge , No . 1472 , held its annual banquet ( prior to vacation ) at the Three Crowns Hotel , North Woolwich . Covers were laid for 50 , and the spread was in

Host Richardson ' s usual style—superb . The company was not so large as usual , owing to pressure of work at the Royal Arsenal , and many of the local factories on each side of the river with which numbers of the Brethren are connected .