Waiting For The Verdict.

WAITING FOR THE VERDICT .

THE suspense of the next few days will bo to English Freemasons—or those of them who take an interest in the doing 3 of the Charities—very much like that experienced by litigants while " waiting for the verdict . " The Eighty-seventh Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic

Institution for Boys will be held on Wednesday next , and the question of the time is , " What will be the verdict ?" what will be the total of subscriptions announced on that occasion ? It is beyond our power to even make an estimate , or to publicly state what our estimate is , for while on the

one hand we should fear to understate the amount , and cast discredit on the Board of Stewards ; on the other we fear to mention too high a sum , lest we may be grievously disappointed . We have had two such grand successes this year that we hope for a continuance of good fortune , and at the

same time tremble lest the successes of the other two Institutions have exhausted the stream of liberality . Certain it is that there is need for a grand total—a total even in advance of the most sanguine expectations ; but need is not always

followed by proportionate relief , and it frequently happens that the more urgent the requirement the less heart y the response . Let us however hope that this is not to be the

case in regard to the Boys' School , but rather that a magnificent total may bo forthcoming to meet the calls to be paid from it .

The Board of Stewards at the present time contains the names of about 270 brethren , officered by some of the most popular members of English Freemasonry , and if the result depends on the energy with which the claims of the In

stitution have been brought to the notice of Craftsmen , it should be one of the most satisfactory ever known , for as yeai * by year comes round the experience gained by past Stewards is made of service by the Secretary of the

Institution in supporting the efforts of the present ones , who , profiting by his advice , are able to fulfil their duties much easier and better than they could without it . There is yet

time for any of our readers who may be disposed to increase the number of Stewards or supporters of the Institution , and if the total of their contributions be only a small one , it will none the less be welcome . In the words of

Shakespeare , the latest comer may be , " though last , not least in love , " and may prove his devotion to better purpose on some future occasion , but it is not necessary he should wait until then to show he has the love .

As our readers are aware , the Festival will take place at the Crystal Palace , Sydenham , under the presidency of the Most Hon . the Marquis of Hartington , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master of Derbyshire , the dinner being fixed for

five o ' clock precisely . Accommodation has been arranged for close on 700 guests , and as the attractions of the Palace—the day of the Festival being one of the Handel Festival days—will be added to the attractions of the

Festival itself , we should not be surprised if the accommodation is tested to its fullest extent . The price of the banquet tickets is—for Ladies , 1 ( 3 s ; and for Gentlemen

^ -s ; in each case admission to the Palace being included . We hope it will be our dut y next week to record as a most gratif ying result the clay ' s meeting .

The Educational Branch Of The Mark Benevolent Fund.

THE EDUCATIONAL BRANCH OF THE MARK BENEVOLENT FUND .

" "DT the solemn Act of Union between the two Grand -1- ) Lodges of Free-masons of England in December 1813 , it was 'declared and pronounced that pure Antient Masonrv consists of three decrees and no more , viz ., those

of the Entered Apprentice , the Fellow Craft , and the Master Mason , including the Supreme Order of the Hol y Royal Arch . '" Such are the words with which the Regulations for the Government of the Craft commence ,

and such is the constitution of Freemasonry at the present time . While , however , " pure Antient Masonry " does not extend beyond the three degrees specially mentioned , there are other Degrees or Orders which are full y

recognised as being purely Masonic , if not a part of pure Masonry , and among these none is more popular than the Mark Degree . Within the past few weeks we have had occasion to devote much of our space to reports of the

proceedings of Mark Masons , and whether it has been in connection with the Grand Lodge of England and Wales , and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex and Surrey , or

one or other of the subordinate Lodges , our duty has been to record successes in the past , and brilliant prospects for the future . The Report of the General Board , submitted at the last meeting of the Mark Grand Lodge , states that

the number of certificates issued in the half-year ending 31 st March last was 809—the largest number as yet granted in a similar period—while the total of registered advancements to the same date was 20 , 196 . With such

an organisation as this represents , and bearing in mind that the Mark degree , like the three Craft degrees which must precede it , recognises Charity as one of its grandest

principles , it is not to be wondered at that special means are provided for the relief of the aged and distressed within its ranks . The foundation of the Educational

Branch of the Mark Benevolent Fund and its progress during the past few years are among the most pleasing episodes in the history of the degree , and if the usefulness of this offshoot is continued in the future to the sama

extent as it has been in the past , it will always shine as a brilliant jewel in the Order of Mark Masonry , while it will afford such assistance to the distressed within its range as will ensure for it a lasting sense of gratitude .

As is the case with the three Institutions usually associated with English Freemasonry in its broadest sens- ? , a Festival is held each year in aid of this branch of the

Mark Benevolent Fund . "his years" anniversary , the seventeenth , is fixed for Wednesday , the 22 nd July next , and will be held at the Crystal Palace , Sydeuham , uader the presidency of R . W . Bro . the Lord Egerton of Tation ,

Deputy Grand Master , Prov . Grand Mark Master Mason of Cheshire . The prospects for the Festival are most gratifying , find we have little doubt but that the total realised from it will be almost , if not quite , double what has ever been reached before . Already the Board of Stewards

nearly approaches twice the number of lait year , which year was considerably in excess of its predecessors , while strenuous efforts are b ^ ing made to enrol the names of other Mark Masons willing to take a hand in tho woi'k .

Last year the Board of Stewards comprised the names of forty-seven brethren , in addition to the Chairman ; this year ' s Board , so far , consists of eighty-eig ht , so that