Festival Of The Mark Benevolent Fund.

FESTIVAL OF THE MARK BENEVOLENT FUND .

THE Annual Festival held to forward the interests of the Mark Master Masons Benevolent Fund was held on Wednesday last , at the Alexandra Palace , Muswell Hill , nnder the presidency of the M . W . the Grand Mark Master Mason of England , Lord Skelmersdale . The meeting was nofc so numerous as had been expected , but we think many of thoso who had intended to be present wero deterred from attending by tho awful event which took place on tho morning

prior to the Festival , when one of the Stewards fell down dead ; in addition to this we must nofc forget thafc the Masons of London have just now many calls ou their time , and that many others are enjoying themselves in the Provinces . Still , in spite of all these disadvantages , it is our pleasure to record that the amount subscribed exceeds thafc of last year by nearly £ 100 , with

seven lists still outstanding , so that by tho timo the accounts are closed , we think the executive will bo enabled to record an increase of 50 per cent , over tho result of last year . Afc the conclusion of the banquet , tho noble Chairman proceeded with tho toasts of tho evening , that of tho Queen was followed by the National Anthem . The next on the list was thafc of H . R . H . tho Prince of Wales Grand

Master of English Freemasons , the Princess of Wales , aud tho rest of the Eoyal Family . Tho speaker regretted that neither the Prince of Wales nor his brother , tho Duke of Connaught , had yefc joined Mark Masonry , but he believed thoy had ono of tho Eoyal family in their ranks , viz ., Prince Leopold . He hoped the Prince of Wales might be induced to join them . Ho was certain thafc if he did so ,

he would take as great an interest in the Mark degree as he did in the Craffc . Eev . Bro . Hatch then sang the ode composed by himself in honour of the Grand Mastership of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . Bro . Matier next rose to propose the health of the M . W . the Grand Master of Mark Masons . He considered ifc the principal toast of the evening . It was nofc tho first time he had had the pleasure of

proposing the health of Lord Skelmersdale in connection with Freemasonry , but ho felt that he had never had occasion to do so nnder moro auspicious circumstances than the present , occupying , as the noble Lord did , tho position of G . M . and President of their Benevolent Fund . After a most cordial reception , Lord Skelmersdale rose to respond . He thanked the party for the hearty way in which

his health had been proposed and received . Ho regretted there was not a more numerous attendance , and hoped thafc the result of the Festival would be much greater than tho number of the party might lead them to anticipate . He considered that at tho present time there were too many dinners held in connection with the various charities of tho country , and considered thafc if the

money spent in dining could find its way into tho coffers of the various institutions their annual snbscriptiou lists would show much greater results . Ho felt that in this matter there were many who would not agree with him , but still he must express his opinion on the point . Another evil of our English custom was the amount of talking required on such occasions as the present , aud in

this respect Freemasons were particularly exacting . Still thoy were not so bad as on one occasion ho could remember , where in a party of four , there were fourteen toasts honoured . Passing down the list of tho day , he found that tho next thereon was that of the Past Grand Masters of Mark Masonry , of whom thoy could boast seven , viz . — the Earl of Limerick , Lord Leigh , the Earl of Carnarvon , Visconnfc

Holmesdale , W . W . B . Beach , Eev . G . E . Portal , and Earl Percy . Ho had particular pleasure iu giving this toasfc , as he believed that all of them wero alive and in good health . Ho considered it a good omen for Mark Masonry thafc its rulers should bo spared so long to guide and counsel them . Lord Leigh had stated that there was a time when he considered the incorporation of Mark Masonry with the

Craffc was certain , bufc owing to the opposition of the late Grand Master , Lord Zetland , it had not been carried out . He regretted this , as ho felt that both Craft and Mark would benefit by such a union as was proposed . But for other engagements , he was sure Lord Dononghmore would havo been with them that day , as also Lord Henniker , whom they had expected up to the last

still he felt thafc brother could give a good reason for his absence . With tho toasfc was coupled the health of the Deputy Grand Masters , and other members of Mark Grand Lodge , Bro . Eoebuckbeing called upon to respond . That brother replied to the toasfc with great pleasure ; being mindful of the Chairman ' s remarks as to short speeches , he would nofc detain them . He referred to the progress lately made

by Mark Masonry , and concluded by thanking those assembled for the compliment paid to the Grand Oflicers . Lord Skelmersdale next rose . Bro . Matier , in proposing his health , had referred to i fc as the toasfc of the evening ; in this matter be disagreed Avith Bro . Matier . Ho considered the one he now had to introduce—Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund—was in

reality the grand ono of the evening . Ifc was only lately that he had taken any interest in the Mark Degree , and he was pleased to find thafc it had made such a firm staifc . It had a Benevolent Fund of its own , which , thongh young , was prosperous . The present was the 10 th anniversary of its establishment , £ 50 having been granted by Grand Lodge as its basis in 1868 . The total which had been received

since then was £ 1 , 203 9 s Od , out of which 28 cases had been relieved , and an amount of £ 850 invested , in addition to this they had a sum of £ 50 iu hand . This balance ho was aware was a small one , bufc they must remember that the calls on their funds had latel y been numerous and frequent . The income arising from their invested property was also small , and he therefore felt justified in

making a strong appeal for support , which , ho hoped would be accorded them in sufficient force to place them one day on a level with the Boys' Institution , and entitle them to rank as one of the great Masonic Charitable Funds . Bro . Dowar , the Assistant Grand Secretary , then read the following list of Stewards and amounts collected , the announcement of the total being enthusiasticall y received .

Festival Of The Mark Benevolent Fund.

Rev . W . K . R . Bedford R . W . P . G . M . Stafford and Warwick .... 14 10 0 John Wordsworth R . W . P . G . M . West Yorkshire - 10 10 O Jas . Gardiner Whitwell , 151 - •- 17 5 O Jas . L . Thomas Thistle , 8 - - - •17 18 0

Wm . Nicholl St . Andrew ' s , 31 - - - 10 10 0 Alfred Scargill Britannia , 53 - - - 5 5 O John Fawcetfc Do . - - 5 5 O Francis Trickefcfc Do . - •- 5 5 O

E . G . Tattershall Hiram , 13 - - - . 21 10 0 Captain J . Ritchie Excelsior , 22 G ¦ - - 18 0 0 W . G . Brighten P . G . S . Grosvenor , 141 - - - 25 13 0 Henry Bagofc Furness , 36 - - - . 10 10 0 Eichard Eve Aldershot , 54 - - . 21 0 0

Chas . Harding Carnarvon , 7 - - ¦ 10 10 0 J . E . Goepel " West Lancashire , 65 - •70 5 0 A . Gorton Dover and Cinque Ports , 152 - Eichard Boggetfc Lincolnshire ••- 20 0 0

A . Thrale Perkins Keystone , WV Thomas Cubitt St . Mark ' s , 1 - - - 10 10 0 J . Cattley Mason Southwark , 22 - - - 12 12 0 Eev . J . Hatch Do . ... Col . J . Whitwell D . P . G . M . Cumberland , & o . -

J . D . Sugden D . P . G . M . West Yorkshire Eev . Daniel Ace , D . D . Remigius , 17 - - 5 15 0 John Barker Fearnley , 58 ... George Ward Verry Macdonald , 104 ¦ - . 12 12 0 J . T . Eobinson Humber , 182 . ..

£ 325 5 6 Seven lists yefc to come . Bro . Binckes , Grand Secretary , afterwards replied to the toasfc , referring to the remarks made by the Chairman as to the amount spent by Freemasons and others at their Charity dinners . He could not agree with the noble Chairman's remarks .

His experience was that those who did riot enjoy themselves afc the banquet table seldom gave much for the help of their unfortunate fellow-creatures , and when thoy considered the infinitesmal amountspent on their dinners compared with the resnlb of their labours , he thought few could wish to deprive them of this littlo enjoyment . As to tho smallness of their fund , why should they despair ? he could

remember the time when £ 600 collected by thirty or thirty-five Stewards for tho Boys' School was considered a grand result ; surely there was no reason why they should nofc do as well as had been done before . The result of tho labours of the Stewards of the day would enable them to increase their funded property to £ 1000 . The health of the

Stewards was next given , and with this toast the chairman had the pleasure of coupling the name of Bro . Goepel . Thafc brother tendered his thanks for tho honour thus conferred on him , a compliment no doubt paid him in consequence of his list being the largest of the day . He was specially pleased with this result ,, as it was in his Lodgo that his Lordship , tho president of the evening ,

was advanced to the Mark degree . Bro . Thomas now rose . There had been a contention , ho said , as to which was the toasfc of the evening . First Bro . Matier had announced his as worthy of thafc position , then their chairman had advanced the claims of their Fund to thafc distinction , but he ( Bro . Thomas ) thought that the principal oue had still to be given . He felt that the presence of the

ladies had given a certain charm to the gathering which could nofc have arisen in any other way . He therefore called on the brethren to drink heartily to their good health , and to that of Bro . Brighten , whose name ho would couple with the toast . Bro . Brighten had especial pleasure in responding to this toast . Ho felt that their summer meetings were among the most pleasant of the year , as thereat they wero often able to enjoy the company of the ladies . He felb

sure that more life would be given to Freemasonry in proportion to the interest taken in tho Craft by tho ladies , on whose behalf he acknowledged the kind remarks of Bro . Thomas . Bro . Levander coneluded the toasts of the evening by giving thafc of the Press , to which Bros . W . W . Morgan and E . Massey responded . The whole of the ar . rangements of the Festival showed that its conduct had been placed in good hands . The company were indebted to Miss Binckes for presiding at tho piano during the evening .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons Of Middlesex And Surrey.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTER MASONS OF MIDDLESEX AND SURREY .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON s CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In answer to the letter of Bro . Mortlock , I beg to state—1 st . That thero is no Metropolitan District in Mark Masonry . 2 nd . Thafc the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex and Surrey was constituted in 1870 .

3 rd . Thafc the Temple Mark Lodge , No . 173 , was consecrated in 1874 . 4 th . That tho Temple Mark Lodgo meets at Stepney , in tho county of Middlesex , and is therefore within tho Province of Middlesex and Surrey . 5 th . Tbe Temple Mark Lodge refuses to pay dues or acknowledge

the Provincial Grand Lodge in any way . 6 th . That the Provincial Grand Lodge contests the so-called decision of the Temple Mark Lodge , and the matter has yefc to be otherwise disposed of . 7 th . That my reporfc to the Provincial Grand Lodgo was therefore correct .

Yonra fraternally , W . G . BRIGHTEN , Frov . Q . Mark Sec , Middlesex and Surrey . 4 Bishopsgate-street-wifchout , E . C . 18 fch July 1878 ,