The Subscriptions At The Regent Festival.

together the honour of Devon . Durham , which includes Durham , Gateshead , Sunderland , and Stockton , is down for nil . From tho Hants and the Isle of Wight Province so important a town as Southampton sends nothing . East Lancashire comprises SO Lodges , of which 17 are in

Manchester , 4 in Bolton , 5 in Bury , and 5 in Salford , but a Rochdale Lodge ( No . 54 ) alone contributes . Cottonopolis Lodges give not one farthing this year towards tho support of the Benevolent Institution , nor did one of its Lodges contribute last year . For two consecutive years , tho brethren

in this seat of the cotton trade , one of tho richest cities in tho United Kingdom—we may go further and say , in the whole world—havo not given the smallest fraction of a penny towards the support of indigent Masons and the widows of Masons . On the other hand , of 25

Liverpool Lodges , 13 figure this year for an aggregate sum of £ 733 3 s . Lincolnshire stands for £ 6 10 s , from a Lodge at Bourn ( No . 1232 ) , but last year it nobly did its duty , contributing £ 573 . Staffordshire , again , though it is not represented on this occasion , well

supported its P . G . M ., the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , in 1875 , and contributed £ 171 5 s . But Warwickshire , which includes the wealthy and important town of Birmingham

sends nothing . Birmingham , the centre of the hardware trade , with 14 Lodges , is ivholly unrepresented this year , and only one of these 14 ( Lodge No . 925 ) contributed last year , the sum of £ 35 .

There are , or were according to G . L . Calendar for 1875 , a thousand and thirty-seven Lodges in England and Wales , and the Channel Islands , two hundred and twelve of them being in London . Of these , less than twenty-five percent , have added to the funds of the Benevolent Institution

this year . One hundred and forty-one London Lodges have given nothing ; eighteen out of forty-four country districts stand aside , and leave the claims of Charity to be supported by others . Two of the most important and richest towns in our provinces , namely , Manchester , with seventeen and

Birmingham with fourteen Lodges , contribute nothing . The former of these did nothing whatever last year , while Birmingham raised only a paltry sum towards the service of Masonic Charity . The few lists that remain to come in will not materially affect the accuracy of the picture we

have drawn , nor do we for one moment affirm that the Lodges and Provinces which have not contributed to this Charity havo overlooked the claims of the Boys' and Girls' Schools . Wo must point out likewise that where a

Province appears for a round sum , it is impossible to say which Lodges in that Province contributed and which did not . We have taken the list as it appeared in our issue of the 12 th instant . Tho conclusions we have

drawn are based on that and the similar list we published last year , and we have no hesitation in saying that , apart from what may have been or will be done for the other two Institutions , the claims of the Benevolent Institution are not

as warmly or as generally supported as they deserve to be . We must practise charity as well as preach it , or we shall be as the stage players or hypocrites who feign a part that is not their own .

Obituary.

Obituary .

It is with deep feelings of regret that we announce the death of the wife of our highly esteemed brother , Rev . Dr . P . H . E . Brette , W . M . of the Thames Valley Lodge , No . 1460 , Prov . G . C . Middlesex . The deceased lady , who had been in failing health for some time , expired at Christ ' s

Hospital , on the 19 th inst . In her the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls has lost one of its best friends , and most of the children of that Institution will miss the amiable lady who had so often cheered and encouraged them by her kindly sympathy .

We have to record the death of Bro . John Newton Tomkins , Past Grand Deacon , whose services during a long Masonic career were neither few nor unappreciated . Of late , he was , perhaps , best known to the Companions of the Chapter of Fidelity , No . 3 , of which he was P . Z ., and for

many years a constant attendant in the capacity of Treasurer . His age was 63 . Would that we all could leave behind us so sincere a tribute in the hearts of brethren and Companions , to valued services and modest worth , as thai which we now insert at their request .

Quarterly Communication Of Grand Lodge.

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE .

THE following is tho agenda paper for business to be transacted in Grand Lodge on Wednesday , 1 st March , 1876 , at 6 for 7 p . m . 1 . Tho regulations for the government of Grand Lodge during tho time of publio business will be read . 2 . The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of tho 1 st Decern . ber 1875 will be read and put for confirmation . 3 . Election of a M . W . Grand Master .

4 . Election of a Grand Treasurer . 5 . Report of tho Lodgo of Benevolence for tho last qu nrter , which aro recommendations for tho following Grants , viz . : Bro . John Sugars , of tho Cecil Lodge , No . 449 , Hitchin £ 75 0 0 Tho widow of Bro . JamosHewy Searlo , of tho Lodgo of Temperance , No . 169 , Deptfovd ... ... ... ... 50 0 0

Bro . George Frederick Druce , of tho Alfred Lodge , No . 340 , Oxford 50 0 0 Bro . Georgo William North , of tho Enoch Lodge , No . 11 , London ... ... 75 0 0 Bro . Thomas Frederick Tyerman , of tho London Lodgo , No . 108 , London ... 75 0 0

6 . EEPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a Statomont of the Grand Lodge Accounts , at the Meeting of tho Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 11 th day of February instant , showing a balanoo in the hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 4 , 375 17 s 4 d ; and in tho hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 75 , and for Servants ' Wages £ 96 15 s . ( Signed ) JOHN B . MONCKTON .

President . FRKEMASONS' HAIX , LONDON , W . C ., 15 th February 1876 . 7 . Report of Brother R . P . Harding , Auditor of Grand Lodgo Accounts , of Receipts and Disbursements during the year 1875 .

List of Lodges for which warrants hare been granted by tho M . W . Grand Master since tho last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge : 1580 . —Cranbonrne Lodge , Hatfield , Herts . 15 S 1 . —Alexandra Lodge , Somerset East , South Africa . 1582 . —Llanidloes Lodge , Llanidloes , Montgomeryshire . 1583 . —Corbet Lodge , Towyn , Merionethshire . 15 S 4 . —Loyalty and Charity , Ealing . 1585 . —Rival Commemoration Lodge , Putnev .

1586 . —Upper Norwood Lodge , Upper Norwood . 1587 . —St . Giles' Lodge , Choadle , Staffordshire . 1588 . —Prince Leopold Lodge , S tret ford , Lancashire . 1589 . —St . Dunstan ' s Lodgo , Fleet-street . 1590 . —Southern Cross Lodge , Uitenhagc , Sonth Africa . 1591 . —Studholme Lodge , Snrbitou , Surrey . 1592 . —Abbey Lodge , Bury St . Edmunds , Suffolk . 1593 . —Royal Naval College Lodge , Greenwich . 1594 . —Cedewain Lodgo , Newtown , Montgomeryshire . 1595 . —Endeavour Lodge , Cooktown , Queensland . 1596 . —Townsvillo Lodge , Townsville , Queensland . 1597 . —Mnsgrave Lodge , Staines , Middlesex .

The Installation of H . R . H . the Grand Master , and Grand Festival , will take place on Wednesday , 26 th April . Tickets 15 s each , to be had of the Grand Stewards .

A General Committee meeting of the Girls' School was held on Thursday last , at Freemasons' Hall . A motion to increase the salary of the Secretary , by £ 50 per annum , proposed by Lieut .-Col . Creaton , and seconded by Bro . Tattershall , was carried ; as also one , proposed and seconded by the same brethren , to increase the salary of the Chief Clerk by £ 20 a year . Two candidates were placed on the list for election in April next .

HotiowiT ' s OijrcirHXT AND PILLS . —Tho seeds of disease are often unconsciously sown by some neglect of those precautions which are so necessary in this changeable climate of ours ; the earlier symptoms of deranged health are often neglected , and hence another great source of ; afier consequences of a serious character arises . Amongst the precautions most necessary at tho change of the season is that of attention to the clothing , and to the advent of any ongh or throat disorder , which should at onee be treated by these remedies , i' -hich will quickly remove all chance of their taking hold of the system and producing consumptive symptoms . A few doses of these Pills are the best remedy for all hepatic and dyspeptic symptoms .