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been founded in 1740 ); three for the "Laudable Corporation of Southwark ; " four for the " Ancient Family of Leeches ; " one in honour of the " Worthy Court of Do-Right ; " one for the " Free and Easy Councillors under the Cauliflower ; " one forthe " Birth Night Club at tlie Harrow on Grey Friars , Newgate-street ; " one forthe " Bright Stars of Islington . "

To attempt any answer to the question propounded by Mr . FRAZER , without further guidance than is afforded by his paragraph aforesaid , would be useless . Vet the inquiry is one well worth pursuing , and it is just possible some of our more curious readers may be able to assist in meeting it . If so , our columns will be readily placed at their disposal .

* * * THE Voice of Masonry makes a good start with the first number of its twenty fourth volume ! Our venerable contemporary seems to be more juvenescent than ever , and as its age increases , so does its vitality i The power of defying or resisting the corroding influences of time , supposed to have been one of the characteristics of the old Rosicrucians , has evidently

been transferred to the Voice , Chicago , U . S . A . Well ! well ! Continued success to the editor , Bro . J W . BROWN , who promises that his magazine for 1 SS 6 " will excel all preceding it , " and , therefore , calls upon the Craft to " aid the good cause by subscribing now . " There is no doubt lhat in the last twelve years the Voice has much improved , and that since its origin , in 1 S 59 , newspaper , and from three years later as a

magazine , it was never so well supported as at the present time . It certainly does not lack illustrations , though seveial are not much to look at ; but nothwilhstanding its success , it has often been a surprise to us to find so little that is really Masonic in its pages . Ol course we note that it is a " Family Magazine , " as well ns for the Craft , and possibly that will explain the attention that is paid to the " Eastern Star " Degrees , and the qurimity of matier on general subjects and tales lhat are to be found in

its monthly issues , The success of the Voice is doubtless the best evidence to the ediior that his catering for his numerous subscribers meets with their approval . We confess , however , to a desire to read more articles of the style of the first by Bro . II . P . H . BROMWELL , P . G . M ., on " Where the Secret Is , " and we have still the notion that a Masonic magazine or paper should be chiefly devoted to Freemasonry . Now , Bro . BROWN , don ' t be hard upon us for this deliverance , because we want more from your own facile pen , and less of the " family magazine " style .

Entertainment At The Royal Masonic Institution For Girls.

ENTERTAINMENT AT THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS .

On Monday evening , the pupils remaining in the School of this Institution for the Christmas holidays had their customary entertainment . There were present on the occasion Bros . Frank Richardson , B . A . Howell , F . M . A . Howell , S . Howell , M . Howell , Horace Brooks Marshall , Alderman Joseph Savory , Mrs . Dicketts , E . E . Dicketts , A . S . Dicketts , Miss Massey , Miss A . R . Mas-ey , Miss Charlotte Massev , M . W . H . Massey , Mr . F .

Charles Gates , Mr . R . T . Dicketts , S . F . Dicketts , Mr . A . P . Bowyer , Bro . Edgar Bowyer , Mr . St . J . G . S . Clerke , Mr . A . B . H . Gierke . Miss E . R . Howell , Miss L . Stranson , Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , Mr . John Toorie , Mr . W . P . Toone , Mr . C . Stevens , Mrs . Sidney Holland , Miss Hole , Mr . and Mrs . Palmer , Mrs . Sawyer , Miss Bonner , Mr . Herbert J . Dicketts , E . Bowyer , R . L , Bowyer , and H . L . Bowyer .

Professor Neunan gave a ventriloquial entertainment , and Professor Field , from the Aquarium , performed conjuring" - tricks . He afterwards presented all the pupils with some toys . Bro . Alderman Savory made each girl a present of a handsome book , in which , at the request of the girls , he inscribed his name . Dancing and music filled up the programme of the evening , which also included the old Twelfth Night amusements of drawing for characters , bon-bons , cake , and wine . The company did not separate till late , supper being partaken of before their retirement . Bro . Frank Richardson was indefatigable in his endeavours to make the evening a pleasant one , in which he was eminently successful .

New Year's Entertainment Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

NEW YEAR'S ENTERTAINMENT OF THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual entertainment at Croydon , for the commencement of the New Year , was given to the annuitants of this Institution , on Wednesday . The following were among the ladies and gentlemen who attended : Mrs . Terry , Miss Terry , Miss Kate S . Terry , C . J . Perceval , H . J . Strong , M . D ., Hon . Surgeon ; James Terry , Thomas Cubitt , W . J . Crutch , Charles F . Hogard , 'J ' . Hastings Miller , Robert Griggs , H . Massey , H . W . Massey , Miss A . R . Massey , E . M . Money , J . T . Briggs , Jessie Terry , lohn

Newton , Mrs . Newton and Miss Newton , Ada Crutch , Cissy M . Crutch , Fanny Vernon , Miss Petlie Culver , A . M . Terry , E . J . Martin , Raynham W . Stewart , John Mason , James Terry , jun ., W . Vernon , W . A . P . Bowyer , and H . J . Amphlett . Tha annuitants were summoned to banquet at three o ' clock , and every one of the residents in the Institution attended . Everything passed off

most satisfactorily , the preparation of the dinner having been in charge of Miss Norris , with whose skill and arrangements not a fault could be found . After the cloth had been removed , the usual loast list was honoured , Dr . STRONG gwm Urst "The Health of the Queen " and th .-n " The Founders of the Feast . " with the latter of which were associated the nameof Bros . Hastings Miller and Bowyer , who thanked those present for the kind manner in which they had received the toast .

At the close of Bro . Bowyer ' s remarks , Bro . TERRY announced that their very good friends at Manchester , not content with entertaining their own annuitants of Hast Lancashire , had contributed ^ 5 lo the Croydon entertainment . He had accordingly sent a telegram lhat the Croydon gathering had been toasting ' ' The Founders of the Feast , " and he had no doubt that an answer would shortl y cume . It came shortly afterwards , and was to the effect that " thc annuitants of East Lancashire and friends reciprocate your kind wishes , and greet all most heartily . "

After stating that sundry gifts had been bestowed on the annuitants by sundry donors , Bro . Dr . STRONG pointed out lhat they could noi leave the table without drinking " Success to the Insiitution , " and associating with the toast thc name ol Bro . Terry , who had done so much for its prosperity .

Bro . TERRY , in reply , said he was very pleased indeed to think they had once again assembled at their usual New Year ' s entertainment for thc purpose of receiving the residents of the Institution as their gnosis , Nothing

New Year's Entertainment Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

could give greater pleasure to the Committee and himself than to witness , year after year , the recurrence of these annual festivals . It was done in t ! e Boys' and Girls' Schools , and he had often wondered why it was not done in the Benevolent Institution . Ten years ago , therefore , he started this New Year ' s entertainment to the old people . It had increased since then very much indeed , and he was quite certain that now it would never

be allowed to die out . It was the means of bringing together all the residents and reminding them of happy days , when at this season of the year they used to have their private friends around them . It afforded them the means of commingling with the world and hearing from people outside the Institution what was going on in the world . If this only had been done it was something , but it taught them that there were others also , like the donors of the feast , that cared for them , and that there was respect due to

the Institution . He thanked Bro . Dr . Strong for his kind expressions with reference to his ( Bro . Terry ' s ) restored health , and he hoped there would be no relapse , but that he would be able to go on in the future as he had in the past , 20 years without being absent one day except during the last year . Bro . EDGAR BOWYER proposed "The Chairman" in complimentary terms , and Bro . Dr . STRONG replied very happily , and sundry other toasts having been given and acknowledged ,

The annuitants and lady visitors then retired to tea , and the brethren who had attended on the company during the dinner sat down to a separate repast , over which Bro . Charles J . Perceval presided , Bro . Terry taking the vice-chair . Bro . RAYNIUM STEWART proposed " The Health of Bro . Perceval , " whom they were all delighted to see after his long illness . Bro . PERCEVAL , in acknowledging the toast , said that a kind providence having restored him to health he should renew his efforts on behalf of all

the Alasonic Institutions . He then proposed " Success to the Benevolent Institution , " and said all the brethren must have been delighted to see lately announced in the papers the success which had been achieved by all the Masonic Institutions in 18 S 5 . They would be pleased to know that the Benevolent Institution stood at the head of the list . Each Institution had its peculiar behests , but the Benevolent Institution had behests more

particularly demanding the care of the brethren , fur the reason that when the old people got on the list of annuitants they " seemed to live for ever , whereas with the other two Institutions they knew at what time any ' elected candidate would cease to be on their books . The old people were still coming on in great numbers , and the Benevolent Institution required renewed exertions . He hoped in the future , as in the past , this Institution would be known as the most promising of the three .

Bro . TERRY said the Chairman had called attention to the fact which was patent now to the Masonic world , or the reading portion of the Masonic world , as to the amount raised during the past year on behalf of the three Institutions , and had also alluded to the fact that the Benevolent Institution again stood at the head of the list . During the past seven or eight years that had not been an unnusual thing . The Benevolent

Institution had only on one occasion during the time been surpassed , viz ., in 1 S 83 , when by an almost superhuman effort the Boys' School received £ 25 , 000—wanting the money for the Preparatory School . He ventured to say that the Benevolent Insiitution wanted the money more perhaps than ihe Educational Institution for this single reason , that the other Institutions knew at once when they took a child into the School what the cost of

maintenance of that child would be . But when an annuitant was elected it was impossible for the Committee lo see what charge they were incurring . An annuitant might live only a few months , he or she might live 30 or 35 years , and therefore when they had a large number of candidates coming before them—130 as was now the case to be brought before the Committee next week—it was

something very sad to know that there were not sufficient vacancies to cope with the demand . Therefore , although £ 21 , was a great sum to be realised in one year as compared with the ^ , " 16 , 000 for each of the other Institutions , the Benevolent Institution was actually the worst off of the three , inasmuch as the increase in its subscriptions was only ^ 1400 in the year , while the increase in the Girls' Institution was £ 1800 and in the

Boys' £ 2500 . Notwithstanding it might on the first blush appear that the Benevolent Institution was the most successful , yet taking facts and figures it was the least successful . Coming now to the Festival for 1886 he could only express a sense of deep regret that they were not more forward than at present . They had now 60 or 70 Stewards less than they had last year . They had a chairman without a province at his back , whereas last year the

province of Gloucester supported their Grand Master with £ 1100 . Therefore , unless their good friends were supporting them , as he knew they would , they would have £ 4000 or . £ 5000 less than last year , and that too with an increasing number of candidates . This was only to be made known , the Craft had onl y to be aware of this , and between now and February next there would be a large accession lo the number of Stewards and

an increase in the promised subscriptions on thc list of those Stewards . It was always a source of anxiety as to what the result of a festival mig ht turn out to be , and he looked forward with an amount of regret to this , that the result would not be anything like the amount made in 1885 . When they came to consider that an additional source of expenditure was placed on the charge of the Benevolent

Institution last year by electing 23 additional widows and three additional men , at a cosi of nearly £ 800 a year—an amount which , in the first history of the Institution , was considered more than they could pay ; and yet that hutt been placed as an exlra charge in one year . It certainly did behove thc Committee , who were always willing to do their best , to use their exertions to realise as Iartje a sum as possible during the coining month . He

thanked the Chairman for giving him the opportunity of making this statement of facts and figures , which hc hoped would be the means of making the brethren falsify his words , and prove to the Committee when when tht-y met in February that hc was a false prophet . Nevertheless , ihey must all look on this matter as business men . The country had

passed through a period of depression , and an electoral campaign . In the early portion' of the year people looked how the balance stood with their bankers . He hoped lhat those who had intended to give ten guineas would give twenty , and lhat when he hacl the pleasure of meeting the Committee next year he mig ht congratulate them on success Bros . 1-loc . ARi ) , M 11 . 1 . F . R , and NEWTON responded for "The Visitors ;"

Bros . J MASON and J AMES TERRY , jun ., for" Bro . Terry ' s Staff ;" and Bro . RAYNHAM STEWART for " The House Committee . " Inthe evening Lieut . Waller Cole gave his ventriloquial entertainment , which gave very great satisfaction , the brethren and ladies being regaled at intervals during its progress . At the conclusion , the visitors wished their old friends " a happy new year " and returned to town .