Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution Fob Girls.

Bro . C . E . ISEVSER , P . G . D ., proposed " The other Masonic Institutions , and success to them . " Bro . J . M . MCLEOD said that he felt in a difficult position with respect to his response , as the proposer had made so eloquent an appeal for the si ^ b'r Institutions—and nobody could better or more rightly make it—that it left him nothing to say . But in the name of the Benevolent Institution as well as the

Boys' he could most heartily express gratification at the great success of the evening , and congratulate the noble Chairman and Stewards on the result of their labours . Following the success of the previous year , he sincerely hoped it was a forecast of what all devoutly wished —a return to the regular and steady festival announcements of former days . Happy Girls to be presided over in two successive years by the great chiefs of the Order .

There was one point he would like to emphasize on the present occasion , and he was glad that Bro . Henry Smith had alluded to it . It would be remembered that some two vears ago he had drawn the attention of Grand Officers to the fact that the Girls' and Boys' Schools deserved , and ought to receive , larger annual grants from the funds of Grand Lodge . The grant of £ 150 per annum had been made for nearly 60 years , and was a

commutation ot a previous capitation tyrant which at the present time would bring in an enormous income . Since 60 years ago lodges and members had increased five-fold , and the benefits conferred by each Charity had also increased five-fold—yet the grant remained the same ! He knew the generous instincts of the Craft prompted them to give freely and voluntarily , but for what purpose was Grand Lodge accumulating so large a Fund , which

now reached £ 100 , 000 , and which during the past year had been increased by £ 6000 ? He felt strongly that the strain on members of the Craft year after year should be lessened , and their generosity encouraged by an increase in the grant to the Educational Institutions from Grand Lodge , and so enable them to enjoy the larger assayed income which had been so pointedly asked for by previous speakers . He hoped the brethren

Deiow the oias would support mm in his enorts to get such increased grant , and he should rely on the Grand Officers making an early applicat ' on to Grand Lodge . < Bro . ROBERT GREY responded to the toast of " The Stewards , " proposed by Bro . SMITHSON , P . G . D ., and the brethren then adjourned to the Temple where the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe

presided over a choice concert , at wnich a selection of vocal and instrumental music , under the

direction cf Bro . John Lemmonc , was performed by Mdme . AmySherwin , Miss Marian McKenzie , Miss Fanny Wentworth , The Meister Glee Singers ( Bros . William Sexton , William Forington , Gregory Hast , and Webster Norcross ) . Bro John Lemmone ( solo flute ) , and Mr . George Clutsam ( piano . The Erard Concert Grand Piano was used .

The Steward s jewel was a silver-gilt hallmarked oval badge , on which appears three shields , enamelled in correct heraldic colours , bearing the arms of the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , the Province of Cornwall , of

which he is Prov . G . Master , and those of Grand Lodge , as Deputy Grand Master , the whole surrounded by a garter bearing the name of the Institution . The jewel was suspended by a white watered silk ribbon on which appeared the crest of the Chairman hanging from a top bar with the word Steward on enamelled ground .

The above jewel was specially designed and manufactured by Bro ? George Kenning and Son .

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS . It is needless to say that the task of analysing the Returns contained in the preceding list is one that we shall fulfil with the greatest pleasure , firstly because we were not prepared for so large a total , and secondly because it will have the effect of restoring the yearly average which marked the six or seven yevrs that

preceded the celebration of the centenary . We did not expect that the success of last year would be repeated , and it has not been . What we ventured to hope for was that the result would be a second edition of 18 93 ; as the figures show , the record for that year has been exceeded by . £ 2000 . However , let us turn our attention to the facts and figures as published elsewhere , and let us proceed to offer such explanatory remarks as may seem necessary or desirable .

The Grand Total , as announced by the Secretary , was . £ 16 , 016 4 s . 6 d ., the number of Stewards who took part in accumulating this amount being 327 ; the London section of the Board numbering 13 s , who returned £ 7231 2 s ., and the Provincial section 18 9 , by whom was raised the sum of . £ 8 7 8 5 2 s . 6 d . As regards

LONDON , it should be noted that the number of Masonic Bodies that were represented comprised only S 2 lodges , three Royal Arch chapters , a lodge of instruction , and a Mark lodge , and the General Committee Dinner Club . As , according to Grand Lodge Calendar , there are 411 lodges in the Metropolitan district , it is clear that Wednesday ' s success , in so far as

London helped to bring it about , was achieved by only one-fifth of the lodges which meet within the 10 miles' radius of Freemasons ' Hall , the proportion being ordinarily about one-fourth , and sometimes we have known it as high as one-third . But if the number of contributing lodges is smaller than usual , they have made amends for this by furnishing a larger proportion than usual of "Ibig " lists . Last vear , it will be remembered , Bro . Oscar

Philippe had the honour of compiling a total of . £ 1050 , which was subsequently increased to over . £ 1100 . It is not giver to everyone to repeat so brilliant a success as that , but Bro . Philippe nevertheless has the satisfaction of holding for the second time the premier place among the London Stewards , the total of the subscriptions and donations his list contained being XS'o los . Next in order , and very close indeed to Bro . Philippe , we find Bro .

Edward Terry , Past Grand Treasurer , a member of the House Committee , who completed , £ 500 , and he is followed by Bro . Fred . Arnold , who represented the Eccleston Lodge and had the satisfaction of raising . £ 411 12 s . Next in order is a lady—Mrs . James Stephens—who has won fame as a Masonic Steward at more than one previous Festival , and who , on this occasion , as the representative

of the newly consecrated Lodge of Fellowship , had the pleasure of handing in a list of ^ 304 10 s . Fifth in order will be found the Return of Bro . Walter Fielder , as Steward of the Lodge of Justice , No . 147 , for . £ 278 5 s ., and then that of Bro . Robert Grey , President of the Board of Benevolence and member of the House Committee , who represented the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . 259 , and succeeded in making up a list of . £ 234 15 s . The Steward for

Anniversary Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution Fob Girls.

the Asaph Lodge , No . 1319—Bro . W . S . Penley—has a list to his credit of . £ 210 , of which 180 guineas was his personal donation , the next in order being Bro . George Cockrell , who as representative of St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 211 , c ' ompiled the excellent total of . £ 139 7 s . 6 d . Bro . James Tollworthy , Clarendon Lodge , No . 1760 , raised . £ 131 , and Bro . George Bruce-Johnston , of the Creaton Lodge , No . 1791 , ; £ i 27 , Bro . Walter R . King , who had under his charge the credit of the Mizpah Lodge , No . 1671 , being well up with . £ 117 12 s . Bro . Julius O Jacobs ,

who acted for the Constitutional Lodge , No . 55 , and the Royal York Chapter of Perseverance , No . 7 , obtained . £ 115 10 s ., and Bro . John Macgregor , Wellington Lodge , No . 54 S , / " no 5 s . Bro . II . Gardener represented the Warrant Officers Lodge , No . 2346 , to such excellent purpose , that he has standing to his credit . £ 107 12 s . There are three brethren who returned ^ ioc , namely , Bro . Charles Hammerton , of the House Committee , Bro . F . G . Knight , who acted as Steward for the St . Thomas ' s Lodge ,

No . 142 , and Bro . Robert A . Gowan , of King Solomon ' s Lodge , No . 2029 . Two brethren , Bro . S . Rashleigh , Burgoyne Lodge , No . 902 , and Bro . O . Claude Robson , Willesden Lodge , No . 2489 , raised each . £ 100 , and with these is concluded the array of lists ranging from £ 100 upwards . Other lists that may be mentioned are those of Bro . A . L . Reynolds , St . John ' s Lodge , No . 90 , for 2 * 73 10 s . ; Bro

E . H . Johnson , Temperance Lodge , No . 169 , for . £ 79 ; Bro . W . Lawson , Nelson Lodge , No , 700 , for . £ 99 15 s . ; Bro . A . S . Ginger , Kilburn Lodge , No . 1608 , for , £ S 5 is . ; and Bro . Spencer VV . Morris , London Rifle Brigade Lodge , No . 1962 for . £ 72 19 s . 6 d . The number of Unattached Stewards was large in proportion to the total number of London Stewards . The section of the Board which represented

THE PROVINCES numbered 18 9 ladies and brethren , and the amount they raised is £ 8785 2 s . 6 d . There was a smaller proportion than usual taking part in Wednesday ' s proceedings , there being only 33 which sent up Stewards , while 13 were unrepresented . The latter include BEDFORDSHIRE ( 7 lodges ) , which has been doing exceedingly well for the last few years . In 1892 it raised . £ 152 5 s . for the Old People and the Girls' School , and in 1893 and 1894 the still greater amounts of . £ 183 17 ? . 6 d . and

. £ 238 9 s . respectively , the three Institutions in both years receiving a share of the subscriptions . In February it raised £ 43 is . for the Benevolent Festival , so that there are only two occasions since the beginning of 1 S 92 in which this Province has figured among the absentees . BRISTOL ( nine lodges ) , vith one exception , has p layed a minor part or the part of an absentee since 1 S 92 , the one exception being the Festival of the Girls' School last year , when the total of its contribution was . £ 441 . In 1892 and the preceding year it gave its undivided attention to the Boys '

School , raising for its requirements £ 316 in the former and ± 595 in the latter . CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND ( 21 lodges ) was represented at the Benevolent Festival in February by Bro . W . F . Lamonby , whose list amounted to ; £ i 02 iSs ., while in May , 1 S 94 , it contributed , per Bro . T . A . Argles , £ 178 105 . to this Institution . In 1893 it figured in the Boys' Returns for a moderate amount , and in 1 S 92 , at the Benevolent jubilee , for ; £ * 420 . DEVONSHIRE ( 52 lodges ) has allowed the present year to pass

thus far without making any sign , and we would suggest , with all deference to the views of our Devon brethren , that a greater degree of interest in our Central Charities may not unreasonably be looked for in the case of so strong a Province . We are aware that it has its own local Masonic Charities , and it is on record that it raised £ 135 12 s . for the School in 1 S 94 ; . £ 181 2 s . for the Boys' School and Benevolent Institution in 1 S 93 ; and . £ 923 Ss . 6 d . in 1 S 92 , the Benevolent Jubilee being benefited to the extent of . £ 807 i 8 s . 6 d ., and the balance being apportioned

between the Schools . But a total of less than £ 1250 distributed over a series of 11 Festivals—and one of them a Jubilee—is not impressive when the contingent of lodges is so numerous . DORSETSHIRE ( 13 lodges ) figured in the Returns of February last , when Bro . S . R . Baskett , as the representative of Prov . Grand Lodge and Prov . Grand Chapter , handed in a list of . £ 105 . Last year it gave . £ 157 10 s . to the Old People and , £ 35 to this Institution ; in 1 S 93 , the Boys ' School received ^ ' 150 15 s . and this Institution ^ 82 5 s . ; and in 189 2 , . £ 521 6 s .

, was received for the Benevolent Jubilee . We trust that HEREFORDSHIRE ( five lodges ) has no intention of entirely ignoring the claims ot our Charities upon its consideration . Its last appearance was at the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 , when one of its members returned a list of less than , £ 10 , while the year previous it raised a little more than . £ 20 for the Boys' School . We are aware that it has a Charitable association of its own , by means of which sundry amounts from time to time find their way into the coffers of one or other of the Charities , but our

Herefordshire brethren must not consider we are judging them unkindly when we suggest that such small returns are unworthy of them . LEICESTERSHIRE AND Run . AND ( 14 lodges ) was represented to such good purpose at the Benevolent Festival in January , when Bro . Howe , as its representative , handed in a list of ^ 300 6 s ., that , we are not surprised at its absence from Wednesday's celebration . Indeed , it is the custom of this Province to confine its attention mainly to one Festival a year , each Institution in turn being liberally supported . This year , for instance ,

the Old People , as we have said , was benefited ; in 1894 , the Girls' School received £ 330 10 s . id . ; while in 18 93 the Boys' School was the favoured Charity , and was . the richer for the . £ 267 10 s . received from this Province . LINCOLNSHIRE ( 24 lodges ) has been very quiet since 1892 , having raised only a small sum for the Boys' School last year , and for the Festival of this Institution the year previous . But it figured in the Benevolent Jubilee Returns for £ 660 5 s ., and in those of the Boys' School

Festival in 1891 for . £ 4 81 . It is , therefore , quite in the order of things that before the current year is ended , we may find that Lincolnshire has not been holding itself in reserve without some good reason . MONMOUTHSHIRE ( 10 lodges ) is another of those moderate-sized Provinces which support each of our Institutions in turn . Thus , in 18 94 , this Institution was favoured to the extent of . £ 297 1 is . 6 "d . ; in 18 93 it was the benevolent Institution which received , £ 272 8 s . 6 d ., while in 1892 , £ 316 18 s . was raised for the Boys' School , and ^ 21 for the Benevolent

Jubilee . Therefore , according to this rotation , the Boys' School stands next in order for support , and we shall be very much surprised if Monmouthshire is found among the absentees at the Festival on behalf of that Charity in July . NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ( 16 lodges ) was entered in the Benevolent Returns in February last for , £ 107 12 s . 6 d ., but prior to that appearance it had been an absentee since May , 18 93 , when it raised . £ 131 5 s . for this Institution . In 1892 it contributed . £ 157 10 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee , and . £ 34 13 s . to the Boys' School , while in

1891 the total was . £ 241 5 s . 6 d ., of which the Boys' School received . £ 203 9 s ., and this Institution the small balance of . £ 37 15 s . 6 d . SOUTH WALES , WESTERN DIVISION ( IO lodges ) , directs its attention to the Charities turn and turn about : Thus , in 18 92 , . £ 161 is . 6 d . was raised for the Boys' School ; in 1 S 93 . £ 177 19 s . for the Girls' School ; and in 1894 , £ 154 12 s . for the Old People . We may , therefore , reasonably look forward to the appearance of this Province in the Returns at the approaching Festival of the Boys' School . WILTSHIRE ( 11 lodges ) raised . £ 175 14 s . 6 d . for the Old People ,

and £ 1 20 4 s . for the Boys' School last year ; . £ 185 17 s . for this Institution , and X ' uo Ss . for the Boys' School in 1893 ; and in 1892 , £ 4 8 3 14 s . for the Benevolent , with minor sums for the Schools , which placed the year's contributions at the high total of . £ 530 19 s . We trust , therefore , we shall have the pleasure of chronicling the appearance of this Province at the Boys' Festival two months hence . The other absentee Province is J KKSEY ( seven lodges ) , which subscribed . £ 263 for the Boys' School in 18 93 , and , £ 63 for the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 . These 13 Provinces muster in all 198 lodges , which had no part in Wednesday ' s Festival .