Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The General Committee met at freemasons' Hall , on VVednesday last , at four o'clock . There were present Bros . Col . Creaton in the chair ; VV . J . Murlis , G . Bolton , C . A . Cottebrune , James Willing , jun ., John I . Berry , W . H . Goodall , Raynham W . Stewart , 1 . H . Matthews ,

A . H . Tattershall , William Clarke , Jabez Hogg , Edgar Bowyer , Wm . Hilton , Thomas Cubitt , James Brett , George L . Moore , Fredk . Adlard , J . Terry , Sec , and E . C . Massey ( Freemason ) . The minutes of the meeting ofthe 14 th June were read and confirmed . The SECRETARY reported the deaths since last meeting

nf four annuitants , viz .: Bros . W . H . Owen , on the 19 th June , Twho had received from the Fund an aggregate of £ 673 ; Bro . J . Woodhouse , who died on the same day , and had received £ 10 ; Bro . Turner , who died on the 29 th lune , and had received an aggregate of £ 321 ; and Bro . W . J . H . Jones , who died on the 7 th inst ., and who having heen only elected in May last had not received anything

from the Fund at the date of his death . The SECRETARY inquired if the Committee would follow the practice hitherto adopted in such a case , and immediately place on the list of annuitants the " next highest " unsuccessful candidate at the last election ? This it was resolved to do , and accordingly Bro . Caffd's name was ordered to be placed on the list of annuities

payable in September next . The SECRETARY reported that a box containing a donation of sugar and tea to the inmates of the Institution had been received from the Supreme Council ; also that the roals contracted for had been delivered ; and , further , that

Bro . Matthew Cooke and his wife had entered the Institution . The SECRETARY submitted the Finance Committee ' s report of their examination of the accounts from ist April to 30 th June , both inclusive , which had been duly vouched and found to be correct . The report showed :

£ s- d-Balance at 31 st March , 1 SS 2 3 ° 77 * G 1 Receipts 1 S 4 S iy o

£ 4920 15 1 Expenditure £ 2088 10 11 Deposited at call 1500 o o 35 SS 10 11 JC * 33 S 4 " * \ Vmows' FlTNIl . Balance £ " 11351 17 . -, Receipts 2290 2 8

£ o ! J 4 < "J " Expenditure ... £ 1882 7 4 Deposited at call ... 1000 o o , 2 SS 2 7 4 , -- £ 10 59 1- 7 SUSTENTATION FUNP . Balance 31 st March £ 59 13 7 Expenditure 13 C o £ 46 7 7

£ 2444 4 4 Thc SECRETARY " read a letter which he had received from the Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire , suggesting that the Committee of the Institution should direct that for the future the voting papers to which donors and subscribers in the province are entitled should be sent in one or more parcels to the Grand Secretary of the

province , in order that he might distribute them for signature , in the expectation that if that course were adopted fewer votes would be lost than under the present management . The Secretary said that he must explain , for the information of the Committee , in case they should think it desirable to accede to the request that had been made to them , that it would be extremely difficult to carry out the suggestion .

The Provincial Grand Master for West Yorkshire in his letter referred to the practice of Bro . Binckes to send , votes for the Boys' School in the manner suggested ; and it was necessary to explain that what was possible in the Institution for Boys was impracticable in the Benevolent Institution , unless extensive alterations were made in their method of keeping their registers . In the Boys' School the

subscribers were classified under provinces to which they belonged ; in this Institution they were entered in alphahetical order , and , therefore , it would onl * y be by most laborious work that they could be sorted out into provinces and despatched as suggested . The only effectual way to make the alteration would be by having a new set of books , the time and expense of preparing which would be a matter

for consideration . The question was fully considered upon its merits , and it was considered both impracticable and undesirable to adopt the practice suggested ; thereupon it wasproposed . by Bro . Raynham Stewart , seconded , and carried unanimously , "That the Secretary be instructed to write and inform the Prov . Grand Master for West Yorkshire that the Committee do not see their way to complying with his

¦ suggestion . " Four petitions were considered , of which two were approved , one was deferred for further inquiry and one for the attendance of the applicant . The SECRETARY reported that tenders for the repairs of the stone-work and other alterations at the Institutions had Tiecn received ; one being for £ 450 , a second for £ 162 , and a third for £ 149 . The last mentioned had been accepted .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF SUFFOLK .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk was held on Friday afternoon , at Stowmarket , under the banner of the Phcenix Lodge , No . 516 , of which Bro . Frederick Long is W . M . The name of Bro . Long

is sufficient to convey to all the knowledge that the reception accorded to the Provincial Grand Lodge was of a character not to be surpassed . To the minutest detail everything had been done in a superior manner , and in the carrying out of the various matters Bro . Long had been abl y assisted by Bro . S . H . Wright . The Provincial Grand Lodge was last held in thc town in 1 SO 7 .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

The lodge was held in the Assembly-room , and the banquet in the Corn Hall , and both rooms had been very chastely decorated with pot plants and bannerets , and presented a charming appearance . The band of the Oth Suffolk Rifle Volunteers was enlisted and met the 12 . 10 p . m . express train , by which the R . W . P . G . M ., Bro . Lord Waveney travelled , and , during lodge , was stationed outside the room , and discoursed lively music during intervals .

Lodge was opened by the R . W . P . G . M ., who was supported by Bros . W . P . Mills , P . P . G . S . W ., 376 ; II . C . Casley , P . P . G . J . W ., 114 ; XV . H . Lucia , P . G . Sec , 100 S ; W . Clark , P . G . P . ; W . Boby , P . P . G . S . W ., 114 ; Rev . A . Tighe-Gregory , P . P . G . Chap , ; J . H . Staddon , P . P . G . S . W ., 376 " ; F . A . Mann , P . G . Org ., 1452 ; F . C . Atkinson , P . G . O . Norfolk ; S . H . Wright , P . P . G . J . W ., . 16 ; Frederick Long , P . P . G . D . C , 51 G ; J . Terry , P . P .

G . S . W . ; W . A . Bowler , P . Z . 51 ; G . Abbott , P . P . G . S . B ., 225 ; J . VV . Shenherd , P . G . S . W ., 1592 ; T . F . Lucia , P . P . G . J . W ., 100 S ; ' J . Napier , P . G . S ., 225 ; G . Stevens , P . P . G . S . D ., 52 ; William Dodds , P . G . J . W . ; B . VV . Syer , P . G . T ., 37 G ; VV . VV . Walesby , P . P . G . S . of W ., 929 ; C . Bacon , P . G . Stwd . Norfolk ; P . Soman , P . G . S . Norfolk ; G . H . Grimwood , P . G . S . of VV ., 1224 ; R . VV . Saul , P . G . S . D ., 71 ; C . F . Brown , P . P . G . S . B ., Si ;

VV . B . Jeffries , P . P . G . S . cf VV ., 37 6 ; VV . Hart , P . P . G . J . D ., 3-, 2 ; VV . Wilmshurst , P . P . G . S . B ., Si ; F . Whisstock , P . G . R ., St ; N . Tracy , P . P . G . J . W ., 37 G ; John Franklin , P . P . G . P ., 100 ; G . Cook , P . G . J . D ., 1 S 23 ; ' ) . R . Thompson , P . P . G . S . B ., 100 S ; VV . J . Nunn , P . P . G . S . D ., 1592 ; A . Cracknel ! , P . P . G . S . B ., 16 G 3 ; VV . Armstrong , P . P . G . D ., 1592 ; J . M . Harvey , P . P . G . P ., 936 ; G . Thompson , P . M . 100 S ; R . Stevens , P . P . G . D . C . Norfolk

H . J . Wright , P . G . P ., 93 6 ; H . Sydney , P . G . A . D . C , 376 ; G . j . Paine , P . G . S . W ., 1008 ; Horace Lucia , P . G . S ., 1 TO 2 ; R . Woodward , S . W . 51 G ; E . M . Beveridge , P . M . 51 O ; C . H . Peddar , P . M . 516 ; F . R . Betts , P . M . 516 ; W . Simmonds , S . D . 516 ; M . Bloomfield T . 51 G ; G . Thurlow , A . Tillett , E . Bridges , John Mills , VV . T . Reed , and O . Andrews , 61 G ; W . B . Cooper , VV . M . 71 ; J . Tennant , I . P . M . 71 ; T . Hodgson ,

S . VV . 71 ; J . Wright , Tvler 71 ; and R . Crack , Stwd . 71 ; F . G . Horsey , I . G . 81 ; G . Hall , T . Si ; J . Stidolph , Org . St ; I *' . Grimwood , 114 ; J . Talbot ; VV . M . 225 ; VV . Daking , P . M . 22 * 5 ; A . Barber , P . M . 225 ; P . Whitehead , P . M . 225 ; J . L . Brook , J . W . 225 ; VV . Buckingham , I . G . 225 ; R . Senton , 225 ; VV . Leathers , Steward 225 ; A . VV . Cook , J . D . 225 ; E . Symonds , 225 ; A . J . Waterman , 225 ; S " . J . Morley , 225 ; F . Senton , 225 ; T . Turner ,

225 ; VV . Eaves , 225 ; J . J . Wild , 225 ; J . Ihornton , 225 ; W . Hart , P . M . 332 ; J . Whittle , T . 332 ; A . Cannon , W . M . 37 6 ; S . R . Anness , I . P . M . 376 ; T . R . Elkington , 37 G ; W . H . Warren , 376 ; B . Stanford , VV . M . 388 ; J . O . Green , 3 SS ; James Miller , 388 ; VV . Winter , W . M . 3551 J- Marjoram , P . M . 555 ; T . W . Read , S . VV . 555 ; W . Cocks , I . W . 555 ; VV . G . L . Sewell , 555 ; H . J . Hartcup , VV . M . 929 ; C . J . Watson , q-fi ; L . J . Woodward , W . M . 93 O ; H . ) . Wrisrht ,

I . P . M . 936 ; VV . Pearson , S . W . 930 ; G . J . Beart , J . W . 93 6 ; VV . H . Berry , S . D . 93 < 5 ;« E . J . Brown , I . P . M . 959 ; A . Raphael , S . Vy . 959 ; J . White , J . D . 959 ; W . B . Hanson . I . G . 959 ; P . J . Jolly , 959 ; James . King , 959 ; A . R . Trew , 950 ; G . Gould , 959 ; J . G . Oliver , VV . M . 100 S ; Rev . E . J . Griffiths , Chap . 100 S ; H . Thompson , J . W . 100 S ; T . B . Corfield , 100 S ; C . C . Gooch , 100 S ; T . B . Ardley , S . VV . 1224 ; J . C Baines , VV . M . 1452 ;

H . W . H . Elwes , J . W . 1452 ; W . Chapman , S . VV . 1592 ; G . C . Carliell , Steward , 1593 ; H . Gedny , VV . M . 16 G 3 ; F . Woolnough , P . M . 1663 * H . J . Barnes , S . D . 1 ( 103 ; S . K . Woodward , D . C . 1663 ; James Martin , J . D . 1 W 3 ; H . W . Cullum , I . G . 1 G 63 ; John Gill , 1 G 63 ; Hugh Bright , 373 ; and C . L . Holden , 93 . After the assembing of the brethren , the R . W . P . G . M . expressed his regret at the sad loss sustained by the Dep .

P . G . M ., Bro . the Rev . C J . Martyn , and stated he would be unable to attend lodge , and requested Bro . W . Boby to act as his Deputy . Lodge having been opened , Bro . W . H . LUCIA read thc minutes of a special Prov . Grand I-odge held in April , when an address of congratulation to Her Majesty was passed , and the reply thereto read . Satisfactory reports of the progress of Freemasonry in the various lodges in the

province were made by representatives . Bro . BODY proposed Bro . E . P . Youell as Treasurer , and said he rejjretted that Bro . Huddlestone had felt himself bound to give up the office in consequence of ill-health . The motion was seconded by Bro . VV . CLARKE , and carried unanimously . The R . W . P . G . M . then proceeded with the investiture of his oflicers as follows :

Bro . F . Long , 51 G Prov . S . G . W . „ F . Woolnough , 1 GG 3 Prov . J . G . W . „ E . J . Brown , 959 Prov . S . G . D . „ S . R . Anness , 37 G Prov . J . G . D . „ Rev . E . Griffiths , 100 S Prov . G . Chap . „ J . Tennant , 71 Prov . G . S . of VV

„ W . Daking , 225 Prov . G . Reg . „ H . ] . Hartcup , 929 Prov . G . A . D . C . „ A . Barber , 225 Prov . G . Swd . B „ J . Baines , 1452 Prov . G . Purst . VV . H . Lucia , 100 S Prov . G . Sec . VV . Clarke , 117 Prov . G . D . of C

„ „ F . A . Mann , 71 Prov . G . Org . „ R . Woodward , 5 iG *" ) „ Chapman , 1592 ... M ' rov . G . Stwd * = „ Ecclestone , 305 .. ' J „ B . AV . Syer , 37 G Prov . G . Tyler

The brethren then marched in procession to the parish church , where a most impressive and appropriate sermon was preached by the P . G . Chaplain , from I . Peter ii ., 5 , the Rev . VV . Wright and Bro . the Rev . A . Tighe-Grcgory also taking part in the service , which was chcral and well performed . The P . G . Organist presided at the organ . Tlie collection amounted to £° G ios . 2 . ' , d ., which was awarded to the Stowmarket schools .

After returning to the lodge-room a resolution was carried that for the purpose of maintaining and extending the Fund of Benevolence , all members of lodges in the province should pay ninepencc per quarter to the fund , instead of sixpence . A report was read from the Suffolk Charity Association , showing the result of the working of the charity scheme during the past year , by which the cases brought forward had been elected . Bro . VV . CLARKE , after an impressive speech , expressing thc brotherly regret felt in thc bereavement recently sus-

Provincial Grand Lodge Of Suffolk.

tained by thc Rev . C J . Martyn , in the loss of his wife , proposed that the following resolution be entered upon thc minutes , and also forwarded to the Deputy P . G . M . : — " That this Provincial Grand Lodge having heard with feelings of deep regret of the loss which the Rev . C J . Martyn , P . G . Chaplain and Deputy P . G . M . of this

Province , has sustained by the death of his amiable wife , desires to tender to him the expression of its unfeigned grief at his sad bereavement , and to express the hope ' that the Great Architect ot thc Universe will in His infinite goodness vouchsafe him strength to support him in this bitter hour of trial , and to assure him that every member in the province sympathises and shares with him in his loss . "

The P . G . M . expressed his entire concurrence with thc resolution , and eulogised the services given by the Rev . brother in matters pertaining to the Craft , and touched on the noble virtues possessed by the deceased lady . The motion was adopted in solemn silence . Thc P . G . M . having reviewed the progress of the Craft

in the province , lodge was closed in ancient form , and the brethren adjourned to the banqueting-room , when thc usual loyal and Masonic toasts were given . Thc toast of evening , "Thc Health Bro . Lord Waveney P . G . M . " was proposed hy the acting D . P . G . M ., Bro . Boby , and was most enthusiastically received , his Lordship beipg exceedingly popular with all the Masons in the Provinn " .

West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution.

WEST LANCASHIRE MASONIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION .

Under the presidency of Bro . R . W ylie , P . P . G . S . D . a numerously-attended Court of Governors of the West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution ivas held on l-riday the 7 th inst ., at the Masonic Hall , Hope-street , Liverpool . The recommendations made by the general committee

as to the election of ten children on the foundation of the charity were unanimously adopted ; and durin " the proceedings Bro . R . Martin , P . M . 11 S 2 , one of the honorary secretaries , made the gratifying announcement that a boy receiving the benefits of the "West Lancashire " had taken special honours in connection with the Cambridge local examinations . Before the meeting closed , thc chairman in

the name of a large number of subscribers , presented Bro . H . M . Molyneux , P . M 82 * 5 , with an artistically illuminated address , in recognition of thc valuable servcies rendered b y him as master of ceremonies for more than a quarter of a century at the balls which arc held annually at the Town-hall in aid ofthe West Lancashire Masonic Educational Institution . The address executed by Bro . J . O . Marples , bore testimony to the

value and courtesy ot the services rendered hy Bro . Molyneux , and the chairman also spoke of the pleasure which he experienced in having the opportunity of making thc presentation to a worth y brother . Bro . Molyneux suitably acknowledged the gift , and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to brother Salter , P . G . J . D ., who had taken great interest in the testimonial arrangements , and to the chairman for presiding .

Dorset Masonic Charity.

DORSET MASONIC CHARITY .

The second annual meeting of the General Committee of the above newly formed charity , was held in the Iod"C room , Blandford , on Tuesday last , Bro . H . C Burt in the chair , and the D . P . G . M . of Dorset , Bro . Hambro , in the Vlce-rhair .

I he accounts of the charit y were presented and passed , and the second annual report to the P . G . Lodge prepared by the Hon . Sec , Bro . E . T . Budden , read and adopted . Ihe funded capital , which a year ago was £ SSo , is now £ 1 . 300 , yielding a revenue of nearly £ Go for purposes of

> n i ree P etl ' lons have heen assisted to the amount of £ -, 5 . Ihe Dorset Masonic Charity was constituted a Provincial organisation eighteen months ago , and the contribution- ; collected and invested with the least possible delay . A year ago we had raised iust £ G ios . in interest . Bv

Uinstmas we had raised £ 25 , and by Midsummer last , £ 50 . So that it is only during the last six months that we have enjoyed the luxury of giving relief and assistance , tor , until the funded capital reaches £ 2000 , all contributions whether donations or subscri ption are reserved for investment .

As soon as this is reached the annual subscriptions will be treated as revenue , and joined to the interest of thc invested capital will produce a relief and assistance fund , large enough we hope , to meet all claims of education , infirmity or other distress , which may arise in the province

but which , though deserving of help , may not be of sullicient intensity to place on the large central charities In short the Dorset Masonic Charity is intended as a supplement" in its own province , to the three -Teat institutions , and to the Lod ge of Benevolence . "

India.

India .

A very gratifying sign ol Masonic progress has been intimated to us from Calcutta . Very recently the brethren ot the palatial city " have organized a lodge in thc roomsof the Emulation Lodgeof Improvement , in London , and members of the Calcutta lodges have united to"ether in torming the new lodge , under the Preceptorship of VV . Uro . Ihomas Jones , P . M . of Lodge Star in the East , No . r > 7 , and P . S . G . W . of Bengal . The warrant has been granted in accordance with the Constitutions by Lod" *

, e I rue I'nendship , No . 21 S , oneof the oldest lodges in India three meetings have already been held , the work of each ot the Craft Degrees having been taken up in regular succession . 1 he Sections also have in each instance been worked for the first time in Calcutta . Lectures on thc

philosophy and traditions of the various degrees have been given b y the Preceptor , and thc deepest interest , is evinced in the utility and progress of the new lodge , brethren of every creed , native and European , working together with a spirit which bids fair to achieve a high reputation fcr thc Calcutta Emulation Lod ge of Improvement .

On Wednesday evening the Duke of Albany was entertained at a private dinner given in honour of his recent marriage by the Fellows of the Royal Society oif Literature , of which body H . R . H . is President .