Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

no less than 25542 3 s . 6 d . was in behalf of the Boys' Centenary . On this occasion 13 of its lodges and one chapter were represented by 11 Stewards , together with two Unattached , whose lists amounted together to £ 6 9 8 5 s ., the principal items being £ 200 by Bro . W . Busbridge , of the Pattison Lodge , No . 913 ; and £ 102 7 s . 6 d . by Bro . L . Hill , of the Union Lodge , No . 127 . Even the strong Province of

LANCASHIRE ( E . D . ) , with its array of 113 lodges , feels that , after the grand efforts it put forth last year in behalf of the Boys' Centenary , an interval of rest is desirable , especially as it has Educational and Benevolent Institutions of its own with a first claim upon its support . This no doubt explains why the number of Stewards hailing from it on Wednesday was only nine , of whom six belonged to the Anchor and Hope Lodge , No . 37 , Bolton , and two to the St . Thomas Lodge , No . 992 , Broughton ,

while Bro . C . D . Cheetham was Unattached . The total raised by these brethren amounted to 2 I 99 12 s ., of which £ 126 was raised by Bro . Cheetham . Last year the Province raised in all ; £ 6 o 8 i 6 s . 6 d ., composed of 2215 5 s . to this Institution , £ 93 14 s . to the Girls' School , and in June 25772 7 s . fid ., this being the second highest total subscribed by any Province , while the number of Stewards who assisted in raising it was 180 . In 1 S 88

it raised 2 2873 us . fid . for this Institution and £ 1350 16 s . fid . for the Girls ' Centenary , the year ' s aggregate , with £ 126 5 s - to the Boys' School , amounting to 24350 13 s- In 18 92 it subscribed 22667 5 s . to the Jubilee Festival of this Institution . In 1895 it raised upwards of £ 4000 in support of its Educational and Benevolent Institutions , while , even as far back as 1869 , it subscribed 23 SS 5 to the Boys' School to help pay off the mortgage on the land and buildings at Wood Green . We hope the Girls' School will be well supported in May .

LANCASHIRE ( W . D . ) , which has 121 lodges on its roll , and is thus the strongest of our Provinces , has a Festival record of which it has every reason to be proud . It may not always appear in as favourable a light as other of our big Provinces , but an explanation of this is forthcoming in the fact that for many years past it has maintained three , and since 18 97 , four Charitable Institutions of its own ; and as these have amongst them invested capital amounting to some 25 o , ooo , more or less , it would be

manifestly unjust to expect the same measure of support for our Central Institutions , when it behaves so generously towards its own local Charities . Its greatest achievement was in 18 91 , when the late Earl of Lathom presided at the Boys ' School at Brighton , and West Lancashire rallied to his lordship's support to such good purpose that its total reached £ 6126 14 s . 4 d . At the Girls' Centenary in 1888 it raised 22440 2 s . for that Institution ; at the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 it subscribed 2 ** 97 8 s . fid ., but the total for the year reached 2 i 697 15 s . In 18 94 ,

when Lord Skelmersdale—now Earl of Lathom—presided for his father as Chairman at the Girls' Festival , the Province gave a round sum of 22500 , the year's aggregate being 22768 2 s . fid . Last year , after minor donations to this and the Girls' Institutions amounting together to 273 ios ., it compiled , by the medium of 129 Stewards , a total of 2445 ' 13 s . for the Boys' Centenary ; and it is just possible that had the late Earl of Lathom , the Prov . G . Master , who was President of the Board of Stewards , been able to take a more active part in the work of preparation , the amount would have been still more imposing . On Wednesday there

were only seven Stewards hailing from this Province , of whom two were Unattached , while the other five did duty as representatives of four lodges , the sum of their lists being 2 * 52 5 s . However , we doubt not that when the Province has become more reconciled to the grievous loss it has lately suffered through the death of its late beloved chief , and has had time to settle down under his son , the present Earl of Lathom , who is at present Grand Master Designate of the Province , our Lancashire brethren will be as active under the second Earl of Lathom as they were under the auspices of the first . As we have again and again pointed out ,

LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND , with its modest contingent of 14 lodges , is one of those Provinces which makes it their practice to support each Institution in its turn , concentrating the whole of their year ' s contributions on the Festival of that one Charity . Occasionally it happens that support is forthcoming at other times , but the rule is , as we have slated , and on Wednesday the Province , with Bro . C . Bennion as its representative , subscribed the handsome sum of 2424 14 s . 6 d . There are two years in which we have known the total to be higher ; but then in 18 98 the Province put forth a special

effort in behalf of the Boys' Centenary , to which it subscribed 2546 ios . In 18 97 the Girls' School received 2320 5 s . ; in 1896 , the Boys' School , ^ 231 ; and in 1895 , the Old People , £ 300 6 s . In 18 94 , the Girls' School had its turn , and was supported to the extent of £ 330 ios . ; in 18 93 , the Boys' School to that of £ 267 ; and in 1802 . the Benevolent Institution received at its lubilee /* i 88 ins . ; while

in 1888—which still remains the record year—the Province subscribed 2648 ios ., the chief list being that of Bro . S . S . Partridge , P . A . G . D . C , then , as now , the D . P . G . M ., while among the other seven Stewards will be found Bro . Earl Ferrers , Prov . G . M . j Bro . W . Kelly , Past P . G . M . ; and Bro . George Toller , Past Dep . P . G . M .

The Province of LINCOLNSHIRE , as a whole , was represented by Bro . Major R . F . Moresby-White , and in addition there were four out of the 24 lodges which sent representatives of their own , the total of the lists lejching ^ 302 19 s ., and the principal item being 2 i 66 gs . by Bro . Major Moresby-White for the whole Province . During

the last few years , and even further back still , this Province has done good service for our Institutions , while for its own deceased and indigent brethren and their children it has established Scholarship and other Funds , which do good work locally . In 1888 , it subscribed . £ 202 2 s . 6 d . to the Girls' Centenary . In 1891 , it gave 24 > 8 lis . 2 d . to the Boys'School , and the following year figured prominently among the contributing Provinces to the Jubilee of this Institution by compiling the sum of 266 o ss . In 18 9 6 , when Bro . the Earl of Yarborough , who had

not long been installed P . G . M . in succession to Bro . Major Smyth , resigned , took the chair for the Girls'School , his lordship was most loyally supported by the lodges and brethren under his charge , the total of their lists being returned in one sum of 2 5 °° - * - ast year the Province gave its whole attention to the Boys' Centenary , for which it raised 2 * 383 18 s ., one of the most successful of the Stewards who compiled this total being Bro . Major R . F . Moresby-White , who represented the Province on Wednesday . The Metropolitan Province of

MIDDLESEX is always well to the fore , impartially distributing its favours among all three Insti . tutions and on particular occasions more than maintaining the reputation for generosity to which it has for so long been justly entitled . On Wednesday , only six of its 42 lodges were represented , Bro . W . H . Reed , who likewise did duty for a Berkshire lodge , being the representative of lodges Nos . 382 and 2163 .

The total from all sources was 23 « 9 "s . fid ., the most notable lists being those of Bro . Walter Haddon , of the Raymond Thrupp Lodge , No . 2024 , Hampton Court , for 294 > os ., and Bro . C . E . Wetton , of the Electric Lodge , No . 2087 , Hampton Court , for £ 7 6 13 s . Last year , after subscribing 2 2 73 ' 7 - to this Institution , and 25 0 7 ' 3 s . fid . to the Girls' School , it gave its mind to the Boys ' Centenary , and by the medium of 78 Stewards raised 22 ^ 95 1 firs , for that impor . tant anniversary , the total of 1898 being ^ 3587 6 s . fid . In 1897 , it raised

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

£ 1105 18 s ., each Institution obtaining a fair share of the proceeds . But 1896 appears to have been its record year , the aggregate of its contributions being £ 39 , S 7 ' 5 s . , 6 d ., of which no less than 23705 15 s . fid . was subscribed to this Institution , in support of the Chairmanship of Bro . Lord George Hamilton , Prov . G . Master . It was also well represented at the Girls' Centenary in 1888 , and the

Benevolent jubilee in 18 92 , its returns to the former being 2 n ° 7 14 s ., and to the latter ^ 1315 gs . In 1 S 90 also , when the late Bro . Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., its then Prov . G . Master , took the chair at the Girls' School , it contributed £ * iooo . Thus , both generally and on special occasions Middlesex , has invariably acquitted itself well . It is very greatly to the credit of

MONMOUTHSHIRE , which has a muster-roll of only 11 lodges , that after its splendid performance last year at the Boys' Centenary , when , including the Homfray Memorial , it raised no less than ; £ lo 88 8 s . for that event , it should have come forward on this occasion and compiled the capital amount of 2450 . The number of Stewards who had a hand in this work was 12 , of whom Bro . Lieutenant-Colonel C . R . Lyne , Deputy Prov . G . M ., was Unattached , Bro . F . Phillips the representative for the whole

Province , and the other 10 Stewards for as many lodges ; the principal lists being those of Bro . A . E . Jones , Silurian Lodge , No . 471 , for £ 6 _ , and Bro . A . Swash , Isca , No . 6 S 3 , for 270 . We have already stated what it did for the Bays ' Centenary . In 1 S 97 , when Lord Llangattock took the chair at the Girls' Festiual , it . raised £ 346 ios . for that Institution , while , in 188 S , when the late Sir G . Elliot , Bart , presided at the Old People ' s Festival , it helped him to the extent of 2438 3 s . as it helped Sir G . Elliot ' s successor in ollice on this occasion .

NORFOLK , with its roll of eight lodges , has done its part exceedingly well , especially when we remember that for the most part it is an agricultural county , and on Wednesday Bro . S . F . Stackard , the Provincial Steward , handed in a list of 2 i 05- This is all the more creditable as last year it raised 28 i 8 8 s . —or more than it had ever

previously subscribed to a single Festival—to the Boys' Centenary . In 18 S 8 it gave £ 214 4 s . to the Girls' School at its Centenary Festival . In 1892 , at the Jubilee of this Institution , it contributed 25 t 5 105 ., while in 1 S 86 , when Bro . Lord SuiUeld , then Prov . G . Master , presided at the Boys' School Festival , the Province backed his lordship to the extent of 242 o . Under the auspices of the Earl of Euston his Province of

NORTHANTS AND HUNTS , notwithstanding it comprises only 16 lodges , has acquitted itself well , and on Wednesday and on this occasion four Stewards together raised 2222 is . fid ., tbe principal lists being that of Bro . George E . Caster , as Steward for lodges Nos . 442 and 2538 , for 2 l 36 I ° S-I the balance being the lists of Bros . John Haviland , J . G . D ., D . P . G . M . ; Harry Manfield , and George Ellard , who were all Unattached . In 188 9 , when Lord Euston was in the chair at the Festival of this Institution , the

Province loyally supported him by raising 29 ' 4 ios . fid ., and that after subscribing 2204 15 s . to the Girls' Centenary . At the Benevolent Jubilee in 1892 it raised 2255 Ss . In 1 S 93 , when the Prov . G . Master presided as Chairman at the Girls' Festival , the Province subscribed a round sum of 2 io 5 o , while last year its contingent of 28 Stewards compiled a total of 2 ' 62 i 7 s ., the 2 no 5 s . raised for this Institution , and 252 ios . for the Girls' School , placing the year ' s aggregate at , £ 1784 2 s . One of the 30 loiges in

NORTHUMBERLAND —the Carville Lodge , No . 2497 , Wallsend-on-Tyne—sent up a Steward in the person of Bro . S . Hunter , whose list amounted to 230 . The Province is not a regular attendant , but when it does enter an appearance it acquits itself successfully . At the Girls' Centenary in 18 S 8 , and the Jubilee of this Institution ,

four years later , it did not show to great advantage , but in 1891 it raised 21364 4 s ., including 2 > 05 o for a Perpetual Presentation to the Bays' School , while in 1895 , Bro . R . Holmes , Dep . P . G . M ., handed in a list of 22315 5 s . to the Girls' Centenary , a further £ 186 185 . raised for the Boys' Institution placing the total for the year at 22502 3 s . Last year it raised 2 i 2 go 93 . for the Boys' Centenary , the list of Sir M . White-Ridley , Bart ., M . P ., amounting to 2 u 24 us .

NORTH WALES , with its 20 lodges , had two Unattached Stewards in the veteran Bro . C . U . Benson and Bro . Coxhead , whose lists comprised their personal donations of £ 10 ios . each . We should gladly have welcomed a return of larger amount , but we must bear in mind that at the Boys'Centenary in June , 1898 , the Province , with a contingent of 25 Stewards , returned the splendid sum of £ 1089 ios ., and that , too , after

subscribing 2 2 94 to this Institution , and 10 guineas to "Our Girls , " the year ' s aggregate being 2 ' 394- This is far and away its record total , the sum raised by the Province in 18 S 8 for the Girls' Centenary being 2 fi 74 * 7 * fid ., and for the whole year 2792 9 s . 6 J . In 1892 it subscribed 2 222 14 s . for the Benevolent Jubilee , 23 fi ' 5 s . for the Girls' School , and 2234 3- > . for the Girls' School , or in all 2493 12 s .

OXFORDSHIRE , though a small Province of 12 lodges only , and , if we except the Apollo University Lodge , No . 357 , Oxford , having none that are numerically very strong , invariably comes out well . Last year , for instance , when its Prov . G . Master , Bro . the Earl of Jersey , was in the chair at the Festival of this Institution , it riised £ 505 125 . fid . In the following May it gave ^ 73 14 s . to the Girls' School , and in . June it wn returned with 233 8 7 s . to its credit , the aggregate for theyear being £ 1 ) 17 135 . 61 .

Yet on Wednesday seven of its lodges compiled a total of 2 ' 30 ios . In 1888 it subscribed . £ 568 12 s . to the Girls' Centenary , the total for the year bein j £ ¦ 656 gs . fid . ; and in 1892 it raised in all 262 g 14 s . fid ., of which 2428 7 s . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee . These arc brave R-Hutns , and what enhances their value is that the contributions are regularly made , the Festival , which it did not assist having been held at some remote period in the history of our Masjnic Institutions . ¦ Ve are not surprised that

SlIROrSIIIRE should have furnished only two Unattached Stewards—its Prov . G . Master ( Bro . Sir O . Wakeman , Bart . ) and Bro . W . Lascelles Southwell , whose lists together amounted to £ 36 15 s . Last year , after subscribing 28 g I 5 '> . to this Institution , and . £ 36 15 s . to the Girls'School , it raised , what for a Province with only 12 lodges on its roll , was the splendid sum of £ 1199 Is . 6 A ., the year ' s aggregate standing at 2 ' 3 5 ns . 6 d . In 188 7 , when Bro . Sir Ofiley Wakeman , P . G . M .

signalised his appointment to office by presiding at the Girls' School Festival , the Province raised £ 1022 . ln 188 S , it distributed among the three Charities 28 o 7 ios ., of which . £ 770 15 s . was given to " Our Girls" at the Centenary Festival . In 1892 , including 2456 15 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee , the total product was . £ 615 16 s . fid . The record is a good one for a Province of such modest dimensions . We did not anticipate that

SOMERSETSHIRE , though it musters some 2 < i lodges , would put forth much of its strength . Last year , for instance , it subscribed £ 1187 19 s . to the Bjys' Centenary and , £ 31 ios . to this Institution , or , together , 2 ' 9 9 -i w ^*'' ' May next Bro . Viscount Dun-