Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

garvan , P . G . M ., has kindly consented to preside as ChaTrman at the Festival of the Girls' School . Yet the Province has a fine record , of which its members may justly be proud . In the year of the Girls' Centenary it raised in all 2 I 2 93 6 s ., of which 294 fi Is - was ' support of " Our Girls . " In 1892 , the total , including

£ 613 ios . to the R . M . B . I ., reached £ 841 15 s ., while in 1895 , when Bro . Lord Dungarvan presided for the Old People , the total for the year reached £ 1745 3 s . 7 d ., of which £ i 6 _ 7 17 s . fid . was in suppo . t of his lordship ' s Chairmanship . May it be our privilege in May next to report an equal , or even a greater , success , in honour of his lordship ' s second Chairmanship !

The Chairman's Province of SOUTH WALES ( E . D . ) next claims our attention , and considering the strain upon its resources during the last two years , we cannot speak * in terms too complimentary of its perform mee on Wednesday . The number of its lodges is 23 , but in accordance with the custom it has invariably adopted , the number of its Stewards is small , Bro . J . H . Taylor

being the Steward in charge of the whole Province , and in addition there were six other brethren , of whom Comp . A . L . Roberts represented St . John's Chapter , No . 3 6 , Cardiff , while there were four brethren doing duty for Indefatigable Lodge , No . 237 , Swansea , and Bro . Beer acted for the Llangattock Lodge , No . 2547 , and and the Marmaduke Tennant Chapter , No . 1992 , both located at Cardiff . The total , including the Chairman ' s personal donation cf £ 105 , reached 2631

Bro . Taylor s list as the Provincial Steward amounting to 2465- Last year the Province figured for the goodly sum of 2605 6 s . fid . among the supporters of the Boys' Centenary , the number of those who ac' . ed as Stewards being eight . In 18 97 Lord Llangattock , Prov . G . M ., occupied the chair at . the Festival of the Girls' Institution , and the total subscribed by the Province , including the Chairman ' s donation of 2 ioo , reached . £ 1050 , the principal list being that of Bro .

G . Clarry for . £ 604 6 s ., and the number of reprentatives 12 , including his lordship and two ladies Unattached . In 1 S 91 the Province subscribed 2 ' 8 o to the Benevolent Jubilee and £ 321 15 s . fid . to the Boys' School , or together £ 501 15 s . 6 d ., while in 18 S 8 , when Lord Llangattock ' s predecessor , the late Bro . Sir George Elliot , Bart ., took the chair for this Institution , the Province raised 2865 , Sir George's donation of 226 5 s . to the Girls' Centenary placing the year ' s aggregate at ' 28 gi 5 s . This , as we have said , is a goodly record .

Its neighbour , SOUTH WALES ( W . D . ) , though mustering only 10 lodges , is entered for 2 'o 5 , being the amount of Bro . ] . D . Perrott ' s list as Provincial Steward . At the Boys' Centenary its four representatives compiled a sum of 2 ' 6 i 7 s ., the chief item being 2 i 5 o 17 s ., for

which Bro . the Rev . D . Bowen , D . P . G . M ., was responsible . In 1888 it raised £ 108 ios . for this Institution in compliment to Sir Geerge Elliot , P . G . M . of South Wales ( E . D . ) , as Chairman at the Festival , and 2 i ° 5 for the Girls ' Centenary , and in 1802 £ 32 ns . to the Benevolent Jubilee and £ * ifii is . 6 d . to the Boys' School , or in all £ 103 12 s . fid .

STAFFORDSHIRE with its 32 lodges , makes a goodly show , thanks in great measure to the list of Bro . the Earl of Dartmouth , the Prov . G . Master , for £ 283 ios . In addition to his lordship there were seven other Stewards , of whom Bro . Lord Burton , S . G . W ., with a donation of 2 26 5 s ., and another were Unattached , while the remaining five represented three of the lodges , Nos . 482 , 624 , and 2194 , the total from all

sources being , £ 357 . This , as we have said , is a capital return , when we bear in mind that last year the Province raised in all , £ 4023 18 s ., of which 23845 8 s ., obtained by the efforts of 204 Stewards , was in support of the Boys ' Centenary . In 18 S 8 , Staffordshire raised 2355 7 S- for the Girls' Centenary , and and 2262 ios . for the Boys' School , or together £ 617 17 s . In 1891 , it subscribed

2 ? 6 i iSs . fid ., of which £ 452 was raised for the Boys' Festival at Brighton , under the late Bro . Earl of Lathom , Prov . G . M . West Lancashire , and in 1892 , £ 7 62 , of which 2392 ios . was given to this Institution at its Jubilee Festival . If it supports the Girls' School in May next as liberally as it has this Institution , the current year will not be the least satisfactory in the more recent career of the Province .

SUFFOLK is mainly an agricultural county , but , though it has only 22 lodges on its roll , it seldom allows a Festival to pass without contributing a something , and that something is , oftener than not , a good round sum . On Wednesday the representatives of two of \ ts lodges together raised 265 2 s ., but in June last its 33 Stewards compiled the handsome total of 2 i 5 io 17 s . 6 d ., the £ 31 ios . and 22 i

subscribed to this and the Girls' Institution respectively making the year ' s aggregate 21563 7 s . 6 d . In 1888 it raised in all £ 1105 12 s ., this Institution receiving £ 451 ios ., the Girls' School at its Centenary £ 517 12 s ., and the Boys'School 2 i 36 ios . ; while in 1889 its total was 21048 17 s . fid ., of which 2577 19 s . fid . was on behalf of the Girls' School in suppprt of the Chairmanship pf Bro . Lord Henniker , Prov . G . M . ln 1892 the total was higher still , and reached 2 ' 449 4 s ., of which 2 i 2 gi 14 s . was subscribed to the Benevolent Jubilee .

We now pass South to the Province ot SURREY , which , with a muster roll of 43 lodges , may always be relied upon for a strong subscription list , particularly when there are special grounds which induce it to put forth its strength . This we attribute in part to its propinquity to the Metropolis , but chiefly to its goodwill towards the Institutions , and the salutary influence of

a succession of able and popular Prov . G . Masters , of whom Bro . the Earl of Onslow , the present occupant of that position , is not the least popular . In 1886 it raised in all 2 i 82 g , of which £ 1345 15 s - was subscribed to the Girls' School ,, whose Festival was held under the presidency of the late Bro . General Brownrigg , P . G . M . in 1888 ; it raised 2 i 147 * 8 s- for the Girls' Centenary , and during the year

2 i 2 g 8 14 s . In 1892 it contributed 22148 os . fid . to the Jubilee of this Institution ; while the year's aggregate was 22817 19 s . fid . In 1 894 the product of the whole year was £ 1673 4 s- 6 d ., of which 2 ' 399 2 s . was in honour of the Chairmanship of the late Bro . Col . G . Noel Money at the Festival of the Old People ; while last year it compiled in all 239 68 2 s ., of which the sum of 23499 ids . was raised by the efforts pf 85 Stewards fpr the Bpys' Centenary .

The adjoining Province of SUSSEX has likesvise acquitted itself admirably , both generally and particularly . In 1885 it subscribed £ 1850 in support of the presidency at the Girls'School FcstivaPpf the late Sir W . W . Bnrrell , Bait ., P . G . M ., the total for the year being £ 1923 IPs . In 1888 it raised 2946 ' 3 - > inclusive of 288 4 gs . for the Girls' Centenary . In 18 92 its aggregate reached 22214 2 S ., of which 2 * 155 6 s . was in respect ofthe

lienevolent Jubilee and 2 ' 026 5 s . to the Girls' School in support pf the Duke pf C ' onnaught's Chairmanship . In 18 97 his Royal Highness presided at the Festival of this Institution , and the Province subscribed 2 ' 2 < 53 2 s . 6 d ., and during the year 2 ' 497 5 = * . 6 d . Last year it raised 263 for the Girls' School , and for the Boys ' Centenary , by the medium of 125 Stewards , the excellent total of 2286 9 15 s ., the / ear ' s total being 22932 15 s- On Wednesday 11 of its 32 lodges took part in the celebration , the number of Stewards , including the Unattached brethren , being 13 , and the sum total of their lists 24 i 6 5 s .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

Pass we now to the great Midland Province of WARWICKSHIRE , three of whose 31 lodges took p art in Wednesday ' s Festival for the Old People and together raised 284 , the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham , which has impartially supported all our Central Institutions for several years past , furnishing five of the seven Stewards and three-fourths of the Provincial total . The Province

has done some splendid work under the auspices of its Prov . G . Master , Lord Leigh . As far back as 1876 , when his lordship presided at the Boys' School Festival , it raised £ 2000 for that Institution . In 1888 , when the P . G . M . was Honorary Treasurer of | the Board of Stewards for the Girls' Centenary , Warwickshire , with a contingent of 93 Stewards , contributed towards that memorable event . £ 1440 6 s . 6 d . In 1892 a contingent of 82 Stewards compiled 2 2 i 86 ,

which before the year had run its course was increased by its contributions to the Schools to 2 24 io 4 s . Last year its subscriptions were 231 ios . to this Institution , £ 42 to the Girls' School , and £ 5079 14 s . fid ., by the medium of 237 Stewards , to the Bpys' Centenary , for which Lord Leigh again acted as Hon . Treasurer of the whole Board . After such returns it is not surprising that the total on Wednesday should have been small .

There are but 14 lodges in WORCESTERSHIRE , but two of these were represented on this occasion by four brethren , and together subscribed £ 95 ns . In June last it furnished a band of 40 Stewards , who raised £ 1136 2 S . fpr " Our Bpys , " which with its cpntributipns tp this and the Girls '

Institutipns augmented the year s tptal to £ 1231 13 s . ' In 18 S 8 the Province , with 13 Stewards , subscribed 26 g 5 'Ss ., the year ' s aggregate reaching 284 8 3 s . In 18 92 the year produced only £ 489 5 s ., of which 2 2 43 12 s . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee , 2 ' 44 17 s . to the Girls' School , and ; £ ioo i 6 s . to " Our Boys . " In 1896 the year ' s total was £ 653 23 ., and in 1897 , 32753 iSs ., of which 2504 was subscribed to the Old People .

YORKSHIRE ( N . and E . RIDINGS ) raised £ 7 8 15 s . for the Girls' Institution in 1 S 9 8 and 2563 13 s . fid . fpr the Boys ' Centenary , the two returns tegether ampunting to 264 ^ 8 s . fid . But it has exceeded this in pther years , netably in 18 S 8 , when , including the 2762 15 s .

subscribed tn the Girls' Centenary , the year yielded 2 S 32 is . Again , in 1892 , its Returns , including 27 ' 7 9 s . to the Jubilee nf this Institution , amounted to . 6733 4 s ., while in 1896 it was highest of all , and reached £ 1022 19 s ., of which . C 900 fell to the lot of this Institution . On Wednesday , one lodge gave 265-As for

YORKSHIRE ( WEST RIDING ) , there is little need to say anything , as the splendid work it does is known every * where throughout the Craft in England . Be it enough for us to point put that last year it headed the Provinces at the Boys' Centenary with a total of 26 i 36 3 S . 6 d ., obtained by the effprts pf 388 Stewards , the subscriptipn to this Institution reaching C 350 and to the Girls' School 2 i 47 o , making a grand total ol

2795 6 3 s . for the year . In 18 94 , when the Prov . G . Master , Bro . the Right Hon . W . L . Jackson , M . P ., presided at the Boys' Schppl Festival , the year produced 26697 5 s ., pf which this Institution received 2 ' 837 IPS ., the Girls' School 2300 , and the Boys' School £ 4559 15 s . On Wednesday there were 26 Stewards , of whpm 24 represented 15 pf the 81 lodges and chapters , while a brother and a lady were Unattached , the total cpntributed being 2500 .

FOREIGN STATIONS . Four brethren figure as Stewards in this group , the sum of their lists , so far as they have been received , being £ 73 ios ., of which 50 guineas was the personal donation of his Excellency Ragheb Bey Idris , tne G . M . of Egypt . Doubtless the Institution would havo welcomed a greater number of Stewards from our lodges in foreign parts .

CONCLUDING REMARKS . We have now completed our task , and it only remains for us to express , aa usual , the hope that in analysing the Returns , we have said nothing to which exception may reasonably be taken .

Masonic Ball At Bedlington.

MASONIC BALL AT BEDLINGTON .

On Monday evening , the 13 th instant , the annual ball of the St . Cuthbert ' s Lodge , No . 1962 , Bedlington , was held in thc Co-operative Hall , Bedlington Station . The room was tastefully decorated by Bro . Dickinson . The dance was led off by the W . M ., Bro . T . W . Barker , and Mrs . Barker , and among those

present were Bro . G . R . Turner , LP . M ., and Miss Turner ; Bro . S . Hare , S . W . ; Bro . E . W . Carr , J . W ., and Miss Carr ; Bro . R . Johnson , J . D ., and Miss Johnson ; Bro . R . G . Metcalfe , I . G . ; , Bro . Isaac Barker and Miss Barker ; Bro . J . Dixon and Miss Dixon ; ; Bro . H . G . Goldsmith and Miss Goldsmith ; Bro . T . Fogg ; and Miss Foggo ; Bro . Crpudace , and many nthers . « ,

A large number pf foliage and evergreen plants were lent by Bro . A . E , Burdon , J . P ., High Sheriff of Northumberland , of Hartford Hall , which gave the room a splendid appearance . A most enjoyable evening was spent by all , the affair being a most pronounced success . About 50 couples were present .

Fifth Annual Supper Of The Citadel Lodge Of Instruction, No. 1897.

FIFTH ANNUAL SUPPER OF THE CITADEL LODGE OF INSTRUCTION , No . 1897 .

Bro . F . Dunstan , P . M . and Sec . 1329 , P . A . G . D . C . Middx , Preceptor , presided at the above at the Holborn Restaurant on 'Friday evening , the 171 * 1 inst ., when he was supported by upwards pf 60 brethren and their lady friends . The musical arra-gements were in the hands pt Bros . Frel W . Bishop and W . A . Horstead , piano .

The following contributed during the evening : Mrs . Alfred and Emil y Van Noorden ( pianoforte duet ) , Misses Violet Millin , Gertrude Dunstan , Alexandra Stewart , Frances Pink ( violin solo ) , Bros . A . W . Wade , J . H . Bishop , Harry H ill ( humorous ) , W . E . Jeanes , J . Bartlett , Thomas Feistel ( recitation ) , and others . A box of confectionery as a souvenir of the occasion was presented to each lad y during the evening .

The toasts were in the hands of the Chairman and Bros . Geo . Clark , C . J . Davison , G . Larner , W . B . Ladler , and A . E . Horstead , and the following responded : Bros . J . Bartlett , A . Wade , and Harry Willsmjr , Hon . Sec , for "The Lodge of Instruction . "