Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

you always receive them in the kindest manner . I therefore ask you to join with me in drinking the health of the Prince of VVa'es , the Grar . d Master , and President of this Institution , the Princess of Wales , and the other members of the Royal Family . The Duke of CONNAUGHT , after the toast had been warmly accepted rose , and said Brethren . I now give you " The Health of the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom . M . W . Pro G . Master , the Right Hon . the Earl

Amherst , R . W . D . G . M , and the Present and Past Grand Officers . **' This is a toast we always drink most warmly . The Grand Officers are always before us , and I think it is the laudable ambition of all Masons to be in their places . We are very grateful to them at all times for the great example they set us in the Craft ; and I hope this toast will always be met with a most warm reception , as it will , I am sure , be to-night . I couple with it the name of Bro . Dr . J . Balfour Ccckburn , R . W . Prov . G . Master of Guernsey and Alderney .

Bro . Dr . J . BALFOUR COCKHURN , in acknowledging the toast , said : Brethren , on behalf of the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom , Pro G . M ., the Right Hon . the Earl Amherst , Dep . G . M ., and the Present and Past Grand Officers , I beg to offer you my very sincere thanks for the enthusiastic manner vou have drunk the toast so eloquently proposed by your chairman . This toast , I am happy to say , is invariably received by the

brethren in an enthusiastic manner , but never more so than on these occasions when we have such a large gathering of the Craft under the English Constitution . This is an evidence of the appreciation of the work of the Grand Officers and your approval of what they do for the benefit of the Order ; but I think I could not do better than ask you to look at the gallant

little army of Grand Officers on each side of me , which proves to me how earnestly and zealously they work in the cause of Charity , and in no cause better than in aid of this Charity , which , if not the oldest , is one of the most popular , one of the most fervent , and one which interests us as much as any we have in our Masonic Order , and one which is most worthy of your liberal and most generous support . ( Cheers . )

The Duke of CONNAUGHT again rose to address the brethren , and was received with a loud and continued round of applause . His Royal Highness said : Brethren , —I have now to appeal for our Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution—the Male Fund and the Widows' Fund . ( Cheers . ) When I presided on two previous occasions for the Girls and for the Boys I found it very easy to get the sympathy of the whole of my audience for the juveniles ; and . after mv speech , when the other

THE CHA 1 KMAN . Institutions were proposed—I think that I am right in saying—Bro . Terry responded for them , and he said " It is all very well talking of the Boys and the Girls , but you should have the old men and the old women . " ( Hear , hear . ) I am now appealing to you for the old men and old women , and from what I know of Masons I think they more probably than any other

men more warmly respond in thinking of the aged . ( Hear , hear . ) We all do what we can to bring on the young people and to make their earl y days happy ones . But I am sure that glad as we are to do that we should not wish to be unmindful of those who have borne the brunt of this day and this life , and would do all in our power to support as many as we could and to make their last days happy ones . Most of you probably have before you

an account of these Institutions , but I will ask you to forgive me if I just m ntion two or three figures , which I have before me . The Male Fund was originally started by my granduncle , the Duke of Sussex , for many years your Grand Master , who took the deepest interest in everything connected with thc Craft . It was in 1842 that he first founded this branch of the Institution . The first election tosk place in 1844 .. when 15 man were

elected , whose annuities amounted to only £ 300 . Since then nearly 1000 have been elected , of whom 200 are now upon the Fund , who each receive ^ 40 annually , amounting to a total of ^ Sooo . The permanent income of this branch is ^ 2000 , which leaves a deficiency to be supplied by donations and subscriptions of ^ fiooo . For the next election there are 65 candidates and 13 vacancies , of which 10 will be immediate and three deferred annuities . With rrgird to the Widows' Fund , it was started later

—in 1849— under the presidency of the late Eirl of Zetland , Grand Master . In the following year eight widows were elected , the payments lo whom were £ 120 only . Since then 600 or 703 annuitants have been elected . At the present time 242 widows are upon the fund , each receiving . £ 3 2 a year , which makes a total of ^ 7744 . In addition to that number , 3 2 widows each receive ^ 20 a year , or half their late husbands' annnuities . 7-hat makes a grand total of - £ 8384 . The permanent income of this

Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

branch of the fund is ^ 1920 , 50 that there has to be raised ^ 6464 . For the next election there are 52 candidates , and only 18 vacancies , of whom 15 will be immediate and three deferred . There is also the Institution at Croydon , where 32 annuitants are resident , who each receive the full pension , and in addition , the occupancy of two rooms , with coals , gas , and medical attendance . I must apologise to you again for wearying you with

these figures , but I think you should know how these Institutions stand , what the benefits are which hive already accrued from them , and what we hope to get in subscriptions . I am aware that this year is rather a difficult one ; there are a good many funds going abojt , and they are most liberally and warmly supported . ( Hear , hear . ) So great is my confidence in you that I feel certain that we shall not

be disappointed with what Bro . Terry will soon read to you . I appeal to you most warmly , and , as I said before , with perfect confidence . Charity has always been our watchword , and whether it bs the children—the boys or the girls , the old men or the old women , I feel that the same Charity exists within us for them all and that we have room for them all . ( Hear , hear . ) I appeal to you again most warmly , and I am certain you will

respond in a manner I would wish , and make this year a memorable one for these Institutions . I would , therefore , again propose success to the Institutions , and couple with the toast the name of Bro . John A . Farnfield , who is Treasurer of the Institution and has done a great deal for it . I have read through the accounts of last year , and I never saw accounts more carefully audited , and therefore you may be sure the money you are giving will be well spent . ( Loud applause . )

The toast was drunk enthusiastically . Bro . J . A . FARNFIELD , Treasurer , responding , said : Your Royal Highness and brethren , —Permit me , in the first place as the Treasurer of this Institution , to thank his Royal Highness for the manner in which he has advocated the claims it has upon the Craft at large . . It was the desire of the Committee to make this year a memorable one , but unfortunately we

have not been able for lack of funds to make any material increase in the number of annuitants . As his Royal Highness has told you , there are so many funds about at the present time that we found it impossible to get the Committee to make a large increase for fear that times might come which would be worse than they are at present , and we mig ht have to sell a portion of our stock to keep the

Institution going . Since this Institution has been founded not one penny of the money invested has been sold out , and I trust that we may rely on the liberality of the Craft , and , whilst we put on as many annuitants as possible , we shall keep our funds intact , and , keeping that as a nucleus , invest more , and it is our desire to spend only the ordinary income to annuitants .

We do not want to hoard up large f unds ; we think we have sufficient claims to ensure your sympathies in the Institution , and while you entrust us with your confidence , everything will be done in order to safeguard its interests , and we shall do our best in the interest of our aged brethren and the widows . ( Cheers . ) Bro . TERRY thsn read the following

STEWARDS' LISTS

LONDON . Lodge £ s . d . 1 Bro . Richard Creed ... 2100 2 „ F . E . Bristowe ... 34 13 o 4 „ Wilson Crewdson ... 21 o o 5 „ Hugh Wyatt ... 66 2 o 8 „ ] . H . Jenks 32 o 6 10 „ David Urquhart ... 11 S 1 6 11 „ W . J . McQueen ... 32 8 6 13 „ A . McQueen ... 115 10 o 14 „ Harold Burke ... 10 10 o ' 5 » J- G . Carpenter ... 5 6 14 o 21 , Frederick Fisher ... 60 17 o 25 * , ' , H . L . Davis 5 6 2 6 26 „ Colonel H . "fraffjrd Riwson 10 10 o

Chapter 2 S Comp . Maj . C . W . Carrell 21 00 2 S „ Henry Pritchard ... 17 17 o Lodge 20 Bro . E . L . Waterlow ... 47 5 o 45 „ W . G . Mills 68 is 6 55 „ W . G . Langlands ... 50 iS 6 Chapter 5 S Comp . Ernest Flint ... 6017 o Lodge 65 Bro . W . J . Greig 7180 6 9 „ R . J . Reece 60 iS o 72 „ C . H . Randall ... 52 10 o 1 57 15

79 „ c . . wuson ... o 95 „ Millner jutsum ... 21 o o 134 „ Alex . Findlater ... 37 0 o 140 „ Dr . W . C . S . Burney 144 „ Col . J . G . Unite ... 52 I 0 ° 144 „ A . Saunders 10 10 o MS » J- E . Gerlach ... 27 6 o 147 „ Walter Fielder ... 30 15 o 157 „ L . A . Richardson ... 50 7 o 172 „ W . A . Hunt no o o

174 „ J oseph Bayley ... 92 12 6 176 „ Basil Mitveieff ... 39 o o 180 „ W . C . Parsons ... 42 10 6 181 „ Donald Andrew 185 „ David Hills 4 6 14 6 186 „ W . S . Page 4 6 4 o 190 „ C . E . Turnbull ... 52 10 o 197 > i W . T . Pigott ... 32 19 o 19 S „ Lt .-Col . G . Lambert 26 5 o Kosaim

20 5 „ Isaac ... 41 4 o 211 „ A . B . Spawforth ... 41 9 C 212 „ John West 41 8 6 21 7 „ V * . H . Garner ... 25 o o 22 7 „ Frederick Mead ... 32 10 o 228 „ Christopher Jelley ... Si 8 6 231 „ John A . Laing

256 „ John A . rarntield ... 42 o o 259 ,, Louis Mieville 554 „ George Smith ... 75 o o 742 „ H . Campbell , 43 ' ° 749 „ Constantine Doresa 133 12 o S 71 „ C . L . Nelson ... OS 5 o 813 „ Henry D . Blake ... 7 6 1 o S 22 „ II . F . Kingdon ... 48 6 o 860 „ W . G . Poole ... 21 o o S 79 „ H . A . Baxter ... 84 o o 8 yS „ Thomas Ringrose ... 63 o o

Lodge £ s . d . 901 Bro . M . T . Tuck 71 7 6 Lodgeof Instruction 902 Bro . H . Baldwin ( see also No . 1949 ) ... ... 52 10 o 902 „ E . W . Pillinger ... 31 15 o Lodge 907 Bro . F . Schmitz 117 12 o 933 » R . Ayton , jun . ... 81 7 6 957 » William Tiuman ... 53 11 o 969 „ Dr . Robert Evans ... 25 4 o 1150 „ John H . Gardiner ... i 1159 „ J . McNeil Miller ... 78 17 6 Lodge and Chapter 1216 Bro . A . C . Bradley ... 42 0 o

Lodge 122 S Bro . R . J . Chillingworth" ) „„ „ „ 122 S „ Geo . Chillingworth J *> ' 7 ° 1260 „ F . Danjerfield ... 63 o o i 1283 ,, Richard Parish ... 130 14 6 I 1306 '„ Charles Spencer ... 215 5 o j 1328 „ R . Pntlip Upton ... 36 15 o Hon Rnli . rf Rlanr ... AA I O j ¦

---, ,, --w . ' . . . e »— -TT - - 1348 „ A . Atkin 95 11 o 134 S „ T . F . Qaelch ... 10 10 o 1364 „ W . R . Jeffrey ... 5 6 3 6 1366 „ T . Goodman 54 17 o ' 3 » i James Culverwell ... 15 o o 1382 „ S . G . Bonner ... 73 10 o 13 S 3 „ Capt . W . Portlock Dadson 103 19 o 1 4 „ W . R . Simmonds ... 89 5 o 1446 „ James Brown ... 86 12 6 14 S 9 „ R . W . Huntley ... 152 5 * - > Chapter

1507 Comp . W . Stiles 12 12 0 iJodge 153 S Bro . T . 'vVzey Strong ... 50 8 0 ¦ 53 } W . E . Innes 4 *) 7 o i . <; 03 ,, M . M . Taylor ... 7 6 9 o 1571 ,, John Hampson ... 84 5 0 1585 „ Joseph Cox ( see No . 865 Middx . ) ... S 3 S c 1602 „ John Wsston ... 43 10 6 i

^ napter 1623 Comp . R . S . Cobden ... 3 ' 5 ° Lodge 1632 Bro . W . R . Barr 42 o 0 1 G 35 „ W . H . Bourke ... 2100 1641 „ William Briant ... 37 5 6 Lodge of Instruction 16 77 Bro . A . W . Humphreys ... 105 o 0 Chanter

16 77 Comp . Jas . Speller ... 105 0 o Lodge 16 79 Bro . R . J . Hall 3 O ' 5 ° 1681 ,, R . Goodenough 1687 „ R . Billinger 52 to o 168 7 „ Max Wartmann ... 63 10 o 1695 „ Robert Colsell ... 3 ° ' 5 ° 1706 „ E . C . Lewis 10 10 0 1708 „ George Samuel ... 120 4 6 171 G „ John C . Carpenter ... Co o o 1804 „ j . W . Gibbs ( see also No . 2459 ) — i 8 o * j „ Francis Thornton . „ 09 4 0