Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

figured with . £ 26 5 s . to his credit . In July of last year , four Stewards , of whom Bro . Benson was the most successful , raised amongst them the comfortable sum of ; £ i 20 4 s . 6 d . for the Boys' School , while in the May preceeding three Stewards , including Bro . Benson , contributed £ 68 5 s . to the Girls' School . In 188 9 the Province was represented at the Festivals of the two Schools , while in 1888 all three Institutions received support , the Girls' School obtaining within a fraction of ^ 675 in honour of its Centenary celebration .

At the last moment Bro . H . Carman , of the St . Peter ' s Lodge , No . 442 , Peterborough , stepped in , and offering his services as a Steward , rescued

NORTHANTS AND HUNTS from the list of absentees , his list amounting to £ 31 10 s . This Province , under Bro . the Earl of Euston as Prov . G . Master , has bestirred itself considerably , and when his lordship presided as Chairman for this Institution in 1888 , supported him to the extent of upwards of £ ^ 900 . It has also assisted in a lesser degree on other occasions , and will doubtless acquit itself well at future celebrations .

OXFORDSHIRE is a small Province with only 11 lodges on its roll , but we cannot call to mind the Festival from which it has been absent during the last 15 or 16 years , while , though on ordinary occasions its figures do not total up a very large amount , it is nevertheless a very considerable benefactor of all our Institutions . On Wednesday the

total received from the four lodges which sent up Stewards was ; £ 68 12 s . Last year it distributed ^ 385 6 s . 6 d . among the three Charities , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution obtaining £ ^ 24 6 out of this sum . In 1889 the sum total was lower , £ 276 , while in 1888 it reached , £ 656 9 s . 6 d ., of which £ 568 12 s . was raised in respect of the Girls' Centenary . There is little doubt that

SHROPSHIRE , since it has stood by itself as a Province , has done excellent service . It has but 11 lodges , and is hardly therefore strong enough to enter an appearance at all the Festivals , but it makes a point of being represented at one , and oftener at two out of the three , and generally it figures to excellent purpose . On Wednesday two of its lodges had Stewards , Bro . W . Lascelles Southwell acting for the Castle

Lodge , No . 1621 , Bridgnorth , and handing in ^ 31 10 s ., while Bro . A . S . Townsend represented the junior lodge on the roll—the St . AJkmund , No . 2311 , Whitchurch , and obtained ; £ 66 7 s . 6 d ., the two together amounting to £ 97 17 s . 6 d . Last year it raised £ 181 13 s . for the Boys' School , and ^ 9 6 12 s . for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , or together . £ 2 7 8 5 s . In 188 9 the Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution received £ 210 18 s ., the total for the year being ^ 361 4 s ., while in 1888 it raised £ 807 ios ., of which the bulk was in respect of the Girls' Centenary , and in 188 7 ^ 1022 17 s ., when Bro . Sir Offley Wakeman , Bart ., P . G . M ., presided as Chairman at the Girls' School Festival . These figures need no embellishment . The fortunes of

SOMERSETSHIRE were entrusted to good hands when Bro . W . J . Nosworthy was chosen to act as the representative of its 25 lodges on Wednesday . Bro . Nosworth y has had experience of the work which a Festival Steward is called upon to do , and his list of ^ 82 2 s ., shows that he did it well on this occasion . True we have seen larger Returns from Somersetshire , but it must be remembered that the Province

is in a state of transition . In the summer of last year it had the misfortune to lose its deeply-respected Prov . Grand Master , Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon , and his successor in office—Bro . Viscount Dangarvan , though nominated to the post by H . R . H . the Most Worshi pful Grand Master—has not yet been installed . However , a Province which has been so well organised for a long term of years will not need much supervision in order to adapt itself to the new order of things , and we dare say before the present year has run its course we shall hear of further contributions

being made to the Central Charities by our Somersetshire brethren . Last year it raised £ 35 8 is . for the Boys' School and ^ £ 190 17 s . for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution together , while at the Girls' Centenary celebration it figured for the large amount of £ 946 is . For the second time the lodges in the Province of

SOUTH WALES ( EASTERN DIVISION ) , had the great good fortune to be represented by Bro . J . R . Davies , who did duty on its behalf at the Boys' School Festival in July , 1890 , and raised the large sum of £ 3 ^ 0 for that Institution . On Wednesday his list amounted to £ 380 , which is all the more creditable as being the result of a second Provincial Stewardshi p following immediately on his last year ' s success . The greatest achievement of

this Province was in the month of February , 1888 , when Bro . Sir George Ellioit , Bart ., M . P ., presided at the anniversary of this Institution and his lodges and brethren supported him to the extent of , £ 865 . The neighbouring Province of

SOUTH WALES ( WESTERN DIVISION ) has but 10 lodges on its roll , but its two Stewards , Bros . F . E . Remfry and Aaron Stone , both of whom are experienced workers in this sphere of duty , put their shoulders to the wheel , and between them raised the capital sum of ^ 248 , Bro . Remfry ' s list being , £ 101 , and Bro . Stone ' s ^ 147 . Last year the same brethren applied themselves to different Festivals , Bro . Remfry , as Steward for the Girls' School , obtaining ^ 68 5 s ., and Bro . Stone , on behalf of the Bovs '

bchool , having £ 136 ios . to his credit . In 188 9 , the total for the Boys' School and Benevolent Festivals was £ ' 256 18 s ., of which the former had the good fortune to secure ^ 204 8 s ., while in 1888 the spoils of successful Stewardshi p were pretty equally divided between the Old People and the Girls' School , the former obtaining as its share ^ ' 108 ios . and the latter . £ 105 . Two brethren are returned as Stewards for

STAFFORDSHIRE with its array of 29 lodges , but one of them , Bro . W . H . Bailey , being entered in the London contingent also , and yet sending in a list of £ " 73 ios . The other , Bro . J . F . Pepper , represented the Province generally and the St . James ' s Lodge ' , No . 482 , Handsworth , the amount he had the satisfaction of compiling in the shape of donations and _ sabscriptions being £ 78 15 s . In July , 1800 , six brethren

did duty tor the Boys bchool , and raised amongst them £ 304 , while in May Bro . Ryder for the Province obtained £ 94 ios . for the Girls' School , and in February Bro . M . Barker £ 200 for the Old People , the year ' s contributions amounting in all to . 6599 . ^ In 1889 the total reached £ ' 498 15 s . only , while in 18 J 8 it was ^ 627 17 s ., the Girls' School at its Centenary Festival receiving £ , ' 3 65 7 s ., and the Boys ' School ^ 262 ios .

SUFFOLK ( 22 lodges ) has had many calls upon it during the past few years , and has invariably responded in a generous spirit . In the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee it raised £ 794 ' 6 s . ; in the year of the Girls' Centenary celebration £ 1195 12 s . ; in 188 9 , when Lord Henniker , P . G . M ., presided as Chairman at the 101 st Anniversary of the Girls' Institution £ ' 1048 17 s . 6 d ., of which the favoured Charitv rp . rP \ VPA

. £ 571 13 s . 6 d . ; and in 18 90 ^ 619 13 s . 6 d ., the R . M . B . I . in February obtaining . £ 211 15 s ., the Girls' School in May . £ 149 12 s . 6 d ., and the Boys' School £ 258 6 s . On Wednesday three of the lodges sent Stewards , whose lists amounted together to . £ 134 5 s .

Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

There are 35 lodges on the roll of SURREY , and three of them sent up Stewards to this Festival , while a fourth brother acted independently , the sum of their contributions being £ ' 115 19 s- Last year this Province raised £ 647 6 s ., namely , £ " 274 ltd . 6 d . for the Benevolent Instit . tion , £ 277 9 s . for the Girls' School , and £ 95 os . 6 d . for the Boys' School , j _

188 9 the amount distributed among the Charities was ^ 49 6 4 s ., but in 1 888 its contributions , including ^ 1147 18 s . in respect of the Girls' Centenary , reached £ ^ 1298 14 s ., while in Jubilee year they amounted to ^ 797 13 s . 6 d ., and in 1886 when the late Bro . General Brownrigg , Prov . Grand Master , acted as Chairman at the Girls' Festival , they were £ 1829 , of which " Our Girls " received £ 1346 . ' ] t will probably be some time before the large amounts last enumerated are again recorded , even though the Province is numerically stronger than it was five

years ago . SUSSEX , with its roll of 27 lodges , has the right to claim that it keeps on pegging away famously , and though its Returns to the different Festivals vary oftentimes con . siderably in amount , it generally contrives to g ive an excellent account of itself from year to year . In 1885 , when its late chief , Bro . Sir W . W . Burrell , Bart ,

presided at the Girls' School Festival , it raised £ 1850 , the total for the whole year being £ ^ 1923 ios . In 1886 and 188 7 it rested somewhat on its oars , its contribu . tion to the Old People and Boys' School in the former year amounting to £ 542 ios ., and to all three Institutions in the latter to £ 317 2 s . In 1888 it raised £ 946 13 s ., of which the Girls' School received . £ 884 9 s ., and the other two Charities the balance between them . In 188 9 the Benevolent and Boys' School between them were benefited to the extent of ^ 620 8 s ., while in 1 S 90 the sum of

, £ 725 is . was apportioned amongst the three , the Benevolent securing £ 247 os , the Girls' School £ 27 8 5 s ., and the Boys' School . £ 199 ios . On Wednesday six lodges contributed amongst them £ ^ 291 6 s ., though the Derwent Lodge , N 0 . 40 , Hastings , had no Steward to represent it . Included in the above total were ; £ i 05 received per Bro . C . H . Haine from the Tyrian Lodge , No . mo , Eastbourne , and . £ 63 7 s . per Bro . William Dawes from the Wellington Lodge , No . 341 Rye . Two out of the 30 lodges in

WARWICKSHIRE between them raised £ 31 10 s ., Bro . T . R . Arter , who represented a Worcestershire lodge as well , sending in a list of £ 21 , while the remaining £ 10 ios . came from Bro . T . Duke , Steward for the Lodge of Rectitude , No . 502 , Rugby . Last year it raised £ 78 15 s . for the Boys' School , and ^ 21 for the Royal Masonic Benevolent

Institution , or together £ 99 15 s . In February , 1889 , 14 members of the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham , raised £ 147 for the Old People , while in 1888 at the Girls' Centenary it figured for the substantial amount of £ 1440 6 s . 6 d ., the Athol Lodge again distinguishing itself with £ ^ 315 , the joint contributions of 30 of its members .

WORCESTERSHIRE had a Provincial representative in the person of Bro . A . Green , whose list amounted to the goodly sum of ^ 84 , and Stewards for two of its lodges , Bro . T . R . Arter representing the Masefield Lodge , No . 2034 , Moseley , and Bro . W . T . Page , the Semper Fidelis , No . 529 , Worcester , the total from all three reaching

£ 203 15 s . 6 d . Last year the Province , which figured at all three Festivals , raised £ " 136 ios . In 1889 the total reached £ ^ 365 16 s ., the Boys' School receiving out of it , £ 252 ; while in 1888 it raised ^ 695 lbs . for the Girls' School , and during the whole year £ ^ 848 3 s . Though

NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE has not done much during the last two years for our central Charities , it has been doing excellent work of a simikr character at home , the sum raised for its Educational Institute being very considerable . It subscribed . £ 3 1 ios . to the Old People in February , 1 S 90 , and ; £ 8 i 18 s . to the Girls' School the following May , the total for the year being £ 113 8 s . In 1889 the same two Charities received . £ 150 between them , the Old People obtaining ^ 105 . But in 1888 the total of its contributions

was . £ 832 , of which £ ^ 763 was received b y the Girls' School , while for the five preceding years its subscriptions averaged £ 532 per year . On Wednesday , Bro . M . C . Peck , Prov . Grand Secretary , did duty as Steward for the whole Province , his list amounting to the handsome sum of , £ 180 , while Bros . Shackles and Haberland , of the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , Hull , swelled this by a further £ 86 6 s . to £ 266 6 s . This is an excellent result . We are not surprised that

WEST YORKSHIRE , though our third strongest Province , should have contributed what for it is so small an amount , namel y , . £ 400 . We know that it has pledged itself to g ive a large amount of support to the Boys' School , and therefore a moderate sum , just to show the Old People that their claims upon its generosity were not entirely

lost sight of , is all we could reasonably expect . Last year its figures were somewhat below the high average it has maintained for the last 16 or 17 years , but in the year of the Queen ' s Jubilee , including the purchase money for the Perpetual Presentations to the Widows' Fund of the R . M . B . I ., and in 1888 , when it was one of the principal contributors to the Girls' Centenary , the total was considerably above it . Such fluctuations , therefore , need cause little surprise .

COLONIES , & c . It is pleasant to find brethren hailing from foreign parts entering an appearance in these lists from time to time . On Wednesday three Stewards from China , Cyprus , and New Zealand helped to swell the total by contributing ; £ io ios . each , or together . £ 3 1 ios . We feel sure that Bro . Terry will be only too delig hted to include the names of other distant brethren in the lists of future Festivals in aid of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution .

CONSTITUTIONS OF 1762 . —These well-known "Constitutions" form one ot the most important documents which concern the true history of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite , as , if they are genuine , there arises a fair inferW ' argument as to the ante-Charleston existence of the 33 grades . What then is tne evidence connected with them ? Thory in the " Acta Latomorum " ( I 8 I 5 > PP ?' and 80 , vol i . ) , first , we believe , mentions their existence . He states distinctly that the " Commissaires " of the Conseil des Empereurs d'Orient et d'Occidcn , a Paris , " and of the Conseil des Princes de Royal Secret a Bordeaux

drew up " reglemens de la Maconnerie de Perfection en 35 articles , A adopted practically the 25 grades of the Council of the Emp ° r of the East and the West , —and that these were drawn up Sep teni 2 r , 1762 . Both Thory and Ragon mention Bordeaux as the p lace where the Constitutions were drawn up , hence termed Constitutions of Concordat of ° deaux , though Ragon expressly points out that " il n ' est reste a Bordeaux auc trace , aucun souvenir du consistoire pretendu . " Mackey tells us that in . archives of the Mother Supreme Council of Charleston there are two MS . ? P , „

of these Constitutions , one written in 178 9 by Jean B . M . Delahogue , r- „ other transcribed 1797 by Jean B . Aveilhe . These , however , do not , in our oprnj > affect the question . These Constitutions have been published in extenso at r in 1832 , so we need not give them in detail ; Mackey also says in 1859 in Am —Kenning ' s Cyclopcedia of Freemasonry .