Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

WE have much pleasure in publishing the following letters relating to the pension proposed to be given to Bro . Binckes on retiring from the office of Secretary , and the non-oflicial scheme whioh has received the approval of the Provisional Management Committee , and is being pressed forward with tho utmost energy by its authors and supporters with a view to relieving the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys of tho annual charge which tho payment

of Bro . flinches" pension will entail . The first letter , that of Brother Joseph D . Langton , Hon . Seo . of the Provisional Management Committee , fully explains the nature of this scheme and how it is sought to obtain tho necessary snm to secure Bro . Binckes an annuity equivalent to the pension it is proposed to give him . The second letter , whioh emanates from Bro . T . W . Tew P . G . M . and Bro . Henry

Smith D . P . G . M . of West Yorkshire , is an urgent appeal to tho Lodges of West Yorkshire to support the scheme , and they sincerely trust that the Lodges in London aud tbe other Provinces will regard this appeal as if it had been addressed to them directly by their own rulers , and will , to tho best of their ability , support a proposal which haa found such favour in West Yorkshire and many of onr most important Provinces .

To tho Provincial Grand Masters , Depnty Provincial Grand Masters , and tho Brethren of Provincial Grand Lodges and tho Worship , ful Masters and Brethren of all Lodges . 37 Queen Victoria Street , London , E . C . 20 th December 1889 .

BRETHREN , —In view of the narrow majority by whioh the resolution proposing to grant to Bro . Binckes a retiring allowance of £ 350 per annum was carried at the last General Quarterly Court , the Provisional Management Committee has decided to ask the next Quarterly Court not to confirm or proceed further with that resolution , bnt to substitute in its place another to grant him £ 250 per

annum . The Provisional Management Committee has come to this conclusion in the hope that such an arrangement will be satisfactory to all parties , and will attend to allay any excitement and bitterness which may have been unfortunately imported into this question , so opposed to the principles of Freemasonry and imperilling the best interests ,

if not tho very vitality , of the Institution itself . Whilst asking with confidence for the grant of £ 250 per annum , the Provisional Management Committee has considered and sanctioned a scheme to raise a fund of £ 2500 in leiu of granting a pension to Bro . Binckes , styled the " Pension Indemnity Fund , R . M . Institution for Boys , " the immediate object of whioh is to relievo

altogether the Institution from any charge on its funds , and at the same time to recognise the services of Bro . Binckes aud provide some means for his " honourable retirement" from the olBce of Secretary , after upwards of 28 years' service . By this scheme it is proposed that every Loclgo in London and the Provinces should contribute or grant from its funds a sum of £ 2 10 s ,

being at the rate of 5 s per Loclgo for 10 year *? , so that a Lodge of , say 40 Members , earh Member would be contributing l . Vd per annum , or Is 3 d , ioioards the amount required for the Commutation , and from an estimate made on this basis , if all co-operate and heartily support this plan , a largo surplus will undoubtedly arise for tho benefit of the Institution .

From the many expressions of concunronce which have been received , tho Provisional Management Committee is led to believe that the scheme will receive general acceptance . If this should happily bo the case , it will at onco put an end to tho unfortunate condition of affairs which during the past year has operated so prejudicially to the interests of tho Institution , nnd which if not terminated must

continue to injure it , to tho deep felt regret of all its friends and supporters . The Provisional Management Committee has tho pleasure to announce ( hot a distinguished Brother , fully believing tho generosity of the Craft will support the scheme , has munificently placed at the disposal of the Provisional Management Committee the sura of £ 2500 ,

to enable it to commute the proposed allowance of £ 250 per annum aud arrange at once with Bro . Binckes for his retirement , and to allow six months for the collection of the fund . The attitude Brothor Binckes has assumed in this matter is highly gratifying to the Provisional Management Committee , and tends vory materially to assist such an amicable and satisfactory settlement . The fund raised will be quite distinct and altogether apart from the

funds of tho Institution , and will ba placed in tho hands of threo Trustees , viz ., Brothers F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , ( Grand Registrar ) , Edward Terry ( Grand Treasurer ) , and Richard Eve ( P . G . Treasurer ) , and any surplus that may arise will bo paid over to tho funds of tho Institution . Aa the success of the scheme depends on tho general concurrence of thoso interesteil , tho Committee urgently appeal to all members of the Craft and friends of the Institntion to contribute to the fund .

, ud thus ensure tho speedy completion of tho scheme . Yours fraternally , JOSKHI D . JiAN'f . DOX . Hon . Seo . of tho Provisional Management Committee . Cheques or postal orders can bo sent to the lhm . Sec . at above address , payable to tho order of F . A . Philbrick , and crossed " Union Bank of London . "

St . John ' s , Wakefield , January 1890 . 1 ) K . UI SIR AND BROTHER , —Wo desire to call yonr attention to , and invito your henny co-opornlion in carrying out , tho scheme set forth in tho accompanying appeal issued by tho I ' roviucial Management Committee of tho above-mimed Institution to raise a sum of £ 2500 in

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

lieu of granting a pension from the funds of tho Institution to the retiring Secretary , Bro . Frederick Binckes . A special meeting of tho Charity Committoo of this Province was held in Leeds on the 21 st December last , when this scheme was fully explained , aud after full discussion unanimously adopted , and it was also agreed that the snm of two hundred guineas should be raised in

snpport of the fund . Paragraph 4 in tho appeal fully states the basis upon whioh tho scheme is calculated—seeing however that some Lodges havo less , whilst many others have more than 40 members , it is for tbe brethren of every Lodge to determine what sum they will contribute .

We are exceedingly wishful to promote in every possible way the success of this scheme , which has already received the warmest approval and support alike of friends and opponents of the Pension , and we fnlly believe tbe £ 2500 will be easily raised , and , in addition , a handsome surplus for the benefit of the Institution .

Will yon kindly read the appeal aud this letter at your next meeting aud report the result . Please forward the contribution from your Lodge as early as possible to Bro . Herbert G . E . Green Provincial Grand Secretary , to whom cheques may be made payable , and who will give an official receipt .

We are , Dear Sir and Brothor , Yours fraternally , THOMAS WILLIAM TEW P . G . M . HENRI ** SMITH D . P . G . M .

Notices Of Meetings.

NOTICES OF MEETINGS .

LODGE OF ISRAEL , No . 205 .

THE installation meeting of this old Lodge was held on Tnesday evening , at the Caunon-street Hotel , E . C . The W . M ., Bro . Chas Frederick Hogard P . G . Std . Br ., presided , and among about 120 brethren present were Past Masters Bros . A . M . Cohen Treasnrer , H . J , Phillips Secretary , Solomon Jacobs , A . J . Henochsberg , H . M . Harris P . P . D . G . D . C . W . Lanes ., J . A . Gartley , I . P . Cohen , E . H . Norden , S . M . Harris , and W . Littaur . Visitors—Bros . Magnus Ohren P . A . G . D . C , J . Barnett J . W . 2192 , S . Myers P . M . 130 , H . Lashmore

P . M . 394 P . G . D . Hants and Isle of Wight , J . S . Eastes P . G . D

D . P . G . M . Kent , Michael Emannel P . P . G . R . Hants and Isle of Wight , II . Levy 574 , B . Bainos 185 , T . U . Edmonds G . S . L ., Fredk . Binckes P . G . S . B ., B . Vallentine 185 , C . Vandyke W . M . 1017 , H . Massey P . M . 619 and 1928 , H . Marks P . M . 1319 , J . F . Lee 1178 , J . W Barker P . M . 1767 , S . V . Abraham P . M . 1017 , H . Cohen I . P . M . 1658 , J . Lazarus P . M . 205 and 1017 , J . Bishop 1112 ( Mayor of Southampton ) ,

V . A . Wartenberg P . M . 1476 , W . J . Gardner W . M . 188 , F . Heilbrnn 1563 , H . Bnckeridgo 1658 , R . Hart P . M . 1421 , E . M . Bookbinder Perseverante Amitui , Paris , G . M . Lion P . M . 188 , E . Salomon 1017 , S . Lancart W . M . 1668 , J . \ V . Harvey P . M . 25 , W . Wright Organist 1 S 97 , II . Warner 2265 , F . B . Phillips 2265 , Franco Kran 188 , Dr . Jabez Hogg P . G . D ., J . Lewis Thomas P . A . G . D . C ., J . C . Hayes

P . M . 619 , P . Haines 1658 , C . J . Schwartz P . M . 1305 , Wm . G . Parnell 704 . Thero was no business before tho Lodge but tho instillation , and after the usual preliminaries aud tho passing of tho audit report , Bro . Hogard , ou tho presentation of Bro . II . M . Harris P . M . D . C , installed Bro . Michael Isaac Emannel , who was Master of tho Lodge 20 years ago , as W . M . of the Lodgo for the ensuing year . Tho

brethreu appointed to office wore Bros . Charles Frederick Hogard P . M . Past Grand Staudard Bearer I . P . M ., Rov . Marcus Haines S . W . ( in absentia ) , S . Dancyger J . W ., Abraham Mark Cohen P . M . Treasurer , C F . Hogard P . M . Secretary , M . BashS . D ., J . Levy J . D ., II . M . Harris , P . M . D . G ., I . H . Gluckstein I . G ., B . Marcus A . D . C , J . Dancyger and I . White Stewards , and R . J . Morley Tyler . At tho

conclusion of the ceremonies of installation and appointment of Officers , and the delivery of tbe addresses , a handsomo silver teapot , together with a gold bar to his Past Masters' jewel , was presented to Bro . Hogard . The teapot bore the following inscription : — " Presented to W . Bro . Charles Frederick Hogard P . G . Std Br . P . M ., by the Lodge of Israel , No . 205 , in recognition of his untiring

energy as Secretary during 12 years , and tho valuable services rendered by him as W . M . for the year ending 28 th January 1890 . " The presentation was accompanied by a speech from tho W . M ., iu which ho extolled tho services Bro . Hogard had rendered to tho Lodge , . ind Bro . Hogard , in acknowledging the presentation , expressed the gratification ho always felt in doing whatever ho could on behalf

of the Lodgo of Israel . It was then announced that the W . M . was going to stand as Steward for the Lodgo at the forthcoming Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and the sum of 10 guiuoas waa unanimously voted to be placed on his list . Notice of motion was given by Bro . C . F . Hogard to vote the sum of £ 2 10 s to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys Pension Indemnity Fund .

Lodge was shortly afterwards closed , and the usual grand banquet followed . Tho "W . M ., in proposing the Deputy Grand Master aud tho rest of the G . Officers , and giving the names of Bros . Dr . Hogg , J . S . Eastes , J . Lewis Thomas , Magnus Ohren , F . Binckes , and C . F . Hogard , said thafc with such au array of Past Grand Officers , he waa suro tho toast would be received with the enthusiasm it so well deserved . Bro . Dr . Jabez Hogg P . G . D . regretted that ho happened

to be the Senior Grand Officer present who had to respond in the first place on account of the prevailing illness which prevented others attending , and in the second place , because it reminded him that ha was gettiug near to the bourn from which even a Mason did not return . But his duty was lighter , becanse the Lodge of Israel was so woll ac . q-iaintud with the Graud Officers , and what they had dono in the cause of Masonry . They had a gruad example in Bro . Hogard , whose