The Boys Festival.

THE BOYS FESTIVAL .

W / E are very pleased indeed to have the opportunity * * of heartil y congratulating the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys on the result of its ioist Anniversary Festival , which was held at Brighton , on Wednesday , under the presidency of Bro . C . 'E . Keyser P . G . D . Patron and Treasurer of the Institution .

It is true the amount announced on that occasion . — £ & > 599 1 1 6 d from 270 Stewards—could not be ^ in any way regarded as a satisfactory contribution towards the funds of the Institution , under ordinary conditions , as it would do little more than pay half the

expenses of the year ; but this was no ordinary occasion , it followed the greatest success ever achieved in connection with a Charity Festival—the record contribution

announced at the Centenary Festival of the School , and as such is not onl y a most gratifying total , but far in excess of what many well able to form an estimate had calculated upon .

We give a report of the proceedings elsewhere in this issue , and sincerely hope the desire expressed by Bro . Keyser—to see the ultimate total reach ; £ 10 , 000 —will be realised . The Institution , and the Craft generally , are specially indebted to that Brother , not

only for presiding on the occasion , but also for his very handsome donation of five hundred guineas , following so closely , as it does , his magnificent gift last year of /

five thousand guineas , to provide the Chapel for the new Schools at Bushey . Under such circumstances it is all the more gratifying to be able to compliment Bro . Keyser on the result of his presidency .

The following summary shows the number of ' Stewards , and the amounts contributed from the , different divisions of the country : > London ... •... ... 137 4 , 337 14 6 Hertfordshire ... ... 19 1 , 101 10 0

Berkshire ... ... ... 13 552 18 6 Kent ... ... ... 7 283 10 0 Derbyshire ... ... ... 6 251 4 0 Essex ... ... ... 7 242 10 0 Hampshire and Isle of Wight ... 5 174 12 0

Staffordshire ... ... 8 169 1 0 Oxfordshire ... ... ... 5 166 6 0 Sussex ... ... ... 4 135 19 6 West Yorkshire ... ... 6 131 5 0 Buckinghamshire ... ... 6 118 5 0

West Lancashire ... ... 8 114 10 0 Surrey ... ... ... 5 90 12 6 North Wales ... ... 2 78 15 0 Middlesex ... ... ... 6 77 3 6 Norths , and Hunts . ... ... 2 68 5 0

Foreign Stations ... ... 6 63 0 0 East Lancashire ... ... 4 57 15 0 Durham ... ... ... 1 52 10 0 Cambridgeshire ... ... 2 47 5 0 Cornwall ... ... ... 3 47 5 0

Worcester ... ... ... 1 36 15 0 Cheshire ... ... ... 3 31 10 0 Guernsey , and Alderney ... 1 27 0 0 Gloucestershire ... ... 1 26 5 0 Somersetshire ... ... 1 26 5 0

Suffolk ... ... ... 1 26 5 0 Devonshire ... ... ... 2 22 1 0 Warwickshire ... ... 1 21 0 0 Dorset ... ... ... 1 15 15 0 Lincolnshire ... ... ... 1 10 10 0 Wiltshire ... ... ... 1 , ' 10 10 0 Five of the Brethren each appear in two divisions , so that the actual ' number of Stewards was 2 ( 59 .

Suffolk.

SUFFOLK .

THE annual Provincial Grand Lodge was held in the Lecture Hall , Woodbridge , on the 16 th ult ., under the banner of the Doric Lodge , No . 81 , " when there was a very large gathering of Brethren from all parts of the Province . The Prov . G . M . Lord Henniker had hoped to preside , but at the last moment , owing to the state of his health , his medical adviser proscribed his attendance . In his absence , Bro . the

Rev . C . J . Martyn P . G . C . D . Prov . G . M . presided , supported by Bro . J . Terry P . G . S . B . Secretary of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution and many other prominent members . The Brethren having assembled under their respective banners , the Lodge was opened in due form , and the roll of

Provincial Officers and Lodges called , after which Bro . Joseph Foyster 305 was unanimously elected Prov . G . Treasurer ; while Bros . C . E . Tempest P . P . G . J . D . 114 , A . A . Bennett P . P . G . Reg . 959 , and T . Edgar Mayhew were re-elected Provincial Grand Auditors .

The Deputy Prov . G . M ., on behalf of Lord Henniker , then appointed and invested the Officers for the ensuing year :

Bro . the Earl of Stradbroke 388 - Senior Warden G . H . Garrett 936 - Junior Warden i : v : I : ? ob bsr tynSedswiok 1823 : } <*¦*>«*» Joseph Foyster 305 - - - - Treasurer F . C . Peecock 516 - Registrar N . Tracy 376- ... - Secretary

A . A . Seabourne 332 - Senior Deacon 0 . Oliver . 1008 ... - Junior Deacon R . H . Unsworth 959 - - - Superintendent of Works 3 . M . Franks * 376 ... - Director of Ceremonies G . Booth jun . 81 - - - - Assistant Dir . of Cers . J . W . B . King 376 ... - Sword Bearer

F : lagri 663 - i 8 htm : : : f *«*«* — James Price 114 - Organist A . Spalding 376 - Assistant Secretary

H . Martin 929 - Pursuivant G . H . Jackson 2371 - - - - Assistant Pursuivant W . T . Thornton 81 --- * - ¦) •S . Skerritt 225 - - - - £ Stewards 3 . Hardwick 959 -. - - » W . B . Syer - ---- Tyler .

The report of the Board of General Purposes having been presented and adopted , a very satisfactory statement was submitted , in connection with the Suffolk Masonic Charity Association . : The Brethren then formed into procession , and marched to the Parish Church , where a bright and brief service took place . Bro . Rev . T . Housecroft , rector of Woodbridge ,

intoned the prayers ; Bro . Rev . A . Robbs read the lesson ; and the Prov . G . Chaplain Bro . Rev . J . H . H . M . Sedgwick preached , and made a fervent appeal in support of the nu , rsing and accident fund of the Woodbridge Dispensary . The anthem was " Seek ye the Lord " ( Roberts ) , in which Bro . F . W . Hopson , Organist of Woodbridge Parish Church , effectively rendered the solo ; while Prov . G . Organist Bro . James Price ably presided at the organ .

After the Benediction , the Brethren returned to the Lecture Hall , to conclude the business of the Province , and before separating , the Deputy Prov . G . M . congratulated them on the highly satisfactory state of the several Lodges , and the generous support which the Province had given to the Masonic Charities .

After votes of thanks had been passed to the Brethren of the Doric Lodge , to the Rector of Woodbridge , to the Prov . G . Chaplain , to Prov . G . Sec . Bro . N . Tracy , and Prov . G . Dir . of Cers . Bro . J . M . Franks , the Lodge was closed .

Subsequently , a considerable number of Provincial Officers and Brethren sat down to the banquet at the Bull Hotel , under the presidency of the Deputy P . G . M ., after which the usual Masonic toasts were enthusiasticall y honoured .