The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

OUR sole aim in establishing THE FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE , is the promotion of those objects for which Freemasonry exists , and wo believe we shall contribute in no small degree to the attainment of our purpose if we urge upon our readers , with all the power

wo can command , the claims of the various Masonic Institutions to their cordial sympathy and support . There are three such institutions , which derive their chief support from the general body of Masons throughout the United Kingdom . These are " The Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " " The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , " and "The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . " To each of these three , in turn , it is our intention to allude at considerable length , with a view to placing before the

whole body of the Craft a statement of their objects and the success which has , thus far , resulted from the efforts of their promoters and supporters . In doing this we shall necessarily traverse old ground , stating again old facts , and repeating old arguments ; this , of course , is

inevitable . In all classes , and among all orders of people , there exists , at all times , the same necessity for supporting aged and infirm people and widows as well as for

promoting the education of the young . But , though the ground is old , it is , in the order of things , that the sphere of operations should be an ever-extending one . Applicants for admission into one or other of the Institutions above

mentioned become more numerous every year ; thus increased support places it in the power of the several directing bodies , either to extend the benefits to existing inmates of their several institutions , or to increase the

number of beneficiaries . With these preliminary observations we pass at once to consider the objects and results of "The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , " and to this we purpose confining our remarks on the present occasion .

" The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution" was founded in the year 1842 , at a Quarterly Communication held on 2 nd March , during the Grand Mastership of His late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , the Grand Lodge of England voting the

sum of £ 400 per annum towards the granting annuities to aged or distressed Freemasons . The first election took place in May of the year following , when fifteen brethren were chosen to receive annuities , varying , according to age , from £ 10 to £ 30 per annum . In 1847 the Supreme

Grand Chapter voted £ 100 as its annual contribution , and in June of the same year , at the first festival in aid of the funds , presided over by the then Grand Master , the late Earl of Zetland , a sum o £ over £ 800 was contributed . In 1849 a fund was established for the widows of Freemasons ,

to which Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter voted annual grants of £ 100 and £ 35 respectively . In this year also , the two Institutions were amalgamated , and became what it still remains , " The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " while

at the same time a Sustentation Fund was established , for keeping the buildings in repair . To this latter fund Grand Lodge contributed £ 500 , and by subsequent contributions this has now reached £ 1 , 000 . Meanwhile , the annual grants of Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter have

increased respectively to £ 800— £ 600 to the Male Fund , £ 300 to the Widows' Fund—in the case of the former ; and £ 150 — £ 100 to the Male Fund , £ 50 to the Widows '—in the case of the latter . According to the Report presented at the last annual General Meeting

of the Governors and Subscribers , held at Freemasons' Hall , on 15 th May 1874 , the accounts for the year ended 31 st March . 1874 presented the following aspect . Male Fund : —Receipts ( including a balance on . 31 st March 1873 of £ 3 , 201 Us Id ) , £ 8 , 517 7 s 9 d ;

Disbursements ( including £ 1 , 500 invested on deposit ) , £ 6 , 170 2 s 4 d , leaving a balance of £ 2 , 347 5 s 5 d . Female Fund ; Receipts ( including balance on 31 st March 1873 of £ 1 , 739 Us lid ) , £ 5 , 436 lis 5 d ; Disbursements ( including £ 1 , 500 invested on deposit ) , £ 4 , 505 12 s 9 d ; balance £ 930 18 s 8 d . Thus

the total balance on the two funds combined amounted to £ 3 , 278 4 s 8 d . On the Sustentation of Building Fund Account , there was a balance due to treasurer of £ 7 6 s lid , the expenditure amounting to £ 78 , against receipts ( including a balance of £ 40 13 s id brought forward from previous

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

year ) £ 70 13 s Id . From the same report we gather that the permanent income of the Institution , is as follows : — Male Fund , £ 1 , 30 G 10 s 6 d , consisting of £ 500 and £ 100 from Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter respectively , and £ 706 10 s , 6 d , being interest on £ 23 , 700 invested in

Government Funds ; Female Fund , £ 773 7 s 6 d , viz ., Grand Lodge , annual grant , £ 300 ; Grand Chapter , ditto £ 50 ; interest on £ 14 , 200 in Government Funds , £ 423 7 s fid . Sustentation of Building £ 30 , being interest on £ 1 , 000 Government Stock . Total permanent income £ 2 , 109 18 s .

So far as to the funds . As to the annuitants ; these , for many years , were in the receip t of annuities varying according to age . In 1867 this system of classification was abolished , and all the annuitants were placed on an equal footing , each Brother receiving £ 2 Q and each widow of a

Freemason £ 25 per annum . These annuities have since been increased , so that each male annuitant is now in receipt of £ 36 per annum , each female of £ 28 . This increase alone entails an addition to the expenditure of £ 1 , 396 yearly . As to the number of annuitants ; there

have been elected , since the foundation of the Institution , 392 brethren , and 174 widows of Freemasons . In the month of December of last year there were 120 brethren ,

in receipt of £ 4 , 320 ; 88 widows , in receipt of £ 2 , 464 ; and 15 widows ab half their deceased husbands' annuities , receiving among them £ 240 . In short , the inmates , male and female , are receiving £ 7 , 024 during the year .

It will be seen , from the foregoing figures , that while the permanent income of the Institution amounts only to £ 2 , 100 , the expenditure during the last financial year amounted to close on £ 7 , G 76 . Thus a sum of £ 5 , 500 has to be raised " to maintain it only in its present state of usefulness . "

At the annual general meeting , held on 28 th January 1874 , under the presidency of the Right Honourable Lord Waveney , P . G . M . for Suffolk , in response to the very earnest appeal made by his Lordship , contributions were announced to the amount of £ 5 , 220 . Considering ,

however , that Freemasons include among their number very many men of eminent position , commanding influence , and great wealth ; considering , too , the number of members belonging to the Craft , ib is clearly possible that this

amount , munificent as it is , should be exceeded . And not only so , but with a more extended support among tho whole of the Craft , we are convinced that further funds might be raised without difficulty , and thus enable the authorities of The Benevolenb Instibution to extend its

benefits to an oven greater number of aged brethren and widows . It is said that a good Mason is essentially a good man . Active benevolence is certainly among the qualities which entitle a man to be called good . It is earnestly hoped ,

therefore , and we , in the interests of the Craft , shall unceasingly strive , by our advocacy , to secure that a greater amount of support may be obtained for this excellent Institution . And this increased support , we feel confident , will be forthcoming , if only the several Lodges ,

Chapters , and individuals composing the grand body of Freemasons throughout tho United Kingdom will bestir themselves still more energetically . A grand object is promoted by supporting an asylum for our aged brethren and the widows of brebhren , an objecb only to be gained ,

however , by—to use a familiar phrase— " a long pull , a strong pull , and a pull altogether . " We may add , before dismissing the subject of this Institution for the present , that the next Annual Festival will

be held on Wednesday tho 27 th instant , under the presidency of the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot , P . G . M . for Staffordshire ; and we trust the appeal that will be then made to the general body of Masons will produce results greater even than in any previous year .

To the other Masonic Institutions named in our opening paragraph it will be our duty , as it will be with pleasure , to refer , at length , in future issues .

The Year 1874.

THE YEAR 1874 .

WHEN some true and impartial chronicler shall dare to record the history of the closed year , that register of events will be a study for the world . The crimes , numerous , brutal and revolting , that were

committed in 1874 will seem to show that , with all our boasted civilisation , various causes were at work to sap the foundations of our national morality , and to some extent