Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

ANALYSIS OF THE SUBSCRIPTION LISTS .

THAT the goddess Fortune is as fickle and capricious as ever is plentifully evidenced by the manner in which the barometer rises and falls when the " days of reckoning " come in connection with our several Masonic Charities . It were perhaps vain to sigh for the time when the tide of

benevolence shall flow in one even and -unvarying stream , and when the managers of our Institutions shall be able to calculate to a nicety the amount of revenue which , while steadily on the rise , will never fluctuate in an opposite direction . The same principle applies to all things

mundane ; and it is no doubt this which gives a charm and fascination to all matters in which speculation is involved . There are good crops and bad , rising and falling markets , briskness and depression in trade , and the balances are never allowed to remain for long , at dead level . And so we prophecy and speculate on the eve of each of our

recurring Festivals upon what kind of a harvest will be reaped , and whether the pulse of charity beats quickly or evinces a tendency in the reverse direction . It has been our pride to notice this year that notwithstanding the tightness of tho money market , and the inability to give

which has proved so disastrous to many other similar institutions , there has been no falling off in the amounts subscribed to the Charities which we regard as our peculiar care ; but that , on the contrary , the Stewards ' appeals to the brethren havo been more vigorously

responded to than ever before . We have had the gratification of raising our editorial hat to Bros . Terry ancl Hedges , and joining in the universal congratulations they have received from all quarters upon the triumphs which have been achieved in behalf of the objects with which associated

tuey are so worcnny . Xiie magmtieent sums realised for the Benevolent and Girls' Institutions cheered the heart of every truly good Mason , who has faith in tbe axiom that charity knows no bounds save that of prudence . Nor do we find that the efforts put forth in aid of the

xJoys bchool furnish us with any very strong grounds for anticipating the " gigantic failure " which was hinted at by one of the speakers at the Festival last week . It is well understood that amongst very many Lodges the feeling prevails that if the efforts of the brethren are

concentrated one year upon a certain branch of charitable work , they shall by a process of rotation be varied so as to afford an " all-round" help to all . Yet , although it would appear that this year affection has leaned more especially towards " Our Girls " and the " Old Folks , " we do not think the lads at Wood Green have been treated at- all

in a niggardly spirit . Bro . Binckes , who fights like a valiant soldier in any cause that he may espouse , announced at the Alexandra Palace Festival , the other day , that a total of £ 10 , 534 3 s had been handed in , notwithstanding * that twelve lists remained outstanding . Compared with

iast year , when the Stewards met under all the eclat that attends a Royal presidency , the sum announced at the close of the day ' s festivities was £ 10 , 1 G 9 , with twentv lists to

come in . bo that , allowing for the lists which we may reasonabl y anticipate will be shortly forthcoming , we may fairl y assume that the aggregate will be on a par with , if not slightly in excess of , that of last year . It is quite true that , in comparison with the three preceding yearsnotabl y 1877 , when no less than £ 13 , 100 was realised—

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

the support accorded to the Boys' Institution presents a falling off which becomes all the more serious when we consider the heavy obligations which tho executive are under since the extension of the school buildings at Wood Green . Wo can only hope , however , that thoso and all

other contingencies have been duly weighed and provided against , and that the hands of thoso who have tho responsible work to do in the management of the Institution may be generously and heartily strengthened by the brethren generally . One welcome ray of sunshine broke

in upon tho meeting of Wednesday week , when it was announced that the Grand Lodge of Scotland , through its Past Grand Steward , the zealous and esteemed Bro . C . F . Matier , had sent in the very substantial donation of £ 204 15 s to the fund . We hail this gift from the " land

o' cakes " with genuine pleasure ; and we cordially echo the sentiments expressed by the Earl of Rosslyn , when he trusted that tho dawning interest then evinced by our Northern brethren might tend to heal certain misunderstandings which have doubtless been equally regretted on both sides of tho Tweed .

It is not our duty here , however , to enter oven superficially into the matter so delicately hinted at by tho noble Earl who presided on tho occasion , but to take a bird ' s eye view of the hard and dry facts which were presented in the statistics which wero dulv printed in the last issue of tho

FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE . Last year , the Metropolis was re . presented by 123 Stewards , of whom 101 appeared for 103 Lodges , whilst three represented as many Chapters , two figured under the head of A . and A . Rite and Mark , and fourteen were unattached . This year we find 105 Stewards

respectively appearing for 91 Lodges , two Chapters , and five unattached . Tho total of their lists , including we presume fifty guineas from the Grosvenor Mark Lodge 144 , per Bro . H . C . Levander , G . Reg . and Yice-President of the Institution , amounts to £ 5 , 345 ls Gd , as against

£ 4 , 944 14 s last year . This increase of £ 400 exemplifies that our Metropolitan brethren have by no means fallen out with their " old love , " or relaxed in their efforts on behalf of the young lewises who are so hospitably cared for at the Wood Green academy . The place of honour is assigned to

the young but vigorous Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , whose pleasant gatherings in the Ladbroke Hall , Notting-hill , have often proved the subject of gratifying record in our columns . That valiant Past Master Bro . George Penn has most pluckily taken up the running this year , and has won

in the commonest of canters , swelling the general fund by the magnificent sum of £ 525 . None of the other Lodges have been able to reach even a moiety of that contribution , which places even Bro . F . Binckes and the other Grand Stewards , with their substantial £ 249 18 s , completely in

the shade . Coming next in the order of merit is the aristocratic Friends in Council Lodge 1383 , champiomd by Bro . R . W . H . Giddy D . G . M . South Africn . who appears to have fought with a courage almost Zuluwithout , of course any of their other propensities !—to

raise the credit of his Lodge by sending in £ 207 2 s , the third highest on the poll . Another Vice-President of the Institution , Bro . R . Glutton , so stimulated the members of St . Peter ' s Lodge at Westminster , 1537 , of which he is the honoured Worshipful Master , as to produce a total of

£ 143 10 s ; whilst his fellow "Vice-President , Bro . C . Lacey P . P . G . D . Herts , is next in the order of rivalry , with £ 135 from the Sincerity Lodge 174 . We congratulate the Robert Burns Lodge 25 upon making an appearance on this year ' s roll of liberal donors , and Bro . G . R . Shervill P . G . S . upon raising his Lodge to so prominent a position