Our Twentieth Volume.

OUR TWENTIETH VOLUME .

TTTE start to-day on another Volume , and while we ask * * our friends to continue to us the consistent support they have accorded us hitherto , we would urge on them to endeavour to introduce our journal to their younger

brethren . At the present time matters of vital interest to the Craft are continually being brought under notice , and we strive to give these that attention they so urgently

claim . We venture to say that our labours are not of a light character , and we feel the lack of appreciation on the part of the Craft at large is a matter of thoughtless .

ness rather than of design . It is an old saying that the production of a Masonio journal is a labour more of trouble than profit ; we trust we may never have cause to say this has been a bitter experience of our own .

The Recent Festival.

THE RECENT FESTIVAL .

WE publish elsewhere full particulars of the 86 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , together with a list of the Returns made by the contributing Lodges and Brethren in London and the Provinces . The account is interesting , and we venture to add will prove highly gratifying to the numerous

friends of tbe School . When a man ' s powers have been subjected to a strain of unusual severity it commonly happens , nay , it may be regarded as a law of nature , that he sets about re-establishing equipoise by indulging in a period of repose . An excess of force in one direction must

be counter-balanced by a defect of force in another . Thus a grand effort last year in aid of the funds of the Boys' School having been deemed imperative , in order to meet , to a certain extent , the growing demands upon its resources , it would have surprised few people if there had been somewhat of a diminution in the average receipts on Saturday last . This anticipation , however , we are glad to : say , has not been realized . It is trne tbat tbe Festival of

1883 yielded £ 23 , 000 , while that which was held at the Crystal Palace on the 28 th ult . realized only £ 14 , 000 . But the difference as nearly as possible represents the amount that was subscribed towards the Fund for

erectln g additional premises at Wood Green , so that , as a matter of fact , there is little , if any difference between the amounts subscribed towards the General Fund on the two

occasions . This is one of our reasons for describing the result of Saturday ' s celebration as being so satisfactory , ihe unusual effort which had to be put forth in 1883 in ° raer to meet an unusual demand was successful in its

Purpose , but the success has been achieved without detriment to the requirements of the ordinary fund . Another gratitying circumstance will be found in the increase of •"is , over last , year's Festival receipts , if we add together

™ e totals subscribed to all three Charities but omitting the ^ mlding Fund account . In 1883 these amounted together w between £ 37 , 000 and £ 38 , 000 . This year they are nfi arer £ 42 , 000 than £ 41 , 000 , namely : —Benevolent in

The Recent Festival.

February £ 14 , 660 ; Girls' School in May £ 13 , 040 ; Boys * School in June £ 14 , 060 Grand total £ 41 , 760 . Indeed , all things considered , we have good reason to be proud of the current year ' s results , nor are there many societies of which it can be said that the sum raised by voluntary contribu *

tions is about equivalent to the interest on £ 1 , 500 , 000 ordinary Government Stock , to say nothing of the money disbursed in Charity by Grand Lodge , Provincial Grand and Private Lodges , and local Masonic Charitable Associations .

But to return to the event of Saturday . We have stated incidentally tbat the Subscriptions and Donations amounted in round figures to £ 14 , 060 , and at once we mnst take the opportunity of congratulating all who had a part in securing this result . The sad and sudden death of

the Duke of Albany , who had consented to occupy the chair on the occasion , cannot but have had a most depressing effect on the governing body of the Institution and its energetic Secretary . It was no more than natural that with so illustrious a President to assist them they should

have been looking forward to reap a glorious harvest of contributions , but their anticipations never reached a state of fruition . About three months ago the terrible news came upon us like a thunderclap that the Queen ' s youngest son was dead , and the brilliant hopes and

expectations which had been established on the promise of his chairmanship disappeared , just as though they had never had any existence . In one sense this calamity placed Bro . Binckes in a worse plight than if in the interval that had elapsed since his previous Festival

he had cast about in all directions for a Chairman and been uniformly disappointed . In any circumstances he had barely three months left him in which to supply the vacancy and in so short a period the circle from which he must make a choice would necessarily

be more restricted . However , he was fortunate enough to secure the services of the Lord Mayor , though , owing to a prior engagement , his lordship was unable to carry out one part of the customary programme , and take the chair at the distribution of prizes . Still , this was comparatively

a slight disappointment , except , no doubt , to the boys . The Festival passed off admirably under the auspices of our great Civic chief , who is the very personification of geniality , and what , no doubt , in the eyes of many of onr readers will be looked upon as of still greater importance ,

a Freemason of long standing and highly distinguished . We question if Bro . Binckes could have enlisted the services of a brother who was calculated to do greater honour to so important a celebration , one who , possessing an equal presence , would by his kind example have succeeded

m stirring up a more genuine enthusiasm . At all events the Lord Mayor , as he was a means of giving pleasure to others , must also have been the recipient of pleasure . He conferred honour on the Board of Stewards and their respected and energetic honorary Secretary , and the latter ,

on their part reciprocated the honour by adding grist to tbe Boys' School mill to the extent of over £ 14 , 000 , and we venture to imagine that manifold as has been his lordshi p ' s experience as a chairman during the term of his mayoralty , no similar festivity afc which he may have been the central

figure , has yielded such considerable results , or results which will he productive of a greater amount of good . The Stewards , too , must have experienced a glow of pleasure when the total was made known by Brother Binckes . Whatever of laborious and disagreeable work had to be