The Recent Festival.

done in connection with the Anniversary had fallen on their shoulders . Canvassing for subscriptions is never a very pleasant duty even among Masons , yet they mnst have

canvassed to good purpose to have raised so grand a total . The disappointments they may have experienced , instead of having a depressing effect , must have nerved them to make still more laborious efforts in order to secure the needed

lists of subscriptions . So with regard to Bro . Binckes , who certainly had more than his ordinary share of difficulties to cope with . Wo havo already alluded to the greatest of all his disappointments , the sad and unforeseen death of his promised chairman , ancl we havo told how this gap

in his arrangements was bravely and so very competently filled by Lord Mayor Fowler . But thoso who havo had no experience of Festivals in aid of a Charitable Institution can have but a very imperfect idea of the trouble involved in bringing together a strong representative Board of

Stewards . The refusals , the withdrawals , and , in the case of new men , the inexperience which the organizers of such bodies have to put up with are a constant source of annoyance and vexation . However , as eels are said to grow accustomed to the ordeal of being skinned , and in time feel

seriously aggrieved if they are not required now and again to undergo it , so we presume Bro . Binckes , after his twenty-four years course of organising Boards of Stewards , would begin to think that Time was on the eve of being

merged into Eternity if he had no obstacles to overcome , no denials to vex him , no resistance to his persuasive appeals to stifle . He , too , we can conceive , mnst be well content tbat his labonrs have resulted in so rich a harvest

of subscriptions and donations as ho was privileged to announce on Saturday last . Him likewise , as well as the Stewards and the Chairman , we must unfeignedly congratulate on what has taken place , entirely through his and their instrumentality , backed np , as usual , by the

inexhaustible generosity of the Craft . Lastly , we must congratulate the Institution and its wellwishers on the sense of complete security which will encircle them during the next twelve months . Their path is now comparatively an easy

one . What they have to do is to make use of their opportunities , and the monies which have just been poured into their coffers with no ni ggard hands will enable them to do this , if not without care , at all events withont anxiety .

It remains for ns to say a few words about the Returns . We have referred to them as an aggregate amounting , in round figures , to £ 14 , 000 but there are just a few of the items comprising this aggregate to which it wonld be ungraceful on onr part not to make some special reference .

For instance , the Royal Savoy Lodge contributes by the medium of its representative , Bro . W . A . Scurrah , no less a sum than £ 630 , or more by somewhere about £ 40 than the important Province of West Yorkshire . Then Bro . George Skudder , the Senior Deacon of the Temperance

Lodge , No . 169 , is entered for a list of £ 540 , and we honestly confess that this illustration of Temperance and its beneficent effects is decidedly preferable to others which have been brought under our notice during the past few weeks . These lists , if they are not unprecedented , are

so far above the average of what we hold to be very liberal contributions that we should have been wanting in our dut y if we had not given them the prominence to which they are entitled . Eccleston Lodge , No . 1624 , per Bro . Charles Tayler W . M ., and Universal Chapter , No . 181 , per Comp .

J . C . Parkinson , have likewise sent up exceptionally long lists , the former ' s amounting to £ 325 10 s , and the latter ^ to £ 283 10 s , and besides there is the usual array of threefigure lists , such as Bro . James Boulton , of £ 163 , in respect of Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 ; Bro . A . Bellis , of

£ 173 for the Selwyn Lodge , No . 1901 , & c , & c . In the Provinces the lead is taken b y West Yorkshire with £ 589 , Hants and the Isle of Wi ght being a very good second with £ 512 , and Cheshire and Kent close up with £ 498 each , Staffordshire £ 313 , and Monmouthshire £ 307

bringing up the rear of those whose totals exceed £ 300 . Amongst the other Provinces represented we notice Berks and Bucks ( £ 163 ) , Cambridgeshire ( £ 174 ) , Durham ( £ 210 ) , Gloucestershire , the two Lancashire ? , Middlesex , Nottinghamshire ( £ 231 ) , Oxfordshire ( £ 141 ) ,

Suffolk ( £ 157 ) , Surrey ( £ 252 ) , Sussex ( £ 157 ) , Wor cestershire ( £ 201 ) , North Wales and Salop ( £ 185 ) and South Wales East ( £ 200 ) . In fine , the Pro

vinces , like London , have contributed freely , and we can only regret our inability to convey to them in sufficiently expressive words the high sense which the whole body of English Freemasons must entertain of their efforts .

The Recent Festival.

However , they have the consolation of feeling they havo clone their duty , and that , doubtless , will bo reward enough . If we may be allowed to parody a well known adage—8 ufjicit officio sua gloria .

Tho Festival of Saturday was held at the Crystal Palace , Sydenham , and was presided over by Bro . Alderman R . N . Fowler , Lord Mayor of London , J . G . W . of the year Under the direction of an efficient Board of S pecial

Stewards everything was done to render the banquet portion of the day ' s proceedings enjoyable to all who attended . The proposition of the few toasts which of necessity have to be honoured was carried out in brief but

effective style . Sir Francis Burdett Prov . G . M . Middlesex proposed tbe health of the Chairman of the day , referring to the high position occupied by him , both in public life and Masonic affairs . As Lord Mayor of London he ocenpied a position which had ever been a coveted one among Englishmen , while as Warden of the Grand Lodge

of English Freemasons he might be said to occupy a prond position among the brethren of the Craft . In all his undertakings he entered heart and soul into the bnsiness before him , and as President of their Festival had no small share in securing the success which had been achieved .

Sir Francis referred to the Lord Mayor ' s official Masonic position in the Province of Wiltshire , with which district he also was closely associated . In reply the Lord Mayor

said it would be his endeavour to prove that the opinion formed of him had not been over-estimated . He hoped to be able to feel , at the conclusion of his duties , that he had discharged them in a satisfactory manner .

The name of the Grand Secretary was coupled with the toast of the Grand Officers , and that of Bro . Plncknetfc with the toast of the evening , —Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institntion for Boys ; aud then Bro . F . Binckes announced the amount of the several Stewards' lists , a

summary of which we give elsewhere . Bro . Edgar Bowyer responded on behalf of The Patrons , Vice-Patrons , Trustees , and members of Committees ; and Bros . Terry and Hedges each acknowledged the toast of Success to the other Institutions . Brother T . W . Tew replied for The

Board of Stewards , and Bro . Frank Richardson for The Ladies . The musical arrangements were nnder the direction of Bro . Chaplin Henry , who was supported by Bro . Arthur Thompson , Madame Mathilde Zimeri , Miss Helen D'Alton , with Bro . Kift at the pianoforte .

i We have already referred to the work undertaken b y the Special Stewards * , wo now give a list of them . Br . Mather , J . L ., V .-Pres . of Inst . -v Berridge , Robert V .-Pres . of Inst . 1

Cooper , George , V .-Pat of Inst . [ „ Matier , C . P ., V .-Pres . of Inst . f Unattached . Torkington , A ., V .-Pat . of Inst . 1 Clever , James J

Tyler , F . J . ... Lodge No . 59 Belton , Charles , V .-Pres . of Inst . ... „ „ 165 Hogard , C . F ., V .-Pres . of Inst „ „ 205 Terry , J . „ „ 228 Joyce , H . E . ... ... ... „ ., 507 Jenkins , H . ... ... ... „ ,, 860 Driver , Charles H . ... ... „ „ 901

Bonlton , J . ... ... ... „ „ 1056 Coubro . L . P ... „ „ 1365 Brittain , J . ... ... ... „ „ 1385 Keeble , F . T . C „ „ 1426 Ferguson , Alexander . ... ... „ „ 1538 Tayler , Charles . ... ... ... „ „ 1624

Verry , G . Ward „ „ 1625 Bridges , N . ... ... ... „ „ 1669 Scurrah , W . A . ... ... ... „ „ 1744 Festa , G . P ., V .-Pat . of Inst . ... „ „ 1900

Miller , T . Hastings , V .-Pres . of Inat . „ „ 1964 Clowes , R ., V .-Pres . of Inst .... ... Province of Essex . Eve , Richard , V .-Pat . of Inst . ... Provinceof Hants , & c . Maidwell , T . J . ... ... ... Province of Middlesex

Hacker , H ., V .-Pres . of Insfc . ... Province of Surrey . Romien , G . F . ... ... ... „ „ Broadley , A . M ., No . 1777 , Ancient Carthage Lodgo , Tnnis , V .-Pres . of Inst .

3 . B . SHAND k Co ., Wine Merchants ( Experts and Valuers ) . Well fermented old Wines and matured Spirits . 2 Albert Mansions , Victoria Street , London , S . W ,