The Approaching Election Of The R.M.B.I.

THE APPROACHING ELECTION OF THE R . M . B . I .

AS is our custom , we draw the attention of our readers to the circumstances of the next annual general meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and its election to fill up the vacancies that have occurred since May of last year on the Male and Female Funds . In

both cases the approved list of candidates is a formidable one , while the number that can be elected is out of all proportion to that on the list . Thus , in the case of the Male Fund , which is unquestionably the more promising of the two , there are forty-seven candidates for nineteen

vacancies ^ while of the sixty-three widows of brethren , whose claims have been accepted as worthy of recognition , room for only twelve can be found , and this , notwithstanding the fact tbat the number of both classes of annuitants

has been so amazingly increased during the last few years . As to the male candidates , who , as we have said , are forty-seven in number , No . 1 now appeals to the support of

the Graft for the third time . His two previous candidatures do not seem to have yielded him auy very considerable amount of aid , as he has only thirty-two votes to his credit towards the election on the 19 th instant .

Possibly , however , his friends may rally round him in more formidable numbers , and as he is said to have no " means of support , " it is clearly most desirable tbey should do so . The eight tbat follow on the list made

their first essay at being balloted in May of last year . No . 2 , who was formerly in good circumstances as a " Printseller and Publisher , '" has 556 votes to the good , while No . 3 , formerly a " School Master" but now

, ' utterl y destitute , " is still better off , with a credit of 682 Totes . No . 4 , once a "Master Mariner , " though he has received as yet only forty-five votes , has at all events a miserable pittance of £ 316 s towards bis support , and No . 5 ,

wflo is < quite unable to perform any manual labour , " has ' 05 votes to the good . No . 6 is entirely dependent on charit y , but unless he can appreciably increase his store of seventy-eight votes , it is very likely , we regret to say , that

ae will remain in bis present dependent position . No . 7 , w « o is a "Life Governor of all the Institutions" has a credit of 372 votes , and as he is prevented from earning a 'vehhood , we can only wish him success in his present

ore . The other two " second applications" have Gil na 685 votes respectively to their credit , and both appear 10 be worth y of the relief afforded by the Institution . 11 „ remaining thirty-eight applicants are candidates for

th I * on this occasion . The circumstances on which j ft 1 ° ? ^ - their appeal for support to the governors of I . institution are , in all respects , most painful , ancl , were I at ) D P ° - ! sibl e to find a P lace for them al 1 on the ro 11 of Thi ? ' feelsure * he electors would place them there . „_ ) however , is ont nf thfi nnfistirm nnrl nil if . ia in nnv

POWpr . + . — J- ' — acce r *? 8 a y is , that we trust the worthiest of them will be fere u ^ ' ^or ^n 8 tance > w h ° is c ' ° seventy three is j . p " -tas been " Steward to tbe three Institutions , ancl HflJ : ? . Governor of them . " Anotheris " without means , " "Pon + V . ' ^ ° * sixty-eight years of age , is " dependent I ine precarious support of his daughters , " In short , all

The Approaching Election Of The R.M.B.I.

seem from the record—and we may be sure it is a just one—to be most pitiably circumstanced ancl , as we have just said , we could wish it were possible to relieve them all to the full extent of their several petitions . Turn we now to the case of the widows , who are

sixtythree in number , while the vacancies are only twelve . No . 1 on the list has lived nearly seventy and eight years , yet eight previous applications have only resulted in a credit of 648 votes . " She has no means of support , aud is entirely dependent upon a son-in-hvw . " Let us hope

this venerable lady may attain the goal of her wishes on this occasion . No . 2 has made fire previous attempts , with the result that she now brings forward 735 votes to the good . The four next in order are applicants for the fifth time , and have 204 , 100 , 735 , and 4 * 32 votes to their credit

respectively . Three " fourth applications " follow , of whom one ( No . 8 . ) is on the evt ? of completing her eightieth year . She is iu receipt of the moiety of her late husband ' s aunuity , as well as an annual income of ten guineas , and as she has a credit of 760 votes , her prospects of success on

the 19 th instant are the reverse ot unlikely . Nos . 10-14 , both inclusive , were candidates for the first time iu 1880 . Of theso , No . 1 * 2 , who is in ber seventy-third year , is in receipt of half her late husband's annuity , but , what is moro to her present purpose , she has 715 votes to the good .

No . 13 also stands well as regards votes , there being 724 to her credit , but otherwise she is ill-circumstanced , being " without means of subsistence , " and " having a daughter dependent on her " No . 14 is in her seventy-seventh year , and is " quite destitute , " being " dependent upon her son ,

who can ill-afford to maintain her . " The next twenty-nine candidates—Nos . 15-43 , both inclusive , made their first attempt last year . One of them ( No . 38 ) was born 26 th April 1799 , and is consequently in her 84 th year . No . 39 will complete her 81 st year in October next , while three

others ( Nos . 18 , 19 , and 26 ) have exceeded the allotted span by six years . The claims of all are clearly set forth , as indeed are likewise those of the twenty new candidates , of whom No . 62 is close on seventy-three . The circumstances of all these old lady candidates , who have seen

happier times , are very sacl , and we can but repeat our wish that the funds of the Benevolent Institution admitted of their being all assisted . This cannot be , however , ancl we say in this , as in the case oftho men candidates , " May the worthiest be successful ! "

The Royal Arch Degree.

THE ROYAL ARCH DEGREE .

IT is , as it were , but yesterday that we had the pleasure of enjoying a personal conversation with Bro . Jacob Norton , ancl hearing the satisfaction he expressed at being permitted to attend the Special Communication of Grand Lodge , which had been called for the particular purpose of

passing a resolution to congratulate Her Majesty the Queen on her fortunate escape from the dastardly attempt on her life , recently made by a lunatic . Now , as a communication elsewhere in our columns will show , wc have the opportunity of giving a hearty welcome to Brother Norton in the pages of the CHRONICI" u . His letters are always ac-

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