Masonic Benevolence In 1881.

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE IN 1881 .

DURING the year 1881 , which closed on Saturday last , tho three great Masonic Charitable Institutions , viz . the Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls , the Koyal Masonic Institution for Boys , and the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of

freemasons , received irom all sources a total sum or £ 43 , 294 14 s . The term " all sources " includes donations and subscriptions from Lodges , Chapters and individuals , dividends aud interest , and donations by Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter . In the case of the Boys' and Girls' Schools

it also includes tho sale of old stores , fees for musical instruction , and some other small items ; and in the case of the Benevolent Institution , the rent of £ 18 received for a meadow attached to the Asylum at Croydon . For tho year 1881 , the Benevolent Institution , the youngest of the

three Institutions , heads the list with the sum of £ 17 , 738 19 s Gil , the Boys' School , the second in age , is second on the list with the sum of £ 12 , 998 9 s lid , and the Girls' School , tho earliest founded of the Institutions , is third on the list with £ 12 , 5-57 4 s 7 d . The total amount

is less than that of 1880 by £ 6 , 467 17 s 5 d , and less than that of 1879 by £ 1 , 288 17 s 9 d , but the amounts for those years were so exceptionally large that it was not expected they would be equalled , when the depression in trade was taken into consideration . Tbe position of the three

Institutions varies from year to year . In 1880 the Girls' School beaded the list with tbe sum of £ 17 , 787 10 s lid , the Benevolent Institution was second with £ 16 , 301 4 s lOd , and the Boys' School was third with £ 15 , 673 15 s 8 d , while in tbe year 1879 the Benevolent Institution was first with

£ 17 , 781 12 s lOd , the Boys' School second with £ 13 , 923 4 s 4 d , and the Girls' School third with £ 13 , 025 12 s Id . From these figures it will be seen that tbe receipts of the Benevolent Institution for the last three years have varied in amount less than those of the other

two Institutions ; but as the Boys' School has less invested funds than the Benevolent and the Girls' Institutions , and thus receives only £ 510 in dividends and interest to the Benevolent Institution ' s £ 1 , 824 14 s 6 d and the Girls ' Schools £ 1 , 365 Is 8 d from the same source , aud tbe

Benevolent Institution ' s annual grant of £ 800 from tbe Fund of Benevolence , the difference is not so marked . On the funds of the Benevolent Institution there are more than 300 male and female annuitants , the males receiving £ 40 a year each , and the females £ 32 a-year , besides some

widows of deceased annuitants who , according to the Bules of the Institution , each receive £ 20 a-year , or half their late husbands' annuities , for three years after their husbands' death . These widows are even then eligible for the Widows' Annuity of £ 32 . For the next election

mMay there are 112 candidates , viz . —46 men and G 6 widows , but there will be vacancies for only 14 men and 7 widows , unless the subscriptions at the next Festival , on the 21 st of February , should be large enough to justify the

Committee in adding to the number . In the Boys' School there are 215 boys , who arc housed , boarded , clothed , and educated , from eight to fifteen years of ago . The list of candidates for the next election iu April will not be closed

Masonic Benevolence In 1881.

till Saturday , but the probable number of candidates will be 72 , and the vacancies only 15 . In the Girls' School there are 233 girls , who are housed , boarded , clothed , and educated , from eight to sixteen years of age , and the candidates for next April election are in number 28 , and

the vacancies 21 . In addition to tho large sums named above as subscribed to the Institutions , the Lodge of Benevolence , which meets on the last Wednesday but one in every month to relieve cases of distress , has in the year 1881 voted £ 9 , 813 to 328 cases . The largest sum given

at one sitting was in November , when £ 1 , 630 was voted to 55 cases . The smallest was in September , when £ 365 was given to 16 cases . The votes in 1881 were larger than in any previous year . The next largest were in 1880 , when £ 9 , 223 was voted to 308 cases . It is a remarkable

coincidence that without any design the proportion of cases to tho amount of money in the two years is the same within a fraction of one , the extra £ 590 in 1881 being tbe fair grant , according to the former year ' s gifts , to the additional twenty cases . This , however , is not a rule

which is followed , as every individual case is considered entirely on its own merits . In its grants the Lodge of Benevolence , in 1881 , exceeded the annual income of the Fund of Benevolence , and on the recommendation of the

Board of General Purposes-, Grand Lodge at its Quarterly mooting , on the 7 th of December , ordered the sale of £ 3 , 000 out of an invested sum of £ 50 , 000 , the accumulated surplus of former years . Tho following are the accounts of the receipts of the respective Institutions from 1 st January to 31 st December 1881 : -

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . £ s d Donations and subscriptions 14 , 946 5 0 Dividonds and interest 1 , 824 14 6

Grand Lodge S ' OO 0 0 Grand Chapter 160 0 0 Kent of meadow 18 0 0 mlf tone , -irk r » tll

,, IOO J . O o Number of Candidates—4 G men and 66 widows . In all , 112 . Vacancies—14 men and 7 widows . In all , 21 . EOYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . Gross receipts for year ending 31 st December 1881 , including

£ s d Grand Lodgo - - - - 150 0 0 Grand Chapter - - - 10 10 0 Dividends and interost - - - 510 0 0 £ 12 , 998 9 11 .

Boys in School , 215 . Candidates to 31 st December 1 S 81 for April Election 1882 . GO ! Probable addition by 7 th January 1882 , wlion list closes - 12

Candidates ..... 72 I ' robablc vacancies , 15 .

Ar00102

. | P 515 BO A H » !* ¦ 2 o § m -3 J s o atn - » J m l _ J £ g t * . ¦ H"l < - ^ " 5 O § < N m r n 3 O go IN 3 ° 03 o ¦ 8 2 to . " 3 W < D Q «"8 vJi 5 s ° p <

Ar00103

T^ T^ TPCPCJ / GRATEFUL \ f ^ f \ ^ f \ \ Hi JT JT kJ k 3 VCOMFORTING / \ J\ J\ J\ J£ * L.