Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

LAST week wo drew attention to the resolution which Bro . Eaynham W . Stewart P . G . D . had announced his intention of submitting to Grand Lodge . The resolution provided that the annual grant by Grand Lodge to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution should be increased

from £ 500 to £ 1 , 000 in respect of the Male Fund , and from £ 300 to £ 600 in that of the Widows' Fund , " such payments to be borne in equal proportion by the Funds of Benevolence and of ^ Grand Purposes . " We enumerated several reasons why , in our opinion , such increase would

not only be expedient but just . We pointed out in the first place , that , even in the short space of seven years , the number of annuitants had increased from 120 to 155 Males , and 88 to 1 ( 30 Females , the number of Widows in receipt of a moiety of their late husbands' annuities

being about the same . There had , in consequence , been an increase in tho amount paid away to the annuitants from £ 7 , 054 to £ 12 , 240 , while the total expenditure was about £ 14 , 700 as against £ 0 , 050 in 1875 . Per Contra , tho Permanent Income had increased from

£ 2 , 110 to £ 3 , 673 , and the Festival of 1881 may be said to have yielded in round figures about double what it did seven years since . We then compared notes as between the current year and the year 1858 , when Grand Lodge made its last addition of £ 100 each to its Grants to the

respective Funds of the Institution , raising them to £ 500 in respect of the Old Men , and £ 300 in respect of the Old Women . Thus , for the long period of twenty-three years the grants of Grand Lodge had remained at the same figure , and yet in 1858 there were only forty-six Male , and

twenty-five Female Annuitants , whereas there are now 155 and 160 respectively . In 1858 the total expenditure was £ 1 , 700 , in 1881 it is £ 14 , 700 . In 1858 the Permanent Income was £ 1 , 400 , now it is £ 3 , 673 ; while , on the other

hand , the subscriptions were £ 2 , 600 to the two Funds together , and now they are £ 15 , 000 in round figures . Then , too , the ratio of Permanent Income to Expenditure was as three to four , or 75 per cent ., now it is only as one to four . or 25 per cent . The above is a resume of the reasons we adduced in

our article of last week in favour of Brother Raynham Stewart ' s motion , and without arrogating to ourselves too much , we think the views we then enunciated have not been without their effect on tho members of Grand Lodge . It has been said that facts and figures may be made to

prove anything , but there is no gainsaying the accuracy of the particular facts arid figures we have given above . There are four afld a half times as many annuitants as there were 23 years ago , and the sum they receive among them amounts in the aggregate to more then ten times

as much . The permanent income is somewhat more than double what it thon was , the subscriptions being sixfold . No wonder under these circumstances that Grand Lodge

adopted the resolution , subject to one modification . Bra . Stewart ' s motion provided for the payment of the grants "in equal proportions by the Funds of Benevolence arid of General Purooses . " The resolution , as adopted , left the

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

" additions to be borne by tho Fund of General Purposes , a very proper modification , considering how great is tho pressure on tho resources of the Fund of Benevolence , a pressure which , as onr readers are aware , has necessitated an inroad upon its accumulated balance to no less an extent than £ 3 , 000 .

Ours , however , were not the only reasons which actuated Grand Lodge in its adoption , in a modified form , of Bro . Stewart ' s motion . It was pointed ont that at the time Grand Lod ^ e made its last increase to tho "'rants there

were in round figures only 600 Lodges , whereas there are now some 1800 . Each Lodge is entitled to two votes as a quid pro quo for the amount paid to tho Institution ; nor is it more than a matter of the simplest arithmetic to deduce from this the immenso increase in the set-off received by

the Lodges . Further , the votes now given by the Institution represent a money value of £ 1 , 300 as against the £ 800 received , so that it was no more than a bare act of justice on the part of Grand Lodge to accept the proposition that

was made . However , there are more ways than one of doing what is just and proper , and Grand Lodge is to be congratulated on having met the proposal with the utmost possible grace .

We may add that the report agreed to at tho special meeting of the Governors and Subscribers of the Institution , on Wednesday , the 9 th November ultimo , at which

certain alterations in the Rules and Regulations wore adopted—subject to the approval of Grand Lodge—was submitted and approved . To this report we shall take occasion to refer later on .

The Senior Vice-Presidentship Of The Lodge Of Benevolence.

THE SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENTSHIP OF THE LODGE OF BENEVOLENCE .

( CONSIDERABLE surprise was manifested in Grand J Lodge , on Wednesday , at tho way in which the election of Senior Vice-President of the Lodge of Benevolence was conducted , and although we do not for one moment wish to infer that the appointment of Bro .

Lambert was unpopular , yet symptoms of unmistakable discontent were manifested . The fact , as shown by the agenda paper for the December Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , of Bro . Lambert being nominated , apparently to contest the office with Bro . Joshua Nunn , was

of itself subject of comment , and it was pretty generally expressed among members of tho Order who had known Bro . Nunn , and who respected him for his exertions in the office he has so ably filled of late that the brethren assembled in Grand Lodge would by their vote show him unmistakably

how he was appreciated . The resignation of the President of the Board was never contemplated , and while we must of course give all concerned in the matter the credit of having acted straightforwardly , we cannot help coinciding

in the plainly-expressed opinion of Grand Lodge that a surprise had been sprung upon its members , and we feel that some intimation ought to have been given to the members of the Craft generally , which would havo afforded them the opportunity of exercising the privilege conferred

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