The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

THE first of the three Annual Festivals , that of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons ' Hall , and proved a most interesting and successful event . The chair was occupied by tho Right Hon . Lord Skelmersdale , Deputy Grand Master , R . W . Prov . G . M . for Western Division of Lancashire , and ho was most ablv supported , the list of Stewards comprising many of tho

most influential Masons of the country . There was a goodly attendance of ladies , who occupied the gallery , aud the number of brethren present was reported as close upon 400 . The banquet , considering the size of tho building , was fairly served . After the cloth had been removed , the Chairman proposed tho health

of Her Most Gracious Majesty tho Queen . Ho said ho was sure all present must rejoice iu tho fact of her being present at the opening of Parliament , where she was supported by her daughters and accompanied by her daughter-in-law , the Princess of Wales . The toast was well received , and the National Anthem sung . " H . R . H . the Princo

of Wales K . G . M . W . G . M ., the Patron and President of the Institution ; the Princess of Wales , and the other Members of the Royal Family , " was next given , the Chairman saying : Ho ¦ was sure that they all looked forward to the day when their Most Worship ful Grand Master would return to this country ,

after tho glorious success which had attended his visit to India , a task which ho had imposed upon himself . However glorious had been his reception there , tho Chairman was quite sure that the hearty welcome his lioyal Highness would receive on his return , especially from his Masonic brethren , would be far greater

and more hearty than he had ever received in Hindostan . He thanked God that good health had attended their Grand Master , and , as they all knew that he had the welfare of the Craft at heart , he hoped the Prince would long rule over them , and that his lovely Princess might be blessed with long life to reigu with him .

The National Song and chorus—God Bless the Prince of Wales , followed . The third toast , "The right Honourable the Earl of Carnarvon M . W . Pro G . M . " was given . He was well known amongst those present , and there was no ono but could recollect how willingly he had come forward to perform the duties required of him ingly he had come forward to perform the duties required ot him

at the Installation Ceremony in tho Albert Hall . Tho Rev . Dr . Cox next proposed the health of " The Right Honourable Lord Skormersdale , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , Chairman of tho day , " and spoke in eulogistic terms of his Lordship ' s Masonic qualifications . After the reply of his Lordship , " tho Present and Past Grand

Officers " was given , and replied to by tho Rev . C . J . Martyn , Past Grand Chaplain . Tho noble Earl then gave . " Success to tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons . " When he looked back at tho annals of tho Institution ho could not but remember that in tho year 1847 the

subscriptions at the annual festival amounted to only some hundreds , but now a little bird had whispered to him that they were several thousands . ( Applause . ) This showed that the great brotherhood of Freemasons was increasing in tho works it professed to uphold , and that tho operations of Charity were gaining ground in this country .

At every ono of theso festivals tho subscriptions were increasing . But still it was only one out of every five or six Freemasons who subscribed . If each Mason would subscribe something , the Institution would be well supported , without any begging lists , and that is what he would liko to see . Bro . James Terry , the Secretary

of the Institution , then rose , and proceeded to call over the List of Subscriptions , which , in the aggregate , amounted to £ 9 , 184 10 s Gd , a result which elicited the hearty congratulations of all present . The several other toasts on tho list wero afterwards given , Bros . Littlo and Binckes replying to that of " The other Masonic Institutions . "

Tho musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Smith , who was ably assisted by Madame Liebhart , Mrs . Seymour Smith , Miss Marion Severn , Bros . A . Lester , G . T . Carter , F . W . Farmer , and Chaplin Henry , and Mr . Michael Watson , who presided at the pianoforte .

As on the last occasion , we subjoin , for the information of our readers , the several Stewards' Lists , together with the numbers of the Lodges and Chapters contributing , and the amount contributed by each , to the above Institution : —

£ s d Leicester ( Province of ) per Bro . Clement Stretton 109 16 0 Norfolk—H . G . Barwell 26 1 G 0 Northamp . & Hunts—R . IT . Griffin 121 0 0 Northumberland , Lieut . Col . Addeson Potter 112 10 0

Oxford Province of : — Bro . F . Parker Morrell „ H . S . Cooper Smith „ The Rev . J . A . Lloyd , oy i .- n ( including a dona- ' ° tiou from Prince Leopold of £ 20

South Wales—E . J . Morris ... 250 0 0 Wiltshire—H . C . Tombs ... 201 G G G . L . Punjab—G . Davies ... 10 0 0 Grand Stewards Lodge—E . March 60 0 0

Lodgo 1 Bro . F . J . Hartridge ... 10 0 0 2 „ Rev . A . F . A . Woodford 31 1 0 4 „ A . C . Veley 19 0 0 5 „ J . Corry Havers ... 36 7 0 7 „ L . A . Crowley ... 28 0 0 8 „ CM . Morgan ... 17 0 0 9 .. W . R . Marsh fil 0 O

10 „ Rev J . N . Palmer ... 49 12 0 11 „ C . Watson 31 10 0 12 „ R . Coombs 33 10 0 14 „ A . J . Brist ' ow 10 0 0 18 „ J . G . Chaplin 17 0 0 21 „ J . Knight Stead ... 50 0 0 22 „ G . Phythian 32 5 0 23 „ F . Kent 25 5 0

Chap . 25 Comp . J . Last 12 10 0 Lodge 27 Bro . John Green 79 10 0 28 „ William Lane ... 50 13 0 29 „ J . E . Middleton ... 10 0 0 30 „ Joseph Ua .-ling ... 31 5 0 33 „ Wiihu , m Thomaa Sugg 33 12 0 54 „ CM . Jones 15 0 0

55 ,, John Bingemaun ... 79 15 0 57 „ Henry Preston ... 21 0 0 65 „ Edgar Bowyer ... 110 8 6 00 „ Robert Gallaud ... 80 19 0 73 „ Charles Ray den ... 315 1 0 17 „ Charles Andrews ,., 172 0 0

Lodge £ a A 87 Bro . Charles Hull 61 0 0 90 „ J . D . McDongall ... 28 12 0 101 „ John Flack 36 15 0 102 „ Col . T . Duff 8 15 0 107 „ G . S . Woodwark ... 25 10 0 108 „ R . W . Stewart ... 30 0 0

120 „ T . Jowitt 05 5 0 142 „ J . L . Thomas 160 0 0 144 „ George Allen ... 57 18 0 145 „ George Pnrkiss ... 10 0 0 147 „ J . J . Hutchings ... 33 5 0 151 „ John M . Lovick ... 37 0 0 156 „ II . Dnbosc 10 0 0 174 „ W . T . Wells 100 0 0

Chap . 174 Comp . E . C . Mather ... 31 5 0 „ 17 G „ P . A . Nairn ... 20 7 0 Lodge 176 Bro . John Brockett Son-ell 36 14 0 177 „ George Everett ... 36 0 0 Chap . 177 Comp . W . M . Foxcroft 43 9 6

Lodge 179 Bro . William Hughes ... 35 0 0 180 „ W . Smithett ... 42 9 6 180 „ William C Parsons ... 112 0 0 181 „ F . E . Wilkinson ... 15 13 0 189 „ J . E . Curteis 112 10 0 192 „ Francis Fellows ... 61 5 0 198 „ H . C . Lambert ... 25 0 0 228 „ Johu While 76 0 0

250 „ J . Thompson 25 0 0 256 „ Charles Birch ... 47 4 6 259 „ Alfred Cooper ... 115 0 0 263 „ Wm . Richard Morton ... 19 0 0 309 „ H . Cawte 33 5 0 315 „ J . Eberall 106 0 0 319 „ S . S . Pearco 42 1 6 321 „ Capt . J . H . Arrowsmith 47 7 0 342 „ S . R . Ellis 58 5 0 312 „ J . L . Conlton SO 0 0

382 „ Benjamin Swallow ... 50 0 0 382 „ E . C Woodward ... 12 0 0 403 „ H . Campkin 41 3 0 416 „ J . Lees 21 5 0 435 „ Ernest IL Stammwitz 39 O 0 446 „ Capt . A . T . Perkins ... 66 6 0 452 „ 11 . E . Frances 27 10 0 511 „ George Read i > t 1 U 0 549 „ E . Tyrell Leith ... 5 0 0 657 „ Wilbuin Henrv Stevens 5 t 0 0 733 „ Thomas W . Allen ... 34 12 0 766 „ John Pringlo 26 0 0

Lodge £ » d 778 Bro . E . B . Webb 51 5 0 807 „ G . Baxter 21 0 0 813 „ John Ross Gallant ... 100 0 0 861 „ William W . Lowles ... 31 5 0 865 „ William Johnson ... 22 0 0 869 „ A . G , Wylio 20 0 0 901 „ Edward Salisbury ... 25 0 0 903 „ G . F . Lancaster ... 35 0 0

907 „ S . 11 . P . Moore ... 36 10 0 996 „ II . Smart 3 3 0 1000 „ A . Lucking ... 42 10 0 1008 „ W . H . Lucia 57 0 O 1036 „ J . Reado 12 12 0 1036 „ Joseph Morton ... 74 IL 0 1096 „ Thomas Ayling ... 32 0 0 1158 „ Govan Macdonald ... 48 15 0 1193 „ J . B . Graver-Brown ... 36 10 0 1196 „ Jonathan Pearson ... 30 0 O 1201 „ William Henry Barber 25 0 0 1206 „ Dick Baker 10 0 O 1206 ,, R . J . Emmerson ... 10 0 0

1203 „ Henry M . Baker ... 138 0 0 1224 „ Rev . J . C . Martyn ... 20 0 0 1232 „ C . IT . Scales 6 10 0 1257 „ . 1 . J . Lowenthal ... 62 4 6 1259 „ E . Jex 71 10 0 1278 „ G . W . Verry 154 10 0 1307 „ C . Rushworth Own donation ... 50 0 0 1327 „ W . Gilbert 10 5 0 1348 „ J . Palmer V . P 133 12 0 1366 „ C . G . Hill .. .. 112 0 0 1383 „ J . M . P . Montagu ( Pro- 1 « , < , „ Q Q vince of Dorset ) )

1385 „ J . Curbush & W . Catbnsh 31 5 0 1395 „ II . W . Charringtou ... 16 10 0 1421 „ C . Lacev 56 15 0 1423 „ E . H . Thieliny ... 25 5 0 1445 „ W . II . Myers 72 0 0 1464 „ Charles Dirihani ... 5 S 10 0 1171 „ John L . Mather ... 40 15 0 1475 „ J . T . Dalby 60 0 0 14 S 9 „ T . Hastings Miller ... 23 10 0 1491 „ H . C . Lovandcr ... 60 5 0

1494 „ F . S . Knyvett ... 12 12 0 1500 „ T . Isley 6 i 2 0 1507 „ J . Willing jr .,,. ... 80 5 O 1512 „ T . W . Ockeuden ... 25 0 0 1524 „ W . L . Loo 4 !) 1 6 1531 „ J . Coutts 45 9 0 1538 „ W . Brough 16 5 0 1 W 7 „ J . JIasos 2 o 0 O