The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

TTTHE Eighty-sixth Anniversary Festival of the Royal X Masonic Institution for Boys will be celebrated within the next few days , and with it the great Masonic Charitable Festivals of the year will be relegated to the emits of the past . The two Festivals which have preceded

it this year may justly be looked back on as successes . What will the coming one prove itself to be ? We need hardly say that a successful result is ardently desired 5 we may go further—a success is really needed . The way in which tho Masonic Institutions are carried on leaves Ivttle

or no margin for curtailment of the current resources . The expenditure is kept so close to the income , no matter how much the latter may increase year by year , that the smallest falling off seriously affects the prospects of the future ; therefore , when the prospects are not of the brighest it

behoves ns to look carefully round to discover if anything is possible to be achieved that will add to the regular sources of income . We do not wish to imply the outlook at tho present time , so far as the Boys' School is concerned ,

is particularly unfavourable ; for , taken as an ordinary year , we think the coming anniversary should realise an average amount . Still , there are one or two points which give it a somewhat special character . Last year ' s Festival was the most successful ever known in connection with

any charitable Institution , whether associated with Freemasonry or not—the gross result having reached the sum of £ 23 , 500—and it is but reasonable to anticipate a heavy falling of in this year ' s total , but such a falling off will not necessaril y prove that the School is declining in public

favour , for it must be borne in mind that last year ' s exceptional result was due to the attraction of additional privileges offered as an inducement for brethren to subscribe towards a Special Fund for building tbe Preparatory School ; but the mere fact of so large

a sum having been realised last year is in itself a subject for consideration . Special efforts were then made , and the effects thereof are not unlikely to bo felt this year , althoug h the actual experiences thus far—gained in connection with the Festivals of the Benevolent Institution

and the Girls' School—would lead us to hope that they will not materially affect the total shortly to be announced . There is also the old cry , that "times are bad . " We think there is more truth in this cry at the present time than has been the case for many years past . There can be no

question that in many branches of trade business is in a worse condition than it can be remembered to have ever been before , and the surprise to many is , " whence the Masons get the large sums which they devote to Charity " Bnt perhaps our strongest point in urginff support for the

jnstitutum ^ at the present time is to be found in a reference 0 the Joss it , and Masonry in general , has sustained in the death of H . R . H . the Duke of Albany . It will be remembered His Royal Highness had consented to preside at the coming Festival , and from his known devotion to the

cause of Education it is but fair to suppose he would have ™ « o a special effort on behalf of " Our Boys . " Then , again , the mere fact of a Prince of the Blood Roval prolcll « g , wonld have been taken advantage of to shew tho way which-the services of the Royal Family ( 0 Free- « Jsonry are appreciated . All this , however , has been upset y ™ e lamented death of His Royal Highness , and the

The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

Boys' School will be among the many who will be affected by the sad occurrence . We may consider the School as exceedingly fortunate in having secured the services of so popular a gentleman as the Lord Mayor of London to fill the gap so unfortunately created . There is little doubt

but that he will do all that lies in his powor to bring the celebration to a successful issue , and that he will be zealously supported by a large number of brethren throughout

tho country is equally certain . We feel sure , however , he will excuse us when we suggest that evenhiu earnest efforts will not fully compensate for the absonce of one of England's best loved Princes .

There is little of a special character that can be said in reference to this year ' s Festival . It is to bo hold on Saturday , the 28 th inst ., at the Crystal Palace , Sydenham , and like many which have preceded it in connectiou with the Boys' School , will be graced by the presence of the

ladies at the festive board . We are pleased to know that the interest of the fair sex in the Masonic Institutions is year by year increasing , and feel that these annual reunions and actual participations in tho festivities of the clay have much to do with the improvement . We know

the practice of all dining together is not in accordance with the views of the other two Institutions , but the Boys ' certainly do well in continuing the innovation . We should certainly like to see a movement started to induce a few of the ladies to come forward as Stewards , as wo feel that by

so doiDg a new field of operations would be opened up which might eventually prove of considerable value . It may be an opportunity will some day present itself , when

an effort will bo made in such a direction ; meanwhile , we can only ask tbe ladies to do all they can to add to the lists of their male friends , even if it is not possible or politic for them to start on their own account .

The Right Hon . the Lord Mayor , Bro . Alderman R . N . Fowler , M . A ., M . P ., Junior G . Warden of England , & c , will have the assistance of a representative body of Stewards , tbe number of whom , at the present time , reaches about two hundred and eighty ; and although his Lordship

has the disadvantage of being without any particular Province at his back , he yet has a call on the whole of the Metropolitan brethren , who ought to be able to render him more local assistance than any of the Provincial Grand Masters could expect from their respective districts , but

unfortunately the organization of London as a Masonic centre is not so complete as the most imperfectly organized Province , and there is really very little to be expected from the spirit of emulation which should promote friendly rivalry among the Stewards and Brethren of the

Chairman ' s district . In the President of the Board of Stewards—Bro . Lt .-Col . Sir Henry Edwards , Bart ., C . B ., D . L ., and Vice-Patron of the Institution , Prov . G . Master for West Yorkshire—the Chairman of the day has a staunch supporter , and the leader of a Province strongly imbued with

the spirit of benevolence . West Yorkshire does not go half-heartedly to work iu the cause of Masonic benevolence , as its totals—Festival after Festival—will abundantly prove , and it is not very likely that its list , now that its ruler is at the head of the Board of Stewards , will be below

the average . There is also a strong array of Hon . Presidents and Vice Presidents , the former comprising Bros . Sir Albert W . Woods ( Garter ) , P . G . W . G . D . C . ; Rev . A . F . A . Woodford P . G . Chaplain , Vice President of Institution ; Thomas W . Tew , J . P ., P . G . D . Deputy Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire ; Horace Brooks Marshall , CO .,