The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

Petty expenses •- •18 8 6 Entertainment of Stewards and Annuitants - - •51 18 1 Hire of Hall on day of Election - 2 12 6 Rent , & c—Office - - 45 0 0

Do . of Field - - - 16 18 9 Purchase of Stock . - - 1033 15 0 Placed at Call - - . 1000 0 0 Votes of thanks to Stewards - 19 11 11 Premium on Collector ' s Guarantee

Policy - - •3 15 0 Bankers' charges - - ¦ 2 11 6 Coals for Residents - . 35 0 0 Redemption of Tithes . - 7 10 3 Architect ' s Commission . •5 13 0 Assistance in Office . •9 9 0 9329 2 11

Balance on this Fund - £ 3 , 981 3 O SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Balance 31 st March 1883 . - 59 16 4 Dividends on Stock in Government Funds . . 29 7 6 89 3 10 DISBURSEMENTS . Repairs - - - 15 17 3 Balance on thia Fund - £ 73 6 7

Total Balance as per Auditors' Eeport £ 7 , 500 2 4 The Permanent Income of the Institution is as follows : —

MALE FUND . Annual Grant from Grand Lodge - 800 0 0 Do from Grand Chapter - 100 0 0 Dividends on Stock in Govern . ment Funds . - 1117 15 8 2017 15 8

WIDOWS' FUND . Annnal Grant from Grand Lodge - 800 0 0 Do from Grand Chapter - 50 0 0 Dividends on Stock in Government Funds - . 725 10 1 1575 10 1

SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Dividends on £ 1000 Stock in Government Funds . 30 0 0 £ 3 , 623 5 9

Signed J . CREATON , Past Grand Treasurer , Vice-Patron , Chairman . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C 16 th May 1884 . The motion that stood in the name of Brother Charles

Lacey , of which due notice had been given , ancl to which we have already devoted some amount of consideration , was withdrawn , the proposer expressing a wish to adopt this course in consequence of the very liberal response made by the

Craft at large to the appeals by the Stewards for the year . The poll was then declared open for the Election , the result of which will be found in another column . The customary votes of thanks to Chairman and Scrutineers closed the proceedings .

Presentation" To Bro. James Willing Jun.

PRESENTATION" TO BRO . JAMES WILLING JUN .

C y f Tuesday evening , 13 th inst ., a meeting was held at Anderton ' s r ~ Hotel , Fleet-street , with the object of presenting Bro . James Willing jun . with a testimonial to mark the high esteem in which he m . by . Masonic brethren , fellow citizens , and other friends . e Meeting was a larga and influential one , including many gentlemen connected with the Press and the theatrical profession , and a -arge number of Masonic and other friends . Tbe President of the evening ( who was also the President of tbe Testimonial Fund ) was

re . J . K . Stacey , of the Morning Advertiser , the chair on his right Doing of course occupied by Bro . Willing , and that on his left by Bro . B w *^ - onorar y Secretary to the Fund . Among tho friends of ro . Willing present on the occasion we observed Bros . A . Leon ispiers and Pond ) , E . Swanboroueh ( Strand Theatre ) . . T . H . Bennett .

Wtandard ) , W . T . Madge ( Globe ) , Dumphy ( Morning Post ) , XV . G . inane ( Standard ) , Du Val of Egyptian Hall renown , W . Harris , C . J . scales , J . H . Batty , J . T . Buston , C . J . Taylor , Willis , Dawson , Capt . D , w ' ' Hare ( Genera * Omnibus Company ) , C . Hudson , Dr . unn W . W . Knight , James Terry ( Secretary of the Masonic Benewent Institution ) , W . W . Morgan ( FREEMASON ' CHRONICLE ) , E . C . Dlap f_a £ many others to ° numerous to mention . In the first v ace the Chairman called upon the meeting , like loyal men . to drink

Presentation" To Bro. James Willing Jun.

the health of Her Majesty the Queen , and like good Masous to couple with that toast Hia Royal Highness tho Princo of Wales as Graud Master of Freemasons , and the Craft ; and the company having done due honour to thia somewhat comprehensive toast , Bro . Stacey rose , and said that ho believed all present were aware that the object with which they had met that evening was to do some little honour by

showing some little evidence of regard for the esteemed brother whom they had known for so many years . Ho remembered with prido his introduction to Bro . Willing , fifteen or sixteen years ago , in tho work of Masonry . Bro . Willing made astonishing progress and left competitors behind in Masonry as he did in other undertakings . His compeers found that before they could attain his position in one

Lodge , he was founder of several Lodges , many Chapters , ancl Steward many times to tho Masonio Charities . In all the offices of Freemasonry Bro . Willing had done good suit ancl service ; ho had done everything as a good and true Mason to further tbe cause of Masonry in every way . Therefore it was the wish of his friends to try to do him hononr as a good Freemason and as a citizen of the world .

They could look back on his career dnring the last fourteen or fifteen years and recall his steady and increasing success . But however successful ho had been Bro . Willing was always known as a most energetic citizen , a genial friend , and an honourable and just man of business . For the rest , a few of Bro . Willing ' s friends had consulted together as to the way in which thev could mark their esteem , and ifc was no

sooner known that the movement was initiated than friends from all directions pressed forward and asked to havo the privilege of assisting in the work . Turning to the guest of tho evening Bro . Stacey said : My dear Bro . Willing , we bog most sincerely that you will be pleased to receive from us this token of our esteem and regard for you . May you live long to enjoy it , and when in the course of time you have

fulfilled your earthly career , may it be handed down and remain as an heirloom in your family . We trnsfc yon will live very many years to look npon and use these tokens of tho regard of your friends , and that when , in God ' s timo , your earthly life shall end you may leave this to remind your successors that , as a loving husband , an excellent father

and most sincere friend , you were loved by your contemporaries , and that they may read upon this bauble that you were held in high esteem by yonr fellow citizens and brethren in the Craft . Tho Chairman then called upon Bro . Stiles , the hon . Secretary to read the inscription on the central piece of plate , which was as follows : —

J . W . M . A . P . W . " This dessert service was presented to James Willing juu ., W . M . 1987 , P . M . and Treasurer 1507 and 1744 , P . Z . ancl Treasurer 1507 . & c , & o ., by numerous Masonic ancl other friends , in appreciation of his zealous services to Freemasonry , bis many kindly acts , and in token of their sincere respect and esteem . May 1884 . "

Bro . Willing said , Mr . President , Gentlemen and Brethren , —I feel inclined to say brethren altogether on the present occasion , —I do nofc remember ever to have risen on an occasion when I wanted so much to say something to tho purpose , or when I felt less able to give expression to my thoughts . When any person has been for many years before the public , as I have been , and sees his many friends nutting

aside their business avocations and the various serious pursuits they havo in life to come together to do him honour , as you have come here to do me honour to day , it mnst be a source of the greatest gratification to him , and he must know that such an occasion can only come to him once in his life . I appreciate the assembly of gentlemen here this evening moro than any testimonial , however great its value , that you

have given mo . Mr . Stacey has alluded to many things this evening —first of all to what I have been able to do in connection with Freemasonry . I have always done my best , because I believe in the tenets of the Craft ; and a labour that a man delights in becomes a pleasure . As for as a citizen of the world , I may say that my success I have in a great measure to thank the President for . Ho was constantly lolling

me of the importance of the business , and I can assure you that tho kindness of his disposition , his placing himself always at my disposal , helped my success greatly , and I do not think that any man conld secure snch a success as attended me as a yonng man unless he had a good friend at his back ready to help him at all times . Mr . President and Gentlemen , for this splendid testimonial which you have been

kind enough to give , I thank you . I know you have desired that my wife and family should participate in tho recognition you have kindly made to me , on account of the absence from home that Masonry entails . In their name , as well as for myself , I thank you , but I can assure you that , as far as I am concerned , if any incidental pleasure can be given to the husband and father , the wife and

children look upon it with added pleasure . I have never seen a hand , somer service than yon have given me , and it will remain with me as long as I live , and afterwards will be handed down to my children as a memento that at one time in life , at all events , I was held in good esteem . Whatever I may have done iu the past , in the future my earnest and hearty services will bo afc your disposal , antl I shall look back to this hour as one of the proudest of my life . Several other

toasts were subsequently proposed ancl honoured , the principal speakers being Dr . Dunn , Bros . Terry , Hudson , Stiles , Swan borough , Harris , & c . Among others the health of Bro . Willing senior , who was absent from indisposition , and of Bro . Douglass , of the Standard Theatre , who was specially engaged afc tho theatre that evening * , was proposed . The value of the presentation of plate is about 300 nineas .

Mr . Charles Duval , who is still giving his monologue at tho St . James ' s Hall Drawing Room , has introduced several now items into his programme , and now nightly recites , in the character of an Irish Peasant , the remarkable ballad poam of " Shamus O'Brien . " A very pretty ancl vivacious little actress and singer appe . ixs in tho musical interval , and Miss Lctty Lind , the yonng lady referred to , renders a couple of character songs with much quaint originality , and will probably prove an attraction ,