The Approaching Festival Of The R.M.B.I.

THE APPROACHING FESTIVAL OF THE R . M . B . I .

ON CE more , in tbe natural course of things , we find ourselves within appreciable distance of tho first in order of the Anniversary Festivals of our several Masonic Institnt ' ons , and it becomes our duty to draw tbe attention of our readers to the circumstances more immediately

associated with this particular celebration . Our friends will already have gathered from our advertisement columns that Tuesday next , the 21 st instant , is the day approved by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales

Grand Master for holding the Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and that the chair will be taken by Lieufc .-Colonel J . A . Lloyd-Philipps R . W . Provincial Grand Master of the Western Division of South Wales .

This much in general outline ; but there are almost invariably some distinguishing points about different anniversaries , and it is to these points we now propose drawing brief attention . A short sketch of the origin and progress of the

Institution will not be out of place . It is the outcome , in reality , of two Charities , the earlier of these being the Asylum for Aged Freemasons at Croydon , which was established by a number of brethren , of whom the late Dr . Crucefix was the most distinguished . The other

was founded by the Grand Lodge of England , which , at the March Communication , 1842 , voted an annual grant of £ 400 towards the very benevolent purpose of paying annuities to aged and distressed brethren . In 1849 the scheme was further enlarged bv the erection of a Fund for

bestowing annuities on the Widows of Freemasons , and in the course of the same year an amalgamation between the Grand Lodge Institution and the Asylum at Croydon was happily effected , since when , by degrees more or less

slow but sure , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution has gone on enlarging its sphere of usefulness , and doing its best towards meeting the almost annually increasing demands on its resources .

' So far historically . Let us now see how the Institution stands financially . The recipients on the books of the Male Fund are 155 , whose annuities at the rate of £ 40 each necessitate the provision of £ 6 , 200 ; those on the Female Fund are 160 , and as they are paid annually £ 32

each , it will be obvious , without indulging in any frantic exercise of the arithmetical powers , that a further sum of £ 5 , 120 is needed in order to meet these demands . Lastly , there is a small body of widows—tbe number is a fluctuating one—who are paid each a half of her late husband ' s

annuit y . To meet this a sum of between £ 300 and * 400 is necessary . Thus the Institution is bound to provide £ 6 , 200 for the men , £ 5 , 120 for the widows , and s » y £ 380 for widows receiving only one-half , making a total together of £ 11 , 700 , which must be forthcoming annuall

y in order that the Institution may fulfil the obligations it has contracted . If we add to this the expenses of Man agement , we shall certainly not be exaggerating if we set down the annual outlay which is absolutely necessary P maintain the Benevolent Institution in its present state ™ efficiency , as £ 13 , 000 .

The Approaching Festival Of The R.M.B.I.

Let us now see how the finances of the Institution stand so as to meet these formidable liabilities . Grand Lodge now contributes £ 1 , 600 per annum , namely , £ 1 , 000 to the Male , and £ 600 to the Female Fond . Grand Chapter gives £ 150 per annum , while the interest on the invested

moneys of the Charity brings up the total permanent income in round figures to some £ 4 , 400 . This , however , as against a fixed outlay of £ 13 , 000 is but a small proportion , and hence the necessity for renewed and active exertions

on behalf of the Funds in order to maintain them in their present standard of usefulness . Two points in connection with this portion of our subject have to be considered . Under the most favourable circumstances—and we trnst

our Bro . Terry will forgive us if we suggest that his estimate of the working expenses is somewhat modest—we say , under the most favourable circumstances , close on £ 9 , 000 must be provided annually in order to keep the Institution in working order under its present obligations , while

there is no doubt whatever that a far larger amount should be found every year , so that in time the permanent income may be more nearly on a level with the outlay . These are overwhelming reasons why the appeal , which is on the eve of being made to the Craft in behalf of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , should be a successful one .

Of the usefulness of the Institution no doubt can be entertained . Its services to Masonic distress stand out

prominently . Already 556 brethren and 319 widows of brethren have been elected on the respective Funds since the date of their establishment . In other words , close on 900 poor people , directly or indirectly connected with the Craft , have had their closing years made comfortable

through the instrumentality of this noble Charity . There is another point to be considered . The pressure on our Fund of Benevolence is very serious . It disburses some £ 9 , 000 a year , and , were it not for the relief afforded by the Benevolent Institution , there can be no doubt whatever

that the demands on this Fund would be vastly increased —to how considerable an extent it is almost impossible to estimate . Further , in spite of the great additions that have been made during the past few years to the number

of annuitants , the demands on the resources of tbe Institution grow apace . There are now not less than fortysix male and sixty-six female candidates on the list for election in May next , yet tho vacancies to be filled are FEW

INDEED . Let us now glance at the circumstances of the present Festival . Last year Bro . Terry had the good fortune to secure the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire as his Chairman . Now , West

Yorkshire is a large and influential Province . It has over sixty Lodges , and its contributions to all three Charities are on a grand and most liberal scale . Thus , last year it raised no less than £ 3 , 500 , and as London and the other Provinces worked in a corresponding spirit of liberality ,

Bro . Terry was in a position to announce the largest total ever contributed at any of onr Masonic celebrations , namely , over £ 14 , 300 . The Western Division of S . Wales ,

however , is not—numerically speaking , of course—to he compared with the Western Division of Yorkshire . Tho latter , as we have" said , has over sixty Lodges ; the former has only nine . It would be ridiculous , therefore , to expect

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