The Report Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

amount to £ 15 , 576 12 s 5 d . The Disbursements , including £ 2 , 000 " Placed at Call , " and for purchase of stock £ 1 , 976 5 s , reach £ 10 , 841 17 s 5 d , leaving a balance to the good of £ 4 , 734 15 s . On tho Widows' Fund the Receipts ,

with Balance forward of £ 2 , 035 3 s 8 d included , amount to £ 10 , 588 3 s lid , while tho Disbursements , among which will bo found £ 1 , 000 " Placed at Call , " are £ 7 , 244 17 s lOd , so that tho Balance in hand is £ 3 , 343 6 s Id . If to those be added the Balance of £ 34 16 s 4 d on the Susteutation

Fund , the Total Balance will bo found to be no less than £ 8 , 112 17 s 5 d . The total Stock to tho credit of the Institution is £ 60 , 525 , tho interest on which is £ 2 , 722 19 s lid . These snms are thus distributed—Male Fund , Stock £ 36 , 950 , interest £ 1 , 681 18 s ; Widows' Fund , Stock

£ 22 , 575 , interest £ 1 , 011 Is lid ; Sustentation Fund Stock £ 1 , 000 , interest £ 30 . More satisfactory evidence than this it is impossible to wish for , in order to show the progress made by an Institution which even now has not been in

existence more than thirty-nine years . We have no doubt that with the skilful management which has been shown during the last few years , this prosperous state of things will continue .

Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

ON Tuesday , 31 st instant , will be held the Summer Half-yearl y Communication of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown . It is expected the meeting will be an unusually brilliant one , not only from the distinguished brethren of the Degree , who ,

in all probability , will be present and take part in the proceedings , but likewise because it is now just five-andtwenty years since the Grand Mark Lodge , with Lord Leigh as its first Grand Master , was established . Every one of the brethren who has since occupied the Mark throne ,

has been also a distinguished Craft Mason . Lord Leigh , it mnst be remembered , was chosen Grand Mark Master Mason as being a staunch Constitutional Mason , and was , as he is still , Provincial Grand Master of Warwickshire . His several successors , wbo all happily remain among us in

full bodily and Masonic vigour , include among Craft celebrities , Bros . Viscount Holmesdale Prov . Grand Master Kent , W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master Hants and Isle of Wight , the Rev . G . Raymond Portal , the Earl of Carnarvon Pro Grand Master and Prov . Grand Master

Somersetshire , the Earl Percy , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master Northumberland , the Earl of Limerick Prov . Grand Master Bristol , and the Earl of Lathom Prov . Grand Master of West Lancashire . That under the auspices of these successive distinguished chiefs the Degree has flourished , even ,

perhaps , beyond the most sanguine expectations of its supporters and well-wishers , must be manifest when we bear in mind that there are over 250 Lodges on the roll of Grand Lodge , with a total subscribing membership of in round figures 12 , 000 . It has its own Benevolent Fund ,

the annual festival of which maybe expected to bring in an ever-increasing amount , which will , at least , not fall short of tbe proceeds of last year ' s gathering , when over £ 560 was subscribed . New Lodges are being occasionally consecrated , several new Provinces have been organised , and

there is every reason to expect that its popularity will become greater year by year . Thus , the meeting of the 31 st instant will , for the reasons we have specified , be looked forward to with mnch interest , an interest which Avill be intensified when we announce to our Mark friends , as we

arc ni a position to do , that nofc only will the Earl of Lathom Grand Mark Master Mason preside and instal his successor . Lord Hcnnikor Grand Mark Master Mason elect , but it is understood and expected that Lord Holmesdale , Lord Leigh , Bro . W . W ., B . Beach . M . P ., and Bro .

Rev . G . R . Portal—all Past Grand Masters—will be present , together with the Earl of Kintore , Lord Arthur Hill , M . P ., and other influential members of tho Order . Of course , the installation of a New Grand Master is an event , which , happening as it does only once in three years , is

sure to attract a more than usually strong concourse of brethren . Then the appointment and investiture of Grand Officers lends an additional excitement to those present , and the fact of the outgoing Grand Master being our respected

Brother the Earl of Lathom , while the new G . Master elect is the justly popular Lord Henniker , will coramensuratel y increase the importance of Tuesday week ' s Communication . But above aud beyond tho different points we have

Grand Mark Lodge.

enumerated as boing certain to enlist the sympathies of all good Constitutional and Mark Masons , wo trust the meeting will be a brilliant success for the sake of Mark Masonry itself , which , if not included as an integral part of Ancient

and Accepted Masonry , as defined by the Constitutions of the Craft Grand Lodge of England , is , nevertheless , a worthy and in every respect a reputable degree in Masonry .

The Annual Fete Of The Masonic Orphan Schools, Dublin.

THE ANNUAL FETE OF THE MASONIC ORPHAN SCHOOLS , DUBLIN .

WE publish elsewhere a full account of the annual gathering in connection with the Masonic Orphan Schools , Dublin , on Thursday , the 12 th instant . His Grace the Duke of Abercorn , Most Worshipful Grand Master , was unavoidably absent , and consequently his place was taken by Bro . R . W . Sbekleton , Q . C ., Deputy Grand

Master , who was numerously supported by the Grand Officers , Masters , and Past Masters , & c , of the Craft , as well as a strong muster of the fair sex , wbo evinced , as usual , the deepest interest in the proceedings . Moreover , there was tbe additional attraction that the Countess

Cowper , wife of Bro . the Earl of Cowper , the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , had graciously arranged to distribute the prizes , and her presence lent an additional charm to the occasion . The proceedings were of a more than nsually interesting character . Anew building is in course

of erection , and we can sincerely congratulate our Irish brethren on the success which has attended their efforts . It is less than a year since the foundation-stone was laid by the Grand Master , in the presence of their Excellencies the Earl and Countess Cowper , yet sucb is the progress

that has been made , that it is confidently anticipated the building will be completed and ready for occupation early in 1882 . The greatest care would seem to have been taken so as to incur no unnecessary or avoidable expense , and it is believed that wben the premises are complete , the cost

will not be found to have exceeded the original estimate of £ 12 , 000 . In order to meet this outlay , the greatest exertions have been made to secure tbe amount , and up to tbe 4 th instant there were promised subscriptions amounting in the aggregate to £ 10 , 553 5 s ,

of whicb £ 7 , 353 7 s 8 d had actually been paid . But when tbe estimated amount has been received , and the building completed , a further £ 2000 will be necessary in order to make the latter habitable . Thus the Governors , who have resolved on carrying out the work

witbout trenching upon the invested capital , have their work before them , and it may be as well if they take especial notice of a point noticed by Bro . C . Macnamara , LL . D ., the Hon . Secretary of the Fund , namely , that " though tbe amount already given is so large , the

number of individual donors is comparatively very small ; and although the orphans of Provincial brethren who are received into the School far outnumber those from Dublin , the subscriptions from the country , especially from tho North of Ireland , are not in due proportion to the sums received from the Dublin members of the Order . " There

is nothing unusual , we regret to say , about this . It happens here , as in the Emerald Isle , that those who seek the largest share of benefits , are often the least forward in subscribing . Possibly , however , our Provincial Irish brethren

will show a laudable desire to disturb this unequal arrangement , andthat they will bring their subscriptions more nearly on a level with tho benefits they do not hesitate to receive from the Institution . It would be as well also if the Craft

generally bore in mind this further statement in Bro . Macnamara ' s report , namely , that " the number of subscribing brethren in Ireland is so large , that if all , or even a majority , could be induced to subscribe a small sum each « an ample endowment for the Schools would be obtained .

This is , in effect , what we have again and again said m reference to our own Institutions , that if each subscribing Mason would only give five shillings annually to each ot them , there would be ample to support them , and even to extend their sphere of operations . We mnst not omit to

mention that , with a view to increasing the _ amount necessaiy to fit and furnish the new building , it is proposed to hold a Fancy Fair and Bazaar in the early part p i

the ensuing year , and we doubt not the fair ladies of Erin will be only too happy to contribute of their skill and by their presence in order to ensure its success . As to the distribution of prizes by the Countess Cowper ,