Annual Meeting Of The Benevolent Institution.

SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Balance 31 st March 18 S 0 - - 46 19 11 Dividends on Stock in the Government Funds . . . 29 5 0 £ 70 4 11

Dl-iliUKSE . MtUNTS . Eepairs - - - - 41 8 7 Balance on this Fund - - £ 34 16 4 Total Balance as per Auditors' Eeport £ 8 , 112 17 5

The Permanent Income of the Institution is as follows : — MALE FUND . Annual Grant from Grand Lodge - 500 0 0 Do Grand Chapter 100 0 0 Dividends on £ 36 , 950 Stock in-Government Funds . - 1081 18 0 £ 1 , 681 18 0

WIDOWS' FUND . Annnal Grant from Grand Lodge - 300 0 0 Do Grand Chapter- 50 0 0 Dividends on £ 22 , 575 Stock in Government Funds - - 661 1 11 £ 1 , 011 1 11

SUSTENTATION OF BUILDING . Dividends on £ 1 , 000 Stock in the Government Funds - 30 0 0 Total Permanent Income - £ 2 , 722 19 11

Signed J . CREATON , Grand Treasurer , Vice-Pafcron Chairman . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C . 20 th May 1880 .

Bros . Quittman , Bulmer , and Hale were re-elected on the Com . mittee for the ensuing year , and Bros . H . G . Warren and A . H . Tattershall were re-elected Auditors . Bros . Bowyer , Clarke , Davies , and Stean were chosen to receive proxies , and the Scrutineers of votes were afterwards appointed . The chairman then announced the poll open for the election of 25 men and 15 widows .

Correspondence.

CORRESPONDENCE .

A VAGRANT MASON .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICXE . DEAR . SIR AND BROTHER , —I take an early opportunity of warning almoners and benevolent Masons in general against an individual who is unworthy of recognition . He has a clearance certificate from

the St . George s Lodge , No . 190 , Aberdeen . * He was m the vicinity of Portsmouth about the 12 th instant , and is , I fancy , going westward . Yours faithfully and fraternally , THE SECRETARY 804 .

The Approach Of The Holiday Season.

THE APPROACH OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND B ROTHER , —I am glad you have re-ventilated the subject of summer excursions , and the expense of attending them . I am neither very affluent nor very much the reverse , yet I like to enjoy myself , and am always glad when an opportunity presents itself that I can take my wife and daughters with me . Last year I

might have attended the summer banquet of a London Lodge which , for obvions reasons , must be nameless , but I found ifc would have involved an initial expenditure of £ 5 for the four of us , to say nothing of the et ceteras which the woman folk generally deem necessary , and cabs or the train to or from the general rendezvous . This was a little too much for my purse , and as we had made up our minds that a day ' s

trip into the country must be taken , we selected a very quiet little but familiar country place , not twenty miles from Charing-cross , and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves for about half the money , and that without any kind of stint in any respect . Wonld it not be as well if those who had the arranging of these summer banquets made note of

the fact that a heavy outlay is not indispensable to a day ' s pleasure , and that , with the exercise of a little management , from ten to fifteen shillings may be made to go as far as from twenty-five to thirty shillings ? Where people have plenty of money at command it would be a sin not to spend it , but that is no reason why it should be expended wastefnlly or ostentatiously . I am , faithfully and fraternally , HOLD , ENOUGH ,

Mark Masonry.

MARK MASONRY .

SS . PETER AND PAUL'S LODGE , No . 163 . A MEETING of this Lodgo was held at the Swan Hotel , Newport . fX Pagnell , on Monday , 9 th May . Present—Bros . T . Taylor W M J . R . Wilinor [ . P . M ., L . Cooper S . W ., J . M . Cuthbert J . W ., E . i Saunders S . O ., B . Wilford J . O ., E . Carr Treasurer and Organist V . W . Bro . J . S . Brownrigg P . G . M . O . Secretary , C . Terry S . D . ' E . Revill I . G ., and several other brethren . The Lodge having been opened , and the minutes read and confirmed , a ballot was taken fur

Bros . E . King P . M ., — Valentino P . M ., Lieut . Craster , and H . H . Booth . The candidates wero then introduced aud duly advanced to tho degree of M . M . M . The ceremony was for the first time in the history of this Lodgo performed with full mnsical accompaniment , under tho direction of Bro . Carr , this addition to the beantiful ritual of the Mark degree being much appreciated by the brethren . Before

closing the Lodge , the W . M . alluded to the loss the Lodge had sustained since the last meeting by the death of their Chaplain , the Rev . Dr . Margoliouth , and the Secretary was requested to convey the sym . pathy of the brethren to Mrs . Margoliouth . The Lodge waa then closed in due form , and the brethren adjonrned to the supper room . After the banquet the usual toasts were given , thafc of the Grand

Mark Officers being responded to by V . W . Bro . Brownrigg P . G . M . C ., who said that the Lodge was particularly well represented at Grand Lodge , four of the members being Past Grand Officers . The W . M ., in responding to the toast of his health said , that he might congra . tnlate both himself and the Lodgo on a very successful year of office , having np to the present time advanced twelve brethren to this honourable degree .

Duke Of Connaught Mark Lodge, No. 199.

DUKE OF CONNAUGHT MARK LODGE , No . 199 .

THE Installation Meeting of this Lodge was held on Thnrsdayi 5 th May , at the Masonic Eooms , 77 & Bishopsgatf-s roet-witliin , and was very well attended , the brethren present iuclmlin" Bros W . J . Meek W . M ., H . Meyer S . W . and W . M . elect , W . Beasley J . W ., ' B . Meyer P . M . Treasnrer , D . M . Dewar Asst . Grand Secretary , T . Poore P . G . I . G ., J . J . Gould S . O ., E . Marshall J . O ., J . Hill Secretary , G . Andrews S . D ., A . P . Little Eeg . of Marks , J . II . Poach Org . ;

Bros . Southwood , Greonhill , Westfield , Birkin . Lodgo having been opened , and the preliminary bnsiness disposed of , the W . M . vacated the chair in favour of Bro . T . Poore , who , with his wonted kiudnoss , had consented to assist in the important ceremony of the evening . Bro . H . Meyer was then presented to the Installing Officer by Bro . B . Meyer P . M . to receive at his hands the benefit of installation , and

was placed in the chair of A ., according to ancient custom . The newlyinstalled W . M . then proceeded to appoint and invest bis Officers as follow : —Bros . W . Beasley S . W ., H . Stephens J . W ., J . J . Gould M . O ., W . H . Edwards S . O ., W . J . Westfield J . O .. B . Meyer P . M . Treasurer , James Hill Secretary , J . E . Greenhill S . D ., E . Marshall J . D ., J . D . Burkin I . G ., W . J . Meek I . P . M . Dir . of Cer ., and J . H . Peach

Org . After the customary greetings Lodge was closed un . l adjourned . A Lodge of Eoyal Ark Mariners was opened , Bro . T . Poore occupying the chair of W . C . N ., Bro . Dewar that of J ., and Bro . Meek that of S . Fifteen brethren were then exalted to the degree of E . A . M . The consecration of the new Lodge followed , the ceremony being impressively performed by Bro . D . M . Dewar , assisted by Bros T .

Poore and W . J . Meek . Bro . Meek was subsequently enthroned as W . C . N ., and appointed his Officers : —Bros . H . Meyer J ., B . Meyer S ., H . Stephens S . D ., Westfield J . D ., Burkin Guardian , J . Hill Sec , Peach Org . After the nsual inquiry , and resultant hearty good wishes , Lodge was closed , and the brethren retired to the ante-room , where a collation awaited them , to which ample justice was done . The

Loyal and Mark toasts having been duly honoured , tho W . M . proposed the health of the Installing Master , Bro . T . Poore , to whom he expressed the obligations of the Lodge for his valuable series on this and many other occasions . In reply , Bro . Poore declared the deep satisfaction and p leasure he always felt in doing anything in his power for the welfare and fartherance of Mark

Masonry , and the more so on this occasion , as it gave him the opportunity of offering some slight service in acknowledgment of thfi kind reception he had at all times received from the brethren of the Dnke of Connaught Lodge . The W . M ., having resigned the gavel to W . C . N . Brother Meek , proposed the health of the Consecrating Officer V . W . Bro . D . M . Dewar , whose ready help and friendly counsel

was available in all emergencies , and as gratefully received as it was heartily given . Bro . Dewar responded in cordial terms , acknowledging the hearty reception always accorded him by the brethren , and expressing his gratification at the continued prosperity of the Lodge , and congratulating the members on the comfort and convenience of their new suite of rooms . After the toast of the " Officers" the

W . M . announced that he had received a communication from Bro Brighten Prov . G . S ., to the effect that the Lodge would have the distinguished privilege this year of sending a Brother to Grand Lodge , and one also to Prov . Grand Lodge , and , with the consent of tho brethren , he proposed recommending the I . P . M . Bro . Meek for Grand Lodge , and Bro . Hill the Secretary for Prov . Grand Lodge—a proposition heartily adopted by the brethren .

"We must remind our readers that the General Committee Meeting of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls will be held at Freemasons' Hall , on Thursday next , 26 th instant , between the hours of 4 and 5 p . m . On this occasion it

will he the duty of those present to elect tlie House Committeo for the ensuing year ; and we may state , for the information of those interested , that all the members of the presei t House Committee have been re-nominated , while Brother J . E . Shand , W . M . 1563 , has also been nominated for election ,