Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

nHHE Annual Meeting was held on Friday , the 20 th inst ., X at the Freemasons' Hall , Great Queen Street , Lincoln ' s Inn Fields , London , W . C ., under the presidency of Bro . Edgar Bowyer , Past Grand Standard Bearer , Patron and Trustee of the Institution . The following is the Report , which was presented and adopted : —

REPORT . THE Committee of Management haa much pleasure in submitting a report of its proceedings during the past year to fche Governors and Subscribers of the Institntion . The Annnal Festival was held , by direction of His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G ., Grand Patron and President , on

Tuesday tho 22 nd February last , W . Wither B . Beach Esq ., M . P ., Right Worshi pful Provincial Grand Master of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight presided , and the Board of Stewards , 381 in number , which supported him , were successful in raising amongst them the magnificent sum of £ 19 , 229 10 s Od . This errand total , which

considerably exceeds the amount subscribed afc any previous Festival in behalf of this Institntion , cannot be otherwise than gratifying , not only to the general body of the English Craft , but likewise , and in an especial degree , to the Bight Worshipful Brother in the chair and the Stewards who laboured so earnestly and energetically to

promote his advocacy . Moreover , large as the sum undoubtedly is , there are grounds for anticipating that , before the year is ended , it will be supplemented by many further contributions The Province of West Yorkshire is engaged in raising 2 , 000 guineas ( £ 2 , 100 ) to enable ifc to purchase the right of two perpetual presentations to the

Widows' fund j that of East Lancashire has entered upon a similar task , and the Province of Cumberland and Westmoreland has resolved on contributing 1 , 000 guineas ( £ 1 , 050 ) . Theso undertakings , which are already in progress , furnish the best of reasons for believing thafc the subscriptions obtained during * tho

Jubilee year of Her Majesty ' s reign will approximate closely to , if tbey do nofc exceed , a total—including the grant of £ 1 , 000 from United Grand Lodge , of £ 24 , 500 , or abont £ 1 , 500 more than has been realised at any Anniversary Festival held in behalf of a Matonic Institntion . Under these circumstances it becomes thedutv

of tbe Committee—and it is needless to say the duty is fulfilled with the mosfc genuine pleasure—to place on record its deep sense of gratitude to the Right Worshipful Brother W . B . Beach , M . P ., and tbe numerous body of Stewards , for thoir successful services on the occasion . The Committee has also to report that in consequence of

the unprecedented success attendant on the unceasing and urgent appeals on behalf of this Institution , the sum of one hundred guineas was presented to the Secretary , in acknowledgment of the zeal shown by bim during the past twelve months . Afc the Election iu May 1886 there were upon the Funds of the

Institution 375 annuitants , namel y , 173 men and 202 widows . To-day there are 128 approved candidates , of whom 51 are men ancl 77 widows , and tbe Committee , having determined at its meeting in February that there should be elected from this list 9 men ( 6

immediate and 3 deferred ) ancl 28 widows—that is to say 25 additional to be admitted immediately , and 3 deferred , who , in the then entire absence of vacancies , would otherwise have been the only Widows to be balloted for on this occasion—the total number of

annuitants will now be 400 , namely , 173 men and 227 widows . Bnfc iu the interval that has elapsed since the February meeting * , there have died 2 men and 13 widows , so that ns regards tho former there will have to be 11 men elected , whilo as regards tho widows the number to be elected will remain at 28 , it having been resolved

that puch annuities as mi ^ ht fall vacant during the interim should be considered part of the authorized increase of 25 . When , however , the Committee came to this determination it was not foreseen , nor could it have been anticipated , that the Festival of the year would have been productive of so splendid a total , and as it seems desirable

that the overwhelming disproportion still existing between the number of applicants and the number of vacancies—particularly in the case of the Widows' Fund—should be reduced as far as possible , consistently with the fnfcure financial security of the Institution , the Committee considers itself justified in recommending that the 13

vacancies in the Widows' Fund caused by death should be filled up , and to farther increase the number of male annuitants by 5 . In the event of this recommendation being adopted , there will then be 178 annuitants , each receiving £ 40 per annum , on the Male Fnnd , and 227 annuitants , each receiving £ 32 per annnm , on the Widows' Fund ,

the total sum annually distributable amongst these 40 o annuitants amounting to £ 14 , 384 . To this must be added a further £ 200 , divisible under Law 9 ( Male Fund ) among the Widows , ten in number , of recently deceased male annuitants , so that the annnal expenditure on account of annuities only will henceforth amount to

£ 14 , 581 , and the Committee trusts this large outlay will suffice , at all events for some years , to meet the average demands on the resources of the Institution . A time must come when ifc will be impossible , without serious risk , to further increase the responsibilities that have been incurred .

The Committee takes this opportunity of recording its sincere thanks to United Grand Lodge , both for the grant of £ 1000 from the Fund of General Purposes , and its renewed subsidy of £ 70 towards providing the residents of the Institution at Croydon with coal

during the winter months . It is also desirous of conveying its cordial thanks to the honorary Burgeons of the Institution , Henry J . Strong , Esq ., M . D ., and R . Percy Middlemist , Esq ., for their invaluable services and unremitting attention to those among the annuitants , both , resident and

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

non-resident , who have been unfortunatel y compelled to seek medical advice and assistance . It is likewise most gratifying to the Committee to be in a position to report that the building at Croydon is in a complete state of repair , and only needs that care and supervision which are requisite

in the case of all similar buildings . The Audited Statement of Accounts for the year ended the 31 st March 1887 is appended , and in laying it before the Governors and Subscribers , the Committee , while inviting fche most rigorous examination of its details , is confident it will be found thafc a

scrupulously just economy has been exercised in administering the Funds of the Institution . It therefore hopes that the appeals which it will be its duty to address to the Governors and Subscribers for a continuance in the future of that generous snpport whioh has been so loyally accorded to it in the pasfc will nofc be made in vain .

It remains for the Committee to express its earnest hope thafc the English Craffc generally will be ae liberal as heretofore in contribating the large amount of funds which is indispensable to the maintenance of the Institution in its present high state of efficiency . So long as Freemasonry remains among our most cherished Insti .

tutions in this country , so long will there be a number , more or lesa considerable , according to the varying circumstances of the times , of indigent brethren and widows of brethren , whose sore distresses it was one ofthe proudest privileges of our Society fco alleviate as far

as possible ; and the Committee is persuaded that no existing Masonio Organisation is ablo fco cope so readily and efficaciously with those distresses as the Royal Masonio Benevolent Institution . May a continuance , even in an enhanced degree , of the support so imperatively needed be always forthcoming .

After the other business of the Institution had been transacted , the brethren proceeded to the election of 16 Male Annuitants from an approved list of 51 candidates , and 41 Female Annuitants from an approved list of 77 candidates . Later in the day the result was declared

as regards the Female Annuitants ; but in the case of the Males , a question of accuracy arose ; a scrutiny was demanded , and the result will not be officially declared till Tuesday or Wednesday next . Under these circumstances our readers will readily excuse us from giving details .

A banquet in connection with the Derby Allcroft Lodge , No . 2168 , was given on Thursday evening , at the Holborn Restaurant , in celebration of Her Majesty ' s Jubilee . The chair was filled by Bro . John Derby Allcroft

Past G . Treasurer , Worshipfnl Master , who was supported hy a distinguished company of Officers and Brethren . The affair was a brilliant success , the speeches being interspersed with a selection of vocal music , under the

direction of Bros . J . F . Haskins and J . Kift , assisted by Bros . H . Schartau , Arthur Thompson , and R . Grice . We are reluctantly compelled to hold over our full report until next issue .

TTOLLOWAT ' S OINTMENT AND PILLS . —Snre Relief . —The weak and enervated sufie- severely from nervous affectio * s when storms or e ' ectric disturbances : ig tate the atmosphere . N nralgia , gouty pangs , and flying pains , very dtstiessing ti a dplica'e system , may be readily removed by rubbing this Om mei \ t upon the -ffa ' . cted p : \ rt after it has been fomented wiih warm water .

Tilt ) Pills , taken occasion ally in the d"ses prescribed by the instructions , keep tho digestion in rrder , excite a free flow of healthy bile , and regenerate the impoverished hlood with 1 ichor materials resulting from throughly assimiliited food—wanting which , the strongest must i evitably soon sink into feebleness , and the delicnte find it difficult to maintain existence . Holloway ' s Ointment and Pills are infallible remedies .

Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . JAMES EDELL . WE regret to announce the sudden death , by apoplexy , after an illness of only three-quarters of an hour , of Bro . James Edell , solicitor , of King-street , Cheapside , E . C , and Clapton . Deceased was in his 68 fch year . He was initiated

in London Lodge 108 , and here became a P . M . He was also a member of the City of Westminster Lodge , 1563 . In both Lodges , and indeed out of the Craft , our deceased Brother was universally respected , as a genial ,

urbane , upright man and Mason . His remains were deposited on Monday last , at the City of London Cemetery , Ilford , after a special funeral service had been held in the parish church , Hackney . Here about two hundred friends

had met to pay a tribute of regard to our worthy Brother . Among the many we noticed Bro . J . E . Shand Secretary 1563 and 2030 , Eastgate P . M . 1563 , Ward 2030 , Charles P . M ., old friends of the family . The coffin and hearse

was covered with wreaths aud flowers . The funeral arrangements were conducted by Bro . Ayton , of Whitechapel Road , E ., and was furnished with every taste and solemnity for such an occasion . Oar deceased brother

leaves a widow , two sons , and six daughters , to all of whom we offer our deep sympathy . We trust the Grand Architect of the Universe will console and give them fortitude to bear their great and irretrievable loss .