The Masonic Year 1878.

estimation in which our late brother was held , but . his friends will appreciate it the more for that very reason . Bro . Little had won distinction iu all branches of Freemasonry . He was Deputy Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex at the time of his death , having been chosen to fill that office on the

appointment of Sir Geo . Elliot , Bart . M . P ., to be Prov . G . Master of South Wales , Eastern Division . He Avas also a leading Arch , Mark , Templar , and High Grade Mason , and , when his health permitted , was a frequent and valued contributor to contemporary Masonic literature . But it is as

the Secretary of our oldest Charitable Institution that he will best be remembered , and it is to his memory as such that we have been desirous of paying this further tribute of respect . His death necessitated the election of a successor , and though several candidates came forward to contest the

vacancy , ifc Avas evident the choice lay between Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , Avho had fulfilled all the duties of the office during Bro . Little ' s protracted illness in a most exemplary manner , Bro . Paul Storr , and Bro . C . F . Matier . The election was held on the 11 th of July , and resulted in the

return of Bro . Hedges by 373 votes , Bro . Paul Storr being second with 268 , and Bro . Matier third Avith 153 votes . The general opinion appears to he thafc a better choice conld nofc

have been made , or a more fitting one , seeing thafc Bro . Hedges was already familiar ivifch his work , and in the few months thafc have elapsed since , there is no doubt Bro . Hedges has fully verified the wisdom of the choice .

The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , like its sister Institutions , has had a trying year , so far as regards the amount contributed to its support , and in this instance it is the more unfortunate seeing that the amount of capital invested is represented by tho modest figure of £ 8 , 000 , or

considerably less than the sum necessary to defray one year ' s expenditure . Moreover , as in the case of the Girls ' School , the number of pupils has been increased , and there are now 211 boys on the establishment ; and if we take the average cost per boy afc what ifc was last year—namely ,

£ 4412 s , Ave find the Institution stands committed to over £ 9 , 400 , Avhile all that it has to depend upon in the Avay of permanent income is the £ 150 granted by Grand Lodge annually , £ 10 10 s from Grand Chapter , and the interest on the £ 8 , 000 already mentioned , or together about £ 400 per

annum . The Festival was held on the 8 th July , at the Alexandra Palace , and as H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught presided , and the Board of Stewards numbered some 250 brethren , it might reasonably have been expected that the subscription list wonld have been in excess of the year

previous . But the influence of the general depression from which the country had been and still is suffering was too potent even for the interest and influence of our Royal brother , seconded as he was by so numerous a body of SteAvards , to overcome , and the Festival yielded £ 10 , 169 ,

with some twenty lists still outstanding . The subsequent receipts raised this to a total of about £ 10 , 500 ; or , say , £ 3 , 000 less than was contributed in 1877 . We cannot but regret this falling off , at the very time , moreover , Avhen it is desirable the amount of subscriptions and donations

shonld be more considerable , and especially as it was the first occasion on which the Duke of Connaught had taken a part afc any of our Festivals . But there is this comforting reflection , that the sum raised is immense when

compared with the yield of our Festivals even half-a-dozen years since , and it is only the huge amounts to Avhich Bro . Binckes has latterly accustomed us thafc make ifc seem so moderate . The recitations and annual distribution of

prizes took place on the Wednesday previous ( the 3 rd July ) under the presidency of Lord Sufiield , Prov . G . Master of Norfolk . John Gilbert Whyatfc won the silver medal for good conduct given by the Institution ; Alfred Nutfc the Canonbury gold medal given by Bro . E . Cox ; G . S .

Widdowson the silver watch and chain , given for good conduct by the S iprerre Council A . and A . Rite ; and VV . Spottiswoode tin sii er watch , given by Bro . F . Rath , for efficiency

as monitor . Numerous distinctions have : been AVOU at the Cambridge Local Examinations , and those of the Science and Art Department , so thafc Ave know the efforts of Bro . Dr . Morris and his able staff of assistant masters are

bearing excellent fruit . Nor is the physical training of tht lads lost sight of , and there is , as at other public schools , the average amount of good cricketing and athletic

material generally to be found among our boys , so that whei they reach the age for leaving the school and beginnin ; . the great battle of life , they are physically as well as mentally prepared for the coufLcfc .

• W & rh & ve . now completed our surrey ot the three Masonio

The Masonic Year 1878.

Institutions . We have shown there has been a considerable falling off this year , the sums raised at tho three Festivals reaching a total of £ 30 , 000 as against £ 36 , 900 in 1877 ,

while the number of beneficiaries has been increased . There are now 291 annuitants provided for by the Royal Masonic Benevolent ; Institution , 200 girls , and 211 boys , and the sum we are bound to raise to meet these demands

on the resources of our Charities , may be set doAvn at between £ 29 , 000 and £ 30 , 000 , of which only a little over £ 4 , 000 is derived from annual grants by G . Lodge and G . Chapter , and from interest on investments . It is evident therefore , we have a heavy responsibility resting on us . It

would never do to reduce the number of beneficiaries , and , therefore , at the very loAvest figure , we need quite £ 30 , 000 annually , if we are to maintain the buildings in good repair , and keep up the nnmber of pupils and annuitants . Let us hope thafc , though present circumstances are not of a very

hopeful character , a time may soon come when , with a revival of trade and commerce , and a leas trying period of political anxiety wemay be in a position to point to a corresponding revival of support for these noble Charities . We must now cross the St . George ' s Channel for the purpose of noting the position of Freemasonry in Ireland .

Here , of course , Ave are confronted Avith a state of things which is but little remarkable in England , —a marked antagonism between the Craft and Roman Catholicism . This exists in most countries , but in Ireland the antagonism is more active on the part of the latter . This has not ,

however , had the effect of in any way lessening the just influence which Freemasonry exerts , wherever it is firmly established . Indeed , the Grand Lodge has been aAvarded a certain amount of credit by the organs of the Roman Catholic press , for the action it took toAvards the end of

1877 , in respect of the recent Constitutional changes sanctioned by the Grand Orient of France . Nor have we heard anything further of the imaginary influence exercised by Freemasons on the flax trade of Belfast . On the contrary , the visit of the American pilgrims , already alluded to , was

made the occasion of sundry Masonic gatherings , and the reception accorded to the American Sir Knights , was in the highest deegree creditable to our Irish brethren . As regards tbe strength of Irish Freemasonry , it remains pretty much Avhat it -was last year , except thafc we can

trace the establishment of four new Lodges , one in the Mauritius , one in South Australia , and two in New Zealand , thus raising the number of Lodges subordinate to the Grand Lodge of Ireland from 369 to 373 . These are distributed in manner following : —Thirty-six are held in Dublin , and

256 in the Provinces at home : —Co . Antrim with seventyeight Lodges , Co . Down with forty-six Lodges , Counties Armagh and Londonderry with Donegal , each twenty-two , and Tyrone Avith Fermanagh nineteen Lodges , being the strongest in point of numbers ; fifty-four in Provinces abroad , namely : —Victoria fifteen , New South Wales eight ,

Queensland eight , South Australia ten , and New Zealand thirteen ; nine aro military Lodges , aud the remaining eighteen are in different parts of the world , four in Ceylon , two in Peru , South America , three in Tasmania , & c , & c , & c , bufc under no Provincial Grand Lodges .

But if there are but few new Lodges , and but feAv events to note in this country , it is a source of satisfaction to know that the Craft ; flourishes unmistakably , if we may take the admirable condition of the Dublin Female Orphan Asylum , and the Boys' School attached to it , as an evidence

of Avhat we say . The annual fete of this asylum was held in the Exhibition Palace , Dublin , on the 20 th June , and in the unavoidable absence of Grand Master the Duke of Abereorn , who was prevented attending through the illness of his Avife , the chair was taken by Bros . W . Shekleton ,

Q . C , Deputy Grand Master , Avho was supported by Bros . Robert Warren Grand Treasurer , Rev . John James MacSorley Grand Chaplain , Alderman Manning Grand Senior Deacon , and other Grand Officers , representatives of foreign Grand Lodges , among them Bro . Captain

Huband , and a strong muster of brethren . The report was highly satisfactory , and showed that the Institution had been enabled to add £ 2 , 000 India Four per Cent . Stock to its invested moneys , that the nnmber of Girls Avho wero eceiving the benefits of the Institution were forty-five ,

md the number of Boys twenty-one , and it was hoped ohere would soon be an opportunity of increasing the lumbers . There was a numerous array of the fair sex , md in addition to the musical entertainment provided by he pupils , the proceedings were enlivened at intervals by the band of the 21 efc Fusiliers , The principal prizes were