The Festival Of Wednesday Next.

THE FESTIVAL OF WEDNESDAY NEXT .

WE must not allow the present opportunity to pass without reiterating , for the last time , our heartiest wishes for the success of the Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution on Wednesday next . We have again and again , and to the best of our humble

ability , urged the claims of this Charity on the support of the Craft . The good work it is doing is considerable , and of course entails the expenditure , annually , of a very large sum of money . Its annuitants , of all classes , are some 335 in number , the males receiving £ 40 per annum each

and the females £ 32 , while there is also a limited number of the latter who are allowed to receive the half of their late husband ' s annuities for a certain term of years , unless in the course of such term tbey are elected on the Female Fund , when they become entitled to the full

amount ] for a widow . But , notwithstanding the increased annual grants to the beneficiaries and the large increase in the number of such , the list of candidates is even more formidable this year than it has ever been before , while , as ill-luck would have it , the number of

vacancies to be filled is exceptionally small , there being fifty male and seventy-one female candidates as against twelve male and five female vacancies respectively . A law recently enacted enables the Committee of Management to

hold in reserve , to be placed on their respective funds without further ballot , the three male and three female candidates who have polled the most votes next after the successful candidates . This raises the number that it

will be possible to provide for immediately after the May election , or in the course of the twelve months thence ensuing , to fifteen males and eight females . However , at their last meeting , on the 14 th inst ., the Committee of Management generously resolved , in the event of the subscriptions

at the Festival of Wednesday next being up to the standard of recent years , on raising tbe number to be elected to twenty-three males and fifteen females . This will necessitate an increased annual liability of £ 544 , and makes it the more imperative that the brethren should bestir themselves

so as to enable the Committee to give effect to their resolution . There are reasons whieh justify us in expecting a very favourable result . The Board of Stewards is already some 260 strong . The Chairman , Bro , General Brownrigg , is deservedly one of the most popular members of the

Fraternity , and the Province of Surr-ey , of which he is the Grand Master , is making strenuous efforts to support him on the occasion . London also is well represented , and we may be sure the Provinces which regularly contribute will not be wanting in their support of the Benevolent

Institution , -which , though the youngest of our three Charities , is under the necessity , of providing the largest amount for its expenditure annually . Last year the sum required for annuities—irrespective of the expenses of

managementwas £ 11 , 600 . This year , if the additional candidates are taken on , it will be , in round figures , £ 12 , 150 . This is , undoubtedl y , a large sum , but if we may judge from the experience of the last eight years , it is well within the ability of the Craft to raise it . The conspicuous energy ° f Bro . Terry and his staff needs no encouragement from

The Festival Of Wednesday Next.

us , and we are satisfied the Stewards will do all they can in seconding the efforts of their popular chairman . May the Festival of 1883 be a brilliant success !

Address Of Bro. J. H. Graham, Ll.D.

ADDRESS OF BRO . J . H . GRAHAM , LL . D .

G . MASTER OF THE G . LODGE OF QUEBEC . THIS address was delivered by Bro . Graham , at the Thirteenth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , held in the City of Quebec , on the 31 st January and ] st February . So much of it as is of local interest may be described very shortly . Regretful

reference is made to the death of Bro . S . D . Harington Past Grand Master of Canada , and representative of Quebec at its Canadian sister Grand Lodge , and sympathy is expressed with the G . Lodges of New York , Massachusetts , and Iowa at the losses respectively sustained by them through the deaths of Bros . J . M . Austin G . Sec . of New Tork , Tracy

P . Cheever G . S . Massachusetts , and Robert F . Bower , the well-known Masonic bibliophile . The warmest satisfaction is expressed at the escape of the Queen when her life was attempted in the early part of last year , and the Grand Master notifies his intention of proposing that an address

embodying the expression of such satisfaction be forwarded by the Grand Lodge of Quebec to Her Majesty . He urges on the Craft generally , both in the cities and the rural districts , but especially on the Lodges in Montreal , the advisability , on the score of comfort and economy , of

erecting Masonic Halls . He announces his intention of proposing that the honorary rank of Past Grand Master be conferred on Bro . George Otis Tyler G . Commander of Knights Templar of Vermont , and Bro . Colonel McLeod Moore Great Prior ( K . T . ) of Canada . Referring to the

multip licity of Rites in other parts of the world , and at the same time deprecating all idea on his part of limiting the freedom of action of the Quebec brethren in joining those outside the pale of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons , Bro . Graham bids them be careful , in taking the chivalric

and other orders , not to avoid doing anything prejudicial to the stability of the Craft and Arch degrees . Having noticed his recognition of the Grand Symbolic Lodge of Spain and the Grand Lodge of Arizona , and the interchange of representatives between Quebec and those Bodies ,

and having likewise explained the reasons which had actuated him in withholding recognition for the present from the so-called " Grand Lodge of New South Wales , " and the circumstances which mig ht induce him to suggest

the opposite course of recognition , Bro . Graham devotes the remainder of his address to the relations existing between Quebec and England , and it is to his arguments in connection with this subject that we purpose directing our remarks on the present occasion .

We may state at once that nothing that Bro . Graham has said on tbe present occasion can havo the slightest influence in inducing us to change , or even in the slightest degree modify , the opinions we have before expressed . We hold that when it is proposed to establish a new and independent Grand Lodge in a British colony or dependency ,

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hjJL X S S ( C OMTOMTN G ) COCOA .