The Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

Egerton of Tatton , the Deputy Grand Mark Master , presided , and was supported by a large body of the prominent Mark Masons of the day .

In introducing the toasr . s Lord Esjerton said , tho first which is drnnk in every assembly of Englishmen and Masons ia that of Her Mttjesty the Queen . Her Majesty is not only the mother of a Mark Mason , bnt she is now the grandmother of a Mark M ison . Ifc had afforded him great pleasure and honour to assist in advancing as a

Mark Mason Prince Albert Victor , the heir ultimately to the throne now occupied by Her Majesty . We know that the Queen deserves the respect and attachment of Masons ; sho has dono a great deal during the many years she has reigned over thia country , and among

her subjects there are none that can claim to be more loyal to the throne than Mark Masons . He therefore gave with great confidence the health of Her Majesty and Mark Masonry . The next toast was Prosperity to Mark Masonry and the health of the G . Master the Earl of Kintore . The Chairman was sure thafc the brethren wonld be

glad that the abilities of the Most Worshipful Mark Master Mason had been recognised by his bring placed in a responsible position as a servant of ber Majesty . All wonld feel that those abilities , which * we recognised as fitting him for taking his high place in Mark Masonry , had been recognised by the Sovereign for employment in

the service of the State . This showed thafc some of the qualities of a good Mason were also the best qualities of a citizen . None will recognise his fitness for office more than the Mark Masons of England . We are rejoiced to be governed by one who is so well

fitted by his position and by his acts to take the lead and be an honour to Mark Masonry . It waa unnecessary to remind the brethren how well and how fittingly the Earl of Kintore had ruled over them ; he ( the chairman ) was sure the Earl would hear with pleasure that his health had been received with enthusiasm . Bro . Lambert

said the next toast , which had been confided to him , was one of great importance ; because , while it proved that Mark Masonry was in ex . istence , it was the ideal , and not only fche ideal but tho fact thafc we have a great many Grand Officers on this occasion rallying ronnd our board . He bad the honour to offer the health of the Deputy

Grand Master , Lord Egerton of Tatton , and the Grand Officers Present and Past . In days gone by a Grand Mark Lodge was formed , and he had the honour of being the first Grand Deacon . The Grand Officers had worked most sincerely and well in the past , and if evidence of this were needed we have only to compare

the number who have been present on former occasions with the number of those present to-day . They have done good snit and service , and have shown by their efforts that they have been thinking of onr Mark Benevolent Fnnd , by urging those who are not members to do the best they can for us .

In Mark Masonry , as in every other Degree of Masonry , the Grand Officers bad to put their shoulders to the wheel , and carry out those rules which may not always be in accordance with their own views ; we are mneh indebted to those brethren who come up from long distances to advocate these principles . We ought to be grateful for the

duties they impose on themselves , and to the Depnty Grand Master , our Chairman , for coming to preside to-day . He should like to say more of him , but was told tbat had been left for some one else . We have the honour to-night to entertain our Bro . Love Jones Parry , and we are grateful to our good friends who come from so far away . We

hail the Province of Wales from which Bro . Parry comes as one of the most excellent in working , aud as a bright example to all those who are within our borders . Bro . Love Jones Parry , in responding , said he wis a Mason of 35 years' standing ; the longer he was in it the £ reatjr pleasure he took . Ifc was no violation of Masonic secrecy to

say that Charity was the motto and the motive power of Masons . St . Paul placed Charity at tbe head of the virtues , and Charity was only the Latin name for love . It was in the cause of charity they had met that day , and he was happy to be able

to say that the Charitable Fund of Mark Masonry was increasing very rapidly . He need only call attention to the printed books which were in tbe bands of the brethren ; these showed the extraordinary difference between the sums subscribed each vear since 1869 . In that

year it was £ 97 2 s 8 d ; last year ifc was £ 832 19 s . He only hoped that that day it would not be less than £ 1000 . It was gratifying indeed to see so much laiger an attendance this year than there was last , when they had an equally sunny day , but from some cause or other there were many gaps at the dinner tables , and there were not

so many ladies present . He was sorry that the rules of Masonry did not allow of ladies being present more frequently . There was only one instance , however , of a lady being a Mason , bufc in these days when women ' s rights were so much advocated there was no knowing what might happen , and the ladies need not despair . Brother the

Eev . H . Cummings proposed the health of the Chairman . It must afford Lord Egerton of Tatton very great satisfaction to see before him such a company . He ventured to think such a large number of Stewards , their wives , daughters , and friends , would bring the Festival to snch a success as the Benevolent Fund had not yet

achieved . Having at their head a Chairman of such deserved popularity was no doubt the cause . They were a long way from Cheshire , bufc the Cheshire brethren were supporting him strongly . Lord Egerton was now Deputy Grand Master , aud he hoped that he would in turn become Grand Master . He was quite sure that the

popularity of Lord Egerton had a great deal to do with the immeasurable success of this Festival . They had already beard of the strides made in 15 or 18 years . He vei . tu . ied . to think the result that day would realise a long way beyond £ 1000 . The Chairman returned his hearty thanks for the way in which his health had been

received , aud for the kind way in which ifc had been proposed . He felt that the success of the meeting would not be owing so much to bis presence as to the good cause of which he was the humble

advocate , lt gave him great pleasure to see so many Stewards present , to support him ; more than double tha nun . ber on any previous occasion ; but still drawn together from every part of the world , aa well as of the kingdom . Australia . Sydney , and New South

The Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

Wales were represented on this occasion . All parts of England wore represented , and he was glad that the Provinces with which he was more immediately connected —Lancashire and Cheshire—had sent up their fair share , although those two counties could not compare with Middlesex and Surrey , which sent 21 Stewards , or three times the

number of the other two . Still he thought if a Mark Festival wrg held in Lancashire it would show as good an account as the two metropolitan counties . With regard to the ladies he should have thought from the speech they had lately heard that the speaker was the champion of women ' s rights . Women were to be found in every

good work , and although they could not be initiated into Masonio mysteries , they could be associated in Masonio eond work . After the many distinguished men he had the honour to follow as Chairman , he felt that his efforts might be small in comparison with theirs , but there was not one of his predecessors who had been actuated by a warmer

desire to benefit the Institution which they were met to support . He trusted that the success of thia Festival would give promise of better and larger success . In speaking to the toatfc of the evening , Prosperity to the Mark Benevolent Fund and the other Masonic

Institutions , Lord Egerton said the company had been already told that Charity was one of the most prominent and leading of all the Masonic virtues , and Mark Masons shared it in common with the rest of the Craft . The Mark Benevolent Fund had from its com

mencement been a source of interest and support with Mark Masons . They had heard how 16 years ago it had a very small beginning . Ifc was then held under the then Grand Master , now Canon Portal , and nnder £ 100 was collected . Since then many other distinguished men had presided , and the sums bad gradually risen . Bat this

year he trusted that instead of making gradnal progress it would go on with those leaps and bounds which a late Chancellor of the Exchequer used to delight in with regard to the national exchequer . Masonry was more fortunate"because they had double the nnmber of Stewards . They were well aware of the objects of the

Fund—first to relieve Masons in distress , their widows and children . Further than tbat , there was an accumulated amount of £ 2 , 000 ; and still further , there was an educational branch , which had absorbed the sum of £ 1 , 400 , and with that twelve boys ancl five girls were re . ceiving education . Unless a large amount waa now collected there

would be very few vacancies at the next election , but they had every confidence that they would be able to do even more than they had yet done . They were not only in their Charity assisting Mark Masons , but to a considerable extent they were relieving Craft Masonry also , because all those who have become Mcrk Masons must

have passed the Craft Degrees . He would like to throw out a proposal which he was sure they would approve of . He would like to see a fund started for the relief of decayed and aged Mark Masons and their widows . Ifc had been computed thafc a very moderate sura would be sufficient to give £ 15 or £ 12 a year to each—say six men

ancl six widows . It could not be denied that both aued Mark Masons nnd their widows had a great claim on Mark Masons , and he thonght the Benevolent Fund might be extended in that direction . As example in these cases was far better than precept , he proposed if it was the wish of the Board who had the control of the

Benevolent Fund , and if they would accept it , he would give 100 guineas towards such a fund , on condition thafc ifc was started . He was sure that on the present occasion it would not be necessary to use many words to enforce the benefit of extending this fund , for he was quite certain that those present would come forward and support

it , and would spread the idea to other Masons . They would feel that all deserving Mark Masons shonld have a fair share of the prosperity of Mark Masons in general , and that every one who became a Mark Mason might look forward to the time when , if his circumstances were not so good as when he joined the Order , he should be able to

fall back on snch a fund as this , in the full confidence thafc his claims would be regarded and attended to . He felt certain no words of his were needed to give the toast of the Mark Benevolent Food and the other Masonic Institutions , and thafc the very successful result , which would shortly be announced by the financial statement , would show

them that the exertions of the Stewards and Hon . Secretaries , Bros . Binckes and Matier , had not been altogether in vain . Bro . Binckes in reply said he hoped the brethren would take to heart what the Cbiiirman had said as to forming a new fund . He unhesitatingly

accepted the condition attached to the Chairman s gut of 100 guineas , and that , in consequence , the subscriptions of future years would even be greater than the magnificent amount he was going to anounce . He then read the list of subscriptions , as given on the

opposite page . The Chairman , in proposing the Board of Stewards , said that the amount already announced had been due to the activity and energy of all ; but especially to the President , Bro . A . Williams , and the two Hon . Secretaries . The very gratifying announcement just made could "uui ¦ H > w * w «** w ¦ " — —• — — ¦ ' n J in v -t

not have been attained without the display of great energy and activity . After a few other toasts the proceedings terminated . The musical arrangements were conducted by Bro . E . M . Lott Past Grand Mark Organist , who was assisted by Bros . Arthnr Thompson and Franklin CHve , with Miss Amy Sargent and Miss Minnie Kirton .

Ad00202

FIRE AT FREEMASONS' HALL ! LARGE photographs of the Temple , taken immediately after the fire , on -ith May ( suitable for framine ;) , 5 s each ; or framed in .. ° * f ' securely packed , sent to any address in the United Kingdom , carriage paw . ou receipt ot * cheque for 15 s . Masters of Lodges should secure this memorial ol MI old Temple for their Lodge rooms . W . G . PAEEEE , Photographer , 40 High Holborn , "W . C EstiibJislietl 25 years

Ad00203

qpo NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS . —Whole or part services i offered by a competent and experienced Journalist and Pri , nter ' . r .. ive verted ia Imperial and Local questions . Style clear , incisive , and rfesoripwv Address , " ALtx , " care of W . W . Morgan , Belvidere Works , Hermes n" » Pentonville , N .