The Benevolent Festival.

The Duke ' s own Province of Sussex was numerously represented , and its members were heartily applauded when the result of their united efforts was made known . After the banquet the chairman submitted the customary toasts . - ¦¦ . In proposing the health of Her Majesty the Queen the chairman said : In the auspicious year in which they now were he thought they would wish him oh that occasion to give expression to their sentiments of loyalty and

devotion towards one who had graced the throne for the last sixty years . It was indeed a rare and unexampled occurrence that one of their soverigns should reign over them for so long a time , and they must all share Her Majesty ' s feelings of gratitude to the Almighty that He had allowed her to live so long . In proposing the health of Her Majesty he felt he was only expressing the views of every one of the Brethren there present , in saying they wished Her Majesty health , long life and happiness .

The Duke of Connaught next proposed the health of the Prince of Wales Grand Master and Grand Patron of the Institution , the Princess of Wales , and the other members of the Boyal family . He said the Prince of Wales had reigned over the Craft for twenty-two years , and he was sure it was largely due to his interest and example , surrounded as he was by an efficient body of able Grand Officers , that he had been able to further Freemasonry in

the way that he had done . He rejoiced to think that year by year Masonry was extending , new Lodges sprang up and the number of the Brethren greatly increased , not only in the United Kingdom , but also in the distant parts of the Empire . As to the Princess of Wales and the other members of the Eoyal family , they were constantly before the country , and were always received in the kindest manner .

The toast of the Grand Officers was next proposed from the chair , and was acknowledged by Dr . Balfour Cockburn Provincial Grand Master Guernsey and Alderney . Now followed the toast of the evening—success to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . The chairman said he had presided on two previous occasions—at Festivals in connection with the Boys and the Girls

Institutions , and he had found it very easy to obtain the sympathy of his audiences on those occasions . Later on , when Bro . Terry had come to acknowledge the toast of the other Masonic Institutions he had remarked that it was all very well to have Institutions for the boys and girls , but they must not forget the claims of the old people . The Chairman remarked he was then appealing on behalf of the Old People of Masonry , and while the

Craft did all they could to help the young people and make their early days happy , he felt the members did not wish to appear unmindful of those who had borne the brunt of the fight , but would desire to support as many as they could , and make their last days happy . Most of those present had before them an account of the rise and progress of tho Institution , but he desired to mention a few facts . The Male Fund was started by his great uncle the

Duke of Sussex , who was for many years their Grand Master , and took a deep interest in all that concerned the Craft . The first election of this branch of the Institution took place in 1844 , when fifteen men were elected , their annuities amounting to £ 300 per annum . Since then nearly 1 , 000 men had been elected , of whom 200 were now upon the Fund , each receiving £ 40 a year , amounting , to a total of £ 8 . 000 . The permanent income of this branch

of the Institution was but £ 2 , 000 , leaving a deficit to be met by subscriptions jind donations of £ 6 , 000 a year . There are sixty-five candidates for the next election , and but thirteen vacancies , of which ten only would become entitled to immediate annuities ; the other three being deferred . The Widows' Fund was started in 1849 , under the presidency of the Earl of Zetland Grand Master . At the first election eight widows were admitted , their annuities

amounting to £ 120 a year . Since then between 6 no and 700 annuitants had been elected and there was at the present time 242 widows on the Fund , each of whom received £ 32 , the total thus being £ 7 , 744 a year , while , in addition , there were thirty-two widows receiving £ 20 a , year each—the half of their late husband ' s annuity—giving a total outlay of £ 8 , 384 , to meet which the permanent income of this branch only amounted to £ 1 , 920 , which showed an

amount of £ 6 , 464 annually required to meet the annuities . For the next election there were fifty-two candidates and only eighteen vacancies , of which three would be deferred annuities . This year would undoubtedly prove a particularly difficult one , as they had a good many funds going about , which were being liberally and warmly supported , but so great was his confidence

in the Brethren that he felt sure the Masonic Institutions would be supported , and that they would not be disappointed at the assistance given to the Fund he advocated . He appealed to them with perfect confidence , as Charity had always been their watchword , and whether it be the childrenboys or girls—or the old men and women , he felt that same charity existed within them , and there was room for all .

Bro . 3 . A . Farnfield Treasurer of the Institution acknowledged the toast . As the Chairman had said there were many funds about just now appealing for special consideration . He might mention that not one penny ever invested by the Benevolent Institution had had to be sold out . The desire of the Committee was to spend every penny of the ordinary income and only to invest in special cases . They did not wish to hoard up money , but rather desired to do everything possible to promote the interest of the aged Brethren and their Widows .

Bro . James Terry Secretary of the Institution then announced the results of the Stewards' efforts , which he summarised as follows :

Province Stewards Amount Bedfordshire ... ... ... ... ... 2 £ 66 3 0 Berkshire ... ... ... ... ... io 434 8 0 Buckinghamshire ... ... ... ... 9 215 5 0 Cambridgeshire ... ... ... ... 3 302 10 0 Cheshire 6 56 2 6

Cornwall ! 179 16 0 Cumberland and Westmorland ... ... 1 no return . Derbyshire ... ... ... ... . * . ... 1 30 8 6 Devonshire ... ... ... ... ... 3 70 7 0 Dorsetshire ... ... ... ... ... •* 3 137 n Q Durham ... ... ... ... . . . 3 253 1 0

Essex ... ... ... ... ... 7 406 3 6 Gloucestershire ... ... ... ... 2 68 15 0 Hants and Isle of Wight ... ... ... 1 3110 0 Hertfordshire ... ... ... ... JQ 339 7 g Kent 5 212 3 0 East Lancashire ... ... ... .. _ ^ 7 432 ^ 6 n West Lancashire ... ... ... ... 5 42 0 0

The Benevolent Festival.

Lincolnshire ... ... 1 10 10 0 Middlesex ... ... ... 10 345 14 6 Northumberland ... ... 1 3615 0 Norths and Hunts ... ... ... — 3 141 15 0 Nottinghamshire ... ... • " 1 78 9 0 Oxfordshire . . . ... ... 8 235 11 6

Shropshire ... ... ... ... ... 2 31 10 0 Staffordshire ... ... ... ... 1 115 10 0 Suffolk 5 162 3 0 Surrey ... ... ... ... ... 9 335 2 0 Sussex ... ... ... ... ... 40 1 , 225 0 0

Warwickshire ... ... ... ... 15 23010 0 Wiltshire ... ... ... 1 205 0 0 Worcestershire ... ... ... ... 5 493 10 0 West Yorkshire ... ... 22 500 0 0 North Wales ... ... 3 31 10 0

Guernsey and Alderney ... ... ... 2 126 0 0 Madras and other Foreign Stations ... ... 5 31 10 0 London ... ... ... 196 10 , 083 0 0 The above showed a return of £ 8 , 083 4 s 9 d from 221 Provincial Stewards , and £ 31 10 s Od from the Foreign Stations , which , added to the London returns , gave a total of £ 18 , 197 odd , with sixteen lists then outstanding , an announcement that met a most hearty reception at the hands of the Brethren .

Sir John B . Monckton proposed the health of the Chairman , announcing that the result of the Festival was the third highest of the totals received b y the Institution . In response , the Duke of Connaught said he did not know how to thank the company sufficiently for the warmth with which they had received the

toast . As their chairman he was delighted with the result of the evening's Festival and it was a gratification to him that he should have been in the chair on such an occasion , when they had added so much to the funds of that most deserving charity . He thanked them from tho bottom of his heart for the way in which they had received him that day .

Bro . Rev . H . R . Cooper-Smith , D . D ., proposed success to the other Institutions , which toast was acknowledged by Bro . Hedges , on behalf of the Girls School , he congratulating the Benevolent on the splendid result of the Festival . The Chairman submitted the toast of the Stewards , to which Bro . Lennox Browne responded .

Dr . Strong proposed the Ladies , coupling with tho toast thename of Bro . Richard Eve , whose response brought this portion of the proceedings to a conclusion . The usual concert followed in the Temple of Grand Lodge , mutual congratulations being general among the company at the result of individual and united efforts on behalf of this Anniversary Festival of the Benevolent Institution .

New Charity Fund For West Lancashire.

NEW CHARITY FUND FOR WEST LANCASHIRE .

IT is announced the Brethren of this important Province intend to celebrate the Queen ' s long reign by instituting a charity to be called " The Victoria Fund of Benevolence of West Lancashire , " which would have for its object the relief of distressed relatives of Freemasons who do not come within the

scope of the ordinary Charities . The announcement is meeting the heartiest approval of those most intimately interested , and no doubt will be taken up in the same ready manner as mark the other efforts in the cause of local benevolence made in this district . We wish the project every success .

An interesting presentation was made on the 19 th inst ., in the Royal Clarence Lodge , Brighton , to Bro . J . T . Whatford , who on that occasion attained his jubilee of membership of the Lodge . The gift took the form of a substantial English chiming clock , the presentation being made by the Worshipful Master Bro . R . Gresham Bacon , on behalf of the Brethren , with the warmest congratulations and expressions of regard .

THE Freemasons Calendar and Directory of the Province of Gloucester , for the year 1897 , presents a mass of information interesting to those for the use of whom it is intended . The matter has been carefully compiled by Bro . R . P . Sumner , the Charity Secretary of the Province . Of course the portion of the Calendar devoted to Masonic fixtures for the year and to the government of the various Lodges and Chapters of the Province , has atf

interest only for the Brethren of the Craft , says the " Cheltenham ' Examiner , " but it is allowable to refer to the record of the charitable work of the Province in the year that has passed . It is satisfactory to note that there has again been an increase in the number of votes held in connection with the great Masonic Institutions , an addition of 154 votes showing that the contributions of the Brethren have to that extent exceeded the losses

sustained through deaths of subscribers . The total of the votes held in the Province is 4 , 608 , as compared with 4 , 454 last year , and it shows a remarkable increase upon the number held in 1879 , when the first publication , of the Calendar took place . Then the total of the votes was only 936 , and the number now reached is less the result of exceptional effort , than of a steady yearly increase , no single year showing a decrease upon the year

preceding . It is creditable to Gloucestershire Masons that they stand almost iirst among the Provinces in England in the proportion of their votes to the numerical strength of their Province . One feature is missing from this year's Calendar—a record of Masonic " events" during 1896—or there should have been some notice of the completion of the operative work done in the cloisters at Gloucester Cathedral .