The Jubilee Of The Benevolent Institution.

that it is tho hope of reward that sweetens labour , we may first point out that special privileges in the way of extra votes tav offered to all who give practical support to the coming celebration . A subscriber of one guinea to the Jubilee Fund will be entitled to

live votes , instead of the four usually awarded ; while

donors of iive guineas will bo entitled to three votes for life , instead of two , at each election , as is usually given . Similarly a Life Governorship ( £ 10 10 s )

acquired m connection with this Jubilee carries with it 8 votes for life , instead of 4 ; a Vice-Presidentshi p ( £ 52 10 s ) 80 instead of 20 ; and a Vice-Patron ship ( £ 105 ) 240 in place of the 60 usually allotted , these largo increases being permanent for each election

during the life time of the donor . Special advantages of a similar character are also offered to Ladies , Lewises , Lodges , Chapters , & c . in the hope of urging them to special effort for this occasion , and the Stewards themselves are not forgotten in the general uesire oi tne Executive to reward

- an wno worK m support of this great event . At the present time £ 15 , 140 is annually required to meet tho annuities which are being paid from the two brandies of the Fund— £ 40 a year each to 181 Brethren , £ 32 a year each to 230 Widows , and £ 20 a year each to 27 other Widows who receive half their late husband's annuity ; while the working expenses , amounting to £ 2 , 700 a year , raises the

total expenditure to £ 77 , 840 , to provide which there is a permanent income of between £ 3 , 500 and £ 4 , 000 only , leaving an amount of about £ 14 , 000 to be raised by the Craft in order to continue the good work for one year on its present lines alone , without

any idea of making extensions , even though the number of candidates is usually about five times as large as the number of vacancies available for them . Such details as this speak for themselves , and are in tliemselves sufficient to prove the necessity which

exists for general and energetic action on this special occasion , when the Committee of Management hope not only to largely increase the permanent income

of the Institution , but likewise to be in such a position as to considerably reduce the number of approved candidates , by the creation of new Annuities . That their fondest hopes may be realised , and that tho Jubilee Festival of the Institution may eclipse any past effort of the English Craft on behalf of the Charities , is our fervent wish , and the wish also of tho large number of Stewards and others who , by practical sympathy and support , are striving to make the Jubilee worthy of its place in the annals of English Freemasonry .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

npiIE Especial Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , at JL Freemasons' Hall , to consider and resolve upon addresses of condolence ou the death of his Royal Highness the Dnke of Clarence and Avondale , K . G ., Provincial Grand Master of Berkshire , Past Grand Warden , and to

arrange for their presentation . Grand Lodge , suitably draped for the occasion , was attended by over 500 brethren . Tho Right Hon . the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe Deputy Grand Master presided . Bro . Col . Le Gendre Nicholas

Starkie Provincial Grand Master for East Lancashire , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Bro , Thomas F . Halsey , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Hertfordshire , as Past

Grand Master ; with Bros . Sir Francis Beilby Alston , K . C . M . G ., P . G . W ., as S . G . W ., and Admiral Sir E . Inglefield , K . C . B ., as J . G W .

Grand Lodgo having been opened in due form , Brother Peudlebury , the Assistant Grand Secretary , read the notice convening the Special Grand Lodge .

Bro . Philbnck , Q . C ., Grand Registrar , said : He regretted to have to state to Grand Lodge that he had that morning received a letter from the Most Worshi pful the Pro Grand Master , stating that he was prevented by

United Grand Lodge Of England.

severe indisposition from being present on this mournful occasion . Bro . Pendlebury next announced that letters had been received from Lord HcnniW , Lord Valentin , tbe Eai'l of Limerick , Lord Dungarvan , and Bro . Powell , expressing

their deep regret at not being able to attend the Special meeting of Grand Lodge , through sickuess , and other causes . Bro . Tyssen-Amherst P . G . W ., and other Provincial Grand Officers nnd Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of England had also written .

Bro . the Earl of Mount , Edgcumbe then rose and said : Brethren , the occasion which has brought us here to-day i . « , perhaps , the saddest upon which the Grand Lodge of England has ever been assembled , not only within the memory of those here present , but at any period in its

past history . From time to time we and our fathers have had canse to monrn the losa of brethren in high place in Masonry and in the affection of tbeir brothers in the Craft ; but in such cases we can recognise how all must learn that tho departed brother had in a greater or a less degree

accomplished his mission in this life before he was called away . To our finite vision it would seem that the brother whom we mouru to day had only passed the probationary stage of life , which we fondly hoped was to have prepared him for a long career of publio usefulness in

his high station , and of unalloyed' domestic happiness , when ho was taken from his country , from his parents , from his betrothed bride , by the inscrutable decree of the Most High . We claro not question the wisdom and mercy of that decree . We know that the young Prince lived long

enough to win the love of all who knew him , by his unselfish kindness , his affectionate disposition , and his sensitively conscientious character . Those qualities and the universal sympathy which his death has evokod throughout not only England , but the world , aud

especially throughout Her Majesty ' s wide dominions , cannot be without a far-reaching influence , which makes us feel that short as has been his life , untimely as his death must seem to us , he has not lived or died in vain . But it is to those in the bereaved home that our thoughts turn most

sadly to-day . Brotherly love , however munificent in deeds , would be little worth if it could be severed from that instinctively human sympathy which can truly rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who grieve . Three days before the telegraph announced

to the world tho fatal news , our thoughts had been only of rejoicing . We were rejoicing with our Queen in the prospect of an event which promised to add a now and cheery interest to the remainder of her life . Wo were rejoicing with our Grand Master , whose constant

sympathy m the sorrows and the joys of others tends to , I believe , his receiving a cordial return from the people of England . And I need scarcely say to those in the ranks of the Craft over whom he rules , we were rejoicing with the gentle lady , tbe Princess of Wales , whose smile we

have ever been wont to associate with all that is bright and happy . We were rejoicing to think , or we trusted , that a time of gladness was coming to her after the strained period of anxiety and care through which she had BO recently passed . We had been thinking what we could

best offer as a token of onr congratulation to their beloved son aud to his future bride , the fair young English princess upon « whom his choice had fallena choice which had been received throughout the country with such general pleasure and joy . In three

days from that time all was changed . We cannot now speak of the happiness that might have beon without intensifying the pain of the present sorrow . We are not here to discuss it or to analyse that sorrow ; it would be a profanation ; we are not hete to parade our sympathy in

sensational language ; we are here simply to record it as the only offering that we can make to those to whom wo would give comfort if we could . I shall venture now to

read to you the resolutions that have been drafted of addresses of sympathy both to the Queen and to His Royal Highness the Grand Master . His Lordship then read the addresses , which were adopted .

Bro . Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie Provincial Grand

Master for East Lancashire seconded the motion . Ho said , the words of sympathy which have been uttered by the Most Worshipful Grand Master on the

Throne must , I feel , be echoed in the hearts of all the assembled brethren who on this melancholy occasion come to testify their sympathy to those bereaved members of the Royal Family . Aa the Most Worshipful Grand