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Article THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. ← Page 3 of 4 Article THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
things , ho placed the matter in their hands , to exercise their discretion , and they felt justified in pledging this additional support of himself and his Province in an emergent difficulty . Thus it was he
was in the chair that night , to redeem the promise he had raado to the Executive of this Institution . The celebration of this Festivalwhatever the result Bro . Binckes would announce—must bo regarded as one in which tho Northern Provinco of West Yorkshiro had
assisted by means of a diligeut and lengthened process of organisation . Their Festival share in the success was that of sympathetic friends , who seeing those in London in whom they were all so deeply interested , and knowing tho nnlooked for position of difficulty they were in , as to tho Chairman for the day , they readily accepted tho
responsibilities of the situation and came to the rescue , not inquiring too minutely how such help could be made available . That help , cheerfully rendered even at the eleventh hour , they cordially trusted would bo appreciated , and would not be without substantial value to the Institution whose prosperity they
had so deeply at heart . They looked upon the Festival in the Crystal Palace , after witnessing the magnificent Masonic Assembly at the Albert Hall yesterday , with feelings of thanks and gratification , heightened by the knowledge of the universal benefits which would be conferred by those gatherings upon the three Masonic Institutions .
He thanked the United Grand Lodge of Englaud for its munificent contribution on the first day of this month , of £ 6 , 000 , distributed in sums of £ 2 , 000 to each of the three Masonic Institutions . ( This sentence was received with loud cheers ) . The Boys' Institution had in its turn derived benefit from those two sources , but still he felt
perfectly justified in pleading with them for support on this occasion . On the Jubilee celebz-ation of His Majesty George III . fifty boys were specially admitted to tho benefits of these Schools . On the Jubilee of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen—Grand Patroness of the Order , since 1852—258 sons of Freemasons were enjoying
the full benefits of maintenance , clothing and education in that Institution . Further , there had been expended in the erection of School buildings and the purchase of freehold land , in round figures , a little short of £ 100 , 000 . He was sorry to say that ou the Building Fund for the Preparatory Schools and General School Sustentation
Fund their account at the bankers showed a serious liability , amounting to about £ 3 , 000 . Urgent efforts wero needed to reverse this state of things , aud it was his duty specially to press upon the charitably-disposed in this assembly , to help to wipe out this defioit , and to restore the equilibrium in the finances of the Institution . The
expenditure last year was £ 16 , 300 , and tho receipts some £ 13 , 000 . He was anxious , therefore , that tho Festival in this year of rejoicing should render the monetary course of this noble School one removed from all cause of anxiety to the Executive , and one of ease and smoothness in the future of its history . In conclusion , he urged upon
them to do their utmost for the Institution , aud place it in that position of prosperity worthy of so splendid an educational establishment . The toast was briefly acknowledged by Bro . George Plucknett P . G . D ., Vice-Patron , Treasurer of the Institution . The Secretary ( Bro . Frederick Binckes ) then read the list of
contributions brought up by the Stewards , full details of which are given on another page . The total amount , with 13 lists to come in , was £ 11 , 100 . Bro . Binckes said he was proud to be able , for the first time , to make a special announcement . His experience went back for thirty years , and in that time neither of the Masonic
Institutions had ever received any contributions from the great City Companies . Brother Major Joseph , however , who was a prominent member of the Court of Common Council—and as Steward for Lodge No . 96 had given in the sum of £ 138—told him that while he would not guarantee anything further before the 31 at
of March next , that was only an approximate amount . He believed the amount of fifty guineas from the Goldsmiths' Company was mainly due to their constant friend Major George Lambert . This was entirely a new element of support , showing the magnificent Corpora - tion of the first city of the first Empire in the world took an
interest in works of benevolence . Again , the Skinners' Company bad made a grant of £ 25—by an unfortunate misconception announced as five guineas . The Vintners' Company had also made a grant of five guineas . Bro . Major Lambert , as Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company
of Goldsmiths , begged most respectfully to say that they were most delighted when Major Joseph applied to their Company for a donation towards the Boys' School . Had he cousulted the Prime Warden , however , he would have received a far more handsome donation . Representing , as he did , one of the largest of the City Companies , he
assured them he would endeavour to extend that donation still further . It was a rule with the City Companies that no socoud application could be made withiu three years ; but he had no hesitation in saying that if tho Companies of the great City of London wero approached in a proper manner they would respoud to
the application with the greatest possible pleasure . IIo should go back to his Company and tell them what this noble Institution was doing in the causo of education , aud should iuform them also that it wa 3 in need of great accession to its strength . The Queen's Westminster Lodge had landed a sum of £ 100 , and as tho Treasurer of
that Lodgo ho should do the best he possibly could to further tho goodwill of the Society , which was so well ruled and governed by their good friend Bro . Binckes . The Chairman said he was now about to submit to thorn a toast which was not on tho regular list . Thoy woro avvaro that some
timo ago a most important and influential Committee was formed , having for its President the Earl of Lathom , with a great many Vice-Presidents , aud having for its Chairman Bro . Itayuham Stewart , the object being to recognise in soma suitable mariner tho long services of a distinguished Oiiicor of the BoyV School and ; , o
tho Craft . It fail to hij lot that evening , by requoab of various members of the Craft , oa their behalf and in tho name of the subscribers , to give expression to their appreciation of those Ion" , able , and valuable serviced , aud to present the recipient of ifc with the re 3 ult of their labours , together with their best thanks for the services ho had rendered to the Royal Masouic Institution for Boys
The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
during the last 25 years . He need hardly tell thorn that tho purse and piece of plate which had been subscribed for were to be presented to Bro . Frederick Binckes , the esteemed and valued Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . ( This announcement was received with ringing cheers ) . Did time or patience permit , he
could occupy their attention long in detailing those services to brethren who were not so well acquainted with them as he was . Thoy would , however , find those services recapitulated in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , where a full record was given of Brother Binckes ' s Masonic work during that period of time . He asked them
to procure the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , and to read it for themselves , for there they would find the most explicit statement as to what Bro . Binckes had dono daring the last quarter of a century , moro especially in behalf of this Charity . He asked Brother Binckes to
accept , as an expression of their acknowledgment of his services , a piece of plate and a pocket-book containing a gift of no small amount , as a testimonial of his efforts on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . The inscription on the plate was as follows : —
Presented to BKO . FREDERICK BINCKES , Together with a purse of four hundred guineas , In recognition of his services for upwards of twenty-five yeara as Secretary R . M . I . Boys ,
and as Grand Secretary Grand Lodge M . M . M . 14 th June 1887 . Bro . Binckos , who was loudly cheered , said the brethren might very naturally imagine that on an occasion so important as that which had brought them together that evening , the main object was
not to promote the interest of au individual , but—if he might use the expression—the imperial object of promoting the interests of one of the Institutious of their great Craft . He had the greatest pos sible pride and pleasure in the world in seeing so large a gathering assembled around those tables , although perhaps he had to a
certain extent to express his regret that many good friends had not retained their places up to thi 3 moment / When he said he rose to respond to the handsome gift which had been tendered to him , his feelings were mingled with both gratification and regret—with intense "ratification that the few friends who had contributed to that
splendid testimonial had deemed his services worthy of recognition after a long period of 25 years ; of intense regret that the presentation should have been made at this Festival , the realisation of tha results of which—he had no hesitation in saying—he had looked forward to with so much anxiety , and still with fears as to the
resultwhich had been realised—as to ita being the least success ! ul for along series of years . He could himself wish , he assured them from the bottom of his heart , that this amount had been given to the Institution instead of to himself . The failure , or the comparative failure , which had attended their exertions that evening , was to him
a source of unmitigated regret ; but when they looked back to tha earlier portions of the year , to the large success of their Benevolent Festival , aud the succosa of the Girls' School Festival , and now upon tho enormous claims made , iu every district throughout their jurisdiction , for local celebrations in connection with tho Jubilee of
Her Majesty ' s reign , he felt perfectly assured this Institution must of necessity suffer . Grand Lodge had recently come to their relief with £ 2 , 000 , and a similar amount would result frjm the magnificent gathering of yesterday ; these aids would very materially compensate them for the comparative failuro of their Festival , and go some way
towards placing the Institution in a state of solvency and of hope for the future . Now , ho could not forget a personal question , outside its own borders , refereuce to which had been made by their excellent friend who had done them tho honour of presiding over them that day , as to their approval of his small services . He would not attempt
to exhaust their patience with observations which he might have done under more fitting circumstauces , but he asked them just to bear with him for a few moments , because he was not unmindful of the past , or ungrateful for the present . He had four classes to deal with—first those with whom he laboured in his early
years , the majority of whom had left this world for another . He was satisfied with their encouraging efforts in his earlier days , and if they had been spared he should have been glad , for often he remembered what he owed to them , and how they had encouraged him could never be forgotten . Then there were those who knew
his work—and did not approve of it ; those who knew his workand did approve of it ; and those younger members who knew little , if anything , of it . Those who knew his work and did not approve of it , ho asked to take the most indulgeut view possible , and at loast give him credit for trying to do his best . If they
had not altogether approved his action , ho asstu-ed them he had but one leading object at heart , and that was to promote the well-being of the School , to rotrievo their magnificent Institution from the state in which ho fonnd it in 1861 , aud to make it take ita proper place with the other Masonic Institutions . Ho had no doubt there had
been dissentients from what ho had recommended , but he had had independent Committees to deal with , who would not have passed what he recommended if thoy had not approved . To those who had cordially worked with him and appreciated his work—and there wore many present—how could ho tender his thanks for their
acknowledgment of the services he had rendered ? But there were many who regarded him only as a fossil , charged with old conservntive notions . Lot him endeavour to induce such to change their ideas . He was ingrained with Conservative notions , iu all that
watt "ood ; he had adopted all that had been good in the past , aud ore-1 active of good iu the present . Ho had endeavoured to profit by the experience of the past , and bring it to bear on the present . As to tho extension of tho Institution , it was done with their
apptoval and by their practical support ? Never mind their partial failure on the present occasion , under exceptional circumstances , ho had no doubt of the future prosperity of ihe Boys' School ? No . Thoy had had before them as their gue . ta that evening twenty-five sons of Masons , educated in the Institution
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
things , ho placed the matter in their hands , to exercise their discretion , and they felt justified in pledging this additional support of himself and his Province in an emergent difficulty . Thus it was he
was in the chair that night , to redeem the promise he had raado to the Executive of this Institution . The celebration of this Festivalwhatever the result Bro . Binckes would announce—must bo regarded as one in which tho Northern Provinco of West Yorkshiro had
assisted by means of a diligeut and lengthened process of organisation . Their Festival share in the success was that of sympathetic friends , who seeing those in London in whom they were all so deeply interested , and knowing tho nnlooked for position of difficulty they were in , as to tho Chairman for the day , they readily accepted tho
responsibilities of the situation and came to the rescue , not inquiring too minutely how such help could be made available . That help , cheerfully rendered even at the eleventh hour , they cordially trusted would bo appreciated , and would not be without substantial value to the Institution whose prosperity they
had so deeply at heart . They looked upon the Festival in the Crystal Palace , after witnessing the magnificent Masonic Assembly at the Albert Hall yesterday , with feelings of thanks and gratification , heightened by the knowledge of the universal benefits which would be conferred by those gatherings upon the three Masonic Institutions .
He thanked the United Grand Lodge of Englaud for its munificent contribution on the first day of this month , of £ 6 , 000 , distributed in sums of £ 2 , 000 to each of the three Masonic Institutions . ( This sentence was received with loud cheers ) . The Boys' Institution had in its turn derived benefit from those two sources , but still he felt
perfectly justified in pleading with them for support on this occasion . On the Jubilee celebz-ation of His Majesty George III . fifty boys were specially admitted to tho benefits of these Schools . On the Jubilee of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen—Grand Patroness of the Order , since 1852—258 sons of Freemasons were enjoying
the full benefits of maintenance , clothing and education in that Institution . Further , there had been expended in the erection of School buildings and the purchase of freehold land , in round figures , a little short of £ 100 , 000 . He was sorry to say that ou the Building Fund for the Preparatory Schools and General School Sustentation
Fund their account at the bankers showed a serious liability , amounting to about £ 3 , 000 . Urgent efforts wero needed to reverse this state of things , aud it was his duty specially to press upon the charitably-disposed in this assembly , to help to wipe out this defioit , and to restore the equilibrium in the finances of the Institution . The
expenditure last year was £ 16 , 300 , and tho receipts some £ 13 , 000 . He was anxious , therefore , that tho Festival in this year of rejoicing should render the monetary course of this noble School one removed from all cause of anxiety to the Executive , and one of ease and smoothness in the future of its history . In conclusion , he urged upon
them to do their utmost for the Institution , aud place it in that position of prosperity worthy of so splendid an educational establishment . The toast was briefly acknowledged by Bro . George Plucknett P . G . D ., Vice-Patron , Treasurer of the Institution . The Secretary ( Bro . Frederick Binckes ) then read the list of
contributions brought up by the Stewards , full details of which are given on another page . The total amount , with 13 lists to come in , was £ 11 , 100 . Bro . Binckes said he was proud to be able , for the first time , to make a special announcement . His experience went back for thirty years , and in that time neither of the Masonic
Institutions had ever received any contributions from the great City Companies . Brother Major Joseph , however , who was a prominent member of the Court of Common Council—and as Steward for Lodge No . 96 had given in the sum of £ 138—told him that while he would not guarantee anything further before the 31 at
of March next , that was only an approximate amount . He believed the amount of fifty guineas from the Goldsmiths' Company was mainly due to their constant friend Major George Lambert . This was entirely a new element of support , showing the magnificent Corpora - tion of the first city of the first Empire in the world took an
interest in works of benevolence . Again , the Skinners' Company bad made a grant of £ 25—by an unfortunate misconception announced as five guineas . The Vintners' Company had also made a grant of five guineas . Bro . Major Lambert , as Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company
of Goldsmiths , begged most respectfully to say that they were most delighted when Major Joseph applied to their Company for a donation towards the Boys' School . Had he cousulted the Prime Warden , however , he would have received a far more handsome donation . Representing , as he did , one of the largest of the City Companies , he
assured them he would endeavour to extend that donation still further . It was a rule with the City Companies that no socoud application could be made withiu three years ; but he had no hesitation in saying that if tho Companies of the great City of London wero approached in a proper manner they would respoud to
the application with the greatest possible pleasure . IIo should go back to his Company and tell them what this noble Institution was doing in the causo of education , aud should iuform them also that it wa 3 in need of great accession to its strength . The Queen's Westminster Lodge had landed a sum of £ 100 , and as tho Treasurer of
that Lodgo ho should do the best he possibly could to further tho goodwill of the Society , which was so well ruled and governed by their good friend Bro . Binckes . The Chairman said he was now about to submit to thorn a toast which was not on tho regular list . Thoy woro avvaro that some
timo ago a most important and influential Committee was formed , having for its President the Earl of Lathom , with a great many Vice-Presidents , aud having for its Chairman Bro . Itayuham Stewart , the object being to recognise in soma suitable mariner tho long services of a distinguished Oiiicor of the BoyV School and ; , o
tho Craft . It fail to hij lot that evening , by requoab of various members of the Craft , oa their behalf and in tho name of the subscribers , to give expression to their appreciation of those Ion" , able , and valuable serviced , aud to present the recipient of ifc with the re 3 ult of their labours , together with their best thanks for the services ho had rendered to the Royal Masouic Institution for Boys
The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
during the last 25 years . He need hardly tell thorn that tho purse and piece of plate which had been subscribed for were to be presented to Bro . Frederick Binckes , the esteemed and valued Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . ( This announcement was received with ringing cheers ) . Did time or patience permit , he
could occupy their attention long in detailing those services to brethren who were not so well acquainted with them as he was . Thoy would , however , find those services recapitulated in the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , where a full record was given of Brother Binckes ' s Masonic work during that period of time . He asked them
to procure the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE , and to read it for themselves , for there they would find the most explicit statement as to what Bro . Binckes had dono daring the last quarter of a century , moro especially in behalf of this Charity . He asked Brother Binckes to
accept , as an expression of their acknowledgment of his services , a piece of plate and a pocket-book containing a gift of no small amount , as a testimonial of his efforts on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys . The inscription on the plate was as follows : —
Presented to BKO . FREDERICK BINCKES , Together with a purse of four hundred guineas , In recognition of his services for upwards of twenty-five yeara as Secretary R . M . I . Boys ,
and as Grand Secretary Grand Lodge M . M . M . 14 th June 1887 . Bro . Binckos , who was loudly cheered , said the brethren might very naturally imagine that on an occasion so important as that which had brought them together that evening , the main object was
not to promote the interest of au individual , but—if he might use the expression—the imperial object of promoting the interests of one of the Institutious of their great Craft . He had the greatest pos sible pride and pleasure in the world in seeing so large a gathering assembled around those tables , although perhaps he had to a
certain extent to express his regret that many good friends had not retained their places up to thi 3 moment / When he said he rose to respond to the handsome gift which had been tendered to him , his feelings were mingled with both gratification and regret—with intense "ratification that the few friends who had contributed to that
splendid testimonial had deemed his services worthy of recognition after a long period of 25 years ; of intense regret that the presentation should have been made at this Festival , the realisation of tha results of which—he had no hesitation in saying—he had looked forward to with so much anxiety , and still with fears as to the
resultwhich had been realised—as to ita being the least success ! ul for along series of years . He could himself wish , he assured them from the bottom of his heart , that this amount had been given to the Institution instead of to himself . The failure , or the comparative failure , which had attended their exertions that evening , was to him
a source of unmitigated regret ; but when they looked back to tha earlier portions of the year , to the large success of their Benevolent Festival , aud the succosa of the Girls' School Festival , and now upon tho enormous claims made , iu every district throughout their jurisdiction , for local celebrations in connection with tho Jubilee of
Her Majesty ' s reign , he felt perfectly assured this Institution must of necessity suffer . Grand Lodge had recently come to their relief with £ 2 , 000 , and a similar amount would result frjm the magnificent gathering of yesterday ; these aids would very materially compensate them for the comparative failuro of their Festival , and go some way
towards placing the Institution in a state of solvency and of hope for the future . Now , ho could not forget a personal question , outside its own borders , refereuce to which had been made by their excellent friend who had done them tho honour of presiding over them that day , as to their approval of his small services . He would not attempt
to exhaust their patience with observations which he might have done under more fitting circumstauces , but he asked them just to bear with him for a few moments , because he was not unmindful of the past , or ungrateful for the present . He had four classes to deal with—first those with whom he laboured in his early
years , the majority of whom had left this world for another . He was satisfied with their encouraging efforts in his earlier days , and if they had been spared he should have been glad , for often he remembered what he owed to them , and how they had encouraged him could never be forgotten . Then there were those who knew
his work—and did not approve of it ; those who knew his workand did approve of it ; and those younger members who knew little , if anything , of it . Those who knew his work and did not approve of it , ho asked to take the most indulgeut view possible , and at loast give him credit for trying to do his best . If they
had not altogether approved his action , ho asstu-ed them he had but one leading object at heart , and that was to promote the well-being of the School , to rotrievo their magnificent Institution from the state in which ho fonnd it in 1861 , aud to make it take ita proper place with the other Masonic Institutions . Ho had no doubt there had
been dissentients from what ho had recommended , but he had had independent Committees to deal with , who would not have passed what he recommended if thoy had not approved . To those who had cordially worked with him and appreciated his work—and there wore many present—how could ho tender his thanks for their
acknowledgment of the services he had rendered ? But there were many who regarded him only as a fossil , charged with old conservntive notions . Lot him endeavour to induce such to change their ideas . He was ingrained with Conservative notions , iu all that
watt "ood ; he had adopted all that had been good in the past , aud ore-1 active of good iu the present . Ho had endeavoured to profit by the experience of the past , and bring it to bear on the present . As to tho extension of tho Institution , it was done with their
apptoval and by their practical support ? Never mind their partial failure on the present occasion , under exceptional circumstances , ho had no doubt of the future prosperity of ihe Boys' School ? No . Thoy had had before them as their gue . ta that evening twenty-five sons of Masons , educated in the Institution