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Article THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. ← Page 4 of 4 Article THE FESTIVAL RETURNS. Page 1 of 2 Article THE FESTIVAL RETURNS. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
now making their way more or less successfully in the world . Ho had hoped they would have had fifty , but they c . uld not bv released from their duties . He ( Bio . Binckes ) was not what ho was twentyfive yea s ago ; but ho could tell them this—that ho had a heart as Sound and an energy as good as ever ho had , now in his declining
years , for advocating the canso of this Institution . Ho conld this evening say what he had done had net been altogether without thenapproval , and that while he might not have given satisfaction to every one , yi-t to tho gnat majority of those with whom he had laboured he had given satisfaction , or they would not have testified
in that manner that evening . Theio was no one in this world , however gifted he might be , or howovpr endowed with intellectual or physical powers , who could in any shape or way attempt to plead that he had given uuiversal satisfaction . Ho had been , from the age of nineteen to nearly sixty-three years , an active worker in
public life ; he had stated his opinions ; ho had not been a neutral being , trying to please every one ; and hn would not givo a farthing for the man who was not willing to stand by his opinions . He hoped to die in harness , am ! net to loso in Masonry those good friends whose sympathies had beon testified that night .
He then referred to the Albert Hall Gathering , at which he waa made a Past Grand Sword Bearer , and said if he had not given satisfaction to every one , yet from the majority with whom ho had laboured his work had met with approbation , ami concluded by trusting he had consistently given satisfaction during tho conrso of his public life .
The Chairman next proposed Success to tho other Masouic Institutions . In doing so he expressed regret that Brother Hedges , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , could not be present , on account of the indisposition of Mrs . Hedges . He would therefore associate with tho toast tho name of Brother James Terry ,
Secretary of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Brother Terry said , after the lengthened proceedings of the evening he would not detain the company ; ho congratulated Brother Binckes most sincerely upon the success of the meeting , as also upon the presentation that had beon made to him . The last of the Festivals
for the year had taken place , and tho total contributions now amounted to nearly £ 43 , 000 . He thanked them for tho recaption they had given to the toast , and hoped the support accorded to the Charities would be continued in the future . With tho toast of the Board of Stewards was associated the name of tho Grand Treasurer , Brother
Eiohard Eve , and the Chairman retnrned his best thanks to them all for the excellence of their arrangements . Bro . Evo , President of the Board of Stewards responded ; and tho Ladies , proposed by Licnt-Col . Bingham , C . E ., Prov . G . S . W . of West Yorkshire , and responded to by Bro . Dr . II . Thomas , closed the list .
During the evening a choice selection of music was rendered , under the direction of Bro . F . H . Horscroft , assisted by Miss Fanny Moody , Miss Bertha Moore , Madame Raymond , Bro . Orlando Harloy and Bro , Wilfred Price , Bro . Jamos Kift presiding at the pianoforte . This part of the proceedings was n rich treat and tended very materially to enhance the pleasure of those presout .
The Festival Returns.
THE FESTIVAL RETURNS .
Reprinted from tho FREEMASON ' S CHUONU ' LE of 25 th Juno 18 S 7 . rTTHE outcome of last week ' s Festival on behalf of the JL Royal Masonic Institution for Boys has caused widespread disappointment among those who take „ snccial
interest in this particular channel of Masonic benevolence , but at the same time there is a feeling of thankfulness for what has been done , coupled with a determination to use every effort to do better in the future , hi view of the
substantial sum raised on this occasion it would ho ungracious to actually grumble at the result , still we may express regret the amount was not larger , and seek for a means of increasing it in the years to follow , for there is no
gainsaying the fact that a series of annual totals such as that announced last week would not be sufficient to meet the actual requirements of the Institution , which would , consequently , cither get deeply into debt , or would be forced
to curtail its operations , Undoubtedly there is not one member of the Craft who would desire either of these alternatives , and yet , there are none who can say how one of them is to be absolutely avoided . The time has arrived
¦ when something special must be attempted in order to increase the income of the Institution , and perhaps some ol those who read these lines may be able to submit a proposal ¦ which may produce the desired result . We believe that
any tangible suggestion would be put to the test of practical trial , so that brethren need have little fear their advice would be actually wasted . We must not , however , forget that the first essential of success in such matters is to
secure the co-operation of a large and wide-spread body of woikers , all of whom shall take a direct and personal interest iu tho task they have iu hand . On this account ¦ we wish that all who have the opportunity of peru . sin <>
these remarks would at once show their heartiness in the cause by determining to do something on behalf of the Boys' School—say , for its next annual celebration . The Festival of the present year had more than one
The Festival Returns.
uniorrunate surrounding ; but the one which has perhaps had tho greatest effect on its total , and has done it moro harm than any other has been the round of festivities in connection with the Jubilee of Her Majesty ' s accession ,
which has attracted such attention during the last few months as to place all minor matters in the , shade , more especially those of such a public character as one of the Masonic Charity Festivals . It may be urged that tho
other two Institutions equally had to suffer in this respect , but this is not tho fact , as the first two Festivals of the year were concluded before active preparations for the Jubilee were in progress . Again , the decision of Grand Lodge to
devoto the proceeds of tho Masonic Jubilee Gathering to the three Charities has kept back support from various quarters , where it might have beeu expected , as brethren felt a handsome sum would accrue to the Boys' School from
this source , thus rendering extra contributions from tho Craft unnecessary . No doubt the £ 2 , 000 which the Boys ' Institution will receive as its share of the Albert Hall celebration will more than make up the deficiency under
this head , but it cannot be overlooked that the other Institutions get similar sums without having had their support curtailed beforehand on account of it . Then the Institution was unfortunate in not having secured the
services of a chairman until really the eleventh hour ; this fact alone made no small difference in the total , and our only regret is that when our esteemed Bro . Tew did undertake the office it was not deemed expedient to postpone the
Festival in order to give his friends an opportunity of rallying more strongly than they were able to do in his support . This consideration brings us to what we consider the main drawback of the Festival . This is not , however ,
a disadvantage peculiar to this year ' s gathering , but one which is common to every Festival of this Institution ; we have referred to it in the past , and again urge the rulers of tho Institution to give the matter their serious
consideration . We allude to tho time of year at which the Festival is held . The disadvantages which surround the present arrangement are , we think , of such a character as to
warrant au immediate alteration , more particularl y in view of special features iu connection with next year ' s Festival of the Girls' School , to which wc shall refer later on .
There are , of course , considerations which may be urged in favour of a contiuuaucc of the Boys' Festival as a summer gathering , but there are , in our opinion , wei ghtier arguments available on the other side . The winter months
are essentially the working months of Freemasonry , and for this reason alone wc would urge tho advisability of a change . Then wc have to consider tho effect of crowding the three Festivals , as is now done , into a third of the
twelvemonth , instead of , as we think more advisable , distributing them over the whole year , while the short interval available between the Girls' Festival and that of the Boys' School—usually little over a month—is
wholly inadequate for a canvass of the Craft . We are decidedl y of opinion that two Festivals cannot properly be pushed at one and the same time . The Benevolent Institution now has the run of the winter months , and the
tirst claim on the new year , and until that gathering has been held we hear comparatively little of the Girls' Festival , which usually follows at an interval of about three months . For similar reasons the
Boys' celebration is kept in the background until after the holding of the Girls' Festival , and then there are but four or five short weeks in which to make a stir—and , be it remembered , as most important of all ,
during these four weeks Masonry is virtually a dead letter , as some / bing like niue out of every ten Lodges have adjourned for tho summer vacation . We should like to sea the date of the Boys' Festival altered to the end of
October or the beginning of "November , and believe that snch a departure from established custom would prove beneficial to the cause of Charity iu general , and of the Boys' Institution in particular . If November was decided
upon , we should actually nave Quarterl y Festivals , leaving ont of consideration tho three summer months , during which Freemasonry may be said to bo virtuall y at rest . There is one special feature connected with next year which
should afford additional argument in favour of a change as ifc may be expected to materially interfere with the suppert to be given to both the Benevolent Institution and the
Boys School , but particularly the latter . The next Festival on behalf of the Girls' School will be the One Hundredth Anniversary of that Institution , aud we already hear of the must elaborate preparations being made for a Royal eclebra-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
now making their way more or less successfully in the world . Ho had hoped they would have had fifty , but they c . uld not bv released from their duties . He ( Bio . Binckes ) was not what ho was twentyfive yea s ago ; but ho could tell them this—that ho had a heart as Sound and an energy as good as ever ho had , now in his declining
years , for advocating the canso of this Institution . Ho conld this evening say what he had done had net been altogether without thenapproval , and that while he might not have given satisfaction to every one , yi-t to tho gnat majority of those with whom he had laboured he had given satisfaction , or they would not have testified
in that manner that evening . Theio was no one in this world , however gifted he might be , or howovpr endowed with intellectual or physical powers , who could in any shape or way attempt to plead that he had given uuiversal satisfaction . Ho had been , from the age of nineteen to nearly sixty-three years , an active worker in
public life ; he had stated his opinions ; ho had not been a neutral being , trying to please every one ; and hn would not givo a farthing for the man who was not willing to stand by his opinions . He hoped to die in harness , am ! net to loso in Masonry those good friends whose sympathies had beon testified that night .
He then referred to the Albert Hall Gathering , at which he waa made a Past Grand Sword Bearer , and said if he had not given satisfaction to every one , yet from the majority with whom ho had laboured his work had met with approbation , ami concluded by trusting he had consistently given satisfaction during tho conrso of his public life .
The Chairman next proposed Success to tho other Masouic Institutions . In doing so he expressed regret that Brother Hedges , Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , could not be present , on account of the indisposition of Mrs . Hedges . He would therefore associate with tho toast tho name of Brother James Terry ,
Secretary of tho Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Brother Terry said , after the lengthened proceedings of the evening he would not detain the company ; ho congratulated Brother Binckes most sincerely upon the success of the meeting , as also upon the presentation that had beon made to him . The last of the Festivals
for the year had taken place , and tho total contributions now amounted to nearly £ 43 , 000 . He thanked them for tho recaption they had given to the toast , and hoped the support accorded to the Charities would be continued in the future . With tho toast of the Board of Stewards was associated the name of tho Grand Treasurer , Brother
Eiohard Eve , and the Chairman retnrned his best thanks to them all for the excellence of their arrangements . Bro . Evo , President of the Board of Stewards responded ; and tho Ladies , proposed by Licnt-Col . Bingham , C . E ., Prov . G . S . W . of West Yorkshire , and responded to by Bro . Dr . II . Thomas , closed the list .
During the evening a choice selection of music was rendered , under the direction of Bro . F . H . Horscroft , assisted by Miss Fanny Moody , Miss Bertha Moore , Madame Raymond , Bro . Orlando Harloy and Bro , Wilfred Price , Bro . Jamos Kift presiding at the pianoforte . This part of the proceedings was n rich treat and tended very materially to enhance the pleasure of those presout .
The Festival Returns.
THE FESTIVAL RETURNS .
Reprinted from tho FREEMASON ' S CHUONU ' LE of 25 th Juno 18 S 7 . rTTHE outcome of last week ' s Festival on behalf of the JL Royal Masonic Institution for Boys has caused widespread disappointment among those who take „ snccial
interest in this particular channel of Masonic benevolence , but at the same time there is a feeling of thankfulness for what has been done , coupled with a determination to use every effort to do better in the future , hi view of the
substantial sum raised on this occasion it would ho ungracious to actually grumble at the result , still we may express regret the amount was not larger , and seek for a means of increasing it in the years to follow , for there is no
gainsaying the fact that a series of annual totals such as that announced last week would not be sufficient to meet the actual requirements of the Institution , which would , consequently , cither get deeply into debt , or would be forced
to curtail its operations , Undoubtedly there is not one member of the Craft who would desire either of these alternatives , and yet , there are none who can say how one of them is to be absolutely avoided . The time has arrived
¦ when something special must be attempted in order to increase the income of the Institution , and perhaps some ol those who read these lines may be able to submit a proposal ¦ which may produce the desired result . We believe that
any tangible suggestion would be put to the test of practical trial , so that brethren need have little fear their advice would be actually wasted . We must not , however , forget that the first essential of success in such matters is to
secure the co-operation of a large and wide-spread body of woikers , all of whom shall take a direct and personal interest iu tho task they have iu hand . On this account ¦ we wish that all who have the opportunity of peru . sin <>
these remarks would at once show their heartiness in the cause by determining to do something on behalf of the Boys' School—say , for its next annual celebration . The Festival of the present year had more than one
The Festival Returns.
uniorrunate surrounding ; but the one which has perhaps had tho greatest effect on its total , and has done it moro harm than any other has been the round of festivities in connection with the Jubilee of Her Majesty ' s accession ,
which has attracted such attention during the last few months as to place all minor matters in the , shade , more especially those of such a public character as one of the Masonic Charity Festivals . It may be urged that tho
other two Institutions equally had to suffer in this respect , but this is not tho fact , as the first two Festivals of the year were concluded before active preparations for the Jubilee were in progress . Again , the decision of Grand Lodge to
devoto the proceeds of tho Masonic Jubilee Gathering to the three Charities has kept back support from various quarters , where it might have beeu expected , as brethren felt a handsome sum would accrue to the Boys' School from
this source , thus rendering extra contributions from tho Craft unnecessary . No doubt the £ 2 , 000 which the Boys ' Institution will receive as its share of the Albert Hall celebration will more than make up the deficiency under
this head , but it cannot be overlooked that the other Institutions get similar sums without having had their support curtailed beforehand on account of it . Then the Institution was unfortunate in not having secured the
services of a chairman until really the eleventh hour ; this fact alone made no small difference in the total , and our only regret is that when our esteemed Bro . Tew did undertake the office it was not deemed expedient to postpone the
Festival in order to give his friends an opportunity of rallying more strongly than they were able to do in his support . This consideration brings us to what we consider the main drawback of the Festival . This is not , however ,
a disadvantage peculiar to this year ' s gathering , but one which is common to every Festival of this Institution ; we have referred to it in the past , and again urge the rulers of tho Institution to give the matter their serious
consideration . We allude to tho time of year at which the Festival is held . The disadvantages which surround the present arrangement are , we think , of such a character as to
warrant au immediate alteration , more particularl y in view of special features iu connection with next year ' s Festival of the Girls' School , to which wc shall refer later on .
There are , of course , considerations which may be urged in favour of a contiuuaucc of the Boys' Festival as a summer gathering , but there are , in our opinion , wei ghtier arguments available on the other side . The winter months
are essentially the working months of Freemasonry , and for this reason alone wc would urge tho advisability of a change . Then wc have to consider tho effect of crowding the three Festivals , as is now done , into a third of the
twelvemonth , instead of , as we think more advisable , distributing them over the whole year , while the short interval available between the Girls' Festival and that of the Boys' School—usually little over a month—is
wholly inadequate for a canvass of the Craft . We are decidedl y of opinion that two Festivals cannot properly be pushed at one and the same time . The Benevolent Institution now has the run of the winter months , and the
tirst claim on the new year , and until that gathering has been held we hear comparatively little of the Girls' Festival , which usually follows at an interval of about three months . For similar reasons the
Boys' celebration is kept in the background until after the holding of the Girls' Festival , and then there are but four or five short weeks in which to make a stir—and , be it remembered , as most important of all ,
during these four weeks Masonry is virtually a dead letter , as some / bing like niue out of every ten Lodges have adjourned for tho summer vacation . We should like to sea the date of the Boys' Festival altered to the end of
October or the beginning of "November , and believe that snch a departure from established custom would prove beneficial to the cause of Charity iu general , and of the Boys' Institution in particular . If November was decided
upon , we should actually nave Quarterl y Festivals , leaving ont of consideration tho three summer months , during which Freemasonry may be said to bo virtuall y at rest . There is one special feature connected with next year which
should afford additional argument in favour of a change as ifc may be expected to materially interfere with the suppert to be given to both the Benevolent Institution and the
Boys School , but particularly the latter . The next Festival on behalf of the Girls' School will be the One Hundredth Anniversary of that Institution , aud we already hear of the must elaborate preparations being made for a Royal eclebra-