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CONTENTS . PAGE . LEADERSMasonic Benevolence in 1896 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Ars Quatuor Coronatorum ... ... ... ... ... 2 Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... ... ... ••¦ 2 Sale of Masonic Woiks ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 Centenary Celebration of the Napthali Lodge , No . 266 , at Heywood ... ... 3 Ladies' Nieht ot the Ranelagh Lodge , No . 834 ... ... ... 3

Older of the Secret Monitor ... ... ... ... ... 4 Craft Masonry ... ... ••¦ ¦•• ••• — 4 MASONIC NOTESNew Year ' s Greeting ... ... ... ... ... 7 Removal of the Boys' School ... ... ... ... ... 7 The So-Called Fourth Degree ... ... ... ... ... 7

Correspondence ... ... ••• •¦• ... ... 8 Reviews ... ... ... ••¦ ••• ••• 8 Craft Masonry ... ... •¦• ¦•• •¦• ¦•• 8 Royal Arch ... ... ... ... •¦• ••¦ ... 9 Knights Templar ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 Our Portrait Gallery ... ... ... ... ... ... 9

Royal Masonic Institution for Guls ¦ ... ... ... ... 10 Obituary ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 Lodges and Chapter of Instruction ... ... — ... 10 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 12

Masonic Benevolence In 1896.

MASONIC BENEVOLENCE IN 1896 .

It is extremely gratifying to learn—as we do , from the several Statements of Receipt with which we have been favoured by the Secretaries of our Masonic Institutions—that the amounts actually paid over to those Institutions during the

year ending the 31 st ultimo , exceed those paid not only during 18 95 , when there was a falling off as compared with previous years , but likewise during the year 18 94 , when the total was greater than in any year , the Girls' School Centenary and

Benevolent Jubilee years being alone excepted . Thus in 18 94 the total incomes of the three Institutions were as follow : Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , £ 20 , 7 82 3 s . nd . ; Eoyal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 20 , 043 7 s . id . ; Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , £ 24 , 186 16 s . Sd . —giving a grand total of £ 65 , 012 7 s . 8 d . In 18 95 the figures were : Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , £ 21 , 720 ios . 6 d . ; Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , £ 18 , 211 os . fid . ; Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , £ 22 , 6 9 6 18 s . id . —total , £ 62 , 628 gs . id . Last year , however , there has been a substantial increase all round , the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution having received £ 25 , 650 16 s . 6 d . ; the Royal Masonic

Institution for Girls , £ 19 , 664 3 s . lid . ; and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , £ 23 , 603 2 s . ; total , £ 68 , 918 2 s . 5 d . The most important items of receipt are " Donations and Subscriptions , " and in comparing these with thc final totals returned for

the several Anniversary Festivals we have every reason to be satisfied . The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution has received under this head £ 18 , 725 8 s . 6 d ., while the final total of the returns in respect of the Anniversary Festival in February

was £ 20 , 084 I 5 * 1 ' Donations and Subscriptions paid over to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys reached £ 20 , 470 5 s . 7 d ., while the Festival Returns , as finally adjusted , amount to £ 19 , 422 8 s . As for the Royal Masonic

Institution for Girls , it will doubtless be in the recollection of our readers , that the amounts received both in 18 95 and 18 94 under this head fell short of the Festival totals by a few hundreds of pounds , the deficiency each year

being attributed to the amount of what is known as " Association Money " that was still outstanding . But in 18 9 6 , the Institution has come off with flying colours , the amount actually received being £ 17 , 070 os . fid ., while the amount returned at the

Festival vvas £ 15 , 412 13 s ., the difference in favour of the former total being upwards of £ 1650 . At all events , the receipts for 096 are in excess of those in any previous ordinary year , and

we heartil y congratulate the Institutions which have been the recipients of such good fortune , and the general body of English freemasons on the exceeding generosity they have shown

Masonic Benevolence In 1896.

towards these Central Chanties . May the same success be associated with the incomes of our Institutions during the new and future years as in 18 9 6 ! The following are the Statements of Receipt with which we have been favoured by the Secretaries of our Institutions , and from which we have been quoting in the foregoing remarks :

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . Donations and Subscriptions ... ... ... . £ 18 , 725 8 6 Grand Lodge ... ... ... ... 1600 o o Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... 150 o o Dividends ... ... ... ... 3909 6 4 Perpetual Presentation ... ... ... 1260 o 0 Interest on Cash at Call ... ... ... 618

£ 25 , 650 16 6 ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS . Donations and Subscriptions ... ... ... , £ 20 , 470 5 7 Grand Lodge Subscription ... .., ... 150 o o Grand Chapter Subscription ... ... ... 10 10 0 Dividends and Interest on Cash at Call ... ... 1931 5 2

Income Tax recovered ... ,,, ... 22 15 4 Gain on Sale of £ 10 , 000 Consols ... ... 813 11 10 Music Fees ... ... ... ... 70 o o Science and Art Department ( Grants earned ) ... 38 12 6 Prize Funds ... ... ... ... 3 6 5 0 Sundry Receipts ... ... ,,. ... 59 16 7 £ 23 , 603 2 0

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR GIRLS . Donations and Subscriptions ... ... ... £ 17 , 070 o 6 Grand Lodge ... ... ... ... 150 0 o Grand Chapter ... ... ... ... 10 10 o

Dividends ... ... ... ... 223 s 3 6 Interest on Deposit ... ... ... ... 48 13 7 Receipts for Musical Instruction ... ... 130 10 o Window Memorials ... ... ... ... 13 o o Income Tax recovered ... ... ... 664

£ 19 , 664 3 n The following table shows the returns for the three Institutions during the period of seven years from 18 90 to 18 9 6 , both inclusive , together wilh the totals received during that period ; the yearly average of receipt , and the average receipt per Institution .

R . M . B . I . R . M . I . G . R . M . I . B . Total . 1890 £ 21 , 305 13 4 £ 21 , 763 19 1 £ 12 , 472 6 9 £ 55 , 541 19 2 1891 22 , 238 14 5 13 , 190 18 2 27333 11 3 62 . 76 3 3 10 1892 61 , 849 2 6 12 , 778 2 1 15837 18 o 90 . 465 2 7

1893 20 , 436 2 8 17 . 052 3 2 21 , 5 63 8 11 59 , 051 14 9 1804 20 . 782 3 11 20 , 043 7 1 24 . 186 16 8 65 , 012 7 8 1895 21 , 720 10 6 18 , 211 o 6 22 . 6 9 6 18 1 62 , 628 9 1 18 9 6 25 , 650 16 6 19 , 664 3 11 23 , 6 03 2 o 68 , 918 2 5 theVyear 3 1 ^' 9 8 3 3 ' ° *^ I 22 ' ° ' ° - £ * 47 . 94 1 8 £ 464 , 380 19 6

Average for ) - 0 , ,. Ihe 7 years ) ^ 7 . 7 " 17 8 £ 17 , 529 2 o £ 21 , 099 3 1 £ 66340 2 g Average per Institution ... ... £ 22 , 113 7 7 The following is a statement , month by month , of the cases relieved , and the sums expended in relieving them , by the Board of Benevolence : CASES RELIEVED . AMOUNT .

January ... ... 38 ... ... £ 892 February ... 34 ..-. ... 935 March ... ... 36 ... ... ' 850 April ... ... 39 ... ... g 6 o May ... ... 28 ... ... 570 June ... ... 23 ... ... 575

July ... ... 26 ... ... 310 August ... ... 10 ... ... 150 September ... 18 ... ... 555 October ... ... 34 ... ... 7 85 November ... 43 ,., ... 995 December ... 46 ... ... 1145

375 £ 8722 If we compare these figures with the Returns for 18 95 , we shall find there has been a sli ght decrease in the number of cases from 37 8 to 375 and in the aggregate of the sums distributed from £ 8 745 to £ 8722 .