Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

Lodge £ s . d . 1016 Bro . Geo . H . Sheaff ... 10 10 o 1246 per Bro . fas . Evans ... 31 10 o 1151 Bro . T . Rowbotham ... 10 10 o 16 44 „ Thos . Katcliff ... 10 10 o

•WILTSHIRE . Lodge 626 Bro . A . H . Lapham ... 39 7 o WORCESTERSHIRE . Lodge 2 S 0 Bro . R . C .

Smith-Canngton ( see also No . 1204 ) 62 11 6 529 ,, J- Hill ; White ... ? „ 529 „ J . Millington ... ) 564 „ H . W . Willcocks ... 3 ' 'o o 1204 „ B . C .

Smith-Carington ( see also No . 280 ) — 2385 „ * W . T . Davies 2385 ,, G . B . Buttery ... 49 7 o 2385 ,, Fred . Richards 26 54 „ C . P . Perry 24 3 0 2654 „ R . W . Rusby ... 42 o o

YORKSHIRE ( N . AND E . ) . Lodge and Chapter 23 6 Bro . F . W . Laughton ... " ) Lodge •- \ l 3 JO 0 23 6 Bro : G . Potter-Kirby ... ) 312 „ J . H . Harrowing ... 10 10 o 1 5 11 „ W . L . Harrison ... \ 6 15 ,, „ W . H . Holmes ... J s ° The Province Bro . W . H . Cowper ... 6 7 3 o Unattached Bro . G . W . Brown

YORKSHIRE ( W . ) . Lodge £ s . d . 290 Bro . Joe Lamb 290 „ W . P . Raynor 304 „ C . L . Mason 306 „ W . Blackburn 904 „ Fred . Cleeves 904 „ John Gibbs 974 „ W . C . Lupton 1019 „ Major H . G . E . Green 1102 „ Geo . C Hirst

no 2 „ Walter Barley 12 3 1 „ J . G . Howell 12 3 1 „ A . W . Law 12 3 1 „ Albert Fielding ... 700 o o 12 3 1 „ H . H . Waller 12 3 1 „ Chas . H . Waller ... , 2 3 ' „ J . W . Broadhead ...

¦ 239 „ 1 . Rowbotham 1514 „ David Walker 1736 „ . 1- E . Oates 2263 „ W . C . Fenton 2268 „ Major C . F . Bennett 255 S „ Chas . Stokes 2 55 s tt Capt . C . Parker 255 S „ Chas . Robinson 2558 „ H . Cawood

GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY . Province Bro . J . B . Nick oils ... 1010 o Lodge 16 S Bro . Thos . Pengelley ... 84 o o FOREIGN STATIONS . S . AFRICA .

Lodge 267 S Bro . N . E . Haworth ... 8 14 o

Those marked with a * have their donation included in Lodge or Provincial list . SUMMARY OF THE PROVINCES .

£ s . d . Bedfordshire 4 ° > 9 ° Berkshire ... 323 o o Bristol 732 7 o Buckinghamshire in 17 6

Cambridgeshire 102 19 6 Cheshire 21 o o Cornwall 4 'S 8 6 Cumberland and Westmorland 15 ' 5 ° Derbyshire 'o 10 o Devonshire 777 ° ° Dorsetshire 105 o o

Durham 168 o o Essex 4052 10 ° Gloucestershire 127 1 o ••Hampshire and Isle of Wight 99 16 o Hertfordshire 1001 8 o Kent 94 '" ° .. ¦ Lancashire ( East Division ) ... 16 S o o Lancashire ( West Division ) ... 31 10 o

£ s . d . Middlesex 39 S 15 6 Monmouthshire 10 10 o Northants and Hunts 20 16 6 Nottinghamshire 210 o o

North Wales 79 16 o Oxfordshire 204 4 6 Shropshire 31 10 o Somersetshire 262 12 6 Staffordshire 15 S 15 o Suffolk 97 6 5 o Surrey G 42 7 6 Sussex 425 8 6

Warwickshire 162 15 0 Wiltshire 39 7 o Worcestershire 262 1 6 Yorkshire ( N . and E . ) ... 177 8 o Yorkshire ( W . ) 700 o o Guernsey and Alderney ... 94 10 o Foreign Station S 14 o

GENERAL SUMMARY . 283 STEWARDS—LONDON ... ... ... £ 12 , 338 10 o . 314 STEWARDS—PROVINCES ... ... ... 13 , 204 S o GRAND TOTAL ... ... ... £ 25 , 542 18 o

Bro . E . L ETCHWORTH , G . Sec ., proposed "The Chairman . " The Earl of WARWICK responding , said he did not know how adequately to express his deep and sincere thanks for the noble and loyal manner the brethren had come forward and supported him . He thanked specially the brethren from Essex for so nobly assisting him . He knew they had been working hard to make the festival creditable to himself and the province , but he had been quite staggered with the amount . Bro . C . E . KEYSER proposed "The other Masonic Institutions , " and Bros . H EDGES and MCLEOD responded .

Bro . LENNOX B ROWNE proposed "TheStewards , " to which Dr . STRONG replied , and the company then adjourned to the Temple , where a grand entertainment was given , in which Miss Edith Serpell , Miss Florence Venning , Miss Gertrude Collins , Miss Annie Bartle , Miss Lizzie Davies , Miss Helen Mar , and Bros . Samuel Masters , Frank Tebbutt , and Arthur Strugnell took part .

Analysis Of The Returns.

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .

There is no need for any prefatory remarks in the case of a Festival which has been so splendidly productive . The 597 Stewards who gave their services on W » dm sday raised a total of £ 25 , 542 18 s ., London , with 283 representatives , being responsible for £ i 2 , 33 8 IOS ., and the Provinceu , with 314 Stewards , for £ 13 , 204 8 s . This is largely in excess of any total previously announced in ordinary years for this Institution . Giving our attention , in the first place , to

LONDON , we remark that as many as 29 lists in excess of £ 100 are included in the aloresaid total of £ 12 , 338 ios ., the highest of all being that compiled by Bro . W . J . Carroll , of the Upton Lodge , No . 1225 , who has the satisfaction of being an Essex as well as a London brother , and who , abave all things , has , by his zeal and energy , had the satisfaction of raising a total of £ 525 . Next in order was Bro . B . Carter , who

represented the Fellowship Lodge , No . 2535 , to such good purpose that his list ultimately amounted to ^ 428 9 s . Bro . W . S . Miller , of the Old Boys ' Lodge , No . 2500 , compiled a Return of £ 350 , while for the fourth place there was very nearly being a tie between liro . Captain John Barlow , who raised £ 220 ios ., and Bro . J . L . Pointer , Selwyn Lodge , No . 1901 , whose total was . C 220 . Bro . A . L . Reynolds , of the St . John ' s Lodge , No . 90 , was close up with £ 216 6 s , and was followed at no very great distance by Bro . J . H . Bulmer , Sincerity Lodge ,

No . 174 , with £ 201 19 s . Bro . F . A . Bint , Camden Lodge , No . 704 , is entered for a total of £ 179 6 s . 6 d ., ar . d then follow in close order Bro . F . O . Tubby , of the Royal Albert Lodge , No . 907 , for £ 146 9 s . 6 d . ; Uro . James Smart , Prosperity Lodge , No . 65 , wilh £ 138 12 s ; Bro . J . R . Littlewood , of the Sir Hugh Myddelton Lodge , with £ 137 6 s . ; Bros . John

Briggs Strong Man Lodge , No . 45 , and Daniel Mayer , Royal Wairant Holders Lodge , No . 278 9 , who tie with £ 131 5 s ., and Bro . H . L . Florence , Westminster and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 , with £ 129 . Bro . Robert Manuel , of the Logic Club , figures for £ 126 ; Bro . A . Kaufman , St . Leonard's Lodge , No . 1766 . for £ 122 us . 6 d . ; and Bro . G . M . Spong , Abbey Lodge , No . 2030 , for £ 120 15 s . Bro . J . H , Davison , Sir Thomas White Lodge ,

Analysis Of The Returns.

No . 1820 , compiled £ 115 10 s . ; Bro . G . Burt , Old Dundee Lodge , No . 18 , £ 113

18 s . 6 d . ; ard Bros . J . P . West and A . Smith , who jointly represented the Coborn Lodge , No . 2804 , £ 112 12 s . Bros . H . Humphries , of the Fitzroy Lodge , No . 569 , and Harry Manfield , of the Richard Eve Lodge , No . 2772 , scored each of them £ 110 5 s . ; Bro . H . Callingham , Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 1599 , £ 10833 . 3 Bro . H . O . Herbert , Phoenix Lodge , No . 173 , £ 107 15 s . ; and Bro . A . G . Wedmore , Creaton Lodge , No . 1793 , £ 106 5 s . ; Bros . H . Cornford , of the Blackheath

Lodge , No . 1320 , J . Y . Mosey , of the All Saints Lodge , No . 1716 ; Brio . C . H ; Evans , Queen's Westminster Lodge , No . 2021 , and Bro . Craig and five other brethren of the Scots Lodge , No . 2319 , each compiled a total of £ 105 ; and Bro . A . H . Thornton , Friends-in-Council Lodge , No . 1383 , and Bro . W . N . Davies ; Clerkenwell Lodge , No . 1964 , brought up the rear with £ 103 15 s . and £ 100 16 s , respectively .

The following lists are also worthy of being mentioned , namely , that of Bro . F . J . Eedle , Manchester Lodge , No . 179 , for £ 84 ; Bro . Geo . E . Morrow ' s for £ 85 i 2 s ., as representing the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 781 ; Bro . W . W . Wright's for £ 80 17 s ., Royal Oak Lodge , No . 87 L £ 70 from Bro . G . C . Blan . chard , of the Star Lodge , No . 1275 j £ 78 15 s . from Bro . C . Stuart Walker , Ebury Lodge , No . 1348 ; £ 77 16 s . irom the Highgate Lodge , No . 1766 , per Bro . j . Campbell ; £ 87 3 s . from the Chaucer Lodge , No . 1540 , per Bro . W . Miles ; and £ 82 8 s . 6 d . from the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , per Bro . W .

H . Handover . The Rothesay Lodge , No . 1687 , contributed £ go , per Bro . L . Verdier ; and the Evening Star Lodge , No . 1719 , £ 81 17 s ., per Bro . S . Wood . Bro . W . G . Stone , of the West Ham Abbey Lodge , No . 2291 , is ent ered for £ 9 6 8 s . 6 d . ; and Bro . C . Ransford , of the Sir Walter Raleigh Lodge , No . 2432 , for £ 73 1 os . Bro . Charles Butler , Willesden Lodge , No . 2489 , figures f or £ 76 12 s . ; Bro . G . N . Haines , Fulham Lodge , No . 2512 , for £ 93 9 s . ; and Bro . T . F . Strutt , Hygeia Lodge , No . 2664 , for £ 92 18 s . 6 d . ; while Bro . H . J . Dunaway , Brondesbury Lodge , No . 2698 , returned £ 78 156 . 5 and Bro . Chas . J , Drummond , St . Bride Lodge , No . 2817 , £ 70 17 s . 6 d .

As regards THE PROVINCES , we have much pleasure in recording that 37 out cf the 46 holding under Grand Lodge were more or less numerously and efficiently represented on Wednesday , the number of Stewards being 314 , and the aggregate of the Donations and

Subscriptions they accumulated £ 13 , 172 , 140 . _ Last year only 32 Provinces figured in the Returns , the sum of £ 9524 10 s . being raised by the efforts of 331 Stewards , while in 1899 there were 36 Provinces , whose contributions amounted to £ 97 88 9 s . 6 d ., the number of representatives being 216 . Thus , on the whole , this section of the Board has every reason to be satisfied with the result of its

exertions . The nine absentee Provinces were as follows , namely : HEREFORDSHIRE ( five lodges ) , which subscribed £ 15 15 s . to the Boys' Festival in July , 1900 , and at the Centenary Festival of the same Institution , in . 18 9 8 , the creditable sum of £ 330 15 s ., being at the rate of £ 66 per lodge . LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND raised £ 362 Ss . f ° 'he Girls' School last year , and £ 429 19 s . 6 d . for this Institution in 1889 . Thus , as the Province makes it a rule to give its main support to

each Institution in turn , we shall look to see it represented at the Boys' Festival in June . LINCOLNSHIRE ( 25 lodges ) gave £ 10 10 s . to the Girls' School , and £ 42 to the Boys' School last year , and £ 399 7 s . to this Institution and £ 10 10 s . to the Boys' School in 18 99 . NORFOLK ( 18 lodges ) contributed £ 73 ios ., per Bro . G . W . G . Barnard , Prov . Grand Secretary , to this Institution , and £ 254 10 s . per Bros . W . P . Eversley and A . F . Hardyment to the Girls' School in 1900 , and £ 122 17 s . 6 d . to this Institution in 1899 . NORTHUMBERLAND ( 33 lodges ) figured

at the Benevolent Festival for £ 68 5 s ., and that of the Girls School for £ 79 16 s . 6 d . last year , and at those of the same Institutions in 18 99 for sums amounting to £ 77 Ss . j at the Boys' Centenary in 18 9 8 for £ 1290 9 s . ; and in 18 95 , at the two School Festivals ; its contribution to the senior , per Bro . R . Holmes , D . P . G . M ., being £ 231 5 s ., and to the junior £ 186 18 s . SOUTH WALES ( E . D . ) , with a roll of 23 lodges , subscribed £ 1050 to the Girls' School in 1897 when Lord Llangattock , Prov . Grand Master , was in the chair ; £ 605 6 s . 6 d . to the Boys' Centenary in 18 98 ; and £ 631 to this Institution in behalf of Lord Llangattock ' s Chairmanship in 18 99 ;

while SOUTH WALKS ( W . D . ) , which comprises only 10 lodges , gave £ 161 7 s . to the Boys' Centenary in 1898 ; £ 141 15 s . to this Institution in 18 99 ; and £ 75 12 s . to the Girls' School last year . The other absentees are J ERSEY ( 7 lodges ) and the ISI . K OF MAN ( 9 lodges ) , from both of which contributions are from time to time received by one or other of our Institutions , and though owing to their remoteness from headquarters , we do not notice their absence , we feel sure that the oftener such contributions are received , the more pleased will be the Secretaries of our Charities .

We now turn to the represented Provinces , the first , in alphabetical order , being BEDFORDSHIRE which , though it numbers only seven lodges , does good work every now and then . On Wednesday the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 803 . Biggleswade , contributed , per Bro . J . C . H . Daniel , £ 40 19 s . Last year it figured at all three Festivals—for £ 31 10 s . to this Institution in February , for £ 153 us . to the Girls '

School in May , and for £ 52 105 . to the Boys' School in July . In 18 99 , the Girls ' School was favoured to the extent of £ 133 17 s . 6 d ., while in 1898 it raised £ 321 iGs . 6 d ., of which £ 28845 . 6 d . was subscribed to the . Boys' Centenary and the balance to the Old People . In 18 93 it distributed £ 18 3 17 s . 6 d ., and in 18 94 , £ 238 9 s . among the three Charities , while its returns in the intermediate and preceding years bear testimony to its readiness to render what service it can to our Central Charities .

BERKSHIRE , during the 10 years it has existed as a separate Province , has been a consistent and generous supporter of our three Institutions . In 1892 , its aggregate , including £ 661 9 s . 6 d . to the Benevolent Jubilee , reached £ 945 us . 6 d ., and in 18 95 £ 936 6 s . ( id . In 1896 the total stood at £ 1009 19 s . 6 d ., while in 18 98 , it was as high as £ 16 97 5 s ., of which £ 1436 17 s . was raised for the Boys' Centenary .

Notwithstanding this splendid record it compiled , in 18 99 , a total for tbe three Charities of £ 1226 8 s . gd ., of which £ 558 8 s . 6 d . was subscribed in support of Bro . C . E . Keyser ' s Chairmanship at the Boys' Festival . Last year it raised £ 366 ss . 6 d . for this Institution ; £ 2 53 4 s . 6 d . for the Girls' School ; and for the Boys' School £ 224 15 s . 6 d ., making a total for theyear of £ 844 5 s . 6 d . On Wednesday four of its 17 lodges were represented , and with Bro . C . E . Keyser , his son , and another Steward Unattached , returned a total of £ 323 .

The last time we had the pleasure of including BRISTOL , with its roll of nine lodges , among the represented Provinces was in 18 98 , when it figured in the Returns at the Boys' Centenary for the substantial sum of £ 354 7 s . 6 d . On Wednesday it sent up a Provincial Steward in the person of Bro . F . S . Bolt , whose list comprised donations and subscriptions amounting to the large sum of £ 707 7 s . It is hardly necessary for us to add that the oftener this Province enters an appearance at these gatherings the heartier will be the welcome accorded to it .

Four of the 22 lodges in BUCKINGHAMSHIRE will be found in the Returns on this occasion , the number of Stewards being six , and the sum total of their lists £ 111 17 s . 6 d , Like its neighbour a , nd former