Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

knew how to make a garden . If there was a rocky hill in it it was still a garden . High up in the hills hundreds of little rills of water were brought down gently to some figure-head , sometimes a nymph , sometimes a satyr . To-night it might be either nymph or satyr , but at anyrate they had brought up - £ 20 , 000 . He thanked the brethren for the quiet work which had brought about that result . It was the work of discip line . It was that which led to

Lord Roberts ' s success in South Africa and made us love home the more . Life was a rough and tumble place , some had advantages and some had disadvantages ; but there would be one day a Lodge where all our works would be tried , and we were told in memorable terms that the Great Architect would say , " Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my Brethren , you have done it unto me . "

Bro . W . F . S MITHSON , P . G . D ., proposed " The Masonic Charities , and appealed to the brethren to support liberally the forthcoming festivals of the Girls' and the Boys' Institutions ,

STEWARD ' S JEWEL Designed and Manufactured by Ilros . George Kenning and Son . Bro . F . R . W . HEDGES , P . G . S . B ., responded . The Boys' School Festival would be presided over by a most popular member of the Royal

Family . That would ensure a hearty response . The Girls' Festival would take place previously , and the Earl of Dartmouth would preside . He was quite sure that when the time came round the brethren would show their appreciation of his Lordship ' s services , and accord the Girls' School a

result somewhat similar to that which they had that night witnessed . ( Cheers . ) Bro . GLUTTON proposed "The Stewards , " and Bro . WILSON , Dep . Prov . G . M ., \ V . Yorks , replied ; after which Dr . STRONC ; proposed "The Ladies , " and the brethren adjourned to the Temple , Freemasons ' Hall , where a concert was given .

The musical arrangements were under the direction of Bro . Turle Lee . The artistes were Madam Kate Cove , Miss Maggie Purvis , Miss Kdith Turner , Miss Marian Blinkhorn , Bros , W , R . Maxwell , Ivor Foster , and Bro , Robert Radford , A recitation was given by Bro , Fred .

Upton , and a violin solo by Miss Jeanne Levine ; Bro . Wallis Arthur contributed a humorous sketch ; at the piano were Bros . G , F . Smith , KGO . | and l ' urle Lee , The grand pianofortes were kindly supplied by Messrs . Erard .

Analysis Of The Returns.

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .

There is no need for anything in the nature of a preface to our usual inalysis of the Returns as announced by Bro . Terry on Tuesday . The Board of Stewards consisted of Coo ladies and brethren , and the total of Donations and Subscriptions—there being , however , many lists still outstanding—was , £ 20 , 220 16 s .

Towards this splendid return , London with 269 Stewards , contributed £ 11 , 699 I 0 S -, and the Provinces and Foreign Stations , with 331 Stewards , . £ 8521 6 s . Last year , when Lord Llangattock occupied tho chair , the announcement on the night of the Festival was 48 . 3 Stewards ; total £ 18 , 20783 . 6 d ., which sum was ultimately increased to £ 20 , 162 y * . 3 d .

LONDON , as we have said , furnished a contingent of 269 Stewards , thc aggregate of whose lists amounted to £ 1 ifig _ ios . Of these 26 9 Stewards 18 4 represented 159 lodges and nine chapters in the Metropolitan ; irea , and 85 , namely , 71 brethren and 14 ladies , were I ' nattached . Among thc individual lists which compose the total , there are as many as 30 , which range from £ 100 upwards , the place of

honour , as the highest list of all being taken by the Friars Lodge , No . 1349 , whose representative , Bro . David Moss , had the gratification of compiling a total ot £ 572 . The next in order , but at a wide interval , was the list obtained by Bro . WalterS . Bunting , with the cooperation of 10 of his fellow-members ofthe Old Boys' Lodge , No . 2500 , for £ 270 iSs . ; and then came Bro . Benjamin Stocktr , High Cross Lodge , No . 754 , with . £ 255 3 s . ; Bro . Alfred Cocks , Sincerity

Lodge , No . 174 , with . £ 231 Ss . G . L ; and Bro . Edwin George , Marquess of Ripon Lodge , No . 14 S 9 , with £ 223 is . 6 d . Bro . S . VV . Bull , of the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 781 , compiled a total of £ 194 Hs ., and Bro . Frank T . Slade , Peace and Harmony Lodge , No do , Bro . VV . H . Hillman , Fitzroy Lodge , No . 569 , and Bro . James Terry , the Secretary , Unattached , who figure with . £ 175 17 s ., •£ ¦ 75 , ' ' - > a"d i- ^ l-t respectively . Hro . Henry Mann , Pickwick Lodge ,

No . 246 7 , handed in , 1 list of £ 162 4 s . ( Id ., and was followed very closely by Bro . W . H . Pocklington , Finsbury Park Lodge , No . 12 S 8 , who returned £ 155 5 s- Bro . W . H . Latham , London Rifle Brigade Lodge , No . i < , ( i 2 , roin-jiilirig £ i 45 19 s ., and Hro . T . Simpson , of the Marcians Lodge , No . 2 O 4 S . £ i . \' i 7 s . rtd . Bro . Alfred Craddock , Tivoli Lodge , No . 2150 , did well in i , ' iising £ 135 19 s . Gd ., while at no vory great distance came a whole batch of good

Analysis Of The Returns.

lists obtained by Bro . John Worth , Ranelagh Lodge , No . 834 , and Bro . J . Worth , Earl's Court Lodge , No . 2765 , each with a total of £ 126 5 s . ; Bro . J . W . Simeon , Confidence Lodge . No . 193 , and Bro . W . G . Hale , Mount Edgcumbe Lodge , No . 1446 , each with £ 126 ; Bro . J . A . Yapp , Abbey Lodge , No . 2030 , and Bros . E . Black , J . G . Stevens , and A . R . Trew , jointly representing the Woodgrange Lodge , No . 2409 , the return from tlie former being for £ 120 15 s ., and from the latter for £ 120 . Bro . G . F . Smith , of the Kent Lodge , No , 15 , who also did duty for the Guildhall School of Music Lodge , No . 2454 , is entered for £ 119 ; Bro . E . Gerson ,

Hampden Lodge , No . 2427 , for £ 111 6 s . ; Bro . G . W . Smith , Stanhope Lodge , No . 1269 , for £ 110 ss . ; Bro . E . Roehrich , Verity Lodge , No . 2739 , for ^ 109 4 s . ; Bro . Frank W . Whitlock , All Saints Lodge , No . 1716 , for £ 108 ; and Bro . John Chapman , Clerkenwell Lodge , No . 1964 , for £ 106 is . The three that come next in order are each entered for £ 105 , namely , Bro . John Cook , Lodge of Justice , No . 147 ; Bro . J . R . Chase , Eccentric Lodge , No . 2488 : and Mrs . W . G . Cannon . The last of all is Bro . Halfhide , of the Royal Arthur Lodge , No . 1360 , with a round £ 100 .

Among the other lists which appear to us worthy of notice are the following in their proper numerical order , namely . Bro . E . A . Smith , Royal York Lodge of Perseverance , No . 7 , for . £ 80 17 s . ; Major Eustace Anderson , Gihon Lodge , No . 49 . for £ 93 9 s . ; Comp . R . W . Wallace , Q . C ., ! of the Chapter of Felicity , No . 58 , for £ 7 8 15 s . ; Bro . H . A . Tobias , Royal Naval Lodge , No . 59 , for £ 73 ios . ; Bro . W . J . Gow , Lodge of Unity , No . 69 , also for £ 73 ios . j Bro . J . A . Witthaus , of Tranquillity Lodge , No . 185 , for £ 95 os . 6 d . ; Bro . W . S . Page , Industry

Lodge , No . 186 , . £ 70 17 s . 6 d . ; Bro . R . Clarke , New Concord Lodge , No . 813 , £ 73 ios . ; Bro . V . W . F . Dickens , Victoria Rifles Lodge , No . 822 , ^ 84 17 s . ; Bro . Frank E . Wright , Royal Oak Lodge , No . 871 , for £ go 16 s . 6 d . ; Bro . Geo . F . Rossiter , Royal Albert Lodge , No . 907 , for £ 87 3 s . ; Bro . John Barlow , John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 , for £ 94 ios . j Bro . A . Collinson , Highgate Lodge , No . 1366 , for £ 75 17 s . j Bro . Campbell W . Wynne , Friends in Council Lodge , No . 1383 , for £ 82 14 s . j Bro . Arthur White , Kingsland Lodge , No . 16 93 , for £ 84 ;

Bro . Frank Irvine , Kensington Lodge , No . 1767 , for , £ 89 ; Bro . H . L . Bell , Gallery Lodge , No . 1928 , for £ 79 ; West Ham Abbey Lodge , No . 2291 , collected by Bro . Bush , W . M ., £ 85 3 s . ; Bro . J . A . Adams , Cricklewood Lodge , No . 2361 , for £ 89 ss . ; Bros . Joseph Toon and E . T . Lea , of the Second Middlesex Artillery Lodge , No . 2484 , for £ 8 9 5 s . ; Bro . R . P . Walkden , Holloway Lodge , No . 2601 , £ 80 7 s . ; Bro . H . Hudson , Wandle Lodge , No . 2699 , for £ 73 16 s . 6 d . ; and Bro . A . W . Humphreys , Unattached , for £ 73 ios . Turning our attention to

THE PROVINCES , we find that of the 46 into which our Country Masonry is sub-divided , as many as 32 were , more or less , numerously and efficiently represented , the number of those who gave their services as Stewards being 331 , and the total amount it was their good fortune to accumulate £ 8521 6 s . Last year there were 36 Provinces represented by 216 Stewards , the aggregate of whose lists ultimately reached £ 97 88 9 s . 6 d ., so that the present Returns , though gathered from a smaller number of Provinces , compares on the whole favourably with that of the 1899 Festival .

The 14 absentee Provinces are headed by BRISTOL ( nine lodges ) , which , we regret to see , takes apparently little interest in the work of our Central Institutions . No doubt this is in great measure accounted for by the claims of its own Charity , but still the fact remains that during the years 1897 , 1898 , and 18 99 it figured at the Boys' Centenary Festival only , for which event it raised . £ 354 7 s . 6 d ., or at the rate ot nearly £ 40 per lodge . The last occasion on which CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND ( 22 lodges ) put forth its strength was at the

Boys' School Festival in 18 97 , when its Prov . G . Master , Lord Henry Cavendish . Bentinck , M . P ., presided as Chairman , and was loyally supported by the lodges and brethren under his charge to the extent of £ 1260 . It also figured at the Centenary Festival of the same Institution , to which it contributed £ 222 is . HEREFORDSHIRE ( live lodges ) appears to be resting on the laurels it gained at the Boys' Centenary in 1898 , to which it subscribed the very creditable sum of £ 330 15 s ., being at the very high average—especially for so small a Province—of

£ 66 per lodge . LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND ( 14 lodges ) took part in last year ' s Festival on behalf of this Institution , and to very good purpose , the total of its contributions being £ 429 19 s . 6 d . But , before the year is out , we shall find it has done its duty by supporting one of the Schools . LINCOLNSHIRE ( 25 lodges ) did yeoman service for the Old People last year , when it subscribed to its funds within a fraction of £ 400 , the precise sum being , £ 390 7 s ., and an odd . £ 10 ios . from the Steward for one of its lodges found its way into the coffers of the Boys '

School . MONMOUTHSHIRE ( I I lodges ) also did duty last year for this Institution , the total ot its contributions reaching . £ 477 15 s . NORTH WALES ( 20 lodges ) , thanks to the zeal of Bro . C . K . Benson and others among its brethren , is not often mentioned among the unrepresented Provinces . Last year , for instance , it was entered at all three Festivals , subscribing £ 21 to this Institution ; £ 55 is . 6 d . to the Girls' School ; and £ 7 8 15 s . to the Boys' School ; making a total of £ 154 16 s . 6 d ., the comparative smallness of the Returns being due to the great

exertions put forth in aid of the Boys' Centenary , to which , in addition to . £ 294 to the Old People and , £ 10 ios . to the Girls' School , it subscribed £ 108 9 ios ., the amount for the whole of 18 9 8 being £ 1394 . There is no need to go very far afield to account for the absence of SOMERSETSHIRE ( 26 lodges ) from Tuesday ' s gathering . Last year Viscount Dungarvan presided as Chairman at the Girls ' Festival , and was supported by the lodges and brethren herules over to the extent of £ 2191 17 s ., in addition to which it gave £ 25 10 s . to this Institution and , £ 2653 .

to the Boys'School . I he absence of the EASTERN DIVISION OF SOUTH WALES ( 23 lodges ) may be similarly accounted for . Last year it raised , £ 631 for this Institution , at whose Festival Lord Llangattock , its Prov . G . M ., occupied the chair , ln 1898 it raised £ 605 6 s . 6 d . for the Boys' Centenary , and in 1897 , when its respected chief presided at the Girls' Festival , its contributions amounted to £ 1050 . Its neighbour , the WESTERN DIVISION OF SOUTH WALES ( 10 lodges ) , is much smaller , and , though scarcely a year passes but it supports one or other

of our Institutions , its figures are for the most part on a modest scale . In 1898 it subscribed £ 161 7 s . to the Boys' Centenary , and last year £ 105 to this Institu . tion . N . AND E . YORKSHIRE figured in the Returns at the Benevolent and Girls ' School Festivals last year , raising £ 137 gs . at the former and , £ 66 3 s . at the latter , while in 1 S 9 8 it subscribed £ 563 13 s . 6 d . to the Boys' Centenary and

£ 78 15 s . to the Girls' School , or together £ 642 8 s . 6 d . The remaining absentees are GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY ( six lodges ) , J ERSEY ( seven lodges ) , and the ISLE OF MAN ( nine lodges ) , but , as we have been in the habit of pointing out , while their presence is always welcome , we do not look for them to be represented frequently , owing to their remoteness from headquarters . The number of lodges comprised in the foregoing 14 unrepresented Provinces is 221 .

We now turn to the represented Provinces , the first of which , in alphabetical order , is

BEDFORDSHIRE . On Tuesday one of its seven lodges contributed £ 31 ios . by the medium of Bro . the Rev . V . P . Wyatt , who has more than once acted the part of a Steward . Last year it confined its attention to the Girls' School , for which it raised , £ 133 17 s . 6 d ., the contributors being the St . Andrew ' s Lodge , No . 803 , Biggies .

wade , and the Sir William Harpur Lodge , No . 2343 ( per Bro . the Rev . V . P . Wyatt , as on Tuesday ) , together with Bro . Charles E . Prior , M . D ., D . P . G . M ., and another brother Unattached . The Province has been a consistent s ' upporter of our Institutions , distributing . £ 152 5 s . among the three in 1892 ; , £ 18 3 17 s . 6 d . in 1893 ; and £ 238 9 s . in 1894 . The following year it gave its attention to this