The Approaching Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ft is very painful to know that every year there are about twothirds—and sometimes even three-fourths—of the approved candidates who must be sent away unprovided for for this reason . We trust , therefore , that as the time for holding that

Festival , on which the Institution is almost entire ! } dependent for its means , approaches , we shall hear that Bro . TERRY has obtained such an accession to his Board of Stewards as will relieve him and the Committee of Management from all anxiety

as to next year ' s income being sufficient to defray the years expenditure . We trust , also , that if anything in the nature of an additional incentive to support is needed the brethren will bear in mind that this will be the third occasion on which his

Royal Hig hness the Duke of CONNAUGHT has presided at a Festival of one of our Institutions . The first was in 18 7 8 , when his Royal Highness occupied Ihe chair on behalf of the Boys' School . The second was in 1 S 92 , when this Institution

held its Jubilee , and the Duke gave his services in aid of the Girls' School . But though on these occasions the totals received were considerable , they were not—owing to circumstances which everyone allows were unavoidable—on such a

scale as all of us would wish to see resulting from the advocacy of a Royal Chairman . Let them remember , too , that next year her Majesty will complete a reign of 60 years , and that the relief of the aged poor and their widows , who have seen better

days , has always received her deepest sympathy . We trust , therefore , that for the sake of the Institutions , for the everpressing claims of the poor candidates , and thirdl y as a mark of respect to the Ol'EEN on the 60 th year of her reign , and to the

Duke of CONNAUGHT on the occasion of his third Chairmanship , that the lodges and brethren both in London and the country , will put their shoulders to the wheel and raise such a total as will make the year 18 97 memorable in the annals of Masonic Benevolence .

The Province Of Sussex.

THE PROVINCE OF SUSSEX .

It is to be regretted that the Duke of CONN AUGHT was unable to attend the recent annual meeting of his Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex , and the more so as the cause of his absence was illness . Great preparations had been made for his Royal I Ugliness ' s reception . There was an unusually strong

muster of the brethren , and the worthy people of Hastings , where the meeting was held , had made preparations for giving him a hearty welcome on the occasion of his visit to that ancient port . Moreover , the Duke , as Prov . Grand Master ,

could not have been otherwise than deepl y gratified b y the very favourable reports that were submitted of the proceedings of the lodges under his rule during the past year , the praiseworth y attention they had g iven to their duties , and their generally prosperous condition .

Sussex has , indeed , fared well under the government of its present chief . During the ten years that have elapsed since the Duke ' s installation in office , six new lodges have been added to the Provincial roll , and this augmentation of numbers mi ght and would have been still greater , had not his Royal Hi ghness

proclaimed his intention of not recommending to the M . W . G . Master that warrants should be granted to proposed new lodges unless there were reasonable grounds , amojiiling almost to a certainty , that they would be able to maintain themselves in a state of efficiency and without detriment to the interests of

lodges alread y constituted . 1 here is yet a third reason for regretting the absence of the Prov . ( 1 . Master on this particular occasion . As we have stated in the proce eding article , his Roval Highness has very graciously consented to preside as Chairman at the Anniversary Festival , which will be held

in February next , on behalf of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and it is most desirable that , as a mark of respect to him and for the sake of the Institution itself , there should be an ample return of Donations and Subscriptions . As we have further stated in the same article , this

will be the third time he has presided on such an occasion , but it is a strange fact , which is , no doubt , capable of being explained , that neither at the Boys' School Festival in 18 7 8 , nor at that of the Girls' School in 1892 , at the celebration of both of which his Royal Hi g hness was the President , did the returns approach the

The Province Of Sussex.

average annual total . But in 18 97 the QUEEN will celebrate the completion of the 60 th year of her g lorious rei gn—the longest in the annals of this country—and it seems onl y in accordance with the fitness of things that on such an occasion

when the QUEEN ' son is presiding at the festival of an Institution in which her Majesty has always taken the greatest interest and of which she is a Vice-Patron , the total of the Donations and Subscriptions should be higher than in less memorable years

However , Sussex is a Province which , lor a long time past , has shown itself a consistent and hearty supporter of all our Institu - tions . Even , in 18 92 , when it already stood committed to a larger subscription than usual in support of the Benevolent

Jubilee , no sooner was it known that it was his Royal Hi gliness ' s intention to preside at the Girls' School Festival in that year , than steps were taken to support his Chairmanshi p ; with the result that after contributing over £ 1150 to the aforesaid

Jubilee , the Province raised some £ 1025 for the Girls School . And as the Province has been similarl y generous on other prominent occasions , we are confident it will do its utmost in order to render its Prov . Grand Master ' s Chairmanshi p in February next a conspicuous success .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for Hants and the Isle of Wight , presided . Bro . ; . Admiral A . Hastings Markham acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Dr . Balfour Cockburn , as Past Grard

Master ; A . Akers-Douglas , M . P ., P . G . W ., as Senior Grand Warden ; and Major-General Wimburn Lawrie , P . G . W ., as Junior Grard Warden . Among oilier brethren present were Bros . R . Loveland Loveland , R . Horton Smith , QC , E . Letchworth , G . Sec ; W . M . Stiles , P . G . Treas . ; R .

Eve , P . G . Treas . ; Geo . Everett , P . G . Treas . ; S . Cochrane , P . G . Treis . ; VV . H . Bailey , G . Treas , ; T . Fenn , Past President Board of General Purposes ; Robert Grey , Past President Board of Benevolence ; W . Lake , Asst . G . Sec . ; R . Clay Sudlow , P . G . D . ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C . ; and H . Lovrg'ove , G . S . B .

After Grand Lodge had been opened in form , and the minutes of the September Communication had been read by the GRAND SECRETARY , and confirmed , Bro . GEORGE LANCELOT EYLES , P . G . Steward , P . M . 197 , on rising to nominate the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M . for the ensuing year said ,

Right Worshipful G : and Master in the chair , it is my privilege to-night to give notice that at the next meeting of Grand Lodge I shall have the honour of proposing his Rojal Highness the Prince of Wales for election as

Grand Master of our Order . This is an easy and pleasing task . We all realire and appreciate the good his Royal Highness has done For Freem isonry . The proposal I shall have to make on the next occasion is one which I am sure will find a response in every Masonic heart .

Bro . J AMES STEPHENS , W . M . 2 , V > 3 , in nominating Bro . Alderman Vaughan Morgan for Grand Treasurer for the year , said , he might perhaps be excused if he told the brethren that this was his maiden effort at addressing Grind Lodge , and he hoped they would extend towards him that forb ; arance and indulgence which was so characteristic of one Mason to another .

He hed the honour of nominating for the distinguished office of Grand Treasurer , the Worshipful Bro . Alderman Vaughan Morgan . ( App lause . ) He hit it -somewhat unnecessary to dilate on the many claims of the worthy brother to the office , and thought he ought simply to make the proposition , and he felt there were sufficient brethren present who

were thete two years ago , who would give a ready acceptance to the proposal he had the honour lo make . Bro . Vaughan Morgan had been a Mason for thirty years . He was initiated in the year 1865 , in the Burlington Lodge , No . 93 , in which lodge he has served the office of W . M . on three occasions . He was also a P . Z . of the Prince of Wales ' s Chapter , and this

year W . M . of the CirJ ^ ame-s' Lodge . Bo . Vaughan Morgan ' s name was one honoured in the City of London , and was a household word with regard to the subject of charity , which the M . W . Grand Mas ' er , w ^ en presiding on the day when he was first installed , said was the watchword of Freemasonry . ( Hear , bear . ) Bro . Vaughan Morgan had fully recognised

this , and had nobly and grandly associated himself with it , not only in respect of the Masonic Institutions , of which he was a Vice-Patron , but with 01 her Institutions ; indeed , his charity knew no bounds . Not only ii these lands , but elsewhere abroad , wherever assistance was asked his name was always down for alleviating distress , and he ( Bro .

St < phens ) felt sure the brethren would do justice to Bro . Vaughan Morgan , and give him their hearty support . It would be in the recollection of the brethren that two years ago Bro . Vaughin Morgan sought the position of Grand Treasurer and had to accept defeat at the hands of a brother dear

to him ( Bro . Stephens ) and to the hearts of all present—William Mason Stiles . The first to congratulate Bro . Stiles on the occasion of his election was Bro . Alderman Vaughan Morgan , who advanced to his side and said , " I congratulate you . " Such a brother was one who would do honour to the position of Grand Treasurer , and discharge the duties of the office