Appro Aching Jubilee Festival Of The Benevolent Institution.

APPRO ACHING JUBILEE FESTIVAL OF THE BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

We are now within what it is the fashion to speak of as " measurable distance" of the Jubilee Festival of the Royal "Masonic Benevolent Institution . The principal arrangements , wc are glad to say , are all made , and , though there is still a mass of detail to be attended to so that everything * ma } ' be in perfect order by the day appointed , there is very little doubt that the

Executive Committee will be able to accomplish their task , and that , in accordance with our invariable experience of great Masonic celebrations , the event will pass off most satisfactorily and in a manner which will redound to the credit of those in charge . As regards thc principal details , it was finally determined on Monday that the Festival shall take place in the Theatre Royal ,

Covent Garden , on Wednesday , fhe 24 th instant , under the presidency of the Rig ht Hon . the Earl of MOVXT EDGCUMBE , Deputy Grand "Master of England , and Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall , the use of the Theatre having been granted on very favourable conditions by the lessee and manager — Bro . Sir AUGUSTUS HARRIS , Past

Grand Treasurer—for thc da } ' of celebration and for the days immediately preceding and following it . The space available for dining will , it is reckoned , comfortably accommodate some 1150 guests , and though by the appointed day the Board of Stewards will , in all probability , reach , if it does not exceed , some 1300 , wc do not anticipate there

will be any difficulty in finding room for all of them who may desire to be present , as well as for those distinguished brethren and others to whom it ma } ' p lease the Bonrd to issue invitations . Thc ladies who , in all likelihood , will muster in more than their usual force , will banquet separately , but in what part or parts of the theatre has not yet been settled ,

while ( he boxes will be available for them during the after-dinner proceedings . Whether in addition to the Stewards ancl their fair friends it will bc possible to issue thc usual dinner tickets for brethren who are not Stewards , nnd if so in what part of thc building dinner will be served to them , it is impossible to say at present . We are inclined to think thc Executive

Committee will have their resources taxed to the utmost in order to provide dinner for the Stewards and ladies , whom we may reasonably set down together as some 1500 persons . Covent Garden Theatre , as our readers are aware , is by no means a small building- as regards ils capacity for seating a multitude of spectators . It has been

crowded from floor to ceiling on many occasions , but it has never before been converted into a dining hall , and it strikes us , therefore , that the Executive Committee , however anxious they may be to accommod . ife all Masons who may wish lo be present as guests , will lind themselves under the necessity of declining to issue tickets except to those who ,

as Stewards , are entitled to them , their lady friends , and the few distinguished and other brethren who are usually invited . What ihe musical arrangements will bc has still to be settled by the Musical Sub-Committee which was appointed on Monday , but doubtless , in this as in all other

matters , whatever is calculated lo promote the comfort and convenience of those who will have the privilege of assisting at this important function ""'ill be done ; nor , as we have said already , have we any misgivings whatever as to the success which those in charge of the very onerous duty of preparing for the celebration are striving so hard to achieve .

As regards ( he more material point for consideration that is to say , ¦ "'heftier the preparations which are being made will be productive of a result '" '" " ¦ * > ' way approaching that of the Centenary Festival of thc Royal Masonic _ 'islitiition for Girls— we must content ourselves for ( he present with hazarding just a few remarks . The Board of Stewards , after making the necessary ... — •-- — .- ¦'"¦— - » •¦— . -, — j

cauctioi- i f or deaths and withdrawals , maybe set down as numbering rather " 'ore than 1200 brethren . London is particularly strong , quite two-thirds of s lod ges and several of its chapters being represented—not a few amongst . * " ; fw' ) ishiiig several Stewards -while the total number of brethren acting us capacity is in excess of -500 . Wc havetherefore , good grounds for

, a ' . 'licipuiing that as regards this section of fhe Board , thc Returns will yield an exceptionall y large total , especially .-is fully ( hree-fomth . s of ( he London 500 o go and chapter representatives . The Provinces , likewise , are in strong thr ' r at must * ' vcry gratifying to Bro . TKRRY , there are only two or ee of them which have not as yet furnished supporters . The Stewards froi 1 """ - 'i ii . ivu noi as yet iiirnisneci . supporters , 1 no oiowarcis

hav ' ? P rcscntcd Provinces are nearly 700 in number , and several of them this * * * " , ade VCry stre " - cffo * "l-s to strengthen our " Old People " at of j , Pnrtlci . ! ai" festival . West Yorkshire and East Lancashire , and , in spite Ju « C S | . " st W ° SUpp 0 r . t of Lo , ' d r- ^ noM at the Boys' School Festival in brcilir ' CSl ncasmrc ' havecachof them sent up a numerous contingentof cn I so , too , have Warwickshire , Cheshire , Suffolk , and Derbyshire , while

Appro Aching Jubilee Festival Of The Benevolent Institution.

the Home Counties have in each case a vcry large proportion of their lodges represented by one or more brethren . From what we have further gleaned in the way of conversation , there is also every likelihood of the three-figure lists being both numerous and well furnished with donations and subscriptions , so that we may hope to find the average of the lists less seriously affected by

thc large number of Stewards Unattached than is usually the case . In short , whether we look to the arrangements which the Executive is so zealousl y pushing forward , or to the strength and constitution of the Board of brethren who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of raising a sum which shall place this particular Festival in the very forefront of Masonic festival

successes , wc lind the prospect in all respects encouraging * . However , we must not venture too far in the direction of prophecy . We shall content ourselves , therefore , with expressing the hope that three weeks hence it may be our privilege to announce a result which will surprise many even among the most sanguine supporters of the Institution and at the same time gratify them all .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Comp . F . A . Philbrick , Q . C , G . Supt . of Essex , acted as G . Z . ; Comp , the Rev . C . W . Spencer Stanhope , G . Supt . of Cheshire , as G . H . ; and Comp . Lieut .-Gen . C . Wilson Randolph , G . Supt . of Sussex , as G . J . The other companions present

were—Comps . A . A . Pendlebury , A . G . S . E . ; Sir Bruce Af . Seton , G . S . N . ; Baron de Ferrieres , as G . P . S . ; J . Aird , M . P ., ist A . G . S . ; Sir G . D . Harris , 2 nd A . G . S . ; Robt . Grey , President Committee of General Purposes ; Geo . Everett , G . Treas . ; E . K . Bayley , G . S . B .,- R . Clowes , 3 rd G . Std . I 3 r .,- G . J . McKay , 4 th G . Std . Br . ; F . Richardson , G . Director of Ceremonies ; W . Hopekirk , ist Assistant G . Director of Ceremonies ; F . Sumner Knyvett ; E . Letchworth ; C . Belton ; Eugene Monteuuis , P . D . G . D . C . - .

I . E . Le Feuvre , P . G . S . B . ; Chas . H . Driver , P . G . S . B . ; R . Loveland Loveland , P . A . G . S . ; J . A . Farnlield , P . G . Std . Br . ; Henry Garrod , P . A . G . D . C . ; Thomas Fenn , P . P . C . G . P . ; lames S . Eastes , P . G . S . B . ; C . Hammcrton , P . G . D . C . j XV . M . Bywater , P . G . Std . Br . j Chas . Fredk . Howard , P . D . G . D . C . ; T . W . Whitmarsh , 2 nd A . G . D . C ; Ralph Gooding * , M . D ., P . A . G . S . ; Henry Piatt , P . G . S . B . ; Henry J . P . Dumas . P . G . S . B .,- J . Bodenham , P . G . S . O .,- Frederick West , P . A . G . S . ; Peter de

Lande Long-, P . G . P . S . ; F . Hilton , P . Z ., & c , 1275 ; \ V . H . Rylands , H . 2 ; G . H . Finch , P . Z . 1297 , 2005 , P . P . G . T . Essex ; J . S . Cumberland , P . Z . 23 6 , P . P . G . S . N . and E . Yorks ; Neville Green , P . Z . 1524 ; G . S . Recknell , P . Z . 73 ; Lennox Browne , P . Z . 210 S ; E . St . Clair , H . 2060 ; K . K . Potter , H . 1320 ; Arthur Brtts , J . 1 G 24 ; H . Massey , Z . 1928 ; J . W . Harvey , P . Z . 25 ; J . Cater , ' / ., 2317 ; and Henry Sadler , Grand Janitor .

Grand Chapter having been formally opened , the minutes were read and confirmed .

Comp . PE . VW . KIH ' KV announced that letters had been received from Comps . the Rev . O . J . Grace , G . Soj ., and Hamon Le Strange , apologising for their absence on account of illness . Comp . PHILBRICK rose and said : Companions , —Before we proceed with the business of this evening , I am sure that I shall have thc sympathy of every one present when I call your attention to the great losses we , as Freemasons ,

have sustained , and in particular to the great loss which has befallen our Grand Chapter . Thc whole land has been overshadowed , and is still overshadowed , in mourning ( or the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , His early career of hope and promise has been most suddenly cut short under circumstances which have peculiarly evoked the feeling and sympathy of thc country , and I may say of all countries

in the world . With regard to him an Especial Grand Lodge within these walls passed resolutions of sympathy and of condolence with her Majesty and with his father , the Most Worshipful Grand Master . A distinguished Masoit who had attained an eminent and high position among us , the Duke of Clarence and Avondale , was not a Royal Arch Mason , ancl , therefore , it would scarcely bc proper for us to pass

any formal resolution with respect to Ins untimely death , although I am quite sure that you as Grand Chapter would desire that your participation in the sentiments of all Masons at the same time shall be recorded on our minutes . With regard to our beloved and esteemed Col , Shadwcl ) Gierke , indeed the loss which Freemasonry has sustained by his decease becomes more evident day by day . He fulfilled the duties of a high and difficult position with singular ability , with great power , and with a clearness and directness

of purpose to which in a great measure must be attributed the exceeding prosperity which the Order and the Craft have attained oi Into years , and thc absence of all causes of friction which must in a large community almost inevitably arise . It has pleased the Great Disposer of all events to remove him at a comparatively early age from thc midst of us , when he had the right in all human probability to look forward to a long career of usefulness -a career which should be respected and esteemed by all with whom he came in contact ; and we cannot but deplore the great loss which has thus fallen