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WE understand ( hat at some time in the summer , yet to be fixed , there will be at Worcester , under the presidency of Bro . Sir E . LECHMERE , Provincial Grand Master , a gathering of Freemasons and an exhibition of Masonic MSS ., books , medals , plate , & : c . Bro . GEO . TAYLOR , Provincial Grand

Secretary , so well known by his zeal m the Charity Elections , is the Secretary for the movement , and we need hardly say we wish it all success , and will give it any help we can . It is emphatically a rig ht movement , and deserves the support not onl y of Masonic archxologists , but of all " bright " and thinking Masons .

Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England was held on Wednesday at Freemasons' Hall . There were present : Comps . John Havers , as M . E . Z . ; Col . ; Le Gendre N . Starkie , as H . ; Col . Creaton , P . G . Treasurer , as J . ; Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , S . E . ; Rev . Ambrose VV . Hall , P . G . Soj ., as S . N . ; John A . Rucker , as P . S . ; Robert Grey , as ist A . S . ; Dr . Ralph Gooding , 2 nd A . S . ; George Lambert , as D . C . ; VVilhelm Ganz , G . Orr ; . ; C . A . Murton , C . Green ,

wood , Lieut .-Col . J . S . Somerville Burney , James Glaisher , Ralph Costa , Magnus Ohren , James Lewis-Thomas , J . Sampson Peirce , J . M . Case , Frank Richardson , Thomas Fenn , Rev . Thomas Robinson , Thos . Dolling Bolton , Joseph C . Parkinson , H . G . Buss , Asst . S . E . j Comptroller Samuel G . Bake , Z . 330 and 13 S 3 ; Hyde Clarke , P . Z . 10 and 5 S 41 Albert Escott , Z . 140 ; G . VV . Armstrong-, Z . 1593 ; E . Letchworth , 2 VVolters 53 Julius Ouitmann Edward Storr 192 and 1044

P . Z . ; II . J . , Z . S ; ; F . , P . Z . ; Fitz Herbert Wright , P . Z . 1324 , P . G . S 7 N . ; Alfred A . Pendlebury , P . Z . 1056 ; Neville Green , P . Z . 1524 ; Hayward Edward , P . Z . 1385 ; William Dodd , P . Z . 1194 ; Henry Cox , P . Z . 174 ; T . VV . Whitmarsh , M . E . Z . 217 ; Charles Daniel , M . E . Z . 65 ; T . J . Maidwcll . Z . 1549 ; C . H . VVebb , H . 1549 ; J . M . Collins , M . E . Z . 435 ; Samuel Gamman , P . Z . 435 ; George Drysdale , II . 7 ; Curtis Harding , P . Z . 77 S ; VV . J . Hornsey Casson , Z . elect 1615 ; H . Sadler , G . J . ; and H . Massey , P . Z . 619 ( hreemason ) .

After the minutes had been read and confirmed , on the motion of Col . CREATON warrants were granted in conformity with the following petitions : From Comps . Horace Brooks Marshall , as Z . ; James Harford Hawkins , as H .: George Clark , jun ., as J . ; and eight others for a chapter to be attached to the Royal Hanover Lodge , No . 1777 , Twickenham , to be called the Royal Hanover Chapter , and to meet at the Albany Hotel , Twickenham , in the county of Middlesex .

From Comps . Walter Bowyer , as ' / . ; George John Tilling , as H . ; Richard Robert Loane Rosoman , as J . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Clausentum Lodge , No . 1461 , Woolston , to be called the Ancastcr Chapter , and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Woolston ,

Hampshire . From Comps . George Gravelcy , as Z . ; Benjamin Carter , as H . ; Joseph Ross Waller , as | . ; and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Lodge of Temperance in the East , No . 898 , Poplar , to be called the Chapter of Temperance in the East , and to meet at the Assembl y Rooms , No . 6 . Newby Place Poplar .

From Comps . William Bennett , as Z . ; Charles William Dommett , as H . ; Robert Witham Inglis , as ] . ; and seven others for a chapter lobe attached to the Anerley Lodge , No . 1397 , Anerley , to be called the Anerley Chapter , and to meet at the Thicket Hotel , Anerley , Surrey . Authority was also given to the Chapter of Nativity , No . 126 , Burnley , Lancashire / for the members to wear a centenary jewel , the chapter having proved an uninterrupted existence of 100 years . The Chapter of J larmony , No . ( 132 , Trowbridge , was authorised to meet at the Freemasons' Hall , Devizes . Grand Chapter was then closed .

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

THE ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

( Continued from page 55 . " ) In June , 1857 , the next Triennial Festival was held under the presidency of Bro . Henry Fcnwick , M . P ., G . J . Warden , who , in the unavoidable absence of the Earl of Durham , G . S . Warden , very kindly undertook to occupy his place , when the amount of subscriptions and donations was

announced as £ 1558 16 s . 6 d . It may also be mentioned incidentally in connection with this celebration , that the Board of Stewards who conducted it , finding they had a balance in hand , after meeting all expenses , of over £ 33 » very generously handed the amount to the Secretary , Bro . Farnfield , in order that he mig ht expend it in the purchase of coals and wood for the

inmates of the Asylum . Similar acts of kindness have been of frequent occurrence since , though since the close of 1859 the annual provision by Grand Lodge of a sum for the purchase of coal has rendered the application of such gifts to that particular purpose unnecessary . This success appears to have emboldened the friends of the Institution to make an effort to obtain

the sanction ol the Grand Master to similar gatherings being held more frequently , and a Special General Meeting was held on the 5 th March , 1858 , when , having regard to the large number of candidates for acceptance on both Funds , it was resolved that it would be to the interest of the Institution that a Festival should be held once in two years , and to this the Grand

Master acceded , the first under the new system being fixed for the 26 th January , 1859 . A minority at the meeting were in favour of annual Festivals , but though the change in this direction came sooner than might have been expected , the opinion does not seem to have as yet acquired a sufficient degree of strength , and the minority were , to all appearances ,

hopelessly beaten . However , after the 1857 Festival , and with the promise of more frequent gatherings of a similar character , the Committee evidently acquired fresh courage , and in their Report of May , 1858 , they recommended the election of ten Male Annuitants in place of the eight who had died , and eig ht Female Annuitants , one death only on that Fund having occurred since their previous Report . This restored the number of old men on the

Funds of the Institution to forty-six , and increased the number of old women to twenty-five . In September came the good news that Grand Lodge had adopted the resolution of extending still further help to the Charity , and had increased its annual grants b y , £ 100 to each of the two branches , thus raising its contribution to the Male Fund to . £ 500 per annum , and that to the Female Fund to £ 300 . In January , 1859 , the first and onl y Festival

The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

held under the Biennial system took place under the presidency of Bro . Wyndham S . Portal , when , with a board of sixty-three Stewards , a total receipt of ^ - ' 053 Ss . was announced . With such a success it followed , almost as a matter of course , that Annual Festivals should become the order of the day , and they did so forthwith , though the Earl of Zetland would appear to have had some misgivings as lo the wisdom of adopting such a course ; that

is to say , he sanctioned the proposal and fixed on the 25 th January , 1 S 60 , for holding the first Annual Festival , but remained privately of opinion that it was not an advisable step to take . However , there is little doubt that his lordshi p must very soon have had reason to change his opinion . The receipts at the earlier yearly Festivals fluctuated somewhat ; but on the whole they presented a steady and satisfactory result year by year , while

of late years the returns have been such as even the most sanguine could hardl y have anticipated . But this is by the way ; the Annual Meeting in 1859 , when the number of Male Annuitants was increased to sixty-two and the number of Female Annuitants to twenty-nine , voted a resolution to the effect that " an Annual Festival would be advantageous to the Charity and not injurious to the other Charities , " and the Grand Master was kind enough to acquiesce .

From this time forward the prospects of the Institution appear to have brightened very materially , and we are rejoiced to add , thus far at all events , permanently . In December , 1859 , it was announced thaf Grand Chapter had been pleased to order the transfer of £ 200 Three per Cent .

Consols to the Male Fund and of a like amount to the Widows' Fund , and the Committee passed a vote of thanks for the gift , as well as to Bro . Joseph Smith , to the exertion of whose influence the action of Grand Chapter appears to have been ascribed . The month following we enter on the long list of Annual Festivals in aid of the funds oi the Institution . The brother

who had the honour of presiding on this memorable occasion was Lord Leigh , then as now Prov . Grand Master of Warwickshire . The Board of Stewards mustered only 48 brethren , but their joint exertions resulted in the subscription of £ 2096 19 s . 6 d ., one list still being due , so that as the Biennial Festival had exceeded its Triennial predecessors , so did the first Annual exceed the Biennial in like manner , if not b y a like amount . Such

an announcement must have been especially gratifying to all members of the Craft , but especially to the supporters of the new arrangement , whose anticipations that an Annual Festival would prove beneficial to the Charity and not , as many had feared , injurious to the other Institutions , were thus most satisfactorily borne out . Another feature in connection with this Festival appears to have attracted the notice of the Committee , who , in their

Report delivered in May following , made a point of expressing their satisfaction that several of the brethren who had acted as Stewards belonged to Lodges in the Provinces , a fact which showed that a knowledge of the Institution and the benefits it was conferring was becoming more and more widely known throughout the country . Among oilier gratifying features in the same Report it may be noted that the permanent income of the Charity ,

taking the Male and Female Funds together , was over £ 1473 , while the funded property in respect of the same Funds was £ 17 , 450 Three per Cent . Government Stock . In these ciicumstances , it is satisfactory to read that , notwithstanding the increase made the year previous in the number of Annuitants , it was resolved to raise the Males to 74 and the Females to 37 . One little matter occurred in connection with the election of the Widows

which cannot be passed without notice . When the result was made known , it was found that a certain widow who was returned as unsuccessful with 909 votes , should by right have been included among the successful , some 2000 votes . and upwards which had been cast in her favour having been overlooked . A Special Committee Meeting was convened for the purpose of considering what steps should be taken in order to rectify the mistake , and in the result a previously successful and a previously unsuccessful candidate

had to change places , the Sub-Committee appointed to examine the pollingpapers having reported the error made by the Scrutineers . The circumstances are perhaps , in themselves , trivial , and would not need to be mentioned , but for the protest raised by Bro . John Savage against the course at first pursued , in allowing a scrutiny by a General Meeting to be disturbed by a Committee . In the end a Special General Meeting was held on the 1 st June , when the thing was set straight in a proper manner . The following was Bro . Savage ' s protest : —

I protest against the ruling of the Chairman in accepting and putting to the vote the foregoing Resolution for the following reasons , viz : — Firstly . Because no Committee can have the power or authority to revoke or alter any Resolution of a General Meeting ; inasmuch as any revocation or alteration must emanate from a General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for that purpose , or from Grand Lodge , to the extent limited by the operation of Laws 42 and 46 of the Rules and Regulations of the Institution .

Secondly . Because no Committee can have the power or authority to appoint Scrutinecrsto review the Report of the Scrutineers appointed by the General Meeting , and to bring up another Report for the purpose of either confirming such first-named Report or of revoking or altering any portion of such first-named Report , inasmuch as any such appointment of a Scrutiny or of new Scrutineers must emanate from a General Meeting or from a Special General Meeting called for that purpose .

Thirdly . Because the Masonic Body and the Masonic Charities , justly holding a high position among the Institutions of the Metropolis and of the Kingdom , should , in proceeding to rescind or vary any resolution duly passed , act with due form , order , and regularity , thus forming a precedent which would not only be approved but might also be adopted by other Societies and Charities . Lastly . Because the ruling of the Chairman on this occasion , if not protested against , might form a highly dangerous and unconstitutional precedent .

In the July following , the classification of the female annuitants was simplified , all widows not exceeding 70 years of age receiving annuities of ^ 20 . In August , the Warden ' s stipend was increased from £ 5 to ^ 10 per annum , but a proposition to pay the Secretary £ 50 per annum instead of £ 20 , in respect of the Widows' Fund , was negatived . The same fate overtook a far