Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

LANCASHIRE . £ s . d . Bro . the Earl of Lathom ... „ A . H . Jefferis ... 5 . 5 o „ W . Jaffrey „ Rev . Chas . Courtney Bluett Lodge St . John Bro . William Forrest 5 5 0 „ John Kenyon ... 2100 Ashton District Bro . Walter Newton

32 Bro . Jan es Newton ... 550 34 » J- M . Sinclair ... 10 10 o 12 3 „ Capt . John Barlow ... 21 0 0 141 „ Walter Newton ... 11 11 o 156 „ Robert Thomson ... 7 10 o 156 „ Samuel Moore 156 „ Nathan Heywood ... 550 1 S 9 „ James Wm . Clough ... 10 10 o 313 „ Albert Joseph Cunliffe 10 10 o LEICESTER AND RUTLAND . Bro . the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Euston Bro . Wil'iam Jesse Freer 95 10 o

„ J . H . Thompson ... 550 „ the Rev . H . J . Mason 15 15 o Lodge 19 Bro . Robert Lumsdon Adkinson G 5 0 19 „ John W . Barker ... 5 5 ° 19 „ Giles Eli Barton ... 5 5 ° 19 „ Thomas Paget ... 10 10 o 19 „ Henry Eagle 5 5 ° 19 „ J . H . Marshall ... 550 19 „ W . A . Spence ... 5 5 ° 19 „ Dr . J . Young 5 5 0 19 „ T . G . Charleswocth .... 5 5 0 1 9 ,, Rev . Warwick Whiteley 5 5 0

21 „ Charles Fred . Oliver 5 5 0 21 „ S . Hilton 5 5 0 2 t „ R . Porter Keates 30 „ Geo . B . Chalcraft ... 550 194 „ A . Fergusson 5 5 0 194 „ William Finn 5 5 ° 194 „ Richard Ball Starkey 11 00 194 „ Thos . S . H . Ashwell 550 194 > i William Hy . Barrow ... 5 15 6 194 „ ThomasColtman ... ; 15 o 194 „ Walter D . Grant ... 5 5 o 194 „ A . J . West 5 5 0 194 „ William Walters ... 7 1 6 194 » Samuel Cleaver ... 5 5 °

194 » John Butcher 5 5 ° ig 4 „ George Bonner ... 5 5 0 194 „ James Cleaver ... 5 5 ° 194 „ C H . Inglesant ... 550 194 i » J- H . Inglesant ... 5 5 o 194 „ T . H . Prentice ... 5 5 0 491 „ -WilliamLawrenceBall 13 13 o 491 „ VV . D . Stableford ... 550 Koyal Aik Mariners Lodge 19 Bro . Philip Joseph 5 5 ° 19 ,, Wm . Herbert Russell 550 Mrs . Freer 5 5 0 LINCOLNSHIRE .

Bro . the Earl of Yarborough „ Rev . E . M . Weigall ... 10 10 0 Lodge 117 Bro . H . E . Cousans ... 10 10 o MIDDLESEX . Bio . Sir Reginald Hanson , Bart 2 G 5 o „ * A . Stewart Brown ... „ Major C . J . Knightley 5 5 o Ledge 173 Bro . John Taylor 5 10 o 23 G 11 J . H . Smyth 10 10 o 44 S „ A . Clark G 3 0 0 44 S „ * J . VV . Godding ... — 494 „ James Irvine 39 iS 0 504 „ Louis Mieville ... 550 2 S 4 „ VV . Metcalfe 5 5 u 2 S 4 „ William P . Warren ... 550 * Mrs . A . Stewart Brown ...

MONMOUTHSHIRE . Bro . John Owen Marsh ... 10 10 o Lodge 111 9 Brc . John H . Taylor ... 11 0 o 1 S 5 „ Wallace J . Tong ... iS 0 o 214 ,, Philip Henry Price ... 31 10 o NORTHANTS , HUNTS , & BEDS . Bro . Right Hon . the Earl of Euston ,, Thomas Phipps Dorman G 3 o o „ G . C . Wentworth Fitzwilliam ,, H . Manfield 10 10 o Lodge 245 BIO . John Haviland ... 37 3 0 434 „ Rev . V . P . Wyatt ... 10 10 o 434 11 J ° hn Smith 10 10 o 4 * 3 . 1 ,, 11 . R . Rose 4- / 1 ., Percy Mitchell ... G 4 14 6 Mrs . Parker Dorman ... 17 14 G

NORTHUMBERLAND & DURHAM . Ilro . Col . Wm . H . Angus „ John Strachan „ 1 . Robinson ,, r . Gibson Youll Province Bro . G . Wathirgton Bain 4 S 5 o NOITINCIiAMSIURE . Bro . ins Honour Judge Wm . Mastetman 70 16 o NORTH WALES . Lodge jS Bro . Lieut .-Col . G . Gordon Warren 15 15 o

SOMERSET . £ s . d . Bro . R . C . Else 39 7 6 Lodge Royal Cumberland Bro . George Norman 26 5 0 177 Bro . Rev . Edward A . Purvis 12 12 o SOUTH WALES . Bro . Sir Edward Stock Hill , K . C . B ., M . P . ...

STAFFORDSHIRE WITH SHROPSHIRE . Lodge 290 Bro . Lieut .-Col . G . Walton Walker 31 10 0 444 „ Rowland G . Venables 15 15 o SURREY . Bro . Frederick West ... 5 5 0 Lodge 19 S Bro . Geo . Anthony King ... S 13 o 333 „ J . A . Braik 19 > 9 o 450 „ W . J . Hyam 106 1 o 451 „ E . G . Langton Anderson 17 1 0 442 „ Ralph Neville 23 7 0 505 „ Frederick Lockett ... 15 15 o SUSSEX .

Bro . Richard Clowes 453 Bro . G . A . Hunt 5 5 0 WARWICKSHIRE . Lodge Howe ( T . I . ) Bro . Howard J . " ) Collins f ... s 0 Howe ( T . l . ) Bro . Chariest ' Fendelow J 11 5 „ George Harry Smith ... 10 10 o 174 „ ) . A . Dexter 430 „ Thomas Rowbotham ... 5 5 °

WORCESTERSHIRE . Lodge 330 Bro . W . A . Chandler ... iG 5 6 YORKSHIRE ( N . AND E . ) . * J . W . Woodall YORKSHIRE ( WEST ) . The Province Bio . Chas . Letch Mason -. „ John Barker ... ' „ George H . Parke

Lodge 53 Bro . Fred . Cleeves 53 „ Thos . Rowbotham 53 .. Walter C . Fox 53 Mrs . Fox 53 Bro . J . T . Thompson 53 11 Charles Stokes 53 11 A . J . Forsdike 53 » Joseph Nodder 53 II Wm . Foxon ... 53 11 Reg . F . Lawton 53 „ Geo . A . Shipman

53 ii Geo . Wragg ... 5 S „ Samuel H . Pettyt 58 11 Richd . Hodgson no „ Wm . Statter , J . P . no „ H . S . Childe ... m „ George Tooley 12 7 „ Chas . Lingard 137 II las . H . Dyson 627 10 0 137 •, R . Gill 137 11 I . Ashton Riley 137 .. T . G . Howell ... 352 ,, F . Bateman ... 374 „ VV . W . Clayton 374 Mrs . W . W . Clayton 374 Bro . J . A . Godwin 374 ••M . A . Brigg ... 374 „ H . M . Forbes 398 ,, John Reed

493 > , W . E . Smithies 493 11 Arthur Wm . Law 493 II J . W . Broadhead 493 11 James Proude 493 11 H . Beaumont ... 501 „ William Cockcrolt 525 > , Thos . Woods 525 „ Walter Davcy 535 11 H . S . Holdsworth 535 11 Wright Wagstaffe / FOREIGN STATIONS .

JAMAICA . Bro . E . X . Leon 14 12 o NATAL . Bro . Thomas Cook ... 10 10 o Lodge 52 S Bro . Capt . Geo . Hearn ... 550 52 S „ A . C . Lachlan OUEHNSLAND . * Bro . II . Courtenay Luck SOUTH AFRICA ( WESTERN DIVISION ) . Bro . J . Bolland Wheelwright 25 11 o Craft Lodge 222 S Bro . J . Badger Clark ... 26 5 o

R . A . Chapter 3 G 0 Comp . Oiven Parker K . A . M . Lodge 19 Bro . Philip Joseph R . C . Chapter 13 S Comp . John Clark ... 15 15 o K . T . Preceptory G Sir Knt . Geo . Marsdcn ... 550 2 C .. } . H . Whadcoat ... Gj Sir Knt . Sir Francis Boileau , Bart K . & S . M . Council . ; Comp . J . C . Osterstock ... 25 „ Rev . C . K . L . Wright 10 10 o * Included in Lodge or Provincial List .

Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

SUMMARY OF THE RETURNS .

£ s . d . The Earl of Euston ( CHAIRMAN ) ... 976 5 o Berks and Oxon 29 7 o Bristol 102 16 6

Buckinghamshire 21 0 0 Channel Islands 52 . 10 o Cheshire 63 5 o Cumberland and Westmorland 35 5 o Derbyshire 267 iS g Devonshire 3 S 10 o Dorsetshire 125 5 o

East Anglia 77 3 6 Gloucester and Hereford ... 10 10 o Hants and I . of W 41 13 o Hertfordshire 117 2 6 Kent 124 1 o Lancashire 113 11 o Leicestershire and Rutland ... 320 5 o Lincolnshire 10 10 o

£ s . d . Middlesex 1 G 6 3 0 Monmouthshire 71 o o Northants and Hants 214 2 o Northumberland and Durham 48 5 o

Nottingham 70 16 o North Wales 15 15 o Somersetshire 7 S 4 6 Staffordshire and Salop ... 47 5 o Surrey 21 15 o Sussex 5 5 ° Warwickshire 29 3 o

Worcestershire 16 5 6 Yorkshire ( West ) G 29 10 o Foreign Stations 56 iS o Craft Lodge 26 5 0 Rose Croix 15 15 0 * Order of the Temple — Royal and Select Masters ... 10 10 0 * Royal Ark Mariner

—GENERAL SUMMARY . ( STEWARDS—LONDON ... ... £ SS 7 S 0 3 ( STEWARDS—PROVINCES ... ... 4225 iS o GRAND TOTAL ... £ 5113 0 o The announcement ol the total of ^ 5026 was received with loud cheering .

Bro . FRANK RICHARDSON , G . Reg ., proposed "The Ladies . Many years ago the Mark Benevolent Fund led off in a new direction—it invited ladies to its annual Festival . At first the gathering was very small indeed , but he would ask the brethren to look round the tables to-night and sec what a splendid gathering they had of ladies connected with the support of the Order . There could be no doubt whatever that if ladies would only

take an interest in Masonry generally the Order must prosper . They had seen the gigantic strides Mark Masonry had made . They had had a good meeting that night , and he only hoped the ladies had been satisfied at having been among the brethren . He even hoped that the next meeting would be bigger still . From what he had heard the ladies had been delighted at being present at this Festival . On behalf of the gentlemen he

completely reciprocated their feelings . It had been an exceedingly pleasant gathering . Bro . Sir THOMAS ROE , P . G . W ., acknowledged the toast . He agreed with Bro . Frank Richardson that if ladies took an interest in Masonry it must prosper . Their meetings were graced with the presence of ladies and the success of the Fund was assured . He congratulated the Pro Grand Master on having secured the largest sum ever collected at these festivals .

The Earl of EUSTON proposed " The Stewards , " whom he heartily thanked for what they had brought up , notwithstanding the many calls on their purses for hospital and other funds . It was a record year . He should never forget the day or the badge which they had given him , and which he should value as long as he lived . They had proved to him that what he

had tried to do had been of use , that what he had tried to do they appreciated ; and they had thereby tied still stronger the bonds which had connected them and their head . No man could rule unless he did so fairly , and it was a great compliment to him to have it proved that what he had done for Masonry had succeeded . What he had done in the past he should continue to do ; there was nothing which he would not do to help them .

Bro . T . P . DORMAN responded . The Stewards had done their best , and he was glad that what they did had given satisfaction . But Bro . Matier did all the work . Referring to the great heat of the room in which the company were assembled , he would throw out the suggestion whether it would not be wise to consider the advisability of holding these Festivals earlier in the year .

Bro . ALAN DE TATTON EGERTON , D . G . M ., proposed " The Visitors , " and Bro . HICKMAN ( Hobart ) replied . The company then adjourned to the concert .

The Province Of Cheshire.

THE PROVINCE OF CHESHIRE .

A meeting of the Committee of the Provincial Fund of Benevolence and of the Cheshire Benevolent Institution took place at the North-Western Hotel , Crewe , on the 27 th ult ., Bro . Co ! . C . S . Dean presiding . The CHAIRMAN said that , in accordance with the request of tho

Provincial Grand Master ( the Earl Egerton of Tatton ) a sum of £ 142 had already been collected in the Province of Cheshire for the distressed lodges in South Africa . Lord Egerton thought that 100 guineas should be raised in the province , but that sum had been greatly exceeded , and more would come in . ( Applause . )

Bro . A . VNETT , the 1 reasurer , said that , in response to the appeal to increase the fund available for annuitants , a sum of £ 7 ^ 165 . had been received from lodges in the province , but there were iG which had not yet made any contribution to the special object . Several petitions for relief were dealt with , one being from a member of the Craft , aged 80 , who was described as having been " through the whole of the Indian Mutiny and seen some hard fighting . " He is in distress , and a grant of £ 10 was made .

The Provincial Charity Council recommended that the stipend of the Prov . G . Secretary ( Bro . R . Newhouse ) be increased by £ 25 a year . The motion was proposed by Bro . Col . DEAN , seconded by Bro . HENRY J ACKSON ( Vice-Chairman ) , and carried unanimously . A further proposal to give the Prov . G . Secretary £ 25 a year for his services in connection with the Benevolent Institution was also carried unanimously .

Bros . Col . Dean and H . Jackson were appointed as Trustees of the Benevolent Fund in the place of Bros . Salmon and Clayton , deceased . Bro . STEVENSON , Secretary of the Cheshire Educational Masonic Institution , said their total income on behalf of the clothing and education of the children of this Institution had been £ 484 i ; , s . lid . OI this amount / " 4 O 2 4 s . dd . had been spent , leaving a balance ol £ 22 gs . 5 J . on the year ' s income .

I hanks to the Chairman closed the proceedings . » ¦ ¦ BRO . J LOIIII , C . C ., has been re-elected the Chairman of the Lauriston-r . ad Hackney , group of Board Schools .