Contents.

CONTENTS .

rural Masonic Benevolent Institution " 3 RtpoRTs OF MASONIC MEETINGS — Craft Masonry ( ' 1 e-al Masonic Benevolent Institeiion Festival for 1 S 79 7 ° T | , e Restoration of the Abbey Church of St . Albans 7 ° I Acres to Freemasonry 7 ° Jril ^ RFSi . oN'DE . VCE : — Tbe Royal Arch Degree and the Degree of Past Master ... 50 Masonic Charity anti Itinerants 71 Bro . Kenneth R . II . Mackenzie 7 ' Orreries ' *

Reviews ' fashionable Marriage at lirighton 71 r „ , | Pall of the New Concord Lodge , No . 819 ; ? r At Masonry ( Continued ) ... 7 Instruction 73 Koyal Arch 73 Ulark Masonry 73 Consecration of the Creaton Lodge , No . 1591 , 73 « . Alban's Cathedral 7 ?

public Amusements 75 Mvonicand General Tidings 7 ° j 0 ' , jp ; Meetings for Next Week 7 ? ( Artisements i ., ii ., iii ., iv ., v ., vi ., iii ., viii .

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; liEPORTS , etc ., intended for insertion in current number , should reach the Office , ( 198 , Fleet-street ) , by 12 o'clock noon , on "Wednesdays .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual festival of this Institution was held on Wednesday , at Freemasons' Tavern , under the presidency cl Lieut .-Colonel Le Gendre N . Starkie , Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master for East Lancashire . The festival , as will be seen from the list of subscriptions given

below , was a grand success , and is one more proof of the growing interest which is being taken in the Masonic Institutions . This interest was also evidenced by the immense gathering of ladies and brethren who assembled on the occasion , for , except when H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was Chairman cf tbe festival , a larger company has not been gathered together . The entertainment was

admirably managed , and , while reflecting the greatest credit on the Stewards , obtained in all elirections the warmest praise . Thc arrangements at the tlinner table were perfect , and in the Temple , wliere a concert was given , the greatest attention was paid to the comfort and convenience of thc visitors . Amongst the brethren who supported the Chairman

were Sir Henry Edwards , Prov . G . M . for West Yorkshire ; the Rev . A . F . A . Woodfcrd , P . G . C . ; Col . Creaton , P . G . D . ; Bro . J . A . Rucker , P . G . D . ; Bro . H . G . Buss , Assistant G . Sec ; Bro . s . Dr . "Barringer ; Col . Somerville Burney ; Dr . Jnbez Hogg ; Dr . Strong ; Honorary Surgeon to the institute ; Bros . Thomas Cubitt , P . G . P . ; the Rev . C . J Martyn , P . G . C , Dep . Prov . G . M . for Suffolk ; The Rev .

C . W . Arnold , P . G . C , Deputy Prov . G . M . for Surrey ; Bro . E . P . Albert , P . G . P . ; Bro . W . T . Howe , G . P . ; Bro . W . Ough , P . G . P . ; Bro . F . It . W . Hedges , Secy ., R . M . I . Girls ; Bro . F . Binckes , Secy ., R . M . I . Boys ; Bro . C J . Cooke , P . P . S ., G . W . S Kent ; Bro . W . Beattie , P . M ., 142 ; Bro . F . J . Macaulay , W . M ,, 142 ; Bro . II . C . Levander , Vice President of the Board of General Purposes ; Bro .

Henry Smith , Piov . E . S ., West Yorkshire ; J . L . Hine , Manchester ; Bro . George Kenning , P . Prov . S . D ., Middlesex ; Bros . H . A . Dubois , Rev . Dr . P . H . E . Brette , Marshall , Bro . Ramsay , Bro . T . W . Tew , Dep . Grand Master W . Yorkshire ; Bro . Headon , Bro . Freeman , Bro . Moody , Bro . Lambcrt . Bro . W . Lake , Bro . Saillard , Bro . Jolliffe , Bro . Dewar , and Bro . Massey ( Freemason . ) Nearly 400 sat

down to dinner . The Board of Stewards , numbered 283 ( an unprecedented number ) , comprising many of the most influential brethren in the Cralt . When thc cloth had been removed , grace was beautifully rendered by the professional ladies and brethren , and the list of toasts was then gone through . In proposing the toast of " Her Most Gracious Majesty

the Queen , " the Chairman after alluding to the great loss Her Majesty had recently sustained in the death of thc ftincess Alice , assured the brethren that Her Majesty lock great interest in the Masonic Institutions . He also drilled that Her Majesty ' s grief at the present time was shared in by the Craft , and that in all her joys and sorrows thc Freemasons , who were among her most loyal

subjects , felt them as their own . The Chairman afterwards proposed " H . R . H . The 1 ' rincc of Vv ales , K . G ., M . W . G . M ., the Patron and President of the Institution ; thc Princess of Wales , and the "ther members of the Royal Family ; " " The Right Hon . the Earl of Camorvon , M . W . Pro . G . M . "; '" The Right Hon . Lord Skelmersdale , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , and

the Present and Past Grand Officers , " the last of which was responded to very briefly by the Rev . C . J . Martyn , ¦ ' •( ' . C , Deputy Prov . G . M . for Suffolk . The toast of thc evening , " Success to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows c ' _ Freemasons , " was the next on the list . •'he Chairman : Ladies and Brethren—The next toast have the honour to propose is one which , of itself , on the

Present occasion , must necessarily commend itself to your "'¦ lice , it is that of " Thc Success to the Royal Masonic "iiievolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . " It is for the advancement of this Insri'Ution we are here assembled ; anil it is for its success we * 'l here have exerted ourselves ; and I now pledge you in lc remarks that I may make , to drink to its continued prosl'Mity , 1 fed perfectly sure , from the support the Masonic

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

body has given , and , I am happy to say , the support of those not belonging to our body have given , and by this numerous and influential company now before me , that nothing that I can say in favour of this Institution can fix the benefits of the same more deeply in your minds than they are fixed , no eulogiums that I can express or find words to adduce , can , I am sure , add any more to thc

zeal of you here present , or to those brethren in London and in the provinces who have worked so hard , and so successfully , on this , and on other occasions for the furtherance and maintainance of this Institution , and when I look around me and sec the enthusiasm exhibited by those present , I feel thc deeds of those present and of those whom they represent , put ejuite into the shade any

remarks that I may make to enhance the furtherance of this good cause , but , as President on this auspicious occasion , it behoves me to make a few remarks on thc origin , the rise , the nature and objects of this Institution . The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons has two separate interests . First , thc aged Freemasons , and second , the widows of Freemasons . I will take the first portion as being the oldest

part of the Institution . Thc Institution for granting annuities to aged Freemasons was suggested by the M . W . G . M ., his late R . H . the Duke of Sussex , in 1 S 42 , since which time 487 brethren have been elected on its funds . After thc last election there were 145 brethren receiving £ 40 per annum each , or , in all £ 5 800 . The permanent income is as follows : — Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter £ 600 o o Dividends in Funded Property ... 787 o o

£ 1387 o op . annum . The residue of the income , including the working expenses of this branch of the Institution , has to be provided for by donations and annual subscriptions . There are thirty-five candidates for election in May next and only twelve vacancies . The second branch of the Institution is the widows of aged Freemasons . The Treasurer ' s Fund was established under tbe sanction of the late Earl of Zetland in

1840 , since when 260 widows have been elected . After the last election there were 135 widows receiving £ 32 per annum each , or , in ali £ 4220 . Tnere arc also eleven widows receiving half their late husband ' s annuity ( for three years from death ) amounting lo £ 220 . The permanent income to thc Widows is as follows : — Grand Lodge and Chapter £ 33 ° ° ° Dividends on Funded Property 500 o o

£ . 910 o o The residue of the income , including , working expenses , has alto to be provided for by donations and annual subscriptions . There areTorty-thrcc widows , candidates for the next election , and only five vacancies . There is an asylum at Croydon , attached to tlie Institution , affording a home for thirty-three annuitants in addition to the annuity ,

each of whom has two rooms , and are provided with coals during the winter months and Medical attendance gratis . Thus , you will plainly see , that the only reliable income for these two branches of the institution is £ 2297 , and thc expenditure at thc present rate is £ 10 , 340 , being an expenditure of £ 8043 , to be provided for by charitable donations . Such , ladies and brethren , is a brief summary

of thc origin , expenditure and mode of raising the funds for this Institution . This extra sum of £ 8000 is raised by the voluntary elonations of Provincial Grand Lodges and Chapters , private Chapters and Lodges , private Masonic brethren , and much to their honour , some who are not members of our Order , and without the aid of these voluntary gifts it would be impossible to pay the

number of annuitants now receiving relief , of keeping up a sufficient staff of officers to carry on the business of the Institution or maintaining the Asylum . There are , as you are aware , two other noble Masonic Institutions attached to our Order , viz ., thc Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , and the Royal Masonic institution for ^ Girls , both for the benefit of the children of indigent and eleceased

Freemasons . These two Institutions have well ordered and noble buildings not far from the Metropolis ; each of these Institutions , thc boys ' , the girls , 'thc aged Freemasons' , have their peculiar advantages , their particular sphere of action and their special claims , and there is this great claim and benefit in the well doing of each of these noble Institutions , that there is no clashing in their various interests , neither

does thc working or the prospeiily of any one of these interfere with or deter , the prosperity of the other two . There are , as I elarc say most of you know , three great and distinct Orders of architecture which Masons particularly prize , and attach great weight to—these are the Doric , the Ionic , and the Corinthian . Carrying out the comparison with regard to these three Institutions ,

each possessing in itself adefinile mark and charm , yet not clashing with the others , and , as in the three styles of architecture , each has a particular feature of adornment and attractive line of beauty , so in each of these three Institutions there is an element of beauty and harmony , which adorns the Masonic structures , without in any way iliminishing the benefits conferred by any

one of the three preponderating over one another . I feel sure , as I look around me on this present assembly , that 1 have no need to resort to special pleading for any particular Institution that may form part of the Masonic charity , but , as our meeting here to-day is on the occasion of the annual festival of the aged Freemasons and widows ,

our aspirations and desires naturally turn themselves to the well-being and furtherance of this Institution in particular . It has been the custom amongst all civilized nations , both ancient and modern , heathen and Christian , to pay respect to thc aged of their communities , and therefore , amongst a body o £ men like we Masons , whose principles arc founded on the truest lines of charity , honour ,

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

virtue , and morality , a respect for the comforts of old age amongst its members , and a desire to make the latter end of life pleasant to those who when in former years were in more affluent circumstances , but whom the storms of adverse fortune have overcome , must naturally exist . There can be no more pleasing sight for anyone than that of an old man or old woman whose locks , like the

snowdrifts of winter wreathe round their heads as a garland of silver , passing thc remainder of their allotted life in comfort and in happiness . Neither , on the other hand , can there be a spectacle which will conjure up in a wellregulated mind more feelings cf pity , and regret , and compassion than that of an aged and forlorn creature , perhaps a cripple , with no one to care for him or her , no

one to cheer them , dependent on uncertain charity for a miserable bare existence—one whose case is so pathetically described by one of the most descriptive of our English poets of thc last century : — " The wretched woman , forced in age , for bread , To strip the brook with mantling rushes spread , To pick the wintry fagot from thc thorn ,

To seek her nightly shed , and weep till morn . " It is to avoid such misery as this that the Masonic community has instituted , organised , and maintained the Institution for the benefit of whose funds we are met together . A celebrated Roman orator , and no mean philosoper , has recorded that each portion of age has its charms , and each phase of life has its definite peiiod assigned to it ,

so that the feebleness of boys , the high spirit of young men , the steadiness of more fixed manhood , and the maturity of old age has something material which ought to be enjoyed in their time , and we know that old age , cspecially an honoured old age has so great authority that this is of more value then all the transcient pleasure of youth , enjoyable as they may be . But as neither grey hairs nor

wrinkles can of themselves command respect , let the former portion of a man or woman ' s life when such life has been honourably spent , reap the just esteem of mankind in general , and if of a Masonic life-, should they be so circumstanced , the benefits of this Institution , which is a mark of the esteem of the Misonic brethren , far great circ anel caution is exercised iu admitting members into this

Institution , and the former character and mode of life is strictly enquired into before anyone can be admitted to partake of this Institution ' s benefits . It has been said of old , in Greece , when that country was the centre of civilization , of arts and science , that Lacedemon was the most honourable abode for old age . I say here this day , in this great Metropolis of the world , of England , of commerce , and enterprise , and of

Masonic sentiment , that for a Mason this Institution is the most honourable abode for olel age ot all I know , for nowhere is so much conceded to that time of life-, nowhere is age more respected . The times of year naturally instance the life of mankind . Spring represents the time of youth and the promise of future fruits , the remaining seasons are left for the devclopement , ripening , and gathering of these

fruits , as therefore in nature so in Masonry if the first conduct of the young Mason be good and healthy , anil the blossom of his early career ripens still further into perfection , his case in old age will be similar to the ripened fruit which when plucked from the tree comes off of its own accord , without wrench or violence , and is amenable to all who partake of it , and if misfortune , or adversity overtake such a

one . his fruit will be stored in the orchard home of this Institution , and the trunk that bore thc fruit vvill r . ot be left to wither and decay , unheeded and neglected , but cared for and preserved in the garden of tlie Masonic Fraternity . W ' e are perfectly aware , that as a community , we , like all olhers , must exist for good or for evil , and if only performing certain duties , which duties must be founded on true

noble principles . But we car . contend for tiie former and avoid the latrcr , for all communities have necessarily an effect more or less on society at large , and we say that we have performed , and are performing , duties which have been , and are now , for the benefit of mankind also . We have passed away as a body of men from the utility of consti uction as Masons , but the ileedsof those of ourOreler

who existed in former ages are written in tablets of stone , and in indelible monuments of our history ( f am now speaking of Freemasonry in England ) from one end of England to the other , through the length and breadth of the land . These are visible in the works of man ' s handicraft—our old parish churches , round which slumber the remains of our forefathers , some nestling [ iu

our beauliful Southern vales and dales , some raising their elegant tipped spires to the vaulted roof of Heaven , serving as beacons to travellers here , and pointing to a road beyonel this earthly orb , or turn we our eyes again to those splendid efforts of architectural skill , our minsters , our cathedrals , our abbeys , mediaeval mansions , and castles , within whose walls the literature of thc elark ages has kept

secure , and from whose embattlements thc engine of war kept at bay the invading foe . These wc point to as example of those men who have preceded us , and though some have been ruthlessly destroyed through fanatic frenzy and heated turmoil , still , even their beauty in their ruins adds a charm to the beholder , and cannot fail to awaken the feeling that there were master minds in

those days whose talent and skill 111 beauty of Gothic architecture , now has been destroyed . And here I may mention that there is set on foot a committee of Freemasons , under the patronage of the P . G . M . of Herefordshire , to restore the west front of St . Alban ' s Cathedral . But now we have another duty to perform , and our efforts for good to mankind have taken a different direction , wc are a body

of men who want to cultivate virtue anil charity amongst ourselves , for the benefit of our Order and for the example of the outer world . What the Masons in the old dark ages did by constructing these noble buildings , which have been of so much use to mankind , and so ornamental in their appearance , we now wish to emulate , by raising a structure of education and morality for the still furtherance of thc general good , and , as wc expect to see