Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

of this Institution . It is a happy coincidence that your Grace presides over us . I remember the Duke ' s motto , "I am here , " and when I look at your Grace ' s motto , I consider it a most happy omen . Your

Grace ' s motto is auspiemm viehoris cevi , and I think we have now better things in store for the Boys' School . I will now announce the result of the Stewards' lists .

London Brethren ... £ Provincial Total £ 6 , 316 11 o

Nineteen lists not yet received . The announcement was received with loud cheers . Lord Leigh : Right Worshipful Sir and

brethren , it is with very great pleasure that I rise to propose the next toast which has been entrusted to my care , and I am quite sure that it is a toast that will be most

warmly received by every brother present . A brother early in the evening said most justly , that we brethren of the Craft were proud of our Masonic Institutions . I think ,

indeed , that we have every reason to be proud of those Institutions , as I believe most sincerely that there are no better schools in the kingdom than we can boast of . But it must be borne in mind that those

schools cannot be kept up without very great expense , and we have to depend very much indeed on the support we receive at these annual meetings . The Boys' Institution especially requires , as my noble brother

in the chair stated , support from the individual members of the Craft , inasmuch as it has only or mainly to depend upon the individual exertions of the brethren . I think then that you have done most wisely

in selecting so popular a member of the Craft to preside over your annual festival this day as the Right Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire . My noble brother stated that he was not known in

the Craft in London , but he very modestly said he was only known in his own province . My noble brother did not do himself justice . I believe there are few members of the Craft more widely known than the Right

Worshipful Provincial Grand Master of Lincolnshire ; and I can only say I congratulate you here on securing his services

to-day , and I congratulate him on his able presidentship . 1 ask you therefore to drink to the " Health of his Grace the Duke of St . Alban ' s . "

The Chairman : I have to thank my kind brother on my right , and you , for the very kind way in which the toast has been proposed and accepted . I shall leave this chair with the greatest satisfaction , feeling

that wc have reversed the old proverb of the straw breaking the camel ' s back , and that our exertions have now and for ever cleared the Masonic Institution for Boys from debt , unless , indeed , another wing at

some future time shall be built , for which a new debt will be incurred , and I suppose the coming race will clear it off with greater expedition than we have . But , joking apart , I think it is always a pleasure when

one leaves an assembly of friends and brethren who have received him in the kindest possible way , and goes home with the satisfaction that whatever anxieties one has had they have been crowned with

success . I can only say that I shall look back on this evening with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction . I return you , brethren , my cordial thanks for the honour

you have done me . I came among you without for a moment hesitating , determined to do my best for the Institution . I thank you , my noble brother : I thank

Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

you all heartily for the way in which those endeavours have been met , and I have no doubt that the exertions of our worthy Secretary will soon bring a deserved

success . Bro . J . R . Stebbing : Brethren , perhaps this is the only Institution in England following the example of what has been done to-night , and recently was done , under

the presidency of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , and will be in a few weeks , in reference to the Girls' School , repeated . There is no other instance in our country

where every year there is collected very nearly , as there will be to-night , £ 20 , 000 in the year in the cause of charity . It is one of the brightest instances in connection with our Institution that however the world

may condemn our secrecy , and however unkindly they may speak of the Freemasons , at all events , there is no person with a right hearted disposition but will gladly give the palm of superiority to the

exertions we make in the cause of charity , the care we take of our old men and our old women , and how we educate our young . Your Grace , this cannot be done without the assistance of many active

members of the Craft—the Vice-Presidents , who can only reach that honour by paying fifty guineas a-piecc , the Trustees who take care of the money , and the Committee , who give not only their money ,

but their time , to help these Institutions , are all mixed up with the success of these proud monuments of Masonic benevolence , ary j it is the health of those liberal , public , charitably-disposed people that I have to

propose to the meeting to-night . In so doing , your Grace , I must pay a passing tribute to the peculiar excellence of the charity of the Boys' School , and with that remark I should not at this late hour

detain you longer . We provide for the old Mason in his distress and old age ; wc provide for his widow when she has no brother to protect her ; we provide for the girls , and educate them , and give them the

means of earning their subsistence ; but , with regard to the boys' school , we give these poor children maintenance and education , and wc enable them , as I say with great pride and satisfaction , as has often

been the case , we give them an education and a position by which they are enabled to provide for their own advancement as they grow into manhood—to take a position in society , to help on their helpless

brothers , and their sisters , to support their widowed mothers in their decline of life , and by this charity , tlie Boys' School , trey realise again the position that their fallen

Fathers once held , and raise their heads again in society as brothers and Masons . It was not , your Grace , upon my list , but I see included under the Vice-Patrons of

this Institution every Vice-Patron—and they are very numerous—brethren who must have given one hundred guineas to the charity —many have given more—and when you are drinking in your enthusiasm the men

that pay and the men that work for this Institution , do not forget the Vice-Patrons , and when in preparation for the next year ' s meeting you have to consider your duty and your obligations , recollect that

by every pound you give to the Boys School you are enabling some boy to recover the position in life held by his father , and you will be doing a good service

to your own heart , pleasing to yourself and blessed by the brethren . Your Grace , I omitted to say that the brother who will return thanks for this toast is a brother who has in love and ardour devoted his whole life to Masonry , and that brother is

Royal. Masonic Institution For Boys.

John Hervey , our Grand Secretary , ( Cheers . ) Bro . Hervey—My Lord Chairman and brethren , my name has been proposed in . connection with the last toast , and I do »

not hesitate for one moment to attempt i- > return thanks for the Vice-Presidents , ^ tj - Trustees , and the Committeesof thissociety . After the eloquent speech which you have heard , I am sure you will not expect me

to detain you for any length of time to return thanks for the toast which has been proposed by Bro . Stebbing in terms which you would be only too glad if they could be repeated . I can only say , in

respondingto his toast , that I believe sincerely that the Vice-Presidents and the other brethren who have been associated in this toast do their utmost to promote the welfare of the school , to forward its interest , and to

ensure its prosperity , as far as lies in their power . Brethren , the Vice-Presidents have given their money , the Trustees give not only their money but their trust , and if I may venture to recur to one name which

has been mentioned this evening , I think you will say that the Trustees of this charity have done their duty to it most religiously and most generously . ( Cheers . ) I refer to Bro . Cabbell , who for a' long series of

years has been at the service of this school . He has this evening given his forty-seventh donation of fifty guineas , in furtherance of its objects . Bro . Stebbing has alluded to

the manner in which the Committees of this Institution give not only their time but their money ; and I may more readily allude to the services of the House

Committee , and the manner in which they devote themselves to the benefit of this school . The House Committee meet every month ; they go down to the school ; they sec everything that is carried on ,

and take care not only that it is done effectively , but in the most remunerative manner . They do their utmost to see that everything is carried out to the best advantage . It is very easy for brethren to give

their money to a charity , but it is not so easy to give their time . I am sure you will all appreciate the services the House Committee renders when you consider that for

twelve times in the year they go down a whole day to the schools of this Institution , not to mention the other days they sit on other committees . I will not detain

you longer , but return you my best thanks for your kindness in drinking this toast . ( Cheers . ) Bro . H . Browse : Brethren , it has been entrusted to my care , to propose the next

toast " The sister Charities . " In doing so it is not necessary I should trespass long upon your time , because the subject is equally well-known with those we have been speaking of . Bro . Hervey told you

that these charities arc equally wellsupported as the Boys' School . It is only necessary that I should tell you the facts about this . We had during the last year , occasion to change the Secretary of the

Benevolent Institution , which was founded in 1840 . Bro . Farnfield , who discharged most effectively and energetically the duties of Secretary , for 30 years and upwards , by

affliction was obliged to retire ; and his place has been filled up by a brother who I feel confident will merit all your approbation .

Bro Terry : The festival of that Institution , was held in this hall a fortnight ago , and we witnessed the beneficial effects of

our Institution under the presidentship of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , by the large amount of £ 7 , 000 , which was collected . The Girls' School , unfortunately , in the