Freemasonry In 1894.

inmates of the Institution at Croydon , and the usual inspection of the premises there was made by the Festival Stewards . It may also be mentioned that at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge on the 5 th instant , an addition to Article 23 of the Rules and Regulations of the Institution , by which it was intended to confer certain voting privileges on those Lodges , Chaptersand other

, Masonic bodies which contribute £ 105 to each fund , or £ 210 together , and so qualify as Vice-Patrons , or £ 210 to each Fund , or £ 420 together , to qualify as Patrons , ami which had been agreed to at a Special Aleeting of the Committee of Alaiiagemenl , un the 15 th November , was submitted for approval . A long discussion followed ,

and as there appeared to bo a strong feeling among those present that the privileges so proposed to be granted were excessive aud would place intending contributors to the two scholastic Institutions at a serious disadvantage , it was ultimately agreed that the motion should be adjourned to a future meeting .

Everyone will rejoice at the good fortune which has befallen our Senior Charity—the Royal Alasonic Institution for Girls—during the present year . Not a few brethren had begun to grow somewhat nervous about its future . Everyone recognised that it was beloved , both by reason of the splendid work it was doing and for the sake of the fair young children whom it had taken under its charge and

was tending witb so much diligence and kindness . Yet , until last year the Annual Festivals that had been held since 1888 had not compared favourabl y with those which had preceded thc Centenary celebration . However , as we have said , the Festival in 1893 , which was held under the auspices of Bro . the Earl of Euston , Prov . Grand AIaster of Northants and Hunts , by producing donations and

subscriptions amounting to over £ 14 , 000—that is to say , some £ 4000 in excess of the previous Festival—had gone a good way towards restoring the funds of the Institution to a state of equilibrium , and it was universall y hoped that a further , and if possible , an equal leap or bound might be taken , and that as the year 1893 had produced a more satisfactory result than the four preceding yearsso in

, its turn might the year 1894 prove more beneficial than its immediate predecessor . Nor have those who indulged in this hope been disappointed . The services of one of the most genial and popular members of our Society—Bro . the Earl of Lathom , Pro ; Grand Master , and Prov . G . Alaster of AVest Lancashire—were secured at an exceptionally early date . A large Board of Stewards , wTiieh

ultimatel y mustered 434 ladies and brethren , was formed , and in"due course the Festival was held on Wednesday , the Oth Alay , not , as it happened , under the presidency of the Pro Grand Master , who vvas prevented from fulfilling his engagement by the death of the Countess of Clarendon , but under that of his son , Bro . Lord Skelmersdale , J . G . AVarden , and when the time came for the Secretary to

announce the donations and subsori ptioils obtained b y the Stewards they were found to amount to the splendid sum of £ 17 , 732 . This was subsequently incieased to £ 18 , 056 , so that , as the 1893 Festival exceeded its predecessor by , in round figures , £ 4000 , so in its turn has it been exceeded by that of 1894 by about an equal sum . No less than 36 out of the 46 Provinces , to say nothing of sundry outlying

stations , took part in the good work , the " Cha i rman ' s Province " contributing £ 2500 out of the Provincial total , while , as our readers know well , the Lodges iu the Metropolitan district acquitted themselves splendidly . As for the other part of this annual Festival , namely , the distribution of prizes , it was held in the great Hall of the School at AVandsworth , on the Alonday preceding the Anniversary

Meeting , under the presidency of the Earl of Lathom , while the agreeable tusk of distributing tho awards among tlie successful pupils was most graciously discharged by the Countess of Lathom . Thc gathering on this occasion proved an unqualified success , not onl y in consequence of the musical and elocutionary ability exhibited by the children , and the perfection of their calisthenic display , but

also because the reports as to the distinctions achieved h y the senior gills at the Cambridge Middle Class and other public examinations , proved incontestably that the educational training which the children receive is of a very high order mentally , physically , morally , and practically . At the half-yearly elections , which took place at the Quarterly General Courts , held in Freemasons' Tavern on the

12 th April and llth October respectively , there were elected on the former occasion 22 children from an approved list of 40 candidates , and on thc latter 21 out of 42 candidates . At thc Quarterl y Courts in January and July the business was of a routine character , but wc must not omit to mention that on the 2 nd and 28 th June , tho School was visited on the former day by Bro . thc Lord Alayor and Bros .

Alderman and Sheriff Dimsdale and Sheriff Aloorc , and on the latter by a strong contingent of thc West Yorkshire brethren , who had arrived in London en route for the Boys' School Festival at Bri g hton , and who took this opportunity of seeing for themselves how well " Our Girls " are looked after , and how admiiably they arc being trained for their after career .

As to the remaining Charity , that of the lioyal Alasonic Institution For Boys , we are gratified at being able to announce that the good fortune which has attended it under its new administration has not been wanting during the present year . The Board of Alanagement and its various Sub-Committees have brought their arrangements into excellent working order , while the Educational Staff is discharging its

duties most efficiently . On the other hand , the Craft generously recognising these efforts to place the School on its proper level with the best among our private schools , has been contributing liberally of its means , so that the Executive , though it can never be wholly free from anxiety in respect of funds , has the satisfaction of feeling that while it fulfils its duties in its present fashion , its appeals forthe requisite

Freemasonry In 1894.

amount of support will not be made in vain . Thus , when it became known , as it did at a much earlier date than usual , that Bro . W . Lawies Jackson , AI . P ., who was installed last year as Prov . G . Master of AVest Yorkshire , had undertaken to preside as Chairman at the Anniversary Festival iu June , the Secretary found his task of enlisting the services of brethren as Stewards was , comparatively

speaking , light . He knew that VVest Yorkshire , with such practical men us Bro . AV . F . Smithson , P . G . D ., to guide it , would work the oracle to good purpose in support of its chief , and that , for the reasons we have stated , London and the other Provinces were ready to bear their part in the good work . Hence , when the appointed day came round and the 96 th Anniversary Festival of the Institution was celebrated ,

as it has been ou several previous occasions , at the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , under the presidency of Bro . Jackson , it was found that the advocacy of that distinguished brother and the canvass of his Board of 522 Stewards had resulted in the compilation of the large sum of £ 18 , 582 5 s , 7 d ., which was ultimately augmented to £ 19 , 000 and upwards , the Chairman ' s Province contributing , in round figures .

£ 4560 . A result like this , following upon the equal and even greater successes , achieved at the preceding Festivals held under the present regime , acts as au incentive to the Board of Alanagement , the Secretary , and the staff at Wood Green to continue their present policy . They have worked hard in hearty co-operation with one another , and their reward is increased efficiency in the School and increased means

with which to make it still further efficient , the invested capital of the Charity , though it is still inferior in amount to those of its sister Institutions , having been substantially enlarged during the past three years . But to resume our narrative . Thc Festival itself was preceded by the distribution of prizes , by Mrs . Lawies Jackson , at \ Vood Green , on Tuesday , the 26 th June , while the annual

athletic sports were held in the School playing fields , on Saturday , the 16 th June , and were witnessed by a numerous gathering of the Stewards and other visitors . The elections vvere held , as usual , in the spring and autumn of the year , thc earlier taking place at the Quarterly General Court , on Friday , the 13 th April , when 30 were elected from an approved list of 43 candidates , and the later on

Friday , the 12 th October , when 18 were chosen from a list of equal length . In April , too , Bro . "Charles E . Keyser , was unanimously elected Treasurer , in succession to Bro . E . Letchworth , who had resigned in consequence of the pressure ef his official duties , while at the Quarterly Court in October , the rank of Honorary Vice-Patron , with the rights and privileges belonging thereto , were conferred on

Bro . AV . F . Smithson , P . G . D ., in recognition of his arduous labours in connection with the Festival of the year , and at other times . Nothing of moment happened at the Quarterly Courts in January and July , but it is necessiy-y we should state that the Boys who have presented themselves ifs Candidates at the Cambridge Middle Class and other public examinations , have succeeded , with a few

exceptions , in satisfying the examiners , while a considerable proportion of the number had the satisfaction of being awarded honours , with distinction in one or more of the prescribed subjects . AVe trust the record of this and the other two Institutions may prove as gratifying to their friends and supporters in future years as in that which is on the eve of completing its appointed term .

PROVINCIAL AND OTH Kit CHAKITAIII . K ASSOCIATIONS . lt is within the knowledge of our readers that in addition to the three Central Institutions , which have been established for the needs of the whole Craft , and to whose labours during the year we have just addressed ourselves , an increasing number of the Provinces , and not a few lodges , have set up their own Benevolent

and Educational Funds , of which one class and the more ambitious , provides for the education of the sons and daughters of the poor and deceased brethren in their respective Provinces , or , as in a few cases , allots small annual allowances to poor brethren and their widows , while the other class has been formed to enable brethren of limited means to contribute towards thc support of the Central

Charities . The more ambitious of these classes is , at the same time , the more numerous , the most notable local Institutions which are included in its list being thc Educational , Hamer , and Alpass Institutions established by the Province of AVest Lancashire fol the education of poor and deceased brethren ' s children , and to grant annuities to poor brethren and their widows . These three together

have invested funds amounting to some £ 50 , 000 , and as the greatest interest is taken in their efficient maintenance , the donations and subscri p tions that flow in annually from lodges and brethren , or that arc raised by balls and concerts and festivals , amount to a considerable sum , and enable them to carry out their work very efficiently . The support they have received duriug the present year and the good

work , they have done in consequence , have been fully up to the average of preceding years . The neighbouring Province of East Lancashire also has its Systematic Benevolent and Kducatioual Institutions , with a capital approaching to £ 12 , 000 , while in Cheshire there is , in addition to the Educational Fund , which has been in existence for 30 years and upwards , a Benevolent Institntion with a capital of about £ 3000 , which has been established some two years .

The Durham Educational Fund , which has been established four years , has a capital of about £ 1500 , and devotes between £ 150 and £ 200 annually to the education and part maintenance of poor and deceased Alasons' children . The Hants and Isle of AVight Educational Fund is in a flourishing condition , while as to that vvhich is maintained byour N . and E . Yorkshire brethren , there was realised at the Fourth Annual Festival , held on the 23 rd May , the sum of about £ 500 . Devonshire , Dorsetshire , Cornwall , Bristol , and no doubt other Provinces have