Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

Master to preside over you on this occasion . Right Worshipful sir , I congratulate you upon thc grand assemblage now surrounding you , and still further do I congratulate you upon thc happy result of our endeavours , and that you are in the proud position of seeing as the result of this meeting that you stand third on the list , and that the magnificent sum of £ 12 , 337 is the result of

thc efforts of those who have to thc utmost of their power assisted this good cause . I am sure , brethren , that thc kind manner in which you receive the gifts from the provinces is a great inducement to them to go on and prosper in the good cause , and increase , if they can , their subscriptions . There is an old saying that good wine needs no bush , and I am sure that your Chairman needs no enco ' niums from me . I therefore propose to you to drink lo his

health and long life . The CHAIRMAN-: Right Worship ful Sir and Brethren , I hardly know how to respond to the kind way in which you have proposed 1113 ' hcallh , or for the kind manner in which it ' has been received . At the solicitation oi the Secretary of this grand Institution , I consented , subject to the approval of the Grand Master , to preside upon this occasion . I had great dimdei . ce in irom tei 01

attempting it . 1 came , as I tola you Delore , mc we . n snores un _ island , and 1 can tell you that ' th - Masonic heart beats iu lhat western division thc same as it does in this great city . I have great pleasure in presiding on this occasion , and I I hank all those who have contributed to that grand sum of £ 12 , 337 . I lecl proud to have the honour to acknowledge it . 1 have only a few words to say ; 1 thank you , brethren , for the kind manner in which you have received this toasl , and vou , sir , for the way in which you

have proposed it . Bro . the Rev . C . | . M M . TYN * said : The next toast devolves upon me . It is "Success lo the other Masonic Institutions . " Al this late hour of the evening 1 shall make die few words 1 have to say as short as possible . One of the Institutions referred to is the Girls' School , lor which our well-known and much respected Bro . Hedges will respond , will have its Festival in May ;

and the other Institution -the Boys' School will have Us Festival in June , and for that I will ask Hro . Binckes lo respond . In asking you to drink lo thc success of these Institutions , 1 will remind 3011 that Masonry is a progressive science , and I should like lo see the results of each Festival exceed m amount the result of that which has gone before il ; and if oven body will determine to outdo what has been done to-night , I am sure that the results

of the coming Festivals mig ht be made unparalleled successes . Hro . IIEIH -KS , in responding , said : Right Worshipful Sir , Uro . Martyn , and Brethren , for the kind manner in which you have received this toasl , I deem it a very high privilege indeed to respond , and on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , I thank 3011 most heartily . The . success which has attended the festival to-night , culminating as it has in thc

splendid announcement 10 which we have just listened , is such that thc Benevolent Institution , ils Committees , an J not least , its Secretary , Bro , Terry , are to be highly congratulated , and I should be wanting in a duty ' , and missing that which ' lo mc is a very great pleasure , were I to let this opportunity go l ^ without tendering tliem my warmest congratulations on that success . 1 may remind you that the festival ol ihe

Girls' School will this year take place tinder the presidency of the Duke of Connaught . lt is not for me now u > detain you with any lengthened statistics ; but l may remark that the school has under its care nearly 240 girls , daughters ol our deceased or distressed brethren ; and in pleading on their behalf that thc coming feslival may be rendered second to none of its predecessors , 1 know I am appealing to those whose

hearts beat in sympathy with ( he noble cause , and who have proved , and will prove , by ' their actions that the pride and glory of Knglish Freemasonry -viz ., its Charities— is not on ihe wane . Hro . BIMKKS also responded and said : Right Worshipful Chairman and Brethren , 1 am sure I have no wish Io inllict upon you a second speech in connection wilh this

toast . I am extremel y obliged to you for the mention of my name , and I only hope lhat ihe splendid success which has attended this festival will attend that of the Institution for Boys , which tikes place in June , under ihe presidency of the first magistrate of the first city in the world , and that the success of that Festival may even exceed that of this evening , as it will be the Festival of the first Institution in thc world -the Bo 3 's' School .

Col . SIIADWI' . I . I . H . CI . I ' . KKK , ( i . S ., said : Right Worshipful Chairman and Brethren , 1 am permitted to take up your time for a lew moments to propose a toast , and in doing so il is a matter not only of duly but of very great pleasure . Right Worship ful Sir and Brethren , when we walk through the principal streets of this metropolis wc see many stately buildings , and we do not know which to admire most , the skill and ability of the builders ,

or the liberality of those who provided the funds . To-night we have been present at the building of a great Masonic work , and we admire the skill and the liberality of those who have raised it . Our toast comprehends two in one—the brethren who combine both these qualities -the . Stewards who have worked zealously in bringing about the consummation brought about to-nirdit . They have laboured well for the Institution . We most of us

know the trouble it is to be a steward of this Institution , how we have to call upon brethren and beg of friends . I think you will all agree wilh me that lhey have done tlieir work mo . t successfully In bringing together that most magnificent amount that the Secretary has just announced to us . I hope their good example will not be lost upon their successors , but that their energy and zeal will give an impetus to those whose lime is still to come and

result in the formation of an equall y successful Board of Stewards for ihe year iSS . . I trust all of you will join with mc in recognising the services ol the Hoard of Grand Stewards , in congratulating them upon their success , and thanking them for their services . 1 give you " The I leallh of ihe Stewards , " and 1 couple with it the name of Hro . William Clarke , President of the Board of Stewards .

Bro . WM . CI . AK . KI-: responded , and said : If the Hoard of Stewards are worthy of the high compliment which the Grand Secretary has passed upon us , and the cordial reception which the brethren have accorded us this evening , I am sure I am expressing thc feeling of the stewards when I say that thc time we have been engaged in this Masonic work has been well spent ; and I am sure if it is a work in which we have been aiding and

assisting either of the three noble Institutions of which our Craft can boast , I say it is a pleasure and we do feel amply compensated by such a result as has taken place to-night . That r _ siilt will urge us on for the future , and will give every brother , especially the Board of Stewards , a feeling of pride that he has worked for this Institution . I thank the Grand Secretary for the manner in which-he has proposed , and the brethren all for their reception of this toast .

Tin : CHAIRMAN - then proposed thc final toast , " l'he Ladies , calling upon Bro . Mullins to rc-pl 3 ' , but as Hro . Mullins had disappeared the toast , through his default , was nol responded to .

Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

It is only fair to say that the musical performances , which were under the direction of Madame Thaddeus Wells , assisted by Bro . Henry Parker , P . G . O ., as pianist and Bro . P . E . Van Noorden as conductor , were unusually good . The performers were Miss Jessie Ko 3 * d , Miss Carrie Blackwell , Miss J . M . Salmon , Madame Osborne Williams , . Madame Thaddeus Wells , Bro . Faulkner Leigh , Bro . Arthur Thomas , Bro . Bantock Pierpoint , R . A . M ., and Bro . Henry Pyal .

Worshipful Masters—Iv.

WORSHIPFUL MASTERS—IV .

BV BRO . A . I * . A . WOODFORD . I have read with much interest the lucubrations of Bros . T . B . Whytehead , XV . J . Hughan , and Calaminus on this subject , and agreeing generally with them in much they have so ably propounded , think it well here to record one or twopoirrts on which 1 am , alter a long experience qualified , I venture to think , to express an opinion . When I add that 1 had the honour

of being the \\ . M . ol a very distinguished lodge so far back as 1845 , and have since been more than once in tne chair of a lodge , I think I may * fairl y be allowed to pul forward my views on a subject which has l ' recjuciuly , almost necessarily , forced itself upon 1113- attention . 1 . There is , no doubt , a great demand for ollice just now , but I think it is a too hasty generalization lo assume that all such demands , all such desires

are wrong . The aspiration ol rising in . Masonry is quite legitimate , if kept within proper bounds , and subordinated to the greater claims ol the lodge , whose prestige and interest are above all persona , ambition , all party views . 2 . Thai W . M . ' s nre sometimes elected not lilted for the post is , 1 fear , true in ihe abrtract , as the same tact is true in the concrete 01 most institutions and societies . It frequentl y happens in . many similar societies that by no means the best or liltest man becomes ihe ' chairman , and hence

that it may and does happen in Masonic lodges , is , if 10 be regretted , not lo be wondered at . It is only another proof , ' if proof In ; needed , of ihe innate weakness of all earihly organizations , and cannot , as far as 1 am aware , be met or absolutely prevented by any laws or arrangenmeiits . The popularis aura * ' is as forcibleand formidable in a lodgeas out of it , and certainl y if anything is proved Irom the argument of these elections ii is rather against the system ot election altogether . But the truth is there isa little exaggeration in all these allegations .

3 . As a general rule , there are , of course , exceptions , an inellicient Master is now a comparatively " rara avis . " I say comparatively . The absurdity of electing a W . M . lor his wealth , or his amiabilily , or his social position , or because he " entertains , " is so great that , as a general rule , I repeal lodges for some nine have been electing W . Ms , who will and can do llieir own work ,

and not always have recourse lo some obliging P . M ., who becomes in consequence a lodge dictator . Nothing is so Bad lor any lodge as when Hro . Jones , to tisea common expression , " rules the roast , " decides practicall y every question , and gives a colour and character io the whole lone and temper ol that lodge .

_ All thai we can do is to impress upon brethren the importance of ihe W . M . ' s post , and urge them to elect ihe brother best fitted lo exemplify and adorn Mascnic leaching and Masonic work , io canyon a faithful work , and promote the concord and comloil 01 the brethren . But in vain ollen are checks and counter-checks , " ihe best of bye-laws , the most prudent body of Past Masters .

Sometimes brethren will take thc bil into their mouths , every now and then iu the history ol a lodge , and casting . Masonic counsels and prudence to the winds vindicate ihe nghi of ihe brethren to elect the man of their own heart . Have we never known cases where ihe P . Ms , were all on oue side , a large section on the other , and , when yielding to open agitation or surreptitious cabal , ihe . absoluu . ly most uniiued man was elected W . AL , to liio

detriment ol the good old lodge , in many cases to its eventual breaking up ' . ' Na 3 ' , is it not within legal memory of some of us , lhat lodges have deliberately elected W . Als . who were positivel y excluded from the chair b y a rigid anil proper interpretation of our laws and charges , and deliberatel y did so in spite ol warning and protest ' . ' We must not , therefore , rest too much 011 bye-laws and the like , hut rather look lor the spread of Masonic education and a higher sense of responsibility in such mailers .

there is in some lodges an excellent rule , whicli I know works admirably , and prevents any undeserving favouritism and caballing . It is this , —that every brother , in turn , whose attendance and general Masonic-career evidence his interest in the lodge and the Cralt , shall , in rotation , have ollice ollcred to him . In the lodges where ihis rule exists it succeeds admirably in obtaining skilled W . AI . ' s and skilled ollijc-rs , and the harmony of such lodges is complete .

4 . Bro . Calaminus proposes a complete Masonic revolution as regards the election of ail lodge oilicers . 1 need onl y add that 1 do nol think many experienced W . Ms , will back up such a suggestion . It appears to me calculated to turn every lodge into a "caucus , " and lake away Irom the W . AI . all power of control , and practically entirel y to weaken his executive and administrative poa-ers .

Essentially in all good lodges tlie selection of officers is not leit solely to the choice of the vV . A'l . His undoubted legal right in this matter is habitually alfected bythe friendly , but unollicial , advice of the Past Masters ol the lodge ; but any such proposal as ihe election of £ . 11 oilicers would not only lead to a serious conlhcl ol opinion , bin would unhinge all the happy

conditions ol hnglish Alasonry , and seriousl y compromise bolh its salety and its progress . In fact , we should , lo use a well-known , bin homely , proverb , " Oct ut of thc frying-pan into thc lire , " as we should exchange the calm selection ol the W . AL , aided by the experience of the Past Masters , for the choice of a caucus , or ihe favourite of a cabal .

In all societies of men , and in lodges not unfrequently , there are those who always think they are overlooked , and wc should simplj afford an excuse by a change 1 never hope to live lo see , ior a constant state of canvass in every t . nglish lodge . The Book of Constitutions provides for the election ol tlie W . AL and Trcasurer . and Tyler , on specilic grounds , which are patent to all ; but to extend this princi p le , wisel y limited as il now is , to all the oilicers of the lodge , would be destructive , . in my humble opinion , of the whole theory and iramework of lodge life and government .

1 am inclined to think that Bro . Calaminus has hardl y gauged the extent of his own proposal . I hope he will himself reconsider it , and am glad therelore to have the opportunity of callirg his . mention to what I kel sure will not commend itself to the minds ol the most experienced W . iM . s and P . Al . s amongst us .