Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

51 ST ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL . The 51 st Anniversary Festival of this—the youngest of the three English Masonic Charitable Institutions—was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Tavern , when about 400 brethren and ladies sat down to dinner . They were presided over by Bro . C . E . Keyser , J . G . D , who was supported by Bros . Viscount Dungarvan , P . G . M . Somersetshire , and Lord Ampthill , P . G . M . Bedfordshire . After dinner the usual toasts were proposed .

The CHAIRMAN , in giving the toast of " The Queen , " observed that among Freemasons this toast was always received with the greatest enthusiasm , for three reasons—in the first place , the Masonic body were conspicuous for their loyalty to the Crown , and thc Queen was the head of the British Empire , of which they were all proud to be members ; in the second place , the Queen was the mother of three of the greatest lights that had ever distinguished Freemasonry ; and , thirdly—and this was one claim which

especially commended itself to Freemasons—the Queen was so greatly interested in everything which concerned the welfare of her subjects ; she was interested in all our great Charities , and it was not surprising that she was Vice-Patron of the Masonic Institutions . He hoped the time was not far distant when she would become Patron of this Institution . She was President of the Institution which provided pensions ; but he thought they knew how much the other branch would commend itself to her consideration , and he hoped she would also become a contributor lo the widows .

The CHAIRMAN , in giving " The Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M , the Grand Patron and President of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , " said it was hardly necessary to remind the brethren of the enormous strides I'Veemasonry had made since the Prince of Wales had been the head of lhe Order . He was nominated in 1 S 74 , elected in 1875 , and installed in April in that year . At that time the number of lodges on the roll was 1526 ,

and they now mustered very nearly 2500 . He thought that spoke for itself , lt showed that under the direction of their most popular Grand Master , Freemasonry had made immense strides , not only in the number of lodges , but in their prosperity . He sincerely hoped his Royal Highness might be spared to preside over the Craft for many , many years to come . With regard to the Princess of Wales , she was a lady who had taken a great interest in thc Masonic Institutions , and on all occasions she felt that Alasons were her great supporters . He hoped she would associate herself with this

Institution and take the same interest in it that she had in the others . Thc Duke of Connaught , Past G . M , and P . G . M . for Sussex , had shown his great interest in the Craft by presiding at the Festivals . Last year be took the chair at the Girls' School Festival . Her Majesty ' s third Masonic son unfortunately had passed away —the Duke of Albany but during his lifetime he took a great interest in the Craft , and at the time of his death he was Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire . As long as Royalty so supported the Order it must flourish .

Bro . Viscount DUNGARVAN , replying to the toast of " The Pro G . M , the Deputy G . M , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " said it was only the second time he had had the honour of attending the Festival of the Benevolent Institution . On that occasion , as on the former , he had the privilege of returning thanks for that toast , although that night he had hoped tbat a senior Grand Officer present would have performed the duty . He therefore asked to be excused if he did not perform his task so

eloquently as might have been desired . It was with great regret he stated that his province had not on that occasion so supported this Institution as it had in the past . However , the brethren must agree that it was not well to ride a willing horse too hard . He was quite sure of this , that not only his own province , but every province in England would support that Institution as loyall y as ever . He could not sit down without congratulating the Chairman on the way his own Province of Herts had supported him .

The CHAIRMAN , in giving the toast of the evening , " Success to the Koyal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " said his difficulties in this matter were increased and reduced ; they were increased to a certain extent , and reduced for the same reason , because their friend Bro . . Terry had placed in the hands of every one there the details which the Chairman was generally expected to bring

"ut for the benefit of the meeting . It would therefore , not be necessary for him to give the company the history of this Institution . They would see h y reference to the book which had been handed round that the first section ° f the Institution was founded for providing pensions for those Masons who from no fault of their own were brought down to the lowest ebb of poverty wd distress . It was when the late Duke of Sussex was Grand Master , in

1 N 42 . The other branch , that for the widows of Freemasons , was not founded till 18 49 ; and he might mention that it might seem to the brethren at the present day to be rather acurious thing , that whereas provision was made for the daughters of Freemasons over 100 years ago , and for the sons of Freemasons "early 100 years ago , nothing was done for Masons themselves till the year ' ^ , and for their widows till 1 F 40 . As in the case of all Institutions the

loenevolent Institution was at lirst a very small affair , but it had gone on increasing , till now it had 463 pensioners enjoying its benelits . Although 'he permanent income of that part of the Institution which provided lor the old men was only £ 2162 , and that for the widows ^ 2124 , yet , through the ^ nevolence of the Craft , the Institution was enabled now to give pensions 0 . * 4 o a year to 193 aged Masons , which cost £ 7720 a year , and to 240 Widows of £ , 2 , and £ 20 a year to widows of deceased pensioners , amount-

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ing to £ 8140 , or a total sum of considerably over £ 15 , 000 a year . In face of these figures it was hardly necessary to point out that the resources of the Craft were severely tested to keep up this amount , and it was on this account that these Festivals were instituted that thc brethren might have the oppportunity , once at least in every year , to bring before the Craft in general the pressin ** ;* wants of those who had

been unfortunate , and who had to come and ask thc more fortunate for assistance . There were incidents which might be told of those who had applied for relie , but it would take a long time to bring before the brethren tlie instances which came to the notice of the Committee and those who managed the affairs of the Institution ; but hc might tell them that there was one lady who was receiving—and receiving gladly—the benelits of this

Institution , of about 14 s . a week , who was once the wife of a man worth three-quarters of a million of money . Another case brought before them was that of a candidate for the next election , who was a schoolmaster , originally holding a high position in his profession in the northern parts of London . From no fault of his own , but through disestablishment , his school was broken up , and he was now asking for the pension of some 15 s .

a week . There were numbers of such cases and one of the most sad circumstances connected with it was that although the income of the Institution was so large , and that last year £ 69 , 000 was collected—the largest sum ever got together on an occasion of thc kind—of which £ 50 , 000 of that had been invested to produce a permanent income , they could only add a few more pensioners lo the list , and they knew when there

was such a large amount collected that there must be a react ion , notwithstanding that therewere 117 candidates coming forward in May next . There was only one election a year in this Institution . There would be only 25 vacancies , so that 92 candidates would be disappointed , and have to wait anotheryear . It was therefore manifest that the Institution was greatly in want of assistance . Although thc Boys' School and thc Girls' School wanted support , which he hoped they would receive , the Benevolent Institution must nave steady

and regular support , ancl it would be a sad thing if it did not get it . He did not know what amount Bro . Terry was going lo announce , but he hoped—taking all lhe adverse circumstances into consideration , they would not be let down loo low . If thc lists were not quite what they ought to be he hoped many of the brethren would give a little more themselves and also induce their friends who had not yet come to the fore , to subscribe so tbat the list might loe a respectable figure . The Institution had this year had several dilliculties to contend with . He would like to tell them

from the chair . In thc first place , they had to follow thc great Festival of last year , and it was quite manifest that where £ 69 , 000 had been subscribed to one Institution in one year it must exhaust the resources of brethren and lodges . In the second place , another circumstance militated against the success of the Benevolent Institution , the unusual delay in finding a Chairman . Bro . Terry had great dilliculties in this respect . Most of

the provincial brethren rather " funked taking the chair . Had that been all he was not sure they would have had such very grave cause of complaint , because he thought , for various reasons , more brethren would have come in to serve the office of Steward . But this delay was productive in several cases of serious disadvantage to this Institution , and he hoped that that statement made from the chair would induce brethren to make up their minds at once

and not leave letters unanswered for a month . Brethren had been very kind , however , and had come forward to support him and Bro . Terry . He ( Bro . Keyser ) was only too proud to take the position of Chairman . He regretted that owing to the depression in trade and agriculture , it was impossible for some to put their hands in their pockets , and therefore he made the more earnest appeal to those who were able to do so . They

did not close their list now , and he trusted that the amount which would be finally collected would be sufficient to prevent the Institution from drawing on its invested funds . There was no doubt whatever that this Institution commended itself to the depths of tbe heart of every genuine Freemason . Freemasons were not a Benefit Society , and had no intentions

of becoming so , and it was the essence of their principle that they did their best to provide for those who , from no fault of their own , were brought down from a good position to accept 14 s . or 15 s . a week . He hoped he had said enough to show that the Institution was doing a great work , adding to the comforts and prolonging the lives of aged brethren and widows .

I'he toast having been most cordially received , Bro . J . A . FARNKIELD , Treas , acknowledged it , and said it was a little unusual for the Treasurer to reply until the lists had been announced , but as hc had been called upon to respond at once , he would obey . I'he last few months had been a time of great anxiety to the Executive Officers of thc Benevolent Institution ; but there was one thing that had buoyed them up , and that was the goodness

of the cause they pleaded . Ot one thing they were quite sure—that the Craft would not let the aged , brethren and widows remain in penury and want . Tbey were able to say every penny given was applied to the purpose for which subscribers gave it , and they had done all the good they could with it . If he knew anything of the generosity of Freemasons , he was sure thc lists would not be disappointing . He begged to thank the worth y brother who had at the last moment taken the chair .

Bro . TERRY then read the Stewards' lists . Bro . T . F " . HALSKV , M . P , P . G . M . Herts , in-proposing " The Health of thc Chairman , " said he was glad to think that thc announcement that had been made would render it unnecessary for him to make any lengthened observation . The support given to Bro . Keyser was a far stronger argument in his favour than any words of his . But it was a very great pleasure