Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
THE PROVINCES . BEDFORDSHIRE . Province £ s- « L Bro . S . L . Kilpin 33 ' 3 o BERKSHIRE .
A , < Bro . C . E . Keyser ... 120 15 o 4 „ , „ H . d'O . W . Asuey ... afi 5 o 222 S » W . Albert Hart ... 15 ' 5 o
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE . 1501 Bro . lames Simcox ... 11 11 o , , „ 1 . J . Simcox 13 13 6 ' ] ° ' „ Edward Gibbs ... 63 o o 2430 „ Thomas Jones ... 15 15 o 310
; # ; , T . w . AIISO P ... . o Unattached Bro . James Stephens „ Chas . Copsey Mrs . H . H . Sherwin ... 10 10 o , James Stephens
CAMBRIDGESHIRE . Unattached Bro . W . Bnggs 10 10 o
CHESHIRE . Lodge 477 Bro . Robert Robinson ... 10 10 o
CORNWALL . Unattached Bro . Sholto H . Hare ... 26 5 o CUMBERLAND & WESTMORLAND . Unattached Bro . J . Roper 21 o o
DEVONSHIRE . Province Bro . F . B . Westlake ... 10 10 o DORSF . TSHIRE . Lodge 137 Bro . J . H . Whadcoat ... 10 10 o DURHAM . The Province 52 10 o
ESSEX . Lodge 2006 Bro . F . W . Brand ... 51 12 6 2255 „ James Bell 33 1 o Unattached Bro . James Speller ... 10 10 o „ G . W . King 44 o 0
GLOUCESTERSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Baron de Ferrieres ... 47 5 o HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT . The Province 26 5 o
HERTFORDSHIRE . Lodge 403 Bro . H . J . Tuck 46 4 6 1327 ,, Joseph Priddle ... 36 15 0 13 S 5 „ F . G . Mason 29 7 6 ' 179 » C . E . Keyser ... 11 . 5 10 o
2136 „ John S . Brunskill ... 45 2 G 2323 „ George B verley ... 30 9 o Unattached Bro . J . P . Tavlor — „ Dr . W . P . Warren ... 15 15 o „ W . J . Bishop ... 10 10 o
KENT . Lodge 125 Bro . J . Kiiby 21 10 6 7 S 4 „ G . Edgar 3 G 15 o 1436 „ O . H . Smith 31 10 o 20 4 1 „ A . A . Frigout ... 17 16 o
LANCASHIRE ( E . D . ) . Unattached Bro . C . D . Cheetham ... 194 5 o , , LANCASHIRE ( W . D . ) . Lodge 1070 Bro . J . Hesketh 10 10 o Unattached - P , ' Ckf 0 rd ' ° ° Bro . Capt . C . H . Garnett 10 10 0
, , MIDDLESEX . Lodge 3 S 2 Bro . A . Foyer , G , 6 0 ' 3 'o . , H . Bown 42 o o ' 326 „ L . C . Brooke ... , 0 , n o
W » S . j . Mallin ... \ " si i o \ 56 „ R . w . Rice ... ::. 2 \ 0 ° T . r * " . J- Simson ... 22 1 o 2 l 6 3 „ A . A . Hardy ... , o 2521 H T r * '" 37 1 ° O 3 'i „ M . 1 . Cooper ... 41 4 o
^ NORTHANTS AND HUNTS . 3 co Bro . A . Corkiriii Unattached "'" - ? ° ° ° Bro . H . Manfield 3 G I 0 o
SUMMARY OF P'fordshire £ s . d . Beikshire 33 ' 3 o ^ ckinghamshu ' e !^ ] S ° ^ ambr & geshi " Ms ' ° Cheshire IO , 0 ° Cornwall •¦¦ I 0 ' ° o
% ^ » - W « -io , l ^ 2 , o O po'setshire I 0 , 0 ° Uurham .. I 0 I 0 ° Hssev '" 52 10 0
Gloucestershire '" I 39 3 6 Heut ^ r , S , e 0 i ' ^ S 5 o Kent ... " ••¦ - 329 13 G -ancashire ( R Dl " ° " G Lancashire ( W ri \ ' 5 °
• 40 STEWARDS -LONDON ^ S TEWARDS -P ROVINCES ? 47 GRAND TOTA
NORTH WALES . Lodge £ s . d . J JW \ Bro . J . G . Tuxford ... ' 52 5 ° Unattached Bro . James Porter ... 141 15 o " nvR-npn ^ HiRE .
Unattached The CHAIRMAN ... 53 10 o ViscountValentia , M . P .... Lodge 340 Bio . G . C . Druce ... ¦) 340 „ C . M . Taphouse > JOI 00 340 „ Rowley ... J 357 „ F . P . Morrell J 3 S 7 „ R . C . Pavy ... | 357 „ Rev . F . W . Bussell ^ 82 o o 357 » J- Linton Myres 357 „ R . E . Baynes J 47 S „ E . R . T . Croxall ... 53 17 < 5 599 >< W . R . Cooper ... 10 10 o 1036 „ A . E . Mace 22 1 o 1515 » James Hastings \ 6 , 6 1515 „ A . E . Hunt ... J ° - 5 ° 1703 „ H . C . Habgood ... 15 3 6 ' 7 ° 3 » Henry Birch ... 52 10 o 18 95 „ C . M . Roberts ... 20 o o 24 t 4 „ H . F . Piggott \ % 2414 „ M . Wingfield ) & 1 ° ° SHROPSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Sir Offley Wakeman 6 S 15 o „ Rowland G-Venables 21 00 SOMERSETSHIRE . Province Bro . Lieut .-Colonel A . T . Perkins 10 10 o SOUTH WALES ( W . O . ) Province Bro . J .. Llewellyn Thomas " STAFFORDSHIRE .
Lodge 546 Bro . George C . Kent ... 10 10 0 SUFFOLK . Unattached Bro . George Turner ... 21 o o Lodge SURREY . 1046 Bro . C . E . Tanner ... 26 5 o ¦ 347 » Tom Cookes 165 18 o ' 347 . » * Hugh Taylor ... — 1616 „ Thomas Hanson ... 10 10 o
2095 „ J . M . Crosley ... 10 10 o 214 G „ Fred Lockett ... 50 10 o 2444 „ Arthur VVatkin ... 23 1 o Unattached Bro . W . J . Mason 10 10 o ,, Walter Gripper ... 10 10 o Lodge WARWICKSHIRE . 1551 Bro . T . H . Pearce ... 550 1551 „ E . Millard 15 15 o ' 55 ' > i Thos . Rowbotham ... 10 10 o WORCESTERSHIRE .
Lodge 564 Bro . Jabez Attwood ... 27 6 o YORKSHIRE ( WEST RIDING ) .
Lodge 275 Bro . A . Armitage \ 290 „ Joe Lumb 1 290 „ James Brook 495 „ J- K . Hall 652 „ James Lancaster ... 652 ,, James Graham S 10 „ Joseph Harrison ... 904 „ Fred . Cleeves ... 350 o o no 2 „ Walter Bailey 12 3 1 „ Thos . G . Howell ... 14 G 2 „ George Haskett 1513 „ Charles Lingard ... 1514 „ Geo . H . Holdtoyd ... Unattached Bro . Capt / H . G . E . Green / GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY .
Lolge iGS Bro . J . P ^ ngelley 52 10 o JERSEY . Province Bro . W . T . Pugsley ... 130 12 o FORflGN STATIONS . TRANSVAAL . Bro . George Richards 10 10 o MADRAS . Bro . Surg .-Capt . W . Kiddle ... 10 10 o MALTA . Bro . Jam" R . Bell 10 10 o
In the case of those marked * , the amounts are included in lists either in London or in a Province . THE PROVINCES ,
I s . d . Middlesex 273 19 o Northants and Hunts 101 10 o North Wales 294 o o Oxfordshire 521 7 6 Shropshire 89 15 o Somersetshire 31 10 o South Wales ( W . D . ) Staffordshire 10 10 o Suffolk 21 o 0 Surrey 290 19 o Warwickshire 31 10 o Worcestershire 27 6 o Yorkshire ( West Riding ) ... 350 o o Guernsey and Alderney ... 52 10 o Jersey 130 12 0 Foreign Stations 31 10 o
£ 5793 ' 8 0 3649 * 4 o L ... ... , 1 , 9443 2 p
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
Bro . L . G . GORDON ROBBINS , P . G . D ., proposed ' The Sister Charities , " and said he was sure that everyone present that evening wished both those Institutions a brilliant success . There was no jealousy in Masonic Charity . One brother might , perhaps , feel that one particular Charity appealed especially to his sympathies and interest , but still , the feeling of Masonic Charity was within him : he looked not only to the past , as the Chairman
had so eloquently dilated upon , but he also looked forward to the future , and hoped that those whose past might , or might not have been happy , but whose old age was solaced by the efforts of the brethren , or of the brethren of those who were near and dear to them , might receive with grateful thanks and prayers the efforts made on their behalf . He hoped the Girls' School would have a brilliant successs , and also that the Boys' Centenary might
might have a bumper . Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I , for Girls , responded for both the Girls' and the Boys' Institutions , and referred to the great success which had attended the Centenary of the Girls' School and the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution . The Benevolent Jubilee exceeded the Girls ' Centenary in pecuniary result , and he believed the announcement Bro . McLeod would be privileged to make at the Centenary of the Boys' School would far exceed anything that had gone before .
Bro . J . M . MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., who rose in answer to special calls , said it was not customary on these occasions for two Secretaries to respond to the toast which the brethren had just so kindly received , but by command of his lordship he begged to add his congratulations to the Institution on what , under the circumstances , was a magnificent result . His excellent colleague , Bro . Hedges , had so ably appealed to the brethren on
behalf of the Boys School more than of his own that no words of his ( Bro . McLeod ' s ) were needed . But he thanked the Province of Oxfordshire for what it had done and his lordship for expressing its feeling with regard to Charity . That that province had brought up 500 guineas was a matter of great congratulation . The province had only 13 lodges . That was an encouragement to all small provinces . The small provinces were always
good and generous to the Masonic Charities . They were an encouragement to the London brethren who , on this occasion , had brought up £ ' 5793 . If the Girls' School could have a fuller measure of success the Boys' School would be only too happy to congratulate them j he was sure they would lose nothing by it , and that the great heart of the Craft would make uo in future years to them whatever might be the result of the great special efforts made
this year for the Boys' School . Bro . Archdeacon SINCLAIR , P . G . C ., proposed " The Chairman . " Bro . the Earl of J ERSEY responded . Apparently , he said , Masons approach banquets with rather mixed feelings . Archdeacon Sinclair came here perfectly happy because' he was not going to make a speech . I suppose on that I share exactly the same feeling this evening . I came here
depressed because 1 had to make not one speech , but many speeches . He could have added that it would have been much more conducive to the happiness of the brethren if my few remarks could have been rolled into one speech ; but at the same time I should have been very sorry if I had not had the opportunity of raising my voice of thanks for the honour which has been done me in asking me to preside over this banquet and also a voice
of even greater thanks for the support which has been given to the Institution upon this occasion . Bro . Sinclair dived into the past and he made me blush very much as he rather tendetl y handled the names of some of my predecessors . But luckily he found also delicate and congenial ground , and therefore in mentioning individuals who perh aps were not so conspicuous for their Masonry as for some other oualitie s , I need not defend them .
( Laughter . ) Let me say this , that there are honours and advantages which are bestowed upon individuals , for which they are grateful , and for which they ought also to feci deeply responsible ; but there are few honours or advantages which can equal in pleasure the honour and advantage of belonging to a body of men who are anxious to promote , not only fraternal feeling , but ako kindly assistance towards others , and I look upon myself as
a humble brother Mason who has had the advantage of being brought up in a Masonic school , and of learning by slow degrees the valuable les ons and principles which Masonry does inculcate . After all , what was the Chairman on an occasion like this compared with the Stewards who had done so much towards the splendid total which had been collected with the goodwill of the brethren of the Craft . If it had not been for the Stewards , the large amount
announced would not have been produced . I feel certain these large amounts will not diminish what Bro McLeod will announce on a future occasion . I am very grateful to my province for the support which they have given me . I am very grateful also to the London brethren for their extraordinary total , and generally to every Steward who has undertaken the onerous duties connected with this Festival , and the only way I can show
my gratitude to-night is to ask you to drink " The Health of the Stewards . " Bro . F . PARKER MORRELL , P . G . D ., Vice-President of the Bjard of Stewards , acknowledged the compliment , and Bro . E . LETCH WORTH , G . Sec , acknowledged the toast of " The Ladies , " which was proposed by Major J . W . WOOIJALL , P . G . D ., and the brethren then joined the ladies in the Temple .
where the following artistes took part in a concert , under the direction of Bro . Edwin Easton : Madame Clara Leighton , Bro . William Davies , the Excelsior Operatic Quartette ( Miss Rosabelle Beste , Miss Louise Jenkins , Mr . Clarke Willey , and Bro . W . H . Webb ) , Bro . O . T . Miles ( harp ) , Mr . Charles Capper ( whistling solos ) , Bro . W . R . J . McLean , Mus . Bac , Org . 818 , Mr . James Stuart ( sleight-of-hand ) , and Bro . Edward Easton ( humorous recitals ) . ¦ > .
Analysis Of The Returns.
ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .
What few comments we have to offer on the result of the Benevolent Festival for 18 98 will be found in another column . Our present concern is to deal with the Returns after the fashion we have adopted for several years . The number of Stewards whose services were enlisted by Bro . Terry for this occasion was 247 , and the total which the Board succeeded in compiling was announced as
, £ 9443 2 s ., London , represented by 140 Stewards , contributing AS 793 ' 8 J ., or an average of nearly , £ 41 per Steward , while the Provinces and Foreign Stations , represented by 107 Stewards , raised £ 3649 4 s ., or an average of upwards ^ 34 per Steward . Last year the total was . £ 19 , 083 , obtained by a Board of 432 Stewards , while in 1896 , 395 Stewards had the satisfaction of compiling a total of rather over . £ 20 , 000 . There is , therefore , a substantial falling off this year as compared with its two immediate predecessors .
LONDON , as we have said , was represented by 143 ladies and brethren , whose lists amounted in the aggregate to . £ 5793 18 s , The number of lodges , & c , which took part in the celebration was 87 , together with one lodge o . f instrnctiqn , four Royal Arch
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
THE PROVINCES . BEDFORDSHIRE . Province £ s- « L Bro . S . L . Kilpin 33 ' 3 o BERKSHIRE .
A , < Bro . C . E . Keyser ... 120 15 o 4 „ , „ H . d'O . W . Asuey ... afi 5 o 222 S » W . Albert Hart ... 15 ' 5 o
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE . 1501 Bro . lames Simcox ... 11 11 o , , „ 1 . J . Simcox 13 13 6 ' ] ° ' „ Edward Gibbs ... 63 o o 2430 „ Thomas Jones ... 15 15 o 310
; # ; , T . w . AIISO P ... . o Unattached Bro . James Stephens „ Chas . Copsey Mrs . H . H . Sherwin ... 10 10 o , James Stephens
CAMBRIDGESHIRE . Unattached Bro . W . Bnggs 10 10 o
CHESHIRE . Lodge 477 Bro . Robert Robinson ... 10 10 o
CORNWALL . Unattached Bro . Sholto H . Hare ... 26 5 o CUMBERLAND & WESTMORLAND . Unattached Bro . J . Roper 21 o o
DEVONSHIRE . Province Bro . F . B . Westlake ... 10 10 o DORSF . TSHIRE . Lodge 137 Bro . J . H . Whadcoat ... 10 10 o DURHAM . The Province 52 10 o
ESSEX . Lodge 2006 Bro . F . W . Brand ... 51 12 6 2255 „ James Bell 33 1 o Unattached Bro . James Speller ... 10 10 o „ G . W . King 44 o 0
GLOUCESTERSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Baron de Ferrieres ... 47 5 o HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT . The Province 26 5 o
HERTFORDSHIRE . Lodge 403 Bro . H . J . Tuck 46 4 6 1327 ,, Joseph Priddle ... 36 15 0 13 S 5 „ F . G . Mason 29 7 6 ' 179 » C . E . Keyser ... 11 . 5 10 o
2136 „ John S . Brunskill ... 45 2 G 2323 „ George B verley ... 30 9 o Unattached Bro . J . P . Tavlor — „ Dr . W . P . Warren ... 15 15 o „ W . J . Bishop ... 10 10 o
KENT . Lodge 125 Bro . J . Kiiby 21 10 6 7 S 4 „ G . Edgar 3 G 15 o 1436 „ O . H . Smith 31 10 o 20 4 1 „ A . A . Frigout ... 17 16 o
LANCASHIRE ( E . D . ) . Unattached Bro . C . D . Cheetham ... 194 5 o , , LANCASHIRE ( W . D . ) . Lodge 1070 Bro . J . Hesketh 10 10 o Unattached - P , ' Ckf 0 rd ' ° ° Bro . Capt . C . H . Garnett 10 10 0
, , MIDDLESEX . Lodge 3 S 2 Bro . A . Foyer , G , 6 0 ' 3 'o . , H . Bown 42 o o ' 326 „ L . C . Brooke ... , 0 , n o
W » S . j . Mallin ... \ " si i o \ 56 „ R . w . Rice ... ::. 2 \ 0 ° T . r * " . J- Simson ... 22 1 o 2 l 6 3 „ A . A . Hardy ... , o 2521 H T r * '" 37 1 ° O 3 'i „ M . 1 . Cooper ... 41 4 o
^ NORTHANTS AND HUNTS . 3 co Bro . A . Corkiriii Unattached "'" - ? ° ° ° Bro . H . Manfield 3 G I 0 o
SUMMARY OF P'fordshire £ s . d . Beikshire 33 ' 3 o ^ ckinghamshu ' e !^ ] S ° ^ ambr & geshi " Ms ' ° Cheshire IO , 0 ° Cornwall •¦¦ I 0 ' ° o
% ^ » - W « -io , l ^ 2 , o O po'setshire I 0 , 0 ° Uurham .. I 0 I 0 ° Hssev '" 52 10 0
Gloucestershire '" I 39 3 6 Heut ^ r , S , e 0 i ' ^ S 5 o Kent ... " ••¦ - 329 13 G -ancashire ( R Dl " ° " G Lancashire ( W ri \ ' 5 °
• 40 STEWARDS -LONDON ^ S TEWARDS -P ROVINCES ? 47 GRAND TOTA
NORTH WALES . Lodge £ s . d . J JW \ Bro . J . G . Tuxford ... ' 52 5 ° Unattached Bro . James Porter ... 141 15 o " nvR-npn ^ HiRE .
Unattached The CHAIRMAN ... 53 10 o ViscountValentia , M . P .... Lodge 340 Bio . G . C . Druce ... ¦) 340 „ C . M . Taphouse > JOI 00 340 „ Rowley ... J 357 „ F . P . Morrell J 3 S 7 „ R . C . Pavy ... | 357 „ Rev . F . W . Bussell ^ 82 o o 357 » J- Linton Myres 357 „ R . E . Baynes J 47 S „ E . R . T . Croxall ... 53 17 < 5 599 >< W . R . Cooper ... 10 10 o 1036 „ A . E . Mace 22 1 o 1515 » James Hastings \ 6 , 6 1515 „ A . E . Hunt ... J ° - 5 ° 1703 „ H . C . Habgood ... 15 3 6 ' 7 ° 3 » Henry Birch ... 52 10 o 18 95 „ C . M . Roberts ... 20 o o 24 t 4 „ H . F . Piggott \ % 2414 „ M . Wingfield ) & 1 ° ° SHROPSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Sir Offley Wakeman 6 S 15 o „ Rowland G-Venables 21 00 SOMERSETSHIRE . Province Bro . Lieut .-Colonel A . T . Perkins 10 10 o SOUTH WALES ( W . O . ) Province Bro . J .. Llewellyn Thomas " STAFFORDSHIRE .
Lodge 546 Bro . George C . Kent ... 10 10 0 SUFFOLK . Unattached Bro . George Turner ... 21 o o Lodge SURREY . 1046 Bro . C . E . Tanner ... 26 5 o ¦ 347 » Tom Cookes 165 18 o ' 347 . » * Hugh Taylor ... — 1616 „ Thomas Hanson ... 10 10 o
2095 „ J . M . Crosley ... 10 10 o 214 G „ Fred Lockett ... 50 10 o 2444 „ Arthur VVatkin ... 23 1 o Unattached Bro . W . J . Mason 10 10 o ,, Walter Gripper ... 10 10 o Lodge WARWICKSHIRE . 1551 Bro . T . H . Pearce ... 550 1551 „ E . Millard 15 15 o ' 55 ' > i Thos . Rowbotham ... 10 10 o WORCESTERSHIRE .
Lodge 564 Bro . Jabez Attwood ... 27 6 o YORKSHIRE ( WEST RIDING ) .
Lodge 275 Bro . A . Armitage \ 290 „ Joe Lumb 1 290 „ James Brook 495 „ J- K . Hall 652 „ James Lancaster ... 652 ,, James Graham S 10 „ Joseph Harrison ... 904 „ Fred . Cleeves ... 350 o o no 2 „ Walter Bailey 12 3 1 „ Thos . G . Howell ... 14 G 2 „ George Haskett 1513 „ Charles Lingard ... 1514 „ Geo . H . Holdtoyd ... Unattached Bro . Capt / H . G . E . Green / GUERNSEY AND ALDERNEY .
Lolge iGS Bro . J . P ^ ngelley 52 10 o JERSEY . Province Bro . W . T . Pugsley ... 130 12 o FORflGN STATIONS . TRANSVAAL . Bro . George Richards 10 10 o MADRAS . Bro . Surg .-Capt . W . Kiddle ... 10 10 o MALTA . Bro . Jam" R . Bell 10 10 o
In the case of those marked * , the amounts are included in lists either in London or in a Province . THE PROVINCES ,
I s . d . Middlesex 273 19 o Northants and Hunts 101 10 o North Wales 294 o o Oxfordshire 521 7 6 Shropshire 89 15 o Somersetshire 31 10 o South Wales ( W . D . ) Staffordshire 10 10 o Suffolk 21 o 0 Surrey 290 19 o Warwickshire 31 10 o Worcestershire 27 6 o Yorkshire ( West Riding ) ... 350 o o Guernsey and Alderney ... 52 10 o Jersey 130 12 0 Foreign Stations 31 10 o
£ 5793 ' 8 0 3649 * 4 o L ... ... , 1 , 9443 2 p
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
Bro . L . G . GORDON ROBBINS , P . G . D ., proposed ' The Sister Charities , " and said he was sure that everyone present that evening wished both those Institutions a brilliant success . There was no jealousy in Masonic Charity . One brother might , perhaps , feel that one particular Charity appealed especially to his sympathies and interest , but still , the feeling of Masonic Charity was within him : he looked not only to the past , as the Chairman
had so eloquently dilated upon , but he also looked forward to the future , and hoped that those whose past might , or might not have been happy , but whose old age was solaced by the efforts of the brethren , or of the brethren of those who were near and dear to them , might receive with grateful thanks and prayers the efforts made on their behalf . He hoped the Girls' School would have a brilliant successs , and also that the Boys' Centenary might
might have a bumper . Bro . F . R . W . Hedges , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I , for Girls , responded for both the Girls' and the Boys' Institutions , and referred to the great success which had attended the Centenary of the Girls' School and the Jubilee of the Benevolent Institution . The Benevolent Jubilee exceeded the Girls ' Centenary in pecuniary result , and he believed the announcement Bro . McLeod would be privileged to make at the Centenary of the Boys' School would far exceed anything that had gone before .
Bro . J . M . MCLEOD , P . G . S . B ., Sec . R . M . I . B ., who rose in answer to special calls , said it was not customary on these occasions for two Secretaries to respond to the toast which the brethren had just so kindly received , but by command of his lordship he begged to add his congratulations to the Institution on what , under the circumstances , was a magnificent result . His excellent colleague , Bro . Hedges , had so ably appealed to the brethren on
behalf of the Boys School more than of his own that no words of his ( Bro . McLeod ' s ) were needed . But he thanked the Province of Oxfordshire for what it had done and his lordship for expressing its feeling with regard to Charity . That that province had brought up 500 guineas was a matter of great congratulation . The province had only 13 lodges . That was an encouragement to all small provinces . The small provinces were always
good and generous to the Masonic Charities . They were an encouragement to the London brethren who , on this occasion , had brought up £ ' 5793 . If the Girls' School could have a fuller measure of success the Boys' School would be only too happy to congratulate them j he was sure they would lose nothing by it , and that the great heart of the Craft would make uo in future years to them whatever might be the result of the great special efforts made
this year for the Boys' School . Bro . Archdeacon SINCLAIR , P . G . C ., proposed " The Chairman . " Bro . the Earl of J ERSEY responded . Apparently , he said , Masons approach banquets with rather mixed feelings . Archdeacon Sinclair came here perfectly happy because' he was not going to make a speech . I suppose on that I share exactly the same feeling this evening . I came here
depressed because 1 had to make not one speech , but many speeches . He could have added that it would have been much more conducive to the happiness of the brethren if my few remarks could have been rolled into one speech ; but at the same time I should have been very sorry if I had not had the opportunity of raising my voice of thanks for the honour which has been done me in asking me to preside over this banquet and also a voice
of even greater thanks for the support which has been given to the Institution upon this occasion . Bro . Sinclair dived into the past and he made me blush very much as he rather tendetl y handled the names of some of my predecessors . But luckily he found also delicate and congenial ground , and therefore in mentioning individuals who perh aps were not so conspicuous for their Masonry as for some other oualitie s , I need not defend them .
( Laughter . ) Let me say this , that there are honours and advantages which are bestowed upon individuals , for which they are grateful , and for which they ought also to feci deeply responsible ; but there are few honours or advantages which can equal in pleasure the honour and advantage of belonging to a body of men who are anxious to promote , not only fraternal feeling , but ako kindly assistance towards others , and I look upon myself as
a humble brother Mason who has had the advantage of being brought up in a Masonic school , and of learning by slow degrees the valuable les ons and principles which Masonry does inculcate . After all , what was the Chairman on an occasion like this compared with the Stewards who had done so much towards the splendid total which had been collected with the goodwill of the brethren of the Craft . If it had not been for the Stewards , the large amount
announced would not have been produced . I feel certain these large amounts will not diminish what Bro McLeod will announce on a future occasion . I am very grateful to my province for the support which they have given me . I am very grateful also to the London brethren for their extraordinary total , and generally to every Steward who has undertaken the onerous duties connected with this Festival , and the only way I can show
my gratitude to-night is to ask you to drink " The Health of the Stewards . " Bro . F . PARKER MORRELL , P . G . D ., Vice-President of the Bjard of Stewards , acknowledged the compliment , and Bro . E . LETCH WORTH , G . Sec , acknowledged the toast of " The Ladies , " which was proposed by Major J . W . WOOIJALL , P . G . D ., and the brethren then joined the ladies in the Temple .
where the following artistes took part in a concert , under the direction of Bro . Edwin Easton : Madame Clara Leighton , Bro . William Davies , the Excelsior Operatic Quartette ( Miss Rosabelle Beste , Miss Louise Jenkins , Mr . Clarke Willey , and Bro . W . H . Webb ) , Bro . O . T . Miles ( harp ) , Mr . Charles Capper ( whistling solos ) , Bro . W . R . J . McLean , Mus . Bac , Org . 818 , Mr . James Stuart ( sleight-of-hand ) , and Bro . Edward Easton ( humorous recitals ) . ¦ > .
Analysis Of The Returns.
ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS .
What few comments we have to offer on the result of the Benevolent Festival for 18 98 will be found in another column . Our present concern is to deal with the Returns after the fashion we have adopted for several years . The number of Stewards whose services were enlisted by Bro . Terry for this occasion was 247 , and the total which the Board succeeded in compiling was announced as
, £ 9443 2 s ., London , represented by 140 Stewards , contributing AS 793 ' 8 J ., or an average of nearly , £ 41 per Steward , while the Provinces and Foreign Stations , represented by 107 Stewards , raised £ 3649 4 s ., or an average of upwards ^ 34 per Steward . Last year the total was . £ 19 , 083 , obtained by a Board of 432 Stewards , while in 1896 , 395 Stewards had the satisfaction of compiling a total of rather over . £ 20 , 000 . There is , therefore , a substantial falling off this year as compared with its two immediate predecessors .
LONDON , as we have said , was represented by 143 ladies and brethren , whose lists amounted in the aggregate to . £ 5793 18 s , The number of lodges , & c , which took part in the celebration was 87 , together with one lodge o . f instrnctiqn , four Royal Arch