Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing " Success to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons ancl Widows of Freemasons , " said : Brethren , —You all know , and I believe the ladies who are with us know also , that we are met to celebrate the Jubilee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , which was founded in the year 1842 at the suggestion of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , then Grand Master of our
Order . To thc younger brethren among us half a century which has elapsed since then may appear a , very long space of time ; but those who like myself can look back upon that year as within their own personal recollection , may well wonder that Masonry should have continued so long , up to so recent a date , without having established any system of permanent provision for its poorer brethren in their declining years , or for the widows of those who had
faithfully served their Order during the term of their life , and had died in straitened circumstances . The children of Masons had been cared for long before . The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys had been established 44 years earlier , and the Institution for Girls celebrated its Centenary only four years ago at a magnificent Festival under the presidency of the Prince of Wales in the Albert Hall . No doubt orants in the nature of
gratuities have long been given in cases of sickness and special misfortune—such grants continue to be awarded by the Board of Benevolence out of the revenues of Grand Lodge to the extent of from ; £ Sooo to ^ Qooo a year in sums varying from ^ 5 to £ 100 —not often exceeding £ 150—and no doubt such gifts as these may be of great assistance in tiding over special times of need . But old age brings
with it a permanent claim upon those who call themselves brothers . Among the thousands of whatever profession or business they may be , who have to rely for their own maintenance and for that of those dear to them solely upon their own personal energies , how many can say in confidence that the time shall never come when by sickness or calamity they may be brought low , or when they may have to look for a helping hand lo lie down through
the last stage of their life s journey , or to protect those whom they may leave behind to tread their path alone ? To help such is a duty which is being recognised at the present time more fully , I believe , than it has ever been recognised before . The world outside Masonry is being exercised with schemes for old age pensions , and it is satisfactory to think that Masonry in this respect have been able to show that it is 50 years in advance of the
world . ( Applause . ) We are justified 111 rejoicing at that fact ; and it was determined to mark this date by an exceptional effort to enlarge the benefits of this Institution , which now is giving pensions of £ " 40 a year to 180 aged Masons , and pensions of £ 32 a year to 230 widows . ( Renewed applause . ) Besides that , there are 27 widows of late annuitants who , by the rule of the Institution , are allowed half of their late husband ' s pension —that is ^ 20 a year—for five years unless within that time they are elected
themselves annuitants . That is 437 annuitants . Of those a small number —32—have rooms in an admirable asylum at Croydon , where with the attention of a most excellent matron , Miss Norris , and under thc indefatigable care of the honorary surgeon , Dr . Strong —( loud applause)—they have a happy life which any onc who likes to visit that Institution can judge of for himself , and where they feel unfeigned gratitude for the benefits they receive from the Order . It would be troublesome on such an occasion to
trouble you with arithmetical statistics . I will only say that taking establishment charges , the maintenance of this home , and everything into consideration , the amount spent , roughly speaking , upon this Institution is about ^ 18 , 000 a year , of which between ^ 4000 and ^ 5000 alone comes from permanent sources of income . In order to meet the deficit of each year it is customary for brethren to enrol themselves as Stewards , and lo take
upon themselves the arduous duties of collecting contributions . On this occasion thc number of Stewards I believe is unprecedented ; it is 1471 , and many more would have offered their services , but they could not be accepted , because there was not room for them in this building . On this exceptional occasion no admittance could be given to any but Stewards . Your labours—for 1 can only speak of you , for you are all Stewards—as a
results of your labours , have fully , and more than fully , justified the confidence of the Committee of Management of this Institution . That confidence was most practically shown . By the ordinary rules of the Institution dependent upon its resources there would have been at the next election in May only 32 vacancies for male and female annuitants , and there were 139 candidates . The Committee , in anticipation and in faith of the result of this meeting ,
added 20 annuitants to both classes . Their faith has been fully , as I said before , more than fully justified , for the amount which has been received , after paying all liabilities—after , I hope , providing a substantial reserve—will enable them to provide a fund which when invested at 3 per cent , will furnish annuities for these 20 annuitants for ever . ( Cheers . ) Now , brethren , you will be happy to hear that I have arrived at my peroration ; but I am
spared the necessity which generally falls upon speakers of having to prepare eloquent phrases in order lo elicit at least the enthusiasm of their hearers ; because in proposing the toast I now have to offer to you , which is " Success " —which I most heartily hope— " tothe Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " 1 know that no words of mine , however eloquent , would enable me to sit down amidst
such a chorus of genuine applause as will greet the simple announcement which I am about to make , namely thai as the result of all your laboursand I am sure you will forgive me if I specify especially thc indefatigable exertions of Bro . Terry —( loud applause)—as a result of those labours the amount contributed by London brethren and lodges alone has been j £ 27 > 543 5 s . —( loud applause)—and by the contributions of the provincial brethren and lodges £ 32 , 050 ios ., making a grand total of £ 59 , 593 15 s . —
( renewed applause , amidst which thc toast was drunk ) . Bro . J . A . FARNI ' IEI . D , Treasurer , in acknowledging the contributions which had been announced , said he was sure the success of the Institution was perfectly certain . The amount thc Chairman had been able to announce , besides allowing for the extra annuitants who would be put on , which would lake £ 25 , 000 , would leave over £ 30 , 0110 untouched . They would be able to invest £ 5 'vxx . t this year , but there would be a large increase in thc permanent income of the Institution .
Sir J B . MONCKTON proposed "The Health of lhe Chairman , " to whom they owed their most sincere and hearty thanks for undertaking what his lordship had been good enough to call a great pleasure , but which must at thc same time have been a great task , namely to preside over an assembly of such magnitude . However , there was this comfort to his lordship—he
had thc happy satisfaction , which could not be taken from him till time with him should be no more , of having presided over a meeting at which a collection had been announced which absolutel y beat the record . They were all very proud of what was accomplished at the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School , and they thought it would not be reached in amount . But Masonry went ahead , and as it went ahead in numbers it went ahead
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
in heart and benevolence . Space would not admit of more brethren and ladies being present that night . When it was announced that Lord Mount Edgcumbe would preside the success of the Festival became a certainty . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE replied , and thanked the brethren most heartily for what they had done that day . Bro . RICHARD EVE , Past Grand Treasurer , proposed " The Other Masonic Charities , " and said he remembered the time when £ 2000 or £ 2 , was considered a large subscription to announce .
Bro . HEDGES , Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , in reply , said : My Lord , Ladies , and Brethren , —I beg to thank you most sincerely on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls for the very cordial manner in which you have received this toast . I thank you in the name of the Committees of those Institutions , and I thank you no less heartily on behalf of the five hundred and upwards of
the sons and daughters of the Craft who are now benefiting by the fostering care and educational advantage of those Institutions . I must also ask to be allowed to express on behalf of those Institutions my warmest congratulations on the magnificent result of this Jubilee Festival , which has beaten the record by some j £ * 8 ooo . The Benevolent Institution has had to record many red-letter days in its annals , but I venture to think that this will be remembered
as the capital red-letter day . Referring to the coming Festivals , while the Boys' School is happy and grateful in the memory of a most liberal support in the immediate past , little is needed from me to assure you of the pressing necessity for a successful Festival in June next . The Festival of the Girls ' School will , however , be the first in order of succession , and on which occasion , as you are all aware , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has very
graciously consented to preside . Although the splendid Centenary Celebration , to which reference has already been made , the Craft very naturally and properly gave its attention more particularly to the other two Institutions , with the result , however , that while the good work being done by the Girls ' School has been materially increased , the three last Festivals have been
considerably below the average . I do , therefore , most earnestly plead for such support at the coming Festival and in the near future as shall enable the Committee to carry out to its fullest extent the beneficent work for which the result of the Centennial Celebration has so admirably adapted the Institution . My Lord and Brethren , I once more thank you most heartily on behalf of the Boys' and Girls' Schools .
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE proposed the toast of " The Ladies , " whose sympathies were with Masons and in every good work . Bro . Col . TIIRALE PERKINS responded to the toast , and the proceedings closed . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , after leaving the chair , returned and announced that he had received the following telegram from Eastbourne , from the Prince of Wales : " I wish all success to the Institution over whose
Jubilee Festival you are presiding this evening . —ALBERT EDWARD . The following is a Summary of the Returns for Town and Country . The full list will appear in our SI-ECIAL EDITION , which will be published on Monday , the 29 th instant . Xo . of T K A Studs . x , s . o .
3 Bedfordshire 113 8 ° 22 Berkshire 7 ' 6 H 6 15 Buckinghamshire IQ 7 8 o 5 Cambridgeshire 201 3 6 72 . Cheshire 1700 o o 11 Cornwall 77 * 5 ' 5 °
1 Cumberland and Westmorland 41 Derbyshire 994 0 0 6 Devonshire 69 ° 3 c 7 Dorsetshire 393 * 5 ° 4 Durham 600 o o
42 Essex 206 S 19 6 3 Gloucestershire 31 10 9 28 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 1316 " 7 ° 1 Herefordshire 200 27 Hertfordshire 1446 3 ° 37 Kent 1383 8 °
54 Lancashire—East Division 2207 7 0 33 Lancashire—West Division 9 8 6 4 Leicestershire and Rutland 3 8 S 10 o 12 Lincolnshire 577 ' 8 ° 34 Middlesex 1326 12 °
2 : Monmouthshire 21 o o 3 j Norfolk 431 5 * - > 7 I North Wales 216 8 o 8 ] Northants and Hunts 107 8 0 1 Northumberland 105 ° ° 2 Nottinghamshire i ° 5 ° ° 0
13 Oxfordshire 296 o 13 Shropshire 49 ° " 6 Somersetshire 49 1 ' 5 " 1 South Wales—East Division 180 o < - ' 1 South Wales—West Division 21 o <>
10 Staffordshire 3 " 5 5 " 23 Suffolk 963 10 ° 3 6 Surrey 2024 15 J . ' 29 Sussex 1 * 77 ° 79 Warwickshire 2062 3 °
11 Wiltshire 47 ° V * 7 Worcestershire 157 - " " 7 Yorkshire—North and East Ridings 674 b 138 Yorkshire—West Riding 3555 ° "
1 Channel Islands 241 ' ° " 1 Jersey ° 3 ° ° 1 Isle of Man 0 2 Cyprus 59 ' 7 GENERAL SUMMARY .
617 STEWARDS—L ONDON £ 27 , 543 5 o 854 STEWARDS—P ROVINCES ... £ 32 , 470 io o GRAND TOTAL £ 60 , 013 15 °
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , in proposing " Success to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons ancl Widows of Freemasons , " said : Brethren , —You all know , and I believe the ladies who are with us know also , that we are met to celebrate the Jubilee of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , which was founded in the year 1842 at the suggestion of H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , then Grand Master of our
Order . To thc younger brethren among us half a century which has elapsed since then may appear a , very long space of time ; but those who like myself can look back upon that year as within their own personal recollection , may well wonder that Masonry should have continued so long , up to so recent a date , without having established any system of permanent provision for its poorer brethren in their declining years , or for the widows of those who had
faithfully served their Order during the term of their life , and had died in straitened circumstances . The children of Masons had been cared for long before . The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys had been established 44 years earlier , and the Institution for Girls celebrated its Centenary only four years ago at a magnificent Festival under the presidency of the Prince of Wales in the Albert Hall . No doubt orants in the nature of
gratuities have long been given in cases of sickness and special misfortune—such grants continue to be awarded by the Board of Benevolence out of the revenues of Grand Lodge to the extent of from ; £ Sooo to ^ Qooo a year in sums varying from ^ 5 to £ 100 —not often exceeding £ 150—and no doubt such gifts as these may be of great assistance in tiding over special times of need . But old age brings
with it a permanent claim upon those who call themselves brothers . Among the thousands of whatever profession or business they may be , who have to rely for their own maintenance and for that of those dear to them solely upon their own personal energies , how many can say in confidence that the time shall never come when by sickness or calamity they may be brought low , or when they may have to look for a helping hand lo lie down through
the last stage of their life s journey , or to protect those whom they may leave behind to tread their path alone ? To help such is a duty which is being recognised at the present time more fully , I believe , than it has ever been recognised before . The world outside Masonry is being exercised with schemes for old age pensions , and it is satisfactory to think that Masonry in this respect have been able to show that it is 50 years in advance of the
world . ( Applause . ) We are justified 111 rejoicing at that fact ; and it was determined to mark this date by an exceptional effort to enlarge the benefits of this Institution , which now is giving pensions of £ " 40 a year to 180 aged Masons , and pensions of £ 32 a year to 230 widows . ( Renewed applause . ) Besides that , there are 27 widows of late annuitants who , by the rule of the Institution , are allowed half of their late husband ' s pension —that is ^ 20 a year—for five years unless within that time they are elected
themselves annuitants . That is 437 annuitants . Of those a small number —32—have rooms in an admirable asylum at Croydon , where with the attention of a most excellent matron , Miss Norris , and under thc indefatigable care of the honorary surgeon , Dr . Strong —( loud applause)—they have a happy life which any onc who likes to visit that Institution can judge of for himself , and where they feel unfeigned gratitude for the benefits they receive from the Order . It would be troublesome on such an occasion to
trouble you with arithmetical statistics . I will only say that taking establishment charges , the maintenance of this home , and everything into consideration , the amount spent , roughly speaking , upon this Institution is about ^ 18 , 000 a year , of which between ^ 4000 and ^ 5000 alone comes from permanent sources of income . In order to meet the deficit of each year it is customary for brethren to enrol themselves as Stewards , and lo take
upon themselves the arduous duties of collecting contributions . On this occasion thc number of Stewards I believe is unprecedented ; it is 1471 , and many more would have offered their services , but they could not be accepted , because there was not room for them in this building . On this exceptional occasion no admittance could be given to any but Stewards . Your labours—for 1 can only speak of you , for you are all Stewards—as a
results of your labours , have fully , and more than fully , justified the confidence of the Committee of Management of this Institution . That confidence was most practically shown . By the ordinary rules of the Institution dependent upon its resources there would have been at the next election in May only 32 vacancies for male and female annuitants , and there were 139 candidates . The Committee , in anticipation and in faith of the result of this meeting ,
added 20 annuitants to both classes . Their faith has been fully , as I said before , more than fully justified , for the amount which has been received , after paying all liabilities—after , I hope , providing a substantial reserve—will enable them to provide a fund which when invested at 3 per cent , will furnish annuities for these 20 annuitants for ever . ( Cheers . ) Now , brethren , you will be happy to hear that I have arrived at my peroration ; but I am
spared the necessity which generally falls upon speakers of having to prepare eloquent phrases in order lo elicit at least the enthusiasm of their hearers ; because in proposing the toast I now have to offer to you , which is " Success " —which I most heartily hope— " tothe Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " 1 know that no words of mine , however eloquent , would enable me to sit down amidst
such a chorus of genuine applause as will greet the simple announcement which I am about to make , namely thai as the result of all your laboursand I am sure you will forgive me if I specify especially thc indefatigable exertions of Bro . Terry —( loud applause)—as a result of those labours the amount contributed by London brethren and lodges alone has been j £ 27 > 543 5 s . —( loud applause)—and by the contributions of the provincial brethren and lodges £ 32 , 050 ios ., making a grand total of £ 59 , 593 15 s . —
( renewed applause , amidst which thc toast was drunk ) . Bro . J . A . FARNI ' IEI . D , Treasurer , in acknowledging the contributions which had been announced , said he was sure the success of the Institution was perfectly certain . The amount thc Chairman had been able to announce , besides allowing for the extra annuitants who would be put on , which would lake £ 25 , 000 , would leave over £ 30 , 0110 untouched . They would be able to invest £ 5 'vxx . t this year , but there would be a large increase in thc permanent income of the Institution .
Sir J B . MONCKTON proposed "The Health of lhe Chairman , " to whom they owed their most sincere and hearty thanks for undertaking what his lordship had been good enough to call a great pleasure , but which must at thc same time have been a great task , namely to preside over an assembly of such magnitude . However , there was this comfort to his lordship—he
had thc happy satisfaction , which could not be taken from him till time with him should be no more , of having presided over a meeting at which a collection had been announced which absolutel y beat the record . They were all very proud of what was accomplished at the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School , and they thought it would not be reached in amount . But Masonry went ahead , and as it went ahead in numbers it went ahead
Jubilee Festival Of The Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
in heart and benevolence . Space would not admit of more brethren and ladies being present that night . When it was announced that Lord Mount Edgcumbe would preside the success of the Festival became a certainty . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE replied , and thanked the brethren most heartily for what they had done that day . Bro . RICHARD EVE , Past Grand Treasurer , proposed " The Other Masonic Charities , " and said he remembered the time when £ 2000 or £ 2 , was considered a large subscription to announce .
Bro . HEDGES , Secretary Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , in reply , said : My Lord , Ladies , and Brethren , —I beg to thank you most sincerely on behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys and the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls for the very cordial manner in which you have received this toast . I thank you in the name of the Committees of those Institutions , and I thank you no less heartily on behalf of the five hundred and upwards of
the sons and daughters of the Craft who are now benefiting by the fostering care and educational advantage of those Institutions . I must also ask to be allowed to express on behalf of those Institutions my warmest congratulations on the magnificent result of this Jubilee Festival , which has beaten the record by some j £ * 8 ooo . The Benevolent Institution has had to record many red-letter days in its annals , but I venture to think that this will be remembered
as the capital red-letter day . Referring to the coming Festivals , while the Boys' School is happy and grateful in the memory of a most liberal support in the immediate past , little is needed from me to assure you of the pressing necessity for a successful Festival in June next . The Festival of the Girls ' School will , however , be the first in order of succession , and on which occasion , as you are all aware , H . R . H . the Duke of Connaught has very
graciously consented to preside . Although the splendid Centenary Celebration , to which reference has already been made , the Craft very naturally and properly gave its attention more particularly to the other two Institutions , with the result , however , that while the good work being done by the Girls ' School has been materially increased , the three last Festivals have been
considerably below the average . I do , therefore , most earnestly plead for such support at the coming Festival and in the near future as shall enable the Committee to carry out to its fullest extent the beneficent work for which the result of the Centennial Celebration has so admirably adapted the Institution . My Lord and Brethren , I once more thank you most heartily on behalf of the Boys' and Girls' Schools .
The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE proposed the toast of " The Ladies , " whose sympathies were with Masons and in every good work . Bro . Col . TIIRALE PERKINS responded to the toast , and the proceedings closed . The Earl of MOUNT EDGCUMBE , after leaving the chair , returned and announced that he had received the following telegram from Eastbourne , from the Prince of Wales : " I wish all success to the Institution over whose
Jubilee Festival you are presiding this evening . —ALBERT EDWARD . The following is a Summary of the Returns for Town and Country . The full list will appear in our SI-ECIAL EDITION , which will be published on Monday , the 29 th instant . Xo . of T K A Studs . x , s . o .
3 Bedfordshire 113 8 ° 22 Berkshire 7 ' 6 H 6 15 Buckinghamshire IQ 7 8 o 5 Cambridgeshire 201 3 6 72 . Cheshire 1700 o o 11 Cornwall 77 * 5 ' 5 °
1 Cumberland and Westmorland 41 Derbyshire 994 0 0 6 Devonshire 69 ° 3 c 7 Dorsetshire 393 * 5 ° 4 Durham 600 o o
42 Essex 206 S 19 6 3 Gloucestershire 31 10 9 28 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 1316 " 7 ° 1 Herefordshire 200 27 Hertfordshire 1446 3 ° 37 Kent 1383 8 °
54 Lancashire—East Division 2207 7 0 33 Lancashire—West Division 9 8 6 4 Leicestershire and Rutland 3 8 S 10 o 12 Lincolnshire 577 ' 8 ° 34 Middlesex 1326 12 °
2 : Monmouthshire 21 o o 3 j Norfolk 431 5 * - > 7 I North Wales 216 8 o 8 ] Northants and Hunts 107 8 0 1 Northumberland 105 ° ° 2 Nottinghamshire i ° 5 ° ° 0
13 Oxfordshire 296 o 13 Shropshire 49 ° " 6 Somersetshire 49 1 ' 5 " 1 South Wales—East Division 180 o < - ' 1 South Wales—West Division 21 o <>
10 Staffordshire 3 " 5 5 " 23 Suffolk 963 10 ° 3 6 Surrey 2024 15 J . ' 29 Sussex 1 * 77 ° 79 Warwickshire 2062 3 °
11 Wiltshire 47 ° V * 7 Worcestershire 157 - " " 7 Yorkshire—North and East Ridings 674 b 138 Yorkshire—West Riding 3555 ° "
1 Channel Islands 241 ' ° " 1 Jersey ° 3 ° ° 1 Isle of Man 0 2 Cyprus 59 ' 7 GENERAL SUMMARY .
617 STEWARDS—L ONDON £ 27 , 543 5 o 854 STEWARDS—P ROVINCES ... £ 32 , 470 io o GRAND TOTAL £ 60 , 013 15 °