Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

MARK BENEVOLENT FUND FESTIVAL .

The 20 th Anniversary Festival in aid of the Benevolent Fund established by the brethren of the Mark Degree , who are members of Grand Mark Lodge of England , was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons ' Tavern , under the Chairmanship of the Marquis of Hertford , M . W . Deputy Grand Master . His lordship , who was accompanied by the Marchioness of Hertford , was supported by the Earl of Euston , Lord Saltoun , the Rev . Canon Portal , Baron De Ferrieres , Col . Shadwell H . ClerkeRev . LloydCol . Saunders , and others .

, , Altogether some 150 ladies and brethren sat down . During dinner , which was admirably supplied and was very tasty , a selection of instrumental music was played under the direction of Bro . Lott , Mus . Doc , and at the conclusion of the dinner every lady was presented with a bottle of scent , and every gentleman with a box of Dragoumis cigarettes , the gift of the

Alexandria Cigarette Company . Grace was sung by Miss Minnie Freeman , Miss Eliza Thomas , Bro . Reginald Groome , and Bro . Stanley Smith , < who afterwards assisted Bro . Lott in the performance of a choice concert . The toasts were proposed in regular order . The CHAIRMAN first proposed " The Queen and Mark Masonry , " and next "The Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . M . M . "

The CHAIRMAN then asked the brethren and ladies to drink the toast of " The M . W . Pro G . M ., Lord Egerton of Tatton , and the Past Grand Masters , " and said he would couple with this toast the name of one whom all Mark Masons must be glad to see present—Canon Portal . Canon PORTAL , who was received with loud applause , in returning thanks , said that , owing to the ! peculiar circumstance that the Grand

Masters of the Mark Degree in England only held office for three years , they had a triennial rejuvenescence , if he might so express it , on their throne , and every three years there was a fresh outburst of zeal and vigour and of interest in the Degree . The consequence was that the Grand Masters had among them all erected a structure , of which none of them , he thought , need

be ashamed . ( Cheers . ) At any rate , five of the Past Grand Masters had presided from time to time at festivals similar to this , and he was quite sure that as time rolled on those who ascended the Grand Master ' s throne would , as the Grand Masters in the past , give their utmost exertions towards the interest of this important Degree . ( Cheers . )

Baron DE FERRIERES proposed "The Grand Officers , Present and Past . " He said every Degree in Freemasonry depended very much upon the efficiency and zeal of those who commanded . He was sure that the Mark Degree appreciated highly the zeal which all the Grand Officers showed . All those present must have agreed with the words of Canon Portal—that they had built up a Degree of which none of them were

ashamed . They were all very proud of the Mark Degree . Whenever they saw a man enter the Mark Degree they might be sure he was a good Mason , for he did not stop there ; he wished to enter every Degree , and to find out the depths of the secrets of Freemasonry . The name he was going to mention in connection with this toast reminded him of one who was

an instance in point . He had to couple with the toast the name of Lord Euston , who , they all knew , was' every inch a Mason , and entered all the Degrees . He had enteied the Royal Order of Scotland , and was determined to go on . Like Alexander of old , who regretted that there were no more worlds to conquer , Lord Euston , he supposed , would by-and-bye regret there were no more Degrees for him to join . ( Applause . )

The Earl of EUSTON , in reply , said he was sure that all brethren who had attained to Grand Office felt that they were getting on , and the more they got on the more they wanted to get on . He thought that anyone who went into Masonry approached it first from curiosity . When they found , after going through their first three Degrees , it was a good , Charitable , brotherly , Institution , they liked it and loved it for the good it did . After

that they tried to get on lor the sake of doing good in the cause , and nobod y liked to stop at the bottom of the ladder if he could help it . Nobody would be worth calling a really good Mason if he did , because every one was ambitious , and the man who was not was one who sat down and let things go just as they might , and did not throw his heart into the work he took up . All the brethren present took an interest in Masonry . For himself , he

might say he was a very keen Mason . When he looked round the hall he saw a number of Grand Officers , Present and Past , many of them from his own province . The Chairman ' s Province of Warwickshire was well represented , and they could not say the Provincial Grand Masters were not backed up most heartily and cordially in the good work they were trying to perform .

Canon PORTAL , P . G . M ., next said the toast he had the honour of proposing was one which well deserved all the attention the company might be kindly pleased to give it . Lord Euston said just now that any Mason who was worth talking of as a Mason always endeavoured to arrive at the top of the ladder . The brother whose health he was going to propose had not by any means arrived at those heights on the ladder of the Mark Degree

to which he hoped to live to see him attain . But he had at any rate arrived at the top of their ladder to-night , because he had been good enough to take the chair at that Festival . ( Applause . ) He ( Canon Portal ) had the pleasure , years ago now , to preside at the first of these Festivals that was ever held , and as everything must have a beginning , and he had the honour of presiding at that beginning , he found upon looking at the list

that they had five Stewards and collected £ 97 . They were very pleased with themselves on that occasion . He would not tell them how many Stewards they had that-night , or how large the collection was , because if he did he should encroach on the speech of their very worthy Chairman ; but he would say that if envy was a Masonic virtue , or a Masonic vice , he should envy his lordship the brilliant assembly he saw around him ; but as he could not envy him—being a good Mason—he contented himself with

congratulating his lordship most heartily on that most distinguished gathering , and if the noble lord had a claim to their most hearty thanks for having come among them in the genial way in which he had to preside over the meeting , they owed him double thanks when they remembered it was owing to his coming that they were honoured and graced with the presence of Lad y Hertford as well . ( Loud cheers . ) He concluded by proposing "The Health of the Marquis of Hertford , Deputy G . M ., and Chairman of the evening . "

The Marquis of HERTFORD , in response to the toast , which was most cordially drunk , said he would start b y observing that he cordially agreed with the words that fell from Lord Euston first , and then from Canon Portal , that a good Mason should not be content to stop at where he was , but should always be trying to get to the top of the tree . He cordially reciprocated those sentiments , and could assure the company that he had every intention

Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

to go on and learn as much of Masonry as he possibly could . ( Cheers . ) Might he be allowed to say that he trusted his past record had shown he was keen about Masonry , and took the very greatest interest in his work It had given him great pleasure to have the honour of presiding that evening , and the brethren would now allow him to pass on and propose what he might call the toast of the evening , " Prosperity to the Mark

Benevolent Fund . " ( Applause . ) His Lordship continuing , said : Ladies and Brethren—I do not think that it is a very difficult task for any one to come here to-night and propose that toast . I have only to look round and see the large number who have attended , and when I think of the large numbers all over the country represented by those here , all of whom are doing their best to work for the Mark Benevolent Fund , I feel that prosperity

is already assured , ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Canon Portal has told yon of the small beginning compared with what we are now . That was made in the year 1869 , when there were only five Stewards and a sum of £ 97 2 s . 8 d . was collected . This Mark Benevolent Fund cannot pretend to compete with the three great Masonic Charities of which you all know , but at the same time , to begin with , Mark Masonry is in its infancy compared with

Craft Masonry , and we are not nearly so numerous as they are , and I think I may say not nearly so numerous as we intend to be . ( Applause . ) Well , we cannot attempt to get together these " large sums — I think that such a sum as was got together onl y the other day for the Girls' Masonic School certainly has never been equalled and it does not do to prophesy , but I should say it will be long before it is

ever surpassed—I think it was £ 50 , 500 . Well we cannot attempt to compete on such a scale as that ; but we do claim for this Mark Benevolent Fund that it is doing a vast amount of good with the limited funds at its disposal . ( Hear bear and cheers . ) Perhaps I might say for the benefit of the ladies , who are not so well acquainted with the objects of this Fund , that it is divided into three parts ; one third part is given to the relief of the

most urgent cases of necessity ; another third is given for the Educational Fund , and the other third is given for an Annuity . We are at the present time I believe assisting 26 children from the Educational Fund at a cost of something over £ 400 a year , which I believe represents a trifle over £ 15 a head . We have not large sums like Craft Masonry , but we endeavour to assist the education of those children in as practical a way as we can .

Some of you may remember what I said on the last occasion I had the pleasure of meeting the Mark Grand Lodge and talking of this Benevolent Fund . I said I think we are doing it in a very practical way—we assist the parents to pay for the education of their children , but at the same time we do not take away the authority of the parent —( applause )—we do not relieve the parents from the responsibility they have for educating their own

children , but we endeavour to assist them to do so to the best of our power . Now , Mark Masonry I believe and hope is progressing every day —( hear , hear)—and we are glad to see it ; but you must remember that the more Mark Masonry progresses the more likelihood there is of this Fund being called upon to educate the children of the poorer Mark Masons and the more large is the demand on the Annuity Fund likely to be . Therefore I would

ask you to recollect that when you see we are only educating 26 children now and that we have only four old Mark Masons on our books for the Annuity Fund , that is simply because this Fund has not been started many years , and the demands on it are likely to increase every year . Consequently I hope that no one will relax his efforts to keep up this good Charity in every way he possibly can . Canon Portal told you of a small beginning .

Well that is only 19 years ago , and this Fund has gone on steadily increasing year by year till last year there were no less than 157 Stewards and no less a sum than £ 2207 4 s . 9 d . collected . ( Hear , hear . ) You will hear presently from our worthy Secretary , Bro . Matier , who works very hard —( hear , hear , and cheers)—who does such excellent work for this good Charity—you will hear from him thesum collected to-night ; but I am glad to tell you that there are 163

Stewards , thelargestnumber ever yet seen at oneof these Festivals . ( A pp lause . ) I have alluded to the large sum collected ( or the Girls' Charity . That alonej I think , would be quite enough to make those who are working to-night feel pretty well certain that there would have been a good deal of difficulty in drawing money out of Masonic pockets . That large sum of £ 50 , 500 came out of Masonic pockets , and it was a pretty good haul . Therefore , nobody

need be surprised to hear to-ni ght that a less sum than last year—if such should be the case—is forthcoming . But I look upon the number of Stewards , 163 , as most satisfactory , because it shows that a larger number of Mark Masons all over the country are taking an interest in the Mark Benevolent Fund , and I feel certain that the numbers having now got up to such a pitchjwill never decrease , but the Mark Benevolent Fund will always

be represented in this room , or wherever else it may be held , by Stewards from all parts of the country . I thank you for the way you have received the toast of my health , and I ask you to drink with me with extreme heartiness " Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund . " I couple with the toast the name and health of Bro . Matier , whom I will now ask to make the announceof the Stewards' lists . ( Cheers . ) The toast was drunk enthusiastically .

Bro . MATIER , Secretary of the Fund , said he could not unfold to the company a budget the same as was unfolded by Bro . Hedges on the occasion of the Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . He could not say this had been the largest amount ever subscribed ; but he had to congratulate the meeting and the Marquis of Hertford on his being the Chairman when there was one of the largest amounts ever subscribed . As

his lordship had already told them , there were many reasons why the amount which he had to announce to-night was not larger . The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , of which every Mason was most justifiably proud , had obtained a great and unqualified success on its Centenary , and he only hoped that when the Centenary of the Mark Benevolent Fund took

place—he supposed none of those present now would be present thendaughter)—the Secretary of the day would be able to make the same announcement , Bro . Hedges made , that it was the greatest and most sp lendid success ever produced in Freemasonry . Bro . MATIER then announced the following lists :

STEWARDS" LISTS .

GENERAL BOARD . £ s . d . Bro . Frank Richardson ... 550 ,, Geo . Cooper ( see East Angha ) „ Robert Berridge s q o

„ Alfred Williams 15 15 o „ John E . Dawson ( see Herts ) . „ C . H . Driver ,., „ . 15 15 o „ James Moon . „

Bro . A . F . Godson , M . P . ( see- ^ &• « Worcestershire ) „ Thos . Cubitt ( see No . 1 ) „ R . Loveland Loveland ( see Hants and I . of VV . ) ... Rpv . Hauman Pnmmino * S

( see Kent ) LONDON . Lodge Grand Master ' s Bro . Rt . Hon . Lord Saltoun ... 3 « " > °