The Boys' School Festival.

THE BOYS' SCHOOL FESTIVAL .

A few days hence and we shall be celebrating in Brighton the 97 th Anniversary Festival in behalf of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , when Bro . the Right Hon . the Lord EGERTON OF TATTON , Prov . Grand Master of Cheshire , vvill preside as Chairman , and in all probability there will be in support of his

lordship a Board of Stewards numbering between 520 and 530 . Last year when the Festival was held in the same town under the auspices of Bro . the Right Hon . VV . LAWIES JACKSON , M . P ., Prov . Grand Master of VVest Yorkshire , the Board of Stewards

numbered in all 622 ladies and brethren , so that on VVednesday next , the 3 rd July , there vvill be a smaller Board by close upon 100 members than tliere was in 18 94 . But we trust the friends of our Boys' School vvill not be cast down by this diminution in numbers . Rather let them bear in mind that all Chairmen—or

rather those Chairmen who are Grand Masters of or otherwise promimently associated with Provinces—are not equally fortunate in the support they can rely upon obtaining . ' Thus West Yorkshire has 7 6 lodges on its roll , and last year it sent up over 200 Stewards in support of its chief . Cheshire has but 4 6 lodges , and its contingent of Stewards on Wednesday next , as near as

ne are able to judge at present , will not exceed some 70 or 75 , and may be even , less . But though vve may not be looking forward to a repetition of last year ' s success , we arc still hopeful of a satisfactory result . We believe there vvill be raised not only enough for the year ' s requirements , but also a little over towards

the further augmentation of an exceedingly small invested capital ; and if our anticipations are realised there will be nc ground for complaining , because the same measure of success has not been obtained as in such exceptionally prolific years as

iSgi , 18 93 , or 1894 . Of one thing vve may rest assured , that Lord EGERTON OV TATTON ' S advocacy will be as earnest and as deserving ol a generous response . is that of any of his predecessors in thc chair , and that Cheshire , the other Provinces , and London , vvill spare no effort to secure a " big " Return .

As regards the arrangements , they are pretty much the same as they were last year and on previous occasions when the Festival has been held at Brighton , vvith this important exception , that dinner will bo served in the Dome at 5 . 30 p . m ., instead of at 4 . 15 p . m . This alteration is decidedly for the better , as it will

enable the Stewards and the friends vvho will accompany them to make the most ol their visit to ( his most popular ol seaside resorts , and devote an ample afternoon to a drive or lounge by the sea ; or , if the ) ' prefer it , to listening to the performances of the combined military and orchestral band vvhich will play , on the

Eastern Lawn from 3 105 . 15 p . m ., and in the evening from 7 . 30 io q p . m . As regards railway arrangements , there will be a special train of lirst-class carriages leaving Victoria at 11 a . m ., which will call ( to pick up ) at Clapham Junction and East Croydon , and a later special of a similar character leaving London

bridge at 1 . 35 p . m ., calling at East Croydon forthe same purpose . Tlie trains vvill leave Brig hton on tlie return journey at ' ) -3 o p . m . Moreover , in the case of those who may desire to ''xtend their visit , the return half tickets will be available by any "rdinary train on thc 4 th and 5 th prox . without extra charge , and

! ' ) ' payment of two shillings extra at the Brighton Booking-Dllice , by ordinary trains on Saturday , Sunday , and Monday , the Cth , 7 th , ; md Sth prox ., respectively . However , our readers may ' » - ' satisfied that everything has been done to secure the ; comfort

? "d convenience of those vvho intend being present at this "" portant function , and if the Clerk ol the Weather only remains us considerate as he has shown himself hitherto during the pres . (!| it season , we have no doubt the gathering will be proportionatel y us successful as in previous years .

The Mark Benevolent Fund Festival.

THE MARK BENEVOLENT FUND FESTIVAL .

As we announced in our issue of last week , the annual Festival in behalf of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held at the Freemasons' Tavern , on Wednesday , the roth July . Bro . Lord SKELMERSD .-VJ . E , Past S . G . W ., will occupy the chair , and

will be supported by a Board of Stewards , which , at the present time , consists of about 150 ladies and brethren , but which will doubtless be sli ghtly augmented in tbe interval between now and the dav of celebration . Last year , when Bro . the Earl of

YARBOROUGH , Proy . G . M . M . for Lincolnshire , presided , the Stewards were 154 in number , and the amount obtained in Donations and Subscriptions £ 1 . ^ 94 . We are , therefore , justified in hoping that the Returns a fortnight hence will be at least

about the same as in 18 94 , while as the Chairman on this occasion , though not himself a Prov . G . M . M ., will , in all probability , have the support of his father ' s Province of Lancashire , it is quite on the cards that they may be somewhat greater . At all

events , the prospect is not altogether discouraging , and we doubt not the very modest hope will be realised to which Bro . C . F . MATIER , Grand Secretary , and Secretary of the Fund , gave

expression at the Grand Festival of the Mark Grand Lodge , on the 4 th instant , that a sum would be obtained on the ioth prox . " which would enable them to keep up . the old traditions in the case of the education of children and tin ; annuities to Old

People . " Assuredly the Mark Benevolent Fund richly deserves the support which has been so generously accorded to it by the members of the Degree . It provides ( 1 ) as regards the Benevolent Fund proper , for the temporary relief of distressed Mark

Master Masons , and their widows and families ; ( 2 ) as regards its Educational Fund , for the education of the sons and daughters of deceased and indigent Mark brethren ; and ( 3 ) as regards its Annuity Fund , for the permanent support of poor old Mark

brethren and their widows . It has an invested capital of between £ 13 , 000 and ^ , ' 14 , 000 , while its annual expenditure is upwards of / , ' JOOO , of which considerably less than one half is derived from the dividends on its investments . Considering the amount of

good it is doing , thi' bund has undeniable claims upon the goodwill and support of all our Mark brethren , and we sincerely trust lhat when the time arrives it vvill be our privilege to announce , as the result of the approaching Festival in its behalf , such a

sum as will make good the deficiency ol income as compared with the expenditure , and permit ol" some slight addition being made to its capital . We lay some stress upon the latter point in the case ol tin ' s as ol our other Masonic Charitable institutions .

We have no right to expect that the exceedingly heavy demands which are now , being made upon tin : pockets of brethren will always be responded to as amply as they have been for the last ten or dozen years . The country may some dav find itself

involved in a serious political or commercial crisis , when English Masons , though they will be actuated by the same desire as now to maintain their splendid Institutions at the same hi gh level of efficiency , may find it impossible to contribute towards their

maintenance as generously as they have been contributing , and then will be found the advantage ol having held in reserve a sum sufficient to meet ( he heavier requirements of the proverbial " rainy day . " We know there are many brethren who advocate

the satisfaction of all claims upon pur Chant ) ' out of the voluntary contributions that are raised annually , without regard to the future . It is , no doubt , an extremely generous policy , but not over-wise . . It betokens a confidence in posterity , which posterity , with every inclination to do all that is required of it , mav lind