Freemasonry In 1893.

the Stewards who gave their help on the occasion . Of course , with so limited an amount of subscriptions as we have mentioned , it was found impossible to do more than retain the establishment of the two Funds at thc same strength as in 1892 . Hence , on the 19 th May , when the annual meeting of thc Governors and Subscribers was held , the Committee of Management recommended that only such a number of candidates should be elected as would

suffice to fill thc vacancies that had occurred during the previous 12 months , and in this recommendation the meeting acquiesced . There were 57 candidates on the list for the Male Fund , and 54 candidates on that for the Widows' Fund , and of these 20 , including the three deferred , were elected on the former , and 12 , including also the three deferred , on the latter ; the total number of annuitants provided for by the Institution , being 192 men . and 240 widows , together

with 25 widows receiving half their late husbands' annuities ; the total sum required annually for their maintenance , being £ 55820 . As for thc other events which have happened in connection with this Chariry , there is little else to record than that the winter and summer entertainments were given as usual to the inmates of thc Asylum at Croydon , and that the Festival Stewards paid their annual visit to the same branch of the Institution while Grand

Lodge voted its annual contribution of £ 70 towards providing thc Old Folks in residence at Croydon with coals and wood during the winter season . The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls has enjoyed a larger measu-ie of support than at any time since it celebrated the centenary of its foundation , Indeed , its funds had been reduced to a seriously low ebb , owing to the comparative small amounts contributed at the successive Festivals of 1889 ,

1890 , 1891 , and 1892 , and it had become absolutely necessary in order to avoid trenching upon its reserves , that a very great effort should be made in order to revive the monetary status of thc School . A strong body of 394 brethren was , therefore , enlisted as a Board of Stewards , and the valuable services of Bro . the Earl of Euston , Prov . Grand Master of Northants and Hunts , having been secured as Chairman , the 105 th Annual Festival was

held underhislordship ' sauspices as usual at Freemasons' Hall on the 17 th May , when a large company of ladies and brethren assembled , and the subscriptions and donations amounted to the very handsome total of £ 14 , 011 , Lord Elision's Province , which has only 13 lodges on its roll , very generously contributing £ 1050 , while West Yorkshire gave £ 1425 . On this occasion London , with only 154 Stewards , returned nearly £ 6220 , while

the Provinces , of which more than three-fourths were represented , sent up 240 Stewards , an'd a total of nearly £ 7800 . This proved a very welcome success , as it has had the desired effect of restoring the funds of the Institution , which had been unpleasantly disturbed during 1891 and ] 1892 , to something like their former state of equilibrium . Unfortunately , one part of this annual celebration had to bc dispensed with , owing to an outbreak of scarlet

fever in the School , and the customary gathering of ladies and brethren to witness the distribution of prizes and the usual exhibition of calisthenics , as well as to listen to the recitations and musical exercises of the children , did not take place . The prizes , however , were distributed informally as soon as the health of thc girls permitted , while their calislhcnic ability was seen to the best advantage on the occasion of the visit paid in

September by the members of the Institute ol Journalists and lheir friends , as well as at a second visit , arising out of it , at which thc representatives of many daily and weekly journals were present . As for the results of the different public examinations for which pupils of the School were entered , the whole of the 19 children who took part in the Cambridge Middle Class Examinations were able to satisfy thc Examiners , while nine of the number

were placed in the Honour Classes . For thc College of Preceptors ' Examination between 40 and 50 were entered , and all passed . In respect of the proceedings at the usual Quarterl y General Courts and Committees held during thc year , thc first electron took " place at the Quarterly Court in April , when 19 girls were elected into the School from an approved list of 29 , while at the Court in October there were elected 15 from a list of 37 . At the

Quarterly General Court in July thc expenditure of a sum of £ 600 was sanctioned for the purpose of enlarging the Infirmary and rendering its accommodation and arrangements more effective than they proved to bc during the epidemic of thc present year . It should also be mentioned that at the April Court the rights and privileges of a Vice-Patron were conferred upon Bro . Jabez Hogg , P . G . D ., in recognition of the important services he

has rendered to thc Institution as Surgeon-Oculist during the last 30 years . Thc usual entertainments were also given to those children who , having no homes to go to , arc under the necessity of spending their holidays at School . Thus , if wc except the outbreak of fever , which , to the credit of the medical and managerial staff , was most successfully dealt with , thc year which has so nearly run its full course has been a prosperous one as regards thc

accumulation of the necessary ways and means , and a successful one as regards the evidences , already referred to in connection with certain public examinations , which have been forthcoming of the excellence of the system of education pursued by Miss Davis and her staff under the guidance of thc House Committee and the Secretary . An equally satisfactory account can be given of the condition of the Royal

Masonic Institution for Boys , and the efforts made in its behalf by the lodges and brethren both in town and country . The 95 th Anniversary Festival was held at Brighton , on the 28 th June , under the presidency of Bro . Lord Brooke , Prov . G . Master of Essex . The banquet was served in the dome of the Royal Pavilion , and was attended by about fioo ladies and brethren , whilst the concert took place in the Pavilion itself , which had been

very kindly placed at thc disposal of the Stewards by the municipal authorities of the town . Thc meeting was successful beyond expectation , the total of the returns announced in thc course of thc proceedings being £ 21 , 340 , of which London , by the hands of its 203 Representatives , contributed £ 9292 , and the Provinces , with 321 Stewards , £ 12 , 048 , the principal items being £ 2235 from the Province of Essex , £ 1177 from Kent , £ 1000 from Derby

shue , and the very excellent list of £ 671 compiled by Bro . Oscar Philippe , as Steward for the Montague Guest Lodge , No . 1900 . Thc total has been very largely augmented since thc celebration by lhe receipt of outstanding lists and addition to lists already received , but , in thc absence of any precise information , wc must content ourselves with stating the ultimate total as being approximately £ 22 , 000 . in anv circumstances , thc amount announced

at the Festival itself ranks as third highest among thc many high amounts annually raised in behalf of this Institution , and the Chairman , the Stewards , thc School Authorities , and the general body of its friends and supporters must feel more than ordinarily grateful lor the generosity which " Our Boys" have experienced from the Craft under the new dispensation .

It is evident that the confidence of English Freemasons in the administration of the School has been restored . The distribution of prizes , which is always held in connection with the Festival , took place at the Institution , Wood Green , on Tuesday , the 27 th June , the chair being occupied by Bro . Richard Eve , P . G . Treas ., Chairman of the Committee of Manage-

Freemasonry In 1893.

ment , while thc prizes were given away by Lady Brooke , who was accompanied by Lord Brooke , the Chairman of the Festival . The report which Bro . the Rev . H . Hebb , the Head Master , was able to give of the results of the year ' s work was eminently satisfactory , the successes achieved by the pupils who had been entered for the Cambridge Middle-Class Examinations and for the various examinations conducted by the Science and Art

Department , South Kensington , being numerous , and reflecting great credit on the Rev . Bro . Hebb and his very able staff of Assistant Masters . As for the physicial training of the boys , the athletic sports , which were held in the School playing-fields on Saturday , the 17 th of the same month , demonstrated clearly enough that the authorities are resolved that the boys they send out annually to begin the battle of life shall be in this

respect , as well as mentally , fully able to comport themselves manfully and honourably in thc struggle ; in fact , the training in force has proved its excellence , not only in the playing fields and the examination hall , but likewise by the tone and character of the boys generally , the occasional lectures and agreeable entertainments which are now given during the long evenings having materially helped to bring about this gratifying result . We must

add th t at the election which took place at the Quarterly Court of Governors and Subscribers , in April , 23 were admitted from an approved list of 49 candidates , while at the October Court there were admitted 26 out of 46 . Nor must we omit to mention that Bro . George Plucknett , P . G . D ., who had held the office of Treasurer for about 20 years , expressed a wish at the April

Court to retire from that position , and Bro . E . Lctchwoith , G . Secretary , was unanimously chosen to fill the vacancy thus created . Very general regret was manifested at the resignation of Bro . Plucknett after so long and honourable a term of service , and expression was given to this feeling in an address of thanks , which was unanimously voted and presented lo thc retiring Treasurer by the Governors and Subscribers .

PROVINCIAL AND OTHER CHARITABLE ASSOCIATIONS . Additional evidence is continually forthcoming that the various kinds of Charitable Association which , for the sake of convenience , we have grouped together under this heading , are becoming more and more useful every year . As our readers are aware , the principal of these organisations may be arranged in two classes . There are , in the first place , the local

Educational and Annuity Funds , which do on a' small scale what is done by thc central Masonic Institutions , and there are the Associations which have been formed for the purpose of enabling brethren of modest means to become , by gradual payment , either Life Governors or Life Subscribers of the main Charities , lt will readily bc imagined that thc former class ¦ is by far the more important , and we see with pleasure that

every now and then a new Educational or Annuity Institution is established with reasonable prospects of success . The Province which has been most active in founding and persistent in supporting these local institutions is West Lancashire , which can boast of an Educational Institution , the Hamer Benevolent Institution for granting annuities to indigent brethren who have been members of West Lancashire lodges , and the Alpass Benevolent

Institution , which grants annuities to the widows of West Lancashire Masons . So admirably have these three organisations been conducted , and so largely have they been supported by the members of the Province , that the moneys invested in their support represent a capital of about £ 30 , 000 , of which about tw 6-thirds is the property of the Educational Fund , while the remaining one-third is about equally divided between the Hamer and Alpass

Institutes . During the present year these Funds have held their ground without difficulty , very liberal contributions having been raised by concerts and balls or obtained from the lodges and brethren , the principal event recorded during the year being the Festival of the Alpass Institution , which was held on thc 5 th October under the presidency of Bro . Lord Skelmersdale , son of the respected Provincial Grand Mastcr , Bro . the Earl of Lathom , when

subscriptions lo thc amount of about £ 1300 were announced , and thc hope was expressed that before the end of the year this sum would be further increased to about £ 1500 , East Lancashire is also well placed in this respect , haying a Systematic Educational and Benevolent Institution , with a capital of over £ 1 i , ooo , which educates a large number of children , and renders serviceable help to many brethren and widows . Cheshire , also , has been long known

for its Educational Fund , and now it has an Annuity Institution , which is intended lo grant annuities to brethren and widows , equal to one-half of the annuities granted by thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . This new organisation was started in the summer or autumn of last year , and thc inaugural Festival in its behalf was held in the Chester Town Hall , under the presidency of Bro . Sir Horatio Lloyd , P . G . D ., D . P . G . M ., on the 15 th June ,

when Bro . Richard Newhouse , P . G . Secretary , who had taken a leading part in organising the Fund , announced that the subscriptions which had been promised amounted to £ 3180 , of which £ 2500 had been received , the difference between the two amounts being accounted for by the fact that many lodges and brethren purposed spreading payment of their subscriptions over a period of five years . Other Funds of a like character arc thc Educational

Funds of North and East Yorkshire , Devonshire , Hampshire and the Isle of Wight , Dorsetshire , & c , all of which , so far as our knowledge goes , have held their ground , while some have been able to extend the sphere of their operations . The other class of Charitable Associations are those which enable brethren to qualif y themselves by gradual payment either as Life Governors or Life Subscribers , and under this head are to be found thc Associations organised by Staffordshire , Cambridgeshire , Herefordshire , and other Provinces , as well as by many lodges

of instruction in the London district . There is yet a third class of Charitable Association , bul these are to bc found chiefly , if not entirely , in the Provinces , and are intended to promote the success of Provincial candidates for the Schools or Annuity Funds . These also do good service to our Central Institutions , but indirectly , any successes which may be achieved by these organisations in carrying the election of their candidates , being almost certain lo enlist further support for our Charities .

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE . The following is a list , month by month , of the cases relieved , andlhe sums distributed amongst them by the Board of Benevolence of United Grand Lodge , namely : January , number of cases relieved 19 , amount distributed £ 595 ; February , cases 25 , amount £ 610 : March , cases 51 , amount £ 1225 ; April , cases 32 , amount £ 9 65 ; May , cases 43 , amount £ 1015 ;

June , cases 27 , amount £ 7 60 ; July , cases 22 , amount £ 5 65 ; August , cases 20 , amount . £ 510 ; September , cases 15 , amount £ 43 " > October , cases 25 , amount £ 730 ; November , cases 51 , amount £ 1210 ; December , cases 40 , amount , 6915 ; giving a grand total for the year of cases 393 . and amount distributed amongst them by thc Board £ 10 , 025 . This is a far heavier return both as regards the number of cases and