Royal Benevolent Institution.

He was happy to find that on tins occasion he was supported by two Prov . Grand Masters ( Bro . Stephen Blair , East Lancashire , and Captain Bowyer , Oxfordshire ) , who had come up from a distance , no doubt at some inconvenience at this period of the year , when few parties were in town , to discharge their Masonic duties by supporting tbe Institution which had called the brethren there that evening , and show the great interest they took in the Masonic Charities . ( Cheers . ) He shouldin

pro-, posing the toast , avail himself of the opportunity of coupling with it the name of Captain Bowyer , whom every brother in that room must know as a constant attendant at Grand Lodge , and a most zealous supporter of theTVfasonic Charities . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Captain BOWYER , Prov . G . M . Oxfordshire , trusted they would believe him when he said that it was with grateful feelings that he acknowledged the toast which had been so kindly

proposed and cordially received . He scarcely knew how properly to express his thanks for the kind manner in which the toast had been proposed , and the importance of their duties as described by the noble Lord . He trusted the brethren were all convinced that the Prov . Grand Masters were anxious to promote the interests of the Craft to the best of their ability ( Cheers ); and he could assure them that on all occasions when be could do anything to promote the interests of the Charities , or of

Freemasonry in general , it would be his greatest pride to do so . ( Cheers . ) The D . GRAND MASTER had now to ask them to drink to the success of the noble Charity which they had that evening met to support , and be must at the same time beg their attention for a few minutes whilst he explained the objects of the Institution and the claims which it had upon their support . ( Cheers . ) In doing so be hoped he should not be employing their time

unprofitably , as he looked upon the Institution as a most important instrument in carrying out that Charity which was the glory of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) The Royal Benevolent Institution for the relief of Aged Masons and their Widows had been established , and carried out the duty of assisting their poorer ¦ brethren , on which the foundation of their Order rested . Charity was one of the first duties which their sacred religion taught them to perform in their earthly pilgrimage , and so also was it the first duty enjoined by Freemasonry , which was

founded on religion . ( Cheers . ) They could never forget that that was the first duty imposed upon them on their entrance into Masonry , and if it was the duty of every Mason in his individual capacity to give assistance to his brother Mason in distress , how much more so was it their duty in their collective capacity . He had no doubt that every Mason found plenty of claims on his individual charity ; but to give wisely and well it was necessary and desirable that they should do so with

discretion , and that inquiry should be made into the position and character of those who made claims upon them . ( Cheers . ) That task could not be performed so well and so efficiently in any other manner than through the machinery of an Institution like that whose claims he was then advocating ; neither could any individual do the same amount of good by himself as he could by associating with his brethren . ( Cheers . ) The Freemasons of England had long been aware of thisand

consider-, ing how important was the education of their children , had founded two schools , one for girls and the other for boys , which he was proud to believe were amongst the first of their kind in the kingdom . ( Cheers . ) But it had been felt by their late illustrious Grand Master ( the Duke of Sussex ) that it would be but right that they should go further , and not to leave to individual charity the duty and tbe burden of supporting the aged and distressed . ( Cheers . ) It was an admitted fact in all

civilised , and he believed he might add in uncivilised , communities that the aged were entitled to respect and succour , ( cheers ) and that those were possessed of health and vigour were bound to support those who needed aid in the decline of life ; and it would ill "become Freemasons to forget that duty which was acknowledged throughout the civilised world . ( Cheers . ) Therefore , it had been thought

right by their late Grand Master , that an institution should be established for the relief of aged and decayed Freemasons . ( Cheers . ) Since the establishment of the Institution it had afforded relief to upwards of 200 aged Hasons . ( Cheers . ) And the amount of good thereby conferred could not be overated . But not content with this , as years rolled on , and under the auspices of tbe present Grand Master the brethren had determined to add another branch to the Institution , and consider the claims of those nearest and dearest to the brethren whilst living—the widow ( cheers ); affording them consolation and assistance

in their bereavement , and carrying out that charity which was the living principle of the Craft . ( Cheers . ) Should it be said that such an Institution having such noble objects in view was wanting in support ? He felt confident that it never would , and that the necessary funds to support it would be always forth- . coming . But they must recollect that however much they had yet done , there still remained more for them to do . ( Cheers . ) They must never think they had done enough , nor in the slightest

withold their hands ; they must never check the liberality of their nature , being always sure that they would find plenty of opportunities of displaying and exercising their charitable feelings . ( Cheers . ) He was happy to see so many brethren present zealously engaged in supporting this Institution , and be trusted they would evince their feelings with regard to it by filling to overflowing the subscription lists which had no doubt been laced before them . Freemasonswere always alive to the

p , wants of tbe distressed , and at present the word widow spoke to them with double force—at a time when the whole nation was sharing the sorrows of an illustrious widow , who even in the midst of her own affliction had shown how deeply she sympathised with the sorrows of others , by daily seeking information relative to the chance of saving the lives of the sufferers by a late fearful accident—the fatal results of which now filled the minds of the English people . ( Cheers . )

The toast having been drunk , Bro . BINCKES , at the request of Bro . Fariifield , the Secretary of the Institution , read the lists of subscriptions , which the noble chairman subsequently announced amounted to £ 1 , 9 SG 4 s ., with seventeen lists yet to come in . Bro . STEPHEN BLAIR , Prov . G . Master East Lancashire , would ask them to fill bumpers , as it was a bumper toast he was about to ive . He was not going to propose the health of tho D . G .

g Master , though it was something very like it , as he was going to ask them to drink to the health of the Chairman . ( Cheers and laughter . ) He was sure he might , in the name of the brethren present , return thanks to the noble Earl for the kindness with which he had presided over them that evening . ( Cheers ) . He was sure they had all listened to the remarks of their nohle Chairman with regard to the charity with great pleasure , and that they would agree with him that it was a duty incumbent

upon them all to assist their poor and distressed brethren to the utmost of their ability . He was afraid , however , that the claims which this Charity had on their support were not so well known in the country as they should be , and he thought the Prov . Grand Masters should endeavour to make them known as much as possible . He intended to do so himself , and though East Lancashire had sent them up a fair list of subscriptions that evening , he . looked upon it as only an earnest of what they

intended to do in the future , and he hoped that next year East Lancashire , over which he had the honour to preside , would come forward in a manner to show how highly they appreciated the value of the Institution . ( Cheers . ) The D . GRAND SI ASTER begged the brethren to receive his grateful thanks for the manner in which they had been pleased to receive the toast so kindly proposed by the Prov . G . M . for East Lancashire . He was happy to have had the

opportunity of occupying the chair on that occasion , and when it was first proposed to him to undertake the duty he felt that he could not refuse to do so , though , as he had stated in the early part of the evening , his time was much occupied with his official duties . He was always happy to have the opportunity of evincing his appreciation of the value of their Masonic Charities ( cheers ); and if the brethren were of opinion that in filling tbe chair that evening he had been of any service , he

could but feel highly gatified . ( Cheers . ) He agreed with the Prov . G . Master for East Lancashire that this Charity was not so well known in the provinces as it ought to be ; and he was satisfied that if its objects and the claims which it had on the support of the Craft were made more generally known , it would receive it . They must recollect that much was expected from Masonry , even from those unconnected with the Craft , and that much , it was their duty to show , was not neglected . ( Cheers . )

The D . GRAND MASTER next gave " The President , Vice-Presidents , Committee and Auditors of the Institution . " No Institution could flourish without it was looked after by a Managing Committee , and he was sure they were deeply indebted to the brethren , who so well conducted the offices of the Institution . Bro . GEORGE BARRETT , Vice-President , returned thanks , and expressed the deep obligations which the Committee felt to the noble Earl for presiding over them that evening .