The New Grand Officers.

upon which the Order is founded , became thoroughly convinced of the vast importance ancl sterling value of our Masonic charities , and learned to view them as pillars of a noble ancl magnificent structure . Long since he constituted himself a life governor of the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Freemasons : a life governor ancl vicepresident of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund ; a life

governor of the Boys School ; a life governor of the Widows Fund ; and more recently an annual subscriber to the Girls School . He served the stewardship of the Boys School at the Jubilee Festival in 1848 ; ho served the stewardship of the Aged Masons Asylum , and of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Annuity Fund on the occasion of their auspicious union in 1850-51 . Brother Savage's advocacy of the

claims , not only of our poorer brethren , but of the widow and the fatherless at the Board of Benevolence and elsewhere , are too well known to need comment here . In 1849 he placed a notice of motion on the books of Grand Lodge for the establishment of a new charity , to be called the Widows Annuity Fund , with a vote of two hundred pounds annually from the Fund of Benevolence , and two votes to each Loclge in consideration of the grant ; ancl although this was considered

by Grand Lodge as too large a sum at that time , yet the Institution was sanctioned , ancl forthwith formed , with a grant of one hundred pounds annually and one vote to each Loclge ; since then the grant has been increased by two distinct votes to three hundred pounds per annum . Brother Savage became the first individual subscriber to the Institution , and at the first general meeting was elected one of its trustees .

Brother Savage lias been for some years a member of the Grand Chapter Committee , ancl was for a series of years upon the Board of General Purposes ; he took a very active part in its proceedings from 1845 to 1853 ; in 1846 he was elected vice-president of the Board , and having fulfilled the duties in a highly satisfactory manner when he was called upon to preside in the absence of the president , ho was

unanimously re-elected in 1847 , at one of the largest meetings of the Board , there being present at the time of his re-election , twenty-four out of the twenty-five appointed and elected members , a compliment which he esteemed very highly . In March , 1848 , at a well attended meeting of the brethren , at the Freemasons' Tavern , he was presented with a testimonial from a numerous body of the Craft , ancl which consisted of a salver ancl a small service of plate ; the salver bore the following inscription : —

" Presented to Brother John Savage , P . M ., Vice-President of the Board of General Purposes , etc ., etc ., together with a service of plate , by his brethren in Freemasonry , in testimony of his eminent services in disseminating the principles , ceremonies , and tenets of the Order ; of his general solicitude for the welfare of all the Masonic charities ; and of his unwearied exertions at all times to uphold the dignity and promote the welfare of the Craft . 1848 . " Brother Savage has been a constant attendant at Grand Lodge for many years , and has taken part in most of the leading questions