Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Masons And Their Widows.

the hands of your Great Creator . ( Loud cheers . ) Time warns me that I have occupied your attention too long ( No , no . ); but it will be with a deep sense of gratitude if I find I have induced one single rivulet to swell tho tide of the Charity , whose success I now propose to you . ( Loud and continued cheering . ) Bro . F . R OXBTJEG-H , said , after the very eloquent speech which they had just heard from their Right Worshipful Chairmanhe could hardly hope to claim their attentionbut he

, , trusted that the subject of his discourse would find more consideration from them than the one who had to bring it before them . Their Chairman had told them that the chair had been filled by noble and illustrious persons , and would be so again , " but he ( Bro . Roxburgh ) woulel venture to say that it had never been filled more ably than on the present occasion . There was no doubt that in their society , as in other societies , they rank

respected , and they estimated Masonic feeling whether the person was noble or not , but he believed it would be utterly impossible throughout the craft to find a man more truly actuated by Masonic feelings than their Chairman . He ( Bro . Roxburgh ) had been for some years in office in the Grand Lodge and " he had had an opportunity of knowing what Bro . Havers had done for Freemasonry , and the brethren would scarcely believe the

amount of time he had devoted to it . He would not then detain them by going into a disquisition of his good qualities , but would briefly say that Bro . Havers was truly appreciated by the Craft . He was sure the Charity would benefit by his presence , and he therefore would propose the health of ' Bro . Havers and long life to him . ( Great applause , ) _ THE CHAIEMAJT in reply said—I feel that you must be quite tired of hearing my voice , but I thank Bro . Roxburgh for the manner in which he has proposed the toast , and which has been so

kindly received by you . I felt for some years that I ran some danger of heing spoiled by you , but I will confess , thar . although I have worked hard you have repaid me in such a handsome way that I can hardly find words to express my thanks . I have taken credit in the performance of my public duties for disinterested conduct—I am now become mercenary , but it is onl y mercenary in collecting funds on behalf of this Charity . Perhaps one of the most grateful things I have heard istiiat froni

, £ 30 to £ -10 has been gained to the Charity by my speech . I am delighted to hear it , and I hope we shall have £ 30 or £ 10 more , and the Secretary will be happy to receive any list of Stewards not yet sent in . I again thank you , and I will endeavour to deserve tho good opinion you have expressed towards me . ( Loud cheering . ) THE PEESIDEJ-T OP THE BOABD or GEKEEAL PUEJ ? OSES said toast had been entrusted

a to him to propose , and he hoped tlie importance of it would excuse any incompetancy on the part of the proposer . It was "Tho Health of Lord Southampton , the Past President , the Vice Presidents , and the Officers of the Institution . " Now , no Institution could flourish without a judicious executive , and he must say that the committee had zealously done their duty , and it might be

satisfactory to the members to know that their poor brethren and their widows were well attended to . There was a most important officer , without whom the institution could not prosper anctthat was an efficient Secretary . It was not for him , who was only a young Mason , to do more than to mention the name of their respected Bro . Farnfield , who had aided the Institutions from small beginnings to what they now saw it , and they congratulated him upon it . He concluded by proposing the toast he had mentioned , coupling with it tiie names of Bros . Udall and Farnfield .

Bros . UDALL , V . P ., returned thanks on behal f of the officers and the committee of the Institution , and said it was a very proud thing to say that from the commencement thc Institution had heen conducted with great ability by their Bro . Farnfield . He could assure them that the officers would do their duty , aud he thanked them sincerely for the kind way in which they had responded to the toast , but , at that late hour , lie would say no more than they would do their best to merit the kindness expressed towards them .

Bro . FAENFIELD read the list of subscri ptions . ^ Bro . the REV . J . HUYSHE , after a few observations , proposed Success to their Masonic Charities , " coupling with the toast the names of Bros . Binckes , Patten and Farnfield . ( Loud cheers . ) Bro . F . BINCKES , Secretary to the Boys' School , said he felt a large amount of responsibility had been put upon his shoulders in having first to respond to the toast which had been given by th eir reverend brother Huyshe , which was that of the Masonic

Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Masons And Their Widows.

Charities . He had hoped that Bro . Farnfield , rejoicing in the success of the Festival , would have said a few words in acknowledgment of that success . He was also in the hope that Bro . Patten would have responded to such a toast ; but , at the same time , he was delighted to say a few words in reply to the toast . That was the first Festival of the year ; he said it advisedly , and he was sure that his opinion would be assented ' to b one presentthat there was no festival for a charitable

y every , institution which so warmly commended itself as that which had been presided over by Bro . Havers . ( Cheers . ) He said it most sincerely , aud without any affectation , that in the whole course of his experience in the support of charity , lie had never listened to any appeal which had so forcibly commended itself to their sympathies as the appeal to the heart by their respected brother who now occupied tlie chair . When their Brother

Havers told them that tho chair had been filled by the noble and illustrious ofthe land , but that it was now occupied by one of themselves , he gloried that it was so ; and they might well be proud of bim . His address was the outpouring of genuine eloquence on behalf of the Institution , in snch a manner as to commend it to their sympathies ; and those who heard it would judge how imperfectlhe ( Bro . Binckes ) could offer a

y response to the toast which had been proposed . On the 11 th of March , the Festival for the Boys' School would take place , at which the Deputy Grand Master would preside , when he expected the amount of contributions of any former period would be greatly exceeded . Iu the course of ihe year three institutions would appeal to them for support . Bro . Havers had not appealed to them for so many boys and girls , but for

the aged Freemasons and their widows , and most successfully had he done so ; but he ( Bro . Binckes ) asked them not to allow his fervid eloquence to interfere with the support they would give to the Boys' School Festival . They had under their charge

72 boys , and they gave them the means of discharging their duties in after life in the same way as if their natural parents were still , alive . In April there would be 24 candidates for admission , 'but there were but 4 vacancies , and he was sure the knowledge of that fact would enlist all their sympathies . He was delighted to see so admirable a meeting , and he hoped in March to see a larger one , and with still greater results . He gloried in emulation , and would do his best for

each of their charities . He deprecated rivalry , but honest emulation he would always encourage , and he would not rest satisfied until he had left the Boys' School on a level with their other institutions . Bro . PATTEIT returned thanks on behalf of the Girls' School , but was inaudible to anyone not immediately by his side . Bro . FABNTIEID very briefly acknowledged the compliment behalf of the Aged Freemasons' Institution

on . The CHAIE - MAJT gave "The Ladies and the Stewards , " tlie latter toast being responded to by Bro . Perkins , P . G . W . and President of the Board , and the proceedings of a most agreeable evening terminated . Bro . Matthew Cooke presided at the organ , and the other musical arrangements were under the superintendence of Bro . George Tedder , assisted by Madame Louise Vinning , Miss

Palmer Lisle , Miss Poole , and Bros . Henry Buckland and Borrani , the selection of music being most excellent . The subscriptions of the evening , including some since received , amounts , as nearly as possible , to £ 2200—nine Stewards not yet having made their returns . We should mention that four brethren made themselves Vice-Presidents , viz ., Bros . Algernon Perkins , No . 5 , P . G . W . ; the Rev . J . Huvshe , M . A ., G . Chap ., D . Prov . G . M ., Devon ; Hadley , No . 63 ; and Winn , 955 , who by giving £ 100 becomes a V . P . of both the Male and the Widows' Fund .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

PYTHAGOREAN LOBG-E ( No . 23 ) . —At a meeting held on Monday , January 26 th , at the Globe Tavern , Eoyal Hill , Greenwich ( Bro . Moore's ) , Bro . J . C . Peckham , W . M ., presided . This being the election night for W . M . for the ensuing year , Bro . W . Orchard , S . W ., was unanimously elected . The brethren then sat down to an excellent banquet . Visitors , Bros . J . Stevens , W . M . 805 ; Dr . Scott , W . M . 164 and 1173 ; F . Walters , W . M . 87 ; H . Newton , 183 ; Tattershall , 164 and several others .