Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.

the Grand Lodge of England only temporarily , and very scantily , affords that relief which the aged , infirm , or poor brother requires after his strength has left him , or misfortune overtaken him . Whilst to the widows of those departed the law of tho board of Benevolence appears to be once nominally relieved , and after that a . It is also the most needy of the associations in question , because there are ever such a large excess of petitioners , who have to wait for years before they can derive benefit from its funds , that it OUGHT TO BE MOEE WAEMEY siTPPOETED THAN IT is , and no aged brother , or brother ' s widow should ever be allowed to ask for aid a second time . For these reasons we feel it to be the duty of THE MASONIC PEESS to advocate its cause , and to remind our

readers that in a certain ceremony they once undertook to relieve a distressed brother in preference to all other persons , and as a man and wife " arc one twain , " in supporting this institution , we may feel assured we are doing that duty , which is much more in accordance with the spirit of Freemasonry , than the erection of a superb edifice , however ornamental or expensive . On Wednesday , the 31 st . of January , the amiable , good , and beloved Brother Colonel H . A . Bowyer , Lieut .-Gen . Slip . G . Council , of the 33 ° , Prov . G . Commander

and Prov . G . Master , for Oxfordshire , kindly took the chair , and was supported by a . goodly muster of brethren of all grades , amongst whom may be mentioned—Bros . Victor AVilliamson , J . G . W . ; Rev . B . C . Davy , 30 ° , G . Chaplain ; the Rev . W . H . A . W . Bowyer , 33 ° , P . G . Chaplain ; Algernon Perkins , P . G . W . ; J . L . Evans , 18 ° , President of tho Board of General Purposes ; G . Cox , G . D . ; J . S . S . Hopwood , P . G . D , ; J . S . Pullen , P . G . D . ; John Symonds , 18 ° P . AsstG . D . of Cars . ; N . BradfordP . G . D . of Cers . Samuel Tomkins

, , , ; , G . Treasurer ; G . W . K . Potter , P . G . D . ; J . Spiers , 32 ° , D . Prov . G , Commander , and D . Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire ; J . Udall , P . G . D . j J . Harvey ; W . Farnfield , Assistant Grand Secretary and Secretary to the Institution ; Capt . Cope , G . S . B . ; Samuel May , William Watson , W . H . Warr , Dr . Lilley , & c , & c , The dinner being concluded , grace said , and the routine loyal and Masonic

toasts disposed of , Tho Chairman , Colonel Bowyer , gave the toast of the evening as follows : — Brethren , in rising to advocate the cause of this Institution , which provides for Aged Freemasons and their Widows , I am quite sure I need not express to you the great diffidence I felt when I was asked to take the honourable position of your President for this evening . I could not but recollect that I had been here on most of the occasions when this chair was occupied by men

high both in Freemasonry and in the Councils of this country—men who came before you with well deserved prestige , commanding your utmost respect and attention . ( Hear . ) But , however incompetent , I felt I was to hold so lofty a position I could not on such an occasion as this shrink from performing such a duty as was imposed upon me . ( Cheers . ) I shall now , therefore , in the discharge of that duty endeavour to imitate my predecessors in this chair , not in their eloquence , although I am placed in their position , but in advocating the cause of our aged and distressed Brethren ( applause ) , and I know you will not allow any inefficiency on my part to imperil the claims of this Institution , but that you will come forward erenerouslv , spontaneously , . and

heartily to the aid of your Brethren on this most Masonic occasion . ( Hear , hear . ) I shall detain you as little as possible in describing the Institution ,-as you are all aware of its constitution , and I think I shall ho saving your time , and making the case more clear to you than if I were to expatiate in any language of my own on its benefits , or detailing to you its peculiar position , if I read to you a statement and statistics which have been most kindly forwarded to me by that most excellent Mason and devoted Secretary

to the Institution , our Brother Farnfield , the Assistant Grand Secretary . It has been so clearly traced out that it will take me very few seconds to read it . This Institution for granting annuities to aged Freemasons was suggested by the Most Worshipful Grand Master , his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , in the year 1842 , since which period 238 aged Brethren have been elected on its funds , to whom have been paid up to the present time 23 , DM / . 15 * . After the election in May last there were eighty-one male