Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

LANCASHIRE ( E . D . ) Lodge & s - ° - 201 B . -o , Richard Pentner ... 2100 . oS 3 „ J . H . Hassall ... 21 0 o Unattached Bro . W . Forrest 10 10 o Mrs . J . H . Hassall ... 5 5 0

LANCASHIRE ( W . D . ) . ^ ffBro . Rev . C . C . Bluett ... 21 0 o Unattached Uro . Thomas Baxter ... 10 10 o „ J . W . Burgess ... 26 5 o , J . R . Burrows ... 20 o o

, John Clayton ... 10 10 o A . J . Cunliffe ... 10 10 o ' „ Capt . C . H . Garnett . 10 10 o Mrs . Thomas Baxter ... 5 5 °

LINCOLNSHIRE . Lodge 12 S 2 Bro . the Rev . H . F . Oliver 1010 o MIDDLESEX . Lodge

• 3 S 2 Bro . A . A . Hardy ( see also Berkshire ) ... — 1109 „ James A . Cory 4 co „ W . H . J . Blake ... 15 15 0 ifi ^ G „ Thomas Grant ... 29 iS G 2 l ' f , j A . A . Hardy ( see

„ also Berkshire ) ... — Unattached Bro . J . H . Roach ... 10 10 o „ Fredk . Spicer , M . D . 21 o o ,, J . P . Taylor ( see also Herts ) -

NORTHANTS AND HUNTS . Bro . the Earl of Euston , P . G . M „ Harry Manfield ... GS 5 0 NORTH WALES . Province

Bro . C . K . Benson ... 42 o 0 Lodge 19 SS Bro . Major T . W . Best ... 3 G 15 o

OXFORDSHIRE . Lodge 357 Bro . A . F . Theodosius , M . A 40 o o 357 » Roger C . Parr ... 21 o o 47 S „ A . F . P . Barton ... 11 11 o 1 S 95 „ Ernest F . Oldham ... 15 0 o

Lhapter 357 Comp . Ernest H . Cartwright 36 15 o Collected Lists 42 o o

SOMERSETSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Col . A . Thrale

Perkins 2 G 5 0 STAFFORDSHIRE . Lodge 456 Bro . W . Blair ... 54 G „ J . Webberley 1792 „ Matthias Barker ... 21 o o J 149 „ Thomas Taylor , J . P . 14 S 1 o

Unattached £ s . d Bro . Arthur Holme „ * George C . Kent ... — Mrs . * Thomas Taylor ... — Miss * C . E . Taylor ... — „ * B . M . Taylor ... — SUFFOLK .

Lodge 37 6 Bro . George Turner ... 2 G 5 o SURREY . Lodge 104 G Bro . C . J . Slade 23 12 6 1 G 3 S ,, Henry Minett ... 35 0 0 Lodge of Instruction

13 62 Bro . Albert Henning ( see also London ) ... 3 i 0 0 Unattached Bro . Tom Cookes

„ Douglas C . Robinson 10 10 0 SUSSEX . Lodge 732 Bro . John Shrieve Lee ... 114 9 o 2434 „ Carl F . Bennewitz ... 23 2 0 Unattached

Bro . Richard Clowes ... 10 10 o „ V . P . Freeman ... 21 10 G „ G . R . Blades ... 10 10 0 WARWICKSHIRE . Lodge

Bro . Charles Rainsford , jun . 31 o o WILTSHIRE . Unattached Bro . Harry Bevir ... ... 10 10 0

WORCESTERSHIRE . Collected Lists , V > 15 ° YORKSHIRE ( W . R . ) . Lodge 30 G Bro . William Blackburn ~ | 10 4 2 „ Arthur Greenwood |

1102 „ T . GaukrogerHowell S-I 3 I 5 0 2259 , i lohn Constable ... | 2695 „ Thomas Woods ... J

FOREIGN STATIONS . EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO . Lodge 50 S Bro . P . Scott Falshaw ... EGYPT . Lodge 110 5 Bro . E . G . Foot MALTA . Charities Association Bro . J . M . McLeod ( see also London ... 52 10 0 NATAL . Lodge

1729 Bro . Peter R . Murphy ... SOUTH AMERICA . Lodge 2 G 42 Bro . A . L . W . McEwen ... THE TRANSVAAL . Bro . George Richards , I Dist . G . M 10 10 0

SUMMARY OF THE PROVINCES .

£ s . d . 1 Berkshire ... ... ... 552 iS G Buckinghamshire ... ... 11 S 5 o Cambridgeshire ... ... 47 5 o Cheshire ... ... , ... 31 10 0 Cornwall ... ... ... 47 5 o

Derbyshire ... ... 231 4 o Devonshire ... ... 22 1 0 Dorsetshire Durham ... ... ... 52 10 o Esiex ... ... ... 242 10 o

Gloucestershire ... ... 2 O 5 o Guernsey and Alderney ... 27 o o Hampshire and Isle of Wight 174 12 o Hertfordshire ... ... 1101 10 o Kent .., ... ... 2 S 3 10 0 Lancashire ( E . D . ) ... ... 57 15 o

I I s . d . Lancashire ( W . D . ) ... ... 11 4 10 0 Lincolnshire ... ... 10 10 0 Middlesex ... ... ... 77 3 6 Northants and Hunts ... OS 5 0 North Wales ... ... 7 S 15 0

Oxfordshire ... ... 1 G 6 G 0 Somersetshire ... .. . 2 G 5 0 Staffordshire ... ... 169 1 0 Suffolk ... ... .., 2 G 5 0 Surrey ... ... ... go 12 6

Sussex ... ... . „ 135 ig G Warwickshire ... ... 21 o o Wiltshire ... ... ... 10 10 o Worcestershire ... ,., 3 G 15 0 Yorkshire ( W . R . ) ... ... 131 5 0 Foreign Stations ... ... 63 o o

135 STEWARDS—LONDON ... ... . „ £ 4337 14 6 134 STEWARDS—PROVINCES , & c . ... ... 42 G 2 3 0 GRAND TOTAL .., ... £ 8599 17 G Bro . GEO . RICHARDS , Dist . G . M . Transvaal , proposed "The Health of the Chairman , " and said , that in his district speech was silver , but silence was golden . He expressed his gratification at the Deputy G . Master ' s kind remarks with reference to the State over which he had the honour to preside . They were words of wisdom , and he cordially joined in every

word uttered , for the one prayer of every true Freemason was that the Grand Architect would be pleased to avoid for them the horrors of war . There was an old Dutch by-law that any brother speaking for more than six minutes should not receive an invitation for the banquet . They had heard of the work carried out by their Chairman , and he was particularly struck with the business-like way in which that distinguished brother delivered his s Peech . He called upon them to drink the toast and wish him long life and Prosperity , and a long career of usefulness to continue his good work .

The CHAIRMAN in his response , said he readily accepted the invitation ° f the Board of Management . The result of the collection had been most gratif ying to him . Having collected £ 140 , 000 last year , they had no right w expect a bumper festival this year , and when he accepted the office of Chairman , he gave it to be quite understood that as far as any personal influence he mi ght have , that would not be brought to bear until after the two other festivals . He was most anxious the other two Institutions should nave their full chance this year , and it was gratifying to him to hear the

Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

splendid results of those festivals . He had to thank his Provinces of Herts and Berks , both of whom had come up splendidly to the mark . He had not yet used all his influence , for the Berks meeting was next Saturday , when he hoped to get an increased amount collected . He hoped that as in 1 S 02 , when he filled the same position for the Benevolent Institution after

the Jubilee Festival , the amount announced would be increased to £ 10 , 000 , They had enough to relieve them of all anxiety for the present year . He felt thankful to those who had supported him , present and absent , and the result of their efforts was gratifying to the R . M . I , for Boys . Before he sat down he wished to interpolate a toast " The Visitors , " with which he coupled the name of their distinguished visitor from Afghanistan .

Sultan MAHOMMED KUAN said that the most complimentary remarks of the Chairman had made him blush . It might not be out of place to mention that his Most Gracious Sovereign the Ameer was the first who had proved a true friend to the British Nation . The Ameer asked if there was any scheme which would spiritually unite the Mohammedans with the

Christians ? His ministers could not answer the question . He was glad to have come to England and seen this noble Institution of theirs , which united all creeds , colours , and religions . He hoped very soon to be initiated and enrol himself as a brother , and he also hoped to open the first lodge in the kingdom of Afghanistan . He should always remember the distinguished Chairman and his friend , Mr . Eve .

" The Other Masonic Charities , and Success to them , was submitted by Bro . the Ven . Archdeacon SINCLAIR , P . G . Chap ., and was acknowledged by Bro . HEDGES , Sec . R . M . I , for Girls . Bro . the Baron DE FERRIERES , P . G . D ., proposed " The Stewards , " for which Bro . Major C . VV . CARRELL , P . G . S . B ., replied . Bro . J AS . STEPHENS , P . Dep . G . D . C ., gave the concluding toast , " The Ladies , " for which Bro . A . J . THOMAS responded .

ANALYSIS OF THE RETURNS . There is no need to offer any prefatory remarks , and , therefore , we enter at once upon our accustomed task of analysing the Returns , and offering such remarks as seem desirable . The total raised on Wednesday was £ 8599 17 s . 6 d ., and the number of ladies and brethren who obtained this sum was 269 , London , which furnised 135 Stewards subscribing £ 4337 14 s . Cd ., and the Provinces , with 134 Stewards , £ 4262 3 s .

As regards LONDON there were some 7 6 lodges , three chapters , and three clubs , represented by 72 Stewards and the rest were brethren and ladies Unattached . The honour of securing the highest pertains to Bro . J . J . Thomas , who represented Lodge Prince Frederick William , No . 753 , and the Logic Club , his total being . £ 208

8 s . 66 ., of which £ 85 came from the lodge and £ 123 8 s . 6 d . from the club . Bro , E . Drew , Sir Hugh Myddelton Lodge , No . 1602 , secured second honours with . € 157 15 s ., and was followed closely by Bro . R . C . Davis , Duke of Albany Lodge , No . 1963 , with £ 150 . Then came a group of two ladies Unattached and a lodge representative , who were bracketed together as returning each of them £ 126 , namely , Mrs . C . E . Keyser and Mrs . McLeod , and Bro . John Barlow , J . P ., of the

John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 . Bro . E . Roehrich , Old Masonians Lodge , No . 2700 , raised £ 110 15 s . 6 d . ; Bro . G . S . Recknell , Cheerybles Lodge , No . 2466 , £ 107 2 s . ; Bro . B . Bramble , Sterndale Bennett Lodge , No . 2182 , £ 105 j and Bro . C . B . C . Hancock , Old King ' s Arms Lodge , No . 28 , £ 101 17 s . Other lists which may claim to be recorded include those of Bro . C . B . Broad , Phcenix Lodge , No . 175 , for £ 85 us . ; Bro . R . Davies , Caverac

Lodge , No . 176 , for £ 96 12 s . ; Bro . J . ' 1 . Scnven , Friends-in-Council , No . 13 S 3 , for £ 94 10 s . ; Bro . 0 . Isler , Islington Lodge , No . 1471 , for £ 75 ; Bro . J . Gordon , St . John . at-Hackney Lodge , No . 2511 , for £ 71 Ss . ; Bro . G . E . Gratton , Victoria Diamond Jubilee Lodge , No . 26 75 , C-io 1 S 3 . ; and Bro . L . Lefeyre , Edward Terry Lodge , No . 2722 , for £ 74 us ., with Comp , J . Smithers , Felicity Chapter , No . 5 % for £ 72 qs .

Considering what THE PROVINCES did at the Boys' Centenary Festival last year , when every am of them wis adequately represented and the aggregate of their donations and subscriptions amounted to not far short of . £ 83 , 000 , and that those of them that took pirt in the Benevolent and Girls' Festivals for the current veir bore their full share of

the labour and responsibility of making good the deficiencies of 1 %% we consider it in the hignest degree creditable to this section of the English Craft that it should have done so well on this occasion . There were only 31 of them that sent up Stewards , but the 134 ladies and brethren wh . ) acted in this cipicity , must have worked with a will to raise the . £ 4262 3 * . which is returned to their credit and that of the few lodges on Foreign Stations that were represented .

The number of absentee Provinces was 15 and comprised amongst them 231 lodges , but , as will be gathered from the details that follow , their absence is not attributable to any diminution of their interest in this particular Institution but to the fact of their having worked so assiduously and successfully in its betnlt last y-Jar , or—in the majority of cases we might justifiably say , and—to the help they unanimously gave to the other Institutions in February and May respectivel y .

Thus BEDFORDSHIRE ( 7 lodges ) sent up two Stewards to the Girls' Festival last month , whose lists amounted to £ 134 5 s- ; while in 189 S , it raised . £ 33 121 . for the Old People ; and £ 288 4 s . 6 d . for the Boys' Centenary , or together £ 321 16 s . 66 . BRISTOL ( 9 lodges ) has done nothing this year , but it subscribed £ 354 7 s . 6 d . to the Boys' Centenary . CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORELAND ( 21 lodges ) loyally supported its Prov . G . Master , Lord

Henry Cavendish-Bentinck , M . P ., when he presided as Chairman at the Boys' Festival in 1 H 97 ; and last year raised £ 222 is . for the Centenary , HEREFORDSHIRE ( 5 lodges ) is evidently resting on its oars after its contribution ^ 330 15 s . to the Boys'Centenary ; while LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND ( 14 lodges ) which is one of the many medium-sized Provinces which supports each Institution in turn , has already done its duty by raising £ 429 19 s . 6 J . for the Old

People in February . MONMOUTHSHIRE ( 12 lodges ) is similarly circumstanced , and having raised £ 480 in February for the Benevolent Institution , anil £ ioSS 8 s , —including the Homfray memorial—for the Boys' Centenary , will , we presume , direct its attention to " Our Girls" in 1900 . NORFOLK , after subscribing £ 818 8 s . to the Boys' Centenary , was represented at the Benevolent Festival in February to the extent of £ 116 os . 6 d ., while NORTHUMBERLAND ( 32 lodges ) .

after subscribing £ 1290 9 s . at the Centenary of this Institution in June last , gave £ 30 to the Old People in February , and / " 47 s . 5 s . to the Girls' School last month . NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ( 18 lodges ) , which raised £ 777 for the Boys' Centenary , was a contributor of £ 1 ^ 9 to the Girls' School in M ; iy , while SHROPSHIRE ( 12 lodges ) , after subscribing £ 1199 is . 66 . to the Centenary of this Iistituiiun , has been idle this year , save as regards a sum of £ 36 15 s . raised for the Old People in February last . Both the EASTERN and WESTERN DIVISIONS of SOUTH WALES were unrepresented at Wednesday ' s proceedings , but the former , which numbers 23 lodges , as the " Chairman ' s Province" at the Benevolent Festival in February