Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

last , gave £ 631 to that Institution , and that , after raising £ 1050 in the same capacity at the Girls' Festival in 1 S 97 and £ 605 6 s . Cd . to the Boys' Centenary in 1 S 9 S , while the lalter , which musters only 10 lodges , raised £ 161 7 s . for the Boys' Centenary and £ 105 for the Old People in February last . YORKSHIRE ( N . and E . ) , with 34 lodges , took part in the Benevolent and Girls' Festivals , contributing £ 137 9 s . to Ihefoi mer and £ ^ 4 is . to the latter , while in June of last year it raised £ 7 8 15 s .

for the Girls' School and £ 5 6 3 13 s . for the Boys' Centenary . J ERSEY ( seven lodges ) and the ISLE OF MAN ( nine lodges ) have been absentees from all three Festivals of this year , but both have done good service from , time to time , the former having subscribed £ 130 lis . to the Old People and £ 131 ; js . to " Our Poys" last year , while the latter took part on a-small scale in the Boys ' Centenary .

Taking the represented Provinces in their usual alphabetical order , we remark that BERKSHIRE during the present year has fully maintained the reputation it has enjoyed ever since it was constituted as a Province by itself as a constant and generous supporter of all our Institutions . From the year 1890 until now it has figured in the

Returns of all our Festivals , its most successful year being 18 9 8 , when , including the £ 143 6 17 s . subscribed at the Boys' Centenary , it raised in all £ 1697 5 s . In 18 97 . it distributed £ 825 i ( is . 6 d . ; in 1896 , £ 1010 19 s . 66 . ; in 1892—the year of the Benevolent Jubilee— £ 954 us . 6 d ., of which £ 661 os . Cd . fell to the share of the favoured Institution ; while even in 1891 , when it had not long been organised , its Returns reached £ 385 is . This

year it has again done great things , the total of its contributions to the Old People in February amounting to £ 242 os . 66 ., and to the Gills'School last month to £ 39 6 14 s . 3 d . On Wednesday , including Bro . Charles E . Keyser , J . P ., P . G . D ., who presided at the Festival and also represented the Province , the Union Lodge , No . 414 , Reading ; the Loyal Berkshire Lodge of Hope , No . 574 , Newbury ; and the newly consecrated Aldermaston

Lodge , No . 2760 ; there were 13 Stewards , ten of whom repiesented seven of the 17 lodges on its roll , and one the Union Chapter , No . 414 , the other two being ladies . The total raised by the efforts of these representatives was £ 552 iSs . 66 . Bro . C . E . Keyser ' s list- irrespective of the one he compiled as a Hertfordshire Steward—being £ 262 IO * ., the personal donation of the Chairman . The Province , indeed , may be said to have shared with Hertfordshire the responsibilities of the " Chairman ' s Province , " and to very excellent purpose .

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE , with its 19 lodges , also made a goodly show , especially if we bear in mind that its Prov . G . Master , Lord Addington , has consented to act as Chairman at next 3 ear's Benevolent Festival . Four of its lodges were represented by five Stewards , and there was one brother Unattached , the sum cf the half-dozen lists bt-ing £ 118 5 s . od . Last month it raised £ 145 10 s . for the Girls' School , and

£ 162 os . ( id . for the Benevolent Institution in February , so that the year s total tlands at £ 425 15 Cd ., which , after the £ 1323 9 s . Cd . raised in 1 N 98 , including £ 1143 life . Cd . to the Iio ) s' Centerary , is most creditable . In 1897 the total reached £ 48 9 17 ? . Cd . ; in 18 9 6 £ 429 1 is . ; in 18 95 £ 43 8 14 s . 6 d . j in 18 94 £ 590 ; in 1893 £ 479 16 s . ; in 1892 £ 705 I 5 « ., inclusive of £ 290 18 s . to the Benevolent Jubilee ; and in 1891 £ 511 is ., of which £ 300 was raited for the Girls' Festival , at which Bro . Earl Carrington , then Prov . G . Master , presided as Chairman .

CAMIiRinOESlIIRE , though it hss but jeven lodges , has taken part in all three Festivals of the year , two of its three Sttwards in February having raised £ 100 16 s . for the Old People , and its two Stewards last month £ 74 us . for the Girls' School , while on Wednesday two brethren , of whom one—Bro . W . J . Armitage—represented the Isaac

Newton University Lodge , No . S 59 , ond the other—Bro . Major O . Papworth a member of the Board ot Management , who was Unattached , together accumulated £ 47 5 s , the total for the year being £ 222 12 s . In 1 S 9 8 , including £ 707 3 s . 6 d . subscribed to the Boys' Centenary , the year ' s total reached £ 759 13 s . 6 d . ; in 18 97 , £ 323 10 s . 3 d . ; and in iSoC , £ 364 5 s .

CHESHIRE , with a roll of 52 ledges , had three Stewards Unattached , whose personal donations amounted to £ 31 ins . Last month four of its lodges sent up six Stewards , who together made up a total of £ 63 , while in February

the two representatives of one lodge and two Unattached brethren compiled a sum ot £ 42 , the amount ior the year being £ 126 . This , of course , is but a small sum from so important a Province , but in 18 9 8 it raised 'in all £ 2779 17 s ., of which £ 2753 12 s . was subscribed to the Boys' Centenary , £ 10 10 s . to the Old People , and £ is 15 s . to the Institution for Girls .

The whole Province of CORNWALL with its 30 lodges was taken in charge by Bro . P . Colville Smith , S . G . D ., his list amounting to £ 2 G 5 s ., and , in addition , there were lists from the One and All Lodge , No . 330 , Bodmin , and Bro . Sholto H . Hare , Unattached , the sum total being £ 47 5 s . Last month , with Bro . Milford as the representative of the Province

generally , and the Druids' Lodge of Love and Liberality , No . 5 N 9 , Redruth , in particular , and Bro . Sholto , Unattached , Cornwall returned £ 231 , and in February the sum raised was £ 238 is ., of which £ 159 Gs . constituted the list of Bro . Lieut .-Col . G . [ . Parkyn , who did duty as Steward for the Fort Lodge , No . 1528 , Newquay , the total for 1899 being £ siG Gs . Last year it was the record total of the Province , the amount reaching £ 924 5 s ., of which £ 854 19 s .

was subscribed to the Boys' Centenary . In 18 95 , when the Earl ot Mount Edgecumbe , Past Dep . G . M ., Prov . G . Master , presided at the Girls' School Festival , the amount was £ 789 18 s ., of which all but £ 39 18 s . was raised for that particular Festival , while in 1892 , when the Prov . G . Master occupied the chair at the Benevolent Jubilee , the amount subscribed was £ 776 15 s ., the Province beirg linrfpresented at the Festivals of the other two Institutions . These are capital figures for a Province which is not particularly strong in membership .

DERIIYSHIRK took no part in the Benevolent Festival , but last month it appeared to considerable advantage , there being six of its 27 lodges repiesented by 10 Stewards , whose lists amounted to £ 390 19 ? . On Wednesday , only four lodges and the Rose Croix were represented , the number of Stewards being six , and the sum of their lists , including that of Bro . W . D . Banonth , the W . M . of the Royal Sussex Lode , No 3 S 1 . Winshill . for £ 110 , amounting to £ 251 . | s ., and raising the year ' s

total to £ 64 : ' 3 s . This is a heavy sum , when we hear in mind that last year , in addition to £ 2419 2 s . raised for the Boys' Centenary , the Province contributed £ 30 8 s . Cd . to the Old People , and £ 335 to the Ciirls' School , or altogether £ 2784 10 s . Cd . In 18 9 G , when his Grace the Duke of Devonshire presided at the Boys' Festival , it subscribed £ 1642 2-1 ., while in 1 S 92 , when the Benevolent Institution celebrated its Jubilee , the year ' s aggregate reached £ 1738 14 s ., of which £ 1302 was subscribed to the Old People . We might give further particulars , but thoie we have furnished will suffice for our purpose ,

Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

It is gratifying ; to know that DEVONSHIRE has been represented at the three Festivals of the year . In February it sent up three Stewards , of whom Bro . F . B . Westlake was Unattached , and the two others represented two of the 58 lodges on the roll of the Province , the sum of their lists being £ 131 15 s . In May there were again three Stewards , representing as many lodges , Bro . Westlake being one of them , and the total was £ 120 15 s . On Wednesday Bros . Westlake and Wilson were Unattached Stewards , and the

total was £ 22 is ., the product of the year being £ 247 us . In 1 S 9 S , when the Province mustered only 5 G lodges , it raised altogether £ 19 61 4 s . iod ., of which all but £ 86 23 . fell to the lot of this Institution at its Centenary Festival . In 1892 the Province subscribed £ 807 iSs . 6 d . to the Benevolent Jubilee ; and in 1 S 88 , when its then Prov . G . Alaster , Viscount Ebrington , presided as Chairman in behalf of this Institution , the total for the year reached £ 1013 Ss ., of which £ S . to was raised in support of his lordship ' s chairmanship .

DORSETSHIRE had a single representative in the person of Bro . J . H . Whadcoat , J . P ., who represented the Lodge of Amity , No . 137 , Poole , but whose is outstanding . Last month there were two Stewards , of whom Comp . J . H . Whadcoat acted for the Prov . Grand Chapter , and Bro . S . R . Bartlett , the Beaminster Manor Lodge ,

No . 1367 , the sum of their lists being £ i 6 S 6 s . In February , Stewards from two lodges and two Unattached compiled a total of £ 157 10 s ., of which Bro . J . H . Whadcoat handed in £ 105 . Last year , the contributions reached £ 2127 10 s . 6 d ., the Boys' Centenary absorbing £ 2054 os . 6 d , of which Bro . Whadcoat ' s list reached £ 1211 8 s ., and included the 1000 guineas announced as his own personal donation .

DURHAM does not appear to concern itself greatly about being represented , but it regularly contributes , and Wednesday's gathering proved no exception to the rule , the sum to its credit being £ 52 10 s . In May it was entered for £ 52 105 ., and in February , hut without a Steward , for an equal amount , so that the total for the year

is C 157 in ? ., in addition to about . £ 2500 raised for its Educational and Benevolent Charities . In iSgS it subscribed £ 52 10 s . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 57 15 s . to the Girls' School , and £ 533 23 . to the Boys' Centenary , making a total for the year of £ 643 7 s . In 1 S 9 O the total reached £ 566 ios , and in 1892 , including £ 720 5 s ., the large sum of £ 1034 5 s . There are now 41 lodges on the roll of

ESSEX , and on Wednesday five of these were represented by as many Stewards , and another and a lady acted independently , the total of the lists being £ 242 ios ., towards which Bro . James Graham , representing the newly-consecrated Waltham Abbey Lodge , No . 2750 , handed in a list of £ 115 ios . In February , the total subscribed was £ 450 3 s . Cd ., the brethren acting as lodge Stewards being five in number and

those Unattached three . Last month , eight lodges , of which the Albert Lucking , No . 2717 , Southend , furnished as many as six , with a brother Unattached , compiled a total of £ 660 , so that the result of the year ' s work is represented by £ 1225 13 s . Cd ., which is very far from being an inconsiderable amount , after its successful efforts last year , when , in addition to £ 4122 12 s . 6 d . subscribed to the Boys' Centenary , it raised £ 160 3 s . 6 d . for the other Charities , or altogether

£ 4282 16 s . In iH 88 , it distributed £ 1297 3 s . 6 d . among the three Charities , of which the Girls' Institution at its Centenary secured £ 874 6 s . In 1892 , its total for the year , including £ 22 iS 2 s . Cd . to the Benevolent Jubilee , reached £ 2608 5 s ., and the following year , when its Prov . Grand Master—then Lord Brooke—presided as Chairman at the Festival of this Institution , and was supported to the extent of £ 2155 Gs ., it reached £ 2258 3 s , These are tall figures , of which our Essex brethren are justly proud .

The Dep . P . G . Master , Bro . R . V . Vassar Smith , P . G . D ., who is a member of the Board of Management , represented the 17 lodges in

GLOUCESTERSHIRE , his list containing his personal donation of £ 26 5 s . Last month four of the lodges were represented by three Stewards , and there were , including the Dep . P . G . Master , live Unattached Stewards , the eight lists amounting together to £ 331 16 s ., while in February , the four brethren who represented three of the

lodges , togother with the Deputy as an Unattached Steward , compiled a total of £ ifiG i 8 s . Cd ., making the year ' s aggregate £ 524 19 s . Cd ., which is a handsome Return after last year's immense total of £ 2860 2 s ., of which all but £ 47 5 s . to the Old People and £ Sg 5 s . tor Our Girls , was raised for the Boys' Centmary . One of the half-dozen lodges in the Province of

GUERNSEY AND AI . DERNEV —the Doyle ' s Lodge of Friendship , No . 84—sent a Steward , whose list amounted to £ 27 , this being the only Festival in which the Province has taken part during the present year . In 189 S , however , it figured at the three , contributing £ 78 15 s . to the Benevolent Institution , £ 10 ios . to the Girls' School , and £ 151 4 s . to the Boys' Centenary , or in all £ 240 gs .

HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT had two of its 4 S lodges represented , and Bros . Richard Eve , Chairman of the Board of Management , and Major J . E . Le Feuvre , J . P ., one of its members , were Unattached , the total raised by the four being £ 174 12 3 .. In February , 10 lodges took part in the Benevolent Festival , together with two chapters , and the Prov . G . Treasurer Unattached , the amount raised by the 10 Stewards being

£ 432 7 s ., while in May , nine Stewards , of whom eight represented lodges and one —the Prov . G . Treasurer—was Unattached , raised £ 256 , the jtotal for the year being £ 862 19 s . Last year the total reached £ 3343 13 s . 6 d ., of which all but £ . 105 , unequally apportioned between the Old Pejple and the Girls' School , was subscribed for the Boys'Centenary . In 1888 , including £ 1149 13 s . 6 d . to the Girls' Centenary , the year's total was £ 1355 is . 6 d ., while in 1892 it was £ 1650 17 s ., of which £ 1345 19 s . 7 d . was in respect of the Benevolent Jubilee .

HERTFORDSHIRE has done extremely well , as might indeed have been expected from the fact that Bro . Charles E . Keyser , the Chairman of the day , is one of the most prominent of its brethren . As many as 15 of its 23 lodges and three of its chapters were represented ; and , in addition , there were three brethren and one lady U nattached , the total raised by the 20 representatives reaching £ 1101 ios . Of this Bro . Keyser

himself sent up three separate lists—one for the Herford Chapter , No . 403 , amountting to £ 63 ; one for the Watford Lodge and Chapter for £ iG 2 15 s . ; and the third for the Lodge No . 2518 , which bears his name , for £ 226 16 s . ; thetotal of thethree with £ 52 ios . for the Province being £ 504 is ., and of this £ 135 was his own personal donation . The Chairman also entered himself under Berkshire , his lists for

that Province reaching £ 262 ios . ; while Mrs . Keyser's two lists under London and Berkshire gave a total of £ i 3 C ios ., the personal donations from the Chairman and Mrs . Keyser being together £ 714 . But , returning to Hertfordshire , we find among the other lists one of £ 52 ios . raised by Bro . A . H . Boucher , W . M . Hertford Lodge , No . 403 ; another of £ 57 15 s . raised by Bro . W . D . Watford , W . M . of the Wilson lies Lodge , No , 2054 ; and a third of £ 50 from Bro . C . E . Birch ,