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THE MASONIC MIRROR . * # * All communications to be addressed to the EDITOR , at No . 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , W . C .

Masonic Mems.

MASONIC MEMS .

BRO . W . W . B . BEACH , M . P ., Prov . G . Master of Hampshire and the Isle of AVight , will , it is announced , preside at the Festival of the Girls' School , to be held on the 11 th Hay . A GEAND Masonic Ball will he given on Friday of the Assize week , under the patronage of Lord Dunboyne , Prov . G . Master of Limerick , and other distinguished brethren , at the

New Freemasons' Hall , Limerick , in aid of the Masonic Charities of the prevince . TYXEBS of Lodges , Janitors of Chapters , Equerries of Encanipmonts , & c , in England , Scotland , and Ireland , are requested to forward their names and addresses to the Publisher of THE FEEEMASONS ' S MAGAZINE , so that a complete Register and Directory may be compiled .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED FREEMASONS AND THEIR WIDOWS .

The annual festival of this institution , as announced in our last , was held at the Freemasons' Hall , on Wednesday evening , the 26 th ult . There were several ladies present , and they had the pleasure of hearing some excellent music , both between the toasts , and in the glee room when the brethren left the hall . The banquet ( which was presided over by Sir D . Gooch , Bart .

Prov . G . M . Berks and Bucks ) was served up under the superintendence of Bro . J . C . Dowsing , the newly-appointed Manager of the Freemasons' Tavern Company ( Limited ) , and was highly appreciated by all the brethren who partook of it . When the cloth had been removed and grace sung , The Chairman rose to propose the toasts , and soon convinced

the brethren that long speeches would not be the order of the day . Ho first proposed " The Queen . " That of " The Grand Master " followed . He said it was the last time the Earl of Zetland ' s health as Grand Master would be drunk at the festivals of this institution . They were losing a great friend as head of their affairs , but at the same he hoped the successor who had

already been announced would be an efficient substitute . This toast was drank with great enthusiasm , and "The health of the Prince of Wales and the Best of the Grand Officers" was given very briefly , and the Bev . C . J . Martyr ,, G . Chap ., returned thanks .

The Chairman then rose and said--Brethren , I am now about to oiler that which may be called the toast of the evening , and I sincerel y regret that it has not fallen to the lot of some one more qualified to act upon your feelings than I fear it is in my power to do . But , brethren , I think that , in all these matters , figures are most important facts , and speak for themselves . You will ,

therefore , excuse me if Hay before you a few dry figures showing the position of this institution , and also if I am obliged to express great regret that those figures are neither creditable to the Craft , or , as I am sure they will not be , satisfactory to the brethren present . Brethren , the charity we have assembled tonight to advance—and I hope largely advance—was founded , the

male portion of it , in the year 1812 . Since then , up to the end of last year , 200 annuitants had been elected , at a cost to the institution ' s funds of £ 32 , 351 . Sow , here , brethren , there is some-

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.

thing at any rate to look back upon with satisfaction , although we cannot boast of that too much . We had , after the elections of last year , in May , ninety-six annuitants on the male fund , costing the charity £ 2496 per annum . Now , the money available to meet that demand is this . We have from the Grand Lodge a vote of £ 500 a year , we have from tho Grand Chapter a vote of £ 100 a year , and we have in dividends , interest on stock

invested funds , amounting to £ 670 , making altogether £ 1270 a year . Now , that shows we need £ 1226 in subscriptions every year ; and when I say subscriptions , I mean subscriptions free from the rule which , I have no doubt you are all aware exists , that one-third of the donations to the charities must be invested as capital stock . Therefore , the -whole of our receipts are not

available for the annual expenditure . We are , therefore , necessarily obliged to ask for £ 1 , 226 free surplus to make up the deficiency in the annual income , to meet the expenditure annually incurred . During the last year 1 find we have lost by death nine of our annuitants ; but we have in the present list of approved candidates , who ought to be elected it their distress is taken into

account , twenty-six applicants . That is how we stand as far as regards the male portion of the fund . Now for the widows . This fund was established in 1849 ; and from that year to the present time 119 cases have had relief , at a cost to the society of £ 13 , 800 . After the last May election we had sixty-nine on the list , costing us £ 1725 a year ; aud we had eight widows of

Masons receiving half the pay of their husbands , making £ 104 a year , which amounts altogether to £ 1829 of expenditure in V year . Now , to meet that expenditure on the widows' part of the fund , we have £ 300 a year voted by Grand Lodge , £ 50 by Grand Chapter , and dividends on investments £ 390 , amounting to £ 740 annual income . So that we have a deficiency to make up in that fund of £ 1085 . Adding that to the deficiency in

the male fund , we have £ 2312 to make good . I think that when I tell you that the receipts from these festivals during the last few years have been gradually decreasing , whilst wo have been increasing in numbers , you will be surprised . I havo often heard it said how Masonry is progressing , and how large an addition is being made to the numbers of Freemasons . That being the cass , I am ' suro you will not agree

that it is creditable to us to show such figures as these . In the year 1865 we collected £ 354 S ; in 1866 , £ 3017 ; in 1 S 67 , £ 2692 ; in 1 S 6 S , the festival produced £ 312 S ; aud in 1869 , £ 2219 . Now , brethren , it is quite clear that with £ 2219 we are not meeting the expenses of your society . The last printed statement of accounts issued in May last will show that we

have drawn on our balance of the previous year to the extent of £ 450 . Now it has been , and I am sure is , the wish of every brother present that this fund should be an increasing fund . If we look at our other charities , the Boys' School aud the Girls'School , wc must confess we have done nobly for them ; but I am sure I need hardly say the case of the aged and

decayed Masons are more deserving—at least , as much deserving—of our support as the children of Masons . Brethren , many of those whom you have been relieving have , like ourselves to-night , sat at these banquets , and by their support advanced the claims of this institution ; and they have at lastand we know not which of us present to-night may not some day

seek the very aid that we are now offering to those in distressbeen compelled to ask the benevolence of this excellent charity . I therefore trust , brethren ( although , probably , all that can be done for this festival has already been done by the subscriptions collected by the stewards ) , that we shall , from this festival , begin a new era , and endeavour to supply to those who have borne the burden and heat of the day any little wants they may suffer , and show that we