The Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution
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and would now be penniless but for a grant from THE EOYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT the Lodge of Benevolence ; he has one child, a cripple, dependent on him. No. 34 can no longer work, through, INSTITUTION. age and infirmities. His only support is an allowance call tlio attention of our readers to the election, on by his Lodge of seven shillings per week. Among WE Monday next, of a certain number of annuitants, the female candidates we find No. 6, with two children male and female, on the funds of the above Institution. It dependent on her, endeavouring to gain a livelihood will be in their recollection that, owing to the unexampled by charing. No. 8, since her husband's death, has been success of the Festival held in February last, it was unani- dependent on a daughter who, herself , is the mother of mously resolved to place an additional fi fteen male and fifteen seven children. Another lost all her property by a female candidates on the Fund. Thus tho number of Chancery suit, her only means now being an annuity of £20 vacancies to be filled on Friday next will, in the case of the from the Merchant Taylors' Company. No. 14, the widow men, be twenty-four, and in the case of the women, of a cloth manufacturer, has no means of support. Her eighteen. For the former there are thirty-four candidates, husband died in December 1875, in great poverty. No. 21 and for the latter thirty-six. In glancing an eye down the is prevented from earning anything by old age, and is two lists, we note, as regards the men, that all of them are suffering from rupture. No. 25, the widow of a barrister, candidates for the first time. This is owing to the fact that who in his latter days lost £70,000 by the failure of a last year there was no ballot, and all the candidates were banking company, was left without any means, has placed on the Fund. Among the women there is one can- dependent on her an invalid daughter and a son affected didate in the 73rd of her age, with 24 votes to her credit, with epilepsy. Her income is £25 per annum. No. 28, the who has applied at three previous elections. There is a widow of an engraver, is in receipt of parish pay, and second , who will complete her 77th year in July, and has suffering from paralysis. The only means of support 86 votes to her credit, who has made two previous attempts. which No. 33 has, is by letting apartments, and she Then follow four other candidates who stood last year. The has three children dependent on her. No. 34, the first in order of sequence has no votes to bring forward, widow of a clergyman , has no means of support, but the next three have respectively 177, 273, and 351 to and since her husband's death has been entirely the good. The other thirty on the list are now candidates dependent on friends. No. 35 is without means of for the first time. Among these last we find one who was support, and unable to do anything. While No. 36 bom as far back as September 1793, and is, therefore, had been obtaining a livelihood by letting lodgings, within a few months of completing her 84th year, while till paralysis attacked her and rendered her incapable of another has written against her name " By Proof 80 years of maintaing herself. age." The oldest male candidate was born in May 1795, and We have endeavoured to picture to ourselves the will have just completed, a day or two before the election, his harrowing circumstances disclosed to us in these brief 82nd year. A second was born in June 1798, and is, there- epitomes of the lives of men and women who were fore, within a few weeks of completing 70 years. Two once in prosperous, or at all events in competent, others were born in the year 1799, one in the month of circumstances. It is terrible to think of a man, once July, and the other in October. These, of course, have well to do in life, dependent on his daughter, herself a very nearly attained the ripe age of 78. But there is some- penniless widow with six children ; of a pauper father thing still more noteworthy in studying these lists. The endeavouring to maintain a crippled son , and of yet reader cannot help remarking on the terrible vicissitudes of another eking out an existence on three shillings a week, fortune to which all of us are liable. Thus, in the case of or on £7 per annum. Let us try to realise the position one male candidate we are told that his present reduced of a lady, once in wealthy circumstances, maintaining circumstances are attributable to the failure of a bank, and herself, an invalid daughter, and an epilep tic son on £25 to his being stricken with paralysis. Another has been un- per annum, or tho widow of an engraver, in receipt of successful in business, and is in recei pt of three shillings parish pay, and paralysed as well. How must it per week from a friendly society. No. 6 has been reduced fare with a poor old woman of 65, with an income hy losses in business to great poverty, his only income of £8 6s per annum, and dependent for further help on being £7 per annum as secretary to a local friendly society. a daughter with seven children of her own to maintain. No. 10, a P.G-. Steward, who, in the days of his prosperity, It is, indeed, a painful duty to bring such cases as served the office of Steward to all three of our Institutions, these under the notice of our readers. There is at least and further made himself a Life Governor of each, is suf- one solitary ray of light to comfort us among all this fering from heart disease and is unable to support himself fearful gloom. It is the sense of joy we experience when on account of his advanced age—he is in his 75th year. we know that Freemasonry it is which has established No. 12 has lost his property through unforeseen circum- this noble Institution ; this Institution to which the poor stances, and is suffering from paralysis and softening of the distressed brethren and women are now looking for brain, so that he is unable to follow his own profession or some relief, not merely from the cares and troubles, but earn a living otherwise. No. 13 has three children likewise from the absolute poverty they have been forced dependent on him, yet is unable to do anything except to endure. If brethren need any stimulus to induce Tyling, which does not yield him much. No. 15, from them to support so magnificent a foundation , let them failure of sight and advanced age, cannot follow his former ponder well over the sad disclosures which are contained occupation as Clerk of Works. His income consists of m these lists. They will not need much pressing, £16 from the Humber Lodge Annuity Fund. No. 32 we think, if they call to mind these cases of pauper for some timo past has been dependent on a daughter, men and women striving to maintain crippled and who was herself left a widow with six children, but invalid children, or penniless sons or daughters, with as her means are now exhausted, she can no longer families of their own, assisting to maintain their poverty- help her father. No. 33 was formerly in a good stricken parents. Or if they do, they are no true men or business, but has lost all through adverse circumstances, Masons.l will be seen that the members who compose our Fraternity NON-MASONS AT OUR BANQUETS. are men of repute, moving in different grades of society, with nothing about them of the conspirator against law and OUR readers will have noticed , perhaps, that in our order. On the contrary, it will be found we are a per- short account of the first meeting of the Board of fectly innocuous body of gentlemen, met together to Stewards to the approaching Festival of the Boys' School, promote a charitable object, and with no other thought ani- it was announced that, as at the last two anniversaries, the mating us than a desire to do our duty towards the indigent Ladies should be admitted to the banquet. We have children of deceased brethren. It is the fashion in some always regarded this as a most graceful innovation on the quarters to denounce Freemasons as the enemies of all practice of former years. It is not necessary we should religions and governments, and there are people thought- stop to point to out how much more enjoyable a dinner is less enough to believe there is some truth in tho charge. when the fair sex take part in it, nor need we do more The presence of non-Masons at our banquets will help than indicate the peculiar appropriateness of an arrange- dissipate this belief. What we do in our Lodges will still ment which sanctions their presence, seeing that the be hidden from the public, -hut the public will judge of Festival is intended to promote the welfare of our charitable Freemasonry by its fruits. People will point to our three Institutions. The ladies are as much interested in the successful Charities, and it will be asked, Can the men prosperity of the School as our Craftsmen.