they thoroughly make up their mind to the task they will THE GIRL'S SCHOOL FESTIVAL. succeed ! Good luck to them, and to all who aim to support THOSE who anticipated a brilliant success for this the cause of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls. year's Anniversary on behalf of the Royal Masonic Insti- Elsewhere we give a report of the proceedings at the tution for Girls, under the presidency of Earl Amherst Pro Festival, and a full list of the Stewards and amounts collected Grand Master of England, and the popular Masonic chief of by each. Kent, have every reason to be satisfied with the result ; indeed, the sum subscribed on Wednesday must have exceeded the WE are pleased to hear, on the authority of Earl expectations of the most sanguine, for the total reached the Amherst Pro Grand Master of England, that their Majesties the King and Queen have graciously consented to become unprecedented amount—for an ordinary Masonic Festival— chief Patron and Patroness respectively of this Institution. of £26,519 17s 3d, which splendid announcement has already Their Majesties have long taken the greatest interest in the been augmented by different additions made since the return Educational charities of the Craft, the Alexandra Hall of was made up, and no doubt will be yet further increased the Girls School, in particular, marking the intimate associa- sufficiently to allow a round twenty-seven thousand pounds tion of the Queen with the work of our Charities. to be pointed to as the Festival return of 1901. Truly a marvellous, and at the same time a most gratifying record ! BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION ELECTION. This splendid result was achieved through the exertions THE annual meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent of 689 Stewards, 279 of whom represented London Lodges Institution will be held on Friday next, when the usual and brought up elections for the benefits of the Institution will take place. £10,266 17s, while the balance of £16,253 The lists of candidates are very heavy, while the number of Os 3d was collected by 410 Stewards representing the annuities to be allotted is particularly small, there being fifty Provinces and Foreign Stations. applicants and thirteen declared vacancies on the Male Fund; Foremost in this latter total must be mentioned the and fifty-four candidates with only eight declared vacancies Chairman's Province of Kentj which was represented by 84 on the Female Fund. The number of the vacancies may be Stewards—nearly every Lodge in the county increased to fill the places of annuitants who have died since being on the the ballot papers were prepared, but in any case the contest roll—and who brought up a record sum for any individual will be very keen, and the number of disappointments par- Province, the total from the " Garden of England " being ticularly heavy. vv y vv yy.i £6,275, °f which sum fifteen hundred and fifty guineas was K 11 v vv ^ v v v ii* voted from the funds of Provincial Grand Lodge and Chapter, ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. to purchase a perpetual presentation into the Institution, in THE following reply to the address passed at the April Quarterl commemoration of the fact that the Earl Amherst presided y Court of this Institution has been received from the Home Secretary : — at the Festival—and as an expression of esteem for his lord- Home Office , Whitehall, 6th May ship, on the part of the members of the Province in which he 1901. , has so long enjoyed love and respect as Masonic ruler. Earl SIR —I am commanded by the King to convey to you hereb His Majesty' Amherst made a y s thanks for the Loyal and personal donation of eighty guineas, to Dutiful Address of the Governors and Subscribers of complete his Patronship of the Institution ; and the Countess the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys expressing Amherst, who evinced so much real interest in the work of the sympathy on the occasion of the lamented death of Charity when she presented the prizes to the pupils on Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, and congratulation Monday, also gave twenty-five guineas as practical proof of on His Majesty's Accession to the Throne. her appreciation of the work being done. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, In view of such a magnificent record it seems almost (Signed) CHAS. T. RITCHIE. superfluous to offer congratulations, but we most cordially The Chairman of the Governors compliment the Institution on its good fortune ; and feel that Royal Masonic Institution for Boys, the Chairman of the year must be personally delighted at the 6 Freemasons' Hall, Great Oueen Street, W.C." record created under his presidency. The Secretary of the Institution and others associated with the management also THE first meeting of Stewards for the 103rd Anniver- deserve the warmest praise for the part they took in securing sary Festival was arranged to take place at Freemasons' Hall, the result, and we hope some special recognition will be yesterday (Friday), at 4 p.m., when the various Officers of accorded the staff for the great amount of work they the Board were to be elected, and the locality for holding must the Festival decided upon. have had to deal with to bring all the arrangements of the Mrs. W. W. Bramston Beach has Festival into such perfect order as they proved to be. kindly- consented to distribute the Prizes to the boys, and the annual speech day The present good fortune of the Institution does not, and Stewards' visit has been fixed for Monday, 24th June. ' however, appear to end with this record. It has been fortunate enough to enlist the services of the Earl of Lathom as its Sir Horatio Lloyd P.G.D. Deputy Provincial Grand Chairman for 1902, and with the very important Province of Master of Cheshire this year celebrates his jubilee as a West Lancashire at his back there is little fear of the result. member of the Order. Referring to the matter at a recent Rivalry of a friendly nature is permissible in Freemasonry ; meeting at Chester His Honour said he had many pleasures to look back upon in the fifty years during we can imagine the Brethren under the rule of Lord Lathom which'he had been a Freemason, but he had to regret, that many who were setting themselves the task of cutting out the record Kent Masons when he commenced his Masonic career were now has just achieved under its Provincial Grand Master, and if no more. Office of Provincial Grand Master of Antrim—a position STAFFORDSHIRE. rendered vacant by the resignation of the Marquis of Hert- THE annual meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge ford. The Earl of Shaftesbury is a P.M. of Lodge 25, will be held at Tamworth, on Monday, 20th inst, when it is Dublin, and of Lodges 7 and 10, Belfast. He is deservedly expected the Earl of Dartmouth Provincial Grand Master popular with the members of the Craft, who feel it to be a will preside, and superintend the usual business of the year. great honour to be presided over by a scion of a house whose history is so intimately connected with the North of WEST LANCASHIRE. Ireland, and whose grandfather occupied for twenty-seven years the position to which his grandson has just been THE yearly meeting of this Provincial Grand Lodge will be held at Leigh, on Wednesday, 12th June next, under installed. the popular Prov. Grand Master the Earl of Lathom, who, In the absence of the Duke of Abercorn Grand Master of Ireland the installation ceremony was performed b Bro. we are pleased to notice, has consented to preside at next y Creed Meredith LL.D., Deputy G.M. of Ireland, year's Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution Sir James , Officers. for Girls. No doubt the Brethren of his lordship's Province who was accompanied by several Grand opened will take the opportunity of testifying their loyalty, and Provincial Grand Lodge having been the new Prov.G.M. was installed according to ancient custom, and sympathy with their chief in the good cause he has decided subsequently very briefly thank the Brethren of to advocate. desired to the Province who had come to support him at his installation. ****************** He snould also like to thank Bro. Sir James Creed Meredith DURHAM. Deputy Grand Master of Ireland, and the other Grand Lodge AN important and very interesting function took place Officers, for their kindness in coming' to instal him. Fie at Durham on Saturday last, in the installation of the Rev. could assure them that so long as he was spared to preside Canon Tristram, D.D., as Grand Superintendent of the as Provincial Grand Master over the Province of Antrim Province, in succession to the late Sir Hedworth Williamson, he would endeavour to the best of his ability to discharge Bart, who for some years occupied the position. his duties so that the Craft would be supported in every way. The Rev. Canon Tristram, as is well known, is a dis- Bro. R. J. Hilton D.G.M. Antrim said, in the name of tinguished Mason, and has occupied well nigh the whole of and on behalf of the Province of Antrim, he could assure the more important positions of the Order, of which he has the Earl that his nomination was received with universal been a member for close on to six decades. Fie was initiated satisfaction. They remembered that in the past his noble into the Craft, at Oxford, in 1844.