Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .
The 85 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held at the Crystal Palace on VVednesday . The large gathering- of brethren and ladies who then assembled together for the support of the Institution was presided over by Bro . the Right Hon . Viscount Holmesdale , R . W . Prov . Grand Master of Kent , who has always been a warm supporter of the Masonic charities . The Grand Saloons and Summer Dining Rooms
situate in the Railway Corridor , leading to the London , Brig hton and South Coast Railway Station , were reserved for the Festival . Covers were laid for 690 ; the tables being arranged in six divisions—viz ., Nos . I to 11 and the dais tables in the Grand Saloon , Nos . 12 to 17 in the balcony , Nos . 18 to 21 in the ante-room , Nos . 22 to 25 in the corridor , while five others , lettered A to E , were placed in the Terrace Dining Room . At the dais table , supporting his Lordship , were Bros . Col . Malet de Carteret , P . G . M . Jersey ( on left
his right ) , and Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , the Grand Secretary ( on his ) , J . M . P . Montagu , P . G . D . ; T . Cubitt , P . G . P . ; Horace Brooks Marshall , Col . James Peters , G . Swd . Br . ; Chas . Hammerton , Frederick Davison , B . J . Thompson , Captain Richardson , T . H . Devonshire , G . J . D . ; J . S . Eastes , D . Prov . G . M . Kent ; Baron de Ferrieres , M . P . ; W . Clarke , P . G . P . ; Edgar ' Bowyer , G . Std . Bearer ; E . D . Davy , Dr . Ramsay , Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . Chap ; F . Adlard , Raynham W . Stewart , P . G . D . ;
Lovegrove , and others . The following were present as special Stewards : Bros . Richard Barham , 144 ; Charles Belton , 165 ; Capt . H . A . Bennett , E . Lancashire ; Robert Berridge ( Unattached ); Edgar Bowyer , 19 ( 14 ; I homas W . C . Bush Unattached ); George Cooper , MatU Degree -, Thomas Cubitt , Mark Djgree ; Charley Dearing , 16 . 12 ; C . P . Drawbridge , Kent ; R . Durtnell , Kent ; G . P . Festa , 1900 ; J . H . Je . vell , Kent ; Durham David 1673
George Kenning ( Unattached ); Charles o . Lane . ; Jos . Lansjton , ; Henry Mason , Kent ; J . L . Mather , Com . D . Club ; C . F . Matier ( Unattached ); P . McCarthy , u > 7 G ; Dr . Georue Micltley , R . A . C . 63 ; T . Hastings Miller ( Unattached ); J . Salmon ( Unattached ) -, W . fr \ Smithson , W . Yorkshire ; C . E . Soppet , 1627 ; F . K . Spaull , N . Wales and Shropshire ; J . 11 . Thompson , 1471 ; R . J . laylor , 1922 . In rising to propose thefirst toast after dinner the Chairman said it would occasion the health of
be needless to say that the first toast on this vvas Her Majesty the Queen , and it was not usual bethought in any assembly to give any reasons tor observing that toast . F ' -eemasons had several reasons at heart , but on that occasion , perhaps , the ); had more than usual , inasmuch as Her Majesty was patron of their Institution , and inasmuch as Her Majesty had that day entered upon the 47 th year of her reign . He was sure that Masons in time to come would look back with grateful recollection to the
reign of Queen Victoria . In proposing the next toast the noble chairman said that the next toast on the paper was the health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master and President of the Institution . He thought they all felt a deep debt of gratitude to the Prince , of Wales , inasmuch as with all the calls upon him he still found time to promote the cause of Masonry , and he had never been known to fail when he could promote the cause which he had at heart .
And this they knew , that notwithstanding the multitudinous calls upon his time he did his best for the good of Freemasonry . In conversation with his royal highness the previous evening , the chairman said he mentioned that he was going to preside to day at this festival , and His Royal Highness had begged him to say to this meeting that he felt very gratified that the Institution had been so well supported , and that the principle of charity had been so admirablexemplified on the occasion .
y The CHURMAN then said vbataUerdrinking the health of the M . W . Grand Master of the Order , the next toast was to the health of those who were his lieutenants in the Craft— " The Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Deputy Grand Alaster , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom ; and the Provincial Grand Masters , and Present and Past Grand Officers . " To each in their respective offices in Grand Lodge or in their
respective provinces , what he had said of his Royal Highness would apply more or less . Lord Carnarvon and Lord Lathom , but especially Lord Carnarvon , had very much to take up their time ; but they devoted much of what they could spare to promote the cause of Freemasonry , which they had done in the most efficient way . Of the rest of the Grand Officers , being of that noble body himself , modesty forbade him to speak , but he asked the Carteretthe
company to couple with that toast the name of Col . de , R . W . Grand Master of Jersey , who sat upon his right , and Col . Gierke , the Grand Secretary , who was seated on his left . These two officers had done credit to their offices , and fully justified their appointment by the Prince of Wales . Col . MALET DE CARTERET , in acknowledging the compliment , said he regretted that it devolved upon him to return thanks for this toast because he could hardly speak in public . He would only say that he felt most their
grateful for the manner in which the toast had been proposed by Chairman , and for the way in which it had been received by the company . With regard to Lord Carnarvon and Lord Lathom , the Chairman had said all that was necessary . With regard to the Provincial Grand Masters and the Present and Past Grand Officers , he could only say that they , one and all , endeavoured to discharge their duties , and to justif y the choice of officers to rule the provinces made by the Prince of Wales . They did their best , and would continue to do their best .
Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE said that he would confine himself to thanking his lordship for the flattering comments he as Chairman had been pleased to make upon him . He in common with the other Grand Officers felt great interest in this Institution , and would be sorry to delay for one moment the
announcements to be made with respect to it . Col . DE C ARTERET said it devolved upon him to propose one of the toasts ofthe evening , namely , "That of their noble Chairman . " He regretted that he did not possess eloquence , or he could dilate for a considerable time upon his lordship ' s excellences . He ( Col . Carteret ) fancied that a great many fellow countrymen could say very much more than he could . Fiom his
earliest youth Lord Holmesdale had served the State , the country , and Freemasonry . At a very early age after attaining his majority he was in Patliament , and within a year or two after he became the Grand Master of the great and noble province he represtnts . He must be proud of the very good meeting , the very large assemblage of Masons over which he was presiding ,
and he must be proud of the fact that this would be the largest amount of money ever brought forward to any Masonic charity . He would ask the ladies and gentlemen present to drink to the very good health of Lord Holmesdale . LORD HOLMESDALE said he could only say that he was extremely
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
obliged to them all , as he was to Col . Carteret , for the kind manner in which the toast had been received , and for the kind words in which it had been proposed . He certainly had had the good fortune to lead a tolerably active life , and he thought it was incumbent upon those whom the Grand Master had appointed in the Craft to show that they were not unmindlul of the Grand Master ' s or Provincial Grand Masters' good opinion of them
but should justify their opinion of them ; and he should be very happy indeed to do all in his power while occupying the chair to promote the happiness of an auspicious occasion like the present . He had , he said , now disposed of the preceding toasts with as much brevity as he thought consistent with the respect due to the subjects of them ; but as the toast he was about to propose was the toast of the evening , perhaps they would allow him
to devote a little longer lime to it . He thought that to those who in past years had taken interest in the success of that institution nothing was more striking than the enormous sums which had lately been collected for it . Bro . Havers had told him that , in former times , £ 800 , brought up by eight or ten stewards , was thought an uncommonly good sum . He ( the Chairman ) could not pretend to carry his recollections so far back
as that ; but he remembered when he took the chair at the Festival of the Boys' School , twenty-one years ago , the unprecedented subscription of £ 3780 was brought up , and that they all congratulated themselves upon such an enormous amount being brought up to the funds of the Charity , and he recollected that Bro . Binckes then prophesied that even ^ 10 , 000 might be collected . But they all answered , " Bro . Binckes , thou art beside
thyself j too much zeal for Freemasonry hath made thee mad . " They would not believe that such a sum as £ 10 , 000 could be collected . Without attempting to anticipate—I should be cruel to do it—without attempting to anticipate the satisfaction which the Secretary would have in reading out the list of subscriptions , the Chairman said he was not breaking any confidence in saying that they had collected more than twice the prophesied amount . There had been some who had thought that the making a special
collection for the Preparatory School would damage the Boys' School ; but he begged to assure those that the main fund devoted to the Boys' School had not been deteriorated , but benefited . But then ladies and gentlemen would naturally say , " if you are so rich what in the world are you going to do with all the money ?" Well , he was sorry to say that as their funds had augmented , so invariably had the claims upon the Institution grown greater and greater . And here he thought it not out of place to sav mat it did seem to him in some cases
thoseclaims were such as ought to be looked at with some amount of suspicion . No institution was perfect , but he thought with those who took an interest in the Fund of Benevolence and Masonic Institutions , there was no doubt that there were certain lodges which sent up a great many claimants either to the Fund of Benevolence or to the Masonic Institutions , and he must say from the way in which the members of the Craft were sometimes increased ,
that Masters if they believed that a candidate was put up for their lodge who thought rather more of the large sums annually given aivay by Freemasons than the principles of the institution , that they should rather point out to the aspirant lor membership that what ha required was a thrift society rather than that which we belonged to . Masonry never was meant to be a gigantic benefit society . We Masons should find ample room and
scope enough within our own borders . It was perfectly right when unforeseen misfortune took one of our number , whether by the death of the breadwinner or by the chances and changes of this mortal life , to which we were all of us subject , it was well that we should be able to come forward and tender them the right hand of fellowship , not empty , to provide some decent comfort aud support to old Masons during
their remaining years , taking charge of their sons and daughters , and maybe their relatives , and fitting them to fight the battle of life by taking the charge of their maintenance off the hands of their relations , giving them a thoroughly sound education . These were ample and noble objects lor the funds ot the Craft . He would not speak now ol the other Masonic Institutions , but confine himself to that in whose honour they had met that day . He thought
that they need not be afraid of the success which had attended the Institution . If they would look at the report they would find that many years ago Masons began in fear and trembling by educating five boys ; but from time to time they increased the number of those boys ; but many years rolled over belore , they built an institution of their own , and even as late as 1850 it was thought a task
beyond the Masonic Fraternity to build a school for themselves . They had built a Boys' School — they hoped to build a Preparatory School—and in that school they gave education to 213 children of brother Masons who had not been fortunate . If they wished to know how sound the education was he would point to the report where they would find lhat of the boys sent up lor the local examinations of the different colleges 18 had passed , 12 in honours , the olher six being content with a pass . If
that did not speak for the soundness of the education given in that school nothing would , but if there were any doubt as to to the working of the school , he could only say that the prizes would be given away on that day week and he was sure that it would be a pleasure to the Secretary and the boys themselves , if their friends would go down and see the distribution . He was sure nothing encouraged those boys more than that those who took an
interest in bringing in subscriptions should take an interest in the school that their subscriptions be kept up . His lordship added that he thought he had said enough to commend the toast he was about to propose to the favourable notice of the company . It was " Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys " with which he would couple the name of the Treasurer of the school of Bro . Plucknett , a Mason who was well known by
name if not personally . He was a gentleman who had taken a great interest in this Institution , and was very active amongst our large public institutions . W . Bro . GEORGE PLUCKNETT said he thanked the Chairman for having associated his name with the prosperity of the Institution , in which he had always taken a very great interest . The Institution was immensel y indebted to Lord Holmesdale lor taking the chair on this occasion . It was a
gratifying circumstance that , being assembled on the 47 th anniversary ol the accession of the present Queen , the patron of the Institution , they might look forward to the announcement ol the largest donation thev had ever received . The amount made him feel so astonished and delighted that he was nol able to express the gratification he felt at the result . He believed it was the largest subscription that had ever been received by any
charitable institution in England , and that was saying a great deal . He said this , knowing something of the subject—knowing that nearl y four millions were given to charities in London every year . He remembered Bro . Marker , the toast-master , telling him that he had kept a memorandum of the subscriptions given at dinners al which he had been toast-master in one year , and the sum amounted to a million-and-a-half sterling . The amounts
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF THE ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .
The 85 th Anniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was held at the Crystal Palace on VVednesday . The large gathering- of brethren and ladies who then assembled together for the support of the Institution was presided over by Bro . the Right Hon . Viscount Holmesdale , R . W . Prov . Grand Master of Kent , who has always been a warm supporter of the Masonic charities . The Grand Saloons and Summer Dining Rooms
situate in the Railway Corridor , leading to the London , Brig hton and South Coast Railway Station , were reserved for the Festival . Covers were laid for 690 ; the tables being arranged in six divisions—viz ., Nos . I to 11 and the dais tables in the Grand Saloon , Nos . 12 to 17 in the balcony , Nos . 18 to 21 in the ante-room , Nos . 22 to 25 in the corridor , while five others , lettered A to E , were placed in the Terrace Dining Room . At the dais table , supporting his Lordship , were Bros . Col . Malet de Carteret , P . G . M . Jersey ( on left
his right ) , and Col . Shadwell H . Gierke , the Grand Secretary ( on his ) , J . M . P . Montagu , P . G . D . ; T . Cubitt , P . G . P . ; Horace Brooks Marshall , Col . James Peters , G . Swd . Br . ; Chas . Hammerton , Frederick Davison , B . J . Thompson , Captain Richardson , T . H . Devonshire , G . J . D . ; J . S . Eastes , D . Prov . G . M . Kent ; Baron de Ferrieres , M . P . ; W . Clarke , P . G . P . ; Edgar ' Bowyer , G . Std . Bearer ; E . D . Davy , Dr . Ramsay , Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . Chap ; F . Adlard , Raynham W . Stewart , P . G . D . ;
Lovegrove , and others . The following were present as special Stewards : Bros . Richard Barham , 144 ; Charles Belton , 165 ; Capt . H . A . Bennett , E . Lancashire ; Robert Berridge ( Unattached ); Edgar Bowyer , 19 ( 14 ; I homas W . C . Bush Unattached ); George Cooper , MatU Degree -, Thomas Cubitt , Mark Djgree ; Charley Dearing , 16 . 12 ; C . P . Drawbridge , Kent ; R . Durtnell , Kent ; G . P . Festa , 1900 ; J . H . Je . vell , Kent ; Durham David 1673
George Kenning ( Unattached ); Charles o . Lane . ; Jos . Lansjton , ; Henry Mason , Kent ; J . L . Mather , Com . D . Club ; C . F . Matier ( Unattached ); P . McCarthy , u > 7 G ; Dr . Georue Micltley , R . A . C . 63 ; T . Hastings Miller ( Unattached ); J . Salmon ( Unattached ) -, W . fr \ Smithson , W . Yorkshire ; C . E . Soppet , 1627 ; F . K . Spaull , N . Wales and Shropshire ; J . 11 . Thompson , 1471 ; R . J . laylor , 1922 . In rising to propose thefirst toast after dinner the Chairman said it would occasion the health of
be needless to say that the first toast on this vvas Her Majesty the Queen , and it was not usual bethought in any assembly to give any reasons tor observing that toast . F ' -eemasons had several reasons at heart , but on that occasion , perhaps , the ); had more than usual , inasmuch as Her Majesty was patron of their Institution , and inasmuch as Her Majesty had that day entered upon the 47 th year of her reign . He was sure that Masons in time to come would look back with grateful recollection to the
reign of Queen Victoria . In proposing the next toast the noble chairman said that the next toast on the paper was the health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . Grand Master and President of the Institution . He thought they all felt a deep debt of gratitude to the Prince , of Wales , inasmuch as with all the calls upon him he still found time to promote the cause of Masonry , and he had never been known to fail when he could promote the cause which he had at heart .
And this they knew , that notwithstanding the multitudinous calls upon his time he did his best for the good of Freemasonry . In conversation with his royal highness the previous evening , the chairman said he mentioned that he was going to preside to day at this festival , and His Royal Highness had begged him to say to this meeting that he felt very gratified that the Institution had been so well supported , and that the principle of charity had been so admirablexemplified on the occasion .
y The CHURMAN then said vbataUerdrinking the health of the M . W . Grand Master of the Order , the next toast was to the health of those who were his lieutenants in the Craft— " The Pro Grand Master , the Right Hon the Earl of Carnarvon ; the Deputy Grand Alaster , the Right Hon . the Earl of Lathom ; and the Provincial Grand Masters , and Present and Past Grand Officers . " To each in their respective offices in Grand Lodge or in their
respective provinces , what he had said of his Royal Highness would apply more or less . Lord Carnarvon and Lord Lathom , but especially Lord Carnarvon , had very much to take up their time ; but they devoted much of what they could spare to promote the cause of Freemasonry , which they had done in the most efficient way . Of the rest of the Grand Officers , being of that noble body himself , modesty forbade him to speak , but he asked the Carteretthe
company to couple with that toast the name of Col . de , R . W . Grand Master of Jersey , who sat upon his right , and Col . Gierke , the Grand Secretary , who was seated on his left . These two officers had done credit to their offices , and fully justified their appointment by the Prince of Wales . Col . MALET DE CARTERET , in acknowledging the compliment , said he regretted that it devolved upon him to return thanks for this toast because he could hardly speak in public . He would only say that he felt most their
grateful for the manner in which the toast had been proposed by Chairman , and for the way in which it had been received by the company . With regard to Lord Carnarvon and Lord Lathom , the Chairman had said all that was necessary . With regard to the Provincial Grand Masters and the Present and Past Grand Officers , he could only say that they , one and all , endeavoured to discharge their duties , and to justif y the choice of officers to rule the provinces made by the Prince of Wales . They did their best , and would continue to do their best .
Col . SHADWELL H . CLERKE said that he would confine himself to thanking his lordship for the flattering comments he as Chairman had been pleased to make upon him . He in common with the other Grand Officers felt great interest in this Institution , and would be sorry to delay for one moment the
announcements to be made with respect to it . Col . DE C ARTERET said it devolved upon him to propose one of the toasts ofthe evening , namely , "That of their noble Chairman . " He regretted that he did not possess eloquence , or he could dilate for a considerable time upon his lordship ' s excellences . He ( Col . Carteret ) fancied that a great many fellow countrymen could say very much more than he could . Fiom his
earliest youth Lord Holmesdale had served the State , the country , and Freemasonry . At a very early age after attaining his majority he was in Patliament , and within a year or two after he became the Grand Master of the great and noble province he represtnts . He must be proud of the very good meeting , the very large assemblage of Masons over which he was presiding ,
and he must be proud of the fact that this would be the largest amount of money ever brought forward to any Masonic charity . He would ask the ladies and gentlemen present to drink to the very good health of Lord Holmesdale . LORD HOLMESDALE said he could only say that he was extremely
Annual Festival Of The Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.
obliged to them all , as he was to Col . Carteret , for the kind manner in which the toast had been received , and for the kind words in which it had been proposed . He certainly had had the good fortune to lead a tolerably active life , and he thought it was incumbent upon those whom the Grand Master had appointed in the Craft to show that they were not unmindlul of the Grand Master ' s or Provincial Grand Masters' good opinion of them
but should justify their opinion of them ; and he should be very happy indeed to do all in his power while occupying the chair to promote the happiness of an auspicious occasion like the present . He had , he said , now disposed of the preceding toasts with as much brevity as he thought consistent with the respect due to the subjects of them ; but as the toast he was about to propose was the toast of the evening , perhaps they would allow him
to devote a little longer lime to it . He thought that to those who in past years had taken interest in the success of that institution nothing was more striking than the enormous sums which had lately been collected for it . Bro . Havers had told him that , in former times , £ 800 , brought up by eight or ten stewards , was thought an uncommonly good sum . He ( the Chairman ) could not pretend to carry his recollections so far back
as that ; but he remembered when he took the chair at the Festival of the Boys' School , twenty-one years ago , the unprecedented subscription of £ 3780 was brought up , and that they all congratulated themselves upon such an enormous amount being brought up to the funds of the Charity , and he recollected that Bro . Binckes then prophesied that even ^ 10 , 000 might be collected . But they all answered , " Bro . Binckes , thou art beside
thyself j too much zeal for Freemasonry hath made thee mad . " They would not believe that such a sum as £ 10 , 000 could be collected . Without attempting to anticipate—I should be cruel to do it—without attempting to anticipate the satisfaction which the Secretary would have in reading out the list of subscriptions , the Chairman said he was not breaking any confidence in saying that they had collected more than twice the prophesied amount . There had been some who had thought that the making a special
collection for the Preparatory School would damage the Boys' School ; but he begged to assure those that the main fund devoted to the Boys' School had not been deteriorated , but benefited . But then ladies and gentlemen would naturally say , " if you are so rich what in the world are you going to do with all the money ?" Well , he was sorry to say that as their funds had augmented , so invariably had the claims upon the Institution grown greater and greater . And here he thought it not out of place to sav mat it did seem to him in some cases
thoseclaims were such as ought to be looked at with some amount of suspicion . No institution was perfect , but he thought with those who took an interest in the Fund of Benevolence and Masonic Institutions , there was no doubt that there were certain lodges which sent up a great many claimants either to the Fund of Benevolence or to the Masonic Institutions , and he must say from the way in which the members of the Craft were sometimes increased ,
that Masters if they believed that a candidate was put up for their lodge who thought rather more of the large sums annually given aivay by Freemasons than the principles of the institution , that they should rather point out to the aspirant lor membership that what ha required was a thrift society rather than that which we belonged to . Masonry never was meant to be a gigantic benefit society . We Masons should find ample room and
scope enough within our own borders . It was perfectly right when unforeseen misfortune took one of our number , whether by the death of the breadwinner or by the chances and changes of this mortal life , to which we were all of us subject , it was well that we should be able to come forward and tender them the right hand of fellowship , not empty , to provide some decent comfort aud support to old Masons during
their remaining years , taking charge of their sons and daughters , and maybe their relatives , and fitting them to fight the battle of life by taking the charge of their maintenance off the hands of their relations , giving them a thoroughly sound education . These were ample and noble objects lor the funds ot the Craft . He would not speak now ol the other Masonic Institutions , but confine himself to that in whose honour they had met that day . He thought
that they need not be afraid of the success which had attended the Institution . If they would look at the report they would find that many years ago Masons began in fear and trembling by educating five boys ; but from time to time they increased the number of those boys ; but many years rolled over belore , they built an institution of their own , and even as late as 1850 it was thought a task
beyond the Masonic Fraternity to build a school for themselves . They had built a Boys' School — they hoped to build a Preparatory School—and in that school they gave education to 213 children of brother Masons who had not been fortunate . If they wished to know how sound the education was he would point to the report where they would find lhat of the boys sent up lor the local examinations of the different colleges 18 had passed , 12 in honours , the olher six being content with a pass . If
that did not speak for the soundness of the education given in that school nothing would , but if there were any doubt as to to the working of the school , he could only say that the prizes would be given away on that day week and he was sure that it would be a pleasure to the Secretary and the boys themselves , if their friends would go down and see the distribution . He was sure nothing encouraged those boys more than that those who took an
interest in bringing in subscriptions should take an interest in the school that their subscriptions be kept up . His lordship added that he thought he had said enough to commend the toast he was about to propose to the favourable notice of the company . It was " Prosperity to the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys " with which he would couple the name of the Treasurer of the school of Bro . Plucknett , a Mason who was well known by
name if not personally . He was a gentleman who had taken a great interest in this Institution , and was very active amongst our large public institutions . W . Bro . GEORGE PLUCKNETT said he thanked the Chairman for having associated his name with the prosperity of the Institution , in which he had always taken a very great interest . The Institution was immensel y indebted to Lord Holmesdale lor taking the chair on this occasion . It was a
gratifying circumstance that , being assembled on the 47 th anniversary ol the accession of the present Queen , the patron of the Institution , they might look forward to the announcement ol the largest donation thev had ever received . The amount made him feel so astonished and delighted that he was nol able to express the gratification he felt at the result . He believed it was the largest subscription that had ever been received by any
charitable institution in England , and that was saying a great deal . He said this , knowing something of the subject—knowing that nearl y four millions were given to charities in London every year . He remembered Bro . Marker , the toast-master , telling him that he had kept a memorandum of the subscriptions given at dinners al which he had been toast-master in one year , and the sum amounted to a million-and-a-half sterling . The amounts