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Article THE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE. Page 1 of 2 Article THE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE. Page 1 of 2 →
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The Quarterly Communication Of Grand Lodge.
THE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE .
MM HE business to be transacted in Grand Lodge , afc its ¦* - Quarterly Communication , to be held on Wednesdny next , the 6 th inst , is of the most formal character excepting the one item which has reference fco the reconstruction of onr Masonic Temple . This one exception will render next week ' s gathering one of the most important in
the annals of the Craft in the present day , and it will doubtless call forth many proposals , counter-proposals , suggestions and lengthy discussions . The main proposition on the subject to be considered by Grand Lodge next week will be submitted by the President of the Board of
General Purposes , and is based on a report presented by the Premises Committee . This proposal , to which we refer at length below is , we think , the best thafc can be made , and if properly carried out , should meet the approval of brethren generally , as its adoption would be the
means of providing something like double the accommodation to which we have been accustomed , and that , too , without materially interfering with existing arrangements as re gards private Lodge-rooms , offices , and other adjuncts to Grand Lodge , the Freemasons' Tavern , & c .
Takmg the items on Wednesday's agenda in the order in which they there appear , we have first the submission of the minutes of the last Quarterly Communication , and of the Grand Pestival , for approval . Next will come the
election of members of the Board of General Purposes . For the fourteen vacancies on the Board which have to be filled by the vote of Grand Lodge , there are thirty-two nominations ; but as one brother is nominated twice and
two others three times each , there are but twenty-seven brethren actually . before Grand Lodge . "What does this double nomination mean ? Does it not imply that the brotherthus honoured (?) has never been consulted as to his willingness to contest the position—for surely no one who was asked would allow two brethren to divide the
privilege of naming him for so important a post in the Craft ? There is one point in connection with this plurality of nomination we think it desirable to mention here . It has never struck us before , although , doubtless , similar instances have frequently occurred . "Will the
names on tbe ballot papers be the same as those which appear on the Grand Lodge agenda , because if such is the case it will be possible for any brother so entitled to give two votes to Bro . Smallpeice ( the brother twice nominated ) and three each to Bros . Bristow and Bscott ( who each
appear three times on the list ) . In such a case would the votes be added together , or each nomination stand on its own basis ? The former course would be manifestly unfair to the other nominees , while the latter might seriously affect the pluralists themselves .
Having disposed of the election for the Board of General Purposes , that of the Members of the Colonial Board will follow , but as in this case the number of brethren nominated exactly corresponds with the number to be elected by Grand Lodge , no poll will be needed , the declaration of
election being only a matter of formality . In the case of the members for the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institntion , the case is different , as there are eleven nominations for the ten vacancies ; a poll will , therefore , be necessary .
The Quarterly Communication Of Grand Lodge.
The sixth item on the list is the Report of the Lodge of Benevolence for the last quarter . The grants which will come before Grand Lodge for approval at its next meeting are much smaller in number than has been the average of late , there being but seven recommendations—four of £ 50
each , two of £ 100 each , and one of £ 150 . The Eeporfc of the Board of General Purposes comes next . After formally recording the fire which occurred at Freemasons' Hall on the 3 rd ult ., and which is described as having caused considerable damage to the premises , the Board acknowledge
the receipt of a report thereon from their Premises Committee , which they say they have carefully considered , and , believing the recommendations therein to be for the welfare and convenience of the Craft , they submit them for the
favourable consideration of Grand Lodge . The Board also report that a fresh Catalogue of the Library and Museum of . Grand Lodge is about to be prepared , and solicits donations of Masonic works , & c . on behalf of the Library
Committee . The Eeport of the Premises Committee , to which reference has already been made , deals entirely with the question of the reconstruction of the Masonic Temple . The fire , says the report , resulted in the almost entire destruction of
the time-honoured " Temple , " in which the meetings of Grand Lodge have taken place for over a hundred yearstogether with the valuable pictures of Past Grand Masters contained therein , as also a great part of the furniture and other fittings . The Hall thus destroyed was formally
dedicated to Masonry on the 23 rd May 1776 , by the Right Hon . Lord Petrie , then Grand Master , who had , in tho year preceding , laid the foundation stone . Since that time Grand Lodge has , uninterruptedly , held its meetings there . The premises were fully insured , the only loss to the
Craffc being the many articles which cannot be replaced , such as the pictures already referred to , the " Ark of the Covenant" ( wherein were deposited the Articles of Union between the two Grand Lodges on the occasion of their being united in 1813 ) , and other "Antiquities . "
The Committee , after careful consideration , have come to the conclusion that the removal of Grand Lodge premises to the Thames Embankment ( a proposition long since mooted ) is impracticable , as not only is involved the question of constructing , at an immense cost , a building
suited to the requirements of the Craft , but also the almost equally prominent question of the Freemasons' Tavern , the goodwill , of which , of course , depends on the close proximity of the Hall . The G . Superintendent of Works having therefore been called upon for his opinion as to the best
possible plan for carrying ont such works of renovation and enlargement as will afford accommodation for the attendance in Grand Lodge of at least 1 , 500 brethren ( double the number provided for in the old Hall ) states , that to renew the premises destroyed , on the old lines ,
would be a simple matter , and , looking at the insurance , of little expense to the Craft ; but he submits the following scheme for doubling the present accommodation , viz ., to add to the area occupied by the Hall jnst destroyed , the present great Dining Hall of Freemasons' Tavern ( the two
now running side by side ) , and that by due and equitable arrangements with Messrs Spiers and Pond ( Limited ) , the lessees of the Tavern , and with Mr . Bacon , the lessee of Bacon ' s Hotel , adjoining the Tavern , the necessary substituted accommodation for a new Dining Hall , and for improved kitchen accommodation for the Tavern , should be
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Quarterly Communication Of Grand Lodge.
THE QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION OF GRAND LODGE .
MM HE business to be transacted in Grand Lodge , afc its ¦* - Quarterly Communication , to be held on Wednesdny next , the 6 th inst , is of the most formal character excepting the one item which has reference fco the reconstruction of onr Masonic Temple . This one exception will render next week ' s gathering one of the most important in
the annals of the Craft in the present day , and it will doubtless call forth many proposals , counter-proposals , suggestions and lengthy discussions . The main proposition on the subject to be considered by Grand Lodge next week will be submitted by the President of the Board of
General Purposes , and is based on a report presented by the Premises Committee . This proposal , to which we refer at length below is , we think , the best thafc can be made , and if properly carried out , should meet the approval of brethren generally , as its adoption would be the
means of providing something like double the accommodation to which we have been accustomed , and that , too , without materially interfering with existing arrangements as re gards private Lodge-rooms , offices , and other adjuncts to Grand Lodge , the Freemasons' Tavern , & c .
Takmg the items on Wednesday's agenda in the order in which they there appear , we have first the submission of the minutes of the last Quarterly Communication , and of the Grand Pestival , for approval . Next will come the
election of members of the Board of General Purposes . For the fourteen vacancies on the Board which have to be filled by the vote of Grand Lodge , there are thirty-two nominations ; but as one brother is nominated twice and
two others three times each , there are but twenty-seven brethren actually . before Grand Lodge . "What does this double nomination mean ? Does it not imply that the brotherthus honoured (?) has never been consulted as to his willingness to contest the position—for surely no one who was asked would allow two brethren to divide the
privilege of naming him for so important a post in the Craft ? There is one point in connection with this plurality of nomination we think it desirable to mention here . It has never struck us before , although , doubtless , similar instances have frequently occurred . "Will the
names on tbe ballot papers be the same as those which appear on the Grand Lodge agenda , because if such is the case it will be possible for any brother so entitled to give two votes to Bro . Smallpeice ( the brother twice nominated ) and three each to Bros . Bristow and Bscott ( who each
appear three times on the list ) . In such a case would the votes be added together , or each nomination stand on its own basis ? The former course would be manifestly unfair to the other nominees , while the latter might seriously affect the pluralists themselves .
Having disposed of the election for the Board of General Purposes , that of the Members of the Colonial Board will follow , but as in this case the number of brethren nominated exactly corresponds with the number to be elected by Grand Lodge , no poll will be needed , the declaration of
election being only a matter of formality . In the case of the members for the Committee of Management of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institntion , the case is different , as there are eleven nominations for the ten vacancies ; a poll will , therefore , be necessary .
The Quarterly Communication Of Grand Lodge.
The sixth item on the list is the Report of the Lodge of Benevolence for the last quarter . The grants which will come before Grand Lodge for approval at its next meeting are much smaller in number than has been the average of late , there being but seven recommendations—four of £ 50
each , two of £ 100 each , and one of £ 150 . The Eeporfc of the Board of General Purposes comes next . After formally recording the fire which occurred at Freemasons' Hall on the 3 rd ult ., and which is described as having caused considerable damage to the premises , the Board acknowledge
the receipt of a report thereon from their Premises Committee , which they say they have carefully considered , and , believing the recommendations therein to be for the welfare and convenience of the Craft , they submit them for the
favourable consideration of Grand Lodge . The Board also report that a fresh Catalogue of the Library and Museum of . Grand Lodge is about to be prepared , and solicits donations of Masonic works , & c . on behalf of the Library
Committee . The Eeport of the Premises Committee , to which reference has already been made , deals entirely with the question of the reconstruction of the Masonic Temple . The fire , says the report , resulted in the almost entire destruction of
the time-honoured " Temple , " in which the meetings of Grand Lodge have taken place for over a hundred yearstogether with the valuable pictures of Past Grand Masters contained therein , as also a great part of the furniture and other fittings . The Hall thus destroyed was formally
dedicated to Masonry on the 23 rd May 1776 , by the Right Hon . Lord Petrie , then Grand Master , who had , in tho year preceding , laid the foundation stone . Since that time Grand Lodge has , uninterruptedly , held its meetings there . The premises were fully insured , the only loss to the
Craffc being the many articles which cannot be replaced , such as the pictures already referred to , the " Ark of the Covenant" ( wherein were deposited the Articles of Union between the two Grand Lodges on the occasion of their being united in 1813 ) , and other "Antiquities . "
The Committee , after careful consideration , have come to the conclusion that the removal of Grand Lodge premises to the Thames Embankment ( a proposition long since mooted ) is impracticable , as not only is involved the question of constructing , at an immense cost , a building
suited to the requirements of the Craft , but also the almost equally prominent question of the Freemasons' Tavern , the goodwill , of which , of course , depends on the close proximity of the Hall . The G . Superintendent of Works having therefore been called upon for his opinion as to the best
possible plan for carrying ont such works of renovation and enlargement as will afford accommodation for the attendance in Grand Lodge of at least 1 , 500 brethren ( double the number provided for in the old Hall ) states , that to renew the premises destroyed , on the old lines ,
would be a simple matter , and , looking at the insurance , of little expense to the Craft ; but he submits the following scheme for doubling the present accommodation , viz ., to add to the area occupied by the Hall jnst destroyed , the present great Dining Hall of Freemasons' Tavern ( the two
now running side by side ) , and that by due and equitable arrangements with Messrs Spiers and Pond ( Limited ) , the lessees of the Tavern , and with Mr . Bacon , the lessee of Bacon ' s Hotel , adjoining the Tavern , the necessary substituted accommodation for a new Dining Hall , and for improved kitchen accommodation for the Tavern , should be