United G. Lodge Agenda Paper.

UNITED G . LODGE AGENDA PAPER .

WE publish elsewhere in our columns the programme of the business to be transcted at the meeting on Wednesday next of our United Grand Lodge . From this it will be seen that notice of motion has been given by Bro . E . T . Budden , P . M . No . 622 , to the effect that so

much of the minutes of the June Communication as embody Bro . Raynham Stuart ' s resolution granting an additional £ 800 to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , namely £ 300 to the Male and £ 500 to the Female Fund , be non-confirmed , and that a series of resolutions be adopted

instead , by the first of which the addition n reduced to £ 200 , to be paid out of the Fund of General Purposes , so that the annual sum payable to the Male and . Female Funds shall be the same , namely , £ 500 . By the second , it is proposed to raise the grants to the Schools from £ 150

each , as they are now , to £ 500 , and the third lays ifc down that a Committee be appointed for certain purposes , with which we have nothing to do at present . The proposal to increase the Schools is by itself unobjectionable . Differences may , and no doubt will , exist as to

tlie amount to which they should be raised , but Bro . Budden cannot be charged with having suggested too large a sum . To his proposition , however , that the minutes relating to the grant to the Benevolent Institution be nonconfirmed , and its amount set down at £ 1 , 000 instead , we

feel it our duty to offer our most strenuous opposition . Onr Masonic Parliament , unless it wishes to become the laughing stock of men of intelligence , cannot afford to be guilty of such flagrant inconsistency as Bro . Budden , by his present motion , invites it to commit . It has done so before

in the case of Bro . Stevens ' s Uniformity Resolution , and whatever our opinion may be as to the merits or demerits of Brother Stevens ' s proposition , it cannot he said that Grand Locige gained much in reputation by adopting it at one meeting and cancelling it at

the next . In this instance , the result will be the more deplorable if Grand Lodge should take a backward step . Bro . Stewart ' s motion was accepted unanimously when it

was brought forward for the first time in December last . In March , at the instance of Bro . Philbrick , Q . C , the resolution was non-confirmed , and a Committee was appointed * ° inquire into the income of the Fund of General

Purposes . In June the Report was delivered , and was to the effect that the annual surplus income was about £ 4 , 000 , flnd on the strength of that , Bro . Stewart ' s motion was a gain submitted and carried , though in a thin house , by a sufficient majority , over a rival proposition to grant only

j-n additional £ 400 . Thus Grand Lodge on two occasions nas committed itself to the policy of increasing the grant to the Benevolent Institution . It has been shown that Grancl L ° dge can afford the extra £ 800 out of its surplus income ° f £ 4 , 000 and the onlpoint of difference in June was

, y whether the sum shonld be £ 400 or £ 800 , a small but , as ? have said , a sufficient majority determining the scale in j ° nr of ^ the latter . Under these circumstances , Grand od ge -win commit an amazina * act of stultification , if ,

ter having solemnl y accepted Bro . Stewart ' s motion for B Vi ! ^ - *™ ' ^ onld now turn round and accept Bro . in t * ' S ^ ' *" ch > * ^ * » W * U have to be confirmed i . „ ^ eniber , before it becomes law . The policy of increase 0 ^ been acquiesced in . universally . It has been shown that acl Lod ge has money and to spare , not only for this

United G. Lodge Agenda Paper.

additional grant to the Benevolent , but also for further grants , if they should be found necessary , to the Schools as well . Lastly , Bro . Stewart ' s motion has been twice approved , once unanimuosly , and the second time by a

majority . If Bro . Budden has at heart tho interests of the English Craffc , the wisest course for him to adopt will bo to let the motion drop .

Grand Lodge Of Indiana.

GRAND LODGE OF INDIANA .

TTTE have received copy of the Proceedings of the Sixty-V V fourth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Indiana , an d from it we learn that the meeting was held in the Masonic Hall , Indianopolis , on the 23 rd and 24 th May , under the presidency of Brother Calvin W . Prather M . W . G . M ., there being present to support the followin *?

Grand and Past Grand Officers , together with the representatives of 475 Lodges in the jurisdiction , namely . *—Bros . Bruce Carr D . G . M ., Albert P . Charles S . G . W ., Mortimer Nye J . G . W ., Charles Fisher G . Treasurer , Will Ham H . Smythe G . Secretary , Rev . John K . Pye G . Chaplain , Francis W . Hauss G . Lecturer , Milton L . Humston

Grand Marshal , Isaac P . Leyden S . G . D ., Frank E . Gavin J . G . D ., William M . Black G . Steward and T yler . Past Grand Officers : —Bros . Thomas R . Austin P . G . M ., William Hacker P . G . M ., Martin H . Rice P . G . M ., Christian Fetta P . G . M ., Lucien A . Foote P . G . M ., Daniel MoDonald

P . G . M ., Frank S . Devol P . G . M ., Andrew J . Hay P . G . M ., Robert Van Valzah P . G . M ., Bellamy S . Sutton P . G . M ., Mahlon D . Manson P . D . G . M ., Elijah Newland P . D . G . M . After the usual oreliminaries and the annointmenf , nf fho

different Committees , Bros . W . H . Meffert M . W . G . M . Kentucky , ancl W . H . Scott M . W . G . M . Illinois , were in . troduced , and greeted with the honours due to their rank |

The Grand Master then delivered his address , in which he dealt afc length with the principal events that had transpired during the biennial period then about to close . From this it appears that four new Lodges had been

constituted , and eight dispensations granted for new Lodges , while thirteen Lodges had surrendered their charters . The appointment of sundry brethren as representatives of foreign Grand Lodges having been notified , and a tribute of respect paid to the memory of distinguished members of

the Fraternity recently deceased , resolutions to refer the address to a Committee were adopted . The Grand Treasurer's Reports showed Receipts , including Balance brought forward , to the extent of 34 , 371 dollars , and disof which 12

bursements , , 000 dollars were in respect of " Bonded Debt" amounting to over 24 , 188 dollars , thns leaving a Balance in hand of , in round figures , 10 , 182 dollars . These figures concern only the year 1881-2 , bnt for the financial period 1880-2 they are as follow : Balance brought forward 15 , 202 dollars , Receipts

61 , 032 dollars—total 76 , 235 dols . Expenditure 66 , 053 dols ., leaving to Grand Lodge balance to credit , as aforesaid , of 10 , 132 dollars . It further appears from the same Report that the Debt , which in May 1880 amounted to over

94 , 333 dollars , had been reduced in May of the current year to 63 , 000 dollars , a very gratifying achievement , and one for which our Indiana brethren deserve great credit . We Jesra also that during the same period of two years

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