The Benevolent Festival.

as to the other contributing Provinces , as well as the individual results , are given elsewhere . In conclusion we offer our heartiest congratulations to the executive of the Institution , and all who have

taken part in this year ' s Festival . Not only has the total reached the average of bygone years , bufc there is sufficient interest and enthusiasm manifest to prove that

the Benevolent Institution is not likely to be forgotten by the Brethren of the present day . We hope all its future Festivals will be equally satisfactory .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

IT is hardly necessary to remind any Brother who is qualified to attend the meetings of Grand Lodge that the Quarterly Communication takes place on Wednesday next , for such activity is being displayed by

the Committees which are working on behalf of the three candidates for the Grand Treasurership thafc we imagine every Brother who is entitled to a vote has been canvassed for it , and urged to support one of the Brethren who have been nominated for the Office .

Neither is it necessary for us to say we are opposed to the scramble for office which seems inseparable from such a contest as is before the Craffc afc the present

moment , but the candidates who have been nominated for the appointment are nofc to blame ; ifc is rather fche system which is at fault—bub nofc in any manner for which we are prepared fco suggest a remedy .

Ample provision appears to have been made by the authorities of Grand Lodge to meet the extra crush that may be expected over this contest , ifc being arranged that Grand Lodge shall be opened early in the afternoon ,

and kept open until the evening , really for fche purpose of taking the poll for Grand Treasurer . If ifc is desirable to take such trouble in -this matter why not go a step further , and allow the members of Grand Lodge to vote

by ballot papers forwarded through the post ? If contests for the Grand Treasurership are to continue on similar lines to those of the present year ib musfc eventually come to this , and the sooner it happens the better

it will be , for many reasons , bufc particularly because such an arrangement , ifc seems to us , would more nearly equalise fche chances of rival candidates . We gave the

full -agenda for Wednesday ' s meeting in our last issue , and also made some editorial remarks on fche work to be then transacted .

Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

THE following is the business to be transacted at the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of fche British Crown , to be

held in Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queen Street , Lincoln ' s Inn Fields , on Tuesday , the 6 th insfc ., at five for six o'clock in the afternoon : — 1 . Read and , if approved , confirm minutes of Quarterly Communication of 5 th December 1893 .

2 . REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD . During the three months ending 31 st December 1893 , there have been issued . - —Mark Certificates , 322 ; total number registered , 32 , 099 . Warrants for new Lodges , 5 , viz .: — No . 468—Quarries , Jhansi , Bengal . 469—Savage Club , London .

470—Ballarat , Ballarat , Victoria , Australia . 471—Lilford , Thrapston , Northamptonshire . 472—New Capestone , Mozufferpore , Bengal . Royal Ark Mariner Certificates , 101 ; total number registered , 4 , 119 . Warrant for a new Ark Mariner Lodge , Portsmouth , to be attached to the Portsmouth Lodge , No . 17 .

Grand Mark Lodge.

Complaint having boon made that Bro . John Whowell had been twice installed in the chair of tho Callender Lodge , No 123 , Bury , Lancashire , contrary to Art . 99 , he not boing an Installed Master of a Craft Lodge , and not having obtained the dispensation of the M . W . Grand Master ,

On consideration of the complaint , and after W . Bro . W . 0 . Walker P . G . D ., the senior P . M . of the Lodge , had appeared and boon heard in extenuation , The Board

resolved—That tho Secretary , Bro . James Shaw , be , and is hereby severely admonished for twice making an inaccurate return , in certifying that Bro . John Whowoll was an Installed Master of the Craft Lodge Relief , No . 42 .

That W . Bro . G . W . Yapp , tho Master in the chair on the occasion of the first installation of Bro . John Whowell , bo , and is hereby severely admonished for not making proper inquiries as to the necessary qualifications , and for not properly obligating the W . M . elect .

That the Callender Lodgo , No . 123 , be , and is severely censured and admonished , and fined tho sum of five guineas , and that the brethren be , and are hereby directed to apply for a dispensation ( nunc pro tunc ) to enable Bro . John Whowell to assume the chair of Master , notwithstanding his want of qualification as an Installed Master of a Craft Lodge .

That on receipt of such dispensation a Board of Installed Masters be opened at the next regular meeting of the Lodge , and that Bro . John Whowell be re-obligated . That the Warrant of the Lodgo bo detained by the Grand Secretary until the fino bo paid . '

That tho ruling of tho Board bo read at the next meeting of the Lodgo and entered on tho minutes . The fine having beon paid , tho warrant has been restored to the Lodge . The Studholme Lodge , No . 197 , London , reported to the Board

that thoy had inadvertently installed a Master in the chair who was not properly qualified , and expressed their great sorrow and regret . It was resolved that the Lodge be fined one guinea , and at once apply for a dispensation , on receipt of which the Master be reobligated in presence of a Board of Installed Masters at the next

regular meeting , when this resolution and the dispensation be read . V . W . Bro . Alfred J . Burbidge G . Sec . G . L . M . M . M . of New South Wales , having complained , through the Representative , that a Brother , regularly advanced in a Lodge under the jurisdiction of the G . L . M . M . M . of New South Wales , had offered himself as a

joining member of the Skelmersdale Lodge , No . 141 , Ashtonunder-Lyne , and had been again obliged to go through the ceremony of advancement , inquiry was made . The Master of the Lodge admitted the fact , expressed his great regret , and assured the Board tho error was entirely caused by ignorance and

inadvertence , and that the Lodge had apologised to the Brother aggrieved . The Grand Secretary was directed to convey to tho Representative of the Grand Lodge of Now South Wales the sincere regret of the Board , and also the assurance of tho fraternal esteem and regard in which that Grand Lodge is held by the G . L . M . M . of England . The Board have accepted a design for the case of the " Portal Organ , " which is in course of erection .

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE . Tho Board havo the pleasure to announce that tho 26 th Annual Festival will be held at Freemasons' Tavern , on Wednesday , llth July , when R . W . Bro . tho Earl of Yarborough , Provincial Grand Master for Lincolnshire , will take the chair . The names o brethren willing to act as Stewards are much needed , and will be gladly received by the Grand Secretary . The Board have elected on the Annuity Fund , without a

poll—Bro . John Moxon , of the John O'Gaunt Lodge , No . 172 . Tho following cases have been relieved : — Bro . J . M ., Lodge No . 172 ... ... 10 0 0 Mrs . A . M . D . ( Widow of a Brother of Lodges Nos . 28 and 256 ) ... ... 10 0 0

R . LOVELAND LOVELAND , President . FRANK RICHARDSON , Vice-President . C . FITZGERALD MATIER , G . Secretary .

3 . A motion will be made that the Report be taken as read . 4 . A motion will be made that the Report be received and entered on the minutes .

5 . A motion will be proposed that the Report be adopted . 6 . Election of the M . W . Grand Master for the ensuing year . 7 . Election of the Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year .

West Lancashire Institution.

WEST LANCASHIRE INSTITUTION .

THE annual report for 1893 of this institution , established for the education , clothing , maintenance , and advancement in life of the children of distressed and deceased Freemasons , has been issued ,

and will be submitted to a Court of Governors afc an early date . The Committee in this report state : We have the pleasure of submitting to you the statement of accounts for the past year , and have again to congratu-