Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

THE Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown was held on Tuesday evening , at Mark Masons' Hall , London . Bro . the Earl of Euston Deputy Grand Master presided ,

in the absence of the M . W . Grand Master and tbe Pro Grand Master . Bro . the Rov . J . Studholme Brownrigg P . G . Chaplain acted aa Deputy Grand Master , Bro . Frank Richardson G . Registrar acted as G . S . W ., and Bro . Col . A . B . Cook as G . J . W .

After Grand Lodge had been opened in due form , Brother Matier Grand Seoretary read the minntes of the last Communication , whioh were then put by the D . G . M .,

and confirmed . Bro . Col . A . B . Cook moved , aud Bro . the Rev . J . S . Brownrigg seconded , that the following report of the General Board be taken as read : —

During the three months ending 30 th Juno 1891 , there havo been issued : Mark certificates , 413 ; total number registered , 28 , 523 . Warrants for new Lodges , three , viz . : No . 431 , Hibernia , London . „ 432 , Moonta , South Australia .

„ 433 , Britannio , London . Royal Ark Mariner certificates , 84 ; total number registered , 3362 . His Royal Highness tbe Prince of Wales M . W . G . M . has been pleased to appoint—R . W . Bro . Claries Roper Martin to be District Grand Master for Vic tor iu , Australia , in succession to the late R . W .

Bro . Henry Wallace Lowry , and R . W . Bro . the Hon . Jndge Donald Grant MacLeod to be District Grand Master for Burma , in succession to the R . W . Bro . George Francis Travera-Drapes , whose term of office has expired . The Broxbourne Lodge , 428 , was consecrated on 28 th April 1891

at the Crown Hotel , Broxbourne , by the Prov . Grand Master of Hertfordshire , under the impression that place was in Herts . A question , however , having arisen in connection with Craft Lodges meeting there , as to whether the Crown Hotel was really in Herts or not , careful inquiry shows there is no doubt whatever that

the Crown Hotel is in the Parish of Nazmg and county of Essex . Under the circumstances , the M . W . Grand Master , with the concurrence of the Prov . Grand Master of East Anglia , M . W . Brother Lord Henniker , Past G . M ., has been pleased to sanction the Crown Hotel , Broxbourne , being considered as part of the Province of

Herts , BO far as regards the existing Lodge , No . 428 , with the stipulation that all future Lodges to be established at the Crown Hotel , Broxbourne , either by oonseoration or removal , shall belong to the Province of East Anglia . The total amount received on behalf of the Portal Memorial Organ Fund is £ 210 6 s 2 d .

FUND OF BENEVOLENCE ,

The 23 rd Annual Festival was held at Freemasons' Tavern on the 22 nd July under the presidency of R . W . Bro . the Viscount Dungarvan P . G . W ., and the sum of £ 8156 0 s 6 d was announced . The Board have relieved the following cases : — Bro . A . R ., No . 91 £ 10 0 0 „ J . R ., No . 165 10 0 0

Mra . S . E . B . ( widow of a brother of No . 6 ) 10 0 0 ( Signed ) A . B . COOK , President . FHANK RICHAKDSON , Vice-President . C . FITZGERALD MATIEE , G . Seoretary . Bro . Col . A . B . Cook , in moving that the report be

received and entered on the minutes , said there was nothing particular arising out of this report , but if any brother would like to ask him any question on it he should be happy to reply . There was one point which arose out of an old subject , the consecration of the Broxbourne Lodge

at Broxbourne by mistake that Broxbourne was in Hertfordshire . It so happened that the same mistake was made in the Craft , but it was a very simple matter . The Crown Hotel , Broxbourne , was ont of the county . The town of Broxbourno was just over the bridge and the other side of

the river which divided Hertford and Essex , aud the Crown Hotel was in the Province of East Anglia . Under the circumstances it was thought advisable to have the same

thing done as was done in the Craft , and as was referred to in the report of the General Board , which he now moved be received and entered on the minutes . Bro . Prank Richardson seconded the motion .

The Earl of Euoton said this question had been before the general Board , and it was decided that Lodge 428 should belong to Herts , although at present it met in Essex . The President of the Board was quite right in what ho had stated—that the same course had been followed as was in

the Craft . The motion was put and carried . Bro . Robert Berridge moved , and Bro . A . B . Cook seconded— " That the report be adopted . " The motion was carried , and Grand Lodgo was closod in'due form .

Criminal Carelessness.

CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS .

CRIMINAL carelessness in handling the ritual of the several branches of the Order is becoming too frequent . Time was when these rituals were guarded with the strictest care , but a slackness in this regard has become quite common . We frequently hear of some one

who left the book confided to his care lying exposed iu such position as to bo read by persons not entitled to that privilege . A recent report is to the effect that an Officer of a Lodge , having taken the ritual home for the purpose of committing the work to memory , left it lying where

a servant had access to it , and having read it , exultantly stated that suoh a thing had occurred . In another case a member of a Lodgo calling on the presiding Officer for

information on a particular matter , the Officer went to an unlocked bureau drawer , and in the presence of a wellgrown daughter , got the ritual and explained the point at issue . When remonstrated with for the carelessness

exhibited , the officer assured the visitor that such was the confidence reposed in the children of the family , that there wa 3 no danger that they would ever open and examine any such book I Such confidence is ofttimes misplaced . Evor since the unfortunate day when Mother Eve betrayed

not only the confidence of her companion , but that of the Supreme Creator also , no one has a right to risk the most sacred of secrets to the honour of any one . Curiosity is

a strong principle with most human beings , and if Eve , fresh from the band of Deity , was not exempt from the crime of prying curiosity , who is there who can be implicitly trusted ?

Another source of criminal carelessness is that of holding conversations concerning the secret transactions of Lodges before children and non-members . Some parents are prone

to believe that children of tender years are not sufficiently observant to note remarks made in their hearing on subjects unsuited to their age , yet , at second thought , every person of mature years knows to the contrary .

The work of the various Orders is thus unwittingly exposed in violation of the most binding obligations to maintain the secrecy of their affairs . And what is the remedy for this criminality ? Enforce the laws made and provided for such cases . —Savannah Independent .

It is to be hoped that the big athletic meetings to be hold to-day ( Saturday ) , at the Fairfield Athletic Grounds , will be favoured with that sine qua non to a big gate , fine weather , and then success is assured . The Liverpool Masonic Athletic Club are holding this meeting to benefit

the Masonic Charities , and no expense has been spared by the promoting body to secure a record attendance as far as Lancashire athletic meetings are concered . Tho prizes are on view in the Rudge Cycle Company ' s window at the top of Bold Street , and it is conceded by old athletes that

a better collection has never been gathered together . In addition to the bicycle racing and running handicaps , soveral special attractive items help to fill tho programme , including two performances by W . G . Hurst , the renowned Canadian bicycle trick rider , who will give two performances during the afternoon .

THE DUKE or PORTLAND AT THUBSO . —The Duke of Portland on the 27 th ult ., laid tbe foundation-stone of Thurso harbour , and also opened a bazaar promoted for the purpose of raising funds for tbe extension of the public library and museam of the town . The streets were gaily decorated for the occasion . His grace was received sit the railway station by the town council , magistrates and sonic <> £

the leading inhabitants , as well as the voluuteors nnd Freemasons ' A large crowd assembled along tho route from the station to tho hall , where tbe duke was " affiliated " to the local Lodge . Then his gracu proceeded to the harbour , whero he laid the fonndation-stone in the presence of a large concourse of people . Afterwards he was entertained at a banquet , at the Royal Hotel .

THE NEOBO AND THE PILLS . —At the Liverpool Police Court , tho other day , before Mr . Kingborn , deputy stipendiary magistrate , it came out in tho course of cross-examination of a witness in a trivial case of theft , that one of them , a young negro , had been some tinw ogo charged with stealing a lady ' s satchel , iu which was a box ot

Beechain a Pills . On looking at tho box , and seoiug on it that tbeV were " worth a guinea a box , " ho proceeded to take them , and notwithstanding that several of his friends implored him to let tho ffl have one or two , he swollowed tho contents of tho box . The fio 0 healthy appoarauco of tho witness showed that the pills moat < wr « tainly have agreed with him . — Liverpool Echo ,