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they would conform to the Constitution in that particular . He hoped that no harm had happened to any petitioner in that respect , but certainly it could do them no good if their case was recommended by so few members of their Lodge . He vrovild now move that the several recommendations of

the Board of Benevolenco be confirmed by Grand Lodge . The motion that the report be received and entered on the minutes , moved by Brother Thomas Fenn , having been

carried , Brother Fenn said ho would like to oxplatn to the brethren that the electric light with which the Temple was now illuminated , for the first time , was quite of a temporary and experimental nature . It was only that night at

5 o'clock that the connection was made with the works of the Metropolitan Electric Supply Association , whose works were close at the back of Freemasons' Hall . The brethren would see they were by no means complete , nor was the light so brilliant as it might be . He hoped on the next

occasion of the meeting of Grand Lodge it would be found to the great advantage of the brethren , and would bo an addition to their comfort . Unfortunately they would see that some of the lights were not perfect , and one in

particular which happened to be over the portrait of the Most Worshipful Grand Master was not alight . But all those things would bo set right in a very short time . Brother Philbrick , Q . O ., Grand Registrar , then brought up the appeal : —

By Bro . Henry Godber P . M . of the Victoria in Burma Lodge , No . 832 , Rangoon , against a ruling of the District Grand Master of Burma , dismissing his complaint against the said Lodge for permitting Bro . Joseph Dawson P . M . to withdraw his resignation of membership of the Lodge , which had been regularly announced in writing to the Seoretary and entered on the minutes .

Brother Philbrick said the ruling of the District Grand Master against which this appeal was brought was this : — " Ruling , 9 th June 1889 , that these was no confirmation of the minutes accepting Bro . Dawson ' s withdrawal ; in fact , though Brother Dawson tendered his resignation it was never accepted by the Lodge ; it was , therefore , never in

form according to the bye-laws of the Lodge , and therefore the District Grand Master dismissed the appeal . " Now he ( Bro . Philbrick ) could not help thinking that the question which the District Grand Master had to

solvo in this appeal was entirely answered by his own ruling . It had been ruled by his ( Bro . Philbrick ' s ) distinguished , and , he was sorry to say , deceased predecessor , Bro . Mclntyre , and it had always been held as accepted

law , that Masonry being a voluntary Society , the moment a brother announced his resignation and communicated it to his Lodge he ceased to bo a member of the Lodge . It was customary to accompany the resignation with terms

asking the Lodge to accept it , and often—usually—with expressions of good feeling and regard and attachment to the Lodge . But those were individual matters which did not affect the status of a brother as a member of the

Lodge ; he had a right to withdraw on signifying his intention to the Lodge ; and when he withdrew , and said he withdrew , and signified it to the Lodge , it was no longer in the power of the Lodge to retain him against his wish

as a member of the Lodge for a single day . That ruling was clearly laid down by Bro . Mclntyre in 1874 , following a long succession of precedents ; it was referred to in the record of the Proceedings of Grand Lodge of that day . I remember , as appears by the paper he ( Brother Mclntyre ) said something to the same effect—to the effect

that he concurred in that ruling . Here the brother who was about to retire from the Lodge wrote , on the 29 th June 1889 , to the Secretary : "Dear Sir and Brother ,

From what has lately transpired in the Lodge I have no other alternative than to tender my resignation of member , ship , which I trust will be accepted with regret , by the end of this month . " That was communicated to the

Lodge 832 at their next regular meeting . Of course the brother was not present ; he resigned on the 31 st of January , two days before tho date of the letter . That was entered on the minutes ; so that the brother de facto ceased

to be a member of the Lodge . Afterwards some of the brethren desired that he might reconsider his determination . Of course it was too lato as far as membership of the Lodge was concerned , and then they passed a

resolution that he should come back to the Lodge , that he should not cease to be a member , and that he should withdraw his resignation . The resolution had not been communicated , and it was not a matter for the Lodge to express its feelings upon—they expressed a wish that he should

United Grand Lodge.

withdraw it , and he refused to do so . Under those circumstances it was quito clear that there had been a resignation on the part of this brother ; he had

communicated it to the Lodge , and that , ipso facto , made the resignation , whether the Lodge accepted it or not , and the Lodge had nothing to do with it . Under those circumstances , the ruling that there was no withdrawal , he thought , proceeded on an entire misconception of the case .

Therefore , as the facts stood , the resignation , he thought , did take effect , and that the action of the District Grand Master could not be supported , and that this Grand Lodge must hold that he was wrong . He , therefore , begged to move that the appeal be allowed , and the decision of the

District Grand Master be reversed , and the Grand Lodge declare that the resignation of Bro . Dawson communicated to the Lodge virtually caused his resignation of the Lodge . Bro . Thomas Fenn in seconding the motion said , Grand

Lodge after its former decision could not come to any other conclusion . Bro . J . S . Cumberland said , taking it from tho ruling of the Grand Registrar , once a brother sent in

his resignation it was final . Although between the sending in of the resignation and the meeting of his Lodge an opportunity might occur for doing so , he had no power to withdraw it . If the brother wished to remain a member of

thought in his case the right and true course was pursued , viz .: that the brethren who had resigned in open Lodge had to submit to their names being balloted for again , tho fees of the Lodge were remitted , and they resumed the status of members among their brethren . It was

the Lodge he must be re-proposed and balloted for . After some remarks by Bro . the Rev . Dr . Smyth , P . G . C ., Bro . Philbrick said he had been appealed to to make a statement of Masonic law besides that which was required by the case in hand . At the same time , having listened to the remarks of the brother who had first spoken , he

always bad to quote oneself as an authority . From the moment a member in the Lodge said "I resign , " his membership was ended , and a line was struck . That was the dividing line . Of course a brother might repent of retiring ; he might write a letter •but if he communicated

it to the Lodge , of course it was beyond his own control ; when be had communicated it to the Lodge , then , the line was drawn , and he could not become a member again , except under such circumstances as had been alluded to by Bro . Smyth . That was , he thought , a very intelligible and clear rule to be laid down ; it avoided difficulties ; but

it was exactly in accordance with what every one would understand when he said if he as a commercial man wrote and said , " You have the offer of certain matters , " and the person to whom he wrote back had said , "I accept the offer , " that was a bargain . If the person said , " I disclaim it , " and wrote to disclaim of his own motion ,

why then he had effectively disclaimed it . Bro . James Lewis Thomas , with diffidence , begged to differ from what had fallen from Grand Registrar . He agreed with him that were the resignation was accepted the withdrawal from membership should stand . But the brother should have the power and liberty to withdraw his resignation until the meeting of tho Lodge . It seemed to him a commonsense view of the case . Until a resignation was accepted , he did not think it was final . The motion of the Grand Registrar was then put , and carried , and Grand Lodge was closed .

H . R . H . the Duke of Cambridge has consented to preside at a Festival Dinner , on 11 th December next , at the Hotel Metropole , in aid of the funds of the Bethnal Green Free Library . This Library depends entirely for its support upon voluntary effort . His Royal Highness will be supported by members of both Houses of Parliament and other influential friends of the institution .

The Borough of Greenwich Lodge , No . 2332 , will be consecrated on Wednesday next , the 11 th instant , at the Masonic Rooms , William the Fourth , East Greenwich .

The Grand Secretary , Brother Colonel S . H . Clerke , who will be assisted by several of the Grand Officers , will conduct the ceremony , which is fixed to take place at 4 p . m .

Ar00302

FUNERALS properly carried out and personally attended in London and Country , by Bro . G-. A . HUTTON , 17 Newcastle Street , Strand , W . C . Monuments erected . Valuations made .