"A Mason" On Freemasonry.

more than it does to any other Society . The members of our Lodges dine together after they have transacted their business , or they sup together , or perchance they go home to their dinner or supper ; but seven or eight meetings in a year—that being about the average number per

Lodgeeven if they close with dinner or supper , afford but a very unsubstantial evidence of " feasting and revelry . " We know there are many Masons who make a god of their bellies ; so are there many Christians . We should never think of denouncing Christianity for the sins of its worthless members .

We are not surprised at clergymen being Freemasons . Freemasonry is a science as well as a morality , and clergyme . n are men of intellect as well as supporters of the moral law Then many Masonic clergymen havo attained to episcopal honours . We presume , therefore , their clerical ability

was in no wise spoiled by their Masonry . Moreover , charity is the ruling principle of Freemasonry , and charity is likewise the basis of that religious faith of which the clergyman is a professor . There is , then , a peculiar fitness in clergymen belonging to our Society .

We have done with " A Mason s letter to the Bock Having regard to our obligation , we say nothing further . If indeed any remark of ours can by any possibilit y be regarded as personally offensive , we are deeply sorry , and shall apologise accordingly . We believe , however , we

have strictly confined ourselves to the business of just criticism . We shall merely add that " A Mason" will confer an obligation on the Craft generally by disclosing his name and the number of his Lodge . We should then

be in a better position to judge of the personal value of his criticisms . No man , at least no honourable man , has a right to denounce publicly tho whole body of Freemasons and yet withhold his name .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge was held on Wednesday , 6 th Dec , at Freemason ' s Hall . Tho chair of Grand Master was occupied by Lord Skelmersdale , Deputy Grand Master . Tho Senior Grand Warden ' s seat was held by the Earl of Donoughmore , and tho Junior Grand Warden ' s by Captain Vivian . Among tho other brethren present were Bros . Hervey Grand Secretary , Sir Albert Woods Grand Director of Ceremonies , Revs . J . S . Brownrigg

P . G . C , Charles W . Arnold G . C ., R . J . Simpson P . G . C , 0 . J . Martyn P . G . C , Sir J . W . Hayes P . G . C , S . Tomkins G . T ., J . Mclntyre Q . C ., J . B . Monckton President Board of General Purposes , Bros . Boord , Birchall , Barron , Case G . D ., W . Rhys WilliamsM . D ., Assistant G . D . C , W . F . Nettleship G . S . B ., Wilhelm Knhe G . Organist , E . P . Albert G . P ., S . G . Foxall A . G . P ., Earl of Shrewsbury G . M . for Staffordshire ,

Col . Burdett , F . A . Philbrick Q . C , Hyde Pnllen , Bracholme Baker , R . J . BagshaweP . G . M . Essex , W . W . B . Beach P . G . M . Hants , Richard Giddy , G . M . Guiqualand , Joshua Nunn , H . Browse , John Boyd , Griffiths Smith , J . A . Rucker , Joseph C . Parkinson , Thos . Fenn , Robert F . Gould , C . F . Hogard , S . Poynter , F . Binckes , H . D . San . deman , Dr . Erasmus Wilson , besides about 500 other brethren .

After the preliminary business , Bro . Robert F . Gould W . M . 92 , P . M . Nos . 153 , 570 and 743 , said , Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , I beg to nominate his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales for re-election as Most Worshipful Grand Master . The Acting Grand Master said , —Has any brother any one else to nominate ? ( laughter . ) After a pause : The next business is tho

appointment of a President of tho Lodge of Benevolence . Bro . J . M . Clabon P . G . D ., is appointed by the Grand Master to that office . The next business is the election of Senior and Junior Vice President of the Lodgo of Benevolence . Tho Grand Secretary said there were only two brethren nominated at the Board of Masters , and therefore there would be no election . The

names were Senior Vice President Bro . Joshua Nunn P . G . S . B ., and for Junior Vice President Bro . James Brett P . G . P . ( applause . ) On the Acting Grand Master stating that the next business was the election of twelve Past Masters to servo on tho Lodge of Benevolence . The Grand Secretary said that only twelve Past Masters had been

named at the Board of Masters , and consequently there would be no election . The names of the Past Masters nominated were—Bros . Charles Atkins P . M . 27 , Henry Bartlett P . M . 147 , Herbert Dioketts P . M . 25 , Henry Garrod P . M . 749 , C . F . Hogard P . M . 205 , W . T . Howe P . M . 1445 , William Mann P . M . 186 , W . H . Myers P . M . 820 .

Samuel Poynter P . M . 1491 , Griffiths Smith P . M . 21 , William Smith P . M . 33 , and William Stephens P . M . 1365 . The following grants , recommended by the Lodge of Benevolence , were then severally moved , seconded , and confirmed , the movers and seconders being Bros . Clabon and Nunn : —

A Brother of the Lodge of Loyalty , No . 243 , Guernsey ... £ 50 A Brother of the Royal Navy Lodge , No . 429 , Ramsgate ... £ 50 A Brother of the Athol Lodge , No . 74 , Birmingham £ 100 The Widow of a Brother of the Worcester Lodge , No . 280 , Worcester £ 50 A Brother of the Cleveland . Lodge , No , 543 , Stokealey . „ £ 5 Q

United Grand Lodge.

Tho Widow of a Brother of the Lodgo of Unions , No . 256 , London £ 100 A Brother of the Globe Lodge , No . 23 , London £ 50 THE REPORT OP THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES .

To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England : Tho Board of General Purposes have to report that their attention has been called to several instances of the issne of circulars on the part of proposed new Lodges , prior to consecration , inviting members of the Craft to become joining members of such Lodges .

The Board have the special directions of the Pro Grand Master to make it known that such proceedings meet with his lordship ' s entire disapproval , ^ and entail the risk of the withdrawal of the Warrant . ( Signed ) JOHN B . MONCKTON , FKEEMASONS * HALL , LONDON , W . C , President 21 st November 1876 .

To the report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge Accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , tho 17 th day of November instant , showing a balance in tho hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 4 , 086 15 s lOd ; and in the hands of the Grand Secretary , for petty cash , £ 75 ; and for servant ' s wages , £ 96 15 s .

Bro . J . B . Monckton said thero was nothing for Grand Lodge to do on this report , and after moving that it should be received , and entered on the minutes , the same was carried by Grand Lodge . Bro . Molntyre , Q . C ., G . R ., af terwards brought forward the appeals . In bringing up the appeal of the Sussex Lodge , No . 354 , Kingston , Jamaica , against the judgment of the District Grand Lodge of East

Jamaica , directing the Lodge to rescind its minute of the 28 th July , 1875 , accepting the resignation of a brother , until certain charges alleged against him had been inquired into . He said it was not a pleasing case to deal with , on account of a complication of facts in the case . It was evident from the papers he had read , that the conduct of the Lodge had been extremely disrespectful to the District Grand

Master . A brother who was J . W . of the Lodge had certain charges preferred against him before the Deputy District Grand Master . Before tho matter was brought before his Lodge he tendered hia resignation of his office . A Lodge of Emergency was called to con . sider whether the resignation should bo accepted , and at this Lodge of Emergency , a brother , who was not a Past Master under the

English Constitution , was in the chair . This was a violation of the Constitution , as , if no P . M . was present , it was tho S . W . ' s business to rule the Lodge . Tho resignation was accepted , and the District Grand Master's charge was not entertained . The resignation was entered on the minutes , and the District Grand Master subsequentl y had the Lodge before him , and ordered the resignation to be

expunged from the minutes . He had often said in Grand Lodge that if a brother tendered his resignation the Lodge was bound to accept it . In this case the District Grand Master could have summoned the brethren before him for contumacious conduct , and have dealt with them as he might be advised . But he had no power to order them to rescind their resolution . Ho wished it to be understood ,

however , that a brother could not get rid of his responsibility for improper acts—by resigning his Lodge . He was amenable to the Masonic authority of the district in which he was , so long as he was a Mason , whether he belonged to a Lodge or not . He should advise Graud Lodge to reverse tho District Grand Master's decision .

Bro . Philbrick seconded the resolution , which was put and carried . Bro . Mclntyre also brought up an appeal from Cape Town , in which he also advised the reversal of the District Grand Master ' s decision . This also was carried .

Bro . Binckes afterwards withdrew the motion of which he had given notice , and explained that at tho time he gave it he was not aware of Lord Carnarvon ' s intention to call a Special Grand Lodge to consider the report of tho Special Committee appointed at last Grand Lodge . Grand Lodge was then closed .

List of Lodges for which warrants have been granted by the M . W . Grand Master since the last Quarterl y Communication of Grand Lodge : — 1639 . —Watling Street Lodge , Stony Stratford , Bucks . 1640 . —Amatole Lodge , Alice , Victoria East , Cape of Good Hope . 1641 . —Crichton Lodge , Camberwoll .

1642 . —Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , Notting-hill . 1643 . —Perseverance Lodge , Hebburn-on-Tyne , Durham . 1644 . —Alma-Mater Lodge , Birmingham . 1645 . —Colno Valley Lodge , Slaithwaite , Yorkshire . 1646 . —Sir Donald McLean Lodge , Raleigh , Taranaki , New Zealand

1647 . —Star of the North Lodge , Whangarei , Auckland , New Zealand . 1648 . —Prince of Wales Lodge , Bradford , Yorkshire . 1649 . —Berar Lodge , Budnaira in Berar , Bombay . 1650 . —Rose of Raby Lodge , Staindrop , Durham . 1651 . —Lodge of Progress , Southbridge , New Zealand .

HOLLOWAT ' S OIHTMEITT AUD PILLS . —Rheumatic Pain , Tic Dolorous . —Theao diseases are , unfortunately , very prevalent in this country , and are frequently most distressing , sometimes for years baffling all medical skill to alleviate tho sufferings of the victim . In no case have Holloway ' s Ointment and Pills failed to produce a cure . The Ointment exerts a peculiar and so ithing influence over

the nerves and muscles , relaxing spasms and subduing pain . The attack soon becomes milder and tho intervals between the paroxysms longer ; until they cease altogether . The PilU restore the body from a weak and debilitated condition to a stato of health and strength . Persons bedridden for months with rheumatic pains and swellings after using tho Ointment have been cured in an credibly abort period .