United Grand Lodge.

tions . He wanted to know whether they wanted a Grand Chancellor at all with the duties of Grand Registrar , when they had a Grand Registrar , a very eminent legal brothor . It was due to the brethren that they should know . The proposition was stated to be made at the recommendation

of the Grand Master , but it was really from tho Board of General Purposes , and he thought tho President of the Board should have stated some reason for converting the Grand Registrar into Grand Chancellor . Tt was not stated what the Grand Chancellor would have to do . He was

perfectly satisfied with tho Grand Registrar . Thoy had a splendid body of Officers ; what did they want a Grand Chancellor for ? He did not understand why they were to create a new Grand Officer if it was only to give the Registrar a grand name . He would go further and say

they did not want an extra Grand Officer ; they did not know what Avas to becomo of the Grand Registrar . As there was no reason for the change he would move as an amendment to leave out the words from " a Grand Chancellor" down to "Articles 31 and 32 of the Book of

Constitutions and of . " Bro . James Stevens seconded the proposed amendment . Bro . the Rev . J . A . Lloyd , P . G . C , suggested to the Grand Master whether he should not consider that the time had arrived when a Grand Librarian should be added

to tbe list of Grand Officers . They had these Officers in American Lodges . The sum voted from Grand Lodge yearly was extremely small for forming a proper Masonic library , the appointment of Grand Librarian seemed to him of more importance even than that of Grand Chancellor .

Bro . Thomas Fenn , in answer to Bro . Eve , said he could assure him they did not want to swallow up the Grand Registrar , and they did not want to impose anything upon Grand Lodge . They thought , however , that a proposition

comiDg from the Grand Master would be accepted . The proposition was that there should be an addition to the number of Grand Officers , therefore the Grand Registrar would still remain . An extension was wanted in the

number of Grand Officers , and the way proposed was one means of doing it . A brother asked what would the Grand Registrar do ? Bro . Thomas Fenn said he would be a Deputy nud would do whatever duties he would be called upon

to perform . In his experience he never found a Grand Officer who was not willing to discharge any duties he Avas asked to perform . There were no duties assigned to the Grand Registrar or the Grand

Deacons in the Book of Constitutions . He had been 28 years a Grand Officer ; Sir Albert Woods had been longer a Grand Officer , and he would ask Sir Albert Woods if there was ever a Grand Deacon who had refused to do what he was asked . The Chancellor was simply a new Grand Officer .

Bro . Britten said the report expressly stated that the Chancellor would have the duties assigned to Grand Registrar . He quite failed to see what tho Grand Registrar ¦ would have to do .

The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe , after remarking that he did not think there was anything- to be laughed at in the idea that the duties should bo divided , or that the Grand Registrar should in future act as Deputy with the Grand Chancellor , put Bro . Eves' amendment , which was carried .

Bro . Thomas Fenn then said he was unable to proceed with the next resolution after that . He did not think it respectful to the M . W . G . M . to make an amendment to his

recommendation ; it ought to be accepted or rejected . He did not see how he could proceed with the next resolution because it was dependent on the other and he declined to move it .

Tbe Earl of Mount Edgcambe ventured to think most strongly that this was a case in which the brethren should take the proposal as a whole , and if they did not , that they should allow the mover of it , representing one of the most

important bodies , to withdraw it . He did not say that they shonld throw it out necessarily , because they adopted the amendment , but they certainly ought not to throw any impediments w the way if the mover thought it was for the credit of his Board that he should introduce it .

Bro . Thomas Fenn : Then I move that ' tbe referred back . Bro . Richard Eve : The amendment has bten put and it is carried . The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe : And now Brother Fenn requests permission to withdraw the motions . I venture to think most strongly that in such a position permission

United Grand Lodge.

should bo granted . Is that your opinion , brethren ? Permission is given . The recommendations were then withdrawn . The following was ordered to be entered on the minutes on the motion of Bro . Philbrick : —

A Report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons dated 13 th July 1892 , with respect to tbe alterations in the laws made for the Jubilee Year of that Institution , will be laid before Grand Lodge , viz .: — " That the

alterations made in Rales 19 , 20 , 23 , and 25 for the purpose of tho Jubilee Festival which have been in force np to and including 30 th June 1892 , having now ceased to be applicable , the former laws ' , in force prior to the 3 rd June 1891 , are now the laws of the Institution , with the approval of Grand Lodge . "

Bro . Peter de Lando Long P . G . Deacon next moved : — That the Resolution of Grand Lodge of 7 th September 1842 , to tho following offeot— " That a sum of £ 500 be granted from the Fund for General Purposes to the Royal Freemasons ' Female School , to be invested in the Pnblio Funds in the

names of Trustees towards the formation of a separate Fund to be applied exclusively for the purpose of upholding , repairing , improving and maintaining the School House and Buildings of the Institution . That the Trustees of

Buch Fund be the throe Senior Trustees of the Charity ' s other Funded Property , " be resoinded , and that the Royal Masonio Institntion for Girls be permitted to merge the £ 500 therein referred to into the General Funds for the purposes of the Institution .

Bro . T . W . Whitmarsh P . G . P . seconded . Bro . T . H . Devonshire suggested the following alteration : — " That the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls be permitted to merge the s 6500 referred to in the resolution

of Grand Lodge of 7 th September 1842 in the general funds of the Institution , and that so much of that resolution as ia inconsistent with the present resolution be rescinded . " Bro . Long accepted the alteration , and in that form the motion was carried .

An appeal of Bro . Wm . Statt , of Lodge 244 , Jersey , ' against the decision of the Prov . Grand Master of Jersey , confirming Bro . Statt ' s exclusion by his Lodge , Avas dismissed on the motion of Bro . Philbrick Grand Registrar , seconded by Bro . Thomas Fenn . Grand Lodge Avas closed in due form .

The Late Bro. W. Wharton.

THE LATE BRO . W . WHARTON .

IN affectionate remembrance of a highly esteemed momber of the Craft , tbo Freemasons of Nottingham hivo recently caused to be placed over the grave of Brother W . Wharton , in Highgate Cemetery , London , a marble memorial , to mark in a distinctive manner the last resting-place of one who was for many years olosely assooiated with the social and commercial life

of Nottingham . Bro . Wharton rose from a subordinate position upon the staff of the Midland Railway Company to higher appointments , and became station master at Nottingham . In this town he made troups of friends , and it was with great regrot that it was known he had accepted another responsible position at Liverpool . There he succeeded so admirably that upon a vacanoy occurring at St . Panoras ,

London , Bro . Wharton was appointed station master there . Unfortunately , his tenure of office was out short by an illness which terminated fatally in the autumn of 1890 , when Bro . Wharton was quite in tbe prime of life . Tbe memorial recently erected at Highgate Cemetery is of white Sicilian marble , and is in the form of a cross , upon three bases with bevelled edges . It bears the

inscription—In loving memory ot WIILIAM WHARTON , Formerly station master at the Midland Railway Station , Nottingham , late of St . Pancras ,

Who died 22 nd August 1890 , Aged 48 years . Thy will be done . Erected as a tribute of brotherly love and esteem by the Freemasons . Amongst the subscribers to the memorial fund are Bro . the Duke

of St . Albans and brethren of the provinces of Notts , Derbyshire , Leicestershire , & c . Bro . S . G . Johnson acted as Hon . Treasurer , and Bro . R . M . Webs tor ns Hon Secretary to the fund . It will be remembered that when Bro . Wharton left Nottingham he was presented with a purse of gold and plato of tho value of £ 400 , that the staff at the railway station made him a handsome present of plato

and cutlery , and that the cabman in Station Street did not allow him to leave without tangibly oxprossiug appreciation of Bro . Wharton ' s kindness . Mrs . Wharton , tho widow , writiDg to Bro . Webster , says : — " Will yon kindly convey the expression of my deepest , gratitude to thoso gentlemen who so kindly subscribed towards tho erection of tbe tablet , and also accept toy sincerest thanks for the very kind action you have taken in the matter ?"

We are informed that tho editor of tho penny weekly Great Thoughts has purchased the nb 3 olute serial rights of a new story by the author of "Tho Silence of Dean Maitland . " The story will commence iu the first number for October .