United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge of Freemasons was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Col . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Prov . Grand Master for Middlesex , presided . Genoral Brownrigg , C . B ., Prov . Grand Master for Surrey , acted as Deputy Grand Master , and Lord Tenterden Provincial Grand Master for Essex acted as Past G . Master . The Earl of March , M . P .,

Grand Senior Warden and Bro . Justice Cave Grand Junior Warden , were in their respective chairs . Amongst the Grand Officers present wore Bros . R . H . Giddy District G . M . Griqnaland , H . D . Sandeman Past District G . M . Bombay , Sir Michael Costa , Ex . Sheriff Hutton , Revs . C . J . Martyn P . G . C ., C . W . Arnold P . G . C ., R . J . Simpson P . G . C ., Ambrose W . Hall G . C ., J . Edmund Cox , D . D ., P . G . C . as G . C .,

Sir John B . Monckton , Bros . M . J . Mclntyre , Q . C ., M . P ., Grand Registrar , James Glashier P . G . D ., Capt . N . G . Philips P . G . D ., Jns . Lewis Thomas P . G . A / D . C ., T . Fenn P . G . D ., Shadwell H . Clerke G . Sec , C . W . Spenoer Stanhope P . G . C , James Mason and Brackstone Baker There were also about 700 brethren present . After the reading and confirmation of the minutes , Dr . Alfred Meadows P . M . No . 4 , P . G . S .

rose and said : It is my privilege , and I need scarcely add that the privilege carries with it a very great pleasure , to nominate H . R . H . the Prince of Wales for re-election a 8 Grand Master for tho ensuing year ; and as I shall hope to have tho honour of proposing H . R . H . at the next Quarterly Communication , I believe I shall best consult the wishes of Grand Lodge if I defer till then what I may have to say in support

of this proposition . But I may perhaps be allowed to make this one remark , that apart from any special fitness which H . R . H . may possess for the office of Grand Master , I think that the way in which the duties of the high and responsible office have been discharged by H . R . H . in the past few years , since he ascended the Throne of the Royal Solomon , constitutes , if I may with all respect say so , a claim upon

the gratitude of the Craft , whioh demands at least the recognition that is involved in this nomination . For this , among other reasons , therefove , I have very great pleasure in moving it . Sir Francis Burdett then rose and moved a vote of oondolence to the widow and family of the late President Garfield . He said : In the name , and on behalf of H . R . H . our Grand Master , I now come before you to ask

you to accede to and to pass a vote of condolence to the widow of the late General Garfield , President of the United States . We have all known and heard of him for a considerable length of time , and at the same time we know how he laboured , and how he successfully laboured , for the good of his own country . He stood there before all others , and before the whole world as a man respected by all ,

and beloved by all those of his countrymen . If he had not been a straightforward , honest , good man , and one of real genuine worth , he never would have been placed in that position by his fellow countrymen , and that was the highest position , and the highest honour they could confer on him in his own country . He was known throughout the world as an honest , straightforward man ; he

was respected and beloved by every power that had communication with the American Nation . He was at the same time kind , indulgent , aud a very good husband ; and moreover , we all know , and we have heard that he was among us , that he was a Mason , and , I believe , stood very high in the estimation of his brother Masons in America . We have not only received a great many of the American

Ma 3 ons here , and I believe they have been all very well pleased and satisfied with their reception ; and whenever we go to America we always find ourselves hospitably and kindly received . Every brother who goes there is pressed to go again , and when American Masons are invited to this country they find themselves most hospitabl y and kindly received . I may here state , for the information of the

brethren , that Bro . Garfield was initated on the 22 nd November 1861 , in the Magnolia Lodge in Ohio , and he was also exalted to the Royal Arch , in Chapter No . 23 , Washington . Now we must look upon him as a brother , and a brother worthy to be honoured in every possible way . Therefore , I have , without traspassing upon your time , to propose , according to the words of His Royal

Highness , "That this Grand Lodge agree to a vote of condolence to the widow and family of the late Brother General James Abram Garfield , President of the United States of America , who died on the 19 th September last , of wounds received from the hands of an assassin . " Lord Tenterden , Provincial Grand Master for Essex , said—As an honorary member of the Grand Lodge of

Washington , I beg leave to second the motion . I have , at the same time , to call to your attention the fact that our late lamented Bro . Garfield was one of the principal members of the committee which organised that truly remarkable and fraternal reception given by the Freemasons of the United States to our Grand Master the Marquis of Ripon , at which I had the honour of being present , on the occasion

of his diplomatic mission to Washington , in April 1871 , and I have to testify to the earnest and active part he took in the Craft , and the respect in which he was held in it . The high estimation of his Masonic brethren was justified by his election as President , and has been confirmed by the universal sympathy elicited throughout the United States , and , indeed , tho world , by his untimely death . The motion ,

on being put , was carried unanimously . The Rev . Spencer Stanhope suggested that the vote should be at once sent by telegram to America , so that it would reach all parts of America , according to American time , at the very honr that this Grand Lodge was sitting , viz ., half-past Fcven . This was seconded by the Rev . R . J . Simpson P . G . C , and Bro . the Rev . J . E . Cox P . G . C said the present time in

America was twenty minutes pnst two o clock in the afternoon . Sir F . Burdett said it was necessary that the vote should be first sent to the American Minister in London , as an act of courtesy which we were bound to pay him . Bros . Cox and Stanhope , however , suggested that it might be sent at once , but Sir V . Bnrdett said he had no doubt

Grand Secretary would take the quickest means of forwarding the vote to America . He then informed the brethren that Bro , Clabon had resigned his position of President of the Lodge of Benevolence , being unable longer to perform his duties . TfieM . W . G . M ., however , could not allow the occasion to pass over without expressing his sense

United Grand Lodge.

> t Bro . Clabon ' s arduous and energetic services as lYo .-i . i ut of lite % ard since its rcconstitntion , and of his regret that Bro . C | .-i !>» i's ¦ onncctiou therewith in that capacity had ceased . Tho Grand X : ; sk' . had seen fit , vo appoint Bro . Joshua Nunn as President , : \ v .. [ Bro . George Lambert had been nominated as Bro . Xmm's sueee-.-:. r . Bro . Tames Brett was again nominated as Junior Vice President , liiv .

G , P . Britten objected that a surprise had been sprung upon the brethren by the nomination of Brother Lambert at the Board of Masters . No one knew Brother Clabon was going to votive and Brother Nunn appointed in his place . If they had they wonld have been prepared with some other brother in his place of more experience , and more agreeable to the brethren , than tho

brother who had been nominated . Ho thought the question should stand over till next meeting . It was explained that this eonld nut be , as the nomination must take placo at the Board of Masters in November , and there being no other nomination then , Bios . Lambert . and Brett were duly elected . Bros . Charles Atkius No . 27 , George P . Britten ISIS , Joseph D . Collier 13 ( M , John Constable 185 , Thomas

Cull 1416 , Charl 03 Dairy 1-11 , Henry Garrod 74 !> , Charles F . Tlo-ard 205 , William Mann 186 , James LI . Matthews 113 , William Stephens 1489 , and Edward Francis Storr 22 , wore tho twelvo Past Masters nominated to serve on tho Lodgo of Benevolence , and no others being nominated , they wero declared dnly elected . The report of the Lodgo of Benovolonco was thon taken , and subsequently tho report

of the Board of General Purposes . On tho motion of Bro . MeTntyvo Grand Registrar , the application from a body styling itself " The Grand Lodge of New South Wales of Free and Accepted Masons , " requesting their recognition by tho United Grand Lodgo of England as a regular Grand Lodge , was refused , tho Grand Registrar explaining , that this body had previously applied to

Grand Lodge of Scotland , and Grand Lodgo of Ireland for recognition , and been unanimously refused . Grand Registrar also explained that there were only 13 Lodges in this now combination , and that if they were recognised as a Grand Lodge , the 86 Lodges under the Euglish , Scotch and Irish jurisdictions , would bo irregular Lodges . The report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution with the

recent alterations in the Laws of that Institution were adopted . Throe appeals were explained by Grand Registrar and dealt with according to his advice . Bro . C . J . Perceval P . M . No . 1607 brought forward his motion for altering the plan of taking divisions in Grand Lodge , by appointing two tellers on each side of tho question to record the votes as the members pass out , and make their report accordingly . After some discussion the subject was referred to the Board of

General Purposes . The motion of Bro . Raynham W . Stewart Past Grand Deacon for increasing the contribution of tho Benevolent Institution to £ 1 , 000 a year to the Male Annuity Fund , and £ 600 to the Widows' Fund , was passed in this form—that tho whole should como out of the Fund of General Purposes , instead of being divided between that Fund and the Fund of Benevolence . Grand Lodge was then closed .

A Caution.

A CAUTION .

To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . Sin , —Will yon allow me , through your columns , to warn all Lodges against a begging Mason , Bro . Lnwis , late of tho Milton Lodge , No . 1144 , Ashton-under-Lyue . He is a man with reddish hair and whiskers . The answer to a telegram sent to Ashton-undor-Lyne respecting him is as follows : —

"Unworthy , defaulting member for years . Travels the country ever since , and lives entirely on charity . Able , but not willing worker . " Beggars professing to be Masons are so much on the increase that I would strongly advise all brethren—1 . Never to test an applicant by ordinary rules .

2 . Never to relieve without seeing the certificate , and also sending a telegram , ansiver prepaid , to the applicant's Lodge . In many cases applicants will bo found not to be Masons at all , and in many to be utterly unworthy . If all Lodges throughout the country would adopt these two simple rules we should soon get rid of the nuisance .

Believe me , yours fraternally , J . SlUDHOtME BROVfNUICCl , D . P . G . M . Berks and Bucks Moulsoe Rectory , Newport Pagnell , 29 th November 1881 .

On Tuesday , the Prince and Princess of Wales paid their long promised visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Bath , at Longleat . Their reception at Warminster was of the most enthusiastic description , the town being brilliantly illuminated far into the night , and making general holiday ,

in honour of the occasion . Sport in the coverts was the order of the day till yesterday , when the County Ball was arranged to take place in the great Hall of the noble host ' s mansion . Among the guests invited to meet their Royal

Highnesses were the Marquis of Hartiugton , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master Derbyshire , the Earl of Fife Provincial Grand Master Banffshire , Viscount Mandcville , & c , & c , & c . The Royal visit will terminate to-day ( Saturday ) .

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been graciously pleased to signify his intention to preside at the Anniversary Festival of the Victoria Hospital for Children , Queen ' s Road , Chelsea , S . W . The Festival will be held on an early day in the forthcoming year ,