Our Weekly Budget.

ance . The Lodge having been opened , the minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed . The balance-sheet of the South Australian Masonic Benevolent Fund was then taken as read and adopted . This showed for the year ended the 22 nd of September receipts amounting to £ 109 ,

including a balance brought forward from the previous year of £ 83 16 s lOd . The expenditure was trifling , the balance in savings' bank at the end of the year being £ 107 3 s 5 d . The Permanent Fund showed receipts , including balance brought forward £ 53 16 s , and loan on

mortgage £ 100 , amounting to £ 158 18 s . Disbursements nil . The Available Fund showed receipts , including balance of £ 30 , to the extent of £ 50 12 s ; disbursements £ 2 7 s 5 d ; balance £ 48 5 s 5 d . The D . G . M . then appointed and invested his officers for the ensuing year , after which the D . G . L was closed with the usual formalities . The next Quarterly Communication was announced for the 3 rd instant .

A Ball will be given by the brethren of the newly-eonsecrated Earl of Carvarvon Lodge , No . 1642 , on Friday , the 9 th February , at Ladbrooke Hall , Notting-hill , nnder the presidency of Bro . W . J . Murlis W . M . and the following Stewards : —Bros . G . Penn S . W ., S . H . Parkhouse J . W ., W .

Stephens P . M ., W . Gordon P . M . and S . D ., F . Clench J . D ., E . M . Lander I . G ., S . Smont D . C , S . Smout jun . W . S ., J . Linscott , J . Swift , J . Bartle , W . T . Hook , J . Woodmason , G . N . Watts P . M ., E . Frye , E . J . Cave , and Bro . Pushman ,

Honorary Secretary . The proceeds will be given to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . Gentlemen ' s tickets 10 s ; ladies' ditto 7 s 6 d ; double tickets 16 s . Bro . Linscott has kindly given the use of the capacious hall .

We learn from the Keystone that the annual Grand Communication of the Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Pennsylvania was held in the Masonic Temple , Philadelphia , on the 27 th ult . After the' various Reports of tho Committees had been read , and the other business of the

meeting transacted , the M . E . Grand High Priest , Comp . George E . Wagner , delivered his valedictory address , in the course of which he congratulated those present on the progress of Capitular Masonry . He likewise ' referred in feeling terms to the death of three Past Grand High Priests , and

also dwelt at some length on the work he had been able to accomplish , and especially to the fact of his having visited every Chapter in the jurisdiction . We feel sure the Companions he addressed must have heard with regret that their retiring Chief contemplated removing to Chicago

at the beginning of this year . The following were then installed and pi-oclaimed in their several offices , namely , Comps . Alfred R . Potter , M . E . Grand High Priest , William C . Hamilton , M . E . Grand King , Hibbert P . John , M . E . Grand Scribe , and John Thompson , M . E . Grand Secretary .

Grand H . P . Potter then appointed his various officers for the year , as well as the different Committees on Work , Finance , Correspondence , & c ., and the Deputy High Priests for the several districts into which the jurisdiction is divided .

From the same source we gather that the Masonic Temple , at Portland , Me ., was seriously damaged by fire on the 23 rd ult . This temple , we are told , contains one of the finest Masonic Libraries in the United States . We trust , however , that this has escaped . Regalia and furniture can be replaced , but not old and valuable archives .

We _ are indebted to the Hebrew Leader for the following statistics relating to the Supreme Council , A . and A . Rite , for tho Northern jurisdiction of the United States . Maine has one Consistory , with 143 members , and two Lodges of Perfection , 205 members ; Vermont , ono Consistory , 49

members , three Lodges of Perfection , 157 members ; Massachusetts , one Consistory , 863 members , and six Lodges of Perfection , 1 , 084 members ; Rhode Island , two Consistories , 134 members , and two Lodges of Perfection , 143 members ; Connecticut , two Consistories , 128 members , six Lodges of

Perfection , 304 members ; New York , seven Consistories , 1 , 098 members , and fifteen Lodges of Perfection , 1 , 481 members ; New Jersey , one Consistory , 245 members , six Lodges of Perfection , 422 members ; Pennsylvania , four Consistories , 596 members , and five Lodges of Perfection ,

747 . members j Michigan , ono Consistory , 225 members

Our Weekly Budget.

and one Lodge of Perfection , 312 members ; Ohio , one Consistory , 515 members , three Lodges of Perfection , 610 members ; Indiana , two Consistories , 270 members , two Lodges of Perfection , 381 members ; Illinois , four Consistories , 658 members , four Lodges of Perfection , 707

members ; and Wisconsin , one Consistory , 122 members , and two Lodges of Perfection , 136 members . Total , 29 Consistories , with 5 , 194 members ; 59 Lodges of Perfection , with 6 , 895 members . The number of initiates during tho year was 520 , of whom 144 were initiated in

Massachusetts and 129 in New York . Our contemporary expresses regret that , though tho financial condition of this Supreme Council is on a permanent footing and its investments are secure , the expenditure for the past year was more than 2 , 500 dollars in excess of the receipts . Thirteen charters

were revoked . The triennial election in August last , resulted in the re-election of most of the old officers , but the twelve standing Committees were remodelled , many of them being reduced in number in order to faciliate the dispatch of business .

The Festival of St . Andrew was celebrated by the members of the various Masonic Lodges in Bombay , under the Scotch Constitution , with the customary festivities . Grand Lodege , according to the Masonic Record of Western

India , met before dinner , for the purpose of installing the Grand Officers for the ensuing year , and , also , in order to present appropriate testimonials to Bros . E . Freeborn , Honorary S . W ., K . R . Kama , Honorary Deputy G . M ., and H . G . Rowell , Grand Secretary , as some slight recogni .

tion of their services to Freemasonry . The presentation to Bro . Rowell consisted of a handsome Cutch-work claret cup and jug . At the dinner , about sixty guests , including some half-dozen English brethren , sat down . Bro .

Morland , Grand Master of Scottish Freemasonry in India , presided , and , on the removal of the cloth , the nsnal Loyal and Masonic toasts were given and responded to with great enthusiasm , the pious memory of St . Andrew being very

humorously proposed by Bro . T . Ormiston , Grand Architect . Tho toast of the " Masonic Charities , " in which the Grand Master referred to the efforts he had made , with a view to forming a Scottish Benevolent Society in

connection with the Craft , followed . He expressed himself satisfied with the response , thus far , made to his appeal , and announced that the balance standing in the bank to the credit of Masonic Charity , was 2 , 754 rupees . At the close

of the speech , the Widows' and Orphans' box was handed round , the collection realising somewhat over 329 rupees . During the intervals between the toasts , different brethren

did their best to entertain the guests with songs , both humorous and sedate , and the proceedings closed with a hearty , if not very artistic rendering of Auld Lang Syne .

The Voice of Masonry , for December , records the death of Sir Knight William Leffingwell , born at Norwich , Con . necticut , 4 th January 1799 . In 1839 , he became a resident of Iowa , and was initiated into Freemasonry on the 11 th September 1848 . In January 1855 , he became a Kni ght

Templar . He had , in the course of his career , held many responsible posts in the different Masonic bodies to which he belonged . The esteem in which he was held may be judged from the fact that his funeral was conducted Masonically , Past Grand Commander T . S . Parvin ,

representing the Grand Commander , officiating in chief , supported by Sir Knight the Rev . A . C . Shlin , of Ottumwa , acting Grand Prelate , Sir Daniel B . Shelley , of Davenport , Grand Treasurer , and numerous other Kni ghts from Davenport andsnrroundingtowns . Theseattendedwith

the Knights of the De Molay Commandery , under the escort of brethren of Iowa Lodge , No . 2 , Hawk Eye Lodge , No . 30 , and Wilton Lodge , No . 167 . The Voice gives a full , and wo should say , justly complimentary notice of the worthy deceased , pointing out how , in every position , both as

a citizen and as a Mason , he had comported himself worthily . In the same periodical are given full particulars of the life of Bro . Samuel Lenox , who died at Trenton , N . J ., on the 23 rd October , full of years and honours . Bro . Lenox was born at Damhead , Co . Antrim , Ireland , in January 1784 .

In January 1805 , he was initiated in Lodge No . 235 , Colerainc , Co . Londonderry . The same year , and the beginning of the next , he joined other Masonic bodies , and , shortly afterwards , emigrated to the United States , taking with him bis dimits from his Irish Loge , Chapter , and Encampment , and depositing them in , Philadelphia , At