United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

A GEAND Lodge , or Quarterly Communication , will be held at Freemasons' Hall , London , on Wednesday next , 2 nd June , at 6 for . 7 p . m . The following is the Agenda of Business to be transacted : 1 . The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 3 rd March for confirmation .

2 . The Minutes of the Grand Festival of the 28 th April for confirmation . 3 . Appointment and Investiture of President of the Board of General Purposes . 4 . Election of Members of the Board of General Purposes . 5 . Election , of Grand Lodge Auditor .

6 . Election of Members for the Committee of Management of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons . " ( Vide list of names of the Brethren nominated for the several Boards and Committees given below . ) 7 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , viz . : — The Widow of a Brother of the Stuart Lodge , No . 540 ,

Bedford ... ... ... ... ... £ 50 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Victoria in Burma Lodge , No . 832 , Rangoon ... ... ... ... 75 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Vitruvian Lodge , No . 338 , Ross ... ... ... ... ... ... 60 0 0 A Brother of the Perseverance Lodge , No . 213 , Norwich ... 75 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Union Lodge , No . 247 ,

Dernerara ... ... ... ... ... 60 0 0 A Brother of the Eccleston Lodge , No . 1624 , London ... 75 0 0 A Brother of the Royal Jubilee Lodge , No . 72 , London ... 60 0 0 A Brother of the John Hervey Lodge , No . 1260 , London ... 60 0 0 A Brother of the University of London Lodge , No . 2033 ,

London ... ... ... ... ... 60 0 0 A Brother of the St . Augustine Lodge , No . 1941 , Rugeley 50 0 0 A Brother of the Sincerity Lodge , No . 174 , London ... 60 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Humber Lodge , No . 57 , Hull ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 O 0

8 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board beg to report that it received a complaint from the Warrant Officers' Lodge , No . 2346 , against its late Treasurer , for having misappropriated the funds of the Lodge to the extent of £ 170 . The charge being admitted by the Brother , who failed to attend the Board in obedience to a summons , the Board suspended him from all Masonic rights and privileges .

The Board also submit a statement of the Grand Lodge Accounts presented to the last meeting of tho Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 12 th day of February instant , showing a balance in the Bank of England ( Law Courts Branch ) of £ 8 , 803 2 s lOd , and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 100 , and for Servants' Wages £ 100 . ( Signed ) RICHARD LOVELAND LOVELAND , President .

Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C ., 18 th May 1897 . This being the last Meeting of the present Board , it was resolved unanimously : " That the Members of the Board of General Purposes desire to place on record their high appreciation , of the skill , ability , and courtesy displayed by the President , Bro . R . Loveland Loveland , in

presiding over their deliberations during the past year . J . J . THOMAS , Vice-President . 18 th May 1897 . " 9 . REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY GRAND LODGE TO CONSIDER CERTAIN ADDITIONS TO , AND ALTERATIONS IN , THE BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS , PROPOSED BY THE GRAND REGISTRAR .

At the Quarterly Communication on the 3 rd March last , a resolution was passed by Grand Lodge that certain additions to , and alterations in , the Book of Constitutions which the Grand Registrar had proposed for adoption should be referred to a Special Committee , to be composed of R . W . Bro . Lt .-General J . Wimburn-Laurie , M . P ., Provincial Grand Master for South Wales ( W . D . ) and Past Grand Master of Nova Scotia : R . W . Bro . Thomas

Fenn P . G . W . Past President of the Board of General Purposes ; V . W . Bro . Richard Eve Past Grand Treasurer ; V . W . Bro . Judge Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Registrar ; and the Members of tho Colonial Committee of the Board of General Purposes , consisting of V . W . Bro . R . Loveland Loveland President of the Board of General Purposes ; W . Bro . J . J . Thomas Vice-President of the Board of General Purposes ; W . Bro . Sir Geo . D . Harris P . G . D . Past President of the Colonial Board and Past G . Warden Bahamas ; V . W . Bro .

J . H . Matthews President of the Board of Benevolence and Past District Grand Deacon of Bengal ; W . Bro . Major-General Gadsden P . G . Swd . Bear . and Past District Grand Warden of Madras ; W . Bro . Frank Richardson P . G . D . P . D . G . Warden Victoria and Representative of the Grand Lodge of Victoria at the Grand Lodge of England ; and W . Bro . W . F . Lamonby P . G . Warden of the Grand Lodge of Victoria ; and that such Special Committee should report thereon to the next Grand Lodge .

Your Committee beg to report that they met on the 27 th April last , when all tho members were present , with the exception of Bro . Richard Eve , and Bro . Major-General Gadsden , the latter of whom was prevented by illness from attending .

Your Committee very fully considered and discussed the proposed alterations and additions , which it was unanimously resolved should be amended to read as follows , and it was further resolved thaG the Grand Registrar be asked to take the necessary steps with the view of submitting the same for adoption by Grand Lodge at the next Quarterly Communication . To follow Rule 218 , Book of Constitutions .

218 A . In a Colony or Foreign part in which a District Grand Lodge exists , if the District Grand Master shall think proper to grant a dispensation for that purpose , it shall be lawful for any Lodge to hold a special meeting , or meetings , to discuss and resolve on the

United Grand Lodge.

question of the formation of a Sovereign Grand Lodge for or including the District or part thereof , or any neighbouring District or part thereof , or any Lodges not in a District . Such dispensation may be granted subject to any conditions that the District Grand Master may deem proper , and also to provisions enabling two or more Lodges to unite in the special meeting ; and

if the District Grand Master or Masters should refuse to grant a dispensation an appeal may be made to the Grand Master . 218 B . Whenever Grand Lodge shall , with the assent of the Grand Master , recognise a Grand Lodge as a regular and independent Sovereign Body , having jurisdiction in any Colony or Foreign part where a District Grand Lodge or Lodges not in a District exist ,

and the Grand Master shall signify it is not his intention'to grant for the future any Warrant for a new Lodge in that jurisdiction , the following rules shall apply : — 1 . Within six month after recognition the Master of every Lodge in such jurisdiction shall convene a special meeting of the Lodge on not loss than twenty-one days' notice to every member ; failing the

Master , the District Grand Master or the acting Deputy shall convene such meeting and preside thereat . 2 . The Brethren present at such meeting , whose names appear as subscribing members on the last Return filed with the Grand Secretary , shall decide whether they desire that the Lodge shall continue under the Grand Lodge of England or not .

If the decision be to join the new Grand Lodge , the Brethren shall at the same meeting decide in whom the property and effects of the Lodge shall be vested , and the Warrant shall be forthwith returned to the Grand Secretary to he delivered up to the Grand Master . A majority of two-thirds of the members present shall be required to carry such resolution . 3 . No questions shall be discussed or put at such meeting other than

those above prescribed . 4 . Immediately after such meeting , a full copy of the Minutes and a list from the signature book of all members attending , together with the numbers voting for or against , shall be sent to the Grand Secretary , verified under the hand of the presiding Master , and countersigned by the Secretary of the Lodge . 5 . No second meeting shall be called to discuss the above questions without the special leave of the Grand Master .

Article 219 Book of Constitutions to be repealed , and to enact , in lieu thereof , the following * . — Whenever the number of Subscribing Members of any Lodge , as shown on the last return to Grand Lodge , shall be fewer than five , the Lodge shall cease to meet and the Warrant shall be delivered up

to the Grand Master , who may nevertheless , if he thinks proper , grant a dispensation to enable the members to meet , subject to such conditions as he may deem expedient , until he finally decides whether or not the Lodge shall be continued . F . A . PHILBRICK , Chairman .

10 . NOTICES OF MOTION . 1 . By His Honour Judge Philbrick , Q . C ., Grand Registrar : — To move the foregoing resolutions . 2 . By W . Bro . John Albert Farnfield P . Asst . G . D . C . That the sum of £ 70 be given from the Fund of General Purposes ;

that the money be placed m the hands of the Secretary of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " to supply the inmates of the Institution at Croydon with coals during the winter season . 3 . By W . Bro . Sir John B . Monckton P . G . W .

That m commemoration of the auspicious event of the Diamond Jubilee , on completion of sixty years of Her Most Gracious Majesty's glorious reign , the following donations be given from the Fund for General Purposes : — To the Prince of Wales Hospital Fund ... £ 2 , 000

To the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls ... £ 2 , 000 To the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... £ 2 , 000 To the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... £ 2 , 000 . 11 . The annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , dated 21 st May 1897 , will be laid before Grand Lodge . APPEALS .

By W . Bro . R . Cane P . M . 1287 , against a decision of the Board of General Purposes , that except in cases specially provided for , Rule 181 , Book of Constitutions applies to all questions to be decided by a Lodge , and that a majority of members present at a Lodge must concur in supporting a . motion in order to carry it , and that a member entitled to vote , can only remain neutral by absenting himself from the Lodge room during the division .

By Bro . N . N . Chuckerhutty , of Lodge 392 , Calcutta , against a sentence " of suspension passed on him by the R . W . District Grand Master of Bengal .

LIST OF BRETHREN NOMINATED FOR THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . A John Leach Barrett P . M . - 1201 A Arthur Blenkarn P . M . .... Alexander Stewart Brown P . G . Stwd . A James Whittak 3 r Burgess P . M . - - - 1325

A William Cleghorn P . M . .... 1287 John Russell Clipperton W . M . .. . 66 George Graveley P . M . .... 898 Joseph Brindley James P . M . - - - 1441 Capt . Charles J . Knightley P . M . - - - 1744 A C Wm . Farquharson Lamonby P . M . - - 962

A Richard Philip James Laundy P . M . - - 1681 Harold Thomson Lyon W . M . - - - 2563 A William James Mason P . M . - - 1328 Ernest M . Money P . M . ... 23 Charles J . Wilkinson Pimbury P . M . - - 2241

A Frederick Atkinson Powell P . M . - - - 456 A Charles Pulman P . M . .... 1712 A John Robertson Reep P . M . - - - 1260 Eliab Rogers P . M . - - - 60 A Arthur G . Sandberg , M . D ., P . M . 3