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Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. ← Page 2 of 3 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 2 of 3 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 2 of 3 →
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United Grand Lodge.
motion , which was carried unanimously , amidst great applause . The Acting Grand Master : Brethren , it will be my duty , and a very pleasant one , to communicate the result of this evening ' s unanimous vote to my noble friend and brother , Lord de
Grey . I shall tell him how unanimous that vote has been . I shall tell him also how much his absence was regretted . If , on the other hand , we all regret that absence , we may be satisfied at least with this reflection : that he is absent in the discharge of a public duty —( hear , hear)—a
duty which , if he , and his colleagues who are entrusted together with him in this important task , satisfactorily accomplish , they will have rendered no unimportant service to the country . I will only say that , as he goes fortified and armed with many advantages in his favour , I
hold it not to be a less advantage that he goes out as Grand Master from this country . ( Applause . ) Grand Lodge will now proceed to elect a Grand Treasurer . Bro . Raynham W . Stewart proposed , and Bro . Francis Bennoch seconded , Bro . Saml . Tomkins as Grand Treasurer .
The Acting Grand Master : Brethren , you have heard the nomination of Bro . Tomkins put to you and duly seconded , is it your pleasure to accept that nomination ? The motion was carried unanimously .
The Acting Grand Master : Bro . Tomkins , I have the satisfaction of announcing that you are , as you most justly deserve to be , elected unanimously as Grand Treasurer for the year . Bro . Samuel Tomkins : Most Worshipful Acting Grand Master and Brethren , —I say with
great sincerity I highly appreciate your kindness and good feeling in re-appointing . me to this honourable office . I assure you that though I have filled the office for many years , I fill it with more pleasure in each succeeding year . Through it I entertain every year a fraternal
affection for a greater number of brethren in tlie Craft , and I have great pleasure in uniting with them in doing tlie work of Masonry . I thank you all very much for the appointment . ( Cheers . ) The Grancl Secretary then announced that
the melancholy intelligence had been received from the W . Bro . N . T . W . Smallenburg , Representative at the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , of the lamented death of Her Royal Highness Princess Louisa Augusta , Consort of His Royal Higness Prince Frederick , Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , and also that a memorial had been presented to the M . W . Grand Master by the Lodge of Benevolence praying permission for the Lodge of Benevolence to take place at six instead of seven o'clock as heretofore ; his Lordship had
been pleased to comply therewith , and had directed that on and after , Wednesday , the 22 nd instant , the meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence shall take place at six o ' clock . Also the report of the Lodge of Benevolecce for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , viz .: —Bro . G . D . H ., of the St .
Paul's Lodge , No . 194 , . £ 50 , and the widow of the late Bro . G . A . B ., of the Lodge of Fidelity , No . 230 , Devonport , £$° - The first was moved by Bro . Gabon , and second Bro . H . Garrod ; and the second by Bro . Clabon , and seconded by Bro . J . W . Halsey . Both grants were carried .
The report of the Board of General Purposes was as follows : — " The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 10 th day of February , showing a balance in the
hands of the Grand Treasurer of . £ 3 , 6 95 12 s . 3 d . ; and in the hands of the Grand Secretary , for petty cash , £ 75 . " This was received on tlie motion of Bro . Evans , and ordered to be entered on the minutes .
The report of Bro . Harding , the auditor of Grand Lodge acccounts , which was read by the Grand Secretary , showed a balance of ^ 1 , 6 95 14 s . 7 d . in hand , and , as we understood , a sum
United Grand Lodge.
of £ 115 19 s . 6 d . to the account of the Fund of General Purposes . This report was then received and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bro . Brackstone Baker : Brethren , I am very happy indeed that the Worshipful Grand Master
has given me permission to mention to this present Grand Lodge assembled what otherwise would have been put on the agenda paper , which is , the completion of tlie testimonial to the Building Committee . When I say the completion , there still remains to be done the
illuminated vellum which is to accompany the testimonial , and to be presented to each member . When that is completed , I dare say the Committee , of which I am the unworthy chief , will present such a report to Grand Lodge as will be a perfect explanation of all they have
hitherto done . But , brethren , by the permission of the Grand Master I am happy to be able to inform you that the resolution passed in Grand Lodge in September , 1869 , whereby the services of the Building Committee were to be in some measure recognised by erecting a suitable tablet
or memorial in a conspicuous part of the building , has been so far carried out , that we have had the pleasure of to-day inaugurating and unveiling that memorial , and all brethren coming up the staircase to-night must have been pleased to see an entablature , buts and medallions so
arranged that the architectural lines of the building have been attended to and carried out by our Bro . Durham , who I am happy to see is here , and who has so performed his work and fulfilled the views of the majority of the Building Committee , that I really think there is
nothing further to be done . I very much regret that the facileprinccps , the septcm virorum prcses , as he is called elsewhere , Bro . Havers , is away on this occasion , so that the proceedings at the unveiling must have appeared very much like the play of " Hamlet , " with the part of Hamlet left out . We had to do it in the absence of our
Bro . John Havers , and I the more regret it because the testimonial is nothing more than a proper and just and right acknowledgment and recognition of the great services rendered by tlie Building Committee . I am sorry the has been so long in incubation ; it has
however , at last been hatched in the shape of the tablet we have seen . ( Applause . ) Bro . J . R . Stebbing : I have the great gratification of placing upon the notice paper of business this evening a proposition for a subscription of X 50 for the Masonic Life-boat ; but I
ought to explain to you , winch I will do in a few words , that this fund which is being raised for the Freemason Life-boat , of which Bro . Harris is the President , Bro . Davis , Treasurer , and a most energetic worker in the good cause ; and
Bro . Gotthiel , the Secretary . The Committee work with great care and prudence , and as fast as the money is received , it is paid into that very safe institution , the London and Westminster Bank , and about £ 260 has already been raised . I have been blamed somewhat for not
proposing a larger sum ; but I want the sanction of Grand Lodge to this Masonic effort . The amount is immaterial , because the example set this evening will , I hope , animate and stimulate the brethren to bear their part in this most interesting work . If so , the fund which is necessary
will soon be raised . My lord , it would be a waste of time to press upon you the necessity for a Freemasons' Life-boat . Many institutions and many persons have set us the example of studding the coast of England with the means of saving life , and Freemasonry is now so universal
that you can scarcely save a ship s crew without saving the life of a Freemason—at all events , if you do , you save the life of one who ought to be a Freemason . Of all persons in the world , the shipwrecked seaman and the shipwrecked passenger command our greatest sympathies . In returning home either from pleasure or from
business from other lands , and hoping to delight their families with their presence , and enjoy the comforts of home , a storm suddenly comes on , the vessel is wrecked , they lose their lives , and in place of joy their homes are made unhappy , and widows and orphans are made of those they loved best , and who might have been clasped to
United Grand Lodge.
their bosoms if the life-boats of England were more numerous . Let us , then , have one more , and let that have the honour of being subscribed for by the Freemasons . Let us set a good example , and while we do many generous things in the cause of charity , we shall also show that
we can do something to help the shipwrecked . If you never save a Mason , you will save one who ought to be ; and if he does not become one , you will at least have been the means of bringing happiness to his family , ( Cheers . ) Bro . F . Bennoch : I second this motion with
great pleasure—first , because I think it a most appropriate motion . All Freemasons naturally take an interest in the maritime glory of our own land , and to carry that out successfully many eminent men run in the face of danger . By the establishment of life-boats during the last five or
ten years , numberless numbers—I was about to say but thousands—of ourfellow-countrymen have been saved from a watery grave . This was my first reason for seconding this motion . The second is , that , when a premature motion was brought before us some time ago , to grant a sum
similar to this for a like purpose , I felt bound to oppose it , and to move the previous question , because I found that nothing in reality had been done , and the whole thing was a chimera and was meaningless . Grand Lodge saw the propriety of the division I took . Now , however ,
the thing is changed . A substantial committee , earnest in heart , backed , encouraged , and supported by Bro . Stebbing , will , I am quite sure , in a few months have raised a sufficient sum to purchase a life-boat ; and before another winter ,
with an angry sea , sets in upon our coasts , we may see the Freemason life-boat launched . I hope it will be a long time before it is called into action ; but whenever it is , there will be true rejoicing on the land . The motion was carried .
Bro . John Savage , P . G . D ., moved— " That at page 10 of the laws relating to the Fund of Benevolence in law 16 , after the words , in the lines 9 , 10 , and n , ' shall not be effectual until confirmed at the next or a subsequent meeting of the Lodgeof Benevolence , ' be added
the word , ' except in cases of recommendations to the Grand Lodge . '" This he did to remedy what had become a read grievance—the waiting by petitioners for several months before they could receive the money granted them by the Lodge of Benevolence , when the amount
exceeded £$ 0 , till the grant was confirmed by Grand Lodge . At various times the powers of the Lodge of Benevolence had been enlarged , He knew three instances in which great hardship had been inflicted by the present rules ; one was the case of a grant of ^ 250 , which was
recommended last August , and by the present rules could only be paid to-morrow ( Thursday last ); if it had been sixty guineas it could not have been paid sooner . Many years ago it was decided that amount to ^ 50 should not require confirmation , but now they did , and it threw
applicants three months back . When it exceeded £$ 0 it was a six months' wait . There was a case before the lodge to-night where a deceased brother had been a large subscriber to our funds , and tlie Board , by a perfectly unanimous vote , granted the widow- /? 100 , but that
according to the existing rules , could not be paid till the 7 th of September next . That was a denial , not only of justice , but time , charity , and true love . He would , therefore , ask them to make the alteration . It would not affect votes of £ s ° > tney would not require confirmation .
Bro . J . W . Halsey seconded the motion . Bro . J . M . Clabon said that as the Grand Master had done him the honour of making him the first President of the Lodge of Benevolence , Grand Lodge would expect to hear from him what the Board themselves thought , and what he thought on the subject . They were now
commencing a new system . A president and vice-president were appointed for the year , and tlie Board had met three times , and already they had begun to feel that some few amendments might be desirable in their constitution . This was one ; but he thought it required a good deal of experience before they could come to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge.
motion , which was carried unanimously , amidst great applause . The Acting Grand Master : Brethren , it will be my duty , and a very pleasant one , to communicate the result of this evening ' s unanimous vote to my noble friend and brother , Lord de
Grey . I shall tell him how unanimous that vote has been . I shall tell him also how much his absence was regretted . If , on the other hand , we all regret that absence , we may be satisfied at least with this reflection : that he is absent in the discharge of a public duty —( hear , hear)—a
duty which , if he , and his colleagues who are entrusted together with him in this important task , satisfactorily accomplish , they will have rendered no unimportant service to the country . I will only say that , as he goes fortified and armed with many advantages in his favour , I
hold it not to be a less advantage that he goes out as Grand Master from this country . ( Applause . ) Grand Lodge will now proceed to elect a Grand Treasurer . Bro . Raynham W . Stewart proposed , and Bro . Francis Bennoch seconded , Bro . Saml . Tomkins as Grand Treasurer .
The Acting Grand Master : Brethren , you have heard the nomination of Bro . Tomkins put to you and duly seconded , is it your pleasure to accept that nomination ? The motion was carried unanimously .
The Acting Grand Master : Bro . Tomkins , I have the satisfaction of announcing that you are , as you most justly deserve to be , elected unanimously as Grand Treasurer for the year . Bro . Samuel Tomkins : Most Worshipful Acting Grand Master and Brethren , —I say with
great sincerity I highly appreciate your kindness and good feeling in re-appointing . me to this honourable office . I assure you that though I have filled the office for many years , I fill it with more pleasure in each succeeding year . Through it I entertain every year a fraternal
affection for a greater number of brethren in tlie Craft , and I have great pleasure in uniting with them in doing tlie work of Masonry . I thank you all very much for the appointment . ( Cheers . ) The Grancl Secretary then announced that
the melancholy intelligence had been received from the W . Bro . N . T . W . Smallenburg , Representative at the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , of the lamented death of Her Royal Highness Princess Louisa Augusta , Consort of His Royal Higness Prince Frederick , Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands , and also that a memorial had been presented to the M . W . Grand Master by the Lodge of Benevolence praying permission for the Lodge of Benevolence to take place at six instead of seven o'clock as heretofore ; his Lordship had
been pleased to comply therewith , and had directed that on and after , Wednesday , the 22 nd instant , the meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence shall take place at six o ' clock . Also the report of the Lodge of Benevolecce for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , viz .: —Bro . G . D . H ., of the St .
Paul's Lodge , No . 194 , . £ 50 , and the widow of the late Bro . G . A . B ., of the Lodge of Fidelity , No . 230 , Devonport , £$° - The first was moved by Bro . Gabon , and second Bro . H . Garrod ; and the second by Bro . Clabon , and seconded by Bro . J . W . Halsey . Both grants were carried .
The report of the Board of General Purposes was as follows : — " The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 10 th day of February , showing a balance in the
hands of the Grand Treasurer of . £ 3 , 6 95 12 s . 3 d . ; and in the hands of the Grand Secretary , for petty cash , £ 75 . " This was received on tlie motion of Bro . Evans , and ordered to be entered on the minutes .
The report of Bro . Harding , the auditor of Grand Lodge acccounts , which was read by the Grand Secretary , showed a balance of ^ 1 , 6 95 14 s . 7 d . in hand , and , as we understood , a sum
United Grand Lodge.
of £ 115 19 s . 6 d . to the account of the Fund of General Purposes . This report was then received and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bro . Brackstone Baker : Brethren , I am very happy indeed that the Worshipful Grand Master
has given me permission to mention to this present Grand Lodge assembled what otherwise would have been put on the agenda paper , which is , the completion of tlie testimonial to the Building Committee . When I say the completion , there still remains to be done the
illuminated vellum which is to accompany the testimonial , and to be presented to each member . When that is completed , I dare say the Committee , of which I am the unworthy chief , will present such a report to Grand Lodge as will be a perfect explanation of all they have
hitherto done . But , brethren , by the permission of the Grand Master I am happy to be able to inform you that the resolution passed in Grand Lodge in September , 1869 , whereby the services of the Building Committee were to be in some measure recognised by erecting a suitable tablet
or memorial in a conspicuous part of the building , has been so far carried out , that we have had the pleasure of to-day inaugurating and unveiling that memorial , and all brethren coming up the staircase to-night must have been pleased to see an entablature , buts and medallions so
arranged that the architectural lines of the building have been attended to and carried out by our Bro . Durham , who I am happy to see is here , and who has so performed his work and fulfilled the views of the majority of the Building Committee , that I really think there is
nothing further to be done . I very much regret that the facileprinccps , the septcm virorum prcses , as he is called elsewhere , Bro . Havers , is away on this occasion , so that the proceedings at the unveiling must have appeared very much like the play of " Hamlet , " with the part of Hamlet left out . We had to do it in the absence of our
Bro . John Havers , and I the more regret it because the testimonial is nothing more than a proper and just and right acknowledgment and recognition of the great services rendered by tlie Building Committee . I am sorry the has been so long in incubation ; it has
however , at last been hatched in the shape of the tablet we have seen . ( Applause . ) Bro . J . R . Stebbing : I have the great gratification of placing upon the notice paper of business this evening a proposition for a subscription of X 50 for the Masonic Life-boat ; but I
ought to explain to you , winch I will do in a few words , that this fund which is being raised for the Freemason Life-boat , of which Bro . Harris is the President , Bro . Davis , Treasurer , and a most energetic worker in the good cause ; and
Bro . Gotthiel , the Secretary . The Committee work with great care and prudence , and as fast as the money is received , it is paid into that very safe institution , the London and Westminster Bank , and about £ 260 has already been raised . I have been blamed somewhat for not
proposing a larger sum ; but I want the sanction of Grand Lodge to this Masonic effort . The amount is immaterial , because the example set this evening will , I hope , animate and stimulate the brethren to bear their part in this most interesting work . If so , the fund which is necessary
will soon be raised . My lord , it would be a waste of time to press upon you the necessity for a Freemasons' Life-boat . Many institutions and many persons have set us the example of studding the coast of England with the means of saving life , and Freemasonry is now so universal
that you can scarcely save a ship s crew without saving the life of a Freemason—at all events , if you do , you save the life of one who ought to be a Freemason . Of all persons in the world , the shipwrecked seaman and the shipwrecked passenger command our greatest sympathies . In returning home either from pleasure or from
business from other lands , and hoping to delight their families with their presence , and enjoy the comforts of home , a storm suddenly comes on , the vessel is wrecked , they lose their lives , and in place of joy their homes are made unhappy , and widows and orphans are made of those they loved best , and who might have been clasped to
United Grand Lodge.
their bosoms if the life-boats of England were more numerous . Let us , then , have one more , and let that have the honour of being subscribed for by the Freemasons . Let us set a good example , and while we do many generous things in the cause of charity , we shall also show that
we can do something to help the shipwrecked . If you never save a Mason , you will save one who ought to be ; and if he does not become one , you will at least have been the means of bringing happiness to his family , ( Cheers . ) Bro . F . Bennoch : I second this motion with
great pleasure—first , because I think it a most appropriate motion . All Freemasons naturally take an interest in the maritime glory of our own land , and to carry that out successfully many eminent men run in the face of danger . By the establishment of life-boats during the last five or
ten years , numberless numbers—I was about to say but thousands—of ourfellow-countrymen have been saved from a watery grave . This was my first reason for seconding this motion . The second is , that , when a premature motion was brought before us some time ago , to grant a sum
similar to this for a like purpose , I felt bound to oppose it , and to move the previous question , because I found that nothing in reality had been done , and the whole thing was a chimera and was meaningless . Grand Lodge saw the propriety of the division I took . Now , however ,
the thing is changed . A substantial committee , earnest in heart , backed , encouraged , and supported by Bro . Stebbing , will , I am quite sure , in a few months have raised a sufficient sum to purchase a life-boat ; and before another winter ,
with an angry sea , sets in upon our coasts , we may see the Freemason life-boat launched . I hope it will be a long time before it is called into action ; but whenever it is , there will be true rejoicing on the land . The motion was carried .
Bro . John Savage , P . G . D ., moved— " That at page 10 of the laws relating to the Fund of Benevolence in law 16 , after the words , in the lines 9 , 10 , and n , ' shall not be effectual until confirmed at the next or a subsequent meeting of the Lodgeof Benevolence , ' be added
the word , ' except in cases of recommendations to the Grand Lodge . '" This he did to remedy what had become a read grievance—the waiting by petitioners for several months before they could receive the money granted them by the Lodge of Benevolence , when the amount
exceeded £$ 0 , till the grant was confirmed by Grand Lodge . At various times the powers of the Lodge of Benevolence had been enlarged , He knew three instances in which great hardship had been inflicted by the present rules ; one was the case of a grant of ^ 250 , which was
recommended last August , and by the present rules could only be paid to-morrow ( Thursday last ); if it had been sixty guineas it could not have been paid sooner . Many years ago it was decided that amount to ^ 50 should not require confirmation , but now they did , and it threw
applicants three months back . When it exceeded £$ 0 it was a six months' wait . There was a case before the lodge to-night where a deceased brother had been a large subscriber to our funds , and tlie Board , by a perfectly unanimous vote , granted the widow- /? 100 , but that
according to the existing rules , could not be paid till the 7 th of September next . That was a denial , not only of justice , but time , charity , and true love . He would , therefore , ask them to make the alteration . It would not affect votes of £ s ° > tney would not require confirmation .
Bro . J . W . Halsey seconded the motion . Bro . J . M . Clabon said that as the Grand Master had done him the honour of making him the first President of the Lodge of Benevolence , Grand Lodge would expect to hear from him what the Board themselves thought , and what he thought on the subject . They were now
commencing a new system . A president and vice-president were appointed for the year , and tlie Board had met three times , and already they had begun to feel that some few amendments might be desirable in their constitution . This was one ; but he thought it required a good deal of experience before they could come to