Grand Mark Lodge.

No . 370 , Jamestown , St . Helena . » 37 ' Waranga , Murchison , Victoria . „ 372 , De la Pole , Seaton , Devon . _ » 373 . Ilkeston , Ilkeston , Derbyshire . „ 374 St . Chad , Leeds .

, » 375 > Jubilee , Ulverston . „ 37 6 , Herschel , Slough . „ 377 , Brentwood , Brentwood . „ 37 S , Invicta , Ashford . J > 379 » St . Martin's , Liskeard .

Royal Ark Mariner Certificates , 149 ; total number registered , 2225 . Warrants for new lodges , viz .: —Trent , attached to Fleming , No . 265 ; Fearnley , attached to Fearnley , No . 58 ; Sussex , attached to Royal Sussex , No . 75 ; Northumberland and Berwick-upon-Tweed , attached to Northumberland and Berwick-upon-Tweed ( T . I . ); Wiltshire Anchor , attached to Wiltshire Keystone , No . 17 S . The following re-appointments as Prov . Grand Masters have been made for a further term of three years : —R . W . Bros . Jack Sutcliffe , Lincolnshire ; R . I . Finnemore ,

Natal ; Hon . William Badgley , Quebec ; C . L . Mason , West Yorkshire ; Wm . Kelly , Leicestershire , & c . .... , The Board recommend to Grand Lodge that , as a token of personal affection and respect for his Royal Highness the M . W . Grand Master , the sum of one hundred and fifty guineas be voted from the General Fund of Grand Lodge to the Masonic section of the "Imperial Institute ofthe United Kingdom , the Colonies , and India , " being the

National Memorial of the Jubilee of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , originated by the Grand Master , and approved by her Majesty . They further recommend that every Mark Master Mason , who is a subscribing member of a Mark lodge on the 20 th June next , shall be permitted to wear on the hanger of the jewel of the Degree a Jubilee badge in gold or gilt , and enamel , sealed patterns of which may be seen at llie office . Hereford

A Memorial has been received from the St . Ethelbert Lodge , No . 243 , , praying to be attached to the Province of Gloucestershire , and the R . W . Provincial G . Master having signified his consent , the Board have submitted the Memorial to the M . W . Grand Master for his approval . It having been reported to the Board that the Provincial Grand Secretary of Nottinghamshire had irregularly granted a dispensation to a brother of the St . Alban ' s Lodge , No . 344 , and to a brother of the Fleming Lodge , No . 265 , to fill the chairs of these lodges , the said brethren not being qualified as Worshipful Masters of Craft

lodges , and such dispensations being the sole prerogative of the M . W . Grand Master—( see Article 99 , Booklof Constitutions , ed . 1 SS 6)—on careful consideration , the Board resolved that the M . W . Grand Master should be respectfully requested to direct the issue of regular dispensations on payment of the usual fee of 21 s , and that the Prov . Grand Secretary be fined the sum of one guinea . The Board , having considered the case of Bro . Charles F . Johnson , who , by inadvertence , occupied the chair of Peveril Lodge , No . 323 , for 11 months only , recommend the Grand Lodge to confirm him in the rank and privileges of Past Master on payment of a fine of one guinea .

The Board having been informed that Bro . Arthur H . Marsh had been installed in the chair of Howe Lodge , No . 21 , on the 2 nd July , 1 SS 5 , and that he had not served the full period of 12 months , his successor having been installed on the 20 th May , 1 S 86 , recommend him to Grand Lodge for confirmation in the rank and privileges of Past Master on payment of a fine of two guineas . The Board record ivith the deepest regret the death of 111 . Bro . Albert Gallatin Goodall , 33 ° , New York . Bro . Goodall had acted for many years as General Representative of this Grand Lodge in the United States of America , and from the time of his acceptance of that appointment had been in every way mindful of its interests .

The General Grand Chapter of the United States of America , acting in support of the unconstitutional pretensions of the Grand Chapter of Quebec , have withdrawn their recognition of this Grand Lodge . It is satisfactory to find that a minority of 65 against 99 refused to concur in this attack on ancient landmarks . Should , however , this action of the General Grand Chapter be found to involve any practical injury to English Mark Masters in the United States , which it is earnestly hoped may not be the case , this Grand Lodge will be reluctantly compelled to give them its support in working the Mark Degree .

It having come to the knowledge of the Board that a testimonial is about to be presented to R . W . Bro . Binckes on the part of a numerous body of his friends , the Board recommend that , in recognition of hisserviccs to this Degree during 29 years , 26 of which as Grand Secretary , an honorarium of £ 50 be voted to the R . W . Brother from thc General Fund of Grand Lodge .

The Nineteenth Anniversary Festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund will be held at the Holborn Restaurant on the 20 th July , and the M . W . Bro . the Earl Amherst has most kindly consented to preside In the Jubilee year of her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen the Board cannot entertain any misgiving as to the result of the labours of the Board of Stewards , who will on that occasion support the noble brother who will occupy the chair .

Walter Ernest Quinn , being the only candidate , has been placed on the Educational Fund without proceeding to formal election , which , in the ordinary course , would have taken place on the 7 th April last . The election of annuitants , in the usual course , would have taken place on 5 th May , but as there was only one approved candidate—Bro . Alexander Mole , 6 9 years of age , for 14 years a subscribing member of Nos . S and 173—the Board have placed him on the Annuity Fund without proceeding to formal election .

The Board acknowledge with thanks the gift to the library of two volumes by Bro . Geo . Cooper , P . G . D . j and receipt of copies of the proceedings of Grand Chapters of Washington , Illinois , Maryland , Colorado , Arkansas , Michigan , Nebraska , Missouri , Scotland , and the General Grand Chapter , U . S . A . The Board have ordered the investment of £ 700 on behalf of Annuity Fund , and £ 200 on behalf of Benevolent Fund , making the total invested funds as follows

;—General Fund ,,. ... ... ... £ 2400 o o Benevolent Fund ... ... ... ... 1500 o o Educational Fund .,. ... ... ... igoo o o Annuity Fund ... ... ... ... 2000 o 0 Tbe Board have relieved the following cases : — Bro . T . P , No . 5 ... ... ... ... £ 10 0 0

„ A . M , Nos . S and 173 ... ... ... 12 o 0 „ T . W . A , No . 176 ... ... ... 15 0 o Mrs . C . A . J . ... ... ... ,.. 15 o 0 „ E . M . G . ... ... ... ... 10 0 0 ( Signed ) G . R . PORTAL , Past G . M . M . M , President .

Appended are the accounts of the Grand Treasurer for the half-year ending 31 st March , 1 SS 7 : — DR . _ GENERAL FUND . To Half-year ' s Receipts ... .,, ... £ 1009 0 11 „ Interest on Investment ... ,,. ... 58 o o „ Bonds realised ... ,,, ,,, .,. 500 o 0

£ i 5 fy 0 11 Cu . GENERAL FUND . ' By Overdrawn , 30 th September , 1886 ,,. ... £ 371 y n „ Expenditure ... ... ... .., 727 19 6 „ Balance ... ... ... ... 4 6 7 n 6 £ W 7 ° 11

DR . BENEVOLENT FUND . Balance 30 th September , 18 S 6 ,,. ... .,, £ 842 7 1 To Receipts ... .,, .,, ,., 426 10 0 „ Interest on Investments ... ... ... 20 15 s „ Transferred from " Dewar Fund" ... ... 115 8 9 £ 1405 1 6

Grand Mark Lodge.

CR . , BENEVOLENT FUND . By Grants in Relief ... ... ... ... £ § 0 0 o „ Secretary ' s Salary ... ... ... 20 o o „ Investment ... ... ... ... 207 o 0 „ Transferred to Annuity Fund ... ... 6 99 S o „ Do . Educational Fund ... ... 250 13 1 „ Balance ... ... ... ... 138 o 5

£ 1405 1 6 DR . EDUCATION FUND . To Interest on Investments ... ... ... £ 35 0 10 „ Transferred from Benevolent Fund ... ... 250 13 1 „ Overdrawn ... ... ... ... 041

£ 294 18 o Cu . EDUCATION FUND . % By Overdrawn , 30 th September , 1886 ... ... £ 100 9 9 „ Education Fees ... ... ... ... 94 8 3 „ Grants for Clothing ... ... ... 100 0 o

£ 294 18 o DR . ANNUITY FUND . To Balance 30 th September , 18 S 6 ... ... £ 171410 „ Interest on Investments ... .,. ... 36 19 6 „ Transferred from Benevolent Fund ... ... 699 8 o

A 754 2 4 CR . ANNUITY FUND . By Investment ... ... ... ... £ 707 o o „ Balance ... ... ... ... 47 2 4 £ 754 2 4

Audited and Approved this 4 th day of May , 18 S 7 . ( Signed ) CHARLES EDWARD SOPPET , P . G . Stwd , Auditor . Bro . ALFRED WILLIAMS proposed the first recommendation : * ' That the

sum of 150 guineas be voted from the General Fund of Grand Lodge to the Masonic Section of the Imperial Institute . " He regretted that as Mark Masons they were not able to give more ; but that sum which was men-Lioned and recommended by the General Board he thought would be given by the brethren very heartily .

Bro . the Rev . J . STUDHOLME BROWNRIGG , P . G . C , seconded the motion , which was afterwards put to the brethren and carried unanimousl y . Bro . ALFRED WILLIAMS next moved : "That the sum of £ 50 be voted from the General Fund to R . W . Bro . Binckes , Grand Secretary , as an honorarium for distinguished services during 29 years . " In making the motion he would like to say that he trusted this would be taken by Bro .

Binckes as given by the brethren from their hearts . They could safel y give the amount from their funds , and he hoped Bro . Binckes would receive it as the brethren gave it , and that the vote svould cheer him through life and show him that it was some mark of gratitude for what he had done for Mark Masonry during the last 29 years . Bro . F . DAVISON , P . G . D , seconded the motion .

Bro . KELLY , P . G . M . Leicestershire , supported the motion , testif ying of his own knowledge to the immense services Bro . Binckes had given to Mark Masonry . Bro . BEACH , P . G . M , could not allow the opportunity to pass without aearing his testimony to the accuracy of what had been already said . He : ould testify to the valuable services which Bro . Binckes had rendered in

the early days of their Grand Lod ge when the career of Mark Masonry was not so prosperous as it was at present . Although during that time English Mark Grand Lod ge had increased to the greatest dimensions , yet Bro . Binckes ' s exertions had not relaxed , and he thought it was but ri g ht to give him some small recognition of those services after so long a time . The motion was carried amidst loud applause .

Bro . BINCKES said that if it had not been that his services were wanted in Grand Lodge he should have asked permission to leave the lodge while this vote , personal to himself , was being moved , and he hoped Grand Lodge would not think him wanting in delicacy , because he had remained . He : ould only express his sincere appreciation of the manner in which the vote had been dictated and received . He was happy to find that his efforts during 29 years had not been unsuccessful in promoting the interest of Mark Grand Lodge ,

Bro . ALFRED WILLIAMS moved that Bros . Charles F . Johnson , 3 23 i and Arthur H . Marsh , 21 , be confirmed in the rank and privileges of Past Master . c s

Bro . BINCKES explained that several times cases of this kind occurred . The brethren did not commit the error wilfully , but unfortunately they infringed on the Constitutions , which provided that a Master must occupy the chair 12 months before he was entitled to the rank of P . M . When a

brother was once installed and had the secrets conveyed to him it was absolutely impossible to undo what had been done . The Board , therefore , treated each case on its merits , and in one of the present cases had inflicted a fine of one guinea , and in the other a fine of two guineas . The motion was seconded and carried .

Lord EGERTON of TATTON said he had received a letter from Canotr Portal regretting exceedingly his inability to be present , havine had an attack of illness . Bro . ALFRED WILLIAMS moved that the report be adopted Bro . W . J . HUGHAN , P . G . W , as Grand Representative of the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania , objected in th * n ^^^ i . ...:. u A f „ ihn — juia Willi dt

. j . - -, .- . giauii JCgu LW •"'" General Grand Chapter of the United States , and regretted to find in it the concluding sentence— " Should , however , this action of the General £ , *„ ( :: hapter be found t 0 involve any practical injury to Eng lish Mark Masters in the United States , which it is earnestly hoped may not be the case , this Grand Lod ge will be reluctantly compelled to give them its support in working- the Mark Decree" He

submitted that if those words meant anything they meant a threat to issue warrants for the working of Mark Masonry in the United States , and he was very sorry to read such in the report , because if they were adopted by this Grand Lod ge they would widen instead of heal the breach which existed between the American brethren and the Mark Masons of this

country . He had for many years taken a deep interest in the Mark Masonry of the United States with respect to English brethren visiting Mark-Lodges and Chapters there and becoming joining members , and had g iven a very careful stud y to the whole question . He had heard it said that inconsidering the matter of the difficulties between the Grand Lodge of Quebec-