Grand Mark Lodge.

an Grand Lodge of England , it would be on the same lines as that of the Grand Chapter of Quebec and the Grand Lodge of England , but he begged to differ from that view . With respect to Grand Lodge of England , he thought Grand Lodge of England was wholly in the right , whereas the Grand Lodge of Quebec was wholly in the wrong , but with regard to Grand Chapter of Quebec , and Mark Grand

Lodge of England , his opinion was that both were in the wrong , and that being the case Grand Mark Lodge of England should be very careful how they proceeded . There were some 30 Grand Chapters and 120 , 000 Mark Masons who were Royal Arch Masons , under the General Grand Chapter of U . S . A . They would be virtually cut off from all those bodies by passing this portion of the report . It was true there were three Grand Chapters

not connected with the United States G . G . Chapter , one was Pennsylvania with which he was connected that had offered its good offices in bringing about a better feeling between the bodies , but it seemed to him that if Grand Mark Lodge of England used this threat they should never do so unless they carried it out , and to use the threat at the present stage of the proceedings would do very much harm instead of doing good . He was very

sorry Canon Portal was not present , as he was so well informed on the subject . He could not help thinking that if they very carefully considered the whole question , they would see that by virtually threatening the United States Grand Chapters they entirely cut themselves off from associating with them . With respect to the action of the Grand Lodge of England , let them bear in mind edicts of non-intercourse had been issued

against it , that Grand Lodge had not threatened to issue warrants in the United States , and he did not suppose it ever would . He thought it was without the province of Grand Mark Lodge to do so , and he hoped for the sake of peace and harmony of Mark Masons in this country who wanted to visit lodges and chapters in the United States , that the words he had read would be obliterated from the report . He did not propose any amendment ,

but he put it to the Vice-President of the General Board , when he did not think under the circumstances , for the sake of good feeling between Mark Masons of this country and the Royal Arch Masons of the United States the sentence had better not be omitted . Even if the matter were postponed till the December meeting it would be better than to deal with it now , but he believed it would be a mistake to adopt that sentence at any time .

Bro . Major WOODALL wished to say a few words as one who had been a visitor at lodges in Pennsylvania , and in support of Bro . Hughan ' s remarks . Speaking from experience of the brethren in the United States he felt sure they would be unwilling there should be any difference of opinion . They mig ht adopt the somewhat Fabian policy of waiting for the

turn of events , and he believed if they did that , matters would be smoothed over . He was quite conversant with the question between the Grand Lodge of Quebec and the Grand Lodge of England , but he must say he thought time would get over the difficulty . He hoped they would not take a different position with regard to their brethren of the United States .

Bro . BINCKES , G . S , knew Canon Portal ' s mind on the matter . No one more than he ( Bro . Binckes ) regretted Canon Portal was not present to support the proposition he had made ; but , after Bro . Hughan ' s forcible argument , he would venture to put it to Grand Lodge that this last

paragraph be deferred till December , when it was to be hoped Canon Portal would be there . That would not eliminate it from the report in any shape or way , and it would not be carrying anything hostile to the views of the President of the Board . A BROTHER suggested that the whole paragraph be left out .

Bro . W . BEACH , P . G . M ., thought not . It would be better to refer the matter back .

Lord EGERTON of TATTON thought it would be very undesirable that they should have such words in the report as would have the effect of wounding the feelings of their American brethren , and therefore , on those grounds , if not on more substantial grounds , he thought that the whole paragraph be deferred . Before the next meeting of Grand Lodge the question would be fully gone into , and the forcible words used would not in any way be carried into effect . If it was the pleasure of Grand Lodge , he would suggest that the whole of the paragraph be referred back to the General Board .

This was agreed to , and the report , as amended by the omission of the paragraph commencing " The General Grand Chapter of the United States" down to "in working the Mark Degree , " was adopted . Bro . the Rev . J . S . BROWNRIGG called the attention of Grand Lodge lo the fact that papers canvassing for the last five brethren on the list of candidates for election to the General Board had been distributed at the

door of Grand Lodge . The Earl of Carnarvon in Craft Grand Lodge strongly condemned the practice . Lord EGERTON of TATTON said he also objected , and he trusted that the document would be treated as waste paper . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales was then declared M . W . G . M . M . M . for the

ensuing year . Bro . W . BEACH thereupon took the chair , and , after announcing that the Prince of Wales had appointed Lord Egerton of Tatton Pro Grand Master , obligated the noble brother and installed him . The Marquis of Hertford was obligated , invested , and installed as deputy Grand Master . These brethren having been saluted ,

Lord EGERTON of TATTON informed Grand Lodge that the Prince oi Wales had appointed Prince Albert Victor Senior Grand Warden . The following brethren were then invested :

tiro . Lord Egerton of Tatton ... ... ... Pro G . M . „ Marquis of Hertford ,.. ... ... Dep . G . M . „ Prince Albert Victor ... ... ... S . G . W . „ H . C . Okeover ... J . G . W . » R . E . Baynes ... ... ... ... G . M . O . » Col . W . E . Michell ... ... ... S . G . O . » George King Patten ... ... ... J . G . O .

» Rev . J . N . Palmer ... ,.. ... G . Chap . » Rev . W . Valentine ... ... ... G . Chap . » J . L . Mather .,, ... ... ... G . Treas . JI Frank Richardson ... ... ... G . Reg . »> Rev . Canon Portal ... ... ,,. Pres . Gen . Bd . » F . Binckes ... ... ,,. ,,. G . Sec .

J > G . W . Pierrepont Harris ... ,,. S . G . D . » R . Newhouse ..: ... ... ... S . G . D , » A . Hilemus Moves ... ... ... J . G . D . » G . E . Lake ..: ... ... ... T . G . D .

> y John Barker ... ... ... ... G . I . of W . » Robert Berridge ... ... ... G . D . of C . » James Terry ... ,,. ,,. ,,. A . G . D , of C .

Grand Mark Lodge.

Bro . John Wood ... ... ... ., ' , A . G . D . of C . „ Edgar Bowyer ... ... ... ,., G . Swd . Br . „ C . F . Hogard ... ... ... ... G . Std . Br . „ E . Baldwin ... ... ... ,.. G . Std . Br . „ E . J . Crow , Mus . Doc . ... ... ... G . Org . „ C . F . Matier ... ... ... ... A . G . Sec . „ H . C . Jepps ... ... ... ... G . I . G . „ E . J . Mills ... ... ... ... A . G . I . G .

The following are the Grand Stewards for the year : Bros . P . L . Simmonds , St . Mark's Lodge , No . 15 Henry Von Joel , 8 ; H . S . Goodall , Middlesex and Surrey ; John Gates Collier , Middlesex and Surrey ; F . T . Bennett , Middlesex and Surrey ; J . D . Birkin , Middlesex and Surrey ; J . S . Wilson , Northumberland and Durham ; W . L . Ball , Leicestershire ; W . C . Hurley , South Wales ; R . B . Cater , Somerset ; Daniel Cross , Devonshire ; VV . Lake , Cornwall ; J . L . C . Hunter Little , Monmouthshire ; and J . P . Lewin , East Anglia .

The brethren nominated by the Grand Master lo serve on the General Board were Bros . Canon Portal , President ; Alfred Williams , F . Davison , George Cooper Driver , Jas . Moon , and T . Cubitt . The brethren elected by Grand Lodge were the Rev . Hayman Cummings , J . E . Dawson , A . F Godson , M . P . ; C . F . Hogard , and R . Loveland Loveland .

Bro . BINCKES read a long list of brethren from whom he had received letters of apology and regret for inability to attend the Grand Lod ge , and Grand Lodge was then closed . A grand banquet followed in the Venetian Saloon of the Holborn Restaurant .

After the banquet and the singing of grace , the PRO GRAND MASTER proposed ' * The Queen and Mark Masonry , " in doing which he said the brethren had already voted a loyal and dutiful address to her Majesty , congratulating her on the completion of the 50 th year of her reign , and it must be a subject of gratulation to all her people that she had so many years ruled over this country , and that they had the prospect of her health and energy being such as evidenced by her visiting them whether in

Birmingham or the East End of London , where the various classes cheered her along the route most vociferously , as to justify the hope that she might long reign over them . As to her connection with Masonry as a mother and a grandmother of Masons she had a claim on the Craft which entitled her to the unlimited gratitude of the Order . Her oldest son was Grand Master of this Degree and also of the Craft , and to-night his Royal Highness had followed the course he took in the Craft by making his eldest son the Grand Senior Warden .

The PRO GRAND MASTER , in giving the toast of "The M . W . G . M , the Prince of Wales , " said the brethren all regretted that his Royal Highness ' s public duties and avocations had prevented him being with them that evening , as he was last year ; but they could not but admire the devotion he gave to his public duties of every kind , whether they were Masonic or for the opening of a great public undertaking , or for the support of some great

agricultural or commercial or industrial institution . As Masons , they could not but feel proud that they had as the head of both the principal Orders in Masonry the Prince of Wales . Long might he live and reign over the Craft , and when the time came ( and they trusted it might be long distant ) that he might have health and strength to succeed to the throne of this realm , and reign over the country as well as he had reigned over

Freemasons . Bro . KELLY , Prov . G . M . of Leicestershire , proposed " The Pro Grand Master , Lord Egerton of Tatton . " Shakespeare had told us " Good wine needs no bush , " and the name of the Pro Grand Master needed very little to be said in his favour . It had been his ( Bro . Kelly ' s ) good fortune to see almost the rise of Mark Grand Lodge . He was made Provincial Grand

Master of Leicestershire in 1858 , soon after the commencement of Grand Mark Lodge , and when he told the brethren that at the Grand Festival at that time and for several years one small table would contain all the brethren who attended , they could imagine the change that had taken place . The present Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , and his alter ego , Lord

Egerton , saw a great difference , and Grand Lodge was now pro rata of more importance at the present time . In their Pro Grand Master they had one who would discharge his duties to the best of his ability , and to the satisfaction of the Prince and Wales and all the Craft . He could only wish him the same success in that position as had attended him in his Province of Cheshire .

Bro . Lord EGERTON of TATTON , in responding to the toast , said he could not profess so large an acquaintance with Masonry in the south of England as in the north ; but he felt it a great honour to be in London and to be placed in the proud position of Pro Grand Mark Master . In that position he should endeavour to do his duty in the same way as he had endeavoured to do it in the north of England . He trusted he would be able to promote

the interests of Mark Masonry in the Grand Lodge as he had in the northern province . He felt certain that Mark Masonry had a great future before it . It was increasing rapidly , and its principles were becoming better supported every year . It was fortunate in having the influence of the Prince of Wales , who never connected himself with anything which he did not think was for the general good and benefit of the country . In his name they

had a guarantee that the objects of Masonry and of Mark Masonry in particular were worthy of support and acceptance by the great body of Masons , and deserved the respect and support of their fellow-countrymen who were not Masons . They could show by their work and endeavours that they were to promote good fellowship , brotherly love , and benevolence to every one , and those principles were not confined to any country or to

any set of men . Masons trusted by their endeavours , and by their demeanour in lodge and out of lodge , to make their principles flourish , and having those principles himself heTelt it an honour to be connected wilh such a body as Mark Masons . As long as he was connected with it , and especially in his present capacity as Pro Grand Master for the Prince of Wales , he should with the assistance of the brethren promote the interests of Mark Masonry .

Bro . Major WOODALL proposed " The Past Grand Masters . ' Bro . Lord EGERTON OF TATTON proposed ' -The Grand Officers , Present and Past . " Bro . BAYNES ( Oxford ) responded . Bro . the Rev . C . W . SPENCER STANHOPE proposed "Success to the Mark Benevolent Fund . "

Bro . C . F . MATIER responded . Bro . F . BINCKES proposed " The Visitors . " Bro . P . STIRLING , of Kippendavie , Deputy P . G . M . of W . Perthshire ) one of the Stewards of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , responded .