United Grand Lodge Of England.

walls . It was a magnificent event—agrea' demonstra'ion of pent-up enthusiasm which Freemasons hold to prove their loyalty towards lhe Sovereign of their native land . But , brethren , so large a number of Freemasons who were there assembled required great order and arrangement to allow them to be present without disorder and disarrangement . And to whom are we indebted for the trouble and exertion which was necessary to bring that

about but , I may say , to two eminent Freemasons , who took the duty upon them ? It is to Bro . Sir Albert Woods and Bro . Fenn . ( Cheers . ) It is to ihem that we are specially indebted for their efforts , and the power of arrangement which presented itself to their minds , which enabled the proceedings to be carried out in such a successful manner . I ihink that the special thanks of this Grand Lodge ought to be given to those two eminent brethren for what they did for us . Grand

Lodge feels that they are deserving of the best thanks of the whole Craft . I will therefore move in the name of the Grand Master " That the thanks of Grand Lodge be given to R . W . Bro . Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . B ., K . C . M . G ., Garter , P . G . W ., Grand Director of Ceremonies , and to R . W . Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., for their efficient arrangements for the Masonic meeting at the Royal Albert Hall on the 14 th June last , to celebratethe long end g lorious reign of her Majesty the Queen . " I beg to move that . Chief Justice WAY : I beg to second it . ( General applause . )

Bro . BEACH : The vote is carried with enthusiasm . ( Renewed applause . ) Bro . THOMAS FENN : M . W . G . M . in the chair , I am requested by Sir Albert Woods to thank you very sincerely for this compliment which he saw by the agenda paper it was designed to pay him , and to express his deep regret that his state of health prevented his attendance on the great occasion relened to to discharge his duties . I am pleaded to say that he expressed

himself perfectly satisfied with the manner in which the arrangements were carried on . With respect to myself , M . W . G . M ., I cannot but feel that it was lo some extent rash in me to undertake so great a responsibility at my advanced age , but , I have been connected with my friend and brother , Sir Albeit Woods , in all great Masonic functions for the last 33 years , and I could not desert him when , through severe illness , he so much needed

hip . No one could be more sensible of the fact than I was myself that I was 10 years elder than I was in 1887 , and 22 years older than I was when I undertook similar duties at the insta'lation of the M . W . Grand Master at the Royal Albert Hall in 1875 ; but I r > h- d upon the assistance of my brethren and 1 am happy to say that Bro . Frank Richardson , Bro . J . H . Matthews , Bro . Robert Grey , and Bro .

Fiederick West immediately offered their assistance to the best of their ability , and I could not , if I had had my choice , have selected brethren more efficient than those brethren who so kindly volunteered their services . Bro Frank Richardson was with me during many weeks in this building almost every day assisting me in my work and he even gave up his Whitsuntide holidays and Sundays to assist me . Bro . Matthews gave his assistance

whenever his business engagements allowed him , and he was of great assistance to us at the time we were distributintr the tickets . Bro . Robert Grey assisted me and saved me a great deal of labour by going round the Royal Albert Hall for me and seeing that the arrangements were carried out . Bro . Frederick West undeitook the same duties he discharged so ably in 1887 . With his knowledge of the Royal Albert Halt as the Superintendent at the

cencerts there , he , with an efficient band of Stewards , conducted thebrethren to their seats and no one could have done that duty more ably than he did . Ihere are two other brethren connected with the Royal Albert HaU—Bro . Wentwcrth Cole and Bro . John Hedley—that I am greatly indebted to . Brc . Ci-le indenook duiies at the Hall wh ' ch my strength would not have allowed me to undertake , and made arrangements for the ornamentation of the bu l ing and ether necessary work . Bro . Hedley undertook to see that

al my instructions lad been carried out , and he saved me a great deal of lal > c ur and fau ' gue . By the assistance of these brethren and those Grand Officers who took die command of lhe entrances and other Stewards who voluntec red their iervices so readily , the success of the great meeting was assured , and 1 have onlv to ask you , M . W . G . M ., to permit me to consider those bre'hren are included in the vote of thanks that you have so kindly acco ' dtd to Bro . Sir Albert Wooos and myself . ( Cheers . )

Bro . BEACH : Brethren , —On behalf of the M . W . G . M ., I have to announce tnat in consideration of the valuable assistance of Bro . Wentworth Cole and Bro . John Hedley , his Royal Highness has appointed them to the positions of Past Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies . Bro . E . L ETCHWORTH . G . Sec .: M . W . G . M . in the chair , —Neither of those brethren is present , and they greatly regret their inab'lity to be

here . I have now to read a letter addressed by Bro . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Home Secretary to H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., in respect of the address voted by Grand Lodge on the 2 nd of June : " Sir , I have had the honour to lay before the Queen the loyal and dutiful address of Fete and Accepted Masons under the United Grand Lodge of England , corgratulating her Majesty on the comp ' elion of the 60 th year of her

Majesty ' s rc gn , and I have to inform your Royal Highness that her Majesty was pleased to receive the same very grac ' ously . " Bro . PinuikicK : Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , —I beg to move that ihis Utter be entered on the minutes of Grand Lodge . Bro . R . L OVELAND LOVELAND : I second the motion . The motion was carried .

Bro . E . L ETCHWORTH then read the following communication from the Most Worship ful Grand Master : It having been represented to the Most Worshipful Grand Master that some Provincial and District Grand Masters are desirous of commemorating

Ihe completion of lhe 60 th year of her Majesty ' s reign , by conferring Past Piovincial and District Grand Rank on brethren in their provinces and districts , and that Article 87 of the Book of Constitutions would have to be specially suspended by Grand Lodge before any such appointments could legally be made .

His Royal Hig hness now submits lhe matter for the consideration of Grand Lodge , with the suggestion that if it be thought proper to sanction the suspension of the law , tl e number of appointments authorised should not exceed one for every 12 lodges in the province or district where the lodges do not exceed 30 in number , with one additional if the broken number exceeds six ; and ' one appointment for every eight lodges in such provinces or districts in which the number of lodges is more than , 30 , with one additional when ihe broken number excetds four .

Bro . P HILBRICK : I beg to move that the commmunication from the M . W . G . M . be aCk-ei ed to by Grand Lodge in the terms in which it has been read . By his own prerogative he has appointed to Grand Lodge Oo

United Grand Lodge Of England.

Grand Officers to commemorate the 60 th year of her Majesty ' s reign and this communication only extends the record of that most interesting event to the Provinces and D ' stricts . I beg , therefore , to move that the Constitutions be suspended in comoliarcp ' with his Roval Higheess ' s communication . Bro . RICHARD EVE P . G . Treas . _ M . W . G . M . in the chair , I do not often agree with B-o . Philbrick but I second the motion . This suspension

of the rule , if it takes place , will give to provinces and districts some additional Grand Officers , ihe same as the additional Grand Officers in Grand Lodge have been appointed by his Royal Highness , and I am sure we should all regret if the Prov . G . Masters and Dist . G . Masters had not some opportunity of extending to the provinces and districts the privilege

which has been exercised by the M . W . G . M . The communication was unanimously agreed to . The Report of the Board of Benevolence was then adopted , as were also the following grants :

1 he widow of a brother ot the Palatine Lodge , No . 97 , Sunderland ... ... ... ... £ 75 o o The widow of a brother of the John Hervey Lodge , No . 12 C 0 , London ... ... ... ... 60 o o The widow of a brother of the United Lodge , No . G 97 , Colchester ... ... ... ... 75 o o

The report of the Board of General Purposes as published in the Freemason of last week , was then adopted on the motion of the President , Bro . R . LOVELAND LOVELAND , seconded by the Vice-President , Bro . J . G . THOMAS . The next business on the paper was a Notice of Motion by Bro . WILLIAM FARCIUHARSON LAMONBY , P . M .

062—I hat the following addition be made to the Book of Constitutions : Canvassing for any elective office , personally , by letter , or by circular , is prohibited . Any candidate who shall , on appeal , be proved to the satisfaction of the Board of General Purposes , or of an appointed Committee , after due enquiry , to have canvassed for votes , or to have

been canvassed for by brethren , or other agents on his behalf , shall be held incapable of entering upon the duties of the office to which he may have been elected , and such election shall , in consequence , be void and of no effect . The vacancy so caused shall be filled up in the manner provided by the Constitutions .

Bro . E . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec , rose and said with reference to the motion of Bro . Lamonby , he had received a communication from that brother stating the condition of his health rendered it impossible for him to attend in Grand Lodge to bring forward the motion , but he had asked a brother to bring it forward for him . However , the brother to whom Bro . Lamonby ' s motion had been committed was not present , and he had had a letter from him saying he could not come . Grand Lodge was then closed in form .

Mark Grand Lodge.

MARK GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons ot England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown was held on Tuesday evening , at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queen-street , W . C . In the absence of the Grand Master , the Pro Grand Master , and the Deputy Grand Master , the chair was occupied by Bro . Charles Letch Mason , Prov . Grand Master of West Yorkshire . Bro . Col .

A . B . Cook , Prov . Grand Master of Middlesex , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Bros . Richard Eve acted as S . G . W . ; Sir Joseph Dimsdale , J . G . W . ; Charles Belton , as G . M . O . ; Richard Clowes , as S . G . O . ; Stevenson ( Cheshire ) , as J . G . O . ; R . Loveland Loveland , President of the General Board ; C . H . Parkes , G . Treasurer ; C . F . Matier , G . Sec ;

and Major C . W . Carrell , G . D . C . Bros . W . E . M . Tomlinson , M . P ., Dr . Clement Godson , Dr . W . H . Kempster , George Everett , J . Strachan , Q . C , F . West , W . Vincent , W . A . Scurrah , J . Boulton , and James Speller were among the other brethren who were present . Bro . Henry Sadler acted as G . I . G .

After the minutes of the Quarterly Communication of June ist had been received and confirmed , Bro . C . F . MATIER , G . Sec , read the following letter he had received from the Home Secretary , in reply to the address of congratulation to her Majesty on her completing 60 years of her reign voted by Grand Lodge :

Whitehall , 3 rd July , 1897 Sir , I have had the honour to lay before the Queen , the loyal and dutiful address of the members of the Degree of Mark Master Mason in Grand Lodge assembled , on the occasion of her Majesty attaining the 60 th year of her reign ,

and I have to inform you that her Majesty was pleased to receive the same very graciously . —I have the honour to be , your obedient servant , M . W . RIDLEY . C . F . Matier , Esq ., Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queen-street , London , W . C .

On the motion of Bro . LOVELAND LOVELAND it was resolved that this letter be entered on the minutes . Bro . MATIER said he had now the honour to announce the gracious command of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales that Bro . Richard

Loveland Loveland , President of the General Board , should receive the rank of Past Junior Grand Warden . ( Cheers ) . Bro . LOVELAND LOVELAND then advanced to the Throne and was invested . At the call of Bro . Major C . W . Carrell , G . D . C , he was afterwards saluted .

On the motion of Bro . R . LOVELAND LOVELAND , President , seconded by Bro . Major CARRELL , G . D . C , the report of the General Board , as already published , was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . Lastly , on the motion and seconding of the same two brethren the report was adopted .

Bro . STEVENSON , Cheshire , next rose and said that acting on instructions he had received he now directed attention to a portrait of the Earl of Egerton and Tatton , Pas ? Grand Master , which was affixed to the walls of Grand Lodge , and on behalf of the Cheshire brethren , who had had it painted , he begged to present it to Grand Lodge for the acceptance of the brethren . Bro . C . LETCH MASON said he was very satisfied to know that from time to time Grand Lodge had these presents made to it , and he hid very great