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another word . I am quite sure you all rejoice , and feel as I do the highest gratification at our illustrious brother coming among us . ( Hear , hear , and cheers ) . The two Grand Wardens , the Grand Director of

Ceremonies , the Grand Deacons , and four Grand Stewards , will therefore retire and conduct His Royal Hig hness into this Grand Lodge . ( Cheers , ) and on the entering of His Royal Highness every brother will rise .

The brethren then , on the on the announcement by Bro . C . B . Payne , G . T yler , of His Royal Highness ' s approach , rose en masse , the sight was one not easily to be forgotten . The hall being closely packed the brethren near the walls could not get a sight of the new brother without standing - * on the seats , and this

gave the concourse the appcarcncc of a shelving sen of heads , the collars and jewels forming a groundwork of blue and gold . Up the centre of this mass was left a narrow avenue just sufficient for the procession to move , and as it approached the Throne the Prince

appeared to be quite impressed with the imposing sight . The plaudits which greeted His Royal Highness were loud and long-continued , and the brethren then maintained absolute silence while the following address was delivered by

THE GRAND MASTER : May it please your Royal Highness , it is my duty , sir , to welcome most cordially your Royal Highness to the Grand Lodge of England ; and I assure your Royal Highness that this epoch has long been wished for and expected by the body of Masons forming the Craft of England . ( Hear , bear ) .

I can further assure your Royal Highness that the advent of your Royal Highness to Masonry was welcomed most enthusiastically by every private lodge in England . The Craft in general in England is so much indebted to the patronage of your Royal House that they cannot but be most desirous to shew their

cordial good wishes and gratitude to your Royal House , and their delight at receiving your Royal Highness amongst them as a Brother Mason . ( Hear , hear , and applause ) . It is hardly necessary for mo enumerate the members of your Royal House who have been Patrons , Grand Masters , and members of

the Craft in England . lour Royal Highness has only to look around [ pointing to thc Paintings of Royal Masons which adorn the icalts of the Temple ] to see George IV ., the Duko of York , and your Royal Highness ' s more immediate ancestor , the Duke of Kent . ( Hear , hear , and cheers ) . To know what

great advantages the Craft iu general have derived from such illustrious patronage , and to make your Royal Highness well aware ofthe delight which your coming into Masonry has caused in this Country ( Hear , hear , and applause ) , There is one member more especially , I may allude to , your Itoyal

Highness s immediate ancestor , tho Duke of Kent , who was Grand Master ofthe Athol Lodge , and associated with bis lato Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex , in forming the Union between the Grand Lodge of England and the Athol Lodge , so much to the advantage of the Craft in England . I will now ask your

Royal Highness to allow me to have the honour oi investing you with the clothing of a Past Grand Muster , and I invite you to take your seat in Grand Lodge as a member ofthe Grand Lodge of England . ( Great cheering ) . Bro . Payne then handed the clothing to Sir Albert

Woods , who handed it to the Earl of Zetland , and the noble earl invested Bro . II . R . II . the Prince of Wales with the gorgeous insignia of his rank . The Prince had , up to this time , worn only the ordinary Master Mason ' s apron as "Masonic clothing , but the blue riband ofthe Garter was also observable .

SIR ALIIERTW . WOODSread aloud the numerous titles by which the Prince is honoured , and proclaimed him a Past Grand Master ofthe Order . Taking the time from Sir Albert , the brethren saluted the new Past Grand Master with the Grand or Rival Sign .

His ROYAL HIGHNESS before taking his seat said : Most Worshi pful Grand Master , Deputy Grand Master , Grand Officers of Grand Lodge , and Brethren , allow mi * , to tender you my warmest and most sincere thanks for the great honour that you have conferred upon me this evening . For a long time past it had

been my wish to become a freemason and n member of the ancient Craft ; and although , brethren , I was initiated in a foreign country , I at the time felt—and you will all agree with me—that Freemasonry is one and the same in all countries ( hear , hear ) , you are all fellow Craftsmen , and I can assure you I ( eel it a great

honour to be here to day , and to be admitted into the Grand Lodge of Kngland ( hear , hoar ) . Allow me Most AVorshi pful Grand Master to thank you once more for the kind words you have spoken , and to the brethren for the kind and cordial manner they have received me this evening ( applause ) . The GRAND MASTER : May it , p lease your Royal

Highness , Brethren , I have another communication to make to Grand Lodge , which I assure you is a very painful dut y for me to perform ; but nevertheless I feel confident that you will all agree in the conclusion that I have come to , namely , that I am too old longer to continue Grand Master of England ( no , no ) , I assure you , brethren , it is with great regret 1 have come to this conclusion myself , because I hope by my

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conduct and by my assiduity and attention to the duties of my office 1 have proved myself a zealous Mason ( hear , hear ) . But , brethren , after a period of service of 26 years as Graud Master , and of two years previous to that as Pro . Grand Master to H . R . H . the Duke of Sussex , I think I may fairly say I have

earned my retirement ( hear , hear ); and I must beg you therefore not to put me in nomination again to fill the office of Grand Master . After having succeeded in carrying out that great work which was finished and inaugurated in the course of this year , namely , the building of a new Freemasons' Hall , and

seeing all the charities in a most flourishing position , I do not think that I could select a more happy opportunity of asking you to aucept my resignation of office , and to select a younger man in my stead . Although I may no longer fill that distinguished office , to which your kindness has so often re-elected me , yet I cannot

but assure you that as long as the Almighty spares me health and strength I shall take a lively interest in everything connected with you ( hear , hear ) . I cannot conclude this address without expressing what I have so often expressed before that it must be almost tiresome to you to hear me express again—but I must

express it for the last time—the gratitude I feel to my brethren for the kind support they have invariably given to me , and for the confidence they have placed in me by electing me seven-and-twenty times to the highest office in the Craft . I assure you , brethren , though I wish to retire from the office of Grand

Master I shall not cease to take au interest in everything that concerns Masonry so long as life remains ( hear , hear , and great applause ) . I now request , brethren , that I may not be put in nomination for the office of Grand Master for the ensuing year . The noble Earl , who was deeply affected during the delivery of this address , then resumed his seat

amidst loud and long-sustained applause . THE DEPUTY GRAND MASTER gave notice that at next quarterly communication in March , he should move a resolution expressive of the regret of the brethren at the retirement of the Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , from the Grand Mastership . Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART said that while

thanking the Grand Master for the able and zealous manner in which he had performed his duties the brethren were also much gratified that the Prince of Wales had come among them . As the Grand Master had expressed a wish not again to be put in nomination it became their duty to ask another Brother who so nobly followed

his Lordship ' s example to take that office . In doing so they would be guided by no feeling to choose one who was not well versed in the duties and responsibilities attached to that office . He ( Iiro . Stewart ) thought they would not have occasion to look very far from Grand Lodge for a brother who was capable

of discharging those duties , one who with hearty respect he would say although he occupies a very important position in the councils of Her Majesty had always found time to discharge his Masonic duties ( cheers ) . Brethren ( said Bro . Stewart ) , wherever the name of the Earl de Grey and Ripon is heard

( applause ) , it is received with the greatest respect and regard . Long may that name remain illustrious in England ! May that name grace the roll of the Grand Masters of England ! and that it may , brethren , without detaining you longer , —for we have a long list of business before us—I beg to nominate the Earl do Grey and Ripon for Grand Master for the vear

ensuing ( loud cheers ) . Tin * GRAND MASTKR having put the question whether any brother hud some one else to put in nomination for the office as Grand Master there was a simultaneous cry of " No , no . " The brethren already on the Board of Benevolence were rc-nppointcd .

The report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter was then submitted for confirmation , when a grant of £ 50 to a brother of No . b'M , and £ 30 to the widow of a late brother of No . 110 were made . Upon a grant of £ ; io being proposed to a brother of No . 13 . Bro . John Henderson objected on the ground , that

having enquired into the ments of the case , the Iod"e had found that thoy could not honestly and fairly support the case before the board . After some remarks from the Grand Registrar in defence of the vote , Bro . HAVERS advocated referring the matterac k to the Board of Benevolence . Bro . Binckes , as the

brother through whose instrumentality the case was brought before the hoard , supported the grant . Bro Joseph Smith thought a ease had been made out for referring the matter back to the board . Bro . Udall also defended the grant . The recommendation was put to the lodge and lost , and the amendment to send the case back to the board was carried .

Ihe GRAND MASTER : I am anxious to interrupt the business of Grand Lodge I ' or one minute . I beg to inform tho brethren that our Illustrious Brother ] II . R . II ., the Prince of Wales , is anxious to retire from

Grand Lodge at this time , and I believe ho wished me to give the reason why , viz ., this day is the birth day of" Her Royal Highness , the Princess of AVales . ( Immense cheering . ) I perceive it is quite unnecessary for me to say more . You are perfectly aware how

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anxious His Royal Hig hness must be on sueh an occasion as this to be present at his own table to celebrate the birth-day of his Illustrious Consort . The brethren hereupon rose , and the Prince of AVales accompanied by the Duke of St . Alban ' s , and escorted by Bro Havers and Sir Albert AVoods , left the hall

amid the ringing cheers of thc brethren . The following grants were then passed , £ 30 to a brother of 87 , £ 100 to a brother of 29 . and £ 30 to a brother of 461 . Bro . L * u EVANS then brought forward the report of the Board of General Purposes , which was taken

as read , and ordered to be entered on the minutes . G . SECRETARY announced that by an omission , the blame of which he took entirely on himself , the second report of the Masonic Benevolent Institution had been omitted from the agenda paper .

Bro . SAVAGE thought the matter would keep very well till next meeting , and after a discussion in which Bros . Browse , Savage , Clabon , and Udall took part , the subject was ordered to stand over till the next meetinf .

Bro . Udall's motion , seconded by Bro . Clabon" That the sum of £ 50 be given from the Fund of General Purposes . That the money be placed iu the hands of the Secretary of the Asylum of the Royal Masonic Benevoleut Institution for aged Freemasons and the AVidows of Freemasons , to supply the inmates at Croydon with Coals during the winter season , " was carried .

Bro . J . H . AVYNNE then brought forward the following motion : — " That those brethren , who were candidatos at tho last election , and did not succeed to be elected ou the Annuity Fund , shall receive £ 15 per annum from the Benevolent Fund , until they shall be elected on the Annuity Fund , "

( sic . ) and was proceeding at great length when The G . REGISTRAR interposed , and submitted that Bro . AVynne was out of order in that he asked Grand Lodge to deal with the Fund of Benevolence , when the constitutions committed the care of that Fund to a

Board . Bro . HAVERS made a few observations respecting the effect of the motion being carried . The motion , being out of order , was withdrawn . Bro . RAYNHAM XV . STEWART , W . M ., Nos . 12 and 453 , rose to

move" That in future the issue of free votes in consequence of the grants from Grand Lodge and Graud Chapter be hereafter discontinued , and that the rules and regulations of the Institutiou be amended a follows , viz .: — "Rule 17 . Ex-iuuged . " " Rule 81 . To omit the words ' Lodge Chapter and' in the 7 th line . "

BRO , JOHN SYMONDS said it was out of order The Benevolent Institution was an independent body , passing its own laws , although it was enacted that those laws and every alteration in them should be submitted to Grand Lodge for approval . Buo . R . AV . STEWART had felt the same difficulty .

Grand Lodge was asked to give up a privilege , and he apprehended it was quite within thc power of Grand Lodge to send this motion down as an instruction to the Committee to consider it . Bro . HAVERS thought it was quite in order . Bros . Cor .. COLE , 11 . BROWSE , J . SAVAOE , JOSEPH

SMITH , and F . BINCKES , continued the discussion , and the general feeling appeared to be that all tho resolutions Grand Lodge had at any time made on the subject would have to be brought forward and compared , the searching out of which , G . Secretary

said , would take a considerable tune . After some remarks from Bro . SYMONDS , Bro . J . R . STEIHIING , said they ought then to go back to Bro . Clabon ' s motion , and have a discussion on all his scheme . Buo . STEWART then consented to postpone his

motion . Buo . JAMES STEVENS , P . M ., No . 720 , in introducing his motion ,

" That with a view to securing greater uniformity of working and observauce of tho ' same usages and customs ' throughout the several lodges held under tho authority of the Grand Lodgo of England , a , Committee of Past Masters be appointed to enquire into tho merits of the respective systems of working now in practice , and to

report to Grand Lodge thereon , with ( such recommendations as they may think necessary to prevent deviation from tho established inodo . such deviations being according to the Constitutions of Freemasonry , improper and not to be justified or countenanced , ' ' observed that he would have preferred that it should

have been brought forward b y much more able brethren than himself , but a * it was a recognised princi ple among them that even the most humble might be able at times to do some good to the Craft he did not consider himself out of place in submitting this motion to Grand Lodge . He chiefly desired to

call Ihe attention of Grand Lod ge to the fact that the Book of Constitutions stated that there , was an established mode , and that any deviations from that could not be justified and ought not to be countenanced . He used the words of the clause in tho Book of Constitutions , in order that the subject